The former head of the Department of Microelectronic Systems at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at TU Darmstadt worked closely with the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Ulan-Bator. He also supported the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in setting up the German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology (GMIT), which is concerned with the fair and resource-friendly extraction of natural resources in Mongolia.

The Order of the Polar Star, also known as the ‘Altan Gadas Odon’, is Mongolia's highest state honour for foreign citizens. The award is decided by the President. Previous recipients include former US President Barack Obama and former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.