Boston, Here We Come! - American Translators Association (ATA)

Source: The ATA Chronicle

From the President-Elect
Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo
madalena@accessibletranslations.com
Twitter: @mszampaulo

Planning is in full swing for ATA’s 61st Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, set to take place October 21–24 at the Westin Waterfront Boston.

For many of us, this is the event of the year—known for the high level of professional development opportunities and networking available to members and attendees. As one 2019 attendee said about her experience, “It’s just wonderful! And I go back home energized.”

After enjoying the sunny days and chilly evenings in Palm Springs at ATA60, I’ve heard from many of you that you’re even more excited to head to the historic city of Boston this year. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

From Harvard Square and Beacon Hill to Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall Marketplace, every corner of Boston has something to enjoy. For those of us who are self-proclaimed “foodies,” Boston is best known for its wonderful seafood—make sure you try a lobster roll and a bowl of clam chowder while you’re in town. And lest we forget our linguistic roots, you can’t visit Boston without appreciating the beautiful Boston accent! ATA members in the Boston area are eager to welcome their colleagues. (For more information on the New England Translators Association, check out their website listed in the sidebar.)

We anticipate even more attendees at the 2020 conference than we had in New Orleans and Palm Springs, respectively. After reviewing the results of the Professional Development Survey we recently conducted for members, we were able to gauge the kinds of topics you would like to see at the conference. From there, we sent out the call for conference proposals, highlighting the topics that were especially requested as a way to solicit presentations in these areas and prioritize the content our members need most. Hopefully many of the requested topics and areas will be well represented at the Boston conference as a result of this effort.

ATA President Ted Wozniak and I recently returned from a site visit to the host hotel for ATA61. And while we were in Boston for the Annual Conference in 2011 for ATA52, this year’s conference will be held in a different part of the city. The Westin Waterfront Boston, a newly renovated hotel, is located in the Seaport District near South Boston. This is an exciting area of town that boasts a great restaurant scene within walking distance and sites like the New England Aquarium, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and more. You can even arrive a day early to enjoy one of the Boston sightseeing trolley tours! Boston USA provides an official guide application for iPhone and Android users to find great deals, search the local events calendar, and purchase tickets to Boston attractions.

The Westin will house the majority of sessions, with just a handful of sessions and meetings taking place in the adjoining Boston Convention Center, a very short walk over the enclosed sky bridge. We’re planning some exciting new Advanced Skills and Training (AST) sessions for the Wednesday before the conference officially starts, and you’ll see tweaks and improvements to some of the evening events in an effort to make your conference an even greater experience and investment. We expect the room block at the Westin to fill rather quickly, so watch for the announcement to book your room soon! Registration for the Annual Conference will open in July.

It’s my sincere pleasure to be the conference organizer in my role as ATA president-elect. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions you have about the conference. See you in Boston!