Battsengel Baatar is a chemist from Mongolia who cares deeply about science, education, and supporting women in STEM. She completed her PhD in Chemistry at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, after growing up in Mongolia’s Soviet influenced education system, where mathematics and natural sciences were highly valued.
Her love for chemistry started early. Both of her parents were chemists, and as a child she spent time in their laboratories. She remembers the chemicals and equipment as “very admirable and the reason to go in this direction.” She also says she “liked math very much and also the natural sciences,” which made choosing chemistry feel natural.
After finishing her studies abroad, she made the decision to return to Mongolia. She wanted to give back and help strengthen her country’s scientific community. At the National University of Mongolia, she helped establish research laboratories and build scientific capacity. She believes strongly that “the country’s development is very much dependent on science and engineering.”
Today, she works at the German Mongolian University for Resources and Technology (GMIT), where she focuses on improving engineering education and helping train more qualified engineers. She is also active internationally through INWES, where she has served since 2020 as Board Member and Vice Chair for Education and Science, supporting women in STEM around the world.
Her message to girls and young women is simple: “have big dreams and goals.” Engineering offers “more opportunities and more flexibility,” and success brings “more satisfaction because you can see what you achieved.”