On this blog page, we give the floor to those who are our very reason of existence: the participants of the CETRA Research Summer School in Translation Studies.
We kindly invite every participant of our thirty past summer schools to submit a text (just 100-200 words, or more if you feel like it) elaborating on the development of his or her career, in and/or outside Academia, and looking back on his or her participation at our research summer school in translation studies. You can also use this opportunity to give other alumni and visitors of this blog page a glimpse into your research.
You can submit your testimonial, together with your photo, by email to Pieter Boulogne. Please also mention the title of your PhD dissertation, and, if applicable, the place and date of your PhD promotion.
Stefan Baumgarten, Language Lecturer, Jacobs University Bremen, Germany
Stefan is a CETRA alumnus of 2002. He passed his viva with a PhD thesis entitled “Translation as an ideological interface: English translations of Hitler’s Mein Kampf” in June 2007 at Aston University, United Kingdom.
“I did my PhD at Aston University in Birmingham under the supervision of Professor Christina Schäffner, who had always encouraged us research students to get out of the ivory tower and make real connections! My participation at the CETRA summer school in 2001 was an extraordinary experience: it is perhaps one of a kind, a kind of ‘two-week intellectual summer camp marathon’, after which I finally knew what to do with my thus-far stop-and-go-start to my PhD on the English translations of Hitler’s ominous but (unfortunately) still politically relevant work Mein Kampf. The CETRA summer school had shown me, then an enthusiastic but still somewhat naïve aspiring young scholar, that all those people whose books I had desperately devoured to find an angle for my PhD-project, were made of flesh and blood! At CETRA in Misano, it turned out that the teaching staff were actually real nice and above all down-to-earth people, and equally it was fantastic to meet other research students from all over the world with similar issues, questions, hopes and aspirations about their research projects. Up to this day I am benefitting from the lectures and conversations with outstanding scholars such as Maria Tymoczko, Luc van Doorslaer, Reine Meylaerts, Dirk Delabastita, José Lambert, Martha Cheung or Andrew Chesterman. I can only recommend every aspiring young TS-researcher to participate in the CETRA Summer School, it is extraordinarily useful both in the short and long term, both in terms of getting to grip with complex theoretical and methodological questions surrounding one’s first research project and in terms of future networking with like-minded researchers once one enters the academic profession. And most importantly, of course, you will make life-long friends!”
Stefan submitted his testimonial in October 2018.
Matilde Nisbeth Brøgger, Associate Professor of International Business Communication and Health Communication, Aarhus University, Denmark
Matilde is a CETRA alumna of 2010. She defended her PhD dissertation, entitled “Translators of Patient Information Leaflets: Translation experts or expert translators? A mixed methods study of lay-friendliness” in May 2013 at Aarhus University, Denmark.
“As challenging as it might sound having to write a testimonial 9 years after having attending CETRA, the experience and my 2 weeks in Leuven gave me so many fond memories that it is actually quite effortless. I especially remember the value of getting to know the many other PhD students from all over the world, all of us excited, nervous and somewhat star-struck by the impressive CETRA crew. So many well-known TS scholars, there to teach us and help us. Besides the many interesting lectures, which gave us a good understanding of the broadness of our field, I remember the tutorials – time allocated with these well-known TS academics, just to talk about my project! All their suggestions were extremely valuable, and sometimes confusing and contradictory – just the way it is supposed to be. I also remember the late-night learning (read: Belgian beer) with new PhD colleagues.
After CETRA, I co-edited the CETRA proceedings with Beatrice Fischer, which was a very substantial learning experience for me. Beatrice and I spent hours reading, writing, skyping, emailing etc. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun. I learned the nitty-gritty of publishing and editing processes. Luckily, all our hard work paid off, with a great book, Translation and the Reconfiguration of Power Relations: Revisiting Role and Context of Translation and Interpreting, which was published by LIT in their Representation – Transformation series. The editorial work gave me valuable insights into peer-review processes, the importance of a good style sheet, and flexible deadlines. It also made me realize that editing work was my kind of thing. It gave me the urge and courage to be involved in book review editing for JoSTrans, co-editing the EST Newsletter and currently establishing a new journal in my other research field, ‘Health Communication’.”
Matilde submitted her testimonial in March 2019.
Şeyda Eraslan, Assistant Professor at English Translation & Interpreting Department, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey
Şeyda is a CETRA Alumna of 2007. She defended her PhD thesis entitled “Intercultural Knowledge Transfer in Turkey: The Consecutive Interpreter’s Role in Context” in June 2011 at Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona Spain.
