With
IJET-31 confirmed for June 24-25 at Tokyo Big Sight, the volunteer
committee have been busy organizing everything needed to pull it off.
In keeping with this year’s theme, we thought it was time to put
the people backstage, on-stage.
Jordan Taylor – Chair
Jordan
Taylor is a Japanese to English literary translator specializing in
fantasy and science fiction. She also does technical translation,
particularly for the automotive field.
What’s does your role entail?
I
keep everyone on track, fill in the gaps when we are short on hands
for certain tasks, and make final decisions if the committee is ever
stuck on which direction to go.
What’s hard?
Keeping
track of it all. There’s so much going on and so many things to
remember. There is a bit of stress too, since I’m the person “in
charge” so to speak, which is quite a bit of responsibility.
What’s fun?
I
get to work with great people and make the kind of IJET I want to
see. I also enjoy doing the design work (for past IJETs I helped
with, I handled designing the program and other materials).
What’s your IJET?
This
is the first IJET since the JATBOOK SIG started up, so I’m excited
to network within that group, with other literary translators.
Aiko Higashi – Program Coordinator
Aiko
Higashi is a translator from English and/or Spanish to Japanese
having the background of international development, education and
Latin American studies.
What does your role entail?
My first task was to contact potential speakers to organize the program. I will have to allocate presentations to make IJET-31 Tokyo more attractive.
What’s hard?
People whom I had contact with already have rich experiences. I sometimes hesitate to tell them what to do as a next step because of lack of experience as a translator and a coordinator.
What’s fun?
I
can learn a lot from experienced people including committee members
and others such as a discussion skill and a communication skill. In
addition, helping each other in the committee is also warm-hearted.
What’s your IJET?
A
challenge and a chance. This is my first IJET. It’s full of the
unknown. I want to enjoy this opportunity.
Phil
Robertson –Webmaster
Phil
Robertson is a co-founder and co-owner of honyaku-plus.com
What does your role entail?
Uploading
content to the IJET-31 website
What’s hard?
JAT's
cookie-cutter IJET/PROJECT template is highly inflexible, which
sometimes makes it difficult to carry out tasks or customize
settings—jobs that would be trivial under other systems.
What’s fun?
Scouting
local venues for the zenyasai.
What’s your IJET?
Seeing
top-class presenters offer their take on the overarching trends in
the translation industry.
宮田
昭二 - 会計担当
宮田
昭二 (Shoji
“Sean” Miyata)はIT関係のマニュアル等の文書とデジタル・マーケティングを取り扱っている英日翻訳者です。
委員会での役割は何ですか？
収入・支出が正しく行われているかチェックします。
担当している中で難しい部分はありますか？
委員会の皆様のやり取りが速すぎ・多すぎでフォローし切れてません。どうもすみません。
担当している中で楽しい部分はありますか？
本格的なイベントが立ち上がっていく現場にいることでワクワクします。
IJETをどのようなものにしたいですか？
翻訳者・通訳者・学習者のそれぞれの立場から多くのものを学んでいただけるとうれしいです。
Heidi
Karino – PR Coordinator
Heidi
Karino is a Japanese-to-English translator specializing in
transcreation and copywriting for digital marketing and advertising
content.
What does your role entail?
Getting
the word out about the event. This means working with Japanese
committee members to create promotional content for the website,
social media, newsletters, and other material.
What’s hard?
Finding
enough time to do everything I want to do!
What’s fun?
Marketing
is my translation specialism so I get to use my skills, and also
experiment with things that I wouldn’t be able to do for a client.
What’s your IJET?
This
is my first IJET so just going will be an experience. I’m looking
forward to making new connections, meeting the committee members in
person, and trying to catch as many sessions as I can.
Norio
Sugiyama – Venue Coordinator
Norio
Sugiyama is an English to Japanese translator specializing in patent
specifications.
What does your role entail?
I am
in charge of arranging the conference venue, banquet, and zenyasai
etc. so making reservations for the venue, etc. after comparing some
candidates in terms of cost, location, etc.
What’s hard?
I
need much time because I have to collect and put together much
information about the candidates and pick out the best one.
What’s fun?
I am
really enjoying working with excellent people from Japan and abroad.
What’s your IJET?
This is my 3rd time IJET. I am involved this time as a committee member not as a participant. I am looking forward to experience the IJET from the conference organizer side.
Charles
Aschmann – Assistant Webmaster
Charles
Aschmann is a semi-retired technical/pharma translator who does some
interpreting work.
What does your role entail?
I
respond to committee needs for technical work on the website,
assisting the IJET Webmaster, Phil, where necessary and filling in
with web work where required.
What’s hard?
The
urge by committee members to individualize the website instead of
using the established and proven system.
What’s fun?
It
is always fun to watch the committee find itself and learn about IJET
and what it entails. Good to see the content come together.
What’s your IJET?
I am looking forward to seeing the fruition of all the hard work that goes into putting on an IJET. I am also looking forward to getting together with everyone.