October 2015 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Two faculty positions in applied mathematics -- Northwestern University

by William L. Kath

The Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics at Northwestern University (http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/applied-math/) invites applications for two full-time, tenure-track faculty positions to begin in September 2016. Hiring will be focused on the assistant professor level, although exceptional applicants at a more senior level will be considered. Requirements include a Ph.D. and demonstrated ability to conduct high-impact interdisciplinary research in applied mathematics. We are seeking candidates who can enhance the breadth of research activities of the department. Candidates in all areas of applied mathematics are encouraged to apply. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, (i) stochastic modeling of physical, biological or financial systems and (ii) scientific computing. Duties involve teaching and research. The application package should include a curriculum vita, a statement of research accomplishments and interests, and a statement of teaching experience and philosophy. The application should be submitted online at: https://facultysearch.mccormick.northwestern.edu/apply/index/NzM= In addition, the applicant should arrange for at least three, but no more than four letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters will be automatically solicited from the letter writers by email after the names are entered in the online application system. Questions may be sent to esam-facultysearch(a)northwestern.edu (Subject line: 2016 Faculty Search). Review of applications will begin November 1, 2015, and will continue until the positions are filled. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States. For further information, see: http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/applied-math/. -- William L. Kath, Professor Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-3125 Phone: 847-491-8784 Fax: 847-491-2178

Oct. 20, 2015

2-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Computational Neuroimaging of Flexible Visual Processing in Amsterdam.

by Tomas Knapen

2-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Computational Neuroimaging of Flexible Visual Processing in Amsterdam. We are seeking an enthusiastic postdoctoral fellow with excellent qualifications for a 7T functional imaging project. In this project, we will investigate how expectations and attention influence visual processing and perception in normal observers and expert meditators. A main ingredient of the project is a detailed mapping of retinotopic brain areas by constructing forward models based on convolutional neural networks <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolutional_neural_network>. Therefore, we will consider applicants with strong quantitative skills from fields such as neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Experience with functional imaging, programming, data analysis, machine learning and computational modelling would be advantageous but not required. This is an interdisciplinary collaborative project between cognitive neuroscience groups at the two universities in Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit (VU) & Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)), funded through ABMP <http://www.abmp.eu/calls/>. The research will be supervised by Tomas Knapen <http://tknapen.github.io/> (VU), Heleen Slagter <http://www.heleenslagter.com/> (UvA) & Steven Scholte <http://www.cognitiveneuroscience.nl/index.php?p=502247> (UvA) in a dynamic research environment. The successful applicant will be stationed at the VU and imaging will be performed on the new 7T scanner at the Amsterdam Spinoza Center <http://www.spinozacentre.nl/>. The appointment will be for one year, with potential for a one-year renewal contingent on positive evaluation. Salary will be commensurate with experience, according to the Dutch universities’ collective labour agreement <http://www.vsnu.nl/en_GB/CAO>. Applications may be submitted by email to tknapen(a)gmail.com <mailto:tknapen@gmail.com>, with ABMP application in the subject line. Send an application letter, CV, and arrange for up to 3 letters of recommendation to be sent with the applicant’s name in the subject line. Applications will be considered from the 1st of November, continuing until the position is filled. Starting date is flexible, preferably around January 2016. Best Regards, Tomas Knapen Tomas Knapen Assistant Professor @ Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Cognitive Psychology <http://www.vupsy.nl/> Contact tknapen(a)gmail.com <mailto:tknapen@gmail.com> || +31 6 34091812 Web Lab website <http://tknapen.github.io/> || GitHub profile <https://github.com/tknapen>

