- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

PhD opportunity - Insect Intelligence @ Edinburgh

by Barbara Webb

The Insect Robotics group led by Prof. Barbara Webb, in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh, has two funded positions available for PhD candidates, to start no later than January 2021. The topic of research will be the neural mechanisms of navigation in insects, building on our recent work modelling the central complex and the mushroom body circuits. Insects have relatively small brains but exhibit substantial intelligence and flexibility in their ability to navigate complex environments, providing an opportunity to understand problems of learning, generalisation, cue integration etc. at the level of single neurons and their connectivity. The primary project aim will be to build detailed computational models, working closely with anatomical and physiological data from our project partners, and to explore the behavioural consequences in simulated and robot agents. There will also be the opportunity to do behavioural experiments on relevant model species such as ants and dung beetles, to complement the modelling results. Students will be fully supported for 3.5 years with a standard stipend, all fees covered, and an allowance for travel and research costs. Interested candidates should in the first instance contact Barbara Webb <B.Webb(a)ed.ac.uk>. Further information about the research degrees in Informatics at Edinburgh and the formal application process can be found here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/informatics/postgraduate -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

June 2, 2020

Two PhD positions in computational modeling of brain areas and neurorobotics

by Jesús Garrido

The *Applied Computational Neuroscience (ACN) research group* ( https://acn.ugr.es) headed by Prof. Eduardo Ros at the University of Granada (UGR) is looking for talented Master or PhD students interested in working in the field of computational neuroscience and neurorobotics, specifically addressing questions of motor learning and adaptation. The perfect candidate shall possess a strong mathematical, computational or robotic engineering background (or equivalent), with great interest in biological and neural systems. Demonstrated programming skills are mandatory. *Requirements:* - Applicants should have a strong quantitative background (physics, engineering, computer science, applied mathematics), and a keen interest in reverse-engineering the brain. - Demonstrated programming skills (Matlab, C/C++, Python) are required. - Knowledge on computational neuroscience software (BRIAN, NEURON, NEST,…etc ) are a plus although not mandatory. - Robotics control middleware (ROS) is highly valuable. - Robotics (ROS) and programming languages (Matlab, C/C++, Python) are highly valuable. - Proficiency in oral and written English is required. - Knowledge of Spanish is not mandatory. Successful candidates are expected to work in an interdisciplinary environment with collaborations within EU projects. *Full Description of the Job Offer* can be found at: http://sl.ugr.es/hbpcontract *How to apply* Candidates should send a single pdf file containing a motivation letter, a full CV, and names and contact information of at least two referees, to Niceto Luque (nluque(a)ugr.es) and Jesús Garrido (jesusgarrido(a)ugr.es) Short listed candidates will be contacted for an interview (either face-to-face or via videoconference).

June 1, 2020

Postdoctoral position in the Neuromodulation and Neuroprosthetics team, led by Dr. Fabien Wagner, at the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Bordeaux, France

by Fabien Wagner

Our team develops new neuromodulation paradigms and neuroprosthetic systems for repairing or replacing circuit-level functions that get disrupted after neurological disorders or injury. Our research combines techniques from Neuroscience and Neuroengineering , in particular in vivo electrophysiology, signal processing, machine learning and control engineering. We are specifically interested in expanding neuroprosthetic systems from motor to cognitive disorders. In particular, we aim at developing a large-scale brain network neuroprosthesis to restore memory after brain injury or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. To strengthen our team, we are looking to hire a motivated postdoctoral researcher, who will be expected to work on multielectrode recordings and electrical stimulation of large-scale memory networks in non-human primates performing cognitive tasks. The ideal candidate should have expertise in non-human primate electrophysiology, neurostimulation, memory disorders, brain-machine interfaces, or neuroprosthetics. This highly interdisciplinary project requires both experimental and analytical skills, and will be conducted in collaboration with other team members. The position is currently funded for a duration of 3 years. Interested applicants should send their CV to the principal investigator at : [ mailto:fabien.wagner@u-bordeaux.fr | fabien.wagner(a)u-bordeaux.fr ] . Keywords : neuromodulation, neuroprosthetics, neuroengineering, brain stimulation, brain-machine interfaces, memory, cognition. --- Fabien Wagner, Ph.D. Team leader: Neuromodulation and Neuroprosthetics Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives - CNRS UMR 5293 Université de Bordeaux Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine - 3ème étage 146 rue Léo Saignat - CS 61292 - Case 28 33076 Bordeaux cedex [ http://www.imn-bordeaux.org/en/teams/neuromodulation-and-neuroprosthetics/ | www.imn-bordeaux.org/en/teams/neuromodulation-and-neuroprosthetics/ ] [ http://www.bordeaux-neurocampus.fr/en/staff/fabien-wagner/ | www.bordeaux-neurocampus.fr/en/staff/fabien-wagner/ ]

