think! Interpreting 2019

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We are thrilled to once again collaborate with GALA, the Globalization and Localization Association for think! Interpreting at GALA 2019.

        

GALA 2019 Munich | March 24-27, 2019

 

Westin Grand Munich

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InterpretAmerica is pleased to continue its partnership with the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) to produce the six installment of think! Interpreting in Munich, Germany. think! Interpreting is a main content track within GALA's Annual Conference. It provides conference participants the opportunity to network with other interpreting providers from around the globe and gain unique insight into the interpreting market. 

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think! Interpreting sessions are open to all attendees and will explore topics critical to the interpreting sector that focus on this year's conference theme: The Changing Role of the Human Being in an AI-driven Language Service Industry.

 

think! Interpreting 6 will again provide a unique forum where key players gather to get a big picture of the interpreting market as well as to foster business and networking opportunities with key language enterprise stakeholders from around the world.

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InterpretAmerica continues its partnership with GALA to further integrate this thriving segment with the rest of the language enterprise. think! Interpreting is the place where the business of interpreting meets and we are delighted to invite you to our growing community.

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Conference Theme

The Changing Role of the Human Being in an AI-driven Language Service Industry

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“I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I’m rooting for the machines.” - Claude Shannon (American Mathematician and "the father of information theory")

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AI and Machine Learning are affecting the language sector, leading to new efficiencies in operations, faster delivery of services, changing business models, and the availability of new language technologies. Virtual agents, speech recognition, predictive analytics, and smart resourcing change how humans interact with machines and result in new expectations for language services and new concerns around privacy and security. While technical opportunities abound, there is ambivalence about their effects in the short and long term. Clearly, we are on the cusp of a revolution. What should stakeholders in the language industry do to prepare themselves? What are the challenges and how do we mitigate them? What are the gains and how do we embrace and maximize them? And finally, what is the role of the human in all of this?

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GALA 2019 will be centered on the human being and its changing role in an AI-driven language service industry. To this end we invite papers that take a critical look at the current work environment and lay out what new competencies are needed and how they can be acquired and honed. Secondly, we ask for proposals from practitioners who are leading or implementing changes in operations management or drive the development of industry-wide AI standards, as well as executive leaders who can lay out how business practices are changing. Lastly, we request contributions from developers who work on AI-powered features and functionalities either in natural language processing or for use in the language services industry. 

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Within the localization industry, can we be the masters of the machine or as Shannon predicts, will we be listening to a new master’s voice?

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Tracks

• Research and Technology

• Future of the Industry

• Business Models

• Operations Management

• Quality and User Engagement

• think! Interpreting

 

Session Levels

• Intermediate – suitable for those with several years of industry experience.

• Advanced – suitable for those with specializations or extensive industry experience.

• Please note that Basic/Beginner level sessions are not appropriate for the GALA audience (see audience details below).

 

Session Types

• Interactive Panel Discussions: Long-format panel discussions that engage the audience in a dialogue around a specific topic. Two to four panelists. Joint representation from client and provider sides encouraged. (90 minutes)

• Master Class Sessions: Workshops that present expert-level, practical training in a specific discipline or topic. Joint representation from client and provider sides, or providers’ partnerships, encouraged. (90-minutes)

• KnowledgeFest Sessions: Long-format roundtable discussions that emphasize peer-to-peer learning and require engagement by all participants. Requires a moderator rather than a speaker. (90 minutes)

• Talks: Presentations (including Q&A) of concepts, research and insights that promote conversation, debate, and/or curiosity. (40 minutes)

• Short Talks: Presentations (including Q&A) of ideas or new concepts that are relevant to the industry and invite discussion. (30 minutes)

• Other: Have an idea for a creative and engaging session type that doesn’t fit one of these categories? Pitch it to us!

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Selection Criteria

Proposals should:

• Address the conference theme in a clear manner

• Fit one of the conference tracks

• Cover a breadth and depth appropriate for the experienced audience

• Not repeat presentations from other industry conferences

• Not be commercial or promotional

• Note: Priority will be given to proposals that engage the audience and encourage collaboration among participants

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Why think! Interpreting?

Unlike other events that we participate in, including our own InterpretAmerica Summits, where our focus is on the individual interpreter, interpreter education and interpreter technology, the primary focus of the GALA Annual Conference is the business side of language services. GALA is the largest global trade association for language services companies and its annual conference targets the companies that employ translators and interpreters around the world.

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The think! Interpreting track at the conference introduces critical knowledge about key interpreting trends, needs and practices to the companies that play a huge part in shaping our field. After all, the hiring and work practices that these companies ultimately adopt impact the whole profession. For InterpretAmerica, the chance to showcase best practices and increase networking and awareness between translation and interpreting companies through think! Interpreting has proved highly gratifying and we believe, beneficial.