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

Travel Awards Announced - Reminder Call for Papers: The First Workshop on NeuroAI @ NeurIPS 2024

by Forough Habibollahi

*Call** for Papers: The First Workshop on NeuroAI @ NeurIPS 2024: Fusing Neuroscience and AI for Intelligent Solutions* We are excited to announce that we are organizing the First Workshop on NeuroAI @ NeurIPS 2024, which will showcase research at the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence. This workshop aims to bring together leading researchers to present their latest findings in NeuroAI. *Topics of Interest:* - Explainable and interpretable AI in neuroscience - Self-supervised systems in NeuroAI - Neuro-inspired architectures, and computations - Neuronally-plausible learning regimes - Neuro-inspired reasoning and decision-making - Cognitive functions in AI The topics above are NOT exhaustive, and we encourage the submission of research related to how principles and insights from neuroscience can lead to better artificial intelligence and vice versa. Our aim is to foster groundbreaking interdisciplinary research that advances both fields. *Submission Details:* We invite researchers in the field of NeuroAI to submit their papers to this workshop. Submissions should adhere to a page limit of *5 pages *(excluding references and supplementary materials) and must use the NeurIPS 2024 LaTeX template <https://media.neurips.cc/Conferences/NeurIPS2024/Styles.zip>. Authors are encouraged to submit their NeurIPS main conference submissions concurrently to this workshop (excluding any completed and already published work). *Travel Awards:* The NeurIPS workshop registration fee will be covered for one student author from each of the three spotlight papers chosen by our reviewers. Additionally, one student author from the top paper will have their airfare covered. Early-career researchers are encouraged to submit their work and take advantage of this opportunity. *Important Dates:* · Submission Deadline: September 7, 2024 · Submission Portal: NeuroAI Workshop Submission Portal <https://openreview.net/group?id=NeurIPS.cc/2024/Workshop/NeuroAI> *The top 3 highly scored submissions will be chosen for spotlight talks.* *Event Details:* · Date: During NeurIPS 2024, 14 or 15 December 2024 (to be confirmed) · Location: In-person in Vancouver, Canada *Keynote Speakers:* · *Karl Friston (UCL)* · *Eva Dyer (Georgia Institute of Technology)* · *Rafal Bogacz (University of Oxford)* · *Max Welling (University of Amsterdam)* · *Ila Fiete (MIT)* *Highlight:* Our workshop will feature an in-person panel discussion between the two pioneers in AI and Neuroscience: Yoshua Bengio and Karl Friston *Enquiries:* For further information, please contact: neuroai.neurips2024(a)gmail.com For more information about the details of the workshop schedule, lineup of speakers, etc. and to stay updated, please check the workshop website: NeuroAI Workshop Website <https://neuroai-workshop.github.io/> We look forward to your submissions and to seeing you at NeurIPS 2024! On behalf of the organizing committee, *Forough Habibollahi, Moein Khajehnejad, Adeel Razi, Jason Eshraghian, Noor Sajid, Anthony Zador, Yoshua Bengio*

Aug. 30, 2024

ReservoirChat Beta: a Large Language Model for Reservoir Computing

by Xavier Hinaut

Hello, We are pleased to announce the launch of ReservoirChat, our new tool designed to enhance your experience with Reservoir Computing and ReservoirPy. - Expert Knowledge: Access detailed information on Reservoir Computing. - Coding Support: Suggestions to code reservoirs using ReservoirPy. - Exclusive Access: This beta version will be available for a few weeks only! ReservoirChat beta version: https://chat.reservoirpy.inria.fr/ * Use-cases examples: - Beginner: You don't know what is Reservoir Computing and why to try it? —> ReservoirChat can explain it to you! - Expert but don't know ReservoirPy —> don't need to read all the documentation, ReservoirChat will help you! We look forward to your participation in this beta phase and to your valuable feedback. Follow us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/reservoirpy Best regards, Xavier Hinaut Inria Research Scientist — www.xavierhinaut.com -- +33 5 33 51 48 01 -- https://x.com/neuronalX Mnemosyne team, Inria, Bordeaux, France -- https://team.inria.fr/mnemosyne & LaBRI, Bordeaux University -- https://www4.labri.fr/en/formal-methods-and-models & IMN (Neurodegeneratives Diseases Institute) -- http://www.imn-bordeaux.org/en — Our Reservoir Computing library: https://github.com/reservoirpy/reservoirpy

