April 2021 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Research Software Engineer - Comp. Neuroscience Project @Harvard

by Mohammadi Shad, Mahmood

Dear Comp-Neuro Community, We have an opening in the FAS Research Computing department at Harvard University related to Computational Neuroscience. Harvard University is hiring a Research Software Engineer (RSE) to support researchers' high-performance scientific software development, numerical analysis, and machine learning (ML) needs. This project plays an essential role in helping facilitate cutting-edge research on the brain. Through regular engagements with researchers, this RSE will help with the refactoring of a legacy software package for clustering electrophysiological neural data (spike sorting). They will improve code design, unit testing, performance of statistical/numerical libraries, cloud-readiness, as well as porting to general-purpose scientific programming languages (Python, C++, Julia). Additionally, the RSE will make a modular software structure to test different clustering and cluster-tracking algorithms utilizing ML and deep learning (DL) techniques. More information: https://www.rc.fas.harvard.edu/about/employment/#Research_Software_Engineer… Best, ---------------- Mahmood M. Shad, PhD Associate Director of Research Software Engineering FAS Research Computing Harvard University 38 Oxford Street, Room 210 Cambridge, MA 02138 Email: mohammadi_shad(a)harvard.edu<mailto:mohammadi_shad@harvard.edu>

April 7, 2021

Postdoc in neural network and robot models of body representations

by Matej Hoffmann

** *Dear colleagues, * *** there is a postdoc openingin the humanoid, cognitive, neuro-, and collaborative robotics group (https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/research/groups-teams/humanoids/) coordinated by Dr. Matej Hoffmann (https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/) at the Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague. In the context of a 5-year project entitled “Whole-body awareness for safe and natural interaction: from brains to collaborative robots” for excellence in fundamental research from the Czech Science Foundation (seehttps://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/news/new-gacr-expro-project <https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/news/new-gacr-expro-project/>for more information), we seek a postdoctoral researcher to conduct research in some of the following areas: - Neural network models of multisensory integration, body schema, and reaching development - Employing humanoid robots with artificial skin to construct embodied computational models of body and peripersonal space representations The postdoc will independently conduct research and will also be involved in shaping the research of the group and supervising students. Robots and infrastructure The humanoids group has at its disposal several humanoid robots (iCub, 2 Naos - 1 with whole-body sensitive skin) and collaborative or lightweight manipulators (KUKA LBR iiwa, UR10e with Airskin, Kinova Gen3). Additional infrastructure includes several robot hands (Barrett Hand BH8-282, QB Soft Hand) and grippers, a 3D Motion Capture System, impact measuring devices, etc. The group has also access to the facilities of the Research Center for Informatics such as a high-performance computational cluster. International collaborations There is a large group of international experts who have agreed to act as collaborators/advisors on the project. These include experts in - developmental psychology: Dr. Kevin O’Regan (CNRS, Paris), Prof. Jeffrey J. Lockman (Tulane University, New Orleans) - cognitive psychology and neuroscience: Prof. Matthew Longo (Birkbeck University, London), Prof. Tobias Heed (Bielefeld), Prof. Andrea Serino (University of Lausanne), Dr. Jean-Paul Noel (Center for Neural Science at New York University), Drs. M.Gori and Giulia Cappagli (Italian Institute of Technology, Dr. S. Signorini (IRCSS Fondazione Mondino Pavia) Prague There is currently a very lively international ecosystem in the areas of robotics and AI - at the Department and in Prague in general. See, for example, http://rci.cvut.cz/or https://prg.ai/en/. We seek applicants with a background in computational modeling, artificial neural networks or machine learning, with interest in neuroscience. Background in robotics is not required. How to apply. The application should include: -Motivation letter (max. 1 page) - CV (including 2 reference persons) -1 Letter of recommendation (can be from 1 of the reference persons above) Please send the application or inquiries to matej.hoffmann(a)fel.cvut.czwith (“postdoc application” in the subject). The position is open until filled. * -- Matej Hoffmann, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Cybernetics Faculty of Electrical Engineering Czech Technical University in Prague Karlovo namesti 13 121 35 Praha 2, Czech Republic +420 224 357 387 https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/humanoids