Oct. 20, 2015

PhD studies in Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering at the University of Washington

by Adrienne Fairhall

PhD studies in Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering at the University of Washington The University of Washington has a rich, active and highly collaborative community of researchers in systems and computational neuroscience (http://compneuro.washington.edu/) and neural engineering (http://uwin.washington.edu ). The University of Washington is a vibrant research university with a beautiful campus in a spectacular urban setting, with an ERC Center in Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (http://www.csne-erc.org/) the UW Institute for Neuroengineering, close connections to the local tech industry and the Allen Institute for Brain Science. UW is also a major data sciences center with interdisciplinary interactions coordinated through the eSciences Institute (http://escience.washington.edu) The city is a short distance from wilderness and outstanding summer and winter outdoor adventure. While faculty advisors belong to a wide range of different departments, researchers come together regularly for seminars, journal clubs and a yearly retreat. A common set of graduate courses in computational neuroscience and neural engineering allows students to interact across departments. Many student funding opportunities exist through multiple training grants, UWIN, Data Sciences and the CSNE. Doctoral programs encourage collaborative research projects across departmental boundaries, but admissions and first-year course work and formal requirements are handled by graduate programs individually. Students interested in this area should apply to the program that best fits their background, interests and career goals. Relevant programs, websites and application deadlines include: Neuroscience, http://depts.washington.edu/behneuro/ , Dec 1 Bioengineering, http://depts.washington.edu/bioe/, Dec 1 Computer Science and Engineering, www.cs.washington.edu/, Dec 15 Applied Mathematics, www.amath.washington.edu/, Jan 15 Speech and Hearing, http://depts.washington.edu/sphsc/, Feb 15 Biological Physics, Structure and Design, http://depts.washington.edu/bpsd/, Dec 1 Biology, www.biology.washington.edu/, Dec 1 Psychology, http://web.psych.washington.edu/, Dec 1 Faculty include: Wyeth Bair (Neuro, CSE): Computer modeling of visual cortical circuits Geoff Boynton (Neuro, Psychology): Functional imaging of vision Michael Buice (Applied Math (Affiliate), Allen Institute): Analysis of coding and computation in mouse cortex Beth Buffalo (Neuro): Navigation and memory in primates Bing Brunton (Biology and Data Sciences): High dimensional neural data Howard Chizeck (CSE): Performance metrics for neural interfaces Tom Daniel (Neuro, Biology): Sensorimotor integration and flight control Horacio de la Iglesia (Neuro, Biology): Circadian rhythms Emily Fox (Statistics, CS): Statistical modeling of connectivity and time series Marcel den Nijs (Physics): Statistical mechanics of brain function Adrienne Fairhall (Neuro, BPSD, Physics): Adaptive neural coding and sensorimotor integration Eb Fetz (Neuro): Motor control and brain-computer interfaces Ione Fine (Neuro, Psychology): Human visual psychophysics and imaging David Gire (Neuro, Psychology): Mammalian olfaction Bertil Hille (Neuro, BPSD): Biophysics of neuronal signal transduction Greg Horwitz (Neuro): Cortical color processing Nathan Kutz (A Math): Nonlinear dynamics and dimensionality reduction Adrian KC Lee (Neuro, Speech and Hearing): Auditory scene analysis with imaging Stefan Mihalas (Applied Math (Affiliate), Allen Institute): Analysis and modeling of cortical networks Chet Moritz (Neuro, Rehabilitation Medicine): Neural prosthetics Sheri Mizumori (Neuro, Psychology): Neurobiology of decisions, learning, and memory Bill Moody (Neuro, Biology): Cortical development Scott Murray (Neuro, Psychology): Visual neuroimaging Jay Neitz (Neuro): Color vision Jeff Ojemann (Neuro, Neurology): Human neural function and neuroprosthetics Anitha Pasupathy (Neuro): Neurobiology of visual shape processing David Perkel (Neuro): Neural mechanisms of vocal learning Steve Perlmutter (Neuro): Motor control Chantal Prat (Neuro, Speech and hearing): Auditory processing Nino Ramirez (Neuro): Neural control of rhythmic activity Rajesh Rao (Neuro, CSE): Computational modeling and brain-computer interfaces Fred Rieke (Neuro, Physics, BPSD): Sensory signal processing in the retina Jeff Riffell (Neuro, Biology): Neuroecology and chemosensation Ed Rubel (Neuro): Development of the auditory system Jay Rubinstein (Neuro, Bioengineering): Biophysics and engineering of cochlear implants Eric Shea-Brown (Neuro, A Math): Nonlinear dynamics in neural computation and coding Bill Spain (Neuro): Biophysics of neuronal computation Kat Steele (Mec Eng): Human movement Emo Todorov (Neuro, A Math, CSE): Optimal motor control

