About

Hi there! 👋 I’m Abdellah EL MEKKI, a researcher exploring how computers can understand and interact with human languages. I hold a PhD in Computer Science from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, an institution recognized among the top universities in Africa.

Experience

I am currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. My work focuses on leveraging AI capabilities to support under-represented communities, with careful consideration of their unique languages and cultures.

Previously, I was a Postdoctoral Researcher at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in the UAE. There, my primary research involved creating and analyzing large language models designed to work across diverse languages, with a particular emphasis on under-represented and morphologically rich languages.

What I Do

As a computer scientist, my work centers on:

• Making language technology accessible and effective for all languages, especially those with fewer digital resources.
• Developing inclusive AI applications, such as voice assistants and large language models, that are usable by everyone.
• Building these tools efficiently to ensure they can operate effectively even in environments with limited computing power.

I consider myself a computational linguist, as I integrate computational methods with traditional linguistic approaches in my research.

My Interests

I’m passionate about:

• How machine learning can deepen our understanding of language.
• The ways people interact with and utilize language technology.
• Creating language AI that is inclusive, accessible, and user-friendly.