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Postdoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience at IDIBAPS/UPF (Barcelona)
by JROCHAV＠clinic.cat Jan. 3, 2017

Jan. 3, 2017

Postdoctoral Position on Behavioural modelling and neural analysis of flexible perceptual decision-making at IDIBAPS / UPF (Barcelona) A postdoctoral research position in computational neuroscience is available to work with Jaime de la Rocha at IDIBAPS (Barcelona) and Alexandre Hyafil at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF, Barcelona). The postdoctoral fellow will be a vital member of the interdisciplinary research team led by Jaime de la Rocha that studies perception and cognition using combined theoretical and experimental approaches. More specifically, the fellow’s work will be part of an ERC-funded project aiming to unravel the behavioural principles and the neural mechanisms underlying how recent experience shapes perception and guides decisions. The fellow will (1) characterize the behavioural influence of recent history onto perceptual choices in rats and humans performing acoustic discrimination tasks, (2) analyze population recordings from cortical neurons obtained from rats to uncover the traces of recent history decision biases and (3) build dynamical models of behaviour based on the population recordings using a variety of machine learning tools. Behavioural and neural data is currently being acquired by other researchers in the lab. The work will be co-supervised between Jaime de la Rocha, head of the Cortical Circuit Dynamics Group (http://neuro.fcrb.es/delaRochaLab/) and Alexandre Hyafil who is establishing his new laboratory in the nearby UPF, and has in the last years develop a set analysis techniques fitted for our data. Both groups are part of the vibrant computational neuroscience community of Barcelona, which promotes the interaction among groups by organizing multiple interaural activities. Applicants should have a strong background in computational neuroscience or applied mathematics and have a keen interest in interdisciplinary approaches that integrate modeling and experimental research. Programming proficiency (Matlab and/or Python) is required. Experience in machine learning methods, advanced statistics as well as nonlinear dynamical systems will be valued. Ability to collaborate in a pluridisciplinary team is essential. Initial appointment for this position is for two years. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants, please send a resume, names and contact of 3 references and a cover letter explaining your interest and research experience to jrochav(a)clinic.cat<mailto:jrochav@clinic.cat> and alexandre.hyafil(a)gmail.com<mailto:alexandre.hyafil@gmail.com>. Jaime de la Rocha Group Leader at IDIBAPS c. Rosselló 149-153 Barcelona, 08036 Spain Tel. +34 932275400 (4307)

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PhD positions available at the Bernstein Centre Freiburg, Germany
by Carsten Mehring Jan. 2, 2017

Jan. 2, 2017

The Bernstein Center Freiburg (BCF) is inviting applications for fully funded PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience and Neurotechnology. The BCF concentrates research in Computational Neuroscience and Neurotechnology at the University of Freiburg, Germany. The projects are highly interdisciplinary and span across mathematical-theoretical approaches on the function and dynamics of neuronal networks, neuroanatomy, experimentally driven neurophysiology and the development of technologies for medical application. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2017. For more information, please visit our website http://www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de/jobs <http://www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de/jobs> -- Dr. Birgit Ahrens birgit.ahrens(a)bcf.uni-freiburg.de <mailto:birgit.ahrens@bcf.uni-freiburg.de> Teaching & Training Coordinator Bernstein Center Freiburg University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9a D - 79104 Freiburg Germany Phone: +49 (0) 761 203-9575 Fax: +49 (0) 761 203-9559

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NeuroBridges 2017 Summer school announcement
by ahmed el hady Jan. 2, 2017

