prof. ucz. dr hab. Agnieszka Biernacka

Update: 2024-10-28

Position:

University Professor
Director of the Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw
Head of European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI)

Department: Interpreting Studies and Audiovisual Translation
Room: 2.610
E-mail: biernacka(at)uw.edu.pl
Duty hours: Tuesday 1:15-2:00 p.m., Wednesday 12:15-1:00 p.m. (by appointment)
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6232-3241

Prizes awarded:

2020 – the Warsaw University Rector’s Award for Academic Achievements

Degrees obtained:

Habilitacja postdoctoral degree in linguistics, University of Warsaw, 2019
PhD in Linguistics, University of Warsaw – Ph.D. dissertation “Functions of the court interpreter” supervised by prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Tryuk, 2010
MA, American Studies Center, University of Warsaw, MA dissertation “The Role of the American Diplomacy in the Unconditional Surrender of Japan, September 2, 1945” supervised by dr Zbigniew Kwiecień, 1997
MA, Department of Iberian Studies, University of Warsaw, MA dissertation “El mito de Don Juan entre Barroco y Romanticismo (Tirso de Molina, Antonio de Zamora, José Zorrilla)” supervi sed by prof. dr hab. Kazimierz Sabik, 1996

Postgraduate studies:

2004-2005 – 2-semester training in methodological and pedagogical skills for English language teachers, UKKNJA UW
1999-2000 – Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies in Translation and Interpreting (English Section)

Positions held and university activities:

1 October 2024 – 30 September 2028 – Director of Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw
since October 2020 – Head of European Masters in Conference Interpreting postgraduate studies
2019-2020 term of office – member of the Academic Council of Linguistics of University of Warsaw
since October 2019 – member of the Faculty Council, Faculty of Applied Linguistics, UW

since February 2018 – member of the Institute Council, Institute of Applied Linguistics, UW

2011-2019 – Head of the Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies in Translation and Interpreting (IPSKT)
2008-2019 – Coordinator of the Spanish Section, IPSKT
2011-2019 – Head of the Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies in Translation and Interpreting (IPSKT)
since 2003 – sworn translator and interpreter of Spanish

Expert and competition bodies

2024-2026, external member of KCI Steering Committee, DG SCIC, EC
since 17 November 2022, Convener of Research & Innovation Committee / EMCI Consortium,
since 9 September 2022, member of the Governing Board / EMCI Consortium,
since 1 May 2021, member of the Coordinating Committee of Priority Research Area IV: The Humanities: Crossing Borders, Extending Capabilities within the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” Programme
2021 – member of the Jury of the Polish Association of Hispanists awarding prizes for the most prominent Hispanic doctoral thesis in linguistics and the most prominent Hispanic monograph in linguistics for the year 2021
2017-2018, and expert in professional ethics and interpreting of the Interinstitutional Editorial Board of the Sworn Translator’s Professional Code (Kodeks Zawodowy Tłumacza Przysięgłego) published in 2018
26 September 2017, member of the Expert Panel of translators and interpreters in the Debate on the occasion of the European Day of Languages 2017 at the invitation of the President of the City of Częstochowa, City Hall of Częstochowa
2013-2017 – participation in the works of the Team for Quality Assurance in Education, Faculty of Applied Linguistics, UW
2012 – participation in the works of the Rector’s Commission for Postgraduate Study Programs, UW
2011 – external reviewer for the Estonian Research Council, Archimedes Foundation

Research interests:

ethics in public service interpreting
social interactions in bilateral interpreting
theory and practice of court interpreting
teaching conference and public service interpreting

International research projects:

2023-2026 – “Derecho global y crisis sanitarias: hacia una convención mundial contra las pandemias” (Ref. no. PID2021-124298OB-I00) financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the European Union (program «PROYECTOS DE GENERACIÓN DE CONOCIMIENTO» en el marco del Programa Estatal para Impulsar la Investigación Científico-Técnica y su Transferencia, del Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023)
2021-2024 – „Mental HEALTH 4 ALL: Development and implementation of a digital platform for the promotion of access to mental healthcare for low language proficient third-country nationals in Europe” (Ref. no. 101038491), European Commission

2016-2018 – „Training action for legal practitioners: linguistic skills and translation in EU competition law” (Ref. no. HT.4983/SI2.738977), „The Training of National Judges Programme of the European Union”, European Commission, DG for Competititon

