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Staff Profile

Dr JC Penet

Reader in Translation Industry Studies

  • Email: jc.penet@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: My office is OLB 5.02 (5th floor of the Old Library Building).


    In semester 2 of the academic year 2024-25, my office hours are Tuesdays 11.00-12.00 (over Microsoft Teams) and Fridays 10.00-11.00.


Background

I am a Reader in Translation Industry Studies and the author of Working as a Professional Translator (London: Routledge, 2024). I am also a Certified Personal and Executive Coach, having completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Coaching at the University of Warwick.


Teaching:

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). Since joining Newcastle University in 2010, I have developed, led and taught a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses (see the 'Teaching' tab for details about my current teaching).


Keen to contribute to the development of learning and teaching at Newcastle, I have taken on leadership roles at both Faculty (e.g. Professional Standards Adviser) and University level (e.g. Newcastle Educators, the Taught Programmes Sub-Committee of UEC). Nationally, I demonstrated my long-standing commitment to educational excellence by serving as the first elected President of  the Association of Programmes in Translation and Interpreting Studies (APTIS) from 2017 to 2021, an association I co-founded in 2016 with Dr Castro (University of Warwick). I also have extensive experience acting as an External Examiner and as an external subject reviewer.


I have published on innovative pedagogical practices in the age of generative AI and have been recognised for my work through awards for action research projects focused on new teaching approaches in higher education. In both 2016 and 2025, I was honoured with the Vice-Chancellor's Education Excellence Award, making me the first academic at Newcastle University to have received the Award twice in an individual capacity.


Unfortunately, I am yet to enjoy the opportunity to contribute to the School of Modern Languages’ education strategy through a formal leadership role. Should the opportunity eventually arise, I would be pleased to bring my experience, commitment, and expertise to the role in service of our students.


Research:

My research explores how Artificial Intelligence and automation are reshaping the translation industry, especially in terms of freelance translators' perceptions of their work and their wellbeing (see the 'Research' tab for more). This directly informs my work on how translator education and professional development must evolve to prepare practitioners for the demands of an ever-changing industry. By promoting more sustainable and psychologically informed approaches to both training and professional practice, my research contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals concerning decent work and mental wellbeing (SDGs 3 and 8).


Through a range of interdisciplinary and collaborative projects, I have built strong ties with several of the UK's key professional associations, including the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), the Association of Interpreters and Translators (AIT), the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI). In 2024, I organised a pioneering international conference titled 'Ethics and Self-care in Translation and Other Professions'. I currently serve as Ethics Convenor on the Faculty's Ethics Committee.


I would be delighted to hear from prospective postgraduate students interested in pursuing PhD research on the contemporary translation industry. In particular, I welcome proposals focused on wellbeing, self-care, sustainability, working conditions, translators’ status, or the impact of automation and generative AI on the profession. Please feel free to contact me at jc.penet@newcastle.ac.uk if you would like to discuss PhD supervision opportunities.


Engagement with industry:

At a national level, I actively promote the value of translation and translation studies through collaboration with both academic and industry bodies. I currently serve on the Executive Committee of UCFL (University Council for Languages) as the elected representative for translation and interpreting (2024–28), and I am an elected Board Director of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (2025–28). I am also a member of the International Network of Simulated Translation Bureaus (INSTB).


As part of my research, I regularly deliver wellbeing and self-care workshops for freelance translators in partnership with professional associations. I have recently developed a series of open-access wellbeing and self-care resources for professional translators, which will be hosted on the website of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI).


Dr Penet is a Reader in Translation Industry Studies. He is the author of Working as a Professional Translator (London: Routledge, 2024). He is also a Certified Personal and Executive Coach (PG Certificate in Coaching, University of Warwick).


Association Membership:


Relevant CPD:

  • PG Diploma in Coaching (University of Warwick, started in 2024)
  • PG Certificate in Coaching (Distinction; University of Warwick, 2023)
  • Enhancing Programme Leadership (Advance HE, 2021)
  • Effective Online Course Design (University of Oxford, 2020)
  • International Summer School in Translation Technology (University of Leuven, 2018)
  • PG Certificate in Advanced Studies in Academic Practice (Distinction; Newcastle University, 2012)




Research

My research explores the socio-economic and psychological impact of technology and automation on the main stakeholders in the translation industry.

