5 Ways Scientific Translation Aids Global Progress

The scientific community has a reputation for being globally minded and international in scope. After all, a key component of the scientific method is the discussion and sharing of ideas and theories among scientific peers. The entire world benefits from the advancements made by scientists who interact with their counterparts in different countries. Sometimes, language can be a barrier to this vital collaboration. Scientific translation services, including life sciences translation, aim to help bridge the language gap in the scientific community so that the truly important work can be done, free from any language barrier anxieties. The following are five ways translation services can benefit the scientific community.

1. Scientific Translation and the English-Speaking World

For better or worse, English is the global language of science. For scientists in non-English-speaking countries, having their work professionally translated into English can make a huge difference. Increasing the amount of scientific work being recognized in the English-speaking world can lead to greater scientific progress; progress is only strengthened by adding more voices to the corpus of scientific literature.

2. Scientific Translation and Academia

Peer-reviewed academic journals are the lifeblood of the scientific process. By publishing in journals scientists are able to show off their new ideas and have their peers evaluate the merits of their data, arguments, and conclusions. Of course, scientists can only review articles in their native language. Academic translation can increase the number of articles that can be reviewed by translating them into a common language. Translation service companies that provide education translation services can contribute to the scientific process by bringing scientists around the world together through their publications.

3. Scientific Translation Can Help Secure Funding

While not as exciting, funding is a vital part of the scientific process. Labs and scientific teams need to secure funding in order to carry out their experiments.  Translating research grant proposals into popular languages can help labs reach as many funding sources as possible. This kind of specific document translation can lead to more funding being awarded, which could potentially lead to more scientific breakthroughs.

4. The Spread Of Data And Knowledge

Scientific progress flourishes when there is an abundance of data and knowledge spreading through the scientific community. We in the English-speaking world can sometimes forget that there is great work being done in other countries. By utilizing scientific translation, important data, and the conclusions drawn from it, can be shared with the entire scientific community benefiting all of humanity.

5. Interpreting At Conferences

Scientific conferences are great places for ideas to be exchanged in the scientific community. These are important events where scientists get to show their work to their peers and get valuable feedback.  Scientists from all over the world participate in these events. With such a large, multilingual audience, conference interpreting can be an extraordinarily useful service. While many scientists speak English on a fundamental level, their comprehension would be significantly boosted if interpreting services were provided. Conversely, real time interpreting is critical if a non-English speaker is delivering a talk to a primarily English-speaking audience.