The CTGL gives annual Student Travel Grants to outstanding University of Iowa undergraduate or graduate students to support travel associated with translation-related projects, research, or community engagement. Four students received travel grants for summer 2024. Hear from undergraduate Andrew Burgess (BS, Environmental Sciences; BA Creative Writing, Philosophy) below about how the CTGL Travel Grant aided his project goals.
How was your experience in Berlin this summer?
I had a fantastic and transformative experience in Berlin this summer, with the flexibility to create radically new experiences and meet literary and artistic legends while developing an independent creative project.
What project were you working on, and what did your work entail?
I worked with poet, physicist, and 2023 Iowa International Writing Program resident Tzveta Sofronieva on several adaptations of her multilingually published work into short films. This entailed close reading various translations, collaborating to co-translate new versions to suit the film content, organizing locations and doing set and lighting design, then filming Tzveta reading her poetry. I also incorporated footage from around Berlin that had thematic relevance to the content. We are now collaborating virtually on post-production and with Berlin-based composer Emre Dündar to score the films.
Above: Andrew (middle) with Dr. Sofronieva (left) at a reading at Palm Art Press, an independent publishing house.
How did doing that work in person make a difference in the development of the project and/or your own intellectual sensibilities?
Fundamentally, this work was not possible without in-person collaboration. Beyond the necessity of being in Berlin to film the project, our work in co-translation and developing structure significantly benefited from in-person presence. Tzveta was able to show me so much of the cultural background of Berlin that informed her work, allowing us to integrate key locations and themes into the films. Additionally, the experience of being in a foreign country, managing a project, and setting my own schedule were significant personal learning experiences.
By complementing coursework, the CTGL initiatives enable students to deepen intercultural collaboration without leaving the campus. Their travel opportunities substantially expand on classroom learning: these projects turn students into global citizens.
How important are translation and interlinguistic engagement in your academic work and to your future aspirations?
My current and future academic work involves both scientific research and science communication. Taking domain-specific language in a subject and translating that into comprehensible and engaging content without compromising the science is a key interest of mine. In this sense, translation and interlinguistic engagement, both practically and through underlying philosophies, are deeply relevant to the metalinguistics that inform even straightforward examples of science communication.
What role do resources like the CTGL play in deepening intercultural collaboration and creating global citizens to continue the work of interdisciplinary exchange, innovation, and community?
The CTGL is a critical hub that allows students to connect with and develop opportunities and can give them the resources to pursue those opportunities. By complementing coursework, the CTGL initiatives enable students to deepen intercultural collaboration without leaving the campus. Their travel opportunities substantially expand on classroom learning: these projects turn students into global citizens.
Apply for the 2024-2025 Travel Grant
Are you an undergraduate or graduate student interested in applying for the 2024-2025 Travel Grant? Learn more about the grant application timeline and requirements here. You can also sign up for the CTGL Newsletter to be one of the first to hear when the next cycle's applications are live.
