Rising Star Scholarship 2024

Applications are now open for GALA's Rising Star Scholarship! GALA is committed to connecting our industry and academia. Attending the conference is a great opportunity for faculty and students to learn about important trends and business strategies from language industry thought-leaders and to create connections with localization professionals.

One student and one faculty member from translation, localization, interpreting, and related programs (such as computational linguistics, international business, and more) will receive a full ride to attend GALA's Annual Language of Business conference in Valencia, Spain and their submission published by GALA. This includes conference registration, travel, lodging, and recognition during a plenary session.

This year, applicants are asked to create an original essay in the style of a blog post and a short video. Read the instructions below to learn how to submit your application.

The student scholarship is open to students currently enrolled or that graduated in 2023 from translation, localization, interpreting programs, or related programs* at the university level. Deadline to submit is 20 November 2023 at 11:59 pm PST.

To apply for the scholarship, you will need to create an original essay in the style of a blog post addressing the prompt.

Prompt: As a student experiencing the AI revolution in real-time, share your perspective on how AI is impacting education and the global language industry. Additionally, discuss your vision for shaping a distinctive career path, including what skills and resources you believe you will need and how you plan to preserve and nurture your non-AI strengths.

Application Materials

  • A GALA user account.
  • The blog should be between 700-1000 words (excluding the reference section) and must contain:
    • At least one video related to the topic with transcription enabled. This could be an explanatory video or a demonstration. You will upload the video separately, but indicate in the blog where it should be viewed by using the text [insert video here]. (max 1 minute)
    • One relevant image such as an infographic, graph, or a chart to enhance understanding. You may create an original one or include a relevant one with proper citations.
    • Reference section and citations (hyperlinks where possible) to your sources.
    • Written and voiced in English (submissions will not be scored on English language proficiency)
    • Do not use identifying information in the presentation (name, image of yourself, university, country, employers); the scholarship committee reviews the submissions anonymously.
  • A CV.
  • Students must include proof of current enrollment or graduated in 2023. The following are accepted: an unofficial transcript, a signed note from university staff on official letterhead, or a picture of your diploma/certificate.
Applications closed on 20 November. Winners will be notified in December.

Not following the application guidelines and requirements may result in an automatic disqualification. To access the submission form, log in to your GALA account (or create one) before clicking on the APPLY button.
*If you are unsure if your program qualifies, contact Alicia at [email protected]

The faculty scholarship contest is open to faculty/instructors of translation, localization, or interpreting courses at a university. Instructors must have taught a full quarter- or semester-long course within the current calendar year (2023). Deadline to submit is 20 November 2023 at 11:59 pm PST.

To apply for the scholarship, you will need to create an original essay in the style of a blog post addressing the prompt.

Prompt: In the context of teaching in an AI-focused world, share your perspective on the most significant changes you face and propose strategies to address them. Consider future careers and the evolution of current jobs in the in the field of GILT (globalization, internationalization, localization, translation), and describe how your teaching approach can include AI.

Application Materials

  • A GALA user account, ideally connected to a university.
  • The blog should be between 700-1000 words (excluding the reference section) and must contain:
    • At least one video related to the topic with transcription enabled. This could be an explanatory video or a demonstration. You will upload the video separately, but indicate in the blog where it should be viewed by using the text [insert video here]. (max 1 minute)
    • One relevant image such as an infographic, graph, or a chart to enhance understanding. You may create an original one or include a relevant one with proper citations.
    • Reference section and citations (hyperlinks where possible) to your sources.
    • Written and voiced in English (submissions will not be scored on English language proficiency)
    • Do not use identifying information in the presentation (name, image of yourself, university, country, employers); the scholarship committee reviews the submissions anonymously.
  • A CV.
  • Faculty must include proof of current employment, such as a signed note on university letterhead from employer, an image of employment status and course from university website, or other.
Applications closed on 20 November. Winners will be notified in December.

Not following the application guidelines and requirements may result in an automatic disqualification. To access the submission form, log in to your GALA account (or create one) before clicking on the APPLY button. 

The student scholarship contest is only open to students currently enrolled or that graduated in 2023 from translation, localization, or interpreting programs at the university level. Entrants will need to present proof of enrollment or program completion. This could be one of the following: an unofficial transcript, signed note from university staff on official letterhead, picture of your diploma/certificate.

The faculty scholarship contest is open to faculty/instructors of translation, localization, or interpreting courses at a university. Instructors must have taught a full quarter- or semester-long course within the current calendar year (2023). Proof of employment must be included.

If you are a PhD candidate and currently both a student and a faculty member, you may choose which category (faculty or student) to apply within. However, you may only apply once.

The contest is open to all participants regardless of residence or citizenship, so long as the laws of their jurisdiction allow such participation. Limit one entry per person; duplicate entries will not be considered. Former winners are not eligible to participate in the contest again. GALA reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason at its sole discretion.

The winners will be honored during the conference and the winning submissions will be published on GALA's platforms. 

Review all rules, regulations, certifications, copyrights, and disclaimers in the complete official rules.

How to submit a scholarship application

To enter the Rising Star Scholarship contest, log in to your GALA user account and complete the form. You will need to upload your submission materials (presentation, CV, proof of enrollment/employment, etc.) by 20 November 2023 by 11:59 pm PST. If you do not have a GALA account, please create one using your school email address. Many of the application fields will populate with information from your user profile. Reminder: do not use any personal identification in the video or abstract (name, university, employer, etc).

How applications are reviewed

Entries will be reviewed by the Rising Star Scholarship Committee, who will select two winners (one student and one faculty) based on the thesis, originality, and strength of argument. Entries are not judged based on English language skills. The committee reviews anonymized submissions.

How the winners are awarded

The winners will be notified in December or January via email. Winners must confirm they will accept the prize package and attend the GALA Conference by responding to GALA’s message within one week of being notified. If you are unable to attend or we do not receive your confirmation, a new Rising Star winner will be selected. The winners will be honored during the conference and their scholarship submission will be published on GALA's platforms. 

By entering the scholarship contest you agree to all rules, regulations, certifications, copyrights, and disclaimers in the complete official rules.

The prize package

Each winner will receive a prize package to attend GALA's annual conference in Valencia, Spain. Prize includes a full conference registration, a ticket to GALA's conference dinner, and reimbursement of travel/lodging expenses to attend the conference. Travel/lodging expenses are limited to travel costs from winner’s home city to the conference city, hotel costs for one individual for 3 nights (21-24 April 2024), travel between airport and hotel, and a per diem. Winners are expected to travel economy class, and airfare shall not be booked without prior approval. Any additional expenses will be the winner’s responsibility. Appropriate documentation must be provided prior to receiving reimbursement. No cash equilivant will be provided.  

Eligibility

The contest is open to students currently enrolled in translation, localization, or interpreting programs or graduated in 2023 or faculty of translation, localization, or interpreting programs at the university level. Instructors must have taught a full quarter- or semester-long course within the current calendar year (2023).

All eligible submissions will be reviewed by a GALA staff member and a committee of member volunteers (Rising Star Scholarship Committee).

Contest Rules

Winners will be notified in December or January. Winners must confirm via email that they accept within one week of being notified. If you are unable to attend the conference or we do not receive your confirmation, a new winner will be selected.

One submission per person. Team submissions will not be considered. Content must be original.

By entering the contest, you certify that the content you are submitting has no conflicting claims of copyright and that nothing related to your entry violates or infringes upon another person’s copyright.

By entering the contest, you agree that GALA may use your content in publications, promotional materials, presentations, and websites.

Please contact Alicia Deadrick (GALA's Membership & Engagement Manager) at [email protected] with any questions.