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

Postdoc position on modeling Metacognition in Inria Bordeaux, France
by Frederic Alexandre April 25, 2025

April 25, 2025

The Mnemosyne team of the Inria centre of the University of Bordeaux (France) is looking for a talented postdoctoral fellow with confirmed competences in the domain of Machine Learning for the development of a modeling framework of Metacognition . Metacognition is the cognitive process by which, instead of just learning to associate a response or a behavior with a situation, animals (and mainly primates) monitor the functioning (and particularly errors) of simple cognitive processes, learn to inhibit automatic responses and promote instead contextually appropriate behavioral rules. Better understanding and modeling this process is important for several reasons. In cognitive neuroscience , it paves the way to exploring higher cognitive functions like reasoning, imagination and other kinds of deliberation-based thoughts. In Artificial Intelligence , it stands on the same grounds as Generative AI and proposes different processes and algorithms that might remedy several weaknesses of GenAI and suggest innovative brain-inspired extensions. Located in Bordeaux (France), the role of the postdoctoral fellow to be recruited is to participate to a research program, under the following axes: Axis 1: Specification of Metacognition and its main computational mechanisms: Metacognition is generally described through three main mechanisms: (i) the possibility to monitor cues indicating difficulties in the process of problem solving (errors or conflicts between resources), in order to inhibit elementary default responses, (ii) working memory to keep in sustained activity the different aspects to be integrated (goals and subgoals, predictions, constraints) and (iii) cognitive flexibility corresponding to new goals and contextual rules that can be learned and integrated in the process of problem solving. Existing models (including from our team) indicate possible correspondence with cerebral circuitries and adaptive operations. Nevertheless, they are many and split these general mechanisms in different pieces which are not always consistent and may differ under several aspects. A major contribution will be to carry out a thorough analysis of these elements, to propose a synthesis associating both a precise description of the mechanisms and a map of their functional dependencies. Axis 2: Definition of relevant tasks in the domain of visual reasoning: Although many standard tasks have been defined and shared for simple sensorimotor control, it is not yet the case for cognitive control, generally corresponding to much more complex behaviors. A variety of tasks have been proposed in models evoked above but they differently integrate fundamental constituents such as hierarchical and temporal dependencies. In a similar view of standardization as in the axis above, the goal will be consequently to enumerate properties that have to be assessed when developing such metacognitive models and propose or design corresponding tasks. Subsequently, the postdoctoral fellow will work on integrating the insights from Axis 1 and task definitions in this Axis, with an architecture that integrates selected mechanisms from the different frameworks, particularly under the perspective of extending and evaluating models proposed in our team with novel properties. Axis 3: Organization of an international network of collaboration on the topic: We have already begun to identify and contact international (mainly European) teams working on the topic and willing to contribute to the elaboration of such a roadmap, toward more ambitious international projects. A corresponding goal will be to interact with these partners and to help with the preparation of such projects. This postdoc position is proposed for 18 to 24 months, preferably starting on November 1 st , 2025 and will be located in the Mnemosyne team, in Bordeaux, France. Please send CV + motivation letter to [ mailto:Frederic.Alexandre@inria.fr | Frederic.Alexandre(a)inria.fr ] for preliminary contact and interview. Deadline for application: June 1 st , 2025 References: Dagar, S., Alexandre, F., & Rougier, N. (2022). From Concrete to Abstract Rules: A Computational Sketch. In M. Mahmud, J. He, S. Vassanelli, A. van Zundert, & N. Zhong (Eds.), Brain Informatics . Springer International Publishing. [ https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15037-1_2 | https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15037-1_2 ] Kruijne, W., Bohte, S. M., Roelfsema, P. R., & Olivers, C. N. L. (2020). Flexible Working Memory Through Selective Gating and Attentional Tagging. Neural Computation , 33 (1), 1–40. [ https://doi.org/10.1162/neco_a_01339 | https://doi.org/10.1162/neco_a_01339 ] van den Berg, A. R., Roelfsema, P. R., & Bohte, S. M. (2023). Biologically plausible gated recurrent neural networks for working memory and learning-to learn. bioRxiv , 2023-07. Alexander, W. H., & Brown, J. W. (2015). Hierarchical Error Representation: A Computational Model of Anterior Cingulate and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex. Neural Computation , 27 (11), 2354–2410. [ https://doi.org/10.1162/NECO_a_00779 | https://doi.org/10.1162/NECO_a_00779 ] Botvinick, M. M., Braver, T. S., Barch, D. M., Carter, C. S., & Cohen, J. D. (2001). Conflict monitoring and cognitive control. Psychological Review , 108 (3), 624–652. Collins, A., & Koechlin, E. (2012). Reasoning, Learning, and Creativity: Frontal Lobe Function and Human Decision-Making. PLOS Biology, 10(3), e1001293+. [ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001293 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001293 ] Domenech, P., & Koechlin, E. (2015). Executive control and decision-making in the prefrontal cortex. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences , 1 , 101–106. [ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2014.10.007 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2014.10.007 ] Miller, K., Eckstein, M., Botvinick, M., & Kurth-Nelson, Z. (2024). Cognitive model discovery via disentangled RNNs. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems , 36 . -- Frederic A LEXANDRE

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Postdoc position in computational neuroscience
by pedro goncalves April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Dear all, The Verstreken Lab and our lab are based in Leuven, Belgium and part of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, and NERF and VIB.AI, respectively. The Verstreken lab is developing advanced multielectrode array systems to mimic human brain circuits relevant to Parkinson’s disease, and has been supported by the ERC for the past 15 years. Our lab is currently exploring a range of exciting topics at the intersection between computational neuroscience and probabilistic machine learning, in particular, to derive mechanistic insights from neural data. We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral colleague with strong computational skills in the analyses of complex data sets to join our teams. More details about the position and the labs can be found at https://jobs.vib.be/j/110908/postdoc-position-computational-methods-for-neu… Best wishes, Pedro Gonçalves --------------- Pedro Gonçalves Principal Investigator at NERF, a joint research initiative by imec, VIB, and KU Leuven Associate Professor at the Departments of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven Affiliated PI at VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology https://goncalveslab.sites.vib.be/en

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FRCCS 2025 Program is Live – Join Us in Bordeaux!
by Hocine Cherifi April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Dear colleagues, The final program for *FRCCS 2025* is now available! 📅 *May 21–23, 2025* 📍 *Bordeaux, France* 🔗 Program : https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/program_/ This year’s edition brings together a vibrant mix of research and community, including: - 5 keynote speakers: Caterina A. M. La Porta, Mikko Kivelä, Elsa Arcaute, Ulrik Brandes, and the René Thom Award presentation - 3 workshops on timely topics in complex systems - 8 oral sessions and 2 poster sessions - Welcome reception, gala dinner, and awards Whether you're presenting or simply passionate about complex systems, we’d love to see you in Bordeaux! 🎟️ Registration is open: 🔗 : https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/registration/ Please share with your network — and get ready for three inspiring days of science and exchange! Warm regards, The FRCCS 2025 Organizing Committee

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Workshop of Ideas in Neuroscience - Decoding the Brain: from methods to meaning, June 2-4th
by Mateusz Kostecki April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Hello! We are super happy to announce the next *Workshop of Ideas in Neuroscience, that will take place **at the Paris Brain Institute, June 2–4th.* This time, the topic is *Decoding the brain: from methods to meaning*. Applying machine learning and other models to decode behavioral parameters from neural activity is now a standard procedure in neuroscience. These approaches are often used to demonstrate that a specific neural population processes information related to behavior, or that certain patterns of brain activity represent external stimuli. However, this framework has not been without its critics. The notion that the brain’s primary role is to encode and decode information has been questioned by neuroscientists and philosophers alike. Ambiguity often surrounds the concept of "encoding," including what is meant by it and the criteria required for neural activity to be considered as encoding a particular feature. The aim of this workshop will be to perform an in-depth analysis and discussion of this framework and see examples of how, when, and why it should be applied – or challenged. With our speakers, we will try to trace different meanings of "encoding", discuss shortcomings of methods applied to decode information from neural signals – and how those considerations can improve our experiments! *Our speakers are:* - Mazviita Chirimuuta (University of Edinburgh) - Henry Yin (Duke University) - Romain Brette (Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics) - Farid Zahnoun (University of Antwerp) - Heike Stein (Sorbonne Université Paris) The workshop will follow the tradition of our *Schools of Ideas in Neuroscience*, with long, in-depth talks, discussions, and interactions in an informal environment! The deadline for application is *May 11th*. Please find more info and the link here – https://nenckiopenlab.org/decoding/. Best, Mateusz Kostecki -- --- 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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Deadline for Satellite Workshops at the Bernstein Conference 2025 is coming up
by Bernstein Communication April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

+++ The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience invites proposals for Satellite Workshops of the Bernstein Conference 2025 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. +++ ____ Bernstein Conference Each year, the Bernstein Network invites the international computational neuroscience community to the annual Bernstein Conference for intensive scientific exchange. It has established itself as one of the most renowned conferences worldwide in this field, attracting students, postdocs, and PIs from around the world to meet and discuss new scientific discoveries. https://www.bernstein-conference.de/ ____ Satellite Workshops Satellite Workshops of the Bernstein Conference 2025 provide a forum to discuss topical research questions, novel scientific approaches, and challenges in computational neuroscience and related fields. Ideally, the format should foster extensive scientific discussions and debates, and go beyond a mere series of talks. https://bernstein-network.de/bernstein-conference/call-for-satellite-worksh… ____ Important Dates Satellite Workshops: September 29 - 30, 2025 · Monday, Sep 29, 14:00 - 18:30 CEST · Tuesday, Sep 30, 8:30 - 12:30 CEST Main Conference: September 30 - October 2, 2025 Deadline for Satellite Workshop proposal submission: May 7, 2025 – 15:00 CEST Notification of Satellite Workshop acceptance: End of May 2025 ____ For each workshop, the organizers will receive one fee waiver for the Satellite Workshops, which they can award to one of the workshop speakers. We strongly recommend that the waiver is issued under the consideration of aspects of inclusion. ____ INVITED SPEAKERS Alison Barker (Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany) Upinder S. Bhalla (National Centre for Biological Sciences, India) Albert Compte (Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Spain) Luca Mazzucato (University of Oregon, USA) Tirin Moore (Stanford University, USA) Edvard Moser (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway) Katherine