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

Call for Visiting Scholars in Theoretical Sciences at OIST (Application by August 15)
by Kenji Doya 21 Oct '23

21 Oct '23

We are pleased to announce Visiting Scholars in Theoretical Sciences at OIST for a flexible term of 1 to 12 months as below. ***** As part of an initiative to develop a vibrant program in theoretical sciences, OIST invites applications for Visiting Scholars in the Theoretical Sciences. The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) is a research institution with a Ph.D. program. Outstanding graduate students and faculty are being attracted internationally. OIST is beautifully situated on the tropical island of Okinawa, Japan. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a relevant field and be independent researchers, i.e., should have an academic standing equivalent to senior postdoc, junior group leader, or faculty member at a research-intensive institution. The position has a flexible term of 1 to 12 months taken continuously starting between October 2021 and March 2022 with a preference for longer-term visitors. The appointment may be taken while on leave or sabbatical from another university and comes with housing, research funds, and moving allowance. Successful candidates will be eligible to apply for support with salary, where this is necessary to facilitate the visit. No teaching duties come with the position. OIST is an institution with no departments, aiming to eliminate barriers between people working in different fields. It provides a family-friendly working environment including the multilingual Child Development Center and has proactive policies designed to promote a culture of diversity. OIST is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator, and employer. Further details can be found at https://www.oist.jp/. Applicants should submit a CV including a list of publications, a brief description of their research to date and proposed research while visiting OIST, and the desired period of visit. All visits are subject to the availability of funding. Applications received by August 15, 2021, are guaranteed full consideration. If you have any questions, please send inquiries to: tsvp(a)oist.jp To apply, please go to our Interfolio page, http://apply.interfolio.com/88541 ---- Kenji Doya <doya(a)oist.jp> Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan Phone: +81-98-966-8594; Fax: +81-98-966-2891 https://groups.oist.jp/ncu

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Up to 6 PhD fellowships in Cognitive Neuroscience at SISSA, Trieste, Italy, to start Oct, 2020
by Alessandro Treves 12 Oct '22

12 Oct '22

SISSA is an elite postgraduate research institution located in Trieste, Italy, and focused on Maths, Physics and Neuroscience. It operates in English: many among its students and faculty are not Italian. The Cognitive Neuroscience Department hosts 6 research labs that study the neuronal bases of time and magnitude processing, visual perception, motivation and intelligence, language and reading, tactile perception and learning, and neural computation. The Department is very inter–disciplinary; our approaches include behavioural, psychophysics, and neurophysiological experiments with humans and animals, as well as computational and mathematical models. Students with diverse backgrounds (physics, math, medicine, psychology, biology) are most welcome to apply. The Department has an exceptional track record with highly competitive funds (recent funding includes 4 ERC and 3 Human Frontiers grants) and publication in top journals (Nature, Science, PNAS, Current Biology). Recent placements after PhD include Harvard, MIT, Columbia and Princeton in the US; the NTNU, Manchester and Radboud in Europe; and Sydney University, Australia. Our alumni have been awarded 4 ERC grants, the 2015 Kandel Young Neuroscientist Prize and the 2017 ICTP Prize. More information about the Department is available at our website https://phdcns.sissa.it. The selection procedure is now open; to learn how to apply, please visit https://phdcns.sissa.it/admission-procedure. Please contact the PhD Coordinator (davide.crepaldi(a)sissa.it) and/or your prospective supervisor for more information and informal enquiries. -- Alessandro Treves SISSA, Cognitive Neuroscience, http://people.sissa.it/~ale/limbo.html if in, rm 241, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy: +39-040-3787623

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Postdoc in neural data analysis
by Mark Humphries 26 Jun '22

26 Jun '22

A 3 year postdoc post is available in the lab of Prof Mark Humphries, at the University of Nottingham (UK) In this project, our aim is to test the overarching hypothesis that movement transitions are encoded by the same neural population reconfiguring its joint activity, for both rhythmic and discrete movements. We will tackle this question using newly-available population recordings during rhythmic movement transitions in Aplysia and discrete arm movement transitions in monkeys, The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes information about and actions in the world. For more see: https://www.humphries-lab.org Queries: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk Deadline: 5th September Full details, and to apply: https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2 [http://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/org/images/socialmedia.png]<https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2> Job Vacancy at the University of Nottingham: Research Associate/Fellow (Fixed term)<https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=27005&forced=2> Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research fellow to join the Humphries’ group on the MRC-funded project “Uncovering the neural basis of movement transitions”. The Humphries’ group researches fundamental... jobs.nottingham.ac.uk Professor Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Fellow | Chair in Computational Neuroscience Lab: humphries-lab.org<https://www.humphries-lab.org/> Twitter: @markdhumphries Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

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Explainable AI: Overcoming problems of Deep Learning problems with Adaptive Resonance
by Grossberg, Stephen 09 Apr '22

09 Apr '22

Dear Colleagues, There's currently a lot of interest in AI, notably Deep Learning, and in achieving autonomous adaptive intelligence. The following new article summarizes foundational problems of reliability and trustworthiness of Deep Learning, explains how Adaptive Resonance overcomes them, and outlines a blueprint for achieving autonomous adaptive intelligence: Grossberg, S. (2020). A path towards Explainable AI and autonomous adaptive intelligence: Deep Learning, Adaptive Resonance, and models of perception, emotion, and action. Frontiers in Neurobotics, June 25, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbot.2020.00036 Best, Steve Grossberg

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Postdoc at the University of Leicester to work on human single cell recordings
by Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo (Prof.) 23 Nov '21

23 Nov '21

The Centre for Systems Neuroscience at the University of Leicester, UK, offers a 3-years postdoc position to study single cell recordings in humans – performed in epileptic patients for curative surgery. The project will investigate concept cells (a.k.a. Jennifer Aniston neurons) – that means, neurons in the hippocampus and surrounding areas that selectively fire to specific concepts, like different pictures and the written or spoken name of a particular person (e.g. Quian Quiroga et al, Nature 2005; Quian Quiroga Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2012), which are involved in declarative memory functions. For more details see: www.le.ac.uk/csn The successful candidate will contribute to performing recordings with patients in collaborating hospitals and the analysis of the data to investigate the role of these neurons in memory. He/She should have very good quantitative skills (data processing, and programing e.g. in Matlab) and a strong background or interest in neuroscience. He/She should be able to work both independently and as part of a research team within the Centre for System Neuroscience at Leicester and with our external collaborators. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Paula Warrington, Research Centre Manager, csn(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. To apply, please use this link: https://jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/1393/research-associate.html The applications should include a curriculum vitae and a brief description of their scientific interests The closing date for the applications is 21st October 2019. Cheers, Rodrigo Rodrigo Quian Quiroga Centre for Systems Neuroscience University of Leicester www.le.ac.uk/csn

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Post doc in Cognitive-Computational Neuroscience at University College London (discrete and continuous human action control under threat)
by Dominik R. Bach 21 Oct '21

21 Oct '21

*Post doc in Cognitive-Computational Neuroscience at University College London: discrete and continuous human action control under threat* We are looking for a research fellow in an ERC-funded research project "Action selection under threat - the complex control of human defence" led by Dr Dominik Bach (http://bachlab.org <http://bachlab.org>) and based at University College London, Max-Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry (https://www.mps-ucl-centre.mpg.de/en <https://www.mps-ucl-centre.mpg.de/en>) and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/ <http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/>). The overarching goal of the project is to understand the cognitive-computational control of human motor behaviour under acute, immediate threat. We investigate this in an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment, in which people can move to avoid a large number of different threats. As part of this project, the candidate will build and test explicit computational models of discrete and continuous action control and action updating under constraints of time pressure and unaffordable costs. We seek applicants with established cognitive-computational modelling skills and a PhD in computational neuroscience, robotics with focus on action planning, computer science/mathematics/physics with a focus on decision science, or in a related area. We are looking for an individual who is strongly motivated to pursue an academic career and is excited by the opportunities for personal and career development this position can provide. The post is available from October 2021 and funded for up to 3 years with initial appointment for 1 year. Starting salary is on UCL grade 7, ranging from £36,028 to £43,533 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance, superannuable. More information and access to the UCL online application portal: https://is.gd/VwTJCA <https://is.gd/VwTJCA> Please contact d.bach(a)ucl.ac.uk <mailto:d.bach@ucl.ac.uk> for any queries about the project or role. *Closing date: 16 July 2021* Interviews will be held remotely in July. Apologies for cross-posting. -- ----------------------- Dominik R Bach MBBS PhD Principal Research Fellow Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London http://bachlab.org | @bachlab_cog

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Faculty Position in Computational Neuroscience at Bristol University.
by Conor Houghton 31 Aug '21

31 Aug '21

In the Department of Computer Science at the University of Bristol we are seeking to appoint a faculty member in Computational Neuroscience at Lecturer or Senior Lecturer level, comparable to Assistant or Associate Professorship level. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/details/?jobId=252155 Candidates are sought with expertise in computational neuroscience or computational cognitive science; any area of our broad subject will be considered. The University of Bristol is a significant centre for both computational neuroscience and machine learning and a leader in experimental, clinical and cognitive neuroscience. There is a robust tradition of collaboration between experimental and computational neuroscientists. Bristol itself is a friendly green coastal city with a rich and lively cultural scene and is regarded one of the best places to live in the UK. You are welcome to contact one of us (conor.houghton||laurence.aitchison||n.lepora||rui.costa)(a)bristol.ac.uk, or our head of department Chris Allen, c.b.allen(a)bristol.ac.uk, to discuss the post informally. The closing date for applications is 3 October. We value diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity. All the best Conor Houghton Laurence Aitchison Nathan Lepora Rui Ponte Costa https://bristolcnu.github.io/ http://www.bristol.ac.uk/neuroscience/