Research grants and scholarships:

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, April 2019 (Erasmus+)
Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid, February 2019 (Erasmus+)
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, May 2017 (Erasmus+)
ISTI Brussels, September 2007 (SOCRATES-Erasmus)

Scientific Committees of international conferences

II Simposio Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación Especializadas, UMCS, Lublin, 22-23.05.2024
Congreso Internacional sobre Traducción e Interpretación en los Servicios Públicos TISP en Transición, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, 22-24.03.2023
er Congreso Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación de y a Lenguas Ibéricas „Transibérica”, Institute of Iberian Studies, UW, 17-18.11.2022
Member of the Scientific Committee, 10th Anniversary Conference of the Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters Tłumacz języka migowego – kim był? Kim jest? Kim będzie?, Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw, 19-20 October 2019
4th World Conference on Blended Learning (WCBL2019) Research, technology and pedagogy for the 21^st-century blended learning practice, International Association for Blended Learning (IABL) and the Center for Educational Innovation, Zayed University, Dubai, UAE, 25-27.04.2019
er Congreso Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación de y a Lenguas Ibéricas „Transibérica”, Institute of Iberian Studies, UW, 15-18.11.2018

Organizational Committees of international conferences

Translating Europe Workshop: The changing profile of the translator profession: technology, competences and fit-for-market training, Institute of Applied Linguistics and European Commission, Warsaw, 23-24 May 2018
“Legal English: Lingua Franca and Translation in EU Competition Law” within the project Training Action for Legal Practitioners: Linguistic Skills and Translation in EU Competition Law, co-funded by DG Competition of the European Commission, 1 December 2017, Institute of Applied Linguistics, Organizing Committee: Institute of Applied Linguistics: dr hab. Łucja Biel, dr Anna Jopek-Bosiacka, dr Agnieszka Biernacka
Translating Europe Workshop: Forum on New Translation Technologies: How to Link Productivity and Quality, Institute of Applied Linguistics and European Commission, Warsaw, 12 December 2016
Translating Europe Workshop: Forum on Quality in Legal Translation, Institute of Applied Linguistics and European Commission, Warsaw, 6 June 2016
Session “Court Interpreting. Staging of a Trial Involving an Interpreter”, Institute of Applied Linguistics and TEPIS, ILS, 17 May 2016
Political Linguistics 2007, Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw

Professional organizations – membership:

European Society for Translation Studies EST
Spanish Applied Linguistics Association AESLA
Polish Association of Hispanists PSH
Polish Society of Sworn and Specialized Translators TEPIS

Editorial boards of academic journals and publications:

since 2021 – co-editor of the series entitled Studies in Language, Culture and Society Series, Peter Lang Publishing Group
since 2019 – Deputy Editor of “Lingua Legis”, Institute of Applied Linguistics, UW
since 2018 – scientific editor of publications concerning Spanish legal terminology and translation at C. H. Beck Publishing House
since 2016 – member of “Multilingual Applied Linguistics. Wielojęzyczna Lingwistyka Stosowana” Editorial Board, Institute of Applied Linguistics, UW
since 2015 – member of “Lingua Legis” Editorial Board, Institute of Applied Linguistics, UW

Papers read at international and national conferences:

„Człowiek i sztuczna inteligencja: podwójne autorstwo przemówień w dydaktyce przekładu konferencyjnego” – Imago mundi (VII) i Translatio (IV) – „Autor, tłumacz i ich dzieło (-a?)” – Institute of Applied Linguistics UW – 3-4.10.2024

“Ethics of spoken and signed language conference and public service interpreters: what can they learn from each other?” (prof. ucz. dr hab. Agnieszka Biernacka, dr Aleksandra Kalata-Zawłocka), “Ethics and Self-care in Translation”, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 12-14.09.2024

„La presencia a distancia. Las buenas prácticas para los intérpretes en las audiencias virtuales en Polonia”, II Simposio Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación Especializadas, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, 22-23.05.2024

