Real name:
Biography:
Ninie G. Syarikin is an NCIS Life Member since 2011, working as a full time independent writer, editor/proofreader, book reviewer, professional translator/interpreter and researcher. Graduated from English Department, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia, she also attended the American Studies Department of The George Washington University, Washington, DC under Fulbright Scholarship. At the earlier part of her career, Ninie has taught at the English Department, University of North Sumatera, Medan, Indonesia. She has a teaching certificate in "Methods of Employing Literature in Language Teaching" from the SEAMEO RELC Scholarship in Singapore and 140 hours teaching certificates in TESOL/TESL/TEFL from the Oxford Seminars, with specializations in "Business English" and "TOEFL Preparation." Ninie is an alumna of two literary programs: The University of Iowa's Summer Writing Festival (Summer 2005) and The British Council-sponsored "The Cambridge Residential Seminar on Contemporary British Literature" at Downing College, the University of Cambridge in UK (Summer 2003). She was also a recipient of the Jakarta, Indonesia's British Council Travel Grant on the occasion of a series of literary lectures of Dr. Fadia Faqir, an Arab British author, in Indonesia. Some institutions/organizations that Ninie has worked for, among others, are: USAGM's Voice of America (federally retired after 22 year service), National Geographic Society, language schools, translation companies and some prestigious law firms. Ninie has a BA in English from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia and holds an MFA in Creative Writing (terminal degree) from The University of Tampa, Florida. She manages her translation/interpretation and writing work, US-SEA Strategy, which seeks to create a cultural bridge, through language and literature, between the Southeast Asian Islamic countries and the United States of America. Ninie welcomes query, possible collaboration and correspondence at ngsyarikin@ncis.org.
Ninie's Professional Profile:
American Translators Association; Member ID # 228821
Society of Professional Journalists; Member ID # 9997323
Ninie's Professional Memberships:
American Translators Association
Asia Pacific Writers & Translators
Society of Professional Journalists
Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association
National Coalition of Independent Scholars (Life Member)
Fulbright Association (Life Member)
Current research areas:
Language, literature & culture; Islamic studies; journalism; translation studies; education; history; women’s studies.
Ninie has done research for a literary critical essay, titled "Prose Poetry as a Literary Bridge for the Masses" and a presentation, titled "Prose Poetry and Flash Writing as Methods of Instilling the Love of Writing." Her 299 page MFA thesis is titled: "Cultural Diplomacy, A Creative Mind" is a collection of cross-genre writings of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. At this moment, she is also collecting materials and organizing/chronicling encounters/information on her creative writing journey that she plans on putting into a future article, titled: "My Love Affair With Creative Writing." Ninie strives to continue exploring and writing on and about Islamic literature.
Recent scholarly activity:
UPCOMING TRAVEL, OBSERVATION AND RESEARCH
MOST RECENT SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES/TRAVELS
- Ninie attended the Annual ISNA Convention in Houston, Texas on August 30 - September 2, 2019
- Ninie traveled to Istanbul, Turkey and Sofia, Bulgaria for cultural and historical observation of the past history of the Ottoman Empire, July 15-24, 2019.
- Ninie attended the World Javanese Diaspora Convention in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, on June 20-23, 2019.
- Ninie attended the 52nd Annual AWP Conference in Portland, Oregon, March 27–30, 2019.
- Ninie completed a linguistic, literary and cultural work tour to Portugal, Morocco, China and Indonesia, December 6, 2018 to March 25, 2019.
RECENT SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES/TRAVELS
- Ninie attended the "Summer Teacher Institute 2018: China in the Middle East and Africa" at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, August 6-10, 2018.
- Ninie attended the 51st Annual AWP Conference in Tampa, Florida, March 7-10, 2018.
- Ninie traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, participating in the training of The Ted Scripps Leadership Institute, October 19-22, 2017.
- Ninie completed a linguistic, literary and cultural work tour to five ASEAN countries: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand, February 15 - May 2, 2017.
- Ninie attended the 50th Annual AWP Conference in Washington, DC, February 8-11, 2017.
PAST SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES/TRAVELS
- Ninie attended the 2016 Palestine Center Annual Conference: “The Palestinians: History, Agency, and Future Prospects” at the Palestine Center, Washington, DC, Friday, November 11, 2016.
- Ninie attended the 25th Annual NCUSAR Conference in Washington, DC, October 26-27, 2016.
- Ninie attended the Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, 2016 Summer Teacher Institute: "Experiencing and Teaching About World Religions" in Washington, DC, August 1-9, 2016.