Jan. 2, 2017

*NeuroBridges 2017 Summer school , Cluny, France* *(** September 3 - September 14, 2017 )* *NeuroBridges* is an initiative that was founded to bring Mediterrenean and Middle Eastern neuroscientists in an event to discuss science and promote mutual understanding. The two first events of the series took place in Goettingen, Germany in July 2014 ( http://elsc.huji.ac.il/content/neurobridges) and in Paris, France, in September 2015 (http://elsc.huji.ac.il/content/second-neurobridges-meeting) Each of these three days events brought together twenty young speakers, Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians and Israelis, as well as several speakers from the hosting countries. Nobel Laureate Erwin Neher opened NeuroBridges in 2014. Stanislas Dehaene, professeur au College De France and member of the French Academy of Sciences gave the opening lecture in NeuroBridges 2015. *NeuroBridges 2017* ( http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html) will be a ten days summer school. Students will attend lectures delivered by a group of leading neuroscientists, experimentalists as well as theoreticians, which will address the fundamental questions of contemporary neuroscience. In addition to the lectures, the students will work in groups on small research projects. The school is intended for graduate students and postdocs, primarily from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region either working in their home countries or abroad. We will consider applicants with some background in applied mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering or physics, interested in theoretical brain and cognitive sciences. We will also consider those with biological or medical background given that they show proof of basic mathematical knowledge (i.e. linear algebra, calculus, in particular ordinary differential equation). Through the online application system (can be accessed through: http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html ) , you will be asked to provide personal details, academic background, the names of two referees , a motivation letter that should include a paragraph about your quantitative skills and a CV. The school will take place between September 3 and September 14, 2017 in Le Centre de Conférences Internationales de Cluny (CCIC) <http://www.ccic.eu/index.html>. Cluny is a small medieval town in Burgundy, France, located about 400km southeast of Paris (accessible by fast train, TGV). All costs of registration and accommodation will be covered by the organizers. A limited number of travel grants will also be available. The application deadline is March 31st 2017. *NeuroBridges* is co-organized by Ahmed El Hady <http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home>(Princeton Neuroscience Institute, USA), Yonatan Loewenstein <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/loewenstein/home> (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) and David Hansel <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/david-hansel>(CNRS, Paris, France). *2017 Confirmed Faculty (check the website regularly for updated faculty list):* Carl van Vreeswijk (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/carl-van-vreeswijk/> Gianluigi Mongillo (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/gianluigi-mongillo/> Shaul Druckmann (Janelia) <https://www.janelia.org/people/shaul-druckmann> Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/burak/home> Omri Barak (Technion) <http://neuroscience.technion.ac.il/researcher/19> Najib Majaj (NYU) <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Najib_Majaj> Farzan Nadim (NJIT) <https://biology.njit.edu/people/nadim.php> If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Ahmed El Hady (email: ahady(a)princeton.edu )

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4th International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School, July 17-21, 2017, University of Cambridge, UK
by Giuseppe Nicosia Dec. 26, 2016

Dec. 26, 2016

_________________________________________ Call for Participation (apologies for multiple copies) _________________________________________ 4th International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School *Biology meets Computer Science & Engineering* July 17-21, 2017, University of Cambridge, UK W: http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/ E: ssbss.school(a)gmail.com F: https://www.facebook.com/ssbss.school/ APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 31, 2017 http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/#application-form <http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/#application-form> DESCRIPTION & GOALS: Recent advances in DNA synthesis have increased our ability to build biological systems. Synthetic Biology aims at streamlining the design and synthesis of robust and predictable biological systems using engineering design principles and advanced algorithms. Designing biological systems requires a deep understanding of how genes and proteins are organized and interact in living cells: Systems Biology aims at elucidating the cellular organization at gene, protein and network level using computational and biochemical methods. The Synthetic and Systems Biology Summer School (SSBSS) is a full-immersion five-day residential summer school at the Robinson College, University of Cambridge, UK on cutting-edge advances in systems and synthetic biology with lectures delivered by world-renowned experts. The school provides a stimulating environment for students (from Master students to PhD students), Post-Docs, early career researches, academics and industry leaders. Participants will also have the chance to present their results, and to interact with their peers, in a friendly and constructive environment. LIST OF SPEAKERS: * Antonino Cattaneo, Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Italy * Jasmin Fisher, Microsoft Research & Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, UK * Carole Goble, University of Manchester, UK * Jim Haseloff, University of Cambridge, UK * Jay Keasling, University of California, Berkeley, USA Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA Joint BioEnergy Institute, USA * Edda Klipp, Humboldt University, Germany * Natalio Krasnogor, Centre for Synthetic Biology and Bioexploitation, Newcastle University, UK * Markus Ralser, Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, University of Cambridge, UK & The Francis Crick Institute London, UK * Uwe Sauer, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland * Sarah Teichmann, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute & EMBL, European Bioinformatics Institute, UK SCHOOL DIRECTORS: * Massimo Gulisano, University of Catania, Italy * Giuseppe Nicosia, University of Catania, Italy * Steve G. Oliver, University of Cambridge, UK CALL FOR POSTERS & TALKS: The International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School is especially aimed to provide a stimulating environment for young researchers, Post-Doc and Ph.D. Students. They will have the possibility to present the results of their research activities on the topic of the summer school, and to interact with their scientific peers, in a friendly and constructive way. Applicants may submit an abstract to present their results. The abstract should be submitted before 31 March 2017. Suitable space will be reserved to the applicants for showing their posters. The poster must be written in English. For your poster, a board will be provided which measures 90cm tall by 70cm wide. You need to print and bring with you the poster to the school. Push tacks or Velcro adhesive will be provided at the conference to mount your poster to the board. POSTER & TALK SUBMISSION: Applicant may submit a research abstract for presentation using the Application Form. School directors and the Scientific Committee will review the abstracts and will recommend for poster or short-oral presentation. Abstract should be submitted by March 31, 2017. The abstracts will be published on the electronic hands-out material of the summer school. http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/#application-form PREVIOUS EDITIONS: http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss2016/ http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss2015/ http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss2014/ MORE INFORMATION: W: http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/ E: ssbss.school(a)gmail.com F: https://www.facebook.com/ssbss.school/ * Please help us distributing in your circles (emails, blogs, and social networks) the call for participation and call for oral talks/posters for SSBSS 2017. Together we will make SSBSS 2017 a great event! * SSBSS - Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/238417586492061/ Computational Synthetic Biology Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1014624245288596/