“Attending CETRA 2007 as the laureate of EST Summer School Scholarship with my doctoral project was such a great opportunity for me. Back then I had just submitted my minor dissertation on role, context, and culture in consecutive conference interpreting in Turkey. I had doubts and questions about how to proceed, therefore the CETRA experience was really timely and helpful. The seminars and tutorials were rich in terms of scope and content, and very enriching indeed. Having a tutorial with my thesis supervisor Franz Pöchhacker was another great advantage for me. I also had the chance to publish a paper in the edited volume of 2008 (ed. Pieter Boulogne) consisting of the Selected Papers of the CETRA Research Seminar in Translation Studies 2007. Last but not least, the privilege of meeting researchers from different parts of the world deserves to be mentioned, as the networks established then still keep us connected both in terms of friendship and research. All in all, I am grateful for my CETRA experience, such a rewarding experience for me that now I encourage my students to attend CETRA.”
Şeyda submitted her testimonial in November 2018.
Chantal Gagnon, Associate Professor, Département de linguistique et de traduction, Université de Montréal, Canada
Chantal is a CETRA alumna of 2003. She passed her viva with a PhD thesis entitled “La traduction des discours politiques au Canada” (“The translation of political discourses in Canada”) in September 2009 at Aston University, United Kingdom.
“I am a Canadian who completed her PhD at Aston University, under the supervision of the wonderful and insightful Christina Schäffner. My doctoral research dealt with the translation of political speeches in Canada, analysed from a Critical Discourse Analysis perspective. From the first few months of my doctoral studies, I was strongly encouraged to go to the CETRA summer school by my PhD supervisor and by PhD students who had attended CETRA the year before. I am so glad I listened to them. CETRA is a fabulous training place to enter the world of translation studies. There, I met experienced researchers, networked with budding researchers, and refined my knowledge of translation studies. I have fond memories of my relaxed (but very serious and incredibly helpful) discussions with scholars like José Lambert, Reine Meylaerts, Andrew Chesterman or Antony Pym. The warm welcome at CETRA, combined with exciting exchanges about translation, not only gave me self-confidence, but also helped to make me the researcher I am today. I am back in Montréal, where I work as a translation professor at Université de Montréal. I must admit that I am always looking forward to conferences in Europe, to have a chance to meet the researchers with whom I became friends in 2003. The EST congresses are particularly fertile for CETRA “reunions”!”
Chantal submitted her testimonial in October 2018.
Gabriel González Núñez, Assistant Professor, Spanish Translation & Interpreting Programs, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, United States
Gabriel is a CETRA alumnus of 2012. He defended his PhD dissertation, entitled Translating for Linguistic Minorities: Translation Policy in the United Kingdom, in August 2014 at KU Leuven, Belgium.
“I did my PhD at KU Leuven, so I found myself in the enviable position of attending CETRA not once but thrice. This afforded me the unique opportunity of hearing lectures and obtaining one-on-one guidance from well-established scholars such as Anthony Pym, Yves Gambier, José Lambert, Andrew Chesterman, Christina Schäffner, Dirk Delabastita, Michaela Wolf, Miriam Shlesinger, Franz Pöchhacker, Reine Meylaerts, etc. All of the professors were approachable and sincerely interested in helping. Along similar lines, the interaction with other PhD students was always encouraging. In addition to this, CETRA afforded me the opportunity to edit the CETRA Papers, which was a wonderful training experience.”
Gabriel submitted his testimonial in October 2018.
Beatrice Fischer, Lecturer at Center for Translation Studies, University of Vienna, Austria
Beatrice is a CETRA alumna of 2010.
“I attended the CETRA Summer School with CETRA Chair Professor Sherry Simon in 2010, and it was a very rewarding experience. I had just begun my PhD, and the Summer School’s warm and friendly atmosphere was particularly enjoyable for me. The professors in attendance, such as Miriam Shlesinger, Franz Pöchhacker and Andrew Chesterman (to name but a few), were greatly interested in the variety of research topics the participants had to offer. The CETRA Summer School was a wonderful opportunity to share my research project with both other colleagues and experienced researchers. My research project, which I completed in 2014, was enriched by the array of seminars, lectures, tutorials and student presentations at the Summer School.
