October 2017 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Postdoctoral Position in Computational Approaches to Rodent Social Neurophysiology
by Liu, Robert C Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

Postdoctoral Position in Computational Approaches to Rodent Social Neurophysiology Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Biology Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia The laboratories of Robert Liu, Gordon Berman and Larry Young at Emory University are accepting applications for a postdoctoral scientist working in a collaborative team to use quantitative behavioral and electrophysiological methods to study pro-social interactions in rodents. The research combines recent advances in computational ethology (Berman et al, Interface, 2014) with in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics in socially interacting prairie voles (Amadei, Johnson et al, Nature, 2017), a premier rodent model for the formation of social bonds (Lim et al, Nature, 2004). Our NIH-funded project's goal is to use prior behavioral and neurophysiological activity to build predictive models of social dynamics leading to a pair bond. PhD required. We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in experimental, in vivo extracellular electrophysiology (ideally in rodents) and computational data analysis and scientific programming. Training in the neurobiology of social behavior, social information processing, sensorimotor integration, and/or the neural circuitry for reward and reinforcement would also be viewed favorably. Emory University and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center have a rich, collaborative neuroscience community (http://biomed.emory.edu/PROGRAM_SITES/NS/) especially in the areas of translational social neuroscience (http://ctsn.emory.edu/) and computational neuroscience (http://compneurosci.college.emory.edu/) Research at Emory in the neurobiology of social behavior extends across many labs from the molecular level through the organismal level in animal models and humans, with a particular interest in the functions of oxytocin (http://www.oxytocin.emory.edu/) Ongoing efforts include both elucidating normal processes and ameliorating deficits found in human conditions, like autism spectrum disorder. To inquire or apply, please email robert.liu(a)emory.edu<mailto:robert.liu@emory.edu>. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue at least through Oct. 31, or until the position is filled. Applications should include a CV, the names and full contact information of 3 references, and at least one representative publication. Emory University is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. References: Amadei EA*, Johnson ZV*, Kwon YJ, Shpiner AC, Saravanan V, Mays W, Ryan S, Walum H, Rainnie D, Young LJ, Liu RC (2017). Dynamic corticostriatal activity biases social bonding in monogamous female prairie voles, Nature, 546(7657):297-301. doi:10.1038/nature22381<http://www.nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22381> Berman GJ, Choi DM, Bialek W, Shaevitz JW (2014). Mapping the stereotyped behaviour of freely moving fruit flies. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11(99):20140672. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.0672<http://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0672> Lim, MM, Wang Z, Olazábal DE, Ren X, Terwilliger EF, Young LJ (2004). Enhanced partner preference in promiscuous species by manipulating the expression of a single gene. Nature, 429(6993):754-757. doi:10.1038/nature02539<http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/nature02539> Robert C. Liu, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Emory University O. W. Rollins Research Center Rm 2131 1510 Clifton Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA Phone: +1 404-727-5274 Email: robert.liu(a)emory.edu<mailto:robert.liu@emory.edu> Lab Website<http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Liu/html/index.php> ________________________________ This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments).

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Quantification of the Function of Criticality: Call for Contributions
by Nergis Tomen Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

