EUMASLI
European Master in Sign Language Interpreting

Jens Hessmann has been involved with sign language and deafness since 1986. He was a member of sign language research projects at the Free University of Berlin and Hamburg University. From 1995 to 1998, Jens coordinated a project for Deaf students at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam. Since 1998, he has been working as a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal. His specific fields are sign language linguistics, interpretation studies, and the sociology of deafness.

Katja Fischer trained as a dental technician before moving on to acquire an academic qualification as a social worker. Katja has a record of working with Deaf children and Youth. She also worked as a free-lance teacher of sign language and Deaf culture before joining the Magdeburg team in 2005.

Sandra Köchy graduated from the diploma programme in sign language interpreting at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal in 2004. Sandra established herself as a professional sign language interpreter before joining the Magdeburg team in 2005 to teach theoretical and practical aspects of sign language interpreting.

Pirkko Mikkonen has been a professional leader in Finnish sign language interpreting for over two decades. As director of the sign language interpreting programme, Pirkko is in charge of the Helsinki and Kuopio training institutions. She has initiated research into sign language for many years, leading to the establishment of a research and development section at Humak University.

Eeva Salmi has been working in the sign language field since 1985. She recently published a major work on the history of the Finnish Deaf. She is also a postgraduate student in the University of Helsinki. In the Humak sign language interpreter training programme, Eeva is responsible for research studies.

Marjukka Nisula has been working as a Sign Language Interpreter in Finland since 1984. Since the early 1990s, she has been involved in interpreter education. Marjukka holds an MA degree in Education. In the Humak sign language interpreter training programme, she is in charge of interpreting as a process.

Outi Mäkelä graduated as sign language interpreter in 1994. She received an MA degree in Education in 2001. Outi is responsible for interpreting and curriculum design in the Humak training programme.

Juha Manunen and Marko Vuoriheimo are Deaf sign language and interpreting trainers at Humak. They both have received MA degrees in Education from Jyväskylä University.

Graham H. Turner is Chair in Translation Studies and Director of the Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies in Scotland (CTISS). Since 1988, he has been working as a researcher and educator at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in applied sign linguistics, Deaf Studies and sign language interpreting. Graham is the editor of Deaf Worlds: International Journal of Deaf Studies, and he has recently launched the new international journal The Sign Language Translator & Interpreter. His research has included the application of methods and theoretical frameworks developed for the analysis of spoken language interaction to the ‘bimodal’, bilingual context of dialogue interpreting between spoken and signed languages, exploring issues of social exclusion arising from deaf people’s linguistic access to environments such as courts, social care settings, education, and theatre.

Steven D. Emery is a Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University. He obtained his doctorate entitled ‘Citizenship and the Deaf Community’ in July 2007. Prior to 2002, Steve had undertaken employment in the UK Deaf community in several roles, including advice worker, development worker, and as a qualified counsellor. Since beginning and completing his PhD, Steve has been involved with research projects on the sociolinguistic history of BSL and Deaf people’s attitudes towards genetics and genetic counselling.

Gary Quinn is a former Deaf Community Officer and has taught within British Sign Language and Deaf Studies programmes in the UK for a number of years. He was Course Leader for an innovative University access course for Deaf students and has been active in research looking into sign language interpreting in mental health settings. At Heriot-Watt University, Gary has been Project Officer in an initiative to educate the trainers of BSL tutors in Scotland.

Svenja Wurm grew up in Germany and moved to the UK in 1998. She holds a BA degree in Interpreting British Sign Language/English and Linguistics from the University of Wolverhampton and an MSc in Translation Studies from the University of Edinburgh. Currently she is undertaking PhD research on the translation of written into recorded signed texts at Heriot-Watt University.