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World wide VVTNS series: Sixth season opening lecture, Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 11:00 am EDT - Andrew Barto
by David Hansel Oct. 26, 2025

Oct. 26, 2025

*Important:* The seminar is at 11 am *EDT* Europe moved to Winter Time on Sunday, October 26, 2025 US will move to Winter Time next Sunday, November 2 This week 11 am EDT= 4pm CET Check the time where you are [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 sixth season opening lecture of the online VVTNS series Andrew Barto University of Massachusetts Amherst on the topic of What is So Interesting About Reinforcement Learning? The lecture will be held on zoom on October 29, 2025, at *11:00 am EDT * > To receive the link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page > > *Abstract: *This talk aims to answer these questions along four dimensions. First is history. RL was the basis of AI long before the term AI was introduced in 1956. The first machine learning (ML) systems were based on RL even before digital computers existed. Despite notable early successes of ML based on RL, RL essentially disappeared from ML until relatively recently. A second reason for renewed interest in RL is the clarification of some misunderstandings that have been prevalent in the ML community. A third, and most important, reason for this resurgence is that new, or rediscovered, algorithms and connections to well developed mathematical and engineering methods have been worked out. Finally, a fourth reason for the renewed interest in RL is its strong links to animal reward systems, in particular, to the role that dopamine plays in motivation and learning. *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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IMPRS for Language Sciences PhD Fellowships 2026
by Lam, Kevin Oct. 23, 2025

Oct. 23, 2025

** IMPRS for Language Sciences PhD Fellowships 2026 ** The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Language Sciences is offering two fully-funded PhD Fellowship for four years (2026-2030) with a preferred start-date in September or October, 2026. The goal of the scheme is to enable young researchers to pursue interdisciplinary research projects in the language sciences, supervised by leading scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and its partner institutes at the Radboud University -- the Centre for Language Studies and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. https://www.mpi.nl/ | https://www.ru.nl/cls | https://www.ru.nl/donders Find out more about the Fellowships and read first-hand accounts by our members: https://www.mpi.nl/imprs-phd-fellowships-2026 | https://www.mpi.nl/imprs The application deadline is 5 January, 2026. Thanks in advance. Best wishes from Nijmegen, Dr. Kevin Lam, Graduate School Coordinator http://www.mpi.nl/imprs | https://www.mpi.nl/people/lam-kevin

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Open PhD and Postdoc position at El-Boustani Lab (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
by sami_elboustani＠msn.com Oct. 21, 2025

Oct. 21, 2025

The El-Boustani Lab at the University of Geneva (Switzerland) is looking for a highly motivated PhD student and Postdoctoral fellow to research the plasticity mechanisms underlying the learning of goal-directed sensorimotor associations in mice. This project involves whole-brain mappings, two-photon calcium imaging of neuronal populations, as well as dendritic spine imaging in mice during the acquisition of perceptual decision-making tasks. Genetically encoded tools will be used to dissect the circuits that contribute to the learning of these tasks, and state-of-the-art behavioral modeling will help infer the timescale and nature of synaptic plasticity. Successful applicant will contribute to a research program focused on understanding how changes in specific sensorimotor synapses underpin the acquisition of new associations. We welcome applicants with diverse quantitative backgrounds, including but not limited to neuroscience, mathematics, physics, and engineering. We are especially interested in applicants with excellent programming skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python), experience with mouse behavior and imaging techniques in vivo. Switzerland offers a vibrant neuroscience community with outstanding research conditions and attractive salaries. Candidates should send their CV, at least two references and a brief cover letter describing their previous work and future goals to Sami El-Boustani: sami.el-boustani(a)unige.ch. Please visit http://elboustani-lab.org/ for more details.