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PhD position at the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
by Claudius Gros 30 Aug '21

30 Aug '21

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD position at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany Fields: theoretical neurosciences, complex systems theory, Covid-19 modeling Application deadline: Oct 15, 2021 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Claudius Gros We are developing new models and generative principles for the societies of interacting agents using a range of toolsets from dynamical systems theory and game theory. Examples are Covid-19 modeling and the influence of envy on the structure of human societies. We are also developing operating principles for reference robot systems, and for neuroscience applications. It is expected that applicants study the publication list available on the website of the lab, as given below. Several subjects are available for the announced PhD thesis, depending on the background of the successful candidate. The work will include analytical investigations and numerical simulations. The candidates should have a Diploma/Master's in physics with an excellent academic track record and good computational skills. Experience or strong interest in the fields of complex systems, dynamical systems theory, game theory, and/or artificial or biological cognitive systems is expected. The degree of scientific research experience is expected to be on the level of a German Diploma/Master. The appointment will start early 2022, for three years. Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a list of publications, and arrange for letters of reference to be sent to the address below. Prof. Claudius Gros Institute for Theoretical Physics Goethe University Frankfurt Max-von-Laue-Str. 1 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany cgr(a)itp.uni-frankfurt.de http://www.itp.uni-frankfurt.de/~gros General information on the University of Frankfurt and its employment policy: With its around 46,000 students and 4,600 employees, the Goethe University in Frankfurt is the largest university in the state of Hessen and an internationally renowned, important regional employer. Numerous quality and performance oriented internal reforms have been initiated in the recent years. The reorganized campuses for natural sciences and humanities offer an ideal environment for research and education. Since 2008, the Goethe University is a foundation under public law and enjoys full administrative autonomy.  The fixed-term employment of the academic staff is subject to the provisions of the Temporary Science Employment Law and the Hessian Higher Education Act. The University advocates gender equality and therefore strongly encourages women to apply. People with disabilities are given preference if equally qualified. -- ### ### Prof. Dr. Claudius Gros ### http://itp.uni-frankfurt.de/~gros ### ### Complex and Adaptive Dynamical Systems, A Primer ### A graduate-level textbook, Springer (2008/10/13/15) ### ### Life for barren exoplanets: The Genesis project ### https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10509-016-2911-0 ###

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Ph.D. student / Postdoc position in machine learning with spiking neurons at University of Bremen, Germany
by David Rotermund 30 Aug '21

30 Aug '21

tl;dr: You looked at our paper Back-Propagation Learning in Deep Spike-By-Spike Networks ( https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncom.2019.00055/full ) and thought "Interesting idea but I can improve that!" then you may want to tell us your idea... You could end up working on it as a Ph.D. student / Postdoc for the next three years in Bremen, Germany. ------------- The Computational Neuroscience group of Klaus Pawelzik invites applications for an open Ph.D. student / Postdoc position (E13 TV-L 100% for 3 years; all genders welcome) in the project "Efficient Implementation of Spike-by-Spike Neural Networks using Stochastic and Approximative Techniques". We are looking for a person with a strong background in mathematics, programming, and machine learning as well as an intense interest in neuroscience. Someone who is not afraid of cooperating with engineers, since this is a joint project with a focus on hardware development. The overarching goal of our project is to improve the efficiency of spiking artificial neural networks using hardware and algorithmic approximation techniques. Specifically, the project focuses on Spike-by-Spike networks since they offer a balance between computational requirements and biological-realism which keeps the advantages of the biological networks while enabling a compact technical realization. To fully take advantage of the unique features of SbS in terms of robustness and sparseness, dedicated hardware architectures are required. You would join in with numerical simulations, theoretical analyses, as well as through the development of new ideas and approaches for boosting the performance and capabilities of the Spike-By-Spike model. Furthermore, you would also work on combining Spike-By-Spike networks with non spiking deep neuronal networks into hybrid models. The details can be found at http://www.neuro.uni-bremen.de/content/open-position-sbs

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Postdoc / Staff Scientist in brain imaging during natural behavior
by Geoffrey Goodhill 28 Aug '21

28 Aug '21

Postdoc / Staff Scientist in brain imaging during natural behavior The Goodhill lab at Washington University in St Louis is looking for a postdoc or staff scientist for an NIH-funded project to develop novel microscopy methods for whole-brain calcium imaging in freely-behaving zebrafish. This is a collaboration with Oliver Cossairt at Northwestern University. The lab focuses on the formation of neural circuits underlying behavior. This includes developing novel experimental, computational and theoretical methods and applying them to domains including hunting and social behavior, sleep and autism spectrum disorders. In this project we will be constructing new light-field imaging techniques to record the activity of ~100,000 neurons in the zebrafish brain during unconstrained hunting behavior. We are looking for someone with a background in developing new imaging technologies. The lab is fully integrated between experimental and theoretical work. Washington University in St Louis is ranked in the top 10 globally for Neuroscience and Behavior, and offers an outstanding intellectual environment for neuroscience research. To apply please send a detailed CV and cover letter explaining your interest to g.goodhill(a)wustl.edu<mailto:g.goodhill@wustl.edu>. Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Departments of Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical and Systems Engineering Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO 63110 https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/people/geoffrey-goodhill-phd Email: g.goodhill(a)wustl.edu<mailto:g.goodhill@wustl.edu>

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Post-doctoral Position in Human Perceptual Neuroscience at NYU
by Hardstone, Richard 27 Aug '21

27 Aug '21

The Perception and Brain Dynamics Laboratory (PI: Biyu J. He, Ph.D.; www.med.nyu.edu/helab<http://www.med.nyu.edu/helab>) at New York University currently has two open post-doctoral positions, which can start immediately (with a flexible start date). We are interested in candidates with a background in perceptual/cognitive neuroscience and/or related computational modeling. Experience in human electrophysiology (MEG/EEG or intracranial recordings) or neuroimaging (fMRI) is ideal. Successful applicants will be able to participate in cutting-edge research to understand the neural basis of human perception (broadly defined), and will have opportunities to employ multiple advanced recording (e.g., M/EEG, 7T fMRI, ECoG) and analysis approaches in their research. Research questions may include: * What are the roles of spontaneous brain activity in perception? * How do prior knowledge and past experiences influence perception? * What are the neural differences between conscious and unconscious processing? * What are the temporal dynamics of neural activity underlying perception? To apply, please email PI Biyu J. He at biyu.jade.he(a)gmail.com<mailto:biyu.jade.he@gmail.com>, with subject line "post-doctoral application", and include a CV, a 1-2 page research statement (including accomplishments and interests), and names and contacts for 2-3 referees. To inquire, please email PI Biyu J. He at biyu.jade.he(a)gmail.com<mailto:biyu.jade.he@gmail.com>, with subject line "post-doctoral application inquiry", and attach your CV. Our laboratory is located on the medical campus of New York University in Manhattan, NY, and is affiliated with the Neuroscience Institute, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience & Physiology, and Radiology. We offer competitive salaries and benefits that adjust for cost of living in New York City. The position is expected to last at least 2 years, and is renewed annually depending on satisfactory performance and availability of funding. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, starting immediately.

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2nd SMILES workshop, Aug 31st: Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols
by Xavier Hinaut 27 Aug '21

27 Aug '21

* WHAT The SMILES workshop is about Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols (SMILES). It is a satellite event from the ICDL 2020 (International Conference on Developmental Learning). * WHEN Tuesday 31st of August 2021. Planned schedule: 9am - 8.30pm CEST (UTC+2). * WHERE Online event on Zoom. (Link sent to registered people the day before, see LINKS section) * WHO 8 Invited speakers from multiple fields: neurolinguistics, speech communication, language evolution, developmental science, social robotics, computational neuroscience, language acquisition. - Morten Christiansen, Cornell University, NY, USA & Aarhus University, Denmark - Kaya de Barbaro, University of CaliforniaSan Diego, USA - Cynthia Matuszek, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA - Yair Lakretz, NeuroSpin Center, Gif sur Yvette, France - Harm Brouwer, Saarland University, Germany - Jean-Luc Schwartz, Gipsa lab, Grenoble-Alpes University, France - Daniel Dor, Tel Aviv University, Israel - Lauren Emberson, University of British Columbia, Canada - Bart de Boer, AI-lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium * LINKS - ** Website **: https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/home - ** Registration is free but mandatory **: https://forms.gle/tyvMdbb8UJFyXZky8 - Contact: smiles.conf(a)gmail.com - ICDL conference website: https://icdl-2021.org/ * WHAT+ (Short Description) On the one hand, models of sensorimotor interaction are embodied in the environment and in the interaction with other agents. On the other hand, recent Deep Learning development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) models allow to capture increasing language complexity (e.g. compositional representations, word embedding, long term dependencies). However, those NLP models are disembodied in the sense that they are learned from static datasets of text or speech. How can we bridge the gap from low-level sensorimotor interaction to high-level compositional symbolic communication? The SMILES workshop will address this issue through an interdisciplinary approach involving researchers from (but not limited to): - Sensori-motor learning, - Emergent communication in multi-agent systems, - Chunking of perceptuo-motor gestures (gestures in a general sense: motor, vocal, ...), - Sensori-motor learning, - Symbol grounding and symbol emergence, - Compositional representations for communication and action sequence, - Hierarchical representations of temporal information, - Language processing and acquisition in brains and machines, - Models of animal communication, - Language evolution, - Understanding composition and temporal processing in neural network models, and - Enaction, active perception, perception-action loop. SMILES workshop organisers - Xavier Hinaut, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Clément Moulin-Frier, Inria and Ensta ParisTech, Bordeaux, France - Silvia Pagliarini, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Michael Spranger, Sony AI and Sony CSL, Tokyo, Japan - Tadahiro Taniguchi, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan - Anne S. Warlaumont, University of California, Los Angeles, America - Junpei Zhong, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom Xavier Hinaut Inria Researcher (CR) Mnemosyne team, Inria LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives www.xavierhinaut.com

