Ludmila Stern

Professor Ludmila Stern is a leading academic in Translation and Interpretation Studies at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), holding the rank of Professor. She is affiliated with the School of Languages and Linguistics and has held leadership roles, including Deputy Head of School (2005–2010) and Head of School of International Studies (2011–2012). Her research focuses on legal/courtroom interpreting, Soviet cultural diplomacy, and war crimes trials. She founded UNSW's MA in Interpreting and Translation Studies, endorsed by NAATI, and led an ARC Linkage project on interpreter-mediated justice. Stern has been honored with multiple teaching awards, including the 2010 Dean’s and Vice Chancellor’s Awards, and the 2015 Dean’s Award for program innovation.

• Education: BA (1st Class Honours), PhD, both from UNSW.
• Engagement: Board Director at NAATI (2010–2016), Chair of NAATI’s Technical Reference Advisory Committee (2017–present).

Research Interests: Her work bridges historical and applied studies, examining Soviet cultural diplomacy’s impact on Western intellectuals and interpreting practices in international tribunals like the ICTY and ICC. She explores judicial-officer interactions with interpreters and the role of interpretation in ensuring equitable access to justice.

Grants & Awards: ARC Linkage grant for communication in legal interpreting. Her media contributions include ABC Radio National and invited talks at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Interpretation.

Teaching: Leads advanced interpreting courses and oversees HDR students researching medical, legal, and simultaneous interpreting challenges. She is a UNSW summative peer reviewer (2017–present).