April 7, 2021

EBRAINS Training on Model Validation

by Shailesh Appukuttan

*EBRAINS Training on Model Validation* *4–7 May 2021* https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/training-on-model-validation/ The HBP Education Programme is organising a training on Model Validation. This training will guide modellers and experimentalists in model validation (comparing simulation results to experimental data) using the EBRAINS Model Validation Framework. The training will take place *virtually* over 4 days. Participation in the Training is open to the entire student and researchers community, regardless of whether they are affiliated with the HBP or not. We encourage young scientists to register and aim at an equal gender representation. *Registration will be open until 20 April 2021 and is free of charge.* *Call for Submissions:* *For the 2nd part of the training,* we invite interested researchers to bring their own models and to send us a short abstract, describing your model. The abstracts should include: • A short description of your model • Simulators/tools used for developing and simulating models • Overview of validation(s) you wish to implement during the training (specify at least one validation test), along with target (experimental) reference data • If you have already some questions or comments, you are welcome to mention them • If your model is already published, please include references at the end of the abstract Please send your abstract latest until *20 April 2021, 5pm (CET)* to training-support(a)humanbrainproject.eu Further information on abstract submission and registration: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/training-on-model-validation/ For any further questions, please contact training-support(a)humanbrainproject.eu Cheers, Shailesh Appukuttan

April 7, 2021

PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience, NI group @ Technische Universität Berlin

by Obermayer, Klaus, Prof. Dr.

Neural Information Processing Group @ Technische Universität Berlin Research Assistant (PhD Position) in Computational Neuroscience Computational models of sleep oscillations during non-REM sleep Salary grade E13 (TV-L Berliner Hochschulen) Duration: 5 years Starting date: June 1st, 2021 Reference number: IV-239/21 Working field: The successful candidate will work the computational modelling of sleep rhythms in the context of memory consolidation during non-REM sleep and on the effect of perturbations by transcranial electrical stimulation (cf. Aspart et al. 2018, PLoS Comput Biol 14, e1006124.; Cakan & Obermayer 2020, PLoS Comput Biol 16, e1007822; Cakan et al., 2021, arXiv:2011.14731v2). She/he is expected to collaborate with the theoretical and experimental/clinical research groups of the DFG-funded CRCs 910 (control of self-organizing nonlinear systems, https://www.itp.tu-berlin.de/sfb910/) and 1315 (mechanisms and disturbances in memory consolidation, https://www.sfb1315.de/) Teaching obligations include the supervision of tutorials for courses of the research group in the machine learning field (Master level). Requirements: Successfully completed university degree (Master, Diplom, or equivalent) in Computational Neuroscience, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related fields; in-depth knowledge in dynamical systems and machine learning; very good programming skills; very good command of the German and English languages. How to apply: Please send your application with the reference number and with the usual documents (CV, motivation letter, transcripts of records, certificates, and the names of two persons who can provide recommendation letters) to Prof. Dr. Klaus Obermayer, FG Neuronale Informationsverarbeitung, Sekr. MAR 5-6, Marchstrasse 23, 10587 Berlin, Germany, or preferably by e-mail to klaus.obermayer(a)tu-berlin.de. For information about the research group see https://www.ni.tu-berlin.de/. Please send copies only. Original documents will not be returned. The vacancy is also available on the internet at http://www.personalabteilung.tu-berlin.de/menue/jobs/ Application deadline for full consideration: 7. 5. 2021. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