Nagel (NYU School of Medicine, USA) Panayiota Poirazi (Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Greece) Viola Priesemann (Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Germany) Andreas Tolias (Stanford University, USA) ____ CONFERENCE COMMITTEE Jochen Triesch (Conference Chair) Matthias Kaschube (Conference Host) Tatiana Engel (Program Chair) Tim Vogels (Program Vice Chair) Wiktor Młynarski (Workshop Chair) Katharina Wilmes (Workshop Vice Chair) & Athena Akrami, Nicolas Brunel, Alex Cayco-Gajic, Mehrdad Jazayeri, Jennifer Li, Scott Linderman, Ashok Litwin-Kumar, Ida Momennejad, Christina Savin, Andrew Saxe, Daniela Vallentin. ____ For any further questions, please contact: bernstein.conference(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:bernstein.conference@fz-juelich.de> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Jülich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Düren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Stefan Müller Geschäftsführung: Prof. Dr. Astrid Lambrecht (Vorsitzende), Dr. Stephanie Bauer (stellv. Vorsitzende), Prof. Dr. Ir. Pieter Jansens, Prof. Dr. Laurens Kuipers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Deadline approaching - Valentin Braitenberg Award for Computational Neuroscience
by Bernstein Communication April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Dear Colleagues, The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience invites nominations for the Valentin Braitenberg Award for Computational Neuroscience. The Valentin Braitenberg Award honors outstanding scientific achievements in the field of computational neuroscience. Following Baritenberg's scientific tradition, special attention is paid to theoretical studies that reveal functional significance of brain structure and their neuronal dynamics. The awardee receives €5.000 prize money, donated by the Autonome Provinz Bozen Südtirol, as well as an invitation to the Bernstein Conference 2025 (including registration fee, travel- and accommodation expenses). The award will be presented together with a Golden Neuron pin in a special award ceremony at the Bernstein Conference, followed by a lecture of the Braitenberg Awardee. Nominations may be submitted by scientists working in the field of computational neuroscience and should include the following documents: - One-page laudation, in which the scientific work of the candidate is honored with regard to the award criteria - CV and list of publications Deadline for nominations is April 30, 2025 by email to a.stein(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:a.stein@fz-juelich.de> Please note that self-nominations are not permitted. The call for nominations can be found under the following URL: https://bernstein-network.de/en/network/awards-and-initiatives/valentin-bra…<http://www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-conference/2018/braitenberg_award> For inquiries please contact a.stein(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:a.stein@fz-juelich.de>. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Jülich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Düren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Stefan Müller Geschäftsführung: Prof. Dr. Astrid Lambrecht (Vorsitzende), Dr. Stephanie Bauer (stellv. Vorsitzende), Prof. Dr. Ir. Pieter Jansens, Prof. Dr. Laurens Kuipers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Request for Guidance on Computer Vision Integration for Assistive Technology
by Areeba Gull April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Dear *Computer Vision Community*, I hope this message finds you well. My name is *Areeba Gull*, a Computer Science student from *Pakistan*, currently working on my *Final Year Project (FYP)*. My goal is to develop an *AI-powered assistive technology* system to support *visually impaired individuals*, with a strong focus on *computer vision* techniques. I would be sincerely grateful for any *resources*, *research papers*, or *expert guidance* related to building effective *CV-based assistive tools*. Suggestions on suitable *models*, *datasets*, or *leading researchers* in this field would be incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for your time and support. Warm regards, *Areeba Gull* Computer Science Student Iqra Girls College, *Pakistan*

