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

NEST Conference 2017 --- Register NOW!

by Hans Ekkehard Plesser

Dear colleagues! It is a great pleasure to invite current and potential users of NEST, the Neural Simulation Tool (http://www.nest-simulator.org) to the NEST Conference 2017 to be held on 19/20 December 2017 (Tuesday/Wednesday, lunch to lunch) at Haus Overbach in Barmen near Jülich, Germany. After our very successful and stimulating meeting in Karlsruhe last November, we are greatly looking forward to 24 hours filled with presentations and discussions of NEST applications to computational neuroscience and neurorobotics projects and NEST technology development. You are cordially invited to contribute to the program with your contribution! We are grateful to the Human Brain Project Outreach Programme and Education Programme for financial support. Important deadlines: - 1 November 2017: Deadline for submission of contribution and travel grant applications - 15 November 2017: Deadline for registrations For details, contribution submission and registration, please see https://indico-jsc.fz-juelich.de/event/52/overview We are looking forward to seeing you all in December! Hans Ekkehard Plesser President The Neural Technology Simulation Initiative http://www.nest-initiative.org -- Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Associate Professor Faculty of Science and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway Phone +47 6723 1560 Email hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

Oct. 13, 2017

Two open faculty positions; U Colorado Medical School

by Zylberberg, Joel L

Dear Colleagues, The Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Colorado Medical School is looking for two new faculty members in neuroscience and / or physiology, including computational neuroscience. The advert is attached. Please consider applying and / or forward this advert to colleagues who might be interested. Thanks for your consideration. Sincerely, __ Joel Zylberberg, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Physiology and Biophysics University of Colorado School of Medicine www.jzlab.org<http://www.jzlab.org> CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, Learning in Machines and Brains program ~the neuroscience is theoretical, but the fun is real

Oct. 12, 2017

Postdoctoral fellowship in the neuroscience of decision-making

by Paul Cisek

Postdoctoral fellow in the neuroscience of decision-making Department of neuroscience, laboratory of Paul Cisek Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience, in the laboratory of Paul Cisek at the University of Montréal. Our research group studies the neural mechanisms of decision-making in humans and non-human primates using computational models of the nervous system as well as behavioral experiments, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and multi-electrode recording, and we have several ongoing collaborations involving fMRI, MEG and intracranial EEG. See www.cisek.org/pavel <http://www.cisek.org/pavel> for information on current projects and a list of sample publications. The successful applicant will lead a research project investigating real-time dynamic decision-making through simultaneous multi-electrode recordings in the basal ganglia and the prefrontal, premotor and motor cortex of non-human primates. A Ph.D. in neuroscience or related field is required, and prior experience in neurophysiology and/or computational modeling of neural systems is highly desirable. Depending on the applicant's qualifications and interests, they will help to design and conduct behavioral and neurophysiological experiments, analyze data, develop theoretical models of neural mechanisms, prepare manuscripts for publication, and participate in international conferences. For further information, please contact Dr. Paul Cisek (paul.cisek(a)umontreal.ca <mailto:paul.cisek@umontreal.ca> ). Applicants are asked to send a cover letter, curriculum vita, copies of academic transcripts, an optional statement of research interests, and the names and contact information of 2 or 3 references, to: Dr. Paul Cisek Department of neuroscience, University of Montréal C.P. 6128 Succursale Centre-ville Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, CANADA Phone: 514-343-6111 x4355 Web: www.cisek.org/pavel <http://www.cisek.org/pavel> email: paul.cisek(a)umontreal.ca <mailto:paul.cisek@umontreal.ca> Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but preference will be given to applications received by November 30, 2017. Interviews will be possible at the Society for Neuroscience meeting (Washington DC, November 11-15, 2017)

Oct. 11, 2017

Postdoc positions available at University of Pittsburgh

by Runyan, Caroline A.

Postdoctoral positions are available in the Runyan lab in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition. Our research involves dissecting inhibitory and neuromodulatory circuits across the cortical hierarchy. Our goal is to understand how changes in behavioral context and brain state shift local information processing and the transmission of information between cortical networks. We use two-photon imaging of population activity and optogenetics in head-fixed mice performing perceptual decision-making tasks. See Runyan et al., Nature, 2017 and carolinerunyan.org<http://carolinerunyan.org> for more information about our work. We are seeking individuals with experience in two-photon imaging, large-scale electrophysiology, optogenetics, and/or computational modeling. As we build our laboratory and our own approach to understanding the brain, the ideal candidates should have strongly driven scientific curiosity and problem-solving skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills. This position offers the opportunity to participate in building a new research program, and to work in the highly collaborative, collegial environment at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. See cnbc.cmu.edu and cnup.neurobio.pitt.edu for more details. Interested candidates should send a CV, statement of research interests, and contact information for at least two references to runyan(a)pitt.edu. Caroline Runyan Assistant Professor Department of Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh Office: Langley A453, 412-383-4336 runyan(a)pitt.edu

Oct. 11, 2017

Postdoctoral position at the University of Rochester

by Tatiana Pasternak

Postdoctoral position in cognitive neuroscience Postdoctoral position to study cortical circuitry underlying memory-guided visual decisions is available immediately in the laboratory of Dr. Tatiana Pasternak in the Department of Neuroscience and Center for Visual Science. The focus of the research program is on the activity of large populations of simultaneously recorded neurons across cortical network to identify on a trial-by-trial basis neural codes and network dynamics that underlie memory and comparison processes during perceptual decisions. The analysis will emphasize inter-neuronal and inter-areal interactions and synchrony as well as population decoding algorithms. Experimental approaches include array recording of spiking and LFP activity from prefrontal and extrastriate visual cortical regions of non-human primates during memory-guided sensory comparison tasks. Other approaches include reversible inactivation and microstimulation of identified cortical sites. An important component of the work is a collaboration with computational neuroscientists and developing models aimed at mechanisms underlying maintenance and utilization of visual information in decision-making. Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative background with experience in the analysis of physiological data and extracellular recordings. Applicants with strong background in related disciplines of systems neuroscience and/or computer science & engineering are welcome to apply. Experience with MATLAB/PYTHON programming and proficient knowledge of the English language are required. The University of Rochester offers a stimulating research environment and excellent opportunities for interactions and training in cognitive neuroscience and visual science. Interested applicants should send CV and names/contact information of three references to Dr. Pasternak. Please include a cover letter detailing your current research activities, expertise and the reasons for your interest in this position. **************************************** Tatiana Pasternak, Ph.D. Professor Departments of Neuroscience, Brain & Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, and Center for Visual Science University of Rochester 585 275-8668 (office)

Oct. 10, 2017

PhD positions at the Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

by Jochen Triesch

8th Call for applications: International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Neural Circuits was established in 2011 and offers up to ten fully-paid positions every year for talented students holding a relevant Master´s or Bachelor´s as their highest degree to perform research resulting in a PhD. The program is taught in English. The common focus of the the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Neural Circuits will be the understanding of neural circuits (from the simple to the large and complex), at all scales required to achieve this understanding. This ambitious objective will require analyses at the molecular, cellular, multi-cellular, network and behavioral levels, with the full understanding that macroscopic phenomena (spatial patterns, dynamics) can be scale-dependent, and that reductionism is not always sufficient as a method. Research areas are perception, connectomics, theoretical neuroscience, synaptic plasticity, brain dynamics, neural circuits, behavior and systems neuroscience. In the IMPRS for Neural Circuits we offer a multidisciplinary program to excellent doctoral students with backgrounds in neuroscience, mathematics, physics, computer science, (bio) chemistry, biology and medicine as well as research experience in the participating institutions of the Frankfurt Neuroscience community. Students will participate in a tailor-made educational program including research rotations and neuroscience courses but also in trainings in transferable skills as well as retreats, conferences and summer schools and lecture series. We welcome excellent students to apply to the program. Till December 1, 2017, it will be possible to apply for a position starting in the Fall of 2018. You can apply via our electronic registration system. After the deadline, the Faculty members will select around 25 students to participate in the interview symposium in Frankfurt, taking place in February 5-7, 2018. Shortly after the symposium, the students will receive a letter with an offer or rejection. More information, including Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on our website www.imprs.brain.mpg.de. -- Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch Johanna Quandt Research Professor Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies http://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~triesch/ Tel: +49 (0)69 798-47531 Fax: +49 (0)69 798-47611