June 1, 2020

PhD position at Rehab Technologies Lab (Italian Institute of Technology)

by Marianna Semprini

We seek a highly motivate PhD student for working at the Rehab Technologies Lab at IIT. Rehab Technologies is an innovation lab aimed at translating robotic technologies into hi-tech medical products for people with disabilities, including also neural interfaces and personalized neuroengineering solutions for promoting neuroplasticity, with the goal of replacing and/or retraining motor functionalities. We are also interested in monitoring the neural correlates of the rehabilitation treatment, by means of measures based on network connectivity extracted with hdEEG. The PhD project will mainly focus on this activity and will thus include experiments with patients and strong collaboration and interaction with our clinical partners. To this end, the candidate will benefit from a lively network of collaborations with hospitals and research institutions in Italy and abroad. The ideal candidate should: hold a degree in electronic/biomedical engineering or related disciplines, have proficient programming skills (Matlab/Simulink, C and/or Python), be a highly motivated and creative individual who wants to work in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary research environment. Former lab experience and previous technical and scientific results will be highly considered. Applications will be collected through the UNIGE portal https://www.iit.it/careers/openings/opening/1215-1-phd-position-in-bioengin…. Deadline for application is June 15th. Please feel free to contact us for informal enquire. Contacts: michela.chiappalone(a)iit.it<mailto:michela.chiappalone@iit.it>; marianna.semprini(a)iit.it<mailto:marianna.semprini@iit.it> References: * Iandolo R., Semprini M., Buccelli S., Barban F.iit, Zhao M., Samogin J., Bonassi G., Avanzino L., Mantini D., Chiappalone M. (2020). Small-World Propensity Reveals the Frequency Specificity of Resting State Networks. IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology. * Semprini M., Laffranchi M., Sanguineti V., Avanzino L., De Icco R., De Michieli L., & Chiappalone M. (2018). Technological approaches for neurorehabilitation: from robotic devices to brain stimulation and beyond. Frontiers in Neurology, 9, 212.

May 29, 2020

Post doc position at UCL in human motion sequencing to investigate threat-related behaviour (PI Dominik R Bach)

by Dominik R. Bach

We are looking for a for a Research Fellow in human motion sequencing, for an ERC-funded research project "Action selection under threat - the complex control of human defence" led by Dr Dominik Bach (bachlab.org) The overarching goal of the project is to understand the cognitive-computational control of human motor behaviour under acute, immediate threat. We investigate this in an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment, in which people can move to avoid a large number of different threats. As part of this project, the candidate will conduct full-body motion capture recordings, recover kinematics and dynamics, and structure the ensuing trajectories using hierarchical statistical models incorporating movement mechanics. We want to find out how motor primitives and their sequences are shaped by threat features and by the cognitive mechanisms that they engage. For more background, see references below. The post is based in London UK, at the Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research (www.mps-ucl-centre.mpg.de <www.mps-ucl-centre.mpg.de/>), which is part of the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk) at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, a world-class research environment. Applicants should have (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in machine-learning, robotics, computer science, motor science, biomechanics, computational neuroscience, or a related area, by the agreed start date of the position. Experience with motion capture, inverse kinematics and dynamics (in humans or robots), movement trajectory analysis and structuring are essential. Strong background in contemporary machine-learning and applied statistics is essential, as are solid mathematical skills and good general IT and software development knowledge. Familiarity with virtual reality and/or human/animal defensive behaviour would be desirable. The post is funded from Autumn 2020 for 3 years in the first instance. Starting salary on the UCL salary scale, £35,328 - £42,701 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance, superannuable. Closing date is 24. June 2020. You should apply for this post through UCL's online recruitment system – bit.ly/2LYRH64. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed remotely in early-mid July. Applicants may contact Dr Dominik Bach directly (email: d.bach(a)ucl.ac.uk) for further information. References: Bach & Dayan (2017) Nature Reviews Neurosciences <http://bachlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Bach-Dayan-2017-NRN-Algorithm…> Korn & Bach (2019) Nature Human Behaviour <https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0603-9> Please circulate - apologies for cross-posting. -- ----------------------- Dominik R Bach MBBS PhD Principal Research Fellow MPCUCL & WCHN, University College London http://bachlab.org | @bachlab_cog

