Yinon Spinka, born in Holon, spent most of his childhood in the United States.  When he was twelve, he and his family moved back to Israel and settled in Hod Hasharon. Around this time Yinon became interested in computers and started to learn programming.  During his middle school years he joined Bar-Ilan University’s mathematics program for gifted youth, which allowed him to take his final exam in mathematics at the end of 10th grade. Following his scientific bent, he chose physics, electronics and computer science as his high school majors.

After completing his service with the IDF, Yinon began his undergraduate studies in mathematics and physics at Tel-Aviv University. Although he found both disciplines interesting, he gradually shifted his focus towards mathematics. Upon graduating with a BSc summa cum laude, he went on to finish an MSc in pure mathematics, also summa cum laude. His master’s thesis, produced under the supervision of Prof. Ron Peled, dealt with a problem in probability theory with connections to statistical mechanics

Today Yinon is a PhD student at Tel-Aviv University, where he continues to research problems in the interface between probability theory and mathematical physics. His research, still under the supervision of Prof. Ron Peled, concentrates on models from statistical mechanics, such as the Potts model and the O(n) model, and is directed primarily towards understanding the physical phenomenon of phase transition. Yinon collaborates with researchers both in Israel and abroad and has lectured at several international seminars and conferences.