March 2026 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Online International Symposium on Unified Theory of Prediction and Action, March 13–14

by Takuya Isomura

Dear Colleagues, We are delighted to announce that the International Symposium on Unified Theory of Prediction and Action will be held online on March 13–14. https://unifiedtheory.jp/symposium/2026/index.html Invited Speakers: Andre Bastos (Vanderbilt University) Zenas Chao (The University of Tokyo) Anne Churchland (University of California, Los Angeles) Hiroshi Makino (Keio University) Jun Tani (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology) Pablo Lanillos (Spanish National Research Council) Philip Corlett (Yale University) Xiaosi Gu (Yale University) The symposium will feature the integration of theory and experiments in neuroscience. We sincerely look forward to your participation. ---------- The 1st International Symposium Unified Theory of Prediction and Action Date: March 13 (Friday) and 14 (Saturday), 2026 (Starting around 9:30 on 13th and ending around 17:00 on 14th) Venue: Hybrid (Now accepting online registration only) Registration Form: https://forms.office.com/r/XVUh9qvAHQ Schedule: (in Japan Standard Time; JST) 13 March 2026 9:15 Registration 9:45 Opening Session 1: Predictive Coding 9:50 Andre Bastos, Vanderbilt University 10:40 Takuya Isomura, RIKEN 11:10 Break 11:30 Zenas Chao, The University of Tokyo 12:20 Misako Komatsu, Institute of Science Tokyo 12:50 Lunch Session 2: Control and Planning 14:00 Anne K. Churchland, UCLA 14:50 Teppei Ebina, The University of Tokyo 15:20 Break 15:40 Hiroshi Makino, Keio University 16:30 Hitoshi Okamoto, RIKEN 17:00 Poster session 18:00- Social event - Information exchange discussion 14 March 2026 Session 3: Session 3: NeuroAI 9:30 Jun Tani, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology 10:20 Masahiro Suzuki, The University of Tokyo 10:50 Break 11:10 Pablo Lanillos, Spanish National Research Council 12:00 Akihiro Funamizu, The University of Tokyo 12:30 Lunch Session 4: Computational Psychiatry 13:30 Philip R. Corlett, Yale University 14:20 Hidehiko Takahashi, Institute of Science Tokyo 14:50 Break 15:10 Xiaosi Gu, Yale University 16:00 Kenji Doya, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology 16:30 Closing Organizer: JSPS Transformative Research Area (A): Unified Theory of Prediction and Action Contact: https://unifiedtheory.jp/contact/ Please write “Regarding the International Symposium” in the subject line of the web inquiry form. ---------- Best regards, Takuya Isomura Brain Intelligence Theory Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

March 3, 2026

Independent PI Position – NeuroAI, Generative Models & Visual Computation (University of Coimbra)

by Jorge Almeida

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posting. We are seeking a researcher interested in establishing themselves as an independent PI under a 2–3 year contract in Portugal, to develop and lead a research line in NeuroAI and Visual Computation at the University of Coimbra. The successful candidate will build an independent program at the intersection of computational neuroscience and artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on visual processing. We are particularly interested in candidates working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biological vision, including research on diffusion models and generative AI; GANs and large-scale visual generative systems; representation learning and mid-level visual features; image synthesis, transformation, and model interpretability; Computational accounts of object and scene representations; and testing alignment between artificial and biological vision systems. The candidate will have full access to newly acquired local GPU and CPU computational infrastructure, as well as institutional high-performance computing facilities. A central component of the position will involve leveraging human neuroimaging data — particularly fMRI (3T, with potential access to 7T) — to test and constrain computational models of visual representation and generative systems. We are especially interested in researchers aiming to establish an independent research group (seed funding may be available) and who adopt a strong fundamental science perspective grounded in cognitive science and systems neuroscience. The ideal candidate will integrate large-scale modeling approaches with empirical neural data to advance mechanistic accounts of visual cognition. The position offers rich collaborative opportunities with faculty in cognitive neuroscience and perception, including Jorge Almeida, Joana Carvalho, Jason Fischer, Pawel Tacikowski, Robert Whitwell, Zohar Tal, Ceren Battal, and Alfonso Caramazza. The department provides access to 3T MRI facilities (with potential 7T collaborations), TMS (Magstim Super Rapid² with Brainsight neuronavigation), EEG, tDCS, eye tracking, motion tracking, and virtual reality systems. This position is embedded within the major European-funded CogBooster initiative, which aims to establish a permanent and internationally competitive team of cognitive neuroscientists at the Department of Psychology of the University of Coimbra. The current group is highly international and conducts research spanning low- and high-level vision, memory, attention, action, and conceptual processing. Researchers with strong backgrounds in machine learning, computer vision, or computational neuroscience — and a genuine interest in linking artificial systems to biological cognition — are particularly encouraged to apply. If you — or someone you know — might be interested in this opportunity, please feel free to contact me. Best regards, Jorge

March 2, 2026

Independent young PI Position to lead the newly formed TMS Lab (University of Coimbra)

by Jorge Almeida

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posting. We are seeking a researcher interested in establishing themselves as an independent PI under a 2–3 year contract in Portugal, to lead and develop a newly established TMS laboratory. The lab is equipped with a Magstim Super Rapid² TMS system and Brainsight neuronavigation. The successful candidate will lead the TMS facility and will have substantial access to the equipment to pursue their own research program. There will also be opportunities for collaboration with other PIs in the department, including Jorge Almeida, Joana Carvalho, Jason Fischer, Pawel Tacikowski, Robert Whitwell, Zohar Tal, Ceren Battal, and Alfonso Caramazza, on joint TMS projects. We are particularly interested in researchers who aim to build an independent research group (seed funding may be available, as well as support for major competitive applications - e.g., ERC) and who use TMS to investigate cognitive processes from a fundamental science perspective. While our primary focus is basic cognitive neuroscience, we would consider work involving neurological populations (e.g., individuals with brain damage), though we are less focused on psychiatric or clinical intervention approaches. In addition to TMS, the department provides access to tDCS systems, fMRI, EEG, fMRI compatible EEG, eye tracking, motion tracking, and virtual reality equipment. This position is part of the major European-funded CogBooster initiative, which aims to establish a permanent team of cognitive neuroscientists within the Department of Psychology at the University of Coimbra. The current group is highly international and conducts research spanning low- and high-level vision, memory, attention, and action. If you — or someone you know — might be interested in this opportunity, please feel free to contact me. Best regards, Jorge

March 2, 2026

Independent young PI Position to lead the EEG Lab (University of Coimbra)

by Jorge Almeida

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posting. We are seeking a researcher interested in establishing themselves as an independent PI under a 2–3 year contract in Portugal, to lead and further develop our EEG laboratory (256 Ch EEG AntNeuro) and a newly purchased fMRI compatible EEG to be used in our 3T MRI scanner. The successful candidate will oversee the EEG facility and will have substantial access to the equipment to pursue their own research program. There will also be opportunities for collaboration with other PIs in the department, including Jorge Almeida, Joana Carvalho, Jason Fischer, Pawel Tacikowski, Robert Whitwell, Zohar Tal, Ceren Battal, and Alfonso Caramazza, on joint EEG projects. Moreover, the PI will co-lead with Joana Carvalho the use of the fMRI compatible EEG to be used in the 3T MRI scanner. We are particularly interested in researchers who aim to build an independent research group (seed funding may be available) and who use EEG to investigate major cognitive processes from a fundamental science perspective and from a strong Cognitive Science perspective. In addition to EEG, the department provides access to TMS (Magstim Super Rapid² with Brainsight neuronavigation), tDCS systems, fMRI, eye tracking, motion tracking, and virtual reality equipment. This position is part of the major European-funded CogBooster initiative, which aims to establish a permanent team of cognitive neuroscientists within the Department of Psychology at the University of Coimbra. The current group is highly international and conducts research spanning low- and high-level vision, memory, attention, and action. If you — or someone you know — might be interested in this opportunity, please feel free to contact me. Best regards, Jorge

March 2, 2026

[Reminder] BAMB! 2026 Applications close March 6 (Friday)

by manuel molano

Dear colleagues, This is a final reminder that applications for the 6th edition of the Barcelona Summer School for Advanced Modeling of Behavior (BAMB! 2026) close this Friday, March 6th (midnight Pacific Time). Apply at: www.bambschool.org<http://www.bambschool.org> BAMB! 2026 (July 12–23) is an intensive two-week program in Barcelona for PhD students and postdocs in cognitive and computational neuroscience. Quick Highlights: * Curriculum: Reformulated for 2026 to cover the latest in Neuro-AI and behavioral modeling. * Format: Lectures, hands-on tutorials, and collaborative group projects. * Grants: Travel and childcare grants are available. * Keynotes: Megan Peters (UCI) and Marcelo Mattar (NYU). Don't miss the chance to join us in Barcelona this summer to master the art of modeling behavior! Best regards, The BAMB! 2026 Organizing Team info(a)bambschool.org

March 2, 2026

Multiple PhD positions in Cognitive Neuroscience at SISSA - application deadline 20 March 2026

by Eugenio Piasini

Up to 6 PhD positions in Cognitive Neuroscience are available at SISSA, Trieste, starting October 2026. SISSA is an elite postgraduate research institution for Maths, Physics and Neuroscience, located in Trieste, Italy. SISSA operates in English, and its faculty and student community is diverse and strongly international. The Cognitive Neuroscience group (https://phdcns.sissa.it/) hosts 7 research labs that study the neuronal bases of time and magnitude processing, neuronal foundations of perceptual experience and learning in various sensory modalities, motivation and intelligence, language, and neural computation. Our research is highly interdisciplinary; our approaches include behavioral, psychophysics, and neurophysiological experiments with humans and animals, as well as computational, statistical and mathematical models. Students from a broad range of backgrounds (physics, maths, medicine, psychology, biology) are encouraged to apply. The selection procedure is now open; please apply here (https://pica.cineca.it/sissa/phd-cns-01-2026/) The application deadline for the spring admission round is 20 March 2026 at 1pm CET. For more information on the procedure, see our admissions page (https://phdcns.sissa.it/admission-procedure) Please contact the PhD Coordinator Mathew Diamond (diamond(a)sissa.it) and/or your prospective supervisor for more information and informal inquiries.

March 2, 2026

Postdoctoral Researcher in AI for Mental Health — AHA Lab @ CUHK‑Shenzhen

by Prof. Sahba ZOJAJI (HSS)

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher (1 position) Lab/Unit: Augmented Humanity & AI (AHA) Lab, School of Artificial Intelligence (SAI), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK‑Shenzhen) Location: Shenzhen, China | On‑site Term: 24 months, renewable based on performance and funding Start date: Flexible (target window: by June 2026) Summary The AHA Lab at CUHK‑Shenzhen invites applications for postdoctoral researchers in Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health and Therapy, with emphasis on multimodal LLMs that fuse language, facial, vocal, and physiological signals, social robotics for real-time affective interaction, and VR-based exposure and skills-training environments—all targeting transparent, trustworthy support for CBT and other evidence-based interventions. The postdoc will drive independent and collaborative research, publish at CHI/ACL/EMNLP/AAAI/ICLR/NeurIPS/TAC, and mentor students in a fast‑growing AI school. Responsibilities - Design and fine-tune multimodal LLMs that integrate language, facial, vocal and physiological data for real-time inference of affect, risk and therapeutic needs. - Develop social-robotic and VR prototypes that deliver CBT micro-interventions, exposure tasks or skills coaching, and evaluate usability and efficacy in lab and clinical settings. - Create interpretable, uncertainty-aware models that supply clinicians and patients with actionable explanations; ensure compliance with ethical, privacy and regulatory standards. - Collect, curate and analyze multimodal datasets (wearables, EEG/fMRI, smartphone logs, robot interaction logs, VR telemetry). - Lead papers and presentations at top venues; contribute to grant writing and open‑source releases. - Co‑supervise graduate students; collaborate within CUHK‑Shenzhen and external partners. Required qualifications - Ph.D. in Computer Science/AI/Computational Psychology, or related field by start date. - Strong publication record in top-tier AI conferences in HCI/NLP/ML/Digital Mental Health. - Familiarity with robot operating systems (ROS/ROS2) or Game engines (Unity/Unreal). - Proficiency with modern Deep Learning toolchains and NLP frameworks. - Ability to design and run human-subject studies. - Excellent scientific communication in English. - At the time of contract commencement, the age must be under 35. Preferred qualifications - Experience with Clinical multimodal data, mental-health metrics, CBT/DBT training or certification, Explainable/uncertain AI, federated/privacy learning, affect-driven robot dialogue or VR therapy. - Project leadership and mentoring experience. Compensation & benefits Competitive salary commensurate with experience; benefits per CUHK‑Shenzhen policy; travel support to major conferences. Application Submit as a single PDF: (1) CV with publications; (2) 1–2 page research statement; (3) up to 3 representative papers; (4) names/emails of 2–3 referees. Review begins: 15 March 2026; applications accepted until filled. Contact: sukiwang(a)cuhk.edu.cn<mailto:sukiwang@cuhk.edu.cn>