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Doctoral studies in Computational/Theoretical Neuroscience at NYU
by Eero Simoncelli Oct. 20, 2025

Oct. 20, 2025

New York University is home to a thriving interdisciplinary community of researchers using computational and theoretical approaches in neuroscience. We are interested in exceptional PhD candidates with strong quantitative training (e.g., physics, mathematics, engineering) coupled with a clear interest in scientific study of the brain. A listing of faculty, sorted by their primary departmental affiliation, is given below. Doctoral programs are flexible, allowing students to pursue research across departmental boundaries. Nevertheless, admissions are handled separately by each department, and students interested in pursuing graduate studies should submit an application to the program that best fits their goals and interests. Center for Neural Science (CNS), Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (deadline: 1 December) [https://as.nyu.edu/cns/DoctoralProgram.html https://neuroscience.nyu.edu/program.html] * Andre A. Fenton - Molecular, neural, behavioral, and computational aspects of memory. * David Heeger (also in Psychology) - Computational neuroscience, vision, attention. * Roozbeh Kiani - Vision and decision-making. * Wei Ji Ma (also in Psychology) - Perception, working memory, and decision-making. * Tony Movshon - Vision and visual development. * Alex Reyes - Functional interactions of neurons in a network. * John Rinzel (also in Mathematics) - Biophysical mechanisms and theory of neural computation. * Cristina Savin (also in the Center for Data Science) - Computational models of learning and memory, machine learning. * Robert Shapley - Visual physiology and perception. * Eero Simoncelli (also in the FlatIron Institute) - Computational vision and audition. * Xiao-Jing Wang - Computational neuroscience, decision-making and working memory, neural circuits. * Alex Williams (also in the FlatIron Institute) - Statistical analysis of neural data. Neuroscience Institute, School of Medicine (deadline: 1 December) [https://med.nyu.edu/departments-institutes/neuroscience/ https://neuroscience.nyu.edu/program.html] * Gyorgy Buzsaki - Rhythms in neural networks. * Dmitri Chklovskii (also in the FlatIron Institute) - Neural computation and connectomics. * Paul W. Glimcher - Decision-making in humans and animals. Neuroeconomics. * Biyu He - Large-scale brain dynamics underlying human cognition. * Dima Rinberg - Olfaction, sensory information processing, perception. * Shy Shoham - Methods for controlling, imaging, and analyzing neural systems. * Mario Svirsky - Auditory neural prostheses; experimental/computational studies of speech production/perception. Psychology, Cognition & Perception program (deadline: 1 December) [http://as.nyu.edu/psychology/graduate/phd-cognition-perception.html] * Todd Gureckis - Memory, learning, and decision processes. * Michael Landy - Computational approaches to vision. * Laurence Maloney - Mathematical approaches to psychology and neuroscience. * Marcelo Mattar - Learning and planning in the brain/mind. * Denis Pelli - Visual object recognition. * Jonathan Winawer - Visual perception and memory. Data Science (deadline: 4 December) [https://cds.nyu.edu/phd-program/] * Joan Bruna (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, signal/image processing. * Kyungyun Cho (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, natural language processing. * Carlos Fernandez-Granda (also in Mathematics) - Optimization methods for medical imaging, neuroscience, computer vision. * Brenden Lake (also in Psychology) - Computational modeling of cognition, deep learning. * Grace Lindsay (also in Psychology) - Machine learning models of the brain/mind. * Mengye Ren (also in Computer Science) - Brain and cognitively inspired representation learning. Mathematics (deadline: 18 December) [https://gsas.nyu.edu/admissions/arc/programs/mathematics.html] * Aaditya Rangan - Computational neurobiology, numerical analysis. * Charles Peskin - Mathematical biology. * Daniel Tranchina - Information processing in the retina. * Lai-Sang Young - Dynamical systems, statistical physics, computational modeling and theoretical neuroscience. Physics (deadline: 30 December) [https://as.nyu.edu/physics/programs/graduate.html] * Marc Gershow - Perception, decision-making, and learning in neural circuits. * Stefano Martiniani - Fundamental principles governing neural systems. Computer Science (deadline: 12 December) [http://www.cs.nyu.edu/home/phd/] * Davi Geiger - Computational vision and learning. * Yann LeCun - Machine learning, computer vision, robotics, computational neuroscience. Economics (deadline: 18 December) [https://as.nyu.edu/econ/graduate/phd.html] * Andrew Caplin - Economic theory, neurobiology of decision. * Andrew Schotter - Experimental economics, game theory, neurobiology of decision.

