About me

I am a researcher and lecturer in the domain of Audio Visual Translation. My specific research interest is Media Accessibility, including audio description, (live) subtitling and surtitling, for film, tv and the (scenic) arts.

Academic degrees

I obtained an MA degree in translation and interpreting for Dutch, English, French and Arabic at Artesis University College in Antwerp in 2010. In 2018, I successfully defended a PhD in Translation Studies at the University of Antwerp on the subject of audio description for the blind and visually impaired, for which I was recently awarded the Young Scholar Prize 2019 by the European Society for Translation Studies.

Research

While Audio Description for the blind and visually impaired constitutes my specific research area, I have built expertise in a broad range of topics within the domain of accessibility. Moreover, I aim to approach my research topics from an inclusive perspective keeping the principles of design for all and interdisciplinarity in mind.

Current research interests include: linguistic and multimodal aspects of audio description, computer-aided translation of audio description; integrated acces for the (scenic) arts; technology for acces and the study of translations as complex, emerging phenomena.

Teaching

I teach several classes in the Bachelor in Applied Linguistics and the Master in Translation at the University of Antwerp, with a focus on translation technology, audiovisual translation and media accessibility. You can learn more about my teaching on my University profile.

Consultancy

As manager of the OPEN Expertise Centre for Accessible Media and Culture of the University of Antwerp (OPEN – Expertisecentrum voor Toegankelijke Media en Cultuur), me and my colleagues offer consultancy for all stakeholders in the field of Media Accessibility, including conferences, in-house workshops and seminars.

Memberships & functions

I am an Editorial Board Member of JAT – Journal of Audiovisual Translation and Steering Committee Member for the Languages and the Media Conference series.

I am a member of the TricS research group of the University of Antwerp, the European Society for Translation Studies (EST) and the European Association for Studies in Screen Translation (ESIST).