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PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience: Modelling Predictive Error Responses
by Fleur Zeldenrust April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

*My lab is looking for a PhD candidate in Modelling Predictive Error Responses:* https://www.ru.nl/en/working-at/job-opportunities/phd-position-in-computati… For the NWO project ‘DBI2 <https://dbi2.nl/>’ we are looking for a PhD candidate to study predictive error responses in the auditory cortex. The main goal is to design an experimental approach to distinguish between two alternative theories of predictive coding and processing. Predictive coding and predictive processing are compelling theories to explain brain function. The idea that the brain continually maintains and updates an internal model of the outside world, and compares the incoming input with the expectations generated by this model, can explain many phenomena including adaptive behaviour and sensory effects such as oddball responses. However, until now there is no consensus on how such predictive coding could be implemented in real neural tissue. Importantly, there are two alternative theories on how error signals in predictive processing could be coded in neural signals: either as (1) top down signals from ‘higher order’ brain areas (hierarchical predictive coding, [2]) or (2) local signals, resulting in membrane potentials reflecting error signals ([3], for a review, see [1]). The goal of the research presented here, under the primary supervision of Dr Zeldenrust, is to design an experimental approach to distinguish between these two theoretical approaches. Measuring error signals in neural tissue is experimentally challenging. Therefore, a direct exchange between theory and experiment is needed, so that hypotheses and specific predictions about which neurons to record from and stimulate and the results expected can be quickly updated for the design of optimal experiments. The student will work in close collaboration with the Englitz lab, so that there is a direct link between modelling, data analysis and experiment. As a PhD candidate you will use data on oddball paradigms [4,5], which provide the ability to directly observe predictions and distinguish them from prediction errors. The data are a combined approach of widefield imaging of the entire auditory cortex with local and layer-specific imaging using 2-photon recordings in the same animals. To directly test the top-down hypothesis, neurons in subareas of the prefrontal cortex will be transfected with an inhibitory opsin (eNpHR3.0) to modulate their top-down influence. You will develop a model of the hierarchical interaction between the auditory cortex and the prefrontal cortex, in which error signals are either coded as top-down (theory 1) or local (theory 2). You will use this model to formulate testable predictions, distinguishing theory 1 from theory 2. These predictions will be tested by both analysing existing data from the Englitz lab and formulating new experimental paradigms that are suitable to distinguish between the local and top-down hypothesis. [1] N’dri, A. W., Gebhardt, W., Teulière, C., Zeldenrust, F., Rao, R. P. N., Triesch, J., & Ororbia, A. (2024). Predictive Coding with Spiking Neural Networks: A Survey (arXiv:2409.05386). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.05386 [2] Rao, R. P. N., & Ballard, D. H. (1999). Predictive coding in the visual cortex: A functional interpretation of some extra-classical receptive-field effects. Nature Neuroscience, 2(1), 79–87. [3] Zeldenrust, F., Gutkin, B., & Denéve, S. (2021). Efficient and robust coding in heterogeneous recurrent networks. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(4), e1008673. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008673 [4] Nieto-Diego, J. & Malmierca, M. S. Topographic Distribution of Stimulus-Specific Adaptation across Auditory Cortical Fields in the Anesthetized Rat. (2016) PLOS Biol. 14, e1002397 [5] Lao-Rodríguez, A. B. ... Englitz B, (2023) Neuronal responses to omitted tones in the auditory brain: A neuronal correlate for predictive coding. Sci. Adv. 9, eabq8657 *Profile* - You hold an MSc degree in computational neuroscience, mathematics, physics, computer science, AI or a similar computational field. - You have experience in developing models (preferably in computational neuroscience) and can perform simulations, analytical derivations and advanced data analysis. - You are a highly motivated, independent, critical, and creative researcher who wants to bridge the gap between real data and abstract theoretical models. - You are a team player, ready to collaborate in a diverse, multidisciplinary research group. - You have an excellent command of spoken and written English. - You have experience in coding (Python and/or Matlab). You will be appointed at the Biophysics of Neural Computation group <https://www.ru.nl/en/departments/donders-centre-for-neuroscience/biophysics…>, Donders Centre for Neuroscience <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-centre-for-neuroscience>, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-institute> This vibrant and multidisciplinary institute studies the organisation and function of neural circuits across scales and techniques, from genes and proteins to behaviour, and from in vitro and in vivo experiments to computational modelling. It is an open and international environment, where young scientists from different backgrounds share a fascination for the interaction between brain structure and function. For PhD candidates, there is a lively graduate school and specialised support. <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-institute/talent-development/phd-programme> <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-institute/talent-development/phd-programme>*We offer* - We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract). - You will receive a starting salary of €2,901 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,707 in the fourth year (salary scale P). - You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. - We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. - You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. -- Fleur Zeldenrust Associate Professor Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Donders Centre for Neuroscience Faculty of Science, Radboud University Heyendaalseweg 135, room HG 00.111 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands tel +31 24 36 53195 fleurzeldenrust.nl Due to my own family/work balance, you may receive emails from me outside of normal working hours. I do not expect a response from you outside of your own working pattern, nor do I expect an immediate response when you are working.