- Ninie, as a cultural observer, traveled to Quito, Ecuador, July 23-30, 2016, to observe and experience its people, language and culture. She visited the Islamic Center in Quito and met with the local Muslims.
- Ninie attended the Annual AWP Conference & Bookfair in Los Angeles, California, on March 30-April 2, 2016.
- Indonesia and Singapore, from October 26 through December 21, 2015
SELECTED PAST LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
- Ninie performed poetry reading & story-telling with two other writers at the Busboys and Poets on the occation of 2015 NCATA Summer Soiree in Washington, DC, August 9, 2015.
- Ninie attended the weeklong workshops at the Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, 2015 Summer Teacher Institute:
"Beyond Ibn Battuta: the Indian Ocean Across Time and Disciplines" in Washington, DC, August 3-7, 2015.
- Ninie attended the 23rd NCUSAR Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference: "Framing and Charting the Region’s Issues, Interests, Challenges, and Opportunities: Implications for Arab and U.S. Policies," Washington, DC, October 28 - 29, 2014
- Ninie attended the weeklong workshops at the Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, 2014 Summer Teacher Institute:
"Integrating the Mediterranean into World History; Approaches and New Teaching Resources," (Page 15) in Washington, DC, August 11–15, 2014.
- Ninie with historian Elizabeth Covart successfully represented the National Coalition of Independent Scholars at the Affiliated Societies Exhibition at the American Historical Association Annual Conference in Washington, DC, January 2–5, 2014. Reports about it were written up and published in the NCIS’ February 2014 edition. (http://www.ncis.org/sites/default/files/tis/NCISFeb14.pdf)
- Ninie was a speaker at the “Coffee, Controversy & Conversation Forum” at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland, with the topic: “Women’s Rights in Islam, as I Live It,” Sunday, October 30, 2011.
- Ninie was a presenter at the conference “Between Tradition and Change: The Future of English in the Light of Globalization, Transculturalism, and Internationalization,” at the University of Southern Denmark in Kolding, October 11-12, 2011, with a presentation, titled: “Islamic Poetry in English: A Bridge in Intrafaith and Interfaith.” Syarikin’s abstract for the conference is on page 17 of this link:
http://static.sdu.dk/mediafiles/1/8/F/%7B18F1E739-A9D8-4E0D-AA5C-19FBC76...
- Ninie was a repeat presenter at three classes of graduating 12th graders at the private Catholic Bishop McNamara High School, Forestville, Maryland, May 5, 2011 with the subject: "Islam and Being a Muslim," as part of the "World Religions Class," taught by teacher Ms. Cinnamon L. Sarver.
- Ninie was a presenter at the 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the National Mall, Washington, DC, June 24-28 & July 1-5, 2010; being one of the three panelists in the “Talkstory” program, titled: “Muslim Americans from Asia.” Report about it was published in the DC National Writers Union’s July 2010 newsletter (will be provided upon request).
- Ninie was a presenter at three classes of graduating 12th graders at the private Catholic Bishop McNamara High School, Forestville, Maryland, April 27, 2010, with the subject: "Islam and Being a Muslim," as part of the "World Religions Class," taught by teacher Ms. Cinnamon L. Sarver.
- Ninie was a presenter & performer in “Parliament of the World's Religions Conference” in Melbourne, Australia, December 3 – 9, 2009.
1. One of two women speakers and performers in the panel “Muslim Women’s Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith,” presenting: “Islamic Poetry as an Expression of Interfaith in the World,” reciting and story-telling own Islamic poems.
2. One of several women contributors from different religious traditions, in the panel, titled “A Creative Exploration of the Sacred Feminine,” with Ninie presenting “Sarah and Hagar, Peace Be Upon Them, in Islamic Perspectives, Through Poetry.”
Forthcoming research:
At this moment, Ninie is collecting materials and organizing/chronicling encounters/information on her creative writing journey that she plans on putting into a future article, titled: "My Love Affair With Creative Writing." Ninie strives to continue exploring and writing on and about Islamic literature.
Request for samples of writings and translations are welcome. Please email Ninie at ngsyarikin@ncis.org.
Other activities:
Ninie observes and follows the developments and struggles of Islamic countries and Muslim communities, both in the USA and in the rest of the world, with ongoing and current issues such as the conflict of Israel-Palestine, the oppression of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, the Muslims' peril in Central African Republic, the Muslim migrations in the Mediterranean and problems in the Middle East. She also has great interests in studying world religions, and, for many years, has been active in the Washington, DC interfaith communities and beyond. Ninie works both as a translator (written rendition of text from one language to another) and interpreter (oral rendition from one language to another) of English, Indonesian, Malay and Javanese languages; while she writes in English and Indonesian.
Company: