Elena
Palacio Alonso

I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Translation and Interpreting from the University of Salamanca, which I completed in 1999. I also hold a Master's degree in Conference Interpreting from the Autonomous University of Lisbon (UAL), awarded through the European Master's Consortium (EMCI) endorsed by the European Commission. Additionally, I have worked as a conference interpreter since 2001. I have been an interpreting lecturer within the Bachelor's Degree in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Salamanca since 2003. English, French, and Portuguese into Spanish consecutive and simultaneous interpreting are among the main courses that I teach. From 2001 until 2013, I was also an interpreter trainer for the Master's Degree in Interpreting at the University of Lisbon (ULisboa). Between 2012 and 2016, I served as the Deputy-Dean for Mobility and International Relations. During this period, I was appointed focal point for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) established between the University of Salamanca and the United Nations, where I focused on enhancing collaboration in training initiatives related to translation and interpreting. In addition, I represented the School in the Contact Group of Universities at the International Annual Meeting on Language Arrangements, Documentation and Publications (IAMLADP). I currently hold several management positions, i.e., I am an active member of a commission that works toward the transfer and recognition of ECTS (COTRARET), as well as a commission that addresses the upcoming changes in our curriculum (Comisión de Renovación del Grado). Since December 2024, I have taken on the role of Coordinator for the Bachelor’s Degree in Translation and Interpreting, and I also chair the Quality Committee. I pursued a Master’s Degree in Translation and Specialized Languages at the School of Translation and Library Sciences of the University of Salamanca, successfully defending my dissertation, "The Relevance of a Didactic Approach to Portuguese-Spanish Interpreting in Spain" in 2005. In 2022, I was awarded my PhD from the University of Salamanca for my thesis, "Deontology and Professional Ethics for Conference Interpreting: Relevance and Viability in the Degree in Translation and Interpreting”. My research focuses on several key areas: the application of professional ethics in conference interpreting, including deontology and ethical codes; the pedagogy of professional competencies (soft skills) in undergraduate and graduate programs; the professional landscape of interpreting, particularly concerning working conditions for freelancers; and the training process in both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting techniques. Additionally, I explore the importance of contemporary professional approaches to translation and interpreting instruction.