April 7, 2021

Postdoctoral position in the cognitive neuroscience of aging at UCR and UCI

by Aaron Seitz

A postdoctoral position in the cognitive neuroscience of aging is available at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) to work with a research team including Professors Xiaoping Hu, Aaron Seitz, Ilana Bennett, and Weiwei Zhang at UCR, and in collaboration with Megan Peters at UC Irvine. This opportunity will involve working on a NIA-funded project to understand how individual differences in the structure and function of the locus coeruleus moderate perception and memory in an older adult population. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to take a lead role in the project, including setting up experiments, collecting and analyzing data, training and supervising graduate students and undergraduate research assistants, and disseminating results at conferences and in research publications. Successful candidates should have a strong background in fMRI data collection and analysis, advanced computational and statistical competencies, management skills, creativity and a high-level of conscientiousness. They should also have expertise in one or more of the following areas (and knowledge of the others): cognitive aging, brain aging, psychophysics, perception or memory processes, eye-tracking, metacognition, and the role of the locus coeruleus in cognition. Experience in programming psychophysical experiments, in either MATLAB or Python, is preferred. Researchers must possess a doctoral degree in Psychology, Education, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, or a related field. The primary appointment will be either in the UCR Psychology or Bioengineering Departments, depending upon candidate interest and primary expertise. Working with our diverse research team will provide a unique interdisciplinary research and mentoring experience. Research will be conducted at the UCR Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, which features a 3T Prisma fMRI system with state of the art eye-tracking and psychophysical systems. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, 1-2 sample publications, statement of research interests, statement of past and/or planned future contributions to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence, and the names of three to five references with phone numbers and emails. Review of applications will begin on April 18, 2021 and may continue until the position is filled. Applications received by April 18, 2021 will receive full consideration. Please send these to Aaron Seitz (aseitz(a)ucr.edu) UCR is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse student body. Its mission is explicitly linked to providing routes to educational success for underrepresented and first-generation college students. A commitment to this mission is a preferred qualification. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Best, -Aaron ************************************************** Aaron Seitz, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Director of UCR Brain Game Center University of California, Riverside 900 University Ave. Riverside, CA 92521 Ph: (951) 827-6422 Fax: (951) 827-3985 Email: aseitz(a)ucr.edu<mailto:aseitz@ucr.edu> Web: http://faculty.ucr.edu/~aseitz/ BGC: http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu<http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu/> **************************************************

April 5, 2021

Re: [Comp-neuro] My Magnum Opus about how our brains make our minds will be published next month by Oxford University Press

