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

Call for applications: Gatsby Unit PhD Programme 2026 entry

by Lin, I-Chun

4-Year PhD Programme in Theoretical Neuroscience and Machine Learning Deadline: 17:00 GMT, Monday 3 November 2025 We welcome applications for 2026 entry to the Gatsby Unit PhD programme at University College London (UCL). Our research focuses on the mathematical principles of learning, perception and action in brains and machines. Ours is one of the original programmes to bring together neuroscience and machine learning, creating a critical mass for interaction amongst theoreticians in related fields. First-year courses provide training in machine learning as well as theoretical and systems neuroscience, after which PhD project may specialise in machine learning, theoretical neuroscience or encompass both. Students are encouraged to work closely with colleagues in the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour and/or the ELLIS Unit at UCL; and we have strong links to many world-class research groups at UCL and beyond. Applicants should have a very strong analytical and mathematical background, a keen interest in neuroscience, machine learning or both, and a relevant first degree, for example in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Neuroscience or Cognitive Psychology. Full funding is available regardless of nationality. The unit also welcomes applicants who have secured or are seeking funding from other sources. Applications should be submitted directly to us via the Gatsby Recruitment Portal. See http://www.ucl.ac.uk/life-sciences/gatsby/study-and-work/gatsby-unit-phd-pr… for details. Further information The Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit is a leading research centre focused on theoretical neuroscience and machine learning. We study (un)supervised and reinforcement learning in brains and machines; inference, coding and neural dynamics; Bayesian and kernel methods, and deep learning; with applications to the analysis of perceptual processing and cognition, neural data, signal and image processing, machine vision, network data and nonparametric hypothesis testing. We are a community of around 50 academic and research staff, students and support staff. We function as far as possible as a single large research group, interacting closely through regular unit-wide research activities. Many leading researchers in both machine learning and neuroscience have studied or worked in the Unit. Over 40% of our PhD and postdoctoral alumni hold a faculty position and about 30% work in research development in companies such as Google DeepMind (itself founded by two of our alumni), Meta and Anthropic. * Information on our research: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/life-sciences/gatsby/research * Read more about our faculty members: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/life-sciences/gatsby/people

Sept. 23, 2025

Doctoral Position in Developmental Artificial Intelligence at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies

by Jochen Triesch

We are looking for a highly motivated Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d) to join the group of Jochen Triesch at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS). The position is part of a new initiative within the German Excellence Cluster The Adaptive Mind (TAM) and is expected to start in early 2026. The application deadline is October 15, 2026. To submit your application, visit: https://jobapplication.hrworks.de/en?companyId=amb4af72&id=f39623 About the position The vacant position will be funded by the new German Excellence Cluster „The Adaptive Mind". Our goal is to reveal the computational and learning principles underlying the fascinating development of cognitive abilities in infants and toddlers through embodied computational modeling. To accomplish this goal, we will closely collaborate with Developmental Psychologists to develop embodied computational models of how infants and toddlers learn to perceive and understand the world, control their bodies and plan their behavior. These models will make use of our MIMo (Multimodal Infant Model) platform (see: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10382408) Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the development of abstract multimodal sensory representations, body know-how, and models of the self. About FIAS The Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) is a hub for theoretical and computational research located on the science campus of Goethe University Frankfurt (Campus Riedberg). Our fellows pursue interdisciplinary approaches to address fundamental questions in the natural sciences. The group of Jochen Triesch at FIAS is seeking a doctoral student in the area of Developmental AI and computational modeling of cognitive development. About TAM The Adaptive Mind (TAM) is an excellence cluster funded within Germany’s excellence strategy, which aims to strengthen Germany’s position as an outstanding research hub in the long term and further improve its international competitiveness. The Adaptive Mind is a research cluster that brings together scientists from Experimental Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Artificial Intelligence in order to understand how the human mind successfully adapts to changing conditions, and what happens when these adaptive processes fail. For more information please visit: https://www.theadaptivemind.de/ We are looking for a candidate with: • An excellent master’s degree in machine learning, cognitive science, robotics, physics, engineering or related field • A strong quantitative background • Prior knowledge in Cognitive Development is advantageous, but not required. We offer: • an inspiring work atmosphere • excellent research infrastructure and dedicated mentoring • outstanding opportunities for training and career development. You will be affiliated with the Excellence Cluster „The Adaptive Mind“, Goethe-University and a fellow of FIGSS, the graduate school of FIAS • rich possibilities to collaborate with experimental groups • the opportunity to live in Frankfurt am Main, a vibrant and exciting cosmopolitan city in the heart of Europe, which consistently earns high rankings in worldwide surveys of quality of life • a funded PhD position with a competitive salary (65%, based on the TV-H E13 pay scale). Required documents: • a motivation letter, highlighting why you want to do a PhD in the field and in our lab • a detailed curriculum vitae containing academic qualifications, research experiences, skills, possibly a publication list where you highlight your specific contributions • names and contact information of at least two scientists who can give references • detailed transcripts of records of your Master’s and Bachelor’s programs. The Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies is committed to fostering a workplace culture that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from qualified individuals regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation. In accordance with the German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), all qualified applicants will be given equal consideration. Where qualifications are equal, preference will be given to applicants with a disability. Please note that any costs incurred in connection with a personal interview will not be reimbursed. For questions, please contact: Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) Ruth-Moufang-Str. 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main triesch(a)fias.uni-frankfurt.de https://fias.uni-frankfurt.de Best regards, Jochen Triesch -- Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch Johanna Quandt Chair for Theoretical Life Sciences Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies and Goethe University Frankfurt http://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~triesch/ Tel: +49 (0)69 798-47531 Fax: +49 (0)69 798-47611

Sept. 22, 2025

Early-bird registration ends September 30th for The Mechanistic Basis of Foraging 2025, Birmingham (UK), 3-5th November

by Mark Humphries (staff)

Hi everyone, Early-bird registration<https://uobevents.eventsair.com/the-mechanistic-basis-of-foraging/registrat…> for "The Mechanistic Basis of Foraging 2025" will end on September 30th This international meeting will bring together everyone fascinated by the brain's role in foraging - ecologists, neuroscientists, theorists, psychologists, clinicians and all. It will be at the Edgbaston Park Hotel, University of Birmingham, UK on 3-5th November<https://uobevents.eventsair.com/the-mechanistic-basis-of-foraging/programme> 2025. Confirmed talks<https://uobevents.eventsair.com/the-mechanistic-basis-of-foraging/invited-s…> from Miriam Klein-Flügge<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAACtE-3kBGfSLNtzwaO6Gg_61I2z7v1QL2cY> (Oxford), Susan Healy (St Andrews), Benjamin Hayden<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAACqwHUBWuoA8vX4E9N3dC7uDIwKm0gvJqk> (Rice), Dean Mobbs<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAADO7t_EBfMOStW_2EEXmENwS1evhIbwqXxM> (Caltech), Becket Ebitz<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAACCpbA8BHCMs39mrznP4hOIHFZXsdQvjof0> (Montreal), David Barack (Pennsylvania), Jennifer Li<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAABs3v9oB9QVZ7O9k-SSERjAk7Rg1TdBsCLg> (Max Planck), Elli Leadbeater (UCL), Aaron Bornstein<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAABpLq0cBebU5WP08r2J0Psww0wcniLCYixI> (UC Irvine), Nicholas Furl<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAU3bbUBQbDszqRAFEIbNuWQGfbXb_3rpUg> (Royal Holloway), Dr. Carolina Rezaval (Birmingham), David Robbe (INSERM), and more https://uobevents.eventsair.com/the-mechanistic-basis-of-foraging/ We are grateful to the University of Birmingham<https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-of-birmingham/>, the BBSRC<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bbsrc/> and The Centre for Human Brain Health (CHBH)<https://www.linkedin.com/company/thechbh/> for supporting this meeting. Please share in your networks! Organising Committee: Prof. Matthew Apps, University of Birmingham Prof. Mark Humphries, University of Nottingham Prof. Mark Walton, University of Oxford Dr. Laura Grima, HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus Dr. Tiago Monteiro, University of Aveiro Dr. Adithya Rajagopalan, NYU Emma Scholey, University of Birmingham Kubra Karatas, University of Birmingham 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.