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CFP - 13th International Conference on Machine Learning and Data Mining in Pattern Recognition (MLDM 2017)
by Sandhya Prabhakaran Dec. 24, 2016

Dec. 24, 2016

Hi, ** We apologize in advance if you receive multiple copies of this CFP ** ** Kindly help to distribute this CFP to your mailing list ** *4th Call for Papers * 13th International Conference on Machine Learning and Data Mining in Pattern Recognition (*MLDM 2017*) www.mldm.de July 15th - 21st, 2017 New York, USA Chair: Prof. Dr. Petra Perner Institute of Computer Vision and applied Computer Sciences, IBaI Leipzig/Germany Program Committee Sergey Ablameyko Belarus State University, Belarus Michelangelo Ceci Universtiy of Bari, Italy Patrick Bouthemy INRIA VISTA, France Xiaoqing Ding Tsinghua University, China Christoph F. Eick Universtiy of Houston, USA Ana Fred Technical University of Lisboa, Portugal Giorgio Giacinto University of Cagliari, Italy Makato Haraguchi Hokkaido University of Sapporo, Japan Dimitris Karras Chalkis Institute of Technology, Greece Adam Krzyzak Concordia University, Canada Thang V. Pham University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Linda Shapiro University of Washington, USA Shashank Shekhar VMware Inc., USA Tamas Sziranyi MTA-SZTAKI, Hungary Francis E.H. Tay National University of Singapore, Singapore Alexander Ulanov HP Labs, Russia Zeev Volkovich ORT Braude College of Engineering, Israel Patrick Wang Northeastern University, USA Aim of the Conference ------------------------- The MLDM´2017 conference is the tenth event in a series of Machine Learning and Data Mining meetings, initially organised as international workshops. The aim of MLDM´2017 is to bring together from all over the world researchers dealing with machine learning and data mining, in order to discuss the recent status of the research in the field and to direct its further developments. Basic research papers as well as application papers are welcome. All kinds of applications are welcome, but special preference will be given to multimedia related applications, biomedical applications, and webmining. Paper submissions should be related but not limited to any of the following topics: * association rules * case-based reasoning and learning * classification and interpretation of images, text, video * conceptional learning and clustering * Goodness measures and evaluaion (e.g. false discovery rates) * inductive learning including decision tree and rule induction learning * knowledge extraction from text, video, signals and images * mining gene data bases and biological data bases * mining images, temporal-spatial data, images from remote sensing * mining structural representations such as log files, text documents and HTML documents * mining text documents * organisational learning and evolutional learning * probabilistic information retrieval * Selection bias * Sampling methods * Selection with small samples * similarity measures and learning of similarity * statistical learning and neural net based learning * video mining * visualization and data mining * Applications of Clustering * Aspects of Data Mining * Applications in Medicine * Autoamtic Semantic Annotation of Media Content * Bayesian Models and Methods * Case-Based Reasoning and Associative Memory * Classification and Model Estimation * Content-Based Image Retrieval * Decision Trees * Deviation and Novelty Detection * Feature Grouping, Discretization, Selection and Transformation * Feature Learning * Frequent Pattern Mining * High-Content Analysis of Microscopic Images in Medicine, Biotechnology and Chemistry * Learning and adaptive control * Learning/adaption of recognition and perception * Learning for Handwriting Recognition * Learning in Image Pre-Processing and Segmentation * Learning in process automation * Learning of internal representations and models * Learning of appropriate behaviour * Learning of action patterns * Learning of Ontologies * Learning of Semantic Inferencing Rules * Learning of Visual Ontologies * Learning for robots * Mining Images in Computer Vision * Mining Images and Texture * Mining Motion from Sequence * Neural Methods * Network Analysis and Intrusion Detection * Nonlinear Function Learning and Neural Net Based Learning * Real-Time Event Learning and Detection * Retrieval Methods * Rule Induction and Grammars * Speech Analysis * Statistical and Conceptual Clustering Methods: Basics * Statistical and Evolutionary Learning * Subspace Methods * Support Vector Machines * Symbolic Learning and Neural Networks in Document Processing * Time Series and Sequential Pattern Mining * Mining Social Media * Audio Mining * Cognition and Computer Vision Important Dates ----------------- Deadline for paper submission: January 15, 2017 Notification of acceptance: March 18 , 2017 Submission of camera-ready copy: April 05, 2017 Submission guidelines ------------------------- Authors can submit their papers in long or short version: Please submit the electronic version of your camera-ready paper through the COMMENCE conference management system (http://www.mldm.de/CMS/) If you have any problems with the system please do not hesitate to contact info(a)mldm.de. Long Papers Long papers must be formatted in the Springer LNCS format. They should have at most 15 pages. Papers will be reviewed by the program committee. Accepted long papers will appear in the proceedings book "Machine Learning and Data Mining in Pattern Recognition" published by Springer Verlag in the LNAI series. Extended versions of selected papers will be published in a special issue of an international journal after the conference. Short Papers Short papers are also welcome and can be used to describe work in progress or project ideas. They should have no more than 5 pages and must be also formatted in Springer LNCS format. Accepted short papers will be presented as posters in the poster session. They will be published in a special poster proceedings book. Papers will be submitted via the online reviewing system. Best Paper Award ---------------------- The best scientific paper is distinguished with a Best Paper Award. A outstanding contribution in the field of Machine Learning and Data Mining for Pattern Recognition will be awarded with the Best Paper Award. There will be three nominations for the Best Paper Award before the conference. All nominee will receive a certificate. The final decision of the Best Paper Award will be made based on the presentation and the discussion. The Best Paper Award will be a certificate and a prize money of 500 Euro for the research team. Tutorials ----------------------------------------- Data Mining Tutorial Prof. Dr. Petra Perner, Institute of Computer Vision and Applied Computer Sciences IBaI, http://www.data-mining-forum.de/t_dm.php Case-Based Reasoning Tutorial Prof. Dr. Petra Perner, Institute of Computer Vision and Applied Computer Sciences IBaI, http://www.data-mining-forum.de/t_cbr.php Intelligent Image Interpreation and Computer Vision in Mediceine, Biotechnology, Chemistry & Food Industry Prof. Dr. Petra Perner, Institute of Computer Vision and Applied Computer Sciences IBaI, http://www.data-mining-forum.de/t_iicv.php Workshops (http://www.data-mining-forum.de/workshops.php) ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Intern. Workshop I-Business to Manufacturing and LifeScience B2ML 2017 * Intern. Workshop on Data Mining in Marketing DMM 2017 * Intern. Workshop Case-Based Reasoning CBR-MD 2017 * Intern. Workshop on Multimedia Forensic Data Analysis MFDA 2017 Exhibition ----------- 16th Industrial Exhibition on Intelligent Data and Image Analysis IEDA 2017 We like to invite you to present your company or publishing house at the Industrial Exhibition ieda 2017 (www.iedaexhibition.de) If you do not with to receive the newsletter, please press here http://ibai-institut-newsletter.de/cgi-bin/mail/manager.cgi? action=delete&email=pperner%40ibai-institut.de&group1=cbr.