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PhD positions in Multi-level modelling of neuromodulation and lesioning
by Nada Yousif Oct. 19, 2025

Oct. 19, 2025

Applications are invited from PhD studentship candidates to work on multi-level modelling of neuromodulation and lesioning at the Biocomputation Research Group, University of Hertfordshire, UK. The projects are focussed on understanding the human nervous system in health and disease using computational modelling of neurons and networks. More details can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/2xe2sxva Informal enquiries to Dr Nada Yousif (n.yousif(a)herts.ac.uk) Application deadline: 14 November 2025 Studentship: approximately £20,700 per annum bursary plus payment of the student fees. Applicants from inside and outside the UK are eligible. The Centre for AI and Robotics Research and the University of Hertfordshire provide a very stimulating environment, offering a large Doctoral School with many specialised and interdisciplinary seminars as well as general training and researcher development opportunities. The University is situated in Hatfield, in the green belt just north of London. Research in Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire has been recognised as excellent in REF 2021, with 90% of the research submitted and all the research impact rated as internationally excellent or world leading. Information on the application procedure and an application form can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/3k8j9c3m

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Computational Psychology position at Tufts University
by Erin Munro Krull Oct. 19, 2025

Oct. 19, 2025

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biocomputation at the University of Hertfordshire, UK
by Volker Steuber Oct. 17, 2025

Oct. 17, 2025

Post Title: Research Fellow in Biocomputation SBU/Department: School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science ________________________________ FTE: 1 FTE (working 37 hours per week) Duration of Contract: Fixed term Contract (3 years) Salary: UH7 £36,333 pa with potential to progress to £43,155 pa on achieving designated skills and experience Annual Leave: 35 days plus standard public holidays and an additional 4 days including the closure of our office between Christmas and New Year Location: College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK Closing Date: 14th June 2023 Interview Date: To be confirmed Reference Number: 048016 Date advert placed: 17th May 2023 Main duties and responsibilities We are seeking a full-time Research Fellow to join the Biocomputation Research Group in the School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire to conduct high-quality research in Computational Neuroscience. The successful candidate’s research will involve synergistic collaborations with a multidisciplinary team to investigate brain processes using methodologies such as computational modelling, machine learning and AI. Research to be conducted could, e.g., comprise modelling brain circuits like the olfactory bulb or the cerebellum and simulating and analysing their function. Additional impact could arise in machine learning, AI, data science, neurorobotics and neuromorphic computing. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a programme of research in collaboration with colleagues at UH and partner organisations in the UK and abroad. Leading the preparation and publication of research manuscripts is a key aspect of the role. Contributions to the preparation of research proposals and applications for funding to external bodies, such as the European Commission and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) are expected. The postholder will create opportunities to maximise research activities, capturing relevant evidence to support impact and engaging with external partners and stakeholders. Skill and experience required * Strong theoretical, computational and programming background in computational modelling and/or machine learning and/or data science and/or AI. * Background and expertise in computational neuroscience (e.g. spiking neural networks, brain function and anatomy, analysis of brain data). * Demonstrated experience to conduct independent research in computational neuroscience or a related field, e.g., through published research papers or monographs. * Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English * The applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and demonstrate good collaborative skills. Qualifications required • An undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Neuroscience, or a related discipline and a PhD (or expectation that one will soon be awarded) in a relevant discipline. An appointment to this role may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate. Contact Details/Informal Enquiries: Professor Volker Steuber, v.steuber(a)herts.ac.uk Professor Michael Schmuker, m.schmuker(a)herts.ac.uk Apply through: https://www.jobs.herts.ac.uk/go/048016 Our vision is to transform lives: UH is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and building a diverse community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of their protected characteristics and recognise there are different ways applicants may achieve the criteria in this document. We offer a range of employee benefits including generous annual leave, flexible location opportunities within the UK, discounted Sports Village memberships and free Active Staff sessions, personal and professional development and family-friendly policies. Volker Steuber Professor of Computational Neuroscience Biocomputation Research Group School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science University of Hertfordshire College Lane, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK biocomputation.herts.ac.uk<http://biocomputation.herts.ac.uk>

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Postdoc position at U Oregon
by James Murray Oct. 16, 2025

Oct. 16, 2025

A postdoc position is available with Prof. James Murray (murraylab.uoregon.edu) at the University of Oregon’s NeuroAI Center (ion.uoregon.edu/neuroai) Application link: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30896 Position Summary -- In our research, our group seeks to uncover the principles of how the brain performs computations and implements learning related to motor control and sensory perception. Some of the scientific questions that motivate our work are - How do different regions of the brain interact to learn new motor skills? - What are the principles that enable brains and artificial agents to learn efficiently from experience while minimizing forgetting? - How can models of learning and motor control be synthesized across different levels of description? Our research group aims at building mechanistic models of brain function grounded in a combination of theoretical approaches, neural network-based simulations, and machine-learning analysis of experimental data. The candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with a large network of experimental collaborators at University of Oregon and at other institutions with expertise in sensory processing (visual, auditory, and olfactory), motor control, naturalistic behavior, neural engineering, and brain-computer interfaces. While previous experience in computational neuroscience and machine learning are welcome, applicants from other quantitative fields (e.g. math, physics, statistics, computer science) who are eager to learn about neuroscience are encouraged to apply as well. The Oregon NeuroAI Center is part of the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon (ion.uoregon.edu) a major hub for systems and theoretical neuroscience research. The University of Oregon is located in Eugene, Oregon, a vibrant college town in the Pacific Northwest with ample cultural offerings and phenomenal access to outdoor recreation. We offer a competitive salary commensurate with the candidate’s experience, and remote work arrangements may be considered. Required Qualifications -- Successful candidates will have a PhD in a quantitative field, including physics, neuroscience, mathematics, statistics, computer science, or related fields. Applicants should have a strong quantitative background including at least some coding experience. Application -- Application link: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30896 Application reviews will start on December 1st and will continue until the position is filled. Please send inquiries to jmurray9(a)uoregon.edu. Applications should include a CV, two-page statement of research interests, and contact information for three letters of reference.

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[Newsletter RTAIM] 22nd RTAIM Seminar | Call Abstract: Rio de Janeiro International Workshop: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence | Call for Papers (JAIC) | Others]
by steven gouveia Oct. 15, 2025

Oct. 15, 2025

Dear All, You are welcome to attend the 22th rTAIM Online Seminar, with the participation of Markus Rüther (Jülich Research Centre and University of Bonn, Germany), 15 October 2025, 3:00pm - 4:30pm (Lisbon Time) via Microsoft Teams with the title “Meaningfulness Gaps in Medical AI". Link available: https://ifilosofia.up.pt/activities/seminar-22-rtaim Or: * Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3331048785485?p=LOIA0dGCgnqZXqSGdW * Meeting ID: 3331048785485 * Password: Yh2sE7zQ Moreover, the Call for Abstract for the Rio de Janeiro International Workshop: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence is still open until the 18 October 2025: https://trustaimedicine.weebly.com/rio-janeiro-workshop-ethics-ai.html New book out: “Ethics in Artificial Intelligence: A Multidisciplinary Approach”, Ethics Press. Info: https://ethicspress.com/products/ethics-in-artificial-intelligence Finally, paper submissions for a special issue on AI, 4E and Consciousness at the Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness is available here (deadline: 31 August 2025): https://www.worldscientific.com/page/jaic/callforpapers02. Sincerely yours, RTAIM Team

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Postdoc position in Digital twin brain for Alzheimer's Disease (Spase Petkoski, INS Marseille)
by Spase Petkoski Oct. 15, 2025

