January 2025 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

ICANN 2025 - Call for Papers, Special Sessions, Workshops and Tutorials

by Sebastian Otte

=============================================================================== ICANN 2025 - CALL FOR PAPERS, SPECIAL SESSIONS, WORKHOPS AND TUTORIALS =============================================================================== The 34th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks ICANN 2025 is one of the premier conferences in the field of artificial intelligence, neural networks, neuroscience and brain-inspired computing in Europe, organized in collaboration with the European Neural Network Society ENNS. In 2025, the ICANN will take place in Kaunas, Lithuania. Conference Dates: September 9 to September 12, 2025 Conference Venue: Campus of Vytautas Magnus University and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania Conference Webpage: https://e-nns.org/icann2025/ General co-Chairs: Yoshua Bengio (Université de Montréal, Canada) Viktor Jirsa (Aix-Marseille Université, France; EBRAINS) Ausra Saudargiene (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences/Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) Linas Petkevičius (Vilnius University, Artificial intelligence Association of Lithuania, Lithuania) Prof. Yoshua Bengio is a Turing Award laureate and is globally recognized as a pioneer of deep learning and artificial neural networks, driving groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence. Prof. Viktor Jirsa is renowned for his work in theoretical neuroscience and Virtual Brain Twins, serving as Chief Science Officer of EBRAINS, Europe’s research infrastructure in digital neuroscience. With the exceptional leadership and expertise of the Chairs, ICANN 2025 promises to be a transformative event with the dual track of Artificial Intelligence & Deep Learning and Neuroscience. The ICANN attracts a global audience of researchers, practitioners & industry experts and provides a forum for the presentation of cutting-edge research papers and invited keynote talks by leading experts. It includes workshops and tutorials, as well as engaging demo sessions. In 2025, ICANN will continue its proud tradition of being a dynamic and interactive conference, fostering collaboration across academia and industry. =============================================================================== We invite prospective authors to submit original and innovative papers in the following areas: AI and Machine Learning: Theory and Foundations of Neural Networks, Novel Neural Network Architectures, Topics in Neural Networks, Large Language Models, Explainable AI, Machine Learning for Graphs, Graph Neural Networks, Clustering, Reinforcement Learning, New Topics in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Neurorobotics Neuroscience: Cognitive and Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience, Brain-Inspired Computing, Neuromorphic Systems, Digital Twins and Virtual Brain models Applications: Human-Computer Interaction, Biosignal Processing, Medicine and Physiology, Speech and Language Processing, Computer Vision, Robotics, Climate and Environment, General Applications of Machine Learning Call for Papers Authors willing to present original contributions in either the oral or poster category are invited to submit: - A full paper of 6-12 pages (including references) to be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series with individual DOI. - An extended abstract of maximum 2 pages to be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series, without individual indexing. Papers will undergo rigorous peer review; the Program Committee will make the final decision on which papers will be included in the conference program. Selected papers will be assigned to oral sessions (15 minutes presentation + 5 minutes questions) and poster sessions, depending on the number of submissions; this assignment does in no way incur a judgment on paper quality. Note that presentation rules for workshops and special sessions may differ. All accepted papers will be published in the Springer LNCS series. Papers must be written in English language and must conform to the format defined in the Author’s Kit, available on the conference webpage at: https://e-nns.org/icann2025/submission The ICANN 2025 will be an in-person conference. At least one co-author of each paper must physically attend the conference in Kaunas to present the work. Call for Special Sessions, Workshops and Tutorials We invite prospective organizers to submit Special Sessions, Workshops and Tutorials. For details and updates, as well as for the final list of workshops and special sessions, please check: https://e-nns.org/icann2025/call-for-papers-2/call-for-workshops-and-specia… KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Emmanuel Bengio (Valence Labs/Recursion, Canada) Viktor Jirsa (Aix-Marseille Université, France; EBRAINS) Christiane Woopen (University of Bonn, Germany) Oher keynote speakers to be announced. CONFIRMED TUTORIALS Dr. Emmanuael Bengio will give a Tutorial on GflowNets. Prof. Viktor Jirsa and his team will provide a Tutorial on The Virtual Brain, an open-source neuroscience platform designed to simulate and model personalised human brain models. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE Program Chairs Walter Senn (University of Bern, Switzerland) Ausra Saudargiene (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences/Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) Alessio Micheli (University of Pisa, Italy) Marcello Sanguineti (University of Genova, Italy) Igor Tetko (Helmholtz Munich, Germany) Alessandro Villa (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) Communication Chairs Sebastian Otte (University of Lübeck, Germany) Jurgita Kapociute-Dzikiene (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) Honorary Chairs Vera Kurkova (Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague) Alessandro Villa (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) Stefan Wermter (University of Hamburg, Germany) Local Organizing Committee Ausra Saudargiene (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences/Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) Linas Petkevičius (Vilnius University, Artificial intelligence Association of Lithuania, Lithuania) Jurgita Kapociute-Dzikiene (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) Workshop, Tutorials and Special Session Chairs Povilas Daniusis (Neurotechnology/Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) Dalius Matuzevičius (VilniusTech) Sponsorship Chair Dalia Breskuvienė (Vilnius University) Diversity & Inclusion Chair Kamilė Dementavičiūtė (Vinted) Steering Committee Stefan Wermter (University of Hamburg, Germany) Angelo Cangelosi (University of Manchester, UK) Igor Farkaš (Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia) Chrisina Jayne (Teesside University, UK) Matthias Kerzel (University of Hamburg, Germany) Alessandra Lintas (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) Kristína Malinovská (Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia) Jaakko Peltonen (Tampere University, Finland) Brigitte Quenet (ESPCI Paris, France) Roseli Wedemann (Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil) Sebastian Otte (University of Lübeck, Germany) IMPORTANT DATES - Opening of submission portal: 15 February 2025 - Deadline for full paper and abstract submission: 15 March 2025 - Final notification of Acceptance or Rejection: 15 May 2025 - Camera-ready paper upload and author registration: 1 June 2025 For questions, please contact: icann-2025-program-committee(a)googlegroups.com Link to this call: https://e-nns.org/icann2025/call-for-papers

