thermodynamically stable and became co-author of the seminal paper which introduced quasicrystals. Glass transition In 2004, Cahn and Bendersky presented evidence that an "isotropic non-crystalline metallic phase" (dubbed "q-glass") can be grown from the melt. This is the "primary phase," to form in the Al-Fe-Si system during rapid cooling. Experimental evidence indicates that this phase forms by a first-order transition. TEM images show that the q-glass nucleates from the melt as discrete particles, which grow spherically with a uniform growth rate in all directions. The diffraction pattern shows it to be an isotropic glassy phase. Yet there is a nucleation barrier, which implies an interfacial discontinuity (or internal surface) between the glass and the melt. Research in retirement In his retirement, Cahn accepted a position at the University of Washington as an affiliate professor in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Physics. Personal life He had three children and six grandsons. In retirement, he lived in Seattle, Washington, with his wife, Anne Hessing Cahn. He died from leukemia in Seattle on March 14, 2016. Honors and awards 2011 The Kyoto Prize, Inamori Foundation 2002 Bower Prize, Franklin Institute 2001 Emil Heyn Medal, German Metallurgical Society 2001 Honorary Life Member, American Ceramic Society 1999 Bakhuys Roozeboon Lecturer and Gold medal, Netherlands Academy of Sciences 1998 National Medal of Science 1998 Member, National Academy of Engineering 1998 Distinguished GE Lecturer in Materials Science at RPI '69 & `98 MacDonald Lecturer, Canadian Metallurgical Society 1996 Doctor Honoris Causis, Universite d'Évry, France 1995 Harvey Prize, Technion. 1994 Rockwell Medal; Hall of Fame for Engineering, Science and Technology, and Medal, International Technology Institute. 1994 Gold Medal, Honorary Member, Japan Institute of Metals. 1993 Inland Steel Lecture, Northwestern University. 1993 Hume–Rothery Award, TMS. 1993 Cyril Stanley Smith Lecturer, University of Chicago. 1992 Honorary member, MRS-India. 1991 Michelson–Morley Award, Case Western University. 1990 Honorary Sc. D., Northwestern University; Hilliard Lecturer. 1989 Sauveur Award, ASM International. 1987 Distinguished Physics Lecturer, Boston University. 1986 Stratton Award, National Bureau of Standards. 1985 Von Hippel Award, Materials Research Society. 1984 Gold Medal, US Department of Commerce. 1983 Distinguished Lecturer, University of Connecticut. 1982 Golick Lecturer, University of Missouri, Rolla, MO. 1981 Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. 1981 Dickson Prize, Carnegie–Mellon University. 1980 Honorary Professor, Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. 1979 Van Horn Lecturer, Case-Western University. 1978 Dorn Lecturer, Northwestern University. 1977 Acta Metallurgica Gold Medal. 1974