May 28, 2020

Postdoc position available - computational modeling and real-time fMRI neurofeedback of language

by Narly Golestani

With the launch of a new ‘NCCR Evolving Language’ (http://www.snf.ch/SiteCollectionDocuments/nfs/Faktenblatt_NCCR_evolvinglang…) which involves nearly 40 different research groups from a large variety of disciplines across Switzerland, we seek to fill a Postdoc position for a four-year project starting in September 2020, or at the selected candidate’s earliest convenience. Our goal is to make progress in understanding the importance of prosody in language processing. To this end, we plan to carry out a set of studies involving both computational modeling of fMRI data and real-time fMRI neurofeedback to understand the mechanisms whereby prosody and rhythm support linguistic processing per se. The computational modeling work will be an extension of our recent work on the neural encoding of acoustic information in speech sounds (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31285622) The research will be done in the group of Narly Golestani (www.brainandlanguagelab.org<http://www.brainandlanguagelab.org>) in Geneva, in collaboration with researchers in Switzerland and abroad (Elia Formisano in Maastricht, and Frank Scharnowski in Vienna). Applicants should hold a degree in Biomedical Engineering, Computational Neuroscience, or a related field, and should have solid experience in human brain imaging, and ideally also in computational modelling (i.e. encoding / decoding) of fMRI data, real-time fMRI based neurofeedback, machine learning, statistics and programming. The NCCR places great emphasis on gender diversity and we particularly encourage women to apply. To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, names and contact information of 2-3 references as well as any other relevant documents to Narly.Golestani(a)unige.ch<mailto:Narly.Golestani@unige.ch>. Feel free to contact me should you have any questions. Deadline for application: June 20th 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brain and Language Lab Prof. Narly GOLESTANI Department of Psychology Campus Biotech 9 Chemin des Mines, 1202 Genève +41 22 379 53 52 <https://outlook.unige.ch/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=5WTo-p-J-W9FrDydU-0WU4PdMytUGs…>http://www.brainandlanguagelab.org https://twitter.com/brain_lang_lab ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <https://outlook.unige.ch/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=5WTo-p-J-W9FrDydU-0WU4PdMytUGs…>

May 28, 2020

ICMNS 2020 - Digital: The 6th International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience, July 6-7

by Tilo Schwalger

We are delighted to announce the 6th International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience (ICMNS 2020). Owing to the Coronavirus outbreak, the 6th edition will take place in a virtual format via Zoom on July 6–7, 2020, between 14:00–20:00 (GMT+2). More details are given on the conference website, which will be continuously updated: https://www.danieleavitabile.com/icmns2020digital/ ICMNS is an interdisciplinary conference series, bringing together theoretical neuroscientists and mathematicians. The conferences are aimed at scientists interested in using or developing mathematical techniques for neuroscience problems. This year a broad set of topics in mathematical neuroscience will be covered in eight sessions: (a) Cellular and subcellular dynamics (b) Dynamics of structured neural networks (c) Inferring models from data (d) Mean-field methods in neuroscience (e) Neural fields and spatio-temporal dynamics (f) Neural coding (g) Numerical methods (h) Mathematical theory of deep learning In addition, the conference features a virtual poster session and a special ICMNS Poster Prize. We encourage poster submissions by researchers from all areas of mathematical neuroscience and at all career stages. The submission deadline is the 21st of June at 23:59 (GMT+2). Please keep yourself updated on the webpage. We hope to see you online at ICMNS2020! All the best, Daniele Avitabile, Tatiana Engel, Tilo Schwalger, Wilhelm Stannat -- Tilo Schwalger, PhD Assistant Professor Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin Philippstr. 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin Room: 202, phone: 0049(0)302093 6788 Technische Universität Berlin Institute of Mathematics Straße des 17. Juni 136, 10623 Berlin Room: 726, phone: +49 (0)30 314-22698