Oct. 20, 2015

Ph.D. or Post-doctoral position in Interactive Grounded Language Learning & Understanding

by Jean Rouat

Ph.D. or Post-doctoral position in Interactive Grounded Language Learning & Understanding We have an open position in U. Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, for a PhD (3 years) student or potentially a post-doctoral student (2 years and half) in an international CHIST-ERA european project IGLU (Interactive Grounded Language Understanding) that comprises 7 research labs from Sweden, France, Belgium, Spain and Canada. The IGLU project is very challenging and the objective is to design and implement an intelligent agent that acquires language understanding through learning and grounded interaction with the environment. The candidate will be involved in language knowledge representation and acquisition of new words in relation with the user intentionality. He/She will be in interaction with the other labs in Europe. We are seeking a candidate with background in computational neuroscience and machine learning with emphasis on speech/auditory processing & modelling, predictive coding, graphical statistical models and stochastic signal processing. The candidate needs proficiency in programming (C/C++, matlab, python). Candidates from physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering will be considered as long as they show strong interests in brain sciences and machine learning. The candidate will be a member of the Neurocomputational and Intelligent Signal Processing research group (NECOTIS) that conducts research in anthropomorphic signal processing in Sherbrooke and in electrophysiology in Montreal (collaboration with Univ. de Montreal). During his/her PhD studies in Sherbrooke/Montréal, the candidate should be ready to travel to Europe depending on the needs of the project. Interested candidates should send one pdf file that comprises a letter of motivation, a detailed CV and email addresses of at least two references to Prof. Jean Rouat, jean.rouat(a)usherbrooke.ca. Located in Canada, in the Province of Quebec, the Université de Sherbrooke is a French-speaking institution that offers an opportunity to benefit from an academic education that is recognized and valued around the world. The Université de Sherbrooke is situated in the southern part of Quebec, 150 km from Montréal, 220 km from Québec City and approximately 40 km from the USA's border. Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Tentative starting date is January 2016. Interviews can be conducted at SFN 2015, Chicago and NIPS 2015, Montréal, please drop me a message if you are at SFN. ----------------------------------------------- Jean Rouat, Prof. Université de Sherbrooke Université de Montréal Member of the centre for Interdisciplinary research Professeur titulaire, Professeur associé in Music Media and Technology NECOTIS: Computational Neurosciences Vision, neuroscience Lab McGill Schulich School of Music and Intelligent Signal Processing FAS- Sciences biologiques 527 Sherbrooke St. West Faculté de génie, GEGI, C1-3108 90 avenue Vincent-d’Indy Montreal, Qc, 2500 boul. de l'université Montréal, Qc, Canada, H3A 1E3 Sherbrooke, Québec Canada, H3C 3J7 Canada, J1K 2R1 Tél.: +1(819)-821-8000 ext. 63864 http://www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/rouat http://bio.umontreal.ca/repertoire-departement/vue/rouat-jean/ http://www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/necotis http://www.usherbrooke.ca/gelecinfo/fr/pers/profs/rouj-fr/ Jean.Rouat(a)umontreal.ca ou Jean.Rouat(a)usherbrooke.ca

Oct. 20, 2015

Faculty Position with Research Interest in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