Jan. 26, 2025

World Wide VVTNS series (fifth season): Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 11:00 am EST| Hadas Benisty, Technion, Haifa

by David Hansel

[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 Hadas Benisty Technion, Haifa on the topic of A Geometric Approach for the Study of Functional Connectivity Dynamics The lecture will be held on zoom on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at *11:00 am EST * To receive the link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page *Abstract: * Functional connectivity has been the focus of many research groups aiming to study the interaction between cells and brain regions. A standard method for analyzing connectivity is to statistically compare pairwise interactions between cells or brain regions across behavioral states or conditions. This methodology ignores the intrinsic properties of functional connectivity as a multivariate and dynamic signal, expressing the correlational configuration of the network. In this talk, I will present a geometric approach, combining Graph Theory and Riemannian Geometry to build "a graph of graphs" and extract the latent dynamics of the overall correlational structure. Using this approach, we formulate the statistical relations between network dynamics and spontaneous behavior as a second-order Taylor’s expansion. Our analysis shows that fast fluctuations in functional connectivity of large-scale cortical networks are closely linked to variations in behavioral metrics related to the arousal state. We further expand this methodology to longer time scales to study the effect of dopamine on network dynamics in the primary motor cortex (M1) during learning. We developed a series of analysis methods indicating that as animals learn to perform a motor task, the network of pyramidal neurons in layer 2-3 gradually and monotonically reorganizes toward an "expert" configuration. Our results highlight the critical role of dopamine in driving synaptic plasticity: Blocking dopaminergic neurotransmission locally in M1 prevented motor learning at the behavioral level and concomitantly halted plasticity changes in network activity and in functional connectivity. *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

Jan. 26, 2025

Save the date: UK Neural Computation meeting July 9-11, Imperial College London

by Mark Humphries

Save the date! The UK Neural Computation meeting 2025 will be at Imperial College London, bringing together the UK’s computational and systems neuroscience community 9 July: ECR day 10-11 July: main meeting 9 invited speakers, 4 talks from abstracts and loads of posters More details: https://neuralcomputation.uk/ Abstract submission and registration opening soon Please spread the word! Organisers Danyal Akarca (Imperial) Dan Goodman (Imperial) Mark Humphries (Nottingham) 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.