May 27, 2020

Assistant Professor / Postdoc position in computational neuroscience and/or developmental robotics at the University of Tokyo

by Yukie Nagai

Dear colleagues, The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN) at the University of Tokyo is looking for highly motivated full-time Assistant Professor / Postdoc researchers in the field of computational neuroscience and/or developmental robotics. The selected candidates will join Cognitive Developmental Robotics Laboratory and have the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary research integrating computer science, neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, robotics, etc. If you are interested in being considered, please send the required documents to yukie(a)ircn.jp. Assistant Professor / Postdoc Researcher at IRCN, the University of Tokyo https://ircn.jp/en/careers/Postdoctoral-Fellow-Project-Researcher-Nagai-Lab… Cognitive Developmental Robotics Laboratory (Nagai Lab), the University of Tokyo http://developmental-robotics.jp/en/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Job title: Project Assistant Professor / Project Researcher (Postdoctoral Fellow) 2. Starting Date: Negotiable 3. Term: The first contract will be ended on March 31, 2021. The contract is renewable on a fiscal year basis (from April 1 to March 31; every year) according to research budget, research activity, and research achievements. Contract duration is until March 31, 2023. 4. Place of Work International Research Center for Neurointelligence The University of Tokyo, Institutes for Advanced Study 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo, 113-0033 JAPAN 5. Qualifications (Required) - Ph.D. in Engineering, Ph.D. in Computer Science or equivalent in a related field - Good communication skill in English (Preferred) - Experiences in computational neuroscience, neural network, machine learning, and/or developmental robotics will be preferred. 6. Compensation & Benefits - Salary: To be determined in accordance with the University of Tokyo Regulations - Commuter allowance: JPY55,000 per month at maximum - Social Insurance: Eligible for MEXT Mutual Aid Association membership, employees’ pension, employment insurance, and workers’ accident compensation insurance. - Vacation: Annual paid vacation, Sick leave (paid), Special vacation (paid) 7. Working Hours Discretionary labor system, based on 7 hours, 45 minutes per day, or 38 hours 45 minutes per week 8. Holidays Saturdays and Sundays; Statutory public holidays of Japan; Year-end and New Year holidays (December 29 through January 3); Summer holidays 9. Applications and Selection Process - Applications deadline: When the position is filled - Application documents: (a) Cover letter in English (b) Curriculum vita in English (c) Publication list (d) Name and contact address for two references, one of which should be a previous employer - Submission: Interested applicants should send application materials to: yukie(a)ircn.jp - Selection Process: All applications will be screened, and only those qualified will be scheduled for an interview (on-site or via video). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- — Yukie Nagai, Ph.D. Project Professor, The University of Tokyo nagai.yukie(a)mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp | http://developmental-robotics.jp CREST Cognitive Mirroring: http://cognitive-mirroring.org

May 27, 2020

NEST Conference 2020 — Submission deadline 1 June 2020

by Hans Ekkehard Plesser

Dear all, Just a little reminder that the submission deadline for the (virtual) NEST Conference 2020 is this Monday, June 1st. We are looking forward to your contributions. The 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. This year's conference will take place as a virtual conference on Monday/Tuesday 29/30 June 2020. We are inviting contributions to the conference, including plenary talks, "posters" and breakout sessions on specific topics. Important dates 01 June 2020 — Deadline for submission of contributions 08 June 2020 — Notification of acceptance 10 June 2020 — Deadline for NEST Initiative Membership applications (registration is free for members in 2020) 22 June 2020 — Registration deadline 29 June 2020 — NEST Conference 2020 starts For more information on how to submit your contribution, register and participate, please visit the conference website https://nest-simulator.org/conference We are looking forward to seeing you all in June! Hans Ekkehard Plesser, Susanne Kunkel, Dennis Terhorst, Anne Elfgen & many more -- Prof. Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Head, Data Science Section 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 Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