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Postdoc Position in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at UT Austin
by Taillefumier, Thibaud O Dec. 23, 2016

Dec. 23, 2016

The Neuroscience Department invites applications for a postdoctoral research position to work with Professors Ila Fiete (http://clm.utexas.edu/fietelab/) and Thibaud Taillefumier (https://mathneuro.cns.utexas.edu/) in the Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (CTNC) and in collaboration with a network of experimental collaborators at UT Austin. Research at CTNC broadly aims at developing new theoretical approaches to better understand how the brain computes. Candidates with a background in nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics, machine learning, or information theory are particularly welcome. Applicants should have a PhD in mathematics, physics, computational neuroscience or related computational fields. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a brief description of research interests, and should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent. All application materials as well as any inquiries should be sent to thibaud(a)utexas.edu<mailto:thibaud@utexas.edu> and ilafiete(a)mail.clm.utexas.edu<mailto:ilafiete@mail.clm.utexas.edu>. Salary starts at $47484 and will be commensurate to the candidate qualifications. UT Austin is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin. Department of Neuroscience The University of Texas at Austin 100 E 24th Street Stop C7000 Austin, TX 78712 www.neuroscience.utexas.edu<http://www.neuroscience.utexas.edu>

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Open position as an MEG physicist/engineer
by Jochem Rieger Dec. 22, 2016

Dec. 22, 2016

The newly founded Neuroimaging Center at the European Medical School of the University of Oldenburg, Germany, offers a position for an *MEG-Physicist/Engineer (salary level E13/TV-L, initially 3 years) * The Neuroimaging Center hosts a state of the art magnetoencephalograph (Elekta Triux) and a magnetic resonance tomograph (Siemens Prisma 3T) and is embedded in an excellent interdisciplinary scientific environment (e.g. the DFG Cluster of Excellence "Hearing 3 All") with a strong research focus on neurosensory, neurocognitive, and medical research. We seek for a highly motivated candidatewith an academic university degree. The position requires a degree in physics, engineering, neuroscience, or psychology with documented research experience in magnetoencephalography methods. In addition, fluency in English is necessary. A doctoral degree is a plus. