Mathilde Fontanet

1960

Professor at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva

Situation professionnelle en 2019

"I'm proud of my experience, my ability to reason and the progress that my students make."

My career path

I’m an associate professor in the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Geneva, where I teach translation from English into French. I mostly teach advanced translation and revision, technical and scientific translation, and literary translation. I’ve been on the Faculty’s participatory council since 2007 and the university’s advisory board since 2009.

I like languages and all their subtleties, true stories and fiction, and reasoning. I’m motivated by the satisfaction I get from a job well done, my need to demonstrate my added value and my desire to express myself and make myself understood.

My career path. I have a master’s degree in humanities, a degree in translation and a PhD in translation studies from the University of Geneva. After working for several years as a freelance translator, I went on to work at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) for 22 years, where I was also head of sector. I have published four literary pieces and translated four books. I probably have a healthy dose of reckless ambition, which, when coupled with my passion, makes me a somewhat relentless worker. But it was the people closest to me that encouraged me to forge ahead. I can rely on the support of the men and women I work with at various hierarchical levels, as well as my friends and family.

A downside or obstacle ? Everything I do, I could do better. Sometimes I feel truly vulnerable. I have my moments of despair between two periods of pure joy.

I’m proud of my experience, my ability to reason and the progress that my students make. I’m most at peace when I manage to be myself and accept myself as I am.

The Proust Questionnaire

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Au-delà de votre profession

Tout ce qui touche à la langue et à l’écriture.

Des personnes qui vous inspirent

Les femmes qui ont de l’humour, la force d’être honnêtes, les idées et le sens critique. Idem pour les hommes.

Un livre & un film

Les œuvres de Shakespeare, de Virginia Woolf, de Flaubert. Récemment, 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Martin McDonagh).

Un modèle

Une amie pour sa bonté, des collègues (surtout des femmes) pour leur rigueur, leur honnêteté et leur intelligence, mes fils pour leur sensibilité. J’admire les gens qui servent des causes communes.

Un objet

Mon mouton en peluche, mon rouleau à pâte, mon dictionnaire «papier», mon ordinateur, mes calepins.

Une couleur

Le bleu-vert

Un rêve

Ne plus douter de moi. Être portée par un courage invincible.