Sept. 19, 2025

Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience

by Anton Arkhipov

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce this year’s application cycle for The Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience, a three-year fellowship program aiming to bring fresh perspectives from diverse technical backgrounds to the field of neuroscience. The program is co-hosted by the Allen Institute and the University of Washington, through the Computational Neuroscience Center. It is directed by Dr. Christof Koch at the Allen Institute and Dr. Adrienne Fairhall at UW. Fellows choose a co-mentor from each of the two institutions and will be employed by the Allen Institute as a Scientist (salary starting at $106,780 annually), with an affiliate postdoctoral appointment at UW. Accepted fellows propose their own research project(s), with access to the Allen Institute's wealth of structural, genomic, and functional data collected over the past 15 years (brain-map.org<https://brain-map.org>). This unique opportunity allows fellows to ground their theories in rich empirical resources, potentially inspiring novel analyses, visualizations, and predictions that could subsequently be empirically tested. Each fellow will have the opportunity to mentor a fully funded UW undergraduate or postbaccalaureate research assistant who helps with their research for 3-12 months. Fellows also have access to career development activities through the University of Washington’s Computational Neuroscience Center. Fellows will receive an intensive orientation through the two-week long Summer Workshop on the Dynamic Brain<https://alleninstitute.org/events/summer-workshop-on-the-dynamic-brain-2025/> at UW’s Friday Harbor Laboratory on San Juan Island. We are seeking candidates for this three-year program. Up to three fellows will be selected to begin in Fall 2026. Applicants must be Ph.D.s (or equivalent) in a quantitative field such as computer science, electrical engineering, physics, or mathematics with a background in statistical, computational and machine learning methods. Ph.D. should have been awarded in the last 3 years. No previous experience in neuroscience is required. Applications are due by December 1st, 2025. More information can be found at the Shanahan Foundation website.<https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/careers/shanahan-founda…> If you have questions, please contact us at shanahan.fellow(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:shanahan.fellow@alleninstitute.org> Best regards, Anton. Anton Arkhipov Investigator, Allen Institute antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org> alleninstitute.org<https://alleninstitute.org> brain-map.org<https://portal.brain-map.org/>

Sept. 18, 2025

SNUFA 2025 - Abstract submission closing soon

by Friedemann Zenke

This is a friendly reminder that the SNUFA 2025 abstract submission closes soon (deadline Sept 26, 2025). SNUFA 2025 will take place on November 5-6, 2025 (online). See https://snufa.net/2025 for details. This year's invited speakers are Elisabetta Chicca (University of Groningen), Jason Eshraghian (UC Santa Cruz), Tomoki Fukai (OIST), and Chengcheng Huang (University of Pittsburgh). Like every year, the workshop brings together researchers in computational neuroscience, machine learning, and neuromorphic engineering to present their work and discuss how to translate these findings into a better understanding of neural circuits. Topics include artificial and biologically plausible learning algorithms and the dissection of trained spiking circuits toward understanding neural processing. We aim to have a manageable number of talks with ample discussion time. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Abstract submission deadline: September 26, 2025 (anywhere on earth) SNUFA 2025 is brought to you by David Kappel, Julijana Gjorgjieva, Dan Goodman, and Friedemann Zenke --- https://snufa.net/2025 Powered by www.world-wide.org/Neuro/