by Grossberg, Stephen

Dear Colleagues, I forgot to attach the information about how to get a 30% reduction of the price of my book, bringing the cost down to $24.50, in case you are interested in buying it: Go to: oup.com/academic Enter the following promo code after clicking on the book's file: ASPROMP8. Best, Steve ________________________________ From: Grossberg, Stephen <steve(a)bu.edu> Sent: Thursday, April 1, 2021 11:58 AM To: comp-neuro(a)neuroinformatics.be <comp-neuro(a)neuroinformatics.be> Cc: Grossberg, Stephen <steve(a)bu.edu>; steve(a)cns.bu.edu <steve(a)cns.bu.edu> Subject: My Magnum Opus about how our brains make our minds will be published next month by Oxford University Press Dear Colleagues, I am writing to call your attention to the publication next month by Oxford University Press of my Magnum Opus about how our brains make our minds in health and disease. The book also has implications for developing increasingly autonomous and adaptive technologies that emulate, and can thus harmoniously interact with, human users. The book discusses many topics about mind and brain. For one, it explains how, where in our brains, and why from a deep computational perspective our brains can learn to consciously see, hear, feel, and know things about the world. I wrote the book to be self-contained, accessible, and appealing to the general public. In addition to its exposition of how our minds work and how these discoveries inspire new designs in engineering, technology, and AI, I have been able to use that foundation to provide discussions of many topics that are of current interest, including how we see visual art; how mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease, autism, amnesia, and disordered sleep are caused; biological bases of creativity and morality; why so many decisions are irrational despite our belief that evolution selects adaptive behaviors; how learned helplessness, self-punitive behaviors, and fetishes may arise and persist; how our brain's design specializes a universal developmental code that it shares with all living cells across multiple species; and how our ceaseless interactions with the external world have shaped the designs that enable us to understand the physical world around us. I hope that, after reading the book Summary and Description below, and the Advance Reviews by 18 leading psychologists, neuroscientists, neural modelers, and technologists, you may be interested in reading the book. If you do, please see the information in the attached flyer for how. Best wishes, Steve Grossberg +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Conscious MIND, Resonant BRAIN: How Each Brain Makes a Mind by Stephen Grossberg 800 pages, $35 (see attached flyer for 30% reduction to $24.50) https://global.oup.com/academic/product/conscious-mind-resonant-brain-97801… SUMMARY • Explores how your mind works, notably how you learn to consciously see, hear, feel, and know things • Explains how mental disorders can be understood on a continuum with normal behaviors • Creates a computational foundation for applications of autonomous adaptive intelligence in engineering, technology, and AI DESCRIPTION How does your mind work? How does your brain give rise to your mind? These are questions that all of us have wondered about at some point in our lives, if only because everything that we know is experienced in our minds. They are also very hard questions to answer. After all, how can a mind understand itself? How can you understand something as complex as the tool that is being used to understand it? This book provides an introductory and self-contained description of some of the exciting answers to these questions that modern theories of mind and brain have recently proposed. Stephen Grossberg is broadly acknowledged to be the most important pioneer and current research leader who has, for the past 50 years, modelled how brains give rise to minds, notably how neural circuits in multiple brain regions interact together to generate psychological functions. This research has led to a unified understanding of how, where, and why our brains can consciously see, hear, feel, and know about the world, and effectively plan and act within it. The work embodies revolutionary Principia of Mind that clarify how autonomous adaptive intelligence is achieved. It provides mechanistic explanations of multiple mental disorders, including symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, autism, amnesia, and sleep disorders; biological bases of morality and religion, including why our brains are biased towards the good so that values are not purely relative; perplexing aspects of the human condition, including why many decisions are irrational and self-defeating despite evolution's selection of adaptive behaviors; and solutions to large-scale problems in machine learning, technology, and Artificial Intelligence that provide a blueprint for autonomously intelligent algorithms and robots. Because brains embody a universal developmental code, unifying insights also emerge about shared laws that are found in all living cellular tissues, from the most primitive to the most advanced, notably how the laws governing networks of interacting cells support developmental and learning processes in all species. The fundamental brain design principles of complementarity, uncertainty, and resonance that Grossberg has discovered also reflect laws of the physical world with which our brains ceaselessly interact, and which enable our brains to incrementally learn to understand those laws, thereby enabling humans to understand the world scientifically. Accessibly written, and lavishly illustrated, Conscious Mind/Resonant Brain is the magnum opus of one of the most influential scientists of the past 50 years, and will appeal to a broad readership across the sciences and humanities. ADVANCE REVIEWS “A tour de force on How the Brain Works…a masterpiece on brain science and neuro-computing that could only be created by Grossberg.” -- Leon Chua, University of California at Berkeley "Whenever you claim to be "the first to do" this or that in artificial intelligence, it is customary - and correct - to add "with the exception of Stephen Grossberg". Quite simply, Stephen is a living giant and foundational architect of the field." -- Karl J. Friston, University College London "This is a breath-taking book authored by a giant pioneer of the brain and mind." -- Shun-Ichi Amari, RIKEN Brain Science Institute "Professor Grossberg is a rara