by Tolga Cukur

The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Bilkent University seeks highly qualified applicants for full-time faculty positions in the general area of neuroscience at the ranks of Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor effective September 2015. Recently, Bilkent University declared Neuroscience as one of its research priority areas. Construction of the Bilkent Brain Research Center is ongoing and planned to be completed in early 2016. The center will house a 3 Tesla whole-body MRI scanner with advanced functional and morphological MRI capabilities; 1.5 Tesla whole-body and 7 Tesla small animal MRI systems are also planned. In addition, small-animal and zebra fish facilities will be formed as an extension of the existing animal facilities of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. A psychophysics lab, wet-labs for neurobiology and neuroimmunology will be established. This facility will be home for the interdisciplinary Neuroscience M.S. and Ph.D. programs. The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering already has five faculty members affiliated with the Center and seeks to expand its presence in this area by recruiting new faculty who will complement and enhance the collaborative interdisciplinary research environment at the Center. The Center will provide extensive opportunities for collaboration with the Bilkent Departments of Psychology and Molecular Biology and Genetics, as well as The National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM) and The Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (UNAM). Candidates are sought with a PhD degree in in electrical and electronics engineering or closely related discipline and a proven track record of research in the field of neuroscience and related disciplines. Applicants for the associate and full professorship ranks are expected to have proven leadership qualifications as well. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, brain-machine interfaces, neural prosthetics, neurorobotics, neuromorphic systems, computational neuroscience, and neuroinformatics. Bilkent University is an equal opportunity employer with an international body of faculty and students. Teaching is in English. Faculty salary is competitive. Benefits include a comprehensive health insurance package and on-campus housing. To apply, please visit the web page http://app.bilkent.edu.tr/ee/. The application folder must include a CV, Research Statement, Teaching Statement, and names of three references. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and the review will continue until the positions are filled.

Oct. 19, 2015

Fully-funded PhD position in Computational Neuroscience at the Vision Institute, Paris, France

by angelo.arleo＠inserm.fr

PHD POSITION IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT THE INSTITUTE OF VISION, PARIS, FRANCE Job description Applications are invited for one PhD position at the Aging in Vision and Action laboratory, Institute of Vision (University Pierre & Marie Curie Sorbonne Universities, INSERM CNRS, Paris, France). The PhD student will model visual-based spatial cognitive functions. She/he will build a spatial learning model based on spiking neural networks accounting for existing knowledge on the neural substrates of spatial memory and navigation in animals and humans. She/he will use this model to study the impact of healthy visual aging on neural coding and adaptation mechanisms mediating spatial orientation and navigation. The PhD student will work hand-in-hand with experimentalists in our laboratory. This project will be carried under the supervision of Angelo Arleo & Denis Sheynikhovich (Institute of Vision, Paris, France). Requirements Applicants should have a strong quantitative background (physics, engineering, computer science, applied mathematics), and a keen interest in reverse-engineering the brain. Knowledge on computational neuroscience, machine learning, image processing and programming languages (Matlab, C or Python) are a plus. The successful candidate is expected to work in an interdisciplinary environment with collaborations with biologists, theoreticians and clinicians. She/he will be awarded a 3-year PhD fellowship from the University Pierre and Marie Curie Sorbonne Universities. Working environment and laboratory The Institute of Vision is one of the top international centers for integrated research on vision and eye diseases. It is located at the heart of Paris, on the campus of the National Hospital Center for Ophthalmology. The Institute of Vision includes multidisciplinary research groups, which share state-of-the-art platforms for human and animal experimentation. It also harbors a clinical investigation center, which fosters truly translational research activity. More information can be found online. The Aging in Vision and Action laboratory aims at evaluating and understanding the functional aspects of the degeneration mechanisms related to visual aging. This research has the potential to produce fundamental knowledge suited for opening to assistive technological developments and rehabilitation solutions. The faculty members of the Aging in Vision and Action laboratory are specialized in visual psychophysics, neurobiology of spatial orientation, neural coding, neurocomputational modeling, and clinical evaluation. The group has access to a wide range of state-of-the-art platforms including eye trackers, motion capture rooms, virtual reality environments, brain imaging, artificial street labs and home labs. How to apply Candidates should send a single pdf file containing a motivation letter, a full CV, and names and contact information of at least two referees, to angelo.arleo(a)inserm.fr. Short listed candidates will be contacted for an interview (either face-to-face or via videoconference). For further inquiries, please contact Angelo Arleo, angelo.arleo(a)inserm.fr, phone: +33 (0)1 53 46 26 52. Best regards, Angelo Arleo Institute of Vision, Aging in Vision and Action Lab, CNRS - INSERM - University Pierre&Marie Curie, 17, rue Moreau F-75012 Paris, France Phone: +33 (0)1 53 46 26 52 Mobile: +33 (0)6 46 84 09 56 Email: angelo.arleo(a)inserm.fr; angelo.arleo(a)upmc.fr

