A royal warrant signed by the Queen officially conferred the title of Regius Professor of Chemistry to Graham Hutchings.
It is the first time the title recognising high quality research has been awarded to a Welsh university.
Prof Hutchings said he was "extremely honoured" to accept the title.
The title is one of 12 awards granted back in June to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Prof Hutchings is the director of Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI) and one of the world's pre-eminent authorities on the processes involved in using compounds as catalysts.
Catalysts make chemical reactions happen more quickly.
He said: "I'm sure this prestigious honour will draw even more attention to the ground-breaking work we are doing to meet these challenges."
It is believed the first Regius Professorship was conferred to Aberdeen University in 1497 by King James IV.
Recipients of new Regius Professorships were selected following a competitive process judged by an independent expert panel of business and academic experts.
A Cardiff University chemistry professor has been awarded a royal first in Wales.