Sept. 17, 2025

Postdoctoral Position in Applied Mathematics & Computational Neuroscience at Oxford

by Lida Kanari

Dear all, I am pleased to share that I am recruiting a *Postdoctoral Research Associate* to join my group at the *Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford*. This is a 1-year, fixed-term position (UKRI MRC funded <https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FZ504804%2F1>) with the possibility of renewal, as part of the project “Algebraic topology bridging the gap between single neurons and networks”. The start date is flexible between *January and June 2026* and the deadline for applying is *October 13th*. My group <https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/people/lida.kanari> works at the intersection of topological data analysis, applied mathematics, and computational neuroscience, with a focus on bridging scales from single neurons to networks. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to conduct independent and collaborative research within Oxford and with international partners, and to contribute to the vibrant OCIAM community. Full details and the application portal can be found here <https://my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecruit/erq_jobspec_details_form.jobspec?p_id=…> . Please circulate this to anyone who may be interested! Best wishes, Lida Kanari

Sept. 17, 2025

(16th Sept 2pm CET) 4th SMILES Workshop on Sensorimotor Interaction, Language, and Embodiment of Symbols

by Xavier Hinaut

🚀 Join us onsite or online for the 4th SMILES Workshop! Join us for the 4th SMILES Workshop on Sensorimotor Interaction, Language, and Embodiment of Symbols — an interdisciplinary event exploring how low-level sensorimotor interactions give rise to high-level symbolic communication. 🔗 Workshop website: https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/home Register here for online accesss: https://forms.gle/VbncefzfvBCYHtvZ9 📅 Date: September 16, 2025 🕑 Time: 2:00 – 6:00 PM (CET) 🌐 Part of: ICDL 2025 – International Conference on Developmental Learning 🧠 Topics include: • Sensorimotor learning • Emergent communication • Gesture chunking • Symbol grounding • Compositional & hierarchical representations • Language in brains & machines Linked-in post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/xavierhinaut_smiles2025-icdl2025-cognitivesc… Best, Xavier Hinaut, Laura Cohen and Alex Pitti Xavier Hinaut Inria Research Scientist — News! —> Next Hackathon on AI, Robots and CogSci: « Hack1robo », October 2025, Bordeaux, France Register on mailing-list, linked-in or instagram to stay tuned! https://sites.google.com/view/hack1robo/accueil https://www.instagram.com/hack1robo/ — www.xavierhinaut.com <http://www.xavierhinaut.com/> -- +33 5 33 51 48 01 Mnemosyne team, Inria, Bordeaux, France -- — Our Reservoir Computing library: https://github.com/reservoirpy/reservoirpy