Jan. 24, 2025

Call for Abstracts: 34th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2025), Florence, Italy, July 5-9, 2025

by Rubchinsky, Leonid L

Dear Colleagues, We are inviting abstracts for the 34th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2025), which will be in Florence, Italy, July 5-9, 2025. The main meeting begins in the evening of Saturday, July 5 and runs through Tuesday, July 8. It will be preceded by a day of tutorials (Saturday, July 5) and followed by workshops (Tuesday, July 8 mixed with the main meeting and Wednesday, July 9 workshops only). Registration and abstract submission are open now. Abstract submission deadline: March 11, 2025. Note that one of the authors must register as a sponsoring author for the main meeting before abstract submission. In case the abstract is not accepted for presentation, the registration fee will be refunded. Submitted abstracts are used for creating the program and for publication. Please follow the formatting guidelines on the submission site. Travel awards are available for student and postdoc members of OCNS. Please apply during the abstract submission form and note that an extended abstract is required when applying for a travel award or oral presentation format. Registration: https://ocns.memberclicks.net/cns-2025-registration Abstract submission: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2025-abstract-submission CNS*2025 meeting information: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2025 Workshop proposals are being accepted at: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2025-call-for-workshops Tutorial proposals are being accepted at: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2025-call-for-tutorials With kind regards, Leonid Rubchinsky OCNS Vice President, on behalf of the OCNS Board of Directors *********************** Leonid Rubchinsky, PhD Professor Department of Mathematical Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine 402 N. Blackford St Indianapolis, IN 46202-3216 lrubchin(a)iu.edu math.indianapolis.iu.edu/~lrubchin/ ***********************

Jan. 23, 2025

[CFP] ICLR 2025 workshop I Can't Believe It's Not Better: Challenges in Applied Deep Learning

by Jennifer Williams

*ICLR 2025 <https://iclr.cc/> Workshop: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better: Challenges in Applied Deep Learning* *Call for Papers: *This workshop focuses on negative results, failed experiments, and unexpected challenges encountered when applying deep learning to real-world problems across industry and science. By openly sharing these hurdles, we aim to advance the field through transparency, foster learning, and prevent repeated missteps. *We welcome submissions* that apply deep learning to various domains including, but not limited to, neuroscience, healthcare, psychology and feature: 1. A real-world use case where deep learning was applied. 2. An existing deep learning solution proposed in the literature. 3. An observed negative or unexpected outcome. 4. An analysis of why the approach did not work as anticipated. Possible reasons may include data issues, model assumptions, interpretability gaps, scalability challenges, or deployment constraints. Submissions will be evaluated based on rigor, novelty, clarity, reproducibility, and the depth of their insights. *Key Dates:* • Submission Deadline: February 3, 2025 (11:59 pm AOE) • Acceptance Notification: March 5, 2025 • Workshop: April 27 or 28, 2025 Accepted papers will appear on OpenReview and the workshop website, with the option for inclusion in PMLR proceedings <https://proceedings.mlr.press/>. We will also nominate outstanding submissions for spotlight talks and two awards: the “Entropic Award” for the most surprising negative result and the “Didactic Award” for the most pedagogically valuable paper. For more information on our past workshops, the ICBINB initiative, and submission details, please visit: https://sites.google.com/view/icbinb-2025/call-for-papers We look forward to your contributions! Sincerely, The I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better Organizing Team