More specifically, I investigate the effects of what is often referred to as the "technological turn"—that is, the relentless automation of the industry over the past 25 years, driven by rapid technological advances. I focus in particular on how these changes have transformed production models and altered the very nature of the professional translator’s job. In recent years, this process has only accelerated with the integration of generative AI into production workflows.

Through my research, I aim to understand the broader social implications of automation for the translation industry as a whole, and for freelance translators in particular (arguably its key stakeholders). Some of the central questions my current research projects seek to address include:

  • What is the impact of automation on job quality and job satisfaction in the translation industry, especially for freelancers?
  • How does automation influence the financial, physical, and psychological wellbeing of freelance translators?
  • In an increasingly automated industry, can translation still be considered meaningful work, that is, work that continues to meet our needs for freedom and creativity? (This concept is inspired by the work of labour economist Professor David Spencer at the University of Leeds.)
  • Beyond the sphere of professional translators, how does automation in translation affect the wider language services sector and society at large?

A further, closely related strand of my research examines how these transformations impact the way we conceive and deliver translator education and continuous professional development (CPD). This raises further important questions, such as:

  • How can we, as translator trainers, better support trainee translators in navigating a complex and rapidly evolving industry?
  • What kinds of new knowledge and skills (such as emotional intelligence literacy, data literacy, or digital resilience) should we be teaching in the age of generative AI?
  • How can CPD more effectively support freelance translators working in this context? Could targeted interventions, drawing on coaching techniques, help build greater mental toughness and thereby improve freelance translators’ overall wellbeing?


Current projects:

1. “Measuring the impact of structured wellbeing workshops that use coaching-style conversations as a form of peer support on freelance translators’ mental toughness” (2025-26). Principal Investigator: Dr Penet; Co-Investigator: Dr St Clair-Thompson, School of Psychology. Carried out in partnership with the UK’s Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), this interdisciplinary, action-research project explores the effectiveness of structured wellbeing workshops that introduce freelance translators to the construct of mental toughness within a coaching context and trains them hands-on in the art of having coaching-style as a form of peer support on their mental toughness and wellbeing over a period of six months.

2. TransIT -“The Translation Industry in Transition: Automation, Sustainability, and New Production Models in the Translation Ecosystem” (2024- ). Principal Investigator: Dr Walker (University of Leeds). Co-Investigators: Dr Penet and Dr Lambert (Cardiff University). Building on the success of the British Academy-funded research project "Chasing Status"(see below), TransIT aims to expand on the scope of our enquiry by exploring the UK translation industry’s response to change over time. Developed in close collaboration with key industry stakeholders (Association of Translation Companies, Chartered Institute of Linguists and Institute of Translation and Interpreting), this new phase of the project will help develop a clearer understanding of the contrasting and complementary perspectives and narratives of a wide range of industry stakeholders, and to better appreciate the psychology behind why some are able to view this current period of transition as an opportunity, while others see it as a threat. The research team are currently working on a funding application for an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Grant (approx. £700,000). Dr Penet is leading on Work Package 3 that seeks to form an empirically-informed understanding of the impact of 'translation industry psychology' on moments of transition​.

3. JoSSTIn – “Job Satisfaction and Sustainability in the Translation Industry” (2024- ). Created in 2024, JoSSTIn is an international research network that brings together experts from Finland (Dr Ruokonen, University of Eastern Finland), Ireland (Dr Moorkens, Dublin City University), Japan (Prof. Sakamoto, Kansai University), Slovakia (Dr Bednarova-Gibova, University of Presov), Sweden (Dr Svahn, Stockholm University), the United States (Dr Rodríguez, University of North Carolina Charlotte) as well as the UK (Dr Penet, Newcastle University; Dr Hubscher-Davidson, The Open University; Dr Lambert, Cardiff University and Dr Walker, University of Leeds). Together, we are combining our expertise to develop a common methodology to explore job satisfaction and sustainability in the translation industry in a variety of contexts. 