avis. In an age of increasing specialization, he has a remarkable, unparalleled, gift of seeing connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. And he writes about these with passion, but without compromising accuracy." -- V. S. Ramachandran, University of California San Diego "Stephen Grossberg is a true genius, who has discovered and developed many of the most important concepts and theories about how our brains make our minds. His fundamental contributions to science for over 50 years are richly worthy of a Nobel Prize." -- Leonid Perlovsky, Harvard University "Stephen Grossberg is a "big picture" thinker who has had a remarkably deep influence on many aspects of several fields. It's difficult to overstate the range of his vision and the depth of his thinking, and I expect this book to be required reading in many courses for years to come." -- Stephen Kosslyn, Foundry College “After reading many papers by the author, I always wished that he would present them in a coherent whole. And here it is. A magnificent volume of great science from mind to brain and back, a condensed ars poetica of a great scientist.” -- György Buzsáki, New York University "The current volume charts the remarkable developments that have led Dr. Grossberg to a principled, unified theory of the link between brain and mind. Dr. Grossberg's insights are unparalleled in their breadth and detail, leading us to a scientific understanding of the most remarkable aspect of the mind, consciousness." -- Michael Mozer, Google Brain, Mountain View, CA “Stephen Grossberg is one of the most original and influential theorists in contemporary cognitive science and computational neuroscience. In Conscious MIND Resonant BRAIN, he takes the reader on an eye-opening tour in which he addresses fundamental problems of mind and brain from his unique theoretical perspective. This is an important book that should be of interest to anyone who wonders how a brain can give rise to a mind. -- Daniel L. Schacter, Harvard University “In this book Stephen Grossberg shares the wisdom and encyclopedic knowledge that he acquired over 50 years of research devoted to unravel the mysteries of the human brain. Stephen pioneered the field of theoretical neuroscience and this approach allowed him to discover general principles that govern functions as diverse as visual perception, learning and memory, attention, emotion, decision making and consciousness. It is the essence of overarching principles to be abstract and to sometimes defy intuition, but Stephen succeeds to convey the essential in a language that is readily accessible to the non- expert. He embeds the discussion of neuronal mechanisms in the rich framework of cognitive psychology and elegantly bridges the gap between scientific evidence and subjective experience. He takes the readers by the hand and lets them discover the often surprising philosophical, ethical and societal implications of neurobiological discoveries. For those who enjoy intellectual adventures and wish to explore the boundaries of the known this scholarly written book is a real treasure.” -- Wolf Singer, Max Plank Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt "Although a behavioral modeler and not a neuroscientist, I have followed Stephen Grossberg's research closely for many years, because I regard him as one of the very most creative and insightful neuroscience theorists that the field has seen. His book should be a must read for those wanting to understand how the brain produces mind." -- Richard Shiffrin, Indiana University "How often do we have the chance to hold a true masterpiece? Grossberg's monumental accomplishments developed over multiple decades now written at an accessible level to a broader audience. What a true privilege!" -- Luis Pessoa, University of Maryland “Steve Grossberg is one of the most insightful and prolific writers on biological intelligence. This book is a masterful presentation of fundamental methods of modeling minds, brains and their interactions with the world, many of which are due to the author and his collaborators. The models are presented as mathematical systems, including computing and neural networks. The variables, parameters and functions represent biological and environmental concepts; mathematical conclusions are interpreted as predictions of biological behavior. In many cases these have been verified experimentally. There are illuminating and surprising connections to other disciplines, including art, music and economics. Highly recommended to a general audience.” -- Morris W. Hirsch, University of California at Berkeley "This comprehensive overview of Grossberg’s contributions to our understanding of the mind and brain shows exactly how prescient he, and his colleagues, have been. Whatever one’s specific interest, from visual illusions to mental illness, this book provides a principled treatment of it. The principles flow from Grossberg’s early framing of many of the questions that have come to define computational neuroscience – including his early understanding of the centrality of expectations. Kudos to him for pulling it all together here." -- Lynn Nadel, University of Arizona “This book is not for the faint of heart. Stephen Grossberg has been a giant in the field of computational neuroscience for 60 years. In this book he presents his carefully developed, integrative neurobiological theory on how the nervous system generates our conscious lives. It is bold yet self-reflective and therein challenging to all students trying to figure out how the brain does its tricks. A must read.” -- Michael Gazzaniga, University of California at Santa Barbara "Conscious Mind, Resonant Brain is the magnum opus of one of the giants of neural networks. The soaring ambition of this book reflects the career achievements of Grossberg's insatiable appetite for understanding how brains work. It is a must-read for those interested in all aspects of how the mind and brain function in health and disease." -- Donald C. Wunsch II, Missouri University of Science and Technology "Grossberg has single-handedly elevated the psychophysics and psychology pioneered by Herman von Helmholtz and William James into a comprehensive mathematical theory of brain and behavior with profound implications and strong empirical support." -- David Hestenes, Arizona State University “An excellent and wide-ranging view of how the brain perceives the world for us by a pioneering brain theoretician.” -- Wolfram Schultz, University of Cambridge

