Born: 1978 (Šahy, Slovakia)
Biography:
Katalin Balázsi (née Sedláčková; born 1978) is a Slovakia-born Hungarian material scientist. She is the head of the Thin Film Physics department in the Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, a component of the Centre for Energy Research, Eötvös Lóránd Research Network. She has also served as the President of the Association of Hungarian Women in Science (2018-2021).
Early Life:
Balázsi was born in Šahy (Ipolyság), Slovakia in 1978. From an early age, she displayed a talent for mathematics and represented her school in various competitions. Her father enrolled her in an electrician high school, where she was one of only four girls among thirty-two boys. Despite the male-dominated environment, Balázsi excelled and graduated with the top ranking in her class.
Education and Career:
Balázsi pursued her university studies at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. In 2000, she received her bachelor’s degree in Electromaterials Engineering and went on to obtain a master’s degree in materials science in 2002. During her master’s studies, Balázsi worked as a technician at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, further developing her expertise in the field. She later completed her doctorate in materials science from the STU in 2005, earning recognition as a Young Researcher by the Institute of Electrical Engineering at the Academy.
In 2006, Balázsi joined the Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, part of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, as a research fellow. She later became a senior scientist at the Institute’s Centre for Energy Research in 2012. Throughout her career, Balázsi has focused on electron microscopy and the characterization of nanomaterial structures. Additionally, she has conducted research on the development of different ceramic materials, expanding her contributions to the field.
Influence on Society and Women’s History:
Balázsi’s dedication to advancing women in science led her to co-found the Association of Hungarian Women in Science in 2008. This organization aimed to address the gender imbalance within Hungary’s science sector. Their efforts were recognized when the Association was awarded the first Nature Research Innovating Science Award in 2018. Balázsi served as the president of the Association from 2018 to 2021, advocating for greater representation and opportunities for women in science.
Awards:
– 2021 Acta Materialia Mary Fortune Global Diversity Medal
– Second Hungarian fellow of the European Ceramic Society (ECerS)
– Board member of the European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS)
– Secretary of the Hungarian Society for Material Sciences (2013-2020)
– Secretary and Treasurer of the Hungarian Microscopic Society (2018-2022)
Personal Life:
Balázsi’s husband, Csaba Balázsi, is also a scientist, and together they have two sons. In addition to her native Hungarian, Balázsi is fluent in Slovak, Czech, and English.
Katalin Balázsi’s contributions to the field of material science and her commitment to empowering women in science have shaped her into an inspirational figure. Her influential work and dedication continue to drive advancements in the scientific community, leaving a lasting impact on women’s history.