Oct. 10, 2017

2 postdoc positions in Geometric Methods for Deep and Reinforcement Learning at RIST

by Luigi Malagò

=========================================================== *Subject*: 2 postdoc positions in Machine Learning (1 year, renewable up to 3 years) *Institution*: RIST - Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca *Keywords*: Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Stochastic Optimization, Optimization over Manifolds, Information Geometry, Riemannian Geometry *Application deadline*: 20 October 2017 (applicants are encouraged to apply earlier) *Salary*: around 2190 euro net *Official announcement*: http://rist.ro/en/details/news/postdoc- positions-in-deep-learning-and-machine-learning.html =========================================================== Dear colleagues, the Romanian Institute of Science and Technology (RIST) has an opening for 2 postdoc positions, in the context of the DeepRiemann project “Riemannian Optimization Methods for Deep Learning”, funded by European structural funds through the Competitiveness Operational Program (POC 2014-2020). The appointments will be for 1 year, with possible extensions up to 3 years. The DeepRiemann project aims at the design and analysis of novel training algorithms for Neural Networks in Deep Learning, by applying notions of Riemannian optimization and differential geometry. The task of the training a Neural Network is studied by employing tools from Optimization over Manifolds and Information Geometry, by casting the learning process to an optimization problem defined over a statistical manifold, i.e., a set of probability distributions. The project is highly interdisciplinary, with competences spanning from Machine Learning to Optimization, Deep Learning, Statistics, and Differential Geometry. The objectives of the project are multiple and include both theoretical and applied research, together with industrial activities oriented to transfer knowledge, from the institute to a startup or spin-off of the research group. The positions will be part of the new Machine Learning and Optimization group http://luigimalago.it/group.html, which performs research at the intersection of Machine Learning, Stochastic Optimization, Deep Learning, and Optimization over Manifolds, from the unifying perspective of Information Geometry. The group is one of two newly-formed groups in Machine Learning at RIST, where about 20 new postdoctoral research associates and research software developers will be hired by 2018. The official job announcement can be seen here: http://rist.ro/en/details/news/postdoc-positions-in- deep-learning-and-machine-learning.html Informal inquiries can be sent to Dr. Luigi Malagò <malago(a)rist.ro>, principal investigator of the DeepRiemann project. Application deadline: 20 October 2017 (applicants are encouraged to apply earlier) best regards, Luigi Malagò

Oct. 9, 2017

Doctoral studies in Computational/Theoretical Neuroscience at NYU

by Eero Simoncelli

New York University is home to a thriving interdisciplinary community of researchers using computational and theoretical approaches in neuroscience. We are interested in PhD candidates with strong quantitative training (e.g., physics, mathematics, engineering) coupled with a clear interest in brain sciences. A list of relevant faculty, sorted by their primary departmental affiliation, is provided below. Doctoral programs are flexible, allowing students to pursue research across departmental boundaries. Nevertheless, admissions are handled separately by each department, and students interested in pursuing graduate studies should submit an application to the program that best fits their goals and interests. Neural Science (CNS) (deadline: 1 December) [http://www.cns.nyu.edu/doctoral/] * AndrÃ© A. Fenton - Molecular, neural, behavioral, and computationalaspects of memory. * Paul W. Glimcher - Decision-making in humans and animals. Neuroeconomics. * Roozbeh Kiani - Vision and decision-making. * Wei Ji Ma (also in Psychology) - Perception, working memory, and decision-making. * Tony Movshon - Vision and visual development. * Bijan Pesaran - Neuronal dynamics and decision-making. * Alex Reyes - Functional interactions of neurons in a network. * John Rinzel (also in Mathematics) - Biophysical mechanisms and theory of neural computation. * Cristina Savin (also in CDS) - Computational models of memory, machine learning. * Robert Shapley - Visual physiology and perception. * Eero Simoncelli - Computational vision and audition, image processing. * Xiao-Jing Wang - Computational neuroscience, decision-making and working memory, neural circuits. Neuroscience and Physiology program, School of Medicine (deadline: 1 December) [http://neuroscience.med.nyu.edu/training-programs/graduate-program-neurosci…] * Gyorgy Buzsaki - Rhythms in neural networks. * Dmitri Chklovskii (also in the Simons Foundation) - Neural computation and connectomics. * Dmitry Rinberg - Sensory information processing in the behaving animal. * Mario Svirsky - Auditory neural prostheses; experimental/computational studies of speech production/perception. Psychology, Cognition & Perception program (deadline: 1 December) [http://www.psych.nyu.edu/programs/cp/] * Todd Gureckis - Memory, learning, and decision processes. * David Heeger (also in CNS) - fMRI, computational neuroscience, vision, attention. * Brenden Lake (also in CDS) - Computational modeling of cognition. * Michael Landy - Computational approaches to vision. * Laurence Maloney - Mathematical approaches to psychology and neuroscience. * Gary Marcus - Origins of the human mind. * Denis Pelli - Visual object recognition. * Jonathan Winawer - Visual perception and memory. Center for Data Science (CDS) (deadline: 18 December) [https://cds.nyu.edu/academics/phd-in-data-science/] * Joan Bruna (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, signal/image processing. * Kyungyun Cho (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, natural language processing. * Carlos Fernandez-Granda (also in Mathematics) - Optimization methods for medical imaging, neuroscience, computer vision. Mathematics (deadline: 18 December) [http://math.nyu.edu/degree/phd/] * David Cai - Nonlinear stochastic behavior in physical and biological systems. * Aaditya Rangan - Computational neurobiology, numerical analysis. * Michael Shelley - Modeling and large-scale computation, computational visual neuroscience. * Daniel Tranchina - Information processing in the retina. * Lai-Sang Young - Dynamical systems, statistical physics, computational modeling and theoretical neuroscience. Physics (deadline: 18 December) [http://physics.as.nyu.edu/page/graduate] * Marc Gershow - Perception, decision-making, and learning in neural circuits. Computer Science (deadline: 12 December) [http://www.cs.nyu.edu/home/phd/] * Davi Geiger - Computational vision and learning. * Yann LeCun - Machine learning, hierarchical visual processing, robotics. Economics (deadline: 18 December) [http://as.nyu.edu/econ/degree-programs/phd.html] * Andrew Caplin - Economic theory, neurobiology of decision. * Andrew Schotter - Experimental economics, game theory, neurobiology of decision.