Together with Matilde Nisbeth Jensen, another participant at the 2010 CETRA Summer School, I also had the chance to publish the edited volume Translation and the Reconfiguration of Power Relations: Revisiting Role and Context of Translation and Interpreting(2012, LIT). The peer-reviewed volume consists of articles written by 14 PhD students who attended the CETRA Summer School in 2010.”
Beatrice submitted her testimonial in September 2018.
Marie-France M. K. Guénette, PhD student in Translation Studies, Département de linguistique et de traduction, Université de Montréal, Canada
Marie-France is a CETRA alumna of 2017. Her PhD project is entitled “Printed Translations at the English Court of Queen Henrietta Maria (1625-1642)”.
“At the end of the summer, I had my first experience at a doctoral summer programme. I had the immense pleasure of being a participant at KU Leuven’s CETRA summer school in Antwerp from August 28 to September 8, 2017. I choose my words carefully, for as we all quickly learn at CETRA, one does not simply “attend” the CETRA summer school. In this rewarding experience, what you put in is never wasted. Indeed, CETRA is a place where participants put 110% of their energy and willpower, and where they are given 200% back. The summer school brings together excellent doctoral students from all around the world for a two-week stay in Antwerp, Belgium. KU Leuven’s Antwerp campus provided all the amenities needed for the research stay. The building was clean and well kept, the quaint library was welcoming, and the employees were always helpful. The university even provided an access card with visiting scholar status until the end of November for those who wished to stay on. All the hard work that went into the organization of the event shone through daily, as participants were never made aware of any glitches or problems that went on behind the scenes.
As a second-year doctoral student, I approached the summer school as a place where my ideas about translation studies would be challenged. I had no sense at the time just how many times my doctoral research project would be questioned, cross-examined, and redefined. Guest professors graciously offer their time to meet with students to discuss whatever is most pressing or difficult for them in their doctoral programme. I cannot thank all these emergent and decorated scholars enough for the time they gave to meet with me. Together, we went over my doctoral research proposal and discussed approaches to data collection, methodological issues, case study ideas, realistic timeframes and expectations… But these professors do not only lend their expertise on research in translation studies; they participate in shaping the researchers of tomorrow by addressing any and all anxieties in relation to self-confidence, life in academia as a student and would-be professor, research work, time management, article formatting, publication venues, career goals and aspirations, even sleep deprivation and coffee consumption. Any topic is up for discussion, and what a relief it is for a young scholar like myself to meet these experienced researchers whose books and articles I have been reading for over a decade, and to appreciate first-hand to what extent they are patient, generous, and approachable. At times, their words were harsh and destructive, but as all researchers learn during their graduate studies, these are the moments of growth; moments where our understanding of our own research topic is put to the test. And is it ever valuable.
The time and effort I put into my participation at CETRA paid off in so many ways. I had submitted my second comprehensive examination papers the day before my flight for Europe, and at Université de Montréal’s Département de linguistique et de traduction, this written work entails preparing a preliminary (though still exhaustive) literary review of the main topics addressed in the Ph.D. research, as well as a detailed project description and map of the thesis-writing for the upcoming months. I therefore arrived at CETRA with a clear idea of where I was headed, but with so many uncertainties regarding what I needed to do to get there. And the more CETRA lectures I attended, the more questions I had for professors during the one-on-one meetings.
Coming out of CETRA with so many answers and so many more questions prepared me for my candidacy paper defence, which was scheduled the week of my return to Canada. I was instilled with a confidence and strong sense of how to approach the questions of the committee members of my home university. That day, I put on my fanciest dress and newfound self-confidence, and tackled the event I had been dreading for months. With the help of the CETRA Professor Leo Tak-Hung Chan and guest lecturers, I not only improved my doctoral research project, but I also improved myself as a scholar. My defence was long and tedious, but I felt prepared and could answer all types of questions with confidence. As I sat there, I knew how my experience at CETRA played an important role in this personal growth. I strongly recommend all doctoral students of translation studies attend an event like the CETRA summer school.
I conclude with a word on the other participants. At the CETRA summer school, I met emergent scholars as well as established ones. Beyond professional contacts, I made true friends. We have stayed in touch, and we are planning to meet up at future international translation studies events. We connected on our research topics, and even developed ideas for collaborative publications. I hope this short essay gives a glimpse of how rewarding this experience has been for me. I am so thankful for the generous European Society for Translation Studies Summer School Scholarship that helped cover the tuition, travel and accommodation expenses for this experience.”
Marie-France’s testimonial was first published in the EST Newsletter in November 2017.
Olha Lehka-Paul, PhD, Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland
Olha is a CETRA alumna of 2016. She defended her PhD thesis “The role of the translator’s personality in the process of self-revision”, under the supervision of Professor Bogusława Whyatt, with distinction in October 2018 at the Faculty of English of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland.
“Thursday, August 25th, 2016: “I had the time of my life. Really. It was fascinating. Fantastic. Unforgettable. Andrew Chesterman was reading his (and not only his) limericks and clerihews (yes, “clerihews” that later became modified and known as “andrihews”), which were met with applause and appreciation from the public. I was sitting right opposite the historical figure in TS, one of its founding fathers, Jose Lambert. We were drinking wine and he was telling us stories about the 70s and 80s when they were struggling for CETRA and TS to develop. About James Holmes and his vision of TS. About Gideon Toury and his strong will. About tennis and the CERA SA Bank. If it hadn’t been for all of this, we wouldn’t have CETRA (and perhaps even TS – who knows?). This is amazing. Alice in Wonderland (read: “CETRAland”). This is how I feel now. Just can’t believe that all the people from the textbooks are now alive in front of me, speaking to me, having wine and chatting. Incredible. Lewis Caroll would be proud. (…)”
These are only a few lines from my 35-page long CETRA diary from 2016 Research Summer School. The diary filled with my lecture notes, reflections, ideas, reactions, tips from CETRA professors, and lots of precious memories. That summer was indeed special. Special in terms of both my personal and academic growth. Never before had I felt so immersed in research, so inspired to continue my PhD journey, and so happy to be surrounded by all those amazingly like-minded people from different countries and different research sub-fields. The School made me realise a few important things. First, the understanding of my own PhD project grew with each tutorial – having to explain and discuss my project with the CETRA staff involved in-depth analysis of what I actually wanted to do, the steps I planned to take, and the outcomes that I sought to achieve. Second, I learnt how important it is to share knowledge and ideas – especially with people who know very little or nothing about our areas of expertise. They can sometimes notice and offer much more than we can expect from them. Third, I realised that being an expert does not necessarily mean knowing everything. Perhaps, it means quite the opposite – being aware of the gaps in our knowledge and willing to fill them in, being eager to learn from mistakes and take charge of any potential outcomes, and being ready to share our experience (both positive and negative) with others. And last but not least, CETRA unites people – where else would one be able to make friends with people from different countries and continents, with both students and professors? CETRA community is composed of so many different people – in terms of age, status, background, area of expertise – that this difference brings them together. In a nutshell, I strongly recommend that everyone who genuinely cares about research in Translation Studies, regardless of how far they have gone with their PhD project, should visit the CETRAland! The advantage is such that (unlike it was in the famous story) as long as you visit it, you will stay in it forever.”
Olha submitted her testimonial in December 2018.
Lars Liljegren, Senior Lecturer, Linköping University, Sweden
Lars is a CETRA alumnus of 2014. He defended his PhD thesis entitled “The Taming of a Viking: August Strindberg, Translation and Post-Victorian Censorship” in November 2018, at Linköping University.
“Having worked at Linköping University as a Junior Lecturer of English since 1999, I was fortunate to be able to start my PhD studies for real, as part of my work description, in 2011. Studying and teaching at the same time is demanding, but it means that one can pursue one’s studies for a longer period of time, which is an advantage in itself.
I attended the CETRA summer school in 2014, and was fortunate to make many new friends among my fellow PhD students. For me, the CETRA summer school was a complete game changer. After the first week with CETRA, having spent four years studying the field from the outside trying to grasp concepts and theories, I already felt I was now part of the inside, part of the discipline. This new, and slightly surprising, sensation made all the difference. The opportunity to be able to listen to some of the most prominent researchers in the field while also being able to meet several of them in person to discuss one’s project was truly helpful. The CETRA staff were so engaged and so eager to help that one felt at home right away. Although they all deserve a lot of credit, I would personally like to mention the help I got from Peter Flynn, Dirk Delabastita, Reine Meylaerts, Andrew Chesterman and Sara Ramos Pinto. I think “wow!” sums it up rather well, for the lack of better words.
At my mock dissertation, about a year before the completion of my thesis, Reine Meylaerts came to Linköping as my opponent, and in November 2018, Dirk Delabastita was the opponent when the thesis was to be officially defended. The feedback I got from both and the discussions we had were very useful, and their approach would serve as a template for how to professionally conduct a constructive opposition where both mind and heart are combined. I am forever in their debt for the time and effort they made on my behalf.
