Science & Technology Division Webmaster

By Karen M. Tkaczyk and Alicja Yarborough So how is the Science and Technology Division doing at the end of another year? Can we meet like-minded ATA members in the division’s varying networking venues? Do we share useful resources and provide insightful education on relevant topics? Do we keep members informed about useful news and events? At the end of 2013 our division had 2188 members. As is the case with most ATA divisions, only a small percentage of members take advantage of the benefits we offer in terms of year-round networking or conference activity. Perhaps this summary will encourage …

Débora C. de D’Eramo, an English>Spanish translator, has a whole treasure chest of great resources for technical and scientific translators. Our first post with links to online terminology databases, glossaries, dictionaries was posted a few weeks ago, and here is a second batch of resources.  Terminology databases METEOTERM, multilingual (EN, AR, CH, FR, RU, ES) database of weather and climate specialized terminology – WMO (World Meteorological Organization) https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/lsp/meteoterm_wmo_en.html ML Lexicon, multilingual database of forensic science terms – European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) https://www.ies.krakow.pl/multilingua/welcome/index.php?item=searchengine TEPA, The Finnish Terminology Centre TSK’s term bank (FI, SV, EN) https://www.tsk.fi/tepa/netmot.exe?UI=engr&height=155 Glossaries Glossary of …

Débora C. de D’Eramo, an English>Spanish translator, has kindly agreed to share her excellent resources for technical and scientific translations. These contain links to online terminology databases, glossaries, dictionaries and more and are listed below. Terminology databases AGROVOC – FAO multilingual terminology database (+30,000 terms in 22 languages) https://aims.fao.org/website/AGROVOC-Thesaurus/sub The CIMAC Lexicon – Multilingual lexicon of technical terms used in the internal combustion engine and gas turbine industries https://tinyurl.com/mjl6dpm Electropedia – Multilingual electrical and electronical terminology database (+20,000 terms) https://www.electropedia.org/ Glossaries Glosario de términos estadísticos en inglés y español https://www.tribunamedica.com/glosario.htm Multilingual glossary on nanotechnologies – EU https://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions2/en/nanotechnologies/glossary.htm ATSDR (bilingual EN-ES …

The American Translators Association is accepting presentation proposals for ATA’s 54th Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas (November 6-9, 2013). Proposals must be received by March 11, 2013. Submissions are invited from all areas of translation and interpreting, including finance, law, medicine, literature, media, science and technology, terminology, independent contracting, business management, and training/pedagogy. Sessions may be language specific or general. You do not need to be an ATA member to submit a proposal. Not sure about making a presentation? It is a challenge but also an opportunity-there is no better way to gain recognition in the translation and interpreting …

As you know, teams called Leadership Councils run ATA divisions. It’s time for the Science and Technology division to renew ours for 2013. This council will run March-November 2013. By making the period less than one year we will be coordinated with annual conferences and administrator changeovers from then on. Two people are leaving as we do this: Vincent Lai and Steven Marzuola. We thank them for what they have done for the division, especially Steve, who was so involved in getting it up and running again in 2010. We have one new council member, Amy Lesiewicz, whom a lot …

By Kevin Hendzel Subject-matter knowledge is not just “important” to translation. It’s the very essence of translation. Buried deep in the bedrock of every profession are certain truths that are universally understood and accepted by modern practitioners. In medicine, for example, those include a recognition that the human body exists in a physical universe subject to the laws of science and not to a fictitious universe of mysterious spirits accessible to the chosen, pre-ordained few, a concept that had dominated human medicine for millennia. As a result, medical doctors strolling through a cocktail party today would never encounter questions from …

“Drugs and the Brain” A MOOC from Coursera taught by Dr. Henry A. Lester of CalTech Review by AmyLesiewicz  I recently finished up my first online class offered by Coursera. If you haven’t already checked them out, head over to www.coursera.org to see all of the free classes they offer from professors at distinguished universities. MOOC stands for massive open online course, and these classes certainly are massive. “Drugs and the Brain” initially drew 66,800 students, but that number quickly dropped; 10,426 students took the first week’s quiz, and about 4,400 students earned “Statements of Completion.” Coursera offers a range …

The Year in Review – 2012 An annual review is a good place to look back at the goals for ATA divisions and to compare them with what we actually do. The divisions section of the ATA site includes a list of items that divisions should achieve.[1]   Provide education specific to a language combination or specialty We achieve this at the annual conference, webinars, in the resources section on the website, and in selected blog posts. For example, this resource page[2]added in 2012 to the division’s website is full of information. We have useful posts such as ‘Translating Technical …

Interview by Karen Tkaczyk Scientific and Technical Translator www.mcmillantranslation.com I was intrigued by a comment I read in Nataly Kelly’s recent Forbes piece: “Likewise, the majority of the world’s translators (who deal with written words) do not translate books. The largest amount of work in this field comes from the manufacturing sector.”[1] The largest amount? I wanted to know more! I bet other scientific and technical translators would, too! I contacted Nataly, who works for market research firm Common Sense Advisory, with a view to writing something relevant for my colleagues. The firm has a new research report, “How Manufacturing …

Interview by Susanna Weerth This year the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation JTG Scholarship in Science and Technical Translation or Interpretation was awarded to Jennifer Clowery. The scholarship supports undergraduate or graduate students who plan to enroll or are training at an accomplished US university or college and have demonstrated achievements in the field as stated by their teachers or supervisors. More information about the award can be found on the ATA website: https://www.afti.org/award_jtg.php If you are interested in starting or switching to a career in science and technical translation and want to know how to start you might …