November 2024 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

COSYNE 2025: Travel grants; Registration is open
by Tomas Hromadka Nov. 12, 2024

Nov. 12, 2024

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2025 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 27 March - 30 March 2025 Montreal, Canada WORKSHOPS 31 March - 01 April 2025 Mont-Tremblant, Canada www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Registration is now open. Travel grants applications are now open. Travel grant applications deadlines: *06 December 2024, 11.59PM PST (Undergraduate Travel Grant)* 06 January 2025, 11.59PM PST (Other travel grants) ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE MEETING & WORKSHOPS ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks is selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural basis of behavior, sensory and motor systems, circuitry, learning, neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, neuromodulation, and computation with spiking networks. Participants include pure experimentalists, pure theorists, and everything in between. ---------------------------------------------------- TRAVEL GRANTS ---------------------------------------------------- Applications are now open for travel grants to attend the conference. Each awardee will receive at least $500 to help offset the costs of travel, registration, and accommodations. Larger grants may be available to those traveling from outside North America or having other declared needs. Special consideration is given to scientists who have not previously attended the meeting, under-represented minorities, students who are attending the meeting together with a mentor, undergraduate students, and authors of submitted Cosyne abstracts. We currently offer five travel grant programs for New Attendees, Presenters, Mentors, Undergraduates, and Childcare travel grants. For details on applying, see www.cosyne.org/travel-grants. ----------------------------------------------------- COSYNE 2025 INVITED SPEAKERS ----------------------------------------------------- Max Bennett (Alby) Beth Buffalo (U Washington) Patricia Churchland (UCSD) Eva Dyer (GATECH) Greg Field (UCLA) Julijana Georgieva (TU Munich) Gaby Maimon (Rockefeller U) Cris Niell (U Oregon) Blake Richards (McGill) Fan Wang (MIT) Tim Vogels (IST Austria) Lenka Zdeborova (EPFL) ----------------------------------------------------- COSYNE 2025 COMMITTEES ----------------------------------------------------- ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Bing Brunton (U Washington) and Chandramouli Chandrasekaran (Boston U) Program Chairs: Tatiana Engel (CSHL) and Kevin Franks (Duke) Workshop Chairs: SueYeon Chung (NYU) and Guillaume Lajoie (MILA/U Montreal) Tutorial Chair: Talmo Pereira (Salk) DEIA Committee: Denise Cai (Mount Sinai) and Luke Sjulson (Albert Einstein) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Kimberly Stachenfeld (DeepMind) and Marcelo Mattar (NYU) Fundraising Chair: Michael Long (NYU) Social Media Chair: Sabera Talukder (Caltech) Audio-Video Media Chair: Carlos Stein Brito (Chamaplimaud) Poster Design: Maja Bialon PROGRAM COMMITTEE Tatiana Engel (CSHL) Co-chair Kevin Franks (Duke) Co-chair Mikio Aoi (UCSD) Arkarup Banerjee (CSHL) Marcus Benna (UCSD) Adrian Bondy (Princeton) Timothy Buschman (Princeton) Celine Cammarata (Duke) Alex Cayco Gajic (Ecole Normale Superieure) Hannah Choi (Gatech) Benjamin Cowley (CSHL) Carina Curto (Brown) Brian DePasquale (Boston U) Sridhar Devarajan (Indian Inst Sci) Laura Driscoll (Stanford) Ann Duan (UCL) Lea Duncker (Stanford) Annegret Falkner (Princeton) Arseny Finkelstein (Tel Aviv U) Rainer Friedrich (Friedrich Miescher Institute) Juan Gallego (Imperial) Matthew Golub (U Washington) Bilal Haider (Georgia Tech) Kiah Hardcastle (Harvard) Ann Hermundstad (Janelia) Michele Insanally (U Pitt) Monika Jadi (Yale) Jonathan Kao (UCLA) Kohitij Kar (York U) Ann Kennedy (Northwestern) Guillaume Lajoie (MILA) Anna Levina (U Tubingen) Laura Lewis (MIT) Camilo Libedinsky (National U Singapore) Ashok Litwin-Kumar (Columbia) Laureline Logiaco (MIT) Emilie Mace (Max Planck) Francesca Mastrogiuseppe (Champalimaud) Luca Mazzucato (U Oregon) Jorge Mejias (U Amsterdam) Jonathan Michaels (York U) Eilif Muller (U Montreal) James Murray (U Oregon) Hendrikje Nienborg (NIH) Gouki Okazawa (Chinese Acad Sci) Marino Pagan (U Edinburgh) Hannah Payne (Columbia) Talmo Pereira (Salk) Erin Rich (Mount Sinai) Ben Scott (Boston U) Nicholas Steinmetz (U Washington) Carsen Stringer (HHMI) Marie Suver (Vanderbilt) Tatjana Tchumatchenko (U Bonn) John Tuthill (U Washington) Ali Weber (Bryn Mawr) Brady Weissbourd (MIT) Alex Williams (NYU) Klaus Wimmer (CRM) Brad Wyble (Penn State) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org ----------------------------------------------------- COSYNE MAILING LISTS ----------------------------------------------------- Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See www.cosyne.org/mailing-lists for details.

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Organizing scientific events in neuroscience - Online Workshop, Dec 5th
by Mateusz Kostecki Nov. 12, 2024

Nov. 12, 2024

Hello! We are happy to announce our new workshop! Organizing scientific events—workshops, summer schools, conferences, symposia—seems like a complex and overwhelming endeavor. You need to design the structure of your event, secure funding, invite guests, promote it, process payments, and contact participants; you need to take care of catering, flights, hotels, and dates. It is a lot, but with a proper approach, some knowledge, and the right people around you, you can organize a successful event even with limited resources. During our workshop, you will learn how to: - design your event, select its target and set goals - secure funding: find sponsors, write grant applications - promote your event on social media and mailing groups - how to approach graphic design - how to contact guests and prepare invitations - how to proceed with funding: event fees, grants, sponsors’ money - how to ensure a good atmosphere - what to do afterward And much more! The event will take place on Thursday, Dec 5th at Nencki Institute, 10 AM – 1 PM. The cost of the workshop is EUR 25. Please find the application form here: https://nenckiopenlab.org/organizing-scientific-events/. The deadline for applications is Nov 25th. Best, NOL Team -- --- Mateusz Kostecki PhD Student Knapska Laboratory Nencki Institute 02-093 Warsaw, Pasteura 3, Poland https://twitter.com/mtkostecki https://evolvingbehavior.blog/

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Call for Workshop Proposals on Complex Systems at FRCCS 2025
by Hocine Cherifi Nov. 12, 2024

Nov. 12, 2024

The FRCCS 2025 <https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/> Organizing Committee invites proposals for full- or half-day workshops on Complex Systems, taking place May 21-23, 2025. We welcome multidisciplinary workshops that foster collaboration and explore emerging topics. Workshops can include discussions, demos, panels, and more. Key Details: - Proposal Deadline: January 12, 2024 - Workshop Format: Full-day (7 hours) or Half-day (4 hours), with breaks - Organizer Responsibilities: Manage sessions, issue a Call for Papers, and coordinate reviews - Incentives: Waived registration for workshops with over six contributions Submission Requirements (2-4 pages, PDF): - Title, overview, organizers, format, duration, logistics needs, and expected participants. Accepted workshop contributions will appear in the FRCCS 2025 companion book. Select contributions may be invited for publication in partner journals. Submit your proposal to the Workshop Proposal Track on CMT : https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/FRCCS2025/ For full details, visit the FRCCS website <https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/workshops-proposals/>, ( https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/workshops-proposals/) <https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/workshops-proposals/> or contact the Workshop Chair: Maria Malek (maria.malek(a)cyu.fr) Join us at COMPLEX NETWORKS 2024 <https://www.complexnetworks.org/> *-------------------------* Hocine CHERIFI University of Burgundy Franche-Comté Laboratoire* I*nterdisciplinaire *C*arnot de *B*ourgogne - ICB UMR 6303 CNRS Editor in Chief Plos Complex Systems <https://plos.org/complex-systems-research-journal/#:~:text=PLOS%20Complex%2….> Founding & Adisory Editor Applied Network Science <https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/> Editorial Board member PLOS One <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/>, IEEE ACCESS <https://ieeeaccess.ieee.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fieeeaccess_ieee_org%2F>, Scientific Reports <https://www.nature.com/srep/>, Journal of Imaging <https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jimaging>, Quality and Quantity <https://www.springer.com/journal/11135/>, Computational Social Networks <https://computationalsocialnetworks.springeropen.com/>, Complex Systems <https://www.complex-systems.com/>

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Brains in Space Colloquium - 19.11.24 - Russell Epstein - University of Pennsylvania
by Vinita Samarasinghe Nov. 12, 2024

Nov. 12, 2024

On behalf of Sen Cheng, Sandhiya Vijayabaskaran and Laurenz Wiskott from the Institute of Neural Computation, Faculty for Computer Science, Ruhr University Bochum, I invite you to attend the colloquium series "*Brains in Space: An Interdisciplinary Research Colloquium on Spatial Navigation*". On Tuesday November 19th Russell Epstein, U. Penn, will talk about "*Spatial knowledge and navigational strategies in the human brain*" *Abstract: *To navigate from place to place, an agent needs to have knowledge of the spatial structure of the world and a strategy for using that knowledge to choose a route. In this talk, I will describe work from my lab that investigates how these core elements of navigation are implemented by the human mind/brain. First, I will describe studies that explore the organization of spatial knowledge ("cognitive maps"). Participants in these experiments were first familiarized with virtual environments containing multiple objects and then scanned with fMRI while recalling the spatial relationships between the objects. Analysis of behavior and fMRI activation patterns revealed that participants' cognitive maps were not simple Euclidean reference frames—rather, they had a rich structure that reflected the environments' segmented and hierarchical organization. Second, I will describe a study that explores the algorithms that people use to navigate to a goal. Participants in this study were scanned with fMRI while performing a "taxi-cab" task that required them to flexibly navigate to multiple possible locations within a virtual city. We found that people's behavioral choices could be explained by a predictive coding (successor representation) model, and that fMRI signals in the hippocampus and neocortical spatial memory regions tracked the different computational components of the model. Together these findings illuminate the representations that people form of environmental spaces and the algorithms they use to navigate to goal locations within these spaces. This is a virtual event and takes place from 4 - 5.30 pm (CET) Zoom link: https://ruhr-uni-bochum.zoom-x.de/j/67839364827?pwd=RfcIgK8OUfjkwWTNCf80ARX… [Meeting ID: 678 3936 4827; Passcode: 841644] The complete schedule can be found at https://www.ini.rub.de/teaching/courses/colloquium_brains_in_space_an_inter… . * * This colloquium is open to the public. Please feel free to forward this information to any of your colleagues who may be interested. Best, Vinita -- Best, Vinita Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience <https://rub.de/cns> Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/73 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0)234 32 27996 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de

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Faculty positions in Psychology and Cognitive Science (Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, India)
by Ryan Philips Nov. 12, 2024

Nov. 12, 2024

Dear Colleagues, Azim Premji University has launched an exciting new interdisciplinary major in psychology and cognition, focusing on themes like human cognitive development in the life cycle, mental health and well-being, and machine intelligence and learning. The programme aims to provide holistic insights into the interplay of the mind and behaviour by drawing from various disciplines such as philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, and socio-cultural contexts. We are specifically looking for faculty who specialise in — Developmental Psychology Cognitive Sciences Exceptional candidates with expertise in any other related field are also encouraged to apply. We look for applicants who resonate with the purpose of the University and are keen to contribute to the design, development, and delivery of the courses in psychology and cognitive science in our undergraduate programme. The programme is residential for students, and faculty are expected to contribute to research, teaching, and mentoring students, and help build a vibrant community of learning. Requirements The ability to teach a broad range of courses including courses in psychology, neuroscience, and computation. An advanced degree in psychology, neuroscience, or related areas. The ability and interest in teaching and mentoring a diverse body of students. The ability to combine insights from psychology, neuroscience, and relevant areas of computer science, and an interest in the connections between psychology and broader social issues in economics, politics, and education are an advantage. Significant experience in teaching/clinical practice is an advantage, but not a necessity. Selected applicants will be mentored to develop their teaching. Application link: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/jobs/faculty-positions-in-psychology-an… Regards, Ryan. Ryan Thomas Philips, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Azim Premji University. https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/people/ryan-thomas-philips https://manaslab.com

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Call for Papers – NAT’25 Conference on Neuroadaptive HCI and AI in Berlin!
by Stefan Glasauer Nov. 11, 2024

Nov. 11, 2024

[PLEASE EXCUSE MULTIPLE POSTINGS] Dear Colleagues, We are excited to invite you to submit your contributions to NAT'25: Towards Neuroadaptive HCI and AI, a unique interdisciplinary conference that will take place from April 7-10, 2025, at the scenic Abion Spreebogen Hotel in Berlin, Germany. Organized by the Society for Neuroadaptive Technology and Brandenburg University of Technology, NAT'25 unites pioneers in Neuroadaptive Technology, AI, Machine Learning, and related fields. The conference offers an opportunity to explore advances in applications, explorations, neurophysiological data integration, adaptive systems, and AI. Covering topics from passive BCIs to neurofeedback, machine learning, and neuroethics, NAT'25 aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and shape the future of human-machine interaction. Key Dates: Website opens for submissions: December 1, 2024 Submission deadline: January 15, 2025 Author feedback: February 7, 2025 We invite abstracts on both novel research and already published work that could benefit from reaching the diverse audience at NAT'25. Accepted abstracts will appear in the conference proceedings, and participants will have opportunities to develop collaborative publications on key conference themes, including roadmaps, theoretical frameworks, and ethical considerations. Register Early! Early bird registration is available until January 1, 2025. For details on fees, topics of interest, and submission guidelines, please visit our conference page: neuroadaptive.org <https://neuroadaptive.org/>. For any questions, please feel free to reach out at neuroadaptive(a)b-tu.de <mailto:neuroadaptive@b-tu.de>. We look forward to your contributions and to welcoming you to Berlin! Warm regards, Thorsten O. Zander Conference Chair, NAT'25 Brandenburg University of Technology, Germany -- Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Thorsten O. Zander Lichtenberg Professorship Neuroadaptive Human-Computer Interaction https://www.b-tu.de/en/fg-neuroadaptive-hci/ Tel: + 49 355 5818 - 613 Brandenburg Technical University -- Cottbus-Senftenberg Faculty 1 - MINT Institute for Medical Technology Lipezker Straße 47 03048 Cottbus

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Fwd: [seminar.wwtns] World wide VVTNS series: Wednesday 13, 2024, at 11:00 am EST| Friedemann Zenke, University of Basel
by David Hansel Nov. 10, 2024

Nov. 10, 2024

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Theoretical Neuroscience <theoretical.neuroscience.seminar(a)gmail.com> Date: Sun, Nov 10, 2024 at 10:53 AM Subject: [seminar.wwtns] World wide VVTNS series: Wednesday 13, 2024, at 11:00 am EST| Friedemann Zenke, University of Basel To: <seminar.wwtns(a)listes.u-paris.fr> [image: VVTNS.png] https://www.wwtns.online <https://streaklinks.com/A9c7PbbpKY7PxB6PaAJWGD3-/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wwtns.on…> - on twitter: wwtns@TheoreticalWide You are cordially invited to the lecture given by Friedemann Zenke, University of Basel on the topic of Learning invariant representations through prediction The lecture will be held on zoom on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at *11:00 am EST * To receive the zoom link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page > > *Abstract: *How do synapses in the middle of the brain know how to adjust their weight to advance a behavioral goal (i.e. learning)? This is referred to as the synaptic ‘credit assignment problem’. A large variety of synaptic learning rules have been proposed, mainly in the context of artificial neural networks. The most powerful learning rules (e.g. back-propagation of error) are thought to be biologically implausible, whereas the widely studied biological learning rules (Hebbian) are insufficient for goal-directed learning. I will describe ongoing work focused on understanding synaptic learning rules in the cortex in a brain-computer interface task. *About VVTNS : Launched as the World Wide Theoretical Neuroscience Seminar (WWTNS) in November 2020 and renamed in homage to Carl van Vreeswijk in Memoriam (April 20, 2022), Speakers have the occasion to talk about theoretical aspects of their work which cannot be discussed in a setting where the majority of the audience consists of experimentalists. The seminars, **held on Wednesdays at 11 am ET,** are 45-50 min long followed by a discussion. The talks are recorded with authorization of the speaker and are available to everybody on our YouTube channel.* ᐧ ᐧ

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Multiple PhD positions at the University of Bath
by Georgios Exarchakis Nov. 9, 2024

Nov. 9, 2024

*Advance Your Research Career with a PhD at the University of Bath – We Seek Exceptional Candidates!* Are you driven to tackle complex challenges in *Artificial Intelligence*, *Machine Learning*, and *Computer Vision*? The University of Bath is calling for applications from outstanding candidates eager to pursue fully funded PhD projects. Join a top-ranked university recognized for research excellence, where you’ll work at the forefront of innovation in: · Machine Learning Methods for Invariant Representations of High-dimensional Data <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Dr. Georgios Exarchakis and Prof. Michael Tipping · Cue Representation Learning for Interpretable Video Models <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Dr. Davide Moltisanti and Dr. Vinay Namboodiri · Energy-efficient and Affordable Training of Large-scale Deep Learning Models <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Dr. Rohit Babbar and Dr. Vinay Namboodiri · Learning with Limited Data for Unlearning in Large Multimodal Models <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Dr. Da Chen, Dr. Vinay Namboodiri · Mathematically and Intuitively Understandable Deep Learning <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Dr. Mingzhi Dong and Prof. Michael Yang · 3D Scene Synthesis Using Diffusion Models and Large Language Models in Multimodal Generative AI <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Prof. Michael Yang and Dr. Mingzhi Dong · Exploring visual arts with computer vision <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>, with Dr. Deblina Bhattacharjee and Prof. Peter Hall · Probabilistic Decision Dynamics in Machine Learning <https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/faculty-of-science-ursa-phd-project-p…>, with Prof. Michael Tipping and Prof. Özgür Şimşek *Why Join Bath? - Pursue Excellence* – We’re University of the Year 2023 (Sunday Times) and consistently ranked among the UK's best for research and student experience. *Collaborate Across Disciplines* – Work within our EPSRC-funded CAMERA Centre and partner with industry leaders like Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Adobe. *Outstanding Location* – Study in Bath, a city of rich cultural heritage, balancing academic excellence with quality of life. ‍ We seek *highly motivated, excellent candidates* with a passion for transformative research. If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact and contribute to some of the most exciting fields in AI, apply now and help shape the future with us at Bath! ‍ Discover more and apply: University of Bath PhD Opportunities ‍ *Enquiries and Applications:* Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be directed to supervisor Dr. Georgios Exarchakis, <https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/georgios-exarchakis> ge394(a)bath.ac.uk Formal applications should be submitted via the University of Bath’s online application form <https://samis.bath.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp…> for a PhD in Computer Science prior to the closing date of this advert. ‍ *IMPORTANT:* When completing the application form: 1. In the *Funding your studies* section, select ‘University of Bath URSA’ as the studentship for which you are applying. 2. In the *Your PhD project* section, quote the project title of this project and the name of the lead supervisor in the appropriate boxes. *Failure to complete these two steps will cause delays in processing your application and may cause you to miss the deadline.* More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…>. ‍ *Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:* We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement. ‍ *Funding Notes* Candidates may be considered for a University of Bath studentship tenable for 3.5 years. Funding covers tuition fees, a stipend (£19,237 p/a in 2024/5) and access to a training support budget.

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PhD/Postdoc at Max Planck: how do our internal priors shape what we hear?
by Alejandro Tabas Nov. 7, 2024

Nov. 7, 2024

Deadline approaching for an ERC-funded PhD/Postdoc position on how our priors shape the way we experience reality. Methods include ultra-high-resolution fMRI of the auditory pathway at 7-Tesla and computational modelling. The position will be based at the Max Planck Institute CBS in Leipzig (www.cbs.mpg.de) Candidates from both, cognitive and computational backgrounds are encouraged to apply! Deadline: 17th November More details and application: PhD position: https://recruitingapp-5218.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/416/Description/2/Defau… Postdoc position: https://recruitingapp-5218.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/417/Description/2/Defau… For informal enquires on the project or the position please contact Alejandro Tabas <tabas at cbs dot mpg dot de.

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Master 2 research internship and/or PhD at the CerCo laboratory (Toulouse, France): Modeling motion and depth processing in primate visual cortex using spiking neural networks
by COTTEREAU Benoît Nov. 6, 2024

Nov. 6, 2024

Master 2 Research Internship + PhD Benoit Cottereau / Timothée Masquelier Cerco laboratory (CNRS UMR 5549), Toulouse SV3M & NeuroAI Teams Modeling motion and depth processing in primate visual cortex using spiking neural networks Keywords: Computational neurosciences, Vision, Artificial intelligence, Spatial perception, Depth/motion processing, Spiking neural networks. Type of positions: M2 internship, M2 internship followed by a PhD, or PhD directly. Duration: 5-6 months (M2) – 3 years (PhD). Stipend: Standard French salaries (~650€/month for the M2 and ~2130€/month gross for the PhD). Starting date: early 2025. Place: Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CERCO), UMR 5549 (CNRS – Univ Toulouse 3), Pavillon Baudot CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France. Supervisors: Benoit Cottereau, research director at CNRS (CerCo & IPAL, contact: benoit.cottereau(a)cnrs.fr<mailto:benoit.cottereau@cnrs.fr>) and Timothée Masquelier, research director at CNRS (CerCo, contact: timothee.masquelier(a)cnrs.fr<mailto:timothee.masquelier@cnrs.fr>) In primates, neuronal processing of visual information occurs within two main pathways. The ventral pathway (or ‘what’ pathway) underlies cognitive functions such as faces or object recognition whereas the dorsal pathway (or ‘where’ pathway) allows visually guided actions such as navigation or manipulation of objects. In recent years, numerous studies in computational neurosciences used deep neural networks to model neuronal processing within the ventral pathway. Much less is known about treatments carried out along the dorsal pathway. This multidisciplinary project at the interface between AI, computational neurosciences and biological vision aims at modelling motion and depth processing along the dorsal pathway of the primate visual system. In order to reproduce the very low energy consumption of the primate brain, the developed models will be based on spiking-neural networks (SNNs) and will process data collected from event-based cameras . We will be particularly interested in the processing of higher-level forms of motion (optic flow, motion-in-depth, biological motion). The responses of the neural networks after (supervised or unsupervised) training will be compared to biological data from the literature (for example with electrophysiological data recorded in non-human primates, see for example Duffy and Wurtz, 1991) or acquired in the CerCo laboratory. The candidates should be willing to work in an international environment which involves Singapore and France, have a very good level in English (French is not mandatory), excellent mathematical and programming skills (in particular in Python) and a keen interest in the brain. Experience with deep learning libraries (e.g. PyTorch) is desirable. The research will mainly take place in Toulouse, a student city (Toulouse is the second university hub in France) with high quality of life located in the south west of France (close to the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean Sea and the Spanish border). Long-term stays in Singapore (a multicultural and attractive city of south-east Asia) are also planned. Applications should be sent to benoit.cottereau(a)cnrs.fr<mailto:benoit.cottereau@cnrs.fr> and timothee.masquelier(a)cnrs.fr<mailto:timothee.masquelier@cnrs.fr> References: - Cuadrado, J., Rançon, U., Cottereau, B. R., Barranco, F., & Masquelier, T. (2023). Optical flow estimation from event-based cameras and spiking neural networks. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, 1160034. - Duffy, C. J., & Wurtz, R. H. (1991). Sensitivity of MST neurons to optic flow stimuli. II. Mechanisms of response selectivity revealed by small-field stimuli. Journal of neurophysiology, 65(6), 1346-1359. - Rançon, U., Cuadrado-Anibarro, J., Cottereau, B. R., & Masquelier, T. (2022). Stereospike: Depth learning with a spiking neural network. IEEE Access, 10, 127428-127439. ************************************************************************************************************ Benoit R. Cottereau, PhD, HDR, CNRS Research director (DR2) at IPAL (IRL 2955, Singapore) and CerCo (UMR 5549, Toulouse) laboratories, Adjunct associate professor in computer science at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Director of the CerCo SV3M team (Spatial Vision in Man, Monkey and Machine): http://cerco.cnrs.fr/en/sv3m-spatial-vision-in-man-monkey-machine/ Supervisor of the Integrative Neurosciences master program of Toulouse III University webpages: http://cerco.cnrs.fr/page-benoit-cottereau/ https://ipal.cnrs.fr/benoit-cottereau-personal-page/ e-mail: benoit.cottereau(a)cnrs.fr<mailto:benoit.cottereau@cnrs.fr> phone: (+65)-8302-2615

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