Sept. 15, 2025

Postdoc position computational tractography, neuroinformatics and disease

by Franco Pestilli

*Postdoctoral Training Opportunities in Clinical Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics**The University of Texas at Austin | Dell Medical School | Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience* We invite applications for two T32-funded postdoctoral fellowship positions at The University of Texas at Austin, supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). These positions offer an exceptional opportunity to build a career at the interface of clinical neuroscience, neuroinformatics, and open science. Fellows will join a collaborative project investigating white matter development and trajectories in bipolar disorder and their relationship to clinical outcomes and risk for alcohol use problems. Research will involve diffusion-weighted MRI, tractography, functional MRI, machine learning, and longitudinal modeling, alongside opportunities for clinical and behavioral data collection, including placebo-controlled alcohol administration paradigms. This T32 program provides outstanding career development and mentoring. Postdoctoral fellows will train with Dr. Elizabeth Lippard (Dell Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, whose work integrates clinical neuroscience and psychiatric outcomes) and Dr. Franco Pestilli (Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, a leader in neuroinformatics, diffusion MRI, and open-science infrastructure, see brainlife.io). Both investigators have a strong record of training fellows who have gone on to independent faculty careers at leading universities and to senior scientific and technical roles in top industry settings. This environment is designed to provide not only technical expertise but also the mentorship, visibility, and collaborative network necessary to launch a successful independent career. Applicants should send a cover letter describing their motivation for applying and a curriculum vitae to: Dr. Elizabeth Lippard (Elizabeth.Lippard(a)austin.utexas.edu) Dr. Franco Pestilli (pestilli(a)utexas.edu) Positions are available immediately and will remain open until filled. FRANCO PESTILLI, Ph.D. | Professor The University of Texas at Austin Psychology <https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/psychology/index.php> | College of Liberal Arts <https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/> Neuroscience <https://neuroscience.utexas.edu/> | College of Natural Sciences <http://cns.utexas.edu/> pestilli(a)utexas.edu | web <https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/psychology/faculty/fp4834> | Laboratory <https://pestillilab.github.io/> Director, brainlife.io Director of Data Technology, mesoscale-connectivity.org <https://www.mesoscale-connectivity.org/> Director, braindatagovernance.org Chair, Infrastructure Committee INCF.org <https://incf.org/about/governance/infrastructure-committee-ic> Director, Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) Connectivity Project <https://pestillilab.github.io/bids-connectivity/> Director, The Axonal Projectome Exchange Data Coordination Center

Sept. 15, 2025

Assistant Professor in Cognitive Sciences at UC Irvine

by Anna Leshinskaya

Dear colleagues, The Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks an innovative researcher for a tenure-track assistant professor position with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. We seek a researcher whose work combines the following two elements. First, the research is empirical and addresses substantive questions in human cognition (e.g., perception, memory, decision making). Second, the lens of analysis is informed by computational modeling including cognitive modeling, computational neuroscience or data science. We are particularly interested in candidates whose research uses behavioral experiments and AI approaches. This can include: (1) using AI as a model of human cognition to advance cognitive theory; (2) using cognitive tools and theories to scientifically understand neural networks; and (3) empirical work on human-AI interaction. AI models can include deep neural networks of vision or language, reinforcement learning systems, or others. UCI offers strong interdisciplinary collaborations across cognitive science, neuroscience, computer science, statistics, and engineering and is well-positioned to support research in areas such as robotics, neuroscience, and human-AI interaction. The successful candidate will build an independent research program while contributing to teaching, mentoring, and service. Learn more about our department and the university at: https://www.cogsci.uci.edu/. For full consideration, applications must be completed by November 15, 2025. Priority will be given to applications received by this date, but we will continue reviewing qualified candidates until the position is filled. Further information including the application can be found at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09896.

Sept. 13, 2025

Postdoctoral position part of the Simons Collaboration in Ecological Neuroscience at NYU

by Cristina Savin

The Artificial and Biological Computation lab at NYU has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience/Machine Learning. Project: The fellow will work as part of the theory and data science team in the new Simons Collaboration in Ecological Neuroscience <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.simonsfoundation.o…> focuses on the principles of learning internal models of the world in the service of complex behavior. The position offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary research at the interface of machine learning, data science and neuroscience. Qualifications: PhD in Computational Neuroscience, machine learning or related fields. Strong background in machine learning and programming (Python). Of particular interest are candidates with previous research experience in reinforcement learning, probabilistic machine learning, and/or statistical methods for neural data analysis. Strong record of productivity as evidenced in past publications Strong motivation & ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment. Opportunities: Collaborate closely with a world-leading international research team with possibility of across lab visits Access to state-of-the-art computing resources. The opportunity to participate in the design of experiments and access to unique multi-species neuroscience datasets Application: To apply please email csavin(a)nyu.edu <mailto:csavin@nyu.edu> your CV, contact details of at least 2 references, and a brief (one page maximum) description of why are you interested in the position and how your expertise fits the call. Best CS _____________ Dr. Cristina Savin Assoc.Prof. in Neural Science and Data Science Director of Graduate Studies and Admissions for PhD in the Center for Data Science New York University

Sept. 12, 2025