May 26, 2020

Fwd: Faculty position at CHAIN: Assistant Professor or Lecturer

by Hideaki Shimazaki

Dear colleagues, Apologies for multiple posting. There was an error in the deadline for this faculty search in the previously posted email. The deadline for applications is June 30 (not June 8). Sincerely, Hideaki --- Hideaki Shimazaki, Ph.D https://www.neuralengine.org ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Hideaki Shimazaki <shimazaki(a)chain.hokudai.ac.jp> Date: Fri, May 15, 2020 at 9:57 PM Subject: Faculty position at CHAIN: Assistant Professor or Lecturer To: <comp-neuro(a)neuroinformatics.be> Dear colleagues, Our newly established Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience (CHAIN) at Hokkaido University in Japan invites applications for a faculty position at the Assistant Professor or Lecturer level. The full description and details are attached below. See also: https://jrecin.jst.go.jp/seek/SeekJorDetail?fn=3&ln=1&id=D120050453&ln_jor=1 https://www.chain.hokudai.ac.jp/?lang=en The deadline for applications is 8 June 2020 (JST). The deadline for applications is 30 June 2020 (JST). All the best, Hideaki --- Hideaki Shimazaki, Ph.D https://www.neuralengine.org Position Open: Assistant Professor or Specially Appointed Lecturer, Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience (CHAIN), Hokkaido University Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience (CHAIN), Hokkaido University, in Hokkaido, Japan invites applications for a 3.5 year research and teaching position with an anticipated start date of September 1st, 2020. The successful applicant will be appointed as a faculty member at the rank of Specially Appointed Assistant Professor or Lecturer in CHAIN. Women and members of other underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply. CHAIN is a research and education center for interdisciplinary studies in the humanities, social sciences, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. It aims to open up new directions of research into the nature of human existence by fostering interaction and collaboration between humanities and the social sciences, including philosophy, ethics, psychology (cognitive and social), law, and economics, and the natural sciences, such as neuroscience, AI, and cognitive science. In particular, it focuses on connecting philosophical ideas with methods and insights of mathematical and empirical sciences. A new interdisciplinary graduate program of CHAIN starts in July 2020. Qualifications The ideal applicant will have an independent research project that will strengthen and complement existing interdisciplinary research in CHAIN. They are expected to demonstrate the following qualities and characteristics: 1. A PhD by the time of the appointment in one (or more) of the following area(s): philosophy, ethics, psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, AI, information science, or robotics. 1. Outstanding publication records and/or demonstrable potential to publish in highly esteemed publication outlets. 1. Strong motivation to fulfill research, teaching, and administrative duties as a faculty member in CHAIN. 1. Enthusiasm and competence for delivering postgraduate and undergraduate courses on topics pertinent to CHAIN’s research and education goals. 1. A demonstrated ability and strong interest to develop and engage in interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with existing members of the institution. Application materials Submit the following materials, compiled in a single ZIP file, via email at jobs [at]chain.hokudai.ac.jp to complete your application: 1. Curriculum Vitae* 2. Summary of past research accomplishments (1-2 pages) 3. Three most important publications relevant to this position. 4. Brief statement of research and teaching interests (1-2 pages) 5. Two references (Names and contact details) Use common fonts such as Times New Roman in black and size 12 points. Submit each publication in a separate PDF file. Compile all the rest (1, 2, 4, and 5) in a single PDF file. This makes four PDF files in total, which must then be compiled in a single ZIP file. Submission is due Monday, 8 June, 2020 (JST) *Tuesday 3 June, 2020 (JST)*. The subject line of the email must read “Application (Lecturer/Assistant Professor).” You will receive a confirmation email shortly after making a submission. Please contact us immediately if you did not receive one within 3 business days. Personal information obtained through these materials will only be used within this selection process. *Applicants who have been employed by Hokkaido University after April 1, 2014 (in any position, including Part-time Lecturer, Teaching Assistant, Teaching Fellow, Research Assistant and Short-term Support Assistant, etc.) should provide full details of their employment history in the CV. Appointment terms This is a full-time research and teaching position with an anticipated start date of September 1st, 2020. The salary will be paid under the annual-salary scheme and the discretionary labor system. The annual salary is determined in accordance with the internal regulations of Hokkaido University. Upon employment, one will be enrolled in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid Association, Employees Pension, Workers’ Accident Compensation Insurance and Employment Insurance. A one month probationary period applies. Questions about the position should be addressed to the chair of the search committee, Shigeru Taguchi (inquiry[at]chain.hokudai.ac.jp). Further information Website: www.chain.hokudai.ac.jp/?lang=en Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience (CHAIN) Hokkaido University Kita 12 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo Hokkaido 060-0812 Japan Application submission: jobs [at] chain.hokudai.ac.jp Inquiries: : inquiry [at] chain.hokudai.ac.jp

May 24, 2020