I believe that what is partly the strength of CETRA is that PhD students are always made to feel welcome in the discipline. It is obvious that the CETRA staff enjoy helping and shaping their future colleagues, because that is how students are regarded there: not as students, but as future colleagues. Thus, I would recommend anyone thinking of applying to the CETRA summer school to do so without hesitation. You will be in the best of hands.”
Lars submitted his testimonial in December 2018.
Aishah Muhammed A Mubaraki, PhD student, University of Leeds, School of Languages, Cultures and Societies
Aishah is a CETRA alumna of 2018. She is working on a thesis entitled “Presentation and subtitling of linguistic varieties in Egyptian films”.
“It has been a great experience attending the CETRA summer school in 2016 in Antwerp. I had the opportunity to discuss my research project in great detail and over an extend period of time with the most important and visible scholars in the field of TS. I fully enjoyed the two-week event with so many interesting seminars and discussions on various topics in Translation studies. Several of the sessions, delivered by several CETRA committees which I attended had been very informative and insightful on their particular subjects. It was a great opportunity to meet other researchers from different countries who I am still in touch with some of them.
I would like to summarize in what ways the CETRA Summer School helps me to structure my thesis and develops the analytical framework as well as the methodology of my study. The one-to-one tutorial with the CETRA staff allowed me to discuss how I will answers the research questions and how my study will make a contribution to the field of TS. I had an opportunity to give a presentation and answer the questions. The discussion revealed some of the key issues that help me to improve the analytical framework presented in my study.
I would like to express my heart-felt thanks to the CETRA staff who have shared their experiences and knowledge during that two exciting week in Antwerp.”
Aishah submitted her testimonial in May 2019.
María Luisa Rodríguez Muñoz, Lecturer, Department of Translation and Interpreting, French Language, Semitics and Documentation, University of Cordoba, Spain
María is a CETRA alumna of 2017. She defended her PhD thesis entitled “Interamericana: la traducción al Inglés de “Pantaleón y las visitadoras” in November 2014, at University of Cordoba.
“I graduated with a degree in Translation Studies in Granada and at present I am working as a temporary lecturer at the University of Cordoba, Spain, where I obtained a PhD in Literary Translation in 2014. It was very hard as I had to work as a lecturer, legal translation freelancer and do my PhD at the same time, but I finally achieved my goal. I am still struggling to get a better position in the system and fulfill my dream: to investigate the field that I define as my passion—translation in contemporary art museums—and to continue to teach in the university with eyes wide open to the market and society.
Given the difficult accreditation process that university teachers must undergo in Spanish academia in order to qualify for a permanent job, it is vital that we develop innovative methodologies and publish in high-impact journals, which is difficult to do without the proper training and the exchange of ideas with colleagues that work under the same circumstances. That is why I decided to take part in CETRA.
I heard about this programme one year before I actually enrolled in it while I was doing a research stay in Leuven. I had attended two lecturers by Prof. Munday and found them absolutely fascinating. So, one year later, I applied for and was awarded a three-month grant by my university so I could repeat my fantastic experience in Belgium (thanks to my dearest Lieve Behiels) by investing half of it in CETRA 2017. I am really happy with my decision. CETRA provides perfect training for young scholars due to its duration, intensive format and the quality of the teachers. Moreover, it is compatible with most scholars’ teaching obligations during the academic year.
Personally speaking, before taking the course I was going through a kind of “life” crisis. CETRA turned out to be a hybrid solution: between a kind of shock therapy (to wake up and take the gamble) and an oasis in the course of a sandy, bureaucratic obstacle race (with plenty of fresh water and food for thought to keep us going). That summer Leo Tak-Hung Chan was the chair professor. I could not have chosen a better year, as his vision of culture as a living, interdisciplinary phenomenon in Cultural Studies and Translation fit in perfectly with my new post-doc research project, in which I found myself quite lost. I wanted to improve the representativeness of the preliminary data used in my study, which aimed to underline the importance of translation as a way of democratizing verbal art, as well as the need for a language policy in publicly-funded museums.