Jan. 23, 2025

InterfaceNeuro meeting May 7-8 in Atlanta

by Rozell, Christopher J

I’m writing to invite you to attend a conference hosted May 7-8 at Georgia Tech called InterfaceNeuro (https://interfaceneuro.org) which targets the intersection of neuroscience, neuroengineering, clinical/translational research, neurotech industry, and individuals with lived experiences. While each of these areas obviously has their own meetings, this conference is unique in interfacing these areas all together to find points of collaboration. The theme this year is "Integrating Brain, Body, and Machine for Next-Gen Intelligent Interfaces". The program features curated invited talks, a keynote from Dr. Mike Okun, contributed poster sessions, and a featured event focused on patient's lived experiences with neurotechnology. You can see from the program that the curated talks have been chosen to span disciplines and generate discussion. We've minimized registration fees to try and make the meeting as accessible as possible (note that there is no virtual component). Poster submissions are due by March 14 (as part of registration), and there will be a slate of best poster prizes for trainees. This will be the first meeting hosted by Georgia Tech building off of previous offerings by Rice University’s Neuroengineering Initiative, and we are excited to welcome you all to Atlanta. Please reach out if you have questions. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you in May!

Jan. 22, 2025

EPSRC PhD scholarships at the University of Sussex

by James Bennett

The University of Sussex invites applications for 10 PhD scholarships funded by the EPSRC for an autumn 2025 start. We are offering a wide range of cross-disciplinary research projects and research themes, many of which have a computational neuroscience and/or neuroAI focus, and are led by faculty across the university, including members of Sussex AI <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/ai-research-group/>, the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/sussex-centre-for-consciousness-s…>, and Sussex Neuroscience <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/sussex-neuroscience/>. Studentships include: - 3.5 years of funding with a tax free living allowance at the standard Research Council rate – currently £19,237 in 2024-5 – and international or UK PhD fees. - An option of 3 months of additional funding to cover a placement outside academia. - Funding for training and research expenses, such as conference trips and experimental costs. - Supervision by world-leading researchers. - Our Entrepreneurship Summer School and Responsible Research and Innovation workshops, tailored to the needs of engineering and physical sciences researchers. - Our Researcher Development workshops and access to taught modules relevant to your project. A brochure of research projects/themes offered by our faculty is available here: Sussex EPSRC Brochure 2025-26 <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/downloads/funding/awards/1818/Sussex%20EPSRC…> For more information on how to apply, follow this link: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/phd-funding/view/1818-EPSRC-Sci… Dr. James Bennett Assistant Professor in Computer Science and AI Dept. Informatics University of Sussex Sussex AI <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/ai-research-group/>, Sussex Neuroscience <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/sussex-neuroscience/>

Jan. 21, 2025

World wide VVTNS series (fifth season): Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 11:00 am EST| Srdjan Ostojic, Ecole normale supérieure, Paris

by David Hansel

[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 Srdjan Ostojic Ecole normale supérieure, Paris on the topic of Structured Excitatory-Inhibitory Networks: a low-rank approach The lecture will be held on zoom on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at *11:00 am EST * To receive the zoom link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page *Abstract: * Networks of excitatory and inhibitory (EI) neurons form a canonical circuit in the brain. Classical theoretical analyses of dynamics in EI networks have revealed key principles such as EI balance or paradoxical responses to external inputs. These seminal results assume that synaptic strengths depend on the type of neurons they connect but are otherwise statistically independent. However, recent synaptic physiology datasets have uncovered connectivity patterns that deviate significantly from independent connection models. Simultaneously, studies of task-trained recurrent networks have emphasized the role of connectivity structure in implementing neural computations. Despite these findings, integrating detailed connectivity structures into mean-field theories of EI networks remains a substantial challenge. In this talk, I will outline a theoretical approach to understanding dynamics in structured EI networks by employing a low-rank approximation based on an analytical computation of the dominant eigenvalues of the full connectivity matrix. I will illustrate this approach by investigating the effects of pair-wise connectivity motifs on linear dynamics in EI networks. Specifically, I will present recent results demonstrating that an over-representation of chain motifs induces a strong positive eigenvalue in inhibition-dominated networks, generating a potential instability that challenges classical EI balance criteria. Furthermore, by examining the effects of external input, we found that chain motifs can, on their own, induce paradoxical responses, wherein an increased input to inhibitory neurons leads to a counterintuitive decrease in their activity through recurrent feedback mechanisms. Altogether, our theoretical approach opens new avenues for relating recorded connectivity structures with dynamics and computations in biological networks. *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