Oct. 9, 2017

Workshop announcement: The Probabilistic Brain, March 2018

by Ulrik Beierholm

Dear Colleagues We are very pleased to invite you to an exciting 2-day workshop on *probabilistic approaches to learning, perception, and action* in the historic city of Durham in the North-East of England: see the workshop website <https://sites.google.com/view/tpbw2018/>. The workshop will take place on *March 23rd-24th 2018*, and registration is *open now*. Speakers: Vikranth Rao Bejjanki, Hamilton College ● Nick Chater, University of Warwick ● József Fiser, Central European University ● Aldo Faisal, Imperial College London ● Samuel Gershman, Harvard University ● Janneke Jehee, Donders Institute ● Rebecca Lawson, UCL / Cambridge ● Laurence T Maloney, NYU ● Pascal Mamassian, Ecole Normale Supérieure ● Christopher Summerfield, University of Oxford ● Jane Wang, Google DeepMind The workshop is supported by the Experimental Psychology Society and Durham University. For full info on the workshop format and topics, our location and travel, and Registration, please see the workshop website <https://sites.google.com/view/tpbw2018/>. Hope to see you there, The organisers, Marko Nardini ● Ulrik Beierholm ● Maria Olkkonen (Durham University) ● Tessa Dekker (UCL) ● Laurence T Maloney (NYU)

Oct. 8, 2017

[jobs] Assistant and Associate Professor positions in Bio- and Neural Robotics in Odense

by Poramate Manoonpong

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, invites applications for Assistant or Associate Professor with research focus in Neural Robotics, Bio-inspired or Biorobotics, available from January 2018 and based in Odense. The positions are based in the Embodied Systems for Robotics and Learning (ESRL) unit and will complement the unit's existing research activities: - biorobotics; - neural models of control for embodied robots; - bio-inspired / neural learning mechanisms; - cross-modal and multi-modal sensory interpretation; - development of bio-inspired and embodied robotic hardware; - bio-inspired collective behaviour in robot groups; - embedded electronics design and research; - development and use of robotic educational tools; - morphological computation and the role of embodiment. Duties comprise research and teaching, student project supervision and acquisition of external funding. If you have a Ph.D. in a computing, mathematical, computational neuroscience or robotics-related discipline and a research track record including strong interdisciplinary work in one or more of the topics above, send us an application: for more detail and application form see [1]. The closing date is the 27th of October, 2017. For more information about these positions, please contact Professor John Hallam <john(a)mmmi.sdu.dk<mailto:john@mmmi.sdu.dk>>. [1] https://ssl1.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/Vacancy.cfm?Po…

Oct. 8, 2017