I cannot thank Sara Ramos Pinto enough for her patience in explaining questionnaire methodologies to me; Elke Brems for her ability to make sense of different methods for analyzing reception in museums; Dilek Dizdar, who spurred us on to challenge Translation Studies epistemologically by going beyond the old frameworks, along the same lines as Yves Gambier. Yves, I will never forget your straight questions, which mirrored my weak convictions, and your recommendations: go outside, walk and take your time to think before reading, let the subject matter speak for itself and make decisions. Do not quit.
There are just a few examples of the Translation Studies scholars that gave special lectures and were available for personal tutorials. I have to say that I was amazed at their wisdom as well as their devotion and kindness. Their works are available in the most prestigious journals like vinyl records, but nothing could be compared to the live music that they brought to our classrooms. Last but not least, I would like to express my gratitude to Luc Van Doorslaer, the soul of CETRA for many years, and his always-smiling, hard-working team of strong academic women, particularly Paola Gentile and Dominique Van Schoor. I consider you friends.
Now, more than one year later I have to say that CETRA was an enriching professional experience for me. It is a must do for Translation Studies scholars, a very powerful training programme and a special venue to map our field and continually rewrite it.”
María submitted her testimonial in January 2019.
Esra Ozkaya, Assistant Professor at English Translation & Interpreting Studies Department, Istanbul University, Turkey
Esra is a CETRA alumna of 2011. She defended her PhD dissertation, entitled “Impartiality Concept in Conference Interpreting within the Light of Norms”, in February 2015 at Istanbul University, Turkey.
“CETRA was a great opportunity for me to “reunite” with my PhD thesis! I had already been working as a research and teaching assistant at my department at the University when I decided to attend CETRA in 2011 because as one might know; it is very easy to get distracted away from your PhD work while you have to take care of other things both in academy and in life! CETRA was my key to find my academic purpose again.
As I was the only student working in the interpreting domain at CETRA 2011, I had the unique chance to spend very long one-to-one tutorials with famous names such as late Miriam Shlesinger, Franz Pöchhacker, Andrew Chesterman, Heidi Salaets (to name but a few) who significantly contributed to the development of my PhD thesis and my academic self in general. The seminars were very to-the-point, covering a wide and rich scope of subjects in T&IS domain, supported by lengthy discussions and great input from my fellow researchers.
We made great friendships which we still maintain today, and that is just another great benefit of CETRA. I was able to learn so much from my fellow researchers through sharing know-how and academic experience as well as having great time together in a very friendly city. The feeling that I was not on my own in such an endeavour was a great relief to me.
CETRA not only helped me to find some answers to my existing questions but also taught me to ask new questions; which, I believe, is more often than not even more important in academy. All in all, my CETRA experience was very special, something I am glad I did in my life. I also would like to take this opportunity to thank all the professors and the whole team at CETRA for their contributions to my academic life and for enabling me to make a significant progress towards my research purposes.”
Esra submitted her testimonial in October 2018.
Meri Päivärinne, Part time teacher, University of Helsinki/freelance translator
Meri is a CETRA alumna of 2007. She defended her PhD dissertation, entitled “Jean Barbeyrac, traducteur et homme de lettres” in 2018 at University of Helsinki, Finland.
“I took part in the CETRA summer school at the very beginning of my PhD project. It was a great opportunity to meet some of the very influential scholars in the field of Translation Studies. I received invaluable feedback and support for my own project – and even if the plans changed many times afterwards – the discussions have helped me along the way. I defended my thesis after some twists and turns in 2018, and now a year later I wonder what I should do when I grow up. Doing research is tempting, even if the tight race for funding can be a challenge.”
Meri submitted her testimonial in May 2019.
Aslı Polat Ulaş, is a PhD student at Department of Translation and Interpreting, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir-Turkey
Aslı is a CETRA alumna of 2016. The working title of her PhD project is “The Trajectory of the Interpreting Habitus Shaping Around Public Service Interpreters in Turkey”.
“I attended CETRA Research Summer School in 2016, when I had not yet started to write my dissertation at that time. Nevertheless, CETRA has made great contributions to my research. While I was introducing my project, I collected fruitful ideas from the lecturers and the other participants with regard to the field work I am carrying out, which is the part and parcel of my dissertation. Furthermore, one-to-one sessions with the esteemed lecturers enabled me to notice the details that are hard to grasp in the first instance. Last but not least, academic conversations and sharings with the other participants with whom I had the chance to make friendship have expanded my horizon regarding the research and practices carried out in other countries.”
Aslı submitted her testimonial in July 2018.