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Recorded talks from TEX2021 - Bringing together Predictive Processes and Statistical Learning
by Yamil Vidal 26 Aug '21

26 Aug '21

Dear all, This July we had the honor of hosting TEX2021 - Bringing together Predictive Processes and Statistical Learning. Here you can find the recordings of the talks: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtD9ktPLCbafVngJ_whZL65_KT23XAKnl Thanks again to all of our amazing invited speakers, Tristan Bekinschtein, Lucia Melloni, Padraic Monaghan, Maria Chait, Floris de Lange, Caspar Schwiedrzik, Lori Holt and Nicola Molinaro. Please share!! Best regards, Yamil Vidal and Davide Crepaldi Dr. Yamil Vidal Cognitive Neuroscience Sector Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati - SISSA via Bonomea, 265 34136 Trieste, ITALY

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CfP: Call for Paper Frontiers in Neuroscience: Special Issue "Graph Learning for Brain Imaging"
by Feng Liu 26 Aug '21

26 Aug '21

Dear Colleagues, We are writing to you know that we are organizing a special issue "Graph Learning for Brain Imaging" in Frontiers in Neuroscience (impact factor 4.7). We believe this is a timely special issue to showcase the new developments using graph representation, deep learning on graph-structured data to address important brain imaging and computational neuroscience problems. *Link*: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/23683/graph-learning -for-brain-imaging *Keywords*: Brain Networks, Graph Neural Networks, Brain Imaging, Graph Embedding, Multi-Modal Imaging. *Topics*: We are looking for original, high-quality submissions on innovative research and developments in the analysis of brain imaging using graph learning techniques. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): • Graph neural networks (GNN) for network neuroscience applications • Graph neural network for brain mapping and data integration • Graph convolution network (GCN) for brain disorder classification • (Dynamic) Functional brain networks • Brain networks development trajectories • Graphical model for brain imaging data analysis • Spatial-temporal brain network modeling • Graph embedding and graph representation learning • Information fusion for brain networks from multiple modalities or scales (fMRI, M/EEG, DTI, PET, genetics) • Generative graph models in brain imaging • Brain network inference: scalable, online, and from non-linear relationships • Machine learning over graphs: kernel-based techniques, clustering methods, scalable algorithms for brain imaging • A few-shot learning for learning from limited brain data • Graph federated learning for brain imaging *Important Dates*: Abstract: 30-Sep-2021 Full paper: 30-Dec-2021 *Background:* Unprecedented collections of large-scale brain imaging data, such as MRI, PET, fMRI, M/EEG, DTI, etc. provide a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of the brain working mechanisms, improve prognostic predictions for mental disorders, and tailor personalized treatment plans for brain diseases. Recent advances in machine learning and large-scale brain imaging data collection, storage, and sharing lead to a series of novel interdisciplinary approaches among the fields of computational neuroscience, signal processing, deep learning, brain imaging, cognitive science, and computational psychiatry, among which graph learning provides a valuable means to address important questions in brain imaging. Graph learning refers to designing effective machine learning and deep learning methods extracting important information from graphs or exploiting the graph structure in the data to guide the knowledge discovery. Given the complex data structure in different imaging modalities as well as the networked organizational structure of the human brain, novel learning methods based on graphs inferred from imaging data, graph regularizations for the data, and graph embedding of the recorded data, have shown great promise in modeling the interactions of multiple brain regions, information fusion among networks derived from different brain imaging modalities, latent space modeling of the high dimensional brain networks, and quantifying topological neurobiomarkers. The goal of this Research Topic is to synergize the start-of-the-art discoveries in terms of new computational brain imaging models and insights of brain mechanisms through the lens of brain networks and graph learning. --On Behalf of all the Guest Editors Feng Liu, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA Yu Zhang, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA Jordi Solé-Casals, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, Barcelona, SpainIslem Rekik, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, TurkeyYehia Massoud, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia Best regards Feng Liu

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WWNeuRise series on predictive processing (Sept-Oct 2021)
by William Podlaski 24 Aug '21

24 Aug '21

WorldWideNeuRise will host several online talks throughout September-October on the topic of predictive processing from the following speakers (titles TBA): Wednesday, 8 September, 5pm CET Caroline Jahn (Buschman Lab, Princeton University) Ramon Bartolo (Averbeck Lab, National Institute of Mental Health) Wednesday, 22 September, 5pm CET Nick Audette (Schneider Lab, New York University) Colleen J. Gillon (Richards Lab, Mila & McGill University) Wednesday, 6 October, 5pm CET Nuttida Rungratsameetaweemana (Sejnowski Lab, UCSD & Salk Institute) Oded Bein (Niv Lab, Princeton University) Wednesday, 20 October, 5pm CET Selina Solomon (Growth Intelligence) Tomaso Muzzu (Saleem Lab, University College London) For more information, please visit our website (https://neurise.github.io/) find us on WorldWideNeuro (https://www.world-wide.org/Neuro/WWNeuRise/) or follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/WWNeuRise) We are actively searching for PhD students and postdocs to give talks in our upcoming seminar blocks. On our website (https://neurise.github.io/) you can find an application form to directly apply, as well as a recommendation form, where you can suggest individuals from your lab, institute, or otherwise who you think might have an interesting story to tell! We are looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming seminars! The organising committee, Ellen Boven (Apps lab, University of Bristol) Christina Buetfering (Häusser lab, University College London) Lucie Descamps (Kentros lab, Norwegian University of Science and Technology) Gily Ginosar (Ulanovsky lab, Weizmann Institute) Loreen Hertäg (Clopath lab, Imperial College London) Joram Keijser (Sprekeler lab, TU Berlin) Bill Podlaski (Machens lab, Champalimaud Research)

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Reminder (one week left): Call for papers: Symposium on Mathematics of Neuroscience
by Ruairidh McLennan Battleday 23 Aug '21

23 Aug '21

Two decades into the 21st century, can we claim to be any closer to a unified model of the brain? In this exploratory symposium, we invite submissions for short talks and posters presenting general mathematical models of brain function. We give priority to those models that account for brain or behavioural data, or provide simulations to that effect. The symposium will be held at the applied mathematics conference ICNAAM 2021, to be held virtually and in person on the island of Rhodes, Greece from the 20-26th of September 2021. Submission is by 250-word abstract before the 30th August, sent to the organizers Prof Dan V. Nicolau Jr ( dan.nicolau(a)qut.edu.au) and Dr Ruairidh M. Battleday ( battleday(a)princeton.edu) We already have a great lineup (www.neuromonster.org) and with one week left until the deadline for the abstract submission encourage any remaining interested parties to apply. Ruairidh and Dan -- Dr. Ruairidh McLennan Battleday, BMBCh (Oxon) MA PhD Candidate and Cognitive Science Fellow Computational Cognitive Science Lab, Department of Computer Science Princeton University Department of Statistics St John's College University of Oxford

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[meetings] 2nd SMILES workshop, Aug 31st: Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols
by Xavier Hinaut 21 Aug '21

21 Aug '21

* WHAT The SMILES workshop is about Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols (SMILES). It is a satellite event from the ICDL 2020 (International Conference on Developmental Learning). * WHEN Tuesday 31st of August 2021. Planned schedule (it might change): 9am - 8.30pm CEST (UTC+2). * WHERE Online event on Zoom. (Link sent to registered people the day before, see LINKS section) * WHO 8 Invited speakers from multiple fields: neurolinguistics, speech communication, language evolution, developmental science, social robotics, computational neuroscience, language acquisition. - Morten Christiansen, Cornell University, NY, USA & Aarhus University, Denmark - Kaya de Barbaro, University of CaliforniaSan Diego, USA - Cynthia Matuszek, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA - Yair Lakretz, NeuroSpin Center, Gif sur Yvette, France - Harm Brouwer, Saarland University, Germany - Jean-Luc Schwartz, Gipsa lab, Grenoble-Alpes University, France - Daniel Dor, Tel Aviv University, Israel - Lauren Emberson, University of British Columbia, Canada * LINKS - ** Website **: https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/home <https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/home> - ** Registration is free but mandatory **: https://forms.gle/tyvMdbb8UJFyXZky8 <https://forms.gle/tyvMdbb8UJFyXZky8> - Contact: smiles.conf(a)gmail.com <mailto:smiles.conf@gmail.com> - ICDL conference website: https://icdl-2021.org/ <https://icdl-2021.org/> * WHAT+ (Short Description) On the one hand, models of sensorimotor interaction are embodied in the environment and in the interaction with other agents. On the other hand, recent Deep Learning development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) models allow to capture increasing language complexity (e.g. compositional representations, word embedding, long term dependencies). However, those NLP models are disembodied in the sense that they are learned from static datasets of text or speech. How can we bridge the gap from low-level sensorimotor interaction to high-level compositional symbolic communication? The SMILES workshop will address this issue through an interdisciplinary approach involving researchers from (but not limited to): - Sensori-motor learning, - Emergent communication in multi-agent systems, - Chunking of perceptuo-motor gestures (gestures in a general sense: motor, vocal, ...), - Sensori-motor learning, - Symbol grounding and symbol emergence, - Compositional representations for communication and action sequence, - Hierarchical representations of temporal information, - Language processing and acquisition in brains and machines, - Models of animal communication, - Language evolution, - Understanding composition and temporal processing in neural network models, and - Enaction, active perception, perception-action loop. SMILES workshop organisers - Xavier Hinaut, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Clément Moulin-Frier, Inria and Ensta ParisTech, Bordeaux, France - Silvia Pagliarini, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Michael Spranger, Sony AI and Sony CSL, Tokyo, Japan - Tadahiro Taniguchi, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan - Anne S. Warlaumont, University of California, Los Angeles, America - Junpei Zhong, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom Xavier Hinaut Inria Researcher (CR) Mnemosyne team, Inria LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives www.xavierhinaut.com <http://www.xavierhinaut.com/>

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Postdoc and PhD Positions in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience at UKE - Hamburg
by Stefano Panzeri 20 Aug '21

20 Aug '21

The Panzeri and Donner laboratories at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) aim to fill joint postdoc and PhD positions starting at any time. The vacant positions are for collaborative projects in computational cognitive neuroscience, and funding is available for several years. Applications will be reviewed when they are received until positions are filled. Both labs aim to understand how higher brain functions such as sensation, perception, decision-making, and memory, emerge from the interactions between brain areas and/or populations of neurons within these areas. These topics are studied in the healthy brain and in neuropsychiatric disorders, and they are addressed through a tight interplay between theoretical and experimental approaches. Joint ongoing work focuses on how feedforward and feedback communication across the cortical hierarchy, excitation-inhibition balance, and neuromodulatory processes, shape decision-making. The Panzeri Lab, newly established at UKE Hamburg, is a theoretical lab which develops advanced mathematical tools for brain data analysis, applies these methods to real data to produce new results on neural information processing, and develops biophysically plausible neural network models of how information is processed in the brain. The Donner lab is an experimental lab that combines pharmacological intervention, psychophysics, eye-tracking, and neuroimaging (MEG and fMRI) in human subjects with advanced data analysis and computational modeling tools to uncover signatures and mechanisms of cognitive computation. The new lab members will join existing teams with extensive expertise in both computational and experimental neuroscience. The new lab members will also benefit from both labs’ extensive international collaborations including Harvard Medical School, Italian Institute of Technology, Baylor College of Medicine, Cornell University, École Normale Supérieure, New York University, Pompeu Fabra University, University of Pennsylvania, SISSA and others. We seek applications from qualified individuals from all demographics, genders, and backgrounds. Both labs are committed to diversity, highly international, and operate in English. Hamburg is a vibrant, international, family-friendly, and green city. It hosts one of the world’s largest harbours, an internationally acclaimed concert hall, a large lake, and dozens of canals, lots of beautiful parks, and many other nice places for leisure time. The UKE also has excellent family-friendly facilities. Candidates should have a solid background in numerate sciences and a keen interest in applying advanced mathematical concepts to reveal the function of the brain. Experience in quantitative or computational neuroscience is a major plus. The main criterion, however, is a commitment to scientific excellence. Applications (full CV, statement of research interest and name and contact of 2 referees) should be sent to t.donner(a)uke.de , stefano.panzeri(a)gmail.com Further information on both labs can be found here: http://www.tobiasdonner.net https://www.uke.de/english/departments-institutes/institutes/department-of-… Recent relevant publications of the labs include: Pfeffer, T. et al (2021), Circuit mechanisms for the chemical modulation of cortex-wide network interactions and behavioral variability*. *Science Advances 7: eabf5620 Valente, M., et al (2021), Correlations enhance the behavioral readout of neural population activity in association cortex. Nature Neuroscience, 24, 975–986 Murphy P., et al (2021), Adaptive circuit dynamics across human cortex during evidence accumulation in changing environments. Nature Neuroscience 7: 987-997. Wilming N., et al (2020), Large-scale dynamics of decision information across human cortex. Nature Communications 11: 5109. Chong, E. et al (2020) Manipulating synthetic optogenetic odors reveals the coding logic of olfactory perception. Science 368, 1329. Runyan C. A., et al (2017) Distinct timescales of population coding across cortex, Nature: 548: 92-96. Stefano Panzeri, Professor of Neural Information Processing Tobias H. Donner, Professor of Integrative Neuroscience University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

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Faculty research fellowships ('tenure-track') available at the University of Nottingham
by Marcus Kaiser 19 Aug '21

19 Aug '21

Dear all, New recruitment round launched for Nottingham Research and Anne McLaren Fellowship schemes! Join a cohort of ambitious and exceptional early-career researchers. Generous funding, research expenses, childcare costs, leadership mentoring + more. We have two schemes, each offering the same package of support: - *Anne McLaren Fellowships* are aimed at outstanding female postdoctoral researchers in science, technology, engineering and medicine, who are at the early stage of their academic careers and wish to establish a research career in the UK - *Nottingham Research Fellowships* are aimed at outstanding postdoctoral researchers who are at the early stage of their academic careers from all academic disciplines represented at the university We offer: - three years’ independent research funding, covering salary costs at c. £40,000-49,000 - *the link to a permanent academic post, subject to performance* - additional funding for research expenses totalling £75,000 - childcare costs of up to £15,000 - access to mentoring, career development and networking with the wider fellowship community Find out more at: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/researchwithus/fellowships/nottingham… Nottingham “the home of MRI” offers an excellent environment for imaging ( https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/beacons-of-excellence/precision-imagi… and https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/spmic/index.aspx ), is pioneering the use of neurotechnology for brain disorders ( http://mindtech.org.uk/ ), hosts the Institute of Mental Health ( https://www.institutemh.org.uk ), and has a large group of faculty members including four full professors (Stephen Coombes, Mark van Rossum, Mark Humphries, Marcus Kaiser) in the area of computational/mathematical neuroscience. Please contact me if you want to find out more about how your research might fit in with our priorities of connectomics, brain stimulation, neurotechnology, neuroimaging, and computational/mathematical neuroscience. Best, Marcus -- *Marcus Kaiser, Ph.D. FRSB* @ConnectomeLab <https://twitter.com/ConnectomeLab> *Professor of Neuroinformatics* *Precision Imaging Beacon, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham* Guanci Visiting Professor Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China Book: Changing Connectomes https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/changing-connectomes Lab website: http://www.dynamic-connectome.org/ Neuroinformatics UK: http://www.neuroinformatics.org.uk/

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PhD position: Molecular basis of synaptic plasticity and consolidation
by Fauth, Michael 18 Aug '21

18 Aug '21

Apologies for cross-postings. The Institute of Biophysics at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen is looking to fill a Ph.D. position (German Salary Scale TV-L E13, 66% of 39.8 weekly hours) for 3 years to work on theoretical models of the molecular underpinnings of (structural) synaptic plasticity and consolidation. This post is designed to foster young researchers and give the successful applicant the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. The position should be filled by September 15th 2021 or soon thereafter. Suitable candidates should hold a Master in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science or comparable subjects, preferably with some additional experiences in Computational Neuroscience, Geometrical Modeling and Stochastic Processes. We expect excellent mathematical and coding skills (e.g., Python, Matlab, C++) as well as skills in scientific communication (including proficiency in English). The candidate should be curious, highly motivated, self-organized, and show a keen interest to work in a lively research team, collaborate with experimental research labs and to perform leading-edge research. The positions will be affiliated with the groups of Dr. Michael Fauth and Prof Florentin Wörgötter, who are investigating the emergence of stable behavior like memory and computation in the presence of a continuously changing biological substrate (see, e.g., Fauth & van Rossum, eLife, 2019; Bonilla-Quintana et al., Scientific Reports 2021). The aim of the research project is to model the dynamics of the synaptic scaffolding protein actin as well as its influence on synapse geometry during and after synaptic plasticity, exploring a possible molecular mechanism for the consolidation of synaptic changes. The project is embedded in and funded through the Collaborative Research Center 1286 “Quantitative Synaptology” (German Science Foundation). Consequently, the successful candidate will also be involved and pursue an active collaboration with experimental partners within the CRC. The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of neuroscience in Europe hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University and its Medical Center, the three life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Göttingen. For more information, consult the official announcement at https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/2794.html?cid=15701

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Call for papers: Symposium on Mathematics of Neuroscience
by Ruairidh McLennan Battleday 18 Aug '21

18 Aug '21

Symposium on the Mathematics of Neuroscience. ICNAAM, Rhodes, 20-26th September 2021. Two decades into the 21st century, can we claim to be any closer to a unified model of the brain? In this exploratory symposium, we invite submissions for short talks and posters presenting general mathematical models of brain function. We give priority to those models that account for brain or behavioural data, or provide simulations to that effect. The symposium will be held at the applied mathematics conference ICNAAM 2021, to be held virtually and in person on the island of Rhodes, Greece from the 20-26th of September 2021 (www.neuromonster.org) Submission is by 250-word abstract before the 30th August, sent to the organizers Prof Dan V. Nicolau Jr (dan.nicolau(a)qut.edu.au) and Dr Ruairidh M. Battleday ( battleday(a)princeton.edu) -- Dr. Ruairidh McLennan Battleday, BMBCh (Oxon) MA Cognitive Science Fellow Computational Cognitive Science Lab, Department of Computer Science Princeton University Department of Statistics St John's College University of Oxford

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Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging at UC Riverside
by Aaron Seitz 16 Aug '21

16 Aug '21

Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging in the UCR Psychology Department Tenure-Track Assistant Professor The Department of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position with a focus on Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging beginning July 1, 2022. We seek applicants who investigate individual differences, as well as diverse populations, in cognitive and neural mechanisms of aging. We are particularly interested in candidates whose research will benefit from the social, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of Southern California’s aging population. Specific topics of research can address any area of cognitive psychology that will add to or complement our existing research specializations in perception, action, learning, memory, language, and experience-driven change. We are further interested in candidates whose research includes quantitative methods such as computational neuroscience; uses neuroimaging methodologies; makes connections between human, animal, and computational perspectives of cognition; and/or makes connections with the Developmental, Social/Personality, and/or Behavioral Neuroscience areas of the Department. Applicants should be committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, and interest in teaching courses related to cognitive neuroscience, aging, cognition, and quantitative methods is desirable. Review of applications will begin on 11/15/2021 and will continue until the position is filled. Candidates who apply by this date will be given full consideration. The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate and graduate student body (http://diversity.ucr.edu/)<http://diversity.ucr.edu/>. 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 department is particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for underrepresented students. The campus is surrounded by mountain ranges and is only an hour away from ski slopes, surfing, and hiking in mountain and desert environments. It boasts a fully-accredited child care facility and maintains a commitment to “family friendly” policies and programs. A Ph.D. in psychology, neuroscience or a related discipline is required at the time of appointment, and relevant postdoctoral experience and significant publications are expected. Salary level will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Advancement through the faculty ranks at the University of California is through a series of structured, merit-based evaluations, occurring every 2-3 years, each of which includes substantial peer input. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vita, statements of research and teaching interests, reprints and preprints, a statement of contributions to diversity, and three letters of recommendation. All application materials must be submitted through AP Recruit at: https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/apply/JPF01442. For more information about the position, please contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Aaron Seitz, Department of Psychology, at aseitz(a)ucr.edu<mailto:aseitz@ucr.edu>. UCR is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate 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 candidates 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. -Aaron ************************************************** Aaron Seitz, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Director of UCR Brain Game Center Director of UCR Aging Initiative Campbell Endowed Term Chair for Research Excellence and Undergraduate Research Mentoring 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/> **************************************************

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Call For Participation - Workshop on Spatio-temporal Aspects of Embodied Predictive Processing - StEPP @ ICDL2021 - 22.08.2021
by Stefan Heinrich 15 Aug '21

15 Aug '21

Call For Participation - Workshop on Spatio-temporal Aspects of Embodied Predictive Processing - StEPP @ IEEE ICDL2021 Schedule and Venue Date: 22. August 2021, 13:30-18:00h (GMT+8) Location: Online (Details will be announced on the website) All details and full schedule: https://sites.google.com/view/stepp21 Aims and Scope: Understanding human intelligence and building strong AI systems is a key challenge for our generation. A particularly puzzling aspect is that the human brain seems to cope very well with the highly variable and uncertain nature of perception and action, regarding both their signal characteristic and how they extend over time. Furthermore, it seems apparent that the information processing in the brain always involves previous bodily experiences and all our senses, thus is embodied and crossmodal. For explaining these characteristics, there are strong accounts that the brain is constantly predicting sensory input and feedback while minimising free energy in the prediction and is hierarchically abstracting the perception as well as hierarchically composing action. Furthermore, it is also hypothesised that mechanistic priors in the brain’s information processing induce a failure of hierarchical inference in the brain, accounting for atypical perception and action of psychiatric disorders. For example, some brains might have developed to focus too strongly on current sensory input while others might focus too strongly on memorised previous experience. A typically developed brain, in contrast, would show a fine balance compared to these two extreme priors. The big open mystery is: how is the brain developing this on a mechanistic level and thus how can this get learned within an AI system? Thus, to lift this mystery, we further need to bring together research from computational neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and artificial intelligence. With this workshop, we particularly want to wrap up different recent hypotheses, models, and experiments and discuss in-depth how to shape future imaging, behavioural, and developmental robotics studies as a complement to computational modelling and bio-inspired artificial intelligent algorithms. As a guiding theme, we aim to approach the following central questions: - How does the brain learn spatio-temporal stochasticity in perception and action? - What is the role of priors in learning spatio-temporal adaptive prediction? - How can developmental robotics help us to study spatio-temporal stochasticity as an analogy to infant learning? We examine these questions with the insight from invited key speakers from complementary fields as well as original contributions in breakout sessions in order to conclude the next steps within a panel discussion. Keynotes/Panellists and topics: - Jun Tani, Cognitive Neurorobotics, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) An analysis of meta-level cognitive processes of a variational recurrent neural network model when acting with the environment. - Marcel van Gerven, Artificial Cognitive Systems, Donders Institute, Radboud University How can the brain match the unreasonable effectiveness of backpropagation? - Takuya Isomura, Brain Intelligence Theory, RIKEN Center for Brain Science Reverse engineering Bayesian aspect of canonical neural networks. - Takamitsu Watanabe, Brain Network Dynamics, International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN), The University of Tokyo Global and local brain dynamics underlying typical and atypical human intelligence. Organisers: Stefan Heinrich, IRCN, The University of Tokyo, Japan Shingo Murata, Dept. Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, Japan Yukie Nagai, IRCN & Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Japan Yuichi Yamashita, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan -- ************************************************************* Dr. Stefan Heinrich Postdoctoral Project Researcher Cognitive Developmental Robotics Lab The University of Tokyo, Institutes for Advanced Studies, International Research Center for Neurointelligence Email: heinrich.stefan(a)ircn.jp https://developmental-robotics.jp/en/members/stefan_heinrich/ https://ircn.jp/en/ https://stefanheinrich.net/ *************************************************************

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[jobs] Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence Sheffield Hallam University - College of Business, Technology and Engineering - Department of Computing
by Di Nuovo, Alessandro 13 Aug '21

13 Aug '21

Closing date 22/08/21 at 23:30 We are seeking an outstanding individual who can make a strong academic contribution in Cognitive Computing and Intelligent Systems. You will join a large and vibrant Computing Department that is engaged in both teaching and research. The teaching and research activities in Computing are consistent with the University aims of being the leading applied university in the UK and deliver practical knowledge, skills and solutions that meet the needs of employers and society. Your main duties and responsibilities will include: * Design, develop and deliver teaching across a wide range of modules and within artificial intelligence. * Contribute to the research and innovation in artificial intelligence by publishing high-quality outputs, applying for funding, and undertaking knowledge transfer projects. We would be particularly interested in any candidate with experience of artificial intelligence and robotics. You must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and possess excellent communication skills. Teaching experience at undergraduate level, is essential, including developing excellent teaching materials and assessments, delivering lectures and tutorials, supervising dissertations as well as assessing and marking student work. It is expected that the successful candidate will contribute to module and course developments, and therefore having knowledge and experience of course development would be beneficial. An excellent research record and reputation, including publications of the highest quality suitable for submission to the REF (UK Research Excellence Framework), would be advantageous. Applications from people with strong backgrounds in cognitive computing and experience of programming in Python, C++, ROS and Tensorflow (or similar) would also be desirable. More information: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CIE152/lecturer-senior-lecturer-in-artificial-in… Alessandro Di Nuovo, PhD Professor of Machine Intelligence Leader of Technological and Digital Innovations, Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre College of Business, Technology and Engineering Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom Email: a.dinuovo(a)shu.ac.uk<mailto:a.dinuovo@shu.ac.uk>

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2nd SMILES workshop, Aug 31st: Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols
by Xavier Hinaut 13 Aug '21

13 Aug '21

* WHAT The SMILES workshop is about Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols (SMILES). It is a satellite event from the ICDL 2020 (International Conference on Developmental Learning). * WHEN Tuesday 31st of August 2021. Planned schedule (it might change): 9am - 8.30pm CEST (UTC+2). * WHERE Online event on Zoom. (Link sent to registered people the day before, see LINKS section) * WHO 8 Invited speakers from multiple fields: neurolinguistics, speech communication, language evolution, developmental science, social robotics, computational neuroscience, language acquisition. - Morten Christiansen, Cornell University, NY, USA & Aarhus University, Denmark - Kaya de Barbaro, University of CaliforniaSan Diego, USA - Cynthia Matuszek, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA - Yair Lakretz, NeuroSpin Center, Gif sur Yvette, France - Harm Brouwer, Saarland University, Germany - Jean-Luc Schwartz, Gipsa lab, Grenoble-Alpes University, France - Daniel Dor, Tel Aviv University, Israel - Lauren Emberson, University of British Columbia, Canada * LINKS - ** Website **: https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/home - ** Registration is free but mandatory **: https://forms.gle/tyvMdbb8UJFyXZky8 - Contact: smiles.conf(a)gmail.com - ICDL conference website: https://icdl-2021.org/ * WHAT+ (Short Description) On the one hand, models of sensorimotor interaction are embodied in the environment and in the interaction with other agents. On the other hand, recent Deep Learning development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) models allow to capture increasing language complexity (e.g. compositional representations, word embedding, long term dependencies). However, those NLP models are disembodied in the sense that they are learned from static datasets of text or speech. How can we bridge the gap from low-level sensorimotor interaction to high-level compositional symbolic communication? The SMILES workshop will address this issue through an interdisciplinary approach involving researchers from (but not limited to): - Sensori-motor learning, - Emergent communication in multi-agent systems, - Chunking of perceptuo-motor gestures (gestures in a general sense: motor, vocal, ...), - Sensori-motor learning, - Symbol grounding and symbol emergence, - Compositional representations for communication and action sequence, - Hierarchical representations of temporal information, - Language processing and acquisition in brains and machines, - Models of animal communication, - Language evolution, - Understanding composition and temporal processing in neural network models, and - Enaction, active perception, perception-action loop. SMILES workshop organisers - Xavier Hinaut, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Clément Moulin-Frier, Inria and Ensta ParisTech, Bordeaux, France - Silvia Pagliarini, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Michael Spranger, Sony AI and Sony CSL, Tokyo, Japan - Tadahiro Taniguchi, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan - Anne S. Warlaumont, University of California, Los Angeles, America - Junpei Zhong, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom Xavier Hinaut Inria Researcher (CR) Mnemosyne team, Inria LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives www.xavierhinaut.com

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WU TSAI POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS Phase II: Call for Applicants
by Gustavo Santana 13 Aug '21

13 Aug '21

The Wu Tsai Institute (WTI) is a new neuroscience institute at Yale that seeks to understand human cognition and explore human potential by establishing an inclusive and interdisciplinary community spanning the biological, psychological, and computational sciences. People, collaborations, and diverse perspectives are at the heart of WTI’s mission. To this end, we are announcing a new postdoctoral fellowship program to attract and foster the career success of a new generation of integrative scientists. The fellowships offer a generous stipend ($60K starting) for up to 3 years, funds for training, cohort-based professional development and community-building activities, and access to cutting edge facilities in the new Wu Tsai Institute (WTI) at Yale, dedicated to integrative studies of the mind. International applicants are welcome. We encourage applications from scientists from backgrounds historically underrepresented in science and/or who have a demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. The call features four co-mentored areas of research, carefully selected for the mentors' outstanding interdisciplinary research and the labs' inclusive and supportive training environments. Students from this listserv may be especially interested in working with Drs. David van Dijk and Jessica Cardin, who are interested in mentoring someone with a background in computer science, applied math, computational biology, or other engineering discipline, and experience working with large datasets for the development of cutting-edge machine learning methods for newly developed large-scale brain imaging techniques. Candidates who are interested in joining the WTI, but who have other research interests are also welcome to apply to our Open-Track, to join any of the almost 100 labs affiliated with the WTI. The deadline for applications is September 15. You can find more information and application instructions here: https://bit.ly/WTIPostdocFellows Best, Gustavo Madeira Santana PhD Student @ Yale @gumadeiras

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CFP - IEEE Symposium on Computational Intelligence for Brain Computer Interfaces (4-7 Dec 2021)
by Chun-Shu Wei 10 Aug '21

10 Aug '21

The IEEE Symposium on the Computational Intelligence for Brain Computer Interfaces (CIBCI) will be held in Orlando, Florida at IEEE SSCI 2021 on 4-7 December 2021. A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a communication pathway for a user to interact with his/her surroundings by using brain signals, which contain information about the user’s cognitive state or intentions. The brain signals could be non-invasive, e.g., the scalp electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and invasive, e.g., electrocorticography (ECoG). Early BCI systems were mainly used to help people with disabilities. For example, motor imagery based BCIs have been used to help severely paralyzed patients to control powered exoskeletons or wheelchairs without the involvement of muscles, and event related potential spellers enable patients who cannot move nor speak to type. Recently, the application scope of BCIs has been extended to able-bodied people. However, there are still many challenges in the transition of BCIs from laboratory settings to real-life applications, including the reliability and convenience of the sensing hardware, and the availability of high-performance and robust algorithms for signal analysis and interpretation. This symposium focuses on the latter. It will discuss how advances in computational intelligence can facilitate BCI signal processing, feature extraction, and pattern recognition, in order to make them more robustness and reliability in everyday applications. Research Topics Topics of interest include but are not limited to: Potential impact of AI/CI on the human workforce and distribution of wealth Potential impact of AI/CI on privacy Possible bias in AI/CI systems (e.g. can a deep neural network trained to detect lying from spoken language be more likely to get a false positive result for one racial group more than another) Safety of AI/CI systems embedded in autonomous and automated systems (e.g. autonomous vehicles, nuclear power plant control systems) Human-machine Trust and Risk in AI/CI Systems Ethics of AI/CI systems in business, economics or manufacturing Specific applications of AI/CI and the potential ethical/social benefits and risks (e.g. Marking of student assignments, assessment of legal documents, automated decision making in the stock market, medical research) Legal implications of AI/CI (e.g. legal liabilities when things go wrong; how do you certify systems that can ‘learn’ from their environment etc.) Need and direction for developing formal standards in ethics for AI/CI Public perception of AI/CI Impact of AI/CI on human cognition and social relatedness Role of AI/CI in politics and in manipulating public opinion Ethics and Legal implications of use of AI/CI in National Security Ethics in games and virtual reality Important Dates Paper Submissions: August 20th 2021 Paper Acceptance: October 1st 2021 Camera ready Paper: October 15th 2021 Early Registration: October 15th 2021 Conference dates: December 4th to 7th 2021 Paper Submission Each paper should be between 6 to 8 pages, including figures, tables and references. A maximum of two extra pages per paper is allowed (i.e., up to 10 pages), at an additional charge of US$100 per extra page. All papers should be submitted using the IEEE two-column conference style file. All papers must be submitted through the IEEE SSCI 2021 online submission system which will open in April 2021. Authors will need to select the symposium they wish to submit to from the dropdown list of research areas in the submission system. Program Committee Yu-Kai (YK) Wang (Chair), University of Technology Sydney, Australia Gang Li (Co-Chair), University of Glasgow, UK Fani Deligianni (Co-Chair), University of Glasgow, UK Chun-Shu Wei (Co-Chair), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan Boon Giin, Lee, University of Nottingham Ningbo China Trung-Hau Nguyen, Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam Dalin Yang, Pusan National University, South Korea Ogechi Onuoha, University of Glasgow, UK Fu-Yin Cherng, National Taiwan University, Taiwan Poyuan Jeng, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan Kuan-Jung Chiang, University of California San Diego, USA Tien-Thong Nguyen Do, University of Technology Sydney, AU Fred Chang, University of Technology Sydney, AU About SSCI IEEE SSCI is an established flagship annual international series of symposia on computational intelligence sponsored by the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society. IEEE SSCI 2021 promotes and stimulates discussion on the latest theory, algorithms, applications and emerging topics on computational intelligence across several unique symposia, providing an opportunity for cross-fertilization of research and future collaborations. IEEE SSCI 2021 will feature exciting keynotes, panel discussions, oral presentations and social events. COVID-19 The organizers are carefully monitoring the current situation concerning COVID-19 and will Provide regular up-to-date information regarding the conference format. At this stage the conference is planned to take place in Orlando, Florida from 4th to the 7th of December 2021. The next review of the conference format will be in April 2021. Please check the website for more information IEEE SSCI 2021. Policy on Multiple Submissions IEEE SSCI 2021 will not accept any paper that is under review, has been accepted, or has been published in any other venue at the time of submission or during the review process of IEEE SSCI 2021. If in doubt, email your question to the Program Chairs, Prof. Alice Smith at smithae(a)auburn.edu or Prof. Carlos Coello at carlos.coellocoello(a)gmail.com. Review Process Each paper submitted to IEEE SSCI 2021 will receive at least three reviews. The paper will be assessed based on originality, significance, adherence to the scientific method, correctness, clarity and quality of scientific presentation. The decision made on the paper by the Program Chairs is final. Submission and Registration Restrictions There are no restrictions on the number of papers submitted by a single author. However, each accepted paper must have at least one of its authors with a full registration to the conference. A full registration covers up to two accepted papers. Archiving policy IEEE allows authors to have their paper appears in a public archive such as Techrxiv (https://www.techrxiv.org/) or Arxiv (https://arxiv.org/) The PSPB Operations Manual (www.ieee.org/documents/opsmanual.pdf) contains the policies related to posting of preprints of articles submitted to IEEE publications. Copyright All accepted papers at IEEE SSCI 2021 will be published in the IEEE SSCI 2021 proceedings, copyrighted by IEEE. Dr Yu-Kai Wang, Dr Gang Li, Dr Fani Deligianni, Dr. Chun-Shu Wei

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NeuroML tutorials at INCF Training week: 23/26 August 2021
by Ankur Sinha 09 Aug '21