Aug. 29, 2024

2ND CALL FOR ILLUSION SUBMISSIONS: THE WORLD'S 19TH ANNUAL BEST ILLUSION OF THE YEAR CONTEST

by smart＠neuralcorrelate.com

**** 2ND CALL FOR ILLUSION SUBMISSIONS: THE WORLD'S 19TH ANNUAL BEST ILLUSION OF THE YEAR CONTEST**** http://illusionoftheyear.com We are happy to announce the 19th edition of world's Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest, hosted by the Neural Correlate Society and supported again by the Museum of Illusions <https://www.museumofillusions.com/> as Platinum Sponsor!! Submissions are now welcome! In 2015, the Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest became an annual online event, with the goal of bringing the creativity of the illusion creator community all around the world. Anybody with an internet connection can participate! No matter where you live, you can be a contestant, and/or vote for the Top 3 winners! Contestants are invited to submit 1-minute YouTube or mp4 videos featuring novel illusions (unpublished or published no earlier than 2023) of all sensory modalities (visual, auditory, etc.) and/or cognitive nature. Novel variants of known illusions are welcome. The content of the 1-minute video presenting your illusion is solely up to you, and the only requirement is that it wows all viewers! Some examples include, but are not limited to: * A slide presentation, or succession of images, with a voice over (and/or written text, if you prefer) * A video of yourself describing your illusion * A video animation/theatrical performance of your illusion An international panel of impartial judges will rate all the videos and narrow them down to the Top 10. Then, online voters around the world will choose their favorite illusions from the Top 10 finalists. The Top 3 winners will receive cash prizes: $3,000 USD for first place; $2,000 USD for second place, and $1,000 USD for third place. The Judge Panel will rate illusions according to: * Significance to our understanding of the human mind and brain * Simplicity of the description * Sheer beauty * Counterintuitive quality * Spectacularity Submissions will be held in strict confidence by the Judge Panel. Only the Top 10 illusions will be posted online, to allow worldwide voting. Participation in the Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest does not preclude you from also presenting or submitting your work for publication elsewhere. By participating in the Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest you agree to have your illusion posted on the Contest website, if selected among the Top 10, and included in press releases and other promotional materials/fundraising initiatives for the Contest. You (and your co-authors, if appropriate) will retain the full copyright of your illusion and receive full credit as illusion creator(s). Illusions submitted to previous editions of the contest can be re-submitted to the 2024 Contest, as long as they meet the above requirements and were not among the Top 10 finalists in previous years. You can send your 1-minute video to Susana Martinez-Conde via email (illusion.contest.entries(a)outlook.com <mailto:illusion.contest.entries@outlook.com> ) until September 15th, 2024. On behalf of the Executive Board of the Neural Correlate Society: Jose-Manuel Alonso, Stephen Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde, Luis Martinez, Xoana Troncoso, Peter Tse ---------------------------------------------------------- Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD Author, Champions of Illusion <x-msg://2/championsofillusionbook.com> and Sleights of Mind Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Physiology & Pharmacology Director, Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience Empire Innovator Scholar State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University 450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn NY 11203, USA Email: smart(a)neuralcorrelate.com <mailto:smart@neuralcorrelate.com> Phone: +1 718-270-4520 <tel:%2B1%20718-270-4520> http://smc.neuralcorrelate.com

Aug. 29, 2024

PhD/postdoc positions in ML for neuroscience in Göttingen, Germany

by Ecker, Alexander

We have several open positions for postdocs or PhD students in the Neural Data Science Lab (https://eckerlab.org) at the Campus Institute Data Science (University of Göttingen) and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen, Germany. Our lab is part of a large collaborative network with partners in the US and Germany. The projects are funded by the European Research Council through an ERC Starting Grant and in tight collaboration with Andreas Tolias' lab at Stanford. Regular visits at Stanford are possible and encouraged. If you want to work with us on exciting projects developing machine learning methods for neuroscience, please check out the short project descriptions below and apply now. Details can also be found on our website: https://eckerlab.org/applications/ Application documents including a short motivation letter, CV, transcript of records (PhD students) and the contact details of two references should be sent to Alexander Ecker: ecker(a)cs.uni-goettingen.de We value diversity and equality. We therefore particularly encourage international and female applicants as well as applications from underrepresented groups or candidates with disabilities. ============ *A foundation model of the brain* The Enigma Project @stanford is a large-scale, interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to building a foundation model of the brain at single-neuron resolution. Combining large-scale electrophysiology and naturalistic experiments with modern, multi-modal deep learning, Enigma aims to uncover core principles of neural representation and intelligence – starting with our richest sense: the visual system. Our lab in Göttingen has pioneered large-scale predictive models of the visual system and will continue to develop the next generation of predictive models with a focus on using them to gain insights into brain function. Role: Postdoc (preferred) or PhD student Your profile: Background in systems / computational neuroscience or machine learning (deep learning in particular). Experience with both is a strong plus, but not a requirement. ============ *Data-driven multi-modal discovery of cell types in the neocortex* Understanding the relationship between structure and function of cortical neurons and circuits is one of the key challenges in neuroscience. In this project, we develop deep learning methods for data-driven identification of excitatory cell types in the visual cortex and to understand how a neuron’s morphology relates to its function. We will harness a unique large-scale functional anatomy dataset: a combination of electron-microscopy reconstructions at sub-micrometer resolution with two-photon functional imaging of nearly all excitatory neurons in one cubic millimeter of the mouse visual cortex. Role: Postdoc (preferred) or PhD student Your profile: Background in systems / computational neuroscience or machine learning (deep learning in particular). Experience with both is a strong plus, but not a requirement. -- Alexander Ecker Professor of Data Science Department of Computer Science • Campus Institute Data Science University of Göttingen • Max Planck Inst. for Dynamics and Self-Organization Goldschmidtstr. 1 • room 2.137 • 37077 Göttingen https://eckerlab.org • @alxecker • +49 551 39-21272

Aug. 26, 2024

Postdoctoral position for the development of large-scale electrophysiological data management infrastructure

by Paul Cisek

Postdoctoral position for the development of large-scale electrophysiological data management infrastructure 2-year position: $62,500/year plus benefits (~ total $75,000/year) This salary is guaranteed by a partnership between the Department of Neurosciences (https://neurosciences.umontreal.ca<https://neurosciences.umontreal.ca/>), the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal (https://medecine.umontreal.ca<https://medecine.umontreal.ca/>) and IVADO (https://ivado.ca<https://ivado.ca/>), an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research, training and knowledge mobilization consortium whose mission is to develop and promote a robust, reasoning and responsible AI. Requirements: The applicant should hold a PhD (e.g. electrical or biomedical engineering, neurosciences, or complementary field) and have research expertise in system neuroscience, programming, and data processing and analyses. Major advances in electrophysiological recording technologies have led to an explosion in the size of datasets, as well as new challenges in processing and managing them. In particular, the advent of wireless large-scale neurophysiology and deep-learning-based pose estimation enables us to study new scientific questions on complex, unconstrained behaviors. As the pace at which we acquire data has accelerated exponentially in recent years, there is an urgent need for efficient automated pipelines to process raw data from labs into analysis-ready datasets. To address these challenges, several research groups at the department of neuroscience (P. Cisek, N. Dancause, B. Ebitz, A. Green, M. Perich) aim to develop and deploy automated approaches to process signals recorded in our labs into analysis-ready datasets; 2) create a unified data storage and management framework to facilitate data sharing and collaborative, neuro-AI, analyses. These goals are closely aligned with those of the Union Neuroscience et Intelligence artificielle Quebec (UNIQUE; https://www.unique.quebec<https://www.unique.quebec/>) center, the strategic research cluster of the Fonds de Recherche du Quebec - Nature et Technologie (FRQ-NT), IVADO and the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila; https://mila.quebec<https://mila.quebec/>). The main objective of the present position is to develop and deploy automated approaches to process signals from the labs into analysis-ready datasets. The postdoctoral trainee will design and develop automated processing pipelines, from raw data collected in the labs to analysis-ready state, for each type of data collected. The pipeline must adapt and enhance our current tools implemented in Matlab, R or Python. This includes incorporating automated spike sorting tools such as MountainSort, KiloSort, and Full Binary Pursuit, handling local field potential signals with software like Chronux and FieldTrip, as well as creating user interfaces. The postdoctoral trainee will be responsible for creating Standard Operating Procedures and lead user training. This position is a great opportunity for a postdoctoral trainee seeking training at the intersection of academia and industry. The candidate should have adequate training in disciplines such as engineering, data sciences, machine-learning or neurosciences. The postdoctoral trainee will advance cutting-edge platforms for large-scale behavioral and neurophysiology experiments shared by several research groups on campus at the Université de Montréal. They will participate in the advancement of open source in neuroscience. The position will include working with unique electrophysiological datasets that from ongoing scientific projects of one or more of the participating research labs. These data will provide opportunities to develop novel or high-dimensional analytical tools that could lead to authorship on additional publications. For application: Please send a short cover letter, resume and the names of 3 references to: Numa Dancause, BSc(PT), PhD Professor, Associate Director Département de Neurosciences Université de Montréal Email: marlene.boutet(a)umontreal.ca<mailto:marlene.boutet@umontreal.ca> Paul Cisek, PhD Département de neurosciences Université de Montréal Physical: 2960 chemin de la tour, local 4117 Montréal, QC H3T 1J4 CANADA Mailing: CP 6128 Succursale centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 CANADA e-mail: paul.cisek(a)umontreal.ca<mailto:paul.cisek@umontreal.ca> Web: www.cisek.org/pavel<http://www.cisek.org/pavel>

Aug. 25, 2024

TEDx Talk on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

by steven gouveia

Dear colleagues, The TEDx Talk "Art, sex, and medicine: 3 ethical dilemmas for AI" is now available at the official channel of TEDx! You can check it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78-Zks_NcKE<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78-Zks_NcKE&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0YuL…>. You can use it to introduce some ethical reflections on Artificial Intelligence with your students and colleagues. Sincerely, Steven S. Gouveia Research Fellow at Mind, Language & Action Group (Uni. Porto, PT) https://trustaimedicine.weebly.com/ Honorary Professor, Faculty of Medicine (Uni. Andrés Bello, Chile) https://stevensgouveia.weebly.com<https://stevensgouveia.weebly.com/> (Books, papers, talks, etc) 1. *Novo livro: (PT) Odisseia da Mente (w/ Penrose, Chalmers, Seth, etc)* 2. *New Book: (ENG) Predictive Minds (ed.)*

Aug. 25, 2024

Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Workshop (Final Call)

by Stewart Heitmann

Final call for the Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox. This is an online course is for researchers who wish to build custom dynamical models using the Brain Dynamics Toolbox software. The course focuses on practical programming techniques for the major classes of differential equations (ordinary, partial, delay, stochastic) in computational neuroscience. Example code is provided in all cases. Upon completion, students will be able to transform differential equations into working simulations. Study time is 8 hours. Course Website https://bdtoolbox.teachable.com/p/modellers-workshop Toolbox Website https://bdtoolbox.org Important Dates Enrolments close 31st Aug 2024. Disclaimer The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. This email has been scanned for viruses and malware, and may have been automatically archived by Mimecast Ltd, an innovator in Software as a Service (SaaS) for business. Providing a safer and more useful place for your human generated data. Specializing in; Security, archiving and compliance. To find out more visit the Mimecast website.