Adewuni Salawu, Associate Professor of Translation Studies and African Literature of French Expression, Ekiti State University, Nigeria
Adewuni is a CETRA alumnus of 2010.
“During the CETRA summer school, I acquired more understanding of theoretical questions, which helped widening my general knowledge of Translation Studies. I have also developed skills that are necessary to become a proficient translator and an interpreter. The tutors were exceptional and always ready to listen and answer my questions, not only during the summer school, but also afterwards. It is of interest to note that tutors and mates have become members of networks in Translation Studies and relevant courses, where we often meet. The enthusiasm displayed by my mates and the expertise of the tutors made the research school enjoyable. Back home, my students and colleagues are still enjoying the knowledge acquired in the course of the summer school.”
Adewuni submitted his testimonial in August 2018.
Luciana Sabina Tcaciuc, Translator, European Parliament, Luxembourg
Luciana Sabina is a CETRA alumna of 2010. She passed her viva with a PhD thesis entitled Translation Practices at the European Central Bank with Reference to Metaphors in December 2012 at Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
“I completed my PhD at Aston University and my supervisor was Professor Christina Schäffner. My PhD thesis explored how metaphors are translated into Romanian in economic texts and how the institutional procedures can influence the translation. I worked with the conceptual metaphor theory and with a corpus of texts. I classified translation strategies, analysed examples, interviewed translators and discovered that the institutional setting can influence the translation process. In 2010, I won the EST scholarship to attend the CETRA summer school, which was an enriching experience for several reasons: I had the chance to present my own research, to meet experienced scholars in the field, to listen to other fellow PhD students and thus, to get new ideas and insights, as well as to improve my knowledge of Translation Studies. The discussions and suggestions were particularly helpful and provided me with guidance in my research. I think it is very useful to attend CETRA, especially in the beginning of the PhD, as the fruitful debates can really make a difference and, unlike a conference, which only lasts a few days, CETRA allows for sufficient time for reflection upon one’s own direction of research. After completing my PhD, I taught English for Academic Purposes in the UK and then I worked as a translator at the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. I am currently a translator and terminologist at the European Parliament in Luxembourg.”
Luciana Sabina submitted her testimonial in October 2018.
Marike Van der Watt, PhD student at the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch of Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Marike Van der Watt is a CETRA alumna of 2017. She is working on a PhD thesis entitled “Translation as image projection – Afrikaans prose in Dutch translation since 1994”.
“Looking back on my attendance of the KU Leuven CETRA Research Summer School in 2017, I am still amazed at the difference two weeks could make. Of course, attending lectures by famous and distinguished scholars in our field – people whose names appear at the top of countless articles I have had to work through, or even adorn the covers of edited volumes which I have consulted in our library back home and then also in the library of KU Leuven’s Antwerp campus – is the most important part of a summer school. Not only could we see them in action, but we could spend one on one time with them during tutorials where we could share our ideas and tap into their knowledge and experience. That alone was worth every cent it took to get there. But on a personal level it was such an affirmative experience, which helped me overcome many uncertainties as well as to make some bold adjustments in my life – eventually even packing up our whole house in 2018 and spending almost a year abroad with my family. And because it was in Belgium, I couldn’t help but attend as many of the open lectures as possible as a CETRA alumna! All the best to Pieter and his team and wishing you many more editions of the CETRA Research Summer School.”
Marike Van der Watt submitted her testimonial in January 2019.
We also received the below testimonial from an “old” participant of our CETRA research summer school.
Yves Gambier, Professor Emeritus in Translation Studies, University of Turku, Finland
Until his well-earned retirement in the summer of 2018, Yves was a member of the summer school staff of CETRA.
“I was invited to participate [as a CETRA Chair Professor] in the summer school in 1997, then held in Misano Adriatico (Italy), along the sea. I attended 22 times the school. I learnt a lot about the research process when you start a project, about representations of research and researchers by young PhD students, about the role of interactions in the development of our thinking, about questioning our questions, our assumptions and concepts too often taken for granted. I really appreciated every year the informal and still working atmosphere. Students were coming from quite a number of universities, with different backgrounds and expectations, with also different perceptions about scholars, teachers. I always enjoyed the dynamics of the school, wherever we were – in Misano, Leuven or Antwerp. I thank very warmly all the PhD students and colleagues for their kindness and wisdom. And wish all my best for the future of the school.”
Yves submitted his testimonial in November 2018.
The blog of CETRA - Centre for Translation Studies @ KU Leuven 