Oct. 15, 2025

Job Offer: Postdoctoral Researcher in Digital Twin Brain for Prediction of Longitudinal Trajectories in Alzheimer’s Disease Location: Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes <http://ins-amu.fr/>, Aix-Marseille University, France More info: https://ins-marseille.squarespace.com/jobs/job-posting-postdoc-alzheimer-1 Summary: We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Researcher for an ANR-funded project called Digital Twin Brain for prediction of longitudinal trajectories in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The postdoc will be based at Aix-Marseille University, at the Institut of Systems Neuroscience <https://ins-amu.fr/> in Marseille and will work under the lead of Spase Petkoski, INSERM CR (tenured researcher, equivalent to an Associate Professor), part of the Theoretical Neuroscience group led by Viktor Jirsa. A close collaboration is also envisaged with the clinical practitioners from the Neurology department of the public hospital at Marseille (APHM), the neurologists Mira Didic and Olivier Felician who work with patients with dementia, as well as with JF Mangin, the head of neuroimaging at Neurospin in Paris. As a postdoctoral researcher, the candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing computational models for the molecular mechanism of pathological proteins in AD into the whole-brain neuroinformatics platform The Virtual Brain <https://www.thevirtualbrain.org/tvb/zwei/> (TVB). Specifically, this will be done through glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses, utilizing existing neuronal mass candidates from the literature and from the previous work by the group. The model will also combine the mechanisms of prion-propagation. The modeling work will be accompanied by resting-state fMRI data analysis to identify the biomarkers of interest. The main cohort for the project will be Memento <http://www.memento-cohort.org/>, but ADNI3 <https://adni.loni.usc.edu/data-samples/adni-data/> will be also used. The candidate is thus expected to be familiar with concepts from Nonlinear Dynamics, in particular, solving and analyzing coupled ordinary differential equations. In the later stage, the project will also require an application of model inversion with simulation-based inference that should facilitate establishing links between the model parameter space and the neuroimaging data features. The latter will be a key component of this project and will also require addressing issues related to model degeneracy and resilience. The successful candidate will join a dedicated team developing models and methodologies for better explanation of neuroimaging data. This work has a broader impact than AD, it will establish an interpretable link across scales from synapses to neuronal populations (the network nodes in TVB), and significantly amplify the effectiveness of TVB in comprehending multiscale effects within brain networks. This, in turn, will facilitate the enhanced usability of digital twins in the clinical context and in diagnosing brain health status. Required Qualifications: PhD (or equivalent) in computational neuroscience or related discipline. Experience in one or more of the project research topics, including Brain Network Models, Dynamical systems, Prion Spreading, Machine Learning, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Proficiency in programming with Python, with expertise in scientific computing packages. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Desired Qualifications: Background in neuroscience. Familiarity with TVB. Experience running parallelized large-scale simulations on supercomputers. Expertise in time-series analysis, data science and data visualization. About The Theoretical Neuroscience Group: We are a multinational and interdisciplinary team dedicated to unraveling the spatiotemporal organization of large-scale brain networks. Our work encompasses mathematical and computational modeling of large-scale network dynamics, the analysis of human brain imaging data, and the development of neuroinformatics tools for studying large-scale brain networks, particularly in the context of brain disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis, and healthy aging. The group is heavily involved in developing standard models for digital twins in the infrastructure project of EBRAINS <https://www.ebrains.eu/>. Terms of Employment: This is a fully funded multi-year position with excellent benefits. The initial appointment is for one year, with the potential for extension up to 3 years. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Application Deadline: November 10th. Starting Date: January 2026 How to Apply: Please send a CV, a short cover letter describing your research interests, and contact details for 2–3 referees to spase.petkoski(a)univ-amu.fr <mailto:spase.petkoski@univ-amu.fr>. We look forward to welcoming a highly motivated and qualified postdoctoral researcher to our team to advance our understanding of large-scale brain network models in the context of Alzheimer’s Disease and to move closer to real digital twins of the brain.

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