Being able to understand people from different places in their own languages has

been a great interest since I exchanged my first lines with a native English speaker
years ago. It encouraged me to develop an enthusiasm for languages and make
their acquisition immensely enjoyable.

Many extracurricular activities that I have undertaken are all related to improving my
English ability; from taking classes at the Colombo institute and British Council in
Bogota, to delivering one on one biology tuition in English in recent years.

Majoring in biology at the National University in Colombia, has not only deepened
my understanding of life but magnified my interest in English, as much of the material
that I had to read was in this language and my vocabulary has expanded since then.

Additionally, through my master’s degree in infectious diseases and health, I have

been able to develop my strengths in English by using it frequently in presentations
and interacting with visiting international researchers. Furthermore, it has made me
realise that a significant hurdle exists with sharing knowledge, as many colleagues
have approached me to help them translate their written submissions or improve
their conversationaly English.

It is precisely this demand that drives me to improve my English skills and build my
ability in translation;I will be able to contribute to the the scientific community in
Colombia.

I combine a strong scientific background with a passion and ability for languages,
and will bring the research undertaken in my country to the international stage.
However, being proficient English is not sufficient to be a translator and the
availability of translation courses for scientists is limited.

Typically translation programmes at masters level focus on those professionals with

roots in the humanities, which is the case in Colombia. What is distinct about the
Specialized Translation Master’s degree, at UCL and particularly attractive, is that it
is designed for individuals with a scientific background and thus gives an opportunity
to scientists who wish to become professional translators.

Aside from being located in London that allows an immersion in English culture, there
are features of the program that match my personal and professional interests. There
are different sources from original scientific peer reviewed articles to healthcare or
policy documents, which complement my undergraduate and postgraduate
educational experience.

I persistently try to improve my abilities in English seek to gain experience of

technological tools that can increase the efficiency of translations. As a life sciences
researcher it has not gone unnoticed that UCL has world-class technology platforms,
resources and world leading research groups. I see this as an unrivalled environment
that would act as a resource for students on this programme.
To conclude, I am applying for the program as it allows me to acquire the right
knowledge set and develop abilities to perform scientific, technical and medical
translations in an objective and professional way. If given the opportunity to be a
specialised translator, I see myself working in the scientific education or publishing
sectors, . As an ambition, I wish to create programs for scientists who need to
develop and to improve their English translational skills, who similar to me currently
do not have such an opportunity. I want to establish skills in translation as a strength
of my country.