Oct. 17, 2015

Postdoctoral opportunities in London and Stockholm

by Harris, Kenneth

Dear Computational Neuroscientists, I would like to advertise three postdoctoral jobs at the interface of computational, systems, and molecular neuroscience. These positions form part of a new collaboration between UCL, University of Oxford, and the Karolinska Institute. The aim of this project is to understand the great diversity of cell types present in cortex, and their roles in cortical circuits and in the resulting computations. While the three positions require diverse skill sets, all offer the opportunity to work as part of a closely integrated, multidisciplinary team focused on solving one of the most important challenges in current neuroscience. Further details about the project can be found at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/cortexlab/neuromics. Position 1: Molecular analysis of cortical tissue The successful applicant will apply novel multiplexed RNA analysis techniques to cortical tissue, to characterize the molecular fingerprints of distinct cortical cell types. This position would suit a scientist with experience of molecular biology, as well as strong knowledge and interest in systems neuroscience. Prior experience of in situ RNA methods would be beneficial but is not essential for outstanding applicants. The successful applicant will be based initially in Stockholm to learn and refine the novel molecular techniques to be used, and will then move to London to apply them to tissue previously studied in vivo two-photon calcium imaging. Position 2: In vivo recording The successful applicant will use two-photon microscopy with genetically encoded calcium sensors to record from large neuronal populations in subjects performing behavioral tasks, which will then be subjected to post-hoc molecular analysis. In addition to experimental recordings, this position will involve computational work to analyze the large amount of data produced by these experiments. This position would suit a scientist with experience of experimental neurophysiology as well as strong quantitative/computational skills. Prior experience with two-photon microscopy would be beneficial but is not essential for outstanding applicants. The position will be based in London. Position 3: Computational analysis and modeling The successful applicant will develop new computational methods to process the large amounts of data arising from these experiments, and to use it to build computational models of cortical circuit interactions. The data arising from the project is diverse, consisting of images, video, and high-dimensional gene expression vectors. Analysis of this unique data set will require a combination of techniques including digital image processing, machine learning, as well as neural circuit modeling. The position would suit a candidate with a background in computational neuroscience, theoretical physics, computer science, mathematics, or engineering. Prior experience with digital image processing and machine learning techniques would be beneficial but is not essential for outstanding applicants. The position will be based in London. To apply for one of the positions, go to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs, click "Current employment opportunities at UCL", and enter Reference number 1501576 (molecular), 1503273 (recording), or 1503434 (computational). For an informal discussion, please send a CV to kenneth.harris(a)ucl.ac.uk<mailto:kenneth.harris@ucl.ac.uk>. The closing date for applications is November 8th, 2015. --------------------- Kenneth D. Harris Professor of Quantitative Neuroscience Institute of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology University College London 21 University Street London WC1E 6DE Phone: +44 (0) 20 3108 2410

Oct. 16, 2015

Reminder: CFP: MLINI 2015 - 5th NIPS Workshop on Machine Learning and Interpretation in Neuroimaging: Beyond the Scanner