“La interpretación jurídica a distancia en los tiempos de la pandemia” – 8. Congreso Internacional sobre Traducción e Interpretación en los Servicios Públicos. TISP en transición. PSIT in transition, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Hiszpania, 22-24.03.2023
„Tłumaczenie sądowe na odległość”, plenary speaker, 50th Anniversary Conference of the Institute of Applied Linguistics of the University of Warsaw, „Polskie szkoły lingwistyki stosowanej – historia, status, perspektywy”, 17-19.11.2022
„Jedna etyka, dwie modalności. Studium porównawcze polskich kodeksów etyki dla tłumaczy języka fonicznego i migowego” (dr hab. Agnieszka Biernacka, dr Aleksandra Kalata-Zawłocka), 50th Anniversary Conference of the Institute of Applied Linguistics of the University of Warsaw, „Polskie szkoły lingwistyki stosowanej – historia, status, perspektywy”, 17-19.11.2022
„Ethics of spoken and signed language interpreters: a synchronic and diachronic perspective” (dr hab. Agnieszka Biernacka, dr Aleksandra Kalata-Zawłocka) – 10th EST Congress 2022: Advancing Translation Studies – OsloMet & University of Oslo, Norway, 22-25.06.2022

„El lenguaje jurídico de los instrumentos internacionales relativos a los derechos humanos: implicaciones para la traducción”, plenary speaker, I Simposio Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación Especializadas, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, 21-22.04.2022
“Overlaps in interpreter-mediated institutional talk of the courtroom” – IADA 2020/ DISCOURSE, DIALOGICITY & DIALOGUE (DDD) Towards Culture(s) of Dialogue? Communicating Unity in/and Diversity through Language and Discourse, Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw, 22-25 September 2020
“Współpraca Instytutu Lingwistyki Stosowanej Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego ze Stowarzyszeniem Tłumaczy Polskiego Języka Migowego: przeszłość, teraźniejszość, przyszłość” – 10th Anniversary Conference of the Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters Tłumacz języka migowego – kim był? Kim jest? Kim będzie?, Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw, 19-20 October 2019
„Técnicas y estrategias en la interpretación bilateral” – plenary speaker, 1^o Congreso Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación de Lenguas Ibéricas Transibérica – Instituto de Estudios Ibéricos e Iberoamericanos, University of Warsaw, 15-18 November 2018
„Zintegrowane podejście do tłumaczenia języków fonicznych i migowych” – Imago Mundi Conference, Tłumaczenie wczoraj, dziś i jutro” – Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw, 28-29 June 2018

“Techniques deployed by spoken and sign language public service interpreters: a comparative study” (dr hab. Agnieszka Biernacka, dr Aleksandra Kalata-Zawłocka) –didTrad 2018 Conference – IV CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL SOBRE INVESTIGACIÓN EN DIDÁCTICA DE LA TRADUCCIÓN, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 20-22 June 2018

“Virtual classes as a tool for enhancing interpreting competences” – keynote speaker – The IABL2018 Conference, the International Association for Blended Learning 2018 Conference, 18-21 April 2018, Institute of Applied Linguistics
„Legal translation in the EU: multilingualism and the dominance of English” (dr hab. Łucja Biel, dr Agnieszka Biernacka) – Conference „Legal English: Lingua Franca and Translation in EU Competition Law” within the project Training Action for Legal Practitioners: Linguistic Skills and Translation in EU Competition Law, co-funded by DG Competition of the European Commission, Institute of Applied Linguistics, 01.12.2017
„Strategie i techniki w tłumaczeniu sądowym” – Conference PT TEPiS – Warsztaty Przekładu Prawniczego i Specjalistycznego, Warsaw, 22.10.2017
„Rendition of pragmatic markers in court interpreting” – 4^th Conference under Translating Europe Programme, Vilnius University, Lithuania, 5-6.10.2017

“Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw: the oldest translator/interpreter training institution in Poland” – 2017 CIUTI General Assembly, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Applied Linguistics, IUED Institute of Translation and Interpreting, Winterthur, Switzerland, 30-31.05.2017

