Certificate in Translation Graduate Co-Translates Children’s Encyclopedia

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YEREVAN, Armenia – The American University of Armenia (AUA) Certificate in Translation (C Tr.) program is pleased to announce the contribution of  Shogher Grigoryan (C Tr. ‘19) in the translation of Science!, a children’s encyclopedia. The translation and publication of this volume was undertaken by one of the oldest bookstores in Yerevan, Bookinist, which has recently entered the publishing industry.

Originally released by DK Penguin Random House, and created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this fascinating book from the Knowledge Encyclopedias Series is packed with essential information and quirky facts that appeal to both curious kids and interested adults. Adopting an imaginative approach to science that goes beyond the basic school curriculum, Science! interweaves core physics, chemistry, and biology themes with space exploration, life on Earth, and amazing facts about the human body. Grigoryan has translated the chapter “Life.”

A psychiatrist by profession and a translator by passion, Grigoryan graduated from Yerevan State Medical University in 2005 and received her Certificate in Translation from AUA in 2019. Within the scope of the Practicum in Translation course, she translated Kazuo Ishiguro’s story “October, 1948,” which was published in the online magazine Granish.

“The focus of our program is to give our students the opportunity to put their skills to test in the real world,” said Shushan Avagyan, assistant professor at the College of Humanities & Social Sciences (CHSS) and the coordinator of the C Tr. program. “We read from the history and theories of translation and we spend some time analyzing existing translations and translating, but an important component in each course is learning how to apply the acquired knowledge to the needs of our society.”

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.