[Apologies if you received this message more than once] Dear Colleagues, We are calling for abstracts for contributions towards a publication on *The Functional Role of Critical Dynamics* *in Neural Systems*. The collection will be published by Springer and will be free of charge for the authors. The main aim of this collection will be to bring together research and ideas linking together criticality in the cortex, dynamical and emergent network states and the putative role such states may serve in the way of function and computational advantages. The intended format of the book is a collection of short and concise chapters focusing around this central theme, in order to allow for many different perspectives to be represented. If you would like take part in this publication, please send an extended abstract summarizing your planned contribution, following the guidelines below, to A. Janssen (*ajanssen**(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de* <ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de>) who will be coordinating the communications by *October* *25th*. For details of the planned contents and structure of the full contributions, as well as our expected timeline, please see below. Full papers will be expected by the end of this year. Best wishes, Udo Ernst & Nergis Tomen & Michael Herrmann *Guidelines for your contribution * We are aiming for a publication that will give a broad overview of the state of research linking neuronal avalanches and self-organized criticality (SOC) to neural function and information processing (for the related concepts please see e.g. [Bak, Tang and Wiesenfeld, 1987] and [Beggs and Plenz, 2003]). Due to the computational advantages of simple systems operating close to a phase transition (e.g. [Langton, 1990]), there has been a growing interest in the neuroscience community in the recent years to tackle the question “Can critical dynamics be useful for the brain?”. And this was the central theme of the *Excellence Workshop "Dynamical network states, criticality and cortical function"* that took place on 25-28 March 2017 in Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, Delmenhorst, Germany ( *http://www.h-w-k.de/index.php?id=2240* <http://www.h-w-k.de/index.php?id=2240>). In light of the positive feedback and interest we received from the community, we are now aiming to bring together different ideas and approaches related to critical dynamics and its potential functional role in cortical information processing, and we are looking forward to your contributions. We will have a two-stage submission process for the authors. The first stage is to submit an extended abstract that can be of any format, but should include a title and contact information of the authors and should begin with a very brief summary of the main message of the contribution. As a guideline it is suggested that the length of the extended abstract is 1 to 4 pages and that it contains 1 to 4 figures. Please submit your abstract to *ajanssen**(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de* <ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de> by *October 25th*. Full papers will be requested before the end of this year. The final papers are expected to include an easy-to-follow introduction, one or more well-evidenced claims and a substantial discussion section. The full papers are limited in size to 15-20 pages each (each page about 450 words), including figures and references. There will be LaTeX and MS Word templates provided by Springer for the full contributions. Each contribution will be peer-reviewed by at least 2 colleagues before being published. Each author of a contribution is also expected to act as a reviewer for 2-3 other contributions. We plan to include reviewers from outside the field to provide 'critical' input. Realistically, we estimate that the review process will start in in winter 2017 and end in spring 2018. We expect the submissions to present original research by the authors.This can include new results or review of past research by the authors (for review papers, it is allowed to include research by other persons where suitable, as long as it does not constitute a major part of the contribution). We believe it is important for contributions to put forward a vision or perspective on criticality research. It is important to make connections to the functionality of the concepts described in your contribution (e.g. how do the properties observed in your model/experiments relate to information transfer/processing, behavioural performance, computation, communication and configuration, etc.). Where applicable, it is allowed and encouraged to talk about predictions and theories about how the contents of a contribution may relate to active computation in the cortex, what practical advantages and biological mechanisms they may be linked to as well as what direction future research should take to answer such questions. We encourage the authors to actively try to draw connections between their own research, research of other scientists in their field as well as outside of their field (e.g. discussing ties with experimental results in a theoretical contribution and vice versa). Thank you for considering these guidelines.

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Start-up EEG hardware and data analytics roles at start-up
by Brian Murphy Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

BrainWaveBank's mission is to transform how cognitive illness is diagnosed and treated so that people can live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. Our 16-channel EEG headset is designed for home-use, and is supported by a platform of tablet-based games and cloud-based analytics to track cognitive performance and health. We are now expanding, and hiring a number of software, hardware and scientific roles into our Dublin and Belfast offices. We are seeking exceptional candidates for these roles (see links below for full details): - Senior EEG Research Engineer, Dublin • Full-time - EEG Research Engineer, Dublin • Full-time - Machine Learning Engineer, Dublin • Full-time - Cognitive Neuroscientist, Dublin • Full-time - EEG Hardware Design Lead, Belfast • Full-time - Full Cloud Stack SW Engineer, Belfast • Full-time - Senior Mobile Developer (Android), Belfast • Full-time - Trial Manager, Belfast • Full-time View full details of the roles and apply through: https://www.indeedjobs.com/brainwavebank/_hl/en_GB Learn more about the team and mission: http://www.brainwavebank.com -- Dr. Brian Murphy Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer BrainWaveBank Ltd M: +44 7716 686654 M: +353 86 0666732 E: brian(a)brainwavebank.com Twitter: @brainwavebank www.brainwavebank.com The information contained in this email transmission is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution, publication, or copying of the information contained in this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify us by telephone at +44 028 9264 6600 or email info(a)brainwavebank.com and delete the email from your system. Thank you for your co-operation. BrainWaveBank Ltd is a limited company registered in Northern Ireland. Registered number: NI628481. Registered office: 32-36 Dublin Road, Belfast BT2 7HN.

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Postdoc/programmer position at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
by Erik De Schutter Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

The Computational Neuroscience unit (https://groups.oist.jp/cnu) at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan has an opening for a postdoctoral researcher or technician in software development and computational modeling of stochastic neuronal reaction-diffusion processes. Initial duration is two years with an option to extend. The hired postdoctoral researcher or technician is expected to make valuable contributions to the STEPS project (http://steps.sourceforge.net) in two ways: 1) by researching molecular neuronal processes and designing novel techniques and routines for accurate computational modeling of such systems, and 2) contributing to realistic applications of the new techniques in biological modeling studies. In performing these tasks, the candidate is expected to contribute to publications that are either based on theory and computational techniques, or geared more towards answering real biological questions through computational modeling. As such the ideal candidate will have a scientific background but also possess good programming skills. There will be many opportunities to interact with other STEPS developers in our lab and also other researchers working on related cerebellar projects, and also to collaborate on STEPS development with the Blue Brain Project, EPFL, Geneva. Competences: For the postdoctoral position a recent PhD is required in a relevant discipline such as neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics, biochemistry, and for a technician a masters degree is required in a similar discipline or computer science. For either position, we require a talented programmer with experience in C++ and Python. In satisfying these criteria, it is expected that the candidate has some experience of modeling neuronal or other biological processes computationally, but this is not essential if the candidate has a strong enough interest in moving into the field. Fluent English conversation and writing skills are required. Benefits / Offer: A competitive salary and relocation package are offered. This an ideal position to gain experience in a prominent computational neuroscience lab. Contributions of technicians are honored by authorship on relevant publications. Please contact Prof. Erik De Schutter (erik(a)oist.jp) for inquiries.

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Postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience at UCSD
by Maxim Bazhenov Oct. 3, 2017

Oct. 3, 2017

Applications are invited for post-doctoral research position in the laboratory of Dr. Maxim Bazhenov (http://www.bazhlab.ucsd.edu/) at the University of California, San Diego to study role of sleep in memory and learning. The ultimate goal of the project is to understand how the interaction among brain areas during sleep leads to consolidation of memory for recent learning and how sensory or electrical stimulation can enhance memory consolidation. This project involves close collaboration with several experimental laboratories. The successful candidate will be responsible for the design of the anatomically realistic brain network models based on experimental data. These models will be applied to understand network dynamics that are involved in the processes of memory consolidation, to design optimal stimulation approaches, to guide data analysis and to make predictions for future experimental studies. Qualified applicants are expected to have experience in computational/theoretical neuroscience and neural modeling. Programming experience with C/C++ is required. Knowledge of PYTHON and MATLAB is a significant plus. The University of California offers excellent benefits. Salary is based on research experience. Applicants should send a brief statement of research interests, a CV and the names of three references to Maxim Bazhenov at mbazhenov(a)ucsd.edu -- Maxim Bazhenov, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD, School of Medicine http://www.bazhlab.ucsd.edu/

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APA Technology, Mind, & Society Conference - Submissions due Oct 20
by Jeff Krichmar Oct. 1, 2017

Oct. 1, 2017

Dear Colleagues, This upcoming APA conference on Technology, Mind, & Society may be of interest to many of you. Keynote speakers include Cynthia Breazeal (MIT, Jibo Inc.), Justine Cassell (CMU), Eric Horvitz (Microsoft Research Labs), and Alex "Sandy” Pentland (MIT). Paper submissions are due October 20th. See:http://pages.apa.org/tms/ Best regards, Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma The American Psychological Association will hold an interdisciplinary conference on Technology, Mind, and Society in Washington, D.C., on April 5-7, 2018. Scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and students from around the world are invited to participate in the event. The conference will provide a venue for reporting and assessing current efforts to understand and shape the interactions of human beings and technology, for identifying priorities for future work, and for promoting exchange and collaboration among participants. The conference will feature four keynote speakers: Cynthia Breazeal (MIT), Justine Cassell (Carnegie Mellon), Eric Horvitz (Microsoft Research), and Sandy Pentland (MIT). APA invites you and your colleagues and students to submit papers, symposia, and posters for this conference, which will be organized around the following broad themes: • Basic research: How humans understand and use technology, impacts of technology on human experience and behavior, human-technology interactions as mutually adaptive systems, role of technology in advancing other areas of scientific research, and related topics. • Foundations of technology design: Development of technologies informed by psychological, behavioral, and social science research. • Applications: Development, use, and impact of specific technologies in domains such as aging, education, mental and physical health, recreation, and the workplace. • Broader implications: Ethical and policy questions concerning the opportunities and challenges arising from human-technology interactions. The deadline for submissions is October 20, 2017. The conference is open to researchers, professionals, and students in all relevant areas, including psychology and other behavioral and social sciences, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, design, health research, education research, city and regional planning, public policy, history of science and technology, and philosophy. The conference aims to address the full range of contemporary and emerging technologies. These include but are not limited to artificial intelligence, robotics, mobile devices, social media, virtual/augmented reality, gaming, geographic information systems, autonomous vehicles, and biomedical technologies (e.g., brain-machine interfaces, genetic engineering). APA is sponsoring the conference in cooperation with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Association for Computing Machinery — Special Interest Group for Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI). We look forward to seeing you at the Technology, Mind, and Society Conference! For additional information, see the conference website (http://pages.apa.org/tms/) If you have any questions, please contact the APA Science Directorate (science(a)apa.org)

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