April 2, 2021

Three fully-funded PhD position at the Vision Institute, Sorbonne University, Paris, France

by angelo.arleo＠inserm.fr

Dear all, The following three PhD positions are currently available at the Vision Institute, Sorbonne University, Paris, France: 1. PhD position in Computational Neuroscience and Deep Learning <http://www.aging-vision-action.fr/ava_files/silversight/PhD.Comput.Neurosci…> 2. PhD position in Behavioral Neuroscience <http://www.aging-vision-action.fr/ava_files/silversight/PhD.Behav.Neurosci.…> 3. PhD position in Experimental/Clinical Neuroscience <http://www.aging-vision-action.fr/ava_files/silversight/PhD.Exp.Clin.Neuros…> Best regards, Angelo Arleo Angelo ARLEO FONTAINE, PhD Director of Research CNRS Head of the Aging in Vision and Action Lab, Director of the Chair Silversight, Institute of Vision, CNRS - INSERM - Sorbonne University, 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 Website: www.aging-vision-action.fr

April 2, 2021

NIH-funded part-time postdoc or software developer position in computational neuroscience

by Salvador Dura

A part-time Postdoc or Software Developer position is available in the Dura-Bernal Lab<http://dura-bernal.org/> at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences (Brooklyn, New York). The position will focus on the development and dissemination of NetPyNE, a tool for data-driven multiscale modeling of brain circuits. For more details on the software tool see our eLife publication (https://elifesciences.org/articles/44494) and tool website (www.netpyne.org<http://www.netpyne.org/>). For details please see: http://dura-bernal.org/postdoc -- Salvador Durá-Bernal, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Research Scientist IV, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research Lab web: dura-bernal.org<http://dura-bernal.org/>

April 2, 2021

My Magnum Opus about how our brains make our minds will be published next month by Oxford University Press