by Irina Rish

Call for Papers MLINI 2015 - 5th NIPS Workshop on Machine Learning and Interpretation in Neuroimaging: Beyond the Scanner https://sites.google.com/site/mliniworkshop2015/ December 11-12, 2015, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Submission deadline: Monday, October 19th, 2015 Workshop Overview: ----------------------- MLINI workshop focuses on machine learning approaches in neuroscience, neuroimaging, with an extension to behavioral experiments and psychology. This year, our focus is specifically on "Going Beyond the Scanner", which includes making inferences about mental states of a subject from ''cheaper'' (as opposed to fMRI) behavioral data such as subject's speech and/or text, audio, video, EEG and signals collected from various wearable devices. We believe that machine learning has a prominent role in shaping how questions in neuroscience are framed, and that the machine-learning mind set is now entering modern psychology and behavioral studies. It is also equally important that practical applications in these fields motivate a rapidly evolving line or research in the machine learning community. In parallel, there is an intense interest in learning more about brain function in the context of rich naturalistic environments and scenes. Efforts to go beyond highly specific paradigms that pinpoint a single function, towards schemes for measuring the interaction with natural and more varied scene are made. In this context, many controversies and open questions exist. The goal of the workshop is to pinpoint the most pressing issues and common challenges across the fields, and to sketch future directions and open questions in the light of novel methodology. The proposed workshop is aimed at offering a forum that joins machine learning, neuroscience, and psychology community, and should facilitate formulating and discussing the issues at their interface. Motivated by the previous workshops in this series, MLINI ‘11, MLINI’12, and MLINI’13, we will center this workshop around invited talks and a panel discussion. Triggered by the discussions, this year we plan to adapt the workshop topics to a less traditional scope neuroimaging scope and investigate the role of behavioral models and psychology, including topics such as psycholinguistics. Open questions and possible topics for contribution include, but are not limited to, the following: - How can we move towards more naturalistic stimuli, tasks and paradigms in neuroimaging and neuro-signal analysis? - What kind of mental states can be inferred from cheaper and easier to collect data sources (as an alternative to fMRI), such as text, speech, audio, video, EEG, and wearable devices? - How can we leave the lab when acquiring neuroimaging data, towards exploiting mobile acquisition (EEG and NIRS)? - What type of features should be extracted from naturalistic stimuli such as text, voice, etc., to detect specific mental states and/or mental disorders? - How can we combine traditional neuroimaging with naturalistic data collected from a subject or group of subjects? - In general, can we characterize situations when multivariate predictive analysis (MVPA) and inference methods are better suited for brain imaging analysis than more traditional techniques? - Given recent advances of deep learning in image analysis and other applications, a natural question to ask is whether neuroimaging analysis can benefit from such approaches? - How well can functional networks and dynamical models capture the brain activity, and when using network and dynamics information is superior to standard task-based brain activations? Workshop Format: -------------------------- In this two-day workshop we will explore perspectives and novel methodology at the interface of Machine Learning, Inference, Neuroimaging and Neuroscience. We aim to bring researchers from machine learning and neuroscience community together, in order to discuss open questions, identify the core points for a number of the controversial issues, and eventually propose approaches to solving those issues. Each session will be opened by several invited talks, and an in depth discussion. This will be followed by original contributions. Original contributions will also be presented and discussed during a poster session. The workshop will end with a panel discussion, during which we will address specific questions, and invited speakers will open each segment with a brief presentation of their opinion. Paper Submission: -------------------------- We seek for submission of original (previously unpublished) research papers. The length of the submitted papers should not exceed 8 pages in Springer format, excluding the references (LaTeX2e style files are available on the workshop page). Submission of previously published work is possible as well, but the authors are required to mention this explicitly. Previously published work can be presented at the workshop, but will not be included into the workshop proceedings (which are considered peer-reviewed publications of novel contributions). Moreover, the authors are welcome to present their novel work but choose to opt out of the workshop proceedings in case they have alternative publication plans. Important dates: -------------------------- - October 19, 2015 - paper submission - October 30, 2015 - notification of acceptance/rejection - December 11-12, 2015 - Workshop at Montreal, Quebec, Canada , following the NIPS conference Organizing Committee: -------------------------- Guillermo Cecchi (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center) Kai-min Kevin Chang (Language Technologies Institute, Carnegie Mellon University) Moritz Grosse-Wentrup (Max Plank Institute for Intelligent Systems) Georg Langs (Medical University of Vienna, CSAIL, MIT) Brian Murphy (Machine Learning Department, Carngie Mellon University) *Irina Rish (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center) - main contact Leila Wehbe (University of California, Berkeley)