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6th International Conference on Mathematics of Neuroscience and AI (Split, Croatia, 27-30 May 2025) - abstract submission and attendance still open!
by Battleday, Ruairidh April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

6th International Conference on Mathematics of Neuroscience and AI (Split, Croatia, 27-30 May 2025) - abstract submission and attendance still open! —--------- Just under 6 weeks left until this year’s Conference on Mathematics of Neuroscience and AI! In this high-profile conference, we profile foundational research into the basis of intelligence from the perspective of neural data, neural theory, cognitive science, and machine learning & artificial intelligence (AI). www.neuromonster.org Thank you to all those that have submitted—the quality has been exceptional. - Abstract submissions are rolling - Student admission $50 - General admission $100 Keynote Speakers Professor Wolfgang Maas (Graz), Professor Eve Marder (Brandeis), Professor Jay McClelland (Stanford), Professor Christine Constantinople (NYU), Dr Kim Stachenfeld (DeepMind), Professor Kanaka Rajan (Harvard), Dr Ida Momennejad (Microsoft Research), Professor Jacob Foerster (Oxford / Meta). Invited Speakers Professor Alex Cayco-Gajic (ENS) Dr Jenelle Feather (Flatiron Institute) Dr Joao Barbosa (Institute for Neuromodulation) Tejas Ramdas (Harvard) Professor Vijay Namdoodiri (UCSF) Professor Annegret Falkner (Princeton) Dr Chris Hillar (New Theory AI) Dr Juan Gallego (Imperial) Professor Bonan Zhao (Edinburgh) Professor Lisa-Marie Vortmann (Groningen) Felix Sosa (Harvard) Dr Mathias Sablé-Meyer (Harvard / MIT) Dr Lio Wong (MIT) Dr Chen Sun (Mila) Session Chairs Dr Valeria Fascianelli (Columbia; Neural data) Dr Francesca Mignacco (CUNY & Princeton; Neural data) Dr James Whittington (Oxford & Stanford; Neural theory) Dr Maria Eckstein (DeepMind; Cognitive science) Mikey Lepori (Brown & DeepMind; Machine learning & AI) Location The conference will be held in the ancient port town of Split, Croatia, on the Dalmatian Coast. Submissions The submission format is an abstract of 250 words, and we invite submissions for each session via the following Google form: https://forms.gle/a9JDH5B4Z5otS69Y7 These will be accepted for poster, with the best 6 papers in each session category given an additional spotlight talk. We have a very open acceptance policy, and are happy to hear about relevant work that has been submitted to other events. We look forward to seeing you there! The Organizing Committee. Dr Ruairidh McLennan Battleday (Harvard & MIT) Dr James Whittington (Oxford & Stanford) Dr Ivana Kaljc (DeepMind) Professor Dan V. Nicolau Jr (Kings College London) -- Dr Ruairidh McLennan Battleday BMBCh (Oxon) PhD President Thinking About Thinking, Inc <https://thinkingaboutthinking.org> Postdoctoral Research Fellow Center for Brain Science, Harvard University Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines, MIT

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World wide VVTNS series (fifth season): Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 11:00 am EDT| Daniel Durstewitz, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim
by David Hansel April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

[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 Daniel Durstewitz Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Learning generative dynamical systems models from multi-modal and multi-animal neuro-data The lecture will be held on zoom on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at *11:00 am EDT * To receive the link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page *Abstract: *For decades dynamical systems theory played a pivotal role in theoretical and computational neuroscience, as it links biophysical and biochemical processes to neural computation. In fact, dynamical systems are computationally universal. Rather than hand-crafting computational theories of neural function based on dynamical systems, recent developments in scientific machine learning (ML) and AI suggest that we may be able to infer such dynamical-computational models directly from neurophysiological and behavioral observations. This is called dynamical systems reconstruction (DSR), the learning of generative surrogate models of the underlying dynamics, including its long-term temporal and geometrical properties, from time series data. In my talk I will cover recent ML/AI architectures, training algorithms, and validation procedures for DSR. I will discuss specifically how recent AI architectures for DSR can integrate neuroscience data from multiple modalities (like multiple single-unit recordings and behavioral choices), across diverse time scales, and across many different animals and task designs, into a joint DSR model. This provides first steps toward dynamical systems based AI foundation models for neuroscience. *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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