by Grossberg, Stephen

Dear Colleagues, I am writing to call your attention to the publication next month by Oxford University Press of my Magnum Opus about how our brains make our minds in health and disease. The book also has implications for developing increasingly autonomous and adaptive technologies that emulate, and can thus harmoniously interact with, human users. The book discusses many topics about mind and brain. For one, it explains how, where in our brains, and why from a deep computational perspective our brains can learn to consciously see, hear, feel, and know things about the world. I wrote the book to be self-contained, accessible, and appealing to the general public. In addition to its exposition of how our minds work and how these discoveries inspire new designs in engineering, technology, and AI, I have been able to use that foundation to provide discussions of many topics that are of current interest, including how we see visual art; how mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease, autism, amnesia, and disordered sleep are caused; biological bases of creativity and morality; why so many decisions are irrational despite our belief that evolution selects adaptive behaviors; how learned helplessness, self-punitive behaviors, and fetishes may arise and persist; how our brain's design specializes a universal developmental code that it shares with all living cells across multiple species; and how our ceaseless interactions with the external world have shaped the designs that enable us to understand the physical world around us. I hope that, after reading the book Summary and Description below, and the Advance Reviews by 18 leading psychologists, neuroscientists, neural modelers, and technologists, you may be interested in reading the book. If you do, please see the information in the attached flyer for how. Best wishes, Steve Grossberg +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Conscious MIND, Resonant BRAIN: How Each Brain Makes a Mind by Stephen Grossberg 800 pages, $35 (see attached flyer for 30% reduction to $24.50) https://global.oup.com/academic/product/conscious-mind-resonant-brain-97801… SUMMARY • Explores how your mind works, notably how you learn to consciously see, hear, feel, and know things • Explains how mental disorders can be understood on a continuum with normal behaviors • Creates a computational foundation for applications of autonomous adaptive intelligence in engineering, technology, and AI DESCRIPTION How does your mind work? How does your brain give rise to your mind? These are questions that all of us have wondered about at some point in our lives, if only because everything that we know is experienced in our minds. They are also very hard questions to answer. After all, how can a mind understand itself? How can you understand something as complex as the tool that is being used to understand it? This book provides an introductory and self-contained description of some of the exciting answers to these questions that modern theories of mind and brain have recently proposed. Stephen Grossberg is broadly acknowledged to be the most important pioneer and current research leader who has, for the past 50 years, modelled how brains give rise to minds, notably how neural circuits in multiple brain regions interact together to generate psychological functions. This research has led to a unified understanding of how, where, and why our brains can consciously see, hear, feel, and know about the world, and effectively plan and act within it. The work embodies revolutionary Principia of Mind that clarify how autonomous adaptive intelligence is achieved. It provides mechanistic explanations of multiple mental disorders, including symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, autism, amnesia, and sleep disorders; biological bases of morality and religion, including why our brains are biased towards the good so that values are not purely relative; perplexing aspects of the human condition, including why many decisions are irrational and self-defeating despite evolution's selection of adaptive behaviors; and solutions to large-scale problems in machine learning, technology, and Artificial Intelligence that provide a blueprint for autonomously intelligent algorithms and robots. Because brains embody a universal developmental code, unifying insights also emerge about shared laws that are found in all living cellular tissues, from the most primitive to the most advanced, notably how the laws governing networks of interacting cells support developmental and learning processes in all species. The fundamental brain design principles of complementarity, uncertainty, and resonance that Grossberg has discovered also reflect laws of the physical world with which our brains ceaselessly interact, and which enable our brains to incrementally learn to understand those laws, thereby enabling humans to understand the world scientifically. Accessibly written, and lavishly illustrated, Conscious Mind/Resonant Brain is the magnum opus of one of the most influential scientists of the past 50 years, and will appeal to a broad readership across the sciences and humanities. ADVANCE REVIEWS “A tour de force on How the Brain Works…a masterpiece on brain science and neuro-computing that could only be created by Grossberg.” -- Leon Chua, University of California at Berkeley "Whenever you claim to be "the first to do" this or that in artificial intelligence, it is customary - and correct - to add "with the exception of Stephen Grossberg". Quite simply, Stephen is a living giant and foundational architect of the field." -- Karl J. Friston, University College London "This is a breath-taking book authored by a giant pioneer of the brain and mind." -- Shun-Ichi Amari, RIKEN Brain Science Institute "Professor Grossberg is a rara avis. In an age of increasing specialization, he has a remarkable, unparalleled, gift of seeing connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. And he writes about these with passion, but without compromising accuracy." -- V. S. Ramachandran, University of California San Diego "Stephen Grossberg is a true genius, who has discovered and developed many of the most important concepts and theories about how our brains make our minds. His fundamental contributions to science for over 50 years are richly worthy of a Nobel Prize." -- Leonid Perlovsky, Harvard University "Stephen Grossberg is a "big picture" thinker who has had a remarkably deep influence on many aspects of several fields. It's difficult to overstate the range of his vision and the depth of his thinking, and I expect this book to be required reading in many courses for years to come." -- Stephen Kosslyn, Foundry College “After reading many papers by the author, I always wished that he would present them in a coherent whole. And here it is. A magnificent volume of great science from mind to brain and back, a condensed ars poetica of a great scientist.” -- György Buzsáki, New York University "The current volume charts the remarkable developments that have led Dr. Grossberg to a principled, unified theory of the link between brain and mind. Dr. Grossberg's insights are unparalleled in their breadth and detail, leading us to a scientific understanding of the most remarkable aspect of the mind, consciousness." -- Michael Mozer, Google Brain, Mountain View, CA “Stephen Grossberg is one of the most original and influential theorists in contemporary cognitive science and computational neuroscience. In Conscious MIND Resonant BRAIN, he takes the reader on an eye-opening tour in which he addresses fundamental problems of mind and brain from his unique theoretical perspective. This is an important book that should be of interest to anyone who wonders how a brain can give rise to a mind. -- Daniel L. Schacter, Harvard University “In this book Stephen Grossberg shares the wisdom and encyclopedic knowledge that he acquired over 50 years of research devoted to unravel the mysteries of the human brain. Stephen pioneered the field of theoretical neuroscience and this approach allowed him to discover general principles that govern functions as diverse as visual perception, learning and memory, attention, emotion, decision making and consciousness. It is the essence of overarching principles to be abstract and to sometimes defy intuition, but Stephen succeeds to convey the essential in a language that is readily accessible to the non- expert. He embeds the discussion of neuronal mechanisms in the rich framework of cognitive psychology and elegantly bridges the gap between scientific evidence and subjective experience. He takes the readers by the hand and lets them discover the often surprising philosophical, ethical and societal implications of neurobiological discoveries. For those who enjoy intellectual adventures and wish to explore the boundaries of the known this scholarly written book is a real treasure.” -- Wolf Singer, Max Plank Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt "Although a behavioral modeler and not a neuroscientist, I have followed Stephen Grossberg's research closely for many years, because I regard him as one of the very most creative and insightful neuroscience theorists that the field has seen. His book should be a must read for those wanting to understand how the brain produces mind." -- Richard Shiffrin, Indiana University "How often do we have the chance to hold a true masterpiece? Grossberg's monumental accomplishments developed over multiple decades now written at an accessible level to a broader audience. What a true privilege!" -- Luis Pessoa, University of Maryland “Steve Grossberg is one of the most insightful and prolific writers on biological intelligence. This book is a masterful presentation of fundamental methods of modeling minds, brains and their interactions with the world, many of which are due to the author and his collaborators. The models are presented as mathematical systems, including computing and neural networks. The variables, parameters and functions represent biological and environmental concepts; mathematical conclusions are interpreted as predictions of biological behavior. In many cases these have been verified experimentally. There are illuminating and surprising connections to other disciplines, including art, music and economics. Highly recommended to a general audience.” -- Morris W. Hirsch, University of California at Berkeley "This comprehensive overview of Grossberg’s contributions to our understanding of the mind and brain shows exactly how prescient he, and his colleagues, have been. Whatever one’s specific interest, from visual illusions to mental illness, this book provides a principled treatment of it. The principles flow from Grossberg’s early framing of many of the questions that have come to define computational neuroscience – including his early understanding of the centrality of expectations. Kudos to him for pulling it all together here." -- Lynn Nadel, University of Arizona “This book is not for the faint of heart. Stephen Grossberg has been a giant in the field of computational neuroscience for 60 years. In this book he presents his carefully developed, integrative neurobiological theory on how the nervous system generates our conscious lives. It is bold yet self-reflective and therein challenging to all students trying to figure out how the brain does its tricks. A must read.” -- Michael Gazzaniga, University of California at Santa Barbara "Conscious Mind, Resonant Brain is the magnum opus of one of the giants of neural networks. The soaring ambition of this book reflects the career achievements of Grossberg's insatiable appetite for understanding how brains work. It is a must-read for those interested in all aspects of how the mind and brain function in health and disease." -- Donald C. Wunsch II, Missouri University of Science and Technology "Grossberg has single-handedly elevated the psychophysics and psychology pioneered by Herman von Helmholtz and William James into a comprehensive mathematical theory of brain and behavior with profound implications and strong empirical support." -- David Hestenes, Arizona State University “An excellent and wide-ranging view of how the brain perceives the world for us by a pioneering brain theoretician.” -- Wolfram Schultz, University of Cambridge

