Antonio Jiménez Jiménez. Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO — Antonio Jiménez Jiménez, Associate Professor of Spanish at CSU Channel Islands (CI), has been named administrator of the American Translators Association’s (ATA) Educators Division. Based in Alexandria, Va., the ATA is the nation’s largest professional organization for translators and interpreters, with nearly 11,000 members in more than 95 countries.
“I feel very excited and honored to represent professors, trainers and educators of translation and interpreting in the U.S.,” Jiménez stated in a media release. “Ultimately, I am hoping to create a solid network of professionals that can help each other to become better instructors.”
The newly formed ATA Educators Division resulted directly from Jiménez’s efforts to establish it, the university reported.
“When I see there is a need for something, I just go for it,” he said. “I submitted a proposal to start this new division because there was no association in the U.S. that would connect translation and interpreting educators with the objective of sharing experiences, materials, and best teaching practices from a practical perspective.”
After reviewing his proposal, the ATA’s Board of Directors appointed Jiménez to lead the new division. His initial goals include developing a website, blog, and other media platforms enabling ATA educators to exchange knowledge, resources, and professional experience.
Jiménez is well-acquainted with building new platforms. After joining the CI faculty in 2003, he played a key role in creating the new University’s Spanish program, Certificate in Spanish Translation, Global Studies minor and major, and several study abroad programs. As Director of the Center for International Affairs, he leads CI’s efforts to internationalize the students’ educational experience, promoting study abroad opportunities in more than 20 countries.
One of only two ATA-Certified English-to-Spanish translators in Ventura County, Jiménez holds a Ph.D. in Spanish Applied Linguistics from Penn State University, as well as a B.A. in Translation and Interpretation from the University of Málaga in Spain.
Translation and interpretation is a fast-growing field, with career opportunities projected to surge by 42 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. CI is at the forefront meeting that demand. Its Certificate in Spanish Translation program prepares students to work as professional translators, able to translate general, specialized and literary texts from English to Spanish and vice-versa. The University hopes to expand the program to meet other important needs in the community, such as medical and community interpreting.
For more information, contact Antonio Jiménez Jiménez at 805-437-8501 or antonio.jimenez@csuci.edu. For more information on the ATA, please visit www.atanet.org.
About California State University Channel Islands:
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.