Adams

Yaron Laufer 2019-2020

Institution of PhD:
Bar-Ilan University
Academic Discipline of PhD:
Electrical Engineering
PhD Advisor/s:
Prof. Sharon Gannot
Dissertation Topic:
Bayesian Methods in Speech Processing
Present Academic Position:
PhD Student

Yaron Laufer was born in Petah Tikva. After studying in the Hesder yeshivas in Mitzpe Ramon and
Ma‘alot and serving as a combat soldier in the Golani Brigade, Yaron began studying for his BSc in
electrical engineering at Bar-Ilan University. During his undergraduate studies, he participated in
the prestigious “Chosen Ones” scholarship program for outstanding students, and he received the Rector’s and Dean’s Prizes and the Faculty Excellence Award for his final project. He graduated summa cum laude and first in his class.

Yaron continued in the five-year direct BSc + MSc track. The results of his MSc research in the field of communication and information theory were published in two international conference papers and in the leading journal in information theory. He received the Rector’s Prize and the Intel Award and graduated summa cum laude.

Following his graduation, Yaron began working as a researcher and algorithm developer in the elite research group at Elbit Systems, where he was involved in developing innovative technologies in the field of electronic warfare.

After three years at Elbit, Yaron returned to Bar-Ilan University to begin his PhD studies in the field of audio signalprocessing. His research focuses on developing statistical methods and theoretical bounds for estimating speech signals from multi-microphone recordings contaminated by reverberation, interfering speakers and noise. Solutions to this problem are of great importance for various applications in devices as diverse as mobile phones, hands-free systems and hearing aids, which nowadays are equipped with multiple microphones. The results of his research thus far have been published in a journal paper and presented in two international conference papers.