April 1, 2021

Job Openings: Professor / Associate Professor / Assistant Professor (Computer Science) at Hong Kong Baptist University (2 vacancies)

by COMP HKBU

The Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Baptist University, presently offers BSc, MSc, MPhil, and PhD programmes, and is now seeking outstanding applicants for the following faculty positions on tenure-track. Professor / Associate Professor / Assistant Professor (Computer Science) (2 vacancies) (PR0311/18-19) The appointees will perform high-impact research, to teach and supervise students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and to contribute to professional and institutional services. Collaboration with other faculty members in research and teaching is also expected. They will be encouraged to collaborate with colleagues within the Department to contribute to two special thematic applications including (a) health informatics and (b) secure and privacy-aware computing, and to pursue new strategic research initiatives under the Department/Faculty/University. Applicants should possess a PhD degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field, and sufficiently demonstrate abilities to conduct high-quality research in areas including but not limited to: Internet of things, Cyber-security, High-performance computing, Big data analytics, and Financial technologies. Applicants should also show strong commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in computer science and/or information systems, possess track record of innovative research and high-impact publications, and be able to bid for and pursue externally-funded research programmes. Initial appointment will be offered on a fixed-term contract of three years. Re-appointment thereafter will be subject to mutual agreement. For enquiry, please contact Dr. William Cheung, Head of Department (email: william(a)comp.hkbu.edu.hk) More information about the Department can be found at http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk. *Those who have responded to the previous advertisement need not re-apply.* *Rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.* Application Procedure: Applicants are invited to submit their applications at the HKBU e-Recruitment System (jobs.hkbu.edu.hk) with samples of publications, preferably *three best ones* out of their most recent publications/works. They should also request *two referees* to send in confidential letters of reference, with PR number (stated above) quoted on the letters, to the Human Resources Office (Email: recruit(a)hkbu.edu.hk) direct. Those who are not invited for interview 4 months after the closing date may consider their applications unsuccessful. All application materials including publication samples, scholarly/creative works will be disposed of after completion of the recruitment exercise. Details of the University’s Personal Information Collection Statement can be found at http://hro.hkbu.edu.hk/pics. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment for the posts advertised, and the appointment will be made according to the terms and conditions applicable at the time of offer. Review of applications is on-going until the position is filled. URL: https://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk/v1/?page=job_vacancies&id=503

April 1, 2021