“Tłumacz wobec wypowiedzi sędziego w czasie rozprawy sądowej” – Interdisciplinary Conference of the Faculty of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw, 23-24 March 2017
“Teaching court interpreting as an elective course” – 6. Congreso Internacional sobre Traducción e Interpretación en los Servicios Públicos. Superando límites en traducción e interpretación en los servicios públicos. Beyond Limits in Public Service Interpreting and Translation, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, 6-7 March 2017
“Interpreters in search of an identity in courtroom interactions” – Critical Link 8, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, 29.06-01.07.2016
“Achieving Quality in Translation through Postgraduate Studies” – Forum on Quality in Legal Translation, ILS-European Commission, Warsaw, 06.06.2016
“Monitoring the Interpreter’s Performance in Court Proceedings in Poland” – 2. International InDialog Conference “COMMUNITY INTERPRETING IN DIALOGUE WITH TECHNOLOGY”, 28^th International Fair for Languages and Cultures, Russisches Haus für Wissenschaft und Kultur, Berlin, 20-21.11.2015
“Quality of Court Interpreting in Poland in the Light of Directive 2010/64/EU” – “INTERDISCIPLINARY ENCOUNTERS: DIMENSIONS OF INTERPRETING STUDIES” International Conference, Institute of English, University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, 15-16.10.2015
“Wyzwania przekładu sądowego w świetle rozpraw z udziałem tłumacza języka hiszpańskiego” – Konferencja jubileuszowa z okazji 25-lecia PT TEPIS „Przyszłość zawodu tłumacza przysięgłego i specjalistycznego – nowe wyzwania”, Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw, 10-11.10.2015.
“Court Interpreting: a Variety of Community Interpreting or an Independent Concept? – First International TransLingua Conference, Institute of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics and the Department of English of Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, 24-25.09.2015
„Intérpretes judiciales en Polonia y en España” – Congreso Internacional “IDEO-TRANS: IDEOLOGÍAS EN TRADUCCIÓN E INTERPRETACIÓN”. POZNAN, 26-28.03.2015
“Quality in court interpreting vs. (?) role(s) of court interpreters” – TIFO 2014 Translation & Interpreting Forum, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, 2014
„Precisión en la interpretación vs. el yo del intérprete” – 5. Congreso Internacional sobre Traducción e Interpretación en los Servicios Públicos (RE) Considerando Ética e Ideología en Situaciones de Conflicto. (Re) visiting ETHICS and Ideology in Situations in Conflict, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, 3-4.04.2014
„En busca de lo universal y lo actual de las normas éticas de la interpretación ante los tribunales” – I Congreso Internacional de Hispanistas “Oriente y Occidente”, Catholic University of Lublin (KUL), Lublin, 5-7.06.2013
„Tłumacz sądowy wobec wyzwań przekładu międzykulturowego” – Institute of Applied Linguistics UW, 27.05.2013
„Intercultural Encounters of the Courtroom: Role(s) of Court Interpreters – 1st Service Encounters Cross-cultural Communication Symposium – Pablo de Olavide University – Seville, Spain, 31.01-1.02 2013
„Zawód: tłumacz środowiskowy” – Imago Mundi „Tłumaczenie w XXI wieku. Teoria – kształcenie – praktyka” – Institute of Applied Linguistics UW – 23-24.11.2012
„Teaching community interpreting” – TIFO 2011 Translation & Interpreting Forum “Teaching Translation & Interpreting Skills in the 21st Century”, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, 2011
„Intérpretes ante los tribunales: ¿Guardas de las normas deontológicas o manipuladores? – III Conference of the Polish Association of Hispanists Encuentros – University of Warsaw, 2010
„Intérpretes ante los tribunales de Polonia: entre las normas codificadas y el acto comunicativo” – Conference Modos y formas de la comunicación humana. Ways and modes of human communication – Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain, 2009
„Retos de la interpretación ante los tribunales” – II Conference of the Polish Association of Hispanists Encuentros – Maria Curie Skłodowska Universoty, Lublin, 2008
„Intérprete en el contexto sociológico de la sala de audiencias” – Conference Investigación y práctica en traducción e interpretación en los servicios públicos. Desafíos y alianzas. Public Service Interpreting and Translation Research and Practice: Challenges and Alliances – Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, 2008
„Roles of the Interpreter in the Courtroom” – Conference Intermedia 2007. Przekład słowa żywego – University of Łódź, 2007
„Intérprete jurídico como intérprete comunitario: Intento de polémica con el Código de traductor jurado polaco a la luz de tres juicios con la participación del intérprete jurídico de español” – I Conference of the Polish Association of Hispanists Encuentros – University of Silesia, Katowice, 2006

Lectures, training, and workshops:

16.02.2019 – workshops “Interpreter’s Roles and Ethics” for the interpreters of the Polish Sign Language of the Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters, Warsaw
24.09.2018 – wykłady i warsztaty pt. “ „Tłumaczenie symultaniczne (język hiszpański – język polski): słucham, rozumiem, mówię!”, XXII Festiwal Nauki, Uniwersytet Warszawski
20.05.2018 – workshops “Strategies and Techniques in Bilateral Interpreting – Between Theory and Practice (2)” for the interpreters of the Polish Sign Language of the Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters, Warsaw
25.02.2018 – workshops “Strategies and Techniques in Bilateral Interpreting – between Theory and Practice” for the interpreters of the Polish Sign Language of the Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters, Warsaw
26.09.2017 – participation in the expert panel of translators and interpreters, Debate on the occasion of the European Day of Languages 2017 at the invitation of the President of the City of Częstochowa
06.2017 – preparation of audiovisual material “Essentials of Court Interpreting” for EMCI consortium, available at https://www.emcinterpreting.org/resources/theory-interpreting/essentials-court-interpreting-agnieszka-biernacka-institute-applied-linguistics-university-warsaw
since 2017 – preparing and recording audiovisual pedagogical materials for Speech Repository of DG INTERPRETATION (SCIC)
09.2013 – lectures and workshops “Community interpreting: from natural to professional interpreters”, XVII Science Festival, University of Warsaw
09.2013 – co-participation in providing workshops (Spanish section) “Interpreting. From Egyptian hieroglyphs to remote interpreting: about the oldest profession of the world”, XVII Science Festival, University of Warsaw
May 2012 – workshops “Ethics for Court Interpreters” at the invitation of the Chamber of Court Appointed Translators and Interpreters of the Czech Republic, Prague
December 2011 – training “Spanish Language in Consecutive Interpreting and A Vista” at the invitation of the Association of Polish Translators and Interpreters, Warsaw

Training courses received:

14-15.03.2024 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop “Using technology in the classroom/ Mental health in interpreter training”, EMCI, KU Leuven, Brussels, Belgium
15-17.03.2023 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop „New generation of interpreters”, EMCI, ISIT, Paris, France
12-13.05.2022 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop „Two years’ experience of online conference interpreter training: taking stock”, EMCI, ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
12.2021 – Polski Ład – information for translators and interpreters, part 1, PT TEPIS
02.2022 – Polski Ład – information for translators and interpreters, part 2, PT TEPIS
03.2022 – „Studia podyplomowe – regulacje prawne i praktyka funkcjonowania”
04.2022 – XVIII Ogólnopolski Webinar „Publikowanie artykułu naukowego w prestiżowym czasopiśmie: wybór czasopisma i komunikacja”, Fundacja Science Watch Polska
04.2022 – Webinar „Tłumaczenie na rzecz uchodźców:, PT TEPIS

6-7 February 2020 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop “RSI platforms”, EMCI, ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
7-8 February 2019 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop “ICTs in Conference Interpreter Training”, EMCI, ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
8-9 February 2018 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop “Speech making”, EMCI, ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
6 December 2017 – training – „Selekcja materiałów konferencyjnych do Web of Science Core Collection”, on-line session, Clarivate Analytics
23 April 2017 – training – „Identyfikator autora Researcher ID – profil i integracja z Web of Science”, on-line session, Clarivate Analytics
22 February 2017 – training – „Podstawy i obliczenia wskaźnika Impact Factor”, on-line session, Clarivate Analytics
21 February 2017 – training – „Jak przygotować wniosek w programie Horyzont 2020?”, University of Warsaw
2-3 February 2017 – Training of Interpreter Trainers (ToT) Workshop “Self-study”, EMCI, ELTE, Budapest, Hungary 16-20 January
2017 – Formación de Formadores seminar (Spanish language), DG SCIC, European Union, Brussels
10 March 2016 – workshop “Open access scientific publishing”, Digital Humanities Lab, University of Warsaw
9 March 2016 – seminar “Big Data i cloud computing jako nowe narzędzia w informacji i w nauce”, European Documentation Centre, University of Warsaw
4-5 February 2016 – DG SCIC Training for Virtual Classes, Prague
7-8 January 2016 – SCIC workshops for CI trainers, AMU, Poznań
1 September – 12 November 2015 – training “Writing in the Sciences”, on-line course, Stanford University, USA
15-16 January 2015 – Testing Course for Teachers of Conference Interpreting organized by the Directorate General for Interpretation of the European Commission.
14 December 2012 – Training Course on Antiplagiarism System, UW
2012 – Training for Trainers seminar (English language), DG SCIC, European Commission, Brussels
2011 – SCIC workshops for CI trainers, ILS
2006 – Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English FTBE