Oct. 16, 2015

Aspects of Neuroscience 2015 - invitation for the conference

by Daniel Borek

Dear Friends, On behalf of the Board of the Neurobiology Student Scientific Association operating at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw we would like to invite you to *the 5th **International Conference " Aspects of Neuroscience" *that will be held in Warsaw, Poland, from *November 27th to 29th 2015*. As in the following years, this time the Conference also consists of poster and report symposia. November symposia will be devoted to: *Neurobiology, Cognitive Neuroscience, **Clinical Neuroscience* and* Neuroinformatics*. Each of the thematic symposium will be preceded by a lecture delivered by one of the guests, a specialist of a given domain. This year we will have privilege to host such outstanding neuroscientists as *Prof. Gaute Einevoll, Prof. Fernando H. Lopes da Silva, Dr. Tor Stensola, Prof. Wojciech Maksymowicz, Dr. Esha Massand* and *Prof. Peter de Weerd.* The conference is intended for students, doctoral students and research workers related to neuroscience. The student lectures will take place simultaneously in two rooms, in *basic *and *extended* version. The basic session provides an opportunity to present theoretical and review talks for the students who do not conduct their own research yet. We would like the conference to gather academics with different background and level of expertise, who share the common passion for neuroscience. Language of conference is English. *Active registration for the conference is open till November 1st .* More information about conference and the whole Project: www.neuronauka.org/eng Find us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspectsOfNeuroscience?fref=ts Yours sincerely, Daniel Borek Neurobiology Student Scientific Association at the University of Warsaw Organizing Committee of the International Conference of Students and Young Scientists "The Aspects of Neuroscience"

Oct. 15, 2015

fully funded PhD position on modelling distraction & mind-wandering at University of Groningen

by Marieke van Vugt RUG

Dear colleagues, Prof. Niels Taatgen and myself have a joint PhD position available in the Cognitive Modelling group at the University of Groningen, in a project working on models of distraction and mind-wandering. http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=… <http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=…> Job description The main aim of the project is to investigate when, how, and why we become distracted, and how cognitive training may reduce our tendency to become distracted. In particular, this project will look at different types of distraction (such as rumination) and different circumstances that induce distraction (e.g. cat videos). The PhD student will create models of these different types of distraction, and make predictions of how those affect performance on cognitive tasks. These predictions will be tested in behavioural experiments. The final component of the PhD involves using a novel cognitive modeling framework developed in our group to predict what training methods should reduce distraction, and to test those predictions in cognitive training studies. Qualifications A successful candidate has a master's degree in Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Experimental Psychology, Artificial Intelligence or a related field, experience in cognitive modeling, and has programming skills in MATLAB, C, or Python. Conditions of employment The University of Groningen offers a salary of € 2,125 gross per month in the first year up to a maximum of € 2,717 (salary scale PhD students Dutch University) gross per month in the final year. The appointment is for a period of four years, which should be finished with a PhD examination. The fulltime appointment is temporary for 1 year with the perspective of prolongation for another 3 years. After nine months, an evaluation will take place of the feasibility of successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next three years. A training programme within the Graduate School of Science is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for additional education and supervising that is specific to your needs. Starting date: as soon as possible. How to apply Send a cover letter (with professional goals and a statement of interest), a curriculum vitae and two letters of recommendation (PDF format) to the job application portal until 29 October / before 30 October 2015 Dutch local time by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website). Although applications received after the deadline may be considered. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated. Information For information you can contact: • Dr Marieke van Vugt, m.k.van.vugt(a)rug.nl <mailto:m.k.van.vugt@rug.nl> http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt/ <http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt/> Dr. Niels Taatgen n.a.taatgen(a)rug.nl <mailto:n.a.taatgen@rug.nl> http://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/ <http://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/> -------------------------------------------------------------------- Marieke van Vugt, PhD Assistant Professor, Cognitive Modelling Group University of Groningen Bernoulliborg, room 326 Nijenborgh 9 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands phone: +31-6-5195-4984 (cell) +31-50-363-9487 (office) http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt <http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt> twitter: @mvugt m.k.van.vugt(a)rug.nl <mailto:m.k.van.vugt@rug.nl> / mkvanvugt(a)gmail.com

Oct. 15, 2015