Meet Yossi Adi

He’s a research scientist at Facebook AI Research in Tel Aviv and a professional drummer who performs worldwide. Meet Yossi Adi, 32, a recent graduate of the Department of Computer Science at Bar-Ilan University, who has just won the Best Doctoral Dissertation Award for 2020 from the Israeli Association for Artificial Intelligence (IAAI).

With a focus on machine learning and deep learning algorithms for speech and language applications, Yossi was a member of the research team in BIU’s Speech, Language and Deep Learning Lab, directed by Prof. Joseph Keshet, his PhD supervisor. His dissertation is entitled “On the Robustness of Deep Neural Models and their Applications to Speech Science.” Yossi, who also holds an MSc in Computer Science from Bar-Ilan, previously worked as a research intern at Facebook AI Research in New York.

During his free time, he gives expression to his creativity and passion for music – as a band member of Lucille Crew, an international Groove, Hip Hop and Soul collective based in Tel Aviv. Growing up in Rishon LeZion, in a musical family (his father played the trumpet, his brother, the guitar), it was only natural that Yossi would develop his artistic talents and play in the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra, and later in a band.

The father of two small children, Yossi has been working at Facebook since completing his doctorate last year. ”I connected well with my Bar-Ilan supervisor, Prof. Keshet, who encouraged me to explore computer sound processing. While pursuing his advanced degrees he also continued to play, teach drums and perform in all sorts of ensembles “To a certain extent it positioned me on the Israeli map of AI but this community is relatively small in Israel, and even before the prize, I was known in the field.” As to his musical pursuits, he notes that “before Corona, the band was invited to perform in many festivals in Europe and India and received much positive feedback. I feel that I am apparently doing something right in music, and also in research.”

“I love both music and research – they both fascinate me and therefore, I’m willing to invest time and hard work in deepening my knowledge and know-how in these two areas, which can enrich each other.”