Aug. 24, 2024

WashU CTCN Postdoc Fellows

by Goodhill, Geoffrey

The Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (ctcn.wustl.edu) at Washington University in St Louis invites applications from outstanding Postdoctoral Fellows to work at the interface between theoretical and experimental labs at WashU. Deadline for applications is October 31st. The CTCN is a joint initiative between the Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences, and provides a hub for neuroscientists to collaborate with mathematicians, physicists and engineers to find creative solutions to some of the most difficult problems currently facing neuroscience and artificial intelligence. Each CTCN Postdoctoral Fellow is based in at least two labs, but also has the opportunity to seek out new collaborations which help build new connections within the WashU community. We are looking for people with drive, independence and outstanding prior achievement, who are committed to leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration to drive forward the field of theoretical and computational neuroscience. Washington University in St Louis is ranked in the top 10 worldwide for Neuroscience and Behavior. Salary for CTCN Fellows is significantly above standard NIH postdoc rates, and funds for conference travel are included. In addition, WashU offers excellent benefits and comprehensive access to career development, professional and personal support. Applications from women and under-represented minorities are particularly welcome. The collaborative environment at WashU is a reflection of the critical importance placed on diversity, equity and inclusion and creating a welcoming place where postdocs can thrive. The St Louis metropolitan area has a population of almost 3M and is rich in culture, green spaces and thriving music and arts scenes, with a highly accessible cost of living. For more details on this prestigious Fellowship opportunity, including how to apply, please see https://ctcn.wustl.edu/postdoc-fellows Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Departments of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Affiliate appointments: Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, and Electrical and Systems Engineering Washington University School of Medicine 660 S. Euclid Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 g.goodhill(a)wustl.edu https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/people/geoffrey-goodhill-phd

Aug. 24, 2024

Applications open: WIN Global Scholars (WINGS) Programme @ Oxford

by Rezvan Farahibozorg

The WIN Global Scholars (WINGS) Programme is open for 2024-25 applications. We are looking for early career researchers from the Global South to join this remote, one-year programme at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford University. This is a transformative opportunity: you will be affiliated with WIN, receive intensive online training on MRI physics & analysis methods (including FSL), will have the opportunity to interact with research groups across WIN, remotely attend seminars and events, and showcase your work at our annual symposium. 🗓️ Deadline: 05 September 2024, 5pm GMT 🔗 Visit for more information and application: https://www.win.ox.ac.uk/about/training/wings

Aug. 23, 2024

Postdoc position in theoretical neuroscience, Aljadeff lab at UCSD

by Johnatan (Yonatan) Aljadeff

Johnatan Aljadeff is recruiting a motivated postdoc to join his lab at UCSD. Aljadeff is interested in a broad range of problems in theoretical and computational neuroscience. Examples of potential research directions include: synaptic plasticity and learning of spatial representations, and neural control of collective behavior. Our lab's publications and additional information can be found at aljadeff.ucsd.edu The ideal candidate will have a quantitative background (math / physics / computational neuroscience / computer science / engineering / related field). Prior experience working on problems in neuroscience is welcome but not required. The postdoc will have an opportunity to design their project, collaborate with experimentalists, and join UCSD's vibrant computational and systems neuroscience community. Interested candidates should submit a brief statement of research interests and CV (including names of three references) to aljadeff(a)ucsd.edu. Informal inquiries about details of the position and potential projects are encouraged.

Aug. 21, 2024