09 Aug '21

Dear all, Apologies for the cross posts. We will be conducting a NeuroML tutorial at the upcoming INCF training week at the end of August. This tutorial is intended for members of the research community interested in learning more about how NeuroML and its related technologies facilitates the standardization, sharing, and collaborative development of models. This tutorial will be offered twice during the Neuroinformatics Training Week: session 1 is targeted to participants residing in Europe, Africa, and the Americas while session 2 is targeted at participants residing in Asia and Australia. Session 1: 23 Aug 2021, 11:00-15:00 EDT / 17:00-21:00 CEST Session 2: 26 Aug 2021, 09:00-13:00 CEST / 16:00-20:00 JST / 17:00-21:00 AEST Registration is free for INCF members. For non-members, registration is only $20 for students and postdocs, and $50 for others. Please register here: https://www.incf.org/virtual-incf-neuroinformatics-training-week-2021 More information on the tutorial, including the topics to be covered can be found here: https://docs.neuroml.org/Events/202108-INCF-Training-Week.html -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) Research Fellow at the Silver Lab | http://silverlab.org/ Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, & Pharmacology University College London, London, UK Time zone: Europe/London

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Job research software engineer @ SWC/GCNU
by Joaquin Rapela 09 Aug '21

09 Aug '21

Hello list, I am the first member of the newly established Data Center of the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit (GCNU) and Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC). The GCNU develops state-of-the-art neural data analysis and machine learning algorithms. The SWC performs sophisticated neuroscience experiments, and records unprecedented behavioral and neural data. Combining these data analysis methods and these behavioral and neural recordings we will revolutionize our understanding of how computation in neural circuits gives rise to behavior. The Data Center is growing and is looking for a research engineer; details appear below. Please contact Tom Mrsic-Flogel (https://www.sainsburywellcome.org/web/people/tom-mrsic-flogel) director of the SWC, or send me an email, if you have any question about this position. Cordially, Joaquin RESEARCH SOFTWARE ENGINEER - BEHAVIOUR AND NEURAL DATA The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre and the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit are looking for a proactive and creative Research Software Engineer to join the technical team in a newly established Data Centre. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in establishing data architectures and data processing pipelines for efficient querying of complex, large-scale and multi-format datasets of neural and behavioural data. Your work will directly contribute to our efforts to understand how the brain generates flexible, intelligent behaviour. The role will include developing, training and supervising a small team of research engineers to assist with the implementation of the software design and documentation. You will have a collaborative approach to work and the ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues to deliver successful research outcomes. Working alongside our IT team, you will create data management workflows for internal users and for sharing of data with the international research community. You will work closely with neuroscientists, electrical and mechanical engineers to design large-scale data collection, analysis and interactive visualization systems for next generation brain data. You will have advanced experience with systems programming languages and substantial experience in Python, NumPy or MATLAB. Substantial experience and knowledge of software development best practice including testing, documentation and version control is essential. With a competitive salary and benefits, this post is full time and funded until 31 October 2025 in the first instance. For further details download the information for candidates (https://www.sainsburywellcome.org/web/sites/default/files/2021-07/Job%20Des…) To apply visit UCL's vacancy listings and search for the advert using reference number 1877608. Click on "Apply Now" at the bottom of the advert to enter the online recruitment portal. The deadline for applications is Sunday 22 August 2021.

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Open PhD Position in Computational Neurosience in Juelich, Germany - Generic metadata management for reproducible high-performance-computing simulation workflows
by Martina Reske 06 Aug '21

06 Aug '21

The Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine - Computational and Systems Neuroscience (INM-6) at Research Center Juelich is also part of the Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6, Theoretical Neuroscience) and hosts the Coordination Site (BCOS) of the national Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience. Among other projects, the INM-6/IAS-6 participates in the EU flagship “Human Brain Project” (HBP, https://humanbrainproject.eu) The institute creates mathematical models of the dynamics and function of neural circuits. This includes model-driven analysis of brain activity and structure, and simulation of biologically realistic models using high-performance computing (HPC) technology. A main challenge in this research field is the acquisition and organization of the metadata accompanying these simulations. This challenge will be addressed in an interdisciplinary project in Neuroscience and Environmental Research funded by the Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC, https://helmholtz-metadaten.de) The recently started project “Generic metadata management for reproducible high-performance-computing simulation workflows” aims at developing a generic, cross-domain metadata management framework to foster reproducibility of HPC based simulation science, and to provide workflows and tools for an efficient organization, exploration and visualization of simulation data. A central goal of this project is to unify existing approaches, while at the same time developing concepts and tools that are applicable to diverse research fields and can cope with the modularity and flexibility demands of rapidly progressing science. This project is a collaboration between the Research Centre Jülich and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig. We at INM-6 are searching for a PhD candidate contributing to the development of a metadata management framework for generic HPC-based simulation science and in particular its application to the research field Computational Neuroscience. We are offering a PhD Position - Generic metadata management for reproducible high-performance-computing simulation workflows Your Job: The successful candidate will contribute to the project by designing, implementing, and evaluating a metadata management framework for a Computational Neuroscience use case. This includes: * Review of existing approaches and tools * Requirement specification * Conceptual design blueprint of implementation * Proof-of-concept application to Computational Neuroscience * Development of neuronal network models addressing Neuroscience questions * Simulations of neuronal networks using HPC infrastructure * Presentation and publication of the results * Close interaction with team members and collaborators from INM-6, the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ * Exchange and networking within national (NFDI) and international (RDA, EOSC) initiatives and within the funding incubator platform HMC Your Profile: * Completed study (Diploma/Master) in Physics, Computer Science, Computational Neuroscience or a related field * Solid programming skills preferably in Python and/or C++; experience with Python libraries (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, and pandas) is beneficial * Experience with software development (e.g., version control with Git) and data organization (e.g., data bases with SQL and MySQL) is preferable * Knowledge of relevant metadata standards and semantic techniques are beneficial * Experience with modeling, simulation, and analysis of complex systems * Keen interest in cognitive and systems neuroscience * Interest in interdisciplinary projects * Interest in collaborative work and good communication skills * Good command of English Our Offer: We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We offer ideal conditions for you to complete your doctoral degree: * A highly motivated working group as well as an international and interdisciplinary working environment at one of Europe’s largest research establishments * Outstanding scientific and technical infrastructure * Opportunity to participate in (international) conferences and project meetings * Continuous scientific mentoring by your scientific advisor * Flexible working hours and 30 days of annual leave * Further development of your personal strengths, e.g. through an extensive range of training courses; a structured program of continuing education and networking opportunities specifically for doctoral researchers via JuDocS, the Jülich Center for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors: https://www.fz-juelich.de/judocs * Targeted services for international employees, e.g. through our International Advisory Service The position is initially for a fixed term of 3 Jahre years. Pay in line with 65 % of pay group 13 of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund) and additionally 60 % of a monthly salary as special payment („Christmas bonus“). Further information on doctoral degrees at Forschungszentrum Jülich including our other locations is available at: www.fz-juelich.de/gp/Careers_Docs<http://www.fz-juelich.de/gp/Careers_Docs> Forschungszentrum Jülich promotes equal opportunities and diversity in its employment relations. We also welcome applications from disabled persons. Please apply via our online recruiting system<https://www.fz-juelich.de/portal/EN/Careers/application/_node.html?cms_hre_…> until Sept 15th, 2021. Reference number: 2021D-107 Martina Reske -- Dr. Martina Reske Scientific Coordinator Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) Computational and Systems Neuroscience & Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Theoretical Neuroscience Jülich Research Centre and JARA Jülich, Germany Work +49.2461.611916 Work Cell +49.151.26156918 Fax +49.2461.619460 www.csn.fz-juelich.de<http://www.csn.fz-juelich.de> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Volker Rieke Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Dr. Astrid Lambrecht, Prof. Dr. Frauke Melchior ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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„Bridging grant” from the German Society for Cognitive Science (GK) for BA-, MA- and PhD students
by Constantin Rothkopf 06 Aug '21

06 Aug '21

„Bridging grant” from the German Society for Cognitive Science (GK) for Bachelor, Master and PhD students The German Society for Cognitive Science (GK) would like to support students who find themselves in a difficult (emergency) situation caused by the Corona pandemic with a bridging grant. The grant consists of funding for a maximum of three months á 500 € per month. The GK is able to offer six to eight grants. The grant is meant as financial support allowing to finish the respective degree (Bachelor or Master) or providing some financial relief during an important PhD thesis phase (e.g. finishing a paper). The selection will be done by the members of the steering committee of the German Society for Cognitive Science (GK). The committee will consider all emergency cases as long as they have been caused by the Corona pandemic within the context of the studies and/or doctoral programme and are sufficiently substantiated with proof. Target group: The funding is intended for students who are enrolled and/or registered in a German university. In particular, only the following persons are eligible for funding: (1) Bachelor or Master students in subjects belonging to Cognitive Science (e.g. Cognitive Science, Philosophy, Psychology, CS, AI, Linguistics, Neuroscience) who, ideally, will be able to graduate soon, and (2) PhD students registered in one of the subjects belonging to Cognitive Science who are working on a cognitive science project. Persons who already received a bridging grant from the GK are not eligible to apply. Paradigmatic cases: A student pursuing a Master degree has fallen behind with their master thesis because due to the Corona-pandemic there was no constant childcare. The funding could be used to pay for a privately organised childcare. Or a PhD student could not finish his or her dissertation because data acquisition was delayed due to reduced lab capacities. The funding could be used to cover living expenses after the contract has expired. Application and Proof: Please submit: - a statement comprehensibly describing applicant’s situation (cases with evidence are preferred) and indicating the use of the funding. - Bachelor and Master students: -- Enrollment confirmation and transcript of record -- A letter from the faculty’s/program’s advisor confirming the regular continuation of studies, anticipated graduation (within the winter term 2021/2022) - PhD students: -- A short statement from the first supervisor roughly sketching the cognitive science related project and describing the project’s progress. The application shall be emailed with the subject „Application Bridging Grant“ to the following email: Chair of the GK, Prof. Dr. Barbara Kaup, barbara.kaup(a)uni-tuebingen.de; Application deadline: 15.10.2021 -- Prof. Constantin A. Rothkopf, PhD http://www.cogsci.tu-darmstadt.de/ http://www.pip.tu-darmstadt.de/ https://hessian.ai/ https://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~rothkopf/

