Comp-neuro

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December 2024

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Fully funded 3-year PhD scholarships in computational neuroscience, neurotechnology and AI available
by Wong-Lin, Kongfatt Dec. 1, 2024

Dec. 1, 2024

============================================================== Professor KongFatt Wong-Lin has several fully funded 3-year PhD research scholarships in computational neuroscience, neurotechnology and AI available. He is the lead/main supervisor for two of the available PhD scholarships on bridging fundamental cognitive computational neuroscience of decision-making and learning to brain-inspired AI algorithms. Applications are available from 2nd December 2024 at: * https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/11b-intelligent-systems… [Open to international or UK/Ireland applicants; deadline: 24th February 2025] * https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/11b-intelligent-systems… [Open to international or UK/Ireland applicants; deadline: 24th February 2025] Two other PhD scholarships are also available on neurotechnology and machine learning: * https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/11b-intelligent-systems… [Open to international or UK/Ireland applicants; deadline: 24th February 2025] * https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/11b-intelligent-systems… [Open only to UK/Ireland applicants; deadline 9th Jan 2025] Please kindly direct any queries to Prof. Wong-Lin (k.wong-lin(a)ulster.ac.uk) Many thanks. The research teams involved in the PhD projects: * https://www.ulster.ac.uk/research/topic/computer-science/intelligent-system… * https://www.ulster.ac.uk/research/topic/computer-science/intelligent-system… Our School and its Intelligent Systems Research Centre (https://www.ulster.ac.uk/research/topic/computer-science/intelligent-system…) have neuroscience and AI related research communities and facilities in: * NeuroAI and computational neuroscience * Brain-computer interfaces/non-invasive neurotech * MEG and EEG brain imaging * Neuromorphic computing * Cognitive robotics * High-performance computing ----------------- In 2021, Ulster University was, in the UK: * ranked 2nd for Ph.D. researcher satisfaction * 6th largest Computer Science and Informatics unit * 7th for world-leading or internationally excellent research and impact with respect to staff number. Derry~Londonderry is a vibrant, friendly and affordable city with ~100K people with high quality of life, close to stunning coastline and outdoor activities in the north and north-west of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. Ulster University has recently been awarded by Times Higher Education as the 'University of the Year 2024', the top higher education institution in the UK and Ireland. ============================================================== Professor KongFatt Wong-Lin Intelligent Systems Research Centre School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems Ulster University, Derry~Londonderry, UK E-mail: k.wong-lin(a)ulster.ac.uk Web: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/staff/k-wong-lin This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at postmaster(a)ulster.ac.uk and delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster University. The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100% secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by 3rd parties under relevant legislation. The Ulster University was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

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World wide VVTNS series: Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 11:00 am EST| Laura Driscoll Allen Institute
by David Hansel Dec. 1, 2024

Dec. 1, 2024

[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 Laura Driscoll Allen Institute on the topic of Task structure shapes underlying dynamical systems that implement computation The lecture will be held on zoom on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at *11:00 am EST * To receive the zoom link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page *Abstract: *The talk will be in two parts. 1) First, I will present published work on multitasking artificial recurrent neural networks that revealed "dynamical motifs". Dynamical motifs are recurring patterns of network activity that implement specific computations through dynamics, such as attractors, decision boundaries and rotations. Motifs are reused across tasks and reflect the modular subtask structure of commonly studied cognitive tasks. We believe this compositional structure to be a feature of most complex cognitive tasks. This work establishes dynamical motifs as a fundamental unit of compositional computation, intermediate between neuron and network. 2) Building on these insights, we are now investigating whether shared dynamical motifs can explain the effectiveness of curriculum learning in animal behavior. Also known as animal shaping, curriculum learning is a training approach where complex tasks are learned in stages through a series of subtasks. Our work provides a novel framework for analysis of neural and behavioral data and has the potential to guide the design of optimal training protocols for both artificial systems and for animals. *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

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