Jan. 19, 2025

Save the date: NEST Conference 2025 will take place 17–18 June (online)

by Hans Ekkehard Plesser

Dear Colleagues, The NEST Initiative is excited to invite everyone interested in neural simulation technology, simulation-based neuroscience and NEST Software to the NEST Conference 2025. Save the date for the virtual conference, taking place online on 17–18 June 2025! The annual NEST Conference provides an opportunity for the NEST Community to meet, exchange success stories, swap advice, learn about current developments in and around NEST spiking network simulation and its application. We particularly encourage young scientists to participate in the conference! Registration and abstract submission will open soon. For more information on the event please visit the conference website https://nest-simulator.org/conference We are looking forward to seeing you in June! Hans Ekkehard Plesser on behalf of the conference organizing committee -- Prof. Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Research Committee Chair, Faculty of Science and Technology Head, Department of Data Science Department of Data Science Faculty of Science and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway Phone +47 6723 1560 Email hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no<mailto:hans.ekkehard.plesser@nmbu.no> Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

Jan. 16, 2025

[Call for Abstract]: Workshop AI and Ethics of Care (5 February 2025, University of Porto)

by steven gouveia

Workshop AI and Ethics of Care 5 February 2025 | Sala de Reuniões 1 Keynote Speakers [Picture] Silvia Dadà is a post-doctoral researcher in Moral Philosophy and Bioethics at the University of Pisa. She is a research member in the PNRR project FAIR (Future Artificial Intelligence Research). Her current areas of interest include ethics of care, bioethics, and ethics of AI. Her most recent book is Etica della vulnerabilità (2022: Morcelliana). [Picture] Ângelo Milhano holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Évora, where he is now a Visiting Professor. He is a researcher in Philosophy of Technology at Praxis: Centre for Philosophy, Politics and Culture. Ângelo has focused his research on digital technologies, focusing on how their various materializations are able to influence human beings and their way of thinking about the world. ________________________________ [Call for Abstracts] The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies raises urgent ethical questions about their development, deployment, and societal impact. While traditional AI ethics often emphasizes fairness, transparency, and accountability, the Ethics of Care introduces a relational perspective, focusing on empathy, compassion, and the interdependence of individuals and communities. This workshop aims to explore how the Ethics of Care can reshape the trajectory of AI development, fostering technologies that prioritize human well-being and relational responsibility. We invite researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and activists to submit abstracts addressing the intersection of AI and the Ethics of Care. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: * Philosophical Foundations: Theoretical explorations of the Ethics of Care as a framework for AI ethics. * Relational AI Design: Designing AI systems that prioritize relationships, empathy, and contextual understanding. * AI in Care Contexts: The role of AI in healthcare, eldercare, and caregiving, with a focus on enhancing rather than replacing human care. * Algorithmic Responsibility: Ensuring AI systems recognize and adapt to the interdependence of social and cultural contexts. * Bias and Marginalization: How the Ethics of Care can address systemic inequities and biases in AI systems. * Governance and Policy: Frameworks for implementing care-centered principles in AI policy and regulation. * Critiques and Challenges: Potential limitations of applying the Ethics of Care to AI and strategies for overcoming them. Submission Guidelines: * Submit a title, an abstract of 300 words (with up to 5 relevant references) and a short bio (50 words) to stevensequeira92(a)hotmail.com<https://ifilosofia.up.pt/activities/stevensequeira92@hotmail.com> * Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection shortly after submission. We encourage early submissions to secure a spot in the workshop program. * There is no registration fee for the workshop. However, accepted authors are responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation expenses. * Deadline: 26 January 2025 * For inquiries, please contact: stevensequeira92(a)hotmail.com<mailto:stevensequeira92@hotmail.com> Organizing Committee Steven S. Gouveia (MLAG/IF/Uni. Porto) CEEC Project by FCT 2022.02527.CEECIND, University of Porto Organization RG Mind, Language and Action Group (MLAG) Instituto de Filosofia da Universidade do Porto - UID/00502 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

Jan. 16, 2025