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Summer School on Network and Control Sciences for Psychiatry
by Jasper Bischofberger 06 Aug '21

06 Aug '21

Dear all, We are happy to announce a Summer School on “Current and Future Applications of Network and Control Sciences for Psychiatry” Host Institution: *University of Tübingen, Germany* Location: *Online event* Dates: *September 29th – October 1st 2021* Abstract deadline: *September 1st, 2021* Registration fees: *free* *Focus* This Summer School gives an opportunity to students and young researchers to get acquainted with and exchange within a range of current topics in network and control sciences and its applications in Psychiatry. ____ *Keynotes* Peter Dayan (MPI Tübingen, Germany) John Medaglia (Drexel University, USA) Danielle S. Bassett (University of Pennsylvania, USA) For the full list of speakers visit: https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/de/summer-school-controlpsychiatry/spe… ____ *Registration* The summer school is free of charge for all participants, but to get all important information please register online via: https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/de/summer-school-controlpsychiatry ____ *Poster Submission* Participants can present their latest research results as a poster. Some of the most relevant submissions will have the possibility to present their work in a dedicated oral session and receive an official certificate. Please submit your abstract (limited to 250 words) latest by September 1st to: controlpsychiatry(a)med.uni-tuebingen.de ____ Questions? Please contact: controlpsychiatry(a)med.uni-tuebingen.de We are excited to see you soon! Best wishes, The organizing committee

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Job Openings: Research Assistant Professor (3 vacancies) at Hong Kong Baptist University
by COMP HKBU 05 Aug '21

05 Aug '21

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 positions. Research Assistant Professor in Computer Science (3 vacancies) (PR0166/19-20) The positions are created and funded as part of the strategic research development initiatives in the Department. The appointees will be provided with a conducive research environment, and will work within an established group of faculty in the Department. They are also expected to perform group-based high-impact research and to undertake some teaching duties. 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 one of the Department's key research areas: (i) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; (ii) Big Data and Data Management; (iii) Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition; and (iv) Distributed Systems and Networking. These key research areas have a special thematic focus on (a) Health Informatics and (b) Security and Privacy-aware Computing related applications. Initial appointment will be made on a fixed-term contract of two to three years. Re-appointment thereafter is 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 on its website at https://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk <http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk/>. *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. Those 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 post advertised, and appointment will be made according to the terms and conditions then applicable at the time of offer. Closing date: *Review of applications is on-going until the positions are filled.* URL: http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk/v1/?page=job_vacancies&id=540

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Postdoc position in theoretical neuroscience, Aljadeff lab at UCSD
by Johnatan (Yonatan) Aljadeff 04 Aug '21

04 Aug '21

Johnatan Aljadeff is recruiting a motivated postdoc to join his lab at UCSD, to investigate theoretical models of synaptic plasticity and learning of spatial representations. The CRCNS project is funded for a 4-year period, and is conducted in close collaboration with Nachum Ulanovsky's lab at the Weizmann Institute. The ideal candidate will have a quantitative background (math / physics / CS / EE / comp. neuro., etc.). Prior experience working on problems in neuroscience is welcome but not required. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter (incl. brief statement of research interests and possible start dates), curriculum vitae, and arrange for two reference letters to be sent on their behalf. Materials should be sent to aljadeff(a)ucsd.edu. Informal inquiries about details of the project and the position are encouraged. Application reviews will begin Sep. 15, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled.

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Seeking Scientific Software Engineer @ Tübingen
by Peter Dayan 04 Aug '21

04 Aug '21

My lab at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, is looking to hire a Scientific Software Engineer. We build and test theories and computational models of neural processing, with a particular emphasis on decision-making, learning and representation. We are therefore looking for someone with excellent skills and experience in programming and data analysis to help us develop, test and implement scientific software across our interdisciplinary projects. Full details at: https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/577071/scientific-software-engineer1?c=702… Preference will be given to applications received by September 10th, 2021. The Max Planck Society endeavours to employ more severely handicapped people. Applications of severely disabled persons are expressly desired. The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds.

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PhD position with Prof. Laurenz Wiskott at the Institute for Neural Computation, Bochum, Germany
by Laurenz Wiskott 02 Aug '21

02 Aug '21

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum is one of the leading research universities. The university draws its strengths from both the diversity and the proximity of scientific and engineering disciplines on a single, coherent campus. This highly dynamic setting enables students and researchers to work across traditional boundaries of academic subjects and faculties. One particular strength of RUB is interdisciplinary research in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, see https://ml-ai.rub.de/. The Institute for Neural Computation is a central research institute, see https://www.ini.rub.de/. It focuses on the dynamics and learning of perception and behavior on a functional level but is otherwise very diverse, ranging from neurophysiology and psychophysics over computational neuroscience to machine learning and technical applications. There is an open position for a research assistant / Phd-student in the group „Theory of Neural Systems“ of Prof. Dr. Laurenz Wiskott to be filled at 15th of Septembert. The appointment will be for three years. Salary is 75% of salary scale TV-L E13. Task: • Develop a generative model for learning high-level representations of images that ideally should include visual invariances, should enable attention driven selection, and support classification of objects. A promising basis for the development is the vector quantizes variational autoencoder (VQ-VAE). The system will be developed with methods from machine learning but should integrate well into a system-level model of episodic memory. • Present results on conferences and publish them in journals of machine learning or computational neuroscience. • Teaching assistance for 3 semester hours per week. • Constructive contributions to the research group. We offer: • An interesting interdisciplinary environment in the field of Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence / Computational Neuroscience. • Room to develop your own ideas in the project. • Infrastructure to integrate well into the institute and the group. • Opportunity to do a PhD (Dr). Applications (CV, transcript of records for MSc and BSc, statement of purpose) should be sent as a single pdf file to laurenz.wiskott(a)rub.de. Travel expenses for interviews will not be refunded. Ruhr-University Bochum is committed to equal opportunity in employment and gender equality in its working environment. We therefore look forward to applications from qualified women. Applications from appropriately qualified handicapped persons are also encouraged. Requirements: • Very good Master in mathematics, computer science, engineering, or a related field. • Good programming and mathematical skills. • Interest in interdisciplinary research questions and cooperations. Advantageous: • Experience in Machine Learning and/or Computational Neuroscience. • Good communication and teamwork skills. • Experience in interdisciplinary projects. • Programming skills in Python.

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Post doc in cognitive neuroscience/virtual reality research at University College London (movement trajectories, wearable MEG, human behaviour under threat, PI Dominik Bach)
by Dominik R. Bach 02 Aug '21

02 Aug '21

We are looking for a research fellow in an ERC-funded research project "Action selection under threat - the complex control of human defence" led by Dominik Bach (http://bachlab.org <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbachlab.or…>) at University College London. The position will be based at the Max-Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry (https://www.mps-ucl-centre.mpg.de/en <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mps-u…>). OPM-MEG research takes place at the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/ <http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/>). Our immersive virtual reality lab is based at the UCL Department for Clinical and Movement Neuroscience. These places offer world-class training and networking opportunities and an intellectually vibrant and inspiring research culture. The overarching goal of the project is to understand the computational algorithms of decision-making under acute, immediate threat. We investigate this in an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment, in which people can move to avoid a large number of different threats. The candidate will design and perform human behavioural experiments and analyse movement trajectories. They will also develop and perform MEG experiments using wearable sensors (OPM). The role requires a good understanding of human VR experimentation as well as an interest in using wearable MEG. The interdisciplinary project team is composed of VR experts, psychologists, movement scientists, and decision theorists, and we are looking for an individual who enjoys working in a team environment. Within the topical focus, the project offers freedom to explore and develop novel experimental manipulations that allow inference on the mechanisms of decision-making and action selection. Successful applicants will have an established track record of experimental human research using virtual reality or OPMs, and a strong interest in combining both. They will have a PhD in cognitive-computational (neuro)science, applied machine-learning, motor science, a quantitative field of psychology (e.g. decision-making, perception), or a related area by the agreed start date of the position. They will be keen to solve technical challenges. We are looking for an individual who is strongly motivated to pursue an academic career and is excited by the opportunities for personal and career development this position can provide. The post is available from October 2021 and funded for up to 3 years with initial appointment for 1 year. Starting salary is on UCL grade 7, ranging from £36,028 to £43,533 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance, superannuable. More information and access to the UCL online application portal: https://is.gd/sOiFPc <https://is.gd/sOiFPc> Please contact d.bach(a)ucl.ac.uk <mailto:d.bach@ucl.ac.uk> for any queries about the project or role. *Closing date: 24 August (tbc)* Interviews will be held remotely in late August/early September. Apologies for cross-posting. -- ----------------------- Dominik R Bach MBBS PhD Principal Research Fellow Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London bachlab.org | @bachlab_cog

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