March 2, 2026

Postdoctoral Researcher in Speech & Language Processing — SLC Lab @ CUHK Shenzhen

by Prof. Sahba ZOJAJI (HSS)

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher (1 position) Lab/Unit: Spoken Language Communication (SLC) Lab, School of Artificial Intelligence (SAI), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK‑Shenzhen) Location: Shenzhen, China | On‑site Term: 24 months, renewable based on performance and funding Start date: Flexible (target window: by June 2026) Summary The SLC Lab at CUHK‑Shenzhen invites applications for postdoctoral researchers in speech and language processing, with emphasis on simultaneous speech translation (SimulST), LLM‑based S2T/S2ST, simultaneous policy learning (RL/DPO), streaming alignment (CIF/monotonic attention/Transducer), and multimodal LLMs. The postdoc will drive independent and collaborative research, publish at ACL/EMNLP/AAAI/ICLR/ICASSP/INTERSPEECH//TASLP, and mentor students in a fast‑growing AI school. Responsibilities - Design/execute research on SimulST, streaming ASR/ST, S2ST, and multimodal LLMs. - Develop reproducible pipelines (PyTorch/JAX; Hugging Face; ESPnet/Fairseq/NeMo/SpeechBrain). - Lead papers and presentations at top venues; contribute to grant writing and open‑source releases. - Co‑supervise graduate students; collaborate within CUHK‑Shenzhen and external partners. Required qualifications - Ph.D. in EE/CS/Computational Linguistics or related field by start date. - Strong publication record in top-tier AI conferences in speech/NLP/ML. - Proficiency with modern DL toolchains and speech/NLP frameworks. - Excellent scientific communication in English. - At the time of contract commencement, the age must be under 35. Preferred qualifications - Experience with SimulST/read–write policies, RL/DPO/RLHF, CIF/CTC/monotonic attention, multilingual and low‑resource speech, evaluation (COMET, AL/ATD, WER/TER), robustness/accent/noise, prosody/voice, machine speech chain, and large‑scale training. - Project leadership and mentoring experience. Compensation & benefits Competitive salary commensurate with experience; benefits per CUHK‑Shenzhen policy; travel support to major conferences. Application Submit as a single PDF: (1) CV with publications; (2) 1–2 page research statement; (3) up to 3 representative papers; (4) names/emails of 2–3 referees. Review begins: 15 March 2026; applications accepted until filled. Contact: snakamura(a)cuhk.edu.cn<mailto:snakamura@cuhk.edu.cn>

March 2, 2026

World wide VVTNS series (6th season): Unsupervised representation learning by amortised neural message-passing | Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 11:00 am ET - Lior Fox, Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit

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 Lior Fox Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit on the topic of * Unsupervised representation learning by amortised neural * *message-passing* The lecture will be held on zoom on March 4 ,2026, at *11:00 am ET * > To receive the link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page > *Abstract: *Useful internal representations should explain the patterns of regularities and dependencies among observations. Probabilistic graphical models promise a principled way to uncover latent factors as such, but they are hard to scale to handle high-dimensional sensory observations and complicated dependency structures. Neural-networks, on the other hand, excel at approximating complicated high-dimensional functions, but their internal representations do not easily lend themselves to a probabilistic interpretation. Despite some successes, a general unified approach is still missing for integrating the two approaches. I will describe a novel approach towards merging adaptive neural-network components into a probabilistic framework, based on three core ideas. The first is to train a set of networks to collectively perform inference, leveraging the ability of pattern-recognition methods to amortise complicated transformations. The second is to constrain the way in which the outputs of these networks are interpreted, transformed, and combined together. These constraints, together with the learning objective itself, are derived directly from probabilistic considerations encoded in a graphical model. Finally, the third core idea is that of recognition-parameterization, allowing the inference ("recognition") procedure to directly define the model itself, without requiring an explicit "generative" decoder. *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 ᐧ

March 1, 2026