4. Current publication projects:

·      Main editor of Teaching Translation in the Age of Generative AI: New Paradigm, New Learning, which will be published Open Access by Language Science Press in 2025. Co-editors: Dr Moorkens (DCU, Ireland) and Prof. Yamada (Rikkyo University, Japan).

·     Guest editor with Prof. Massey (ret. ZHAW, Switzerland) and Dr Mastela (Jagiellonian University Krakow, Poland) of the special issue of Interpreter of Translator Trainer vol. 21 (2027): “Value(s) in and of T&I Pedagogy: Educating Professionals for Today’s Language Industry”

·     Co-editor with Dr van Egdom (Utrecht University, Netherlands), Dr Kerremans (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium) and Dr Fernández-Parra (Swansea University) of the handbook Smart Simulation: INSTB Handbook of Translation Simulation that will be published Open Access by Language Science Press in 2026.


Recent past projects:

  • 2023-24: "Chasing Status: The Sustainability of the Freelance Translation Profession in the United Kingdom" - Co-Investigator with Dr Walker (Leeds, Principal Investigator) and Dr Lambert (Cardiff, Co-Investigator). British Academy Small Research Grant awarded in March 2023 (£9,060). You can access the project's website here.
  • 2021-23: "Let's talk about emotions: Exploring the role of Trait EI in translator training" co-led with Dr Fernández-Parra (Swansea University). The first phase of this project (2021-2022) won the APTIS Award for Great Pedagogical Practice 2022 (November 2022, Leeds University). The second part was awarded £1,900 funding; Dr Penet trained as a coach as part of this project (PG Certificate in Coaching, University of Warwick).
  • 2020-23: Associate Partner on the Erasmus + research project EFFORT ("Towards a European Framework of Reference for Translation"): effortproject.eu. Lead institution: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
  • 2018-22: Member of the CATO ("Competence Awareness in TranslatiOn") project. This was a pan-European project surveying MA Translation students' self-awareness of competences they are developing on their course (based on EMT Competence Framework). Lead institution: Université de Paris, France.


Past funded projects at Newcastle University:

  • Translation Networks (2014-18)
  • NU InterComs - Intercultural Competence for University Students (2016-19)


Teaching

I teach across both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, covering areas such as translation theory, the professional and socio-cultural dimensions of translation, and institutional translation. My teaching also includes more practice-oriented topics, including CAT tools, project management, terminology management, and quality assurance within translation workflows.


In particular, I am the module leader for:

  • TRI1002: Translation Theory & Practice 1 (UG)
  • TRI4002: Translation Theory & Practice 3 (UG)
  • SML8023: The Language Industry (PG)
  • SML8024: Translator Entrepreneur (PG)
  • SML8025: Translating for a Big Institution: The EU - A Case Study (PG)


I have extensive experience supervising undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations in Translation Studies. I welcome proposals on a wide range of topics, particularly those related to the translation industry, translator skills and competences, and the role of translators in society. Areas of interest include the impact of automation and AI, quality assurance, wellbeing and self-care, user-centred and institutional translation, video game localisation, transcreation, intercultural and emotional aspects of translator competence, as well as translators’ status, identities, and experiences of (self-)censorship.


Here are a few examples of dissertations I had the pleasure to supervise in the last few years:

  • 'Surviving Solo? A Comprehensive Investigation into Freelance Translator Wellbeing and Flow during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK.' (Lauren Evans, 2024)
  • 'Rethinking Translator Education: The Efficacy of Prompt Training on Trainee Translators.' (Gloria Ruoan Deng, 2024)
  • 'Spanish Cultural Representation: A Textual Analysis of Netflix’s Audiovisual Translation of Money Heist.' (Eva di Micco, 2024)
  • 'Translating Japanese culture through anime: a comparative analysis of English and Spanish subtitles.' (Tia Manka, 2024)
  • 'Beauty Across Borders: The Influence of Culture in the Translation of Print Advertisements Published in ELLE Magazine' (Olivia Pocock, 2024)
  • 'Redefining Translation: Generative AI’s Impact on Trainee Translator Creativity' (Madelyn Miller, 2024)
  • 'A study into Google Translate’s suitability for translation of literary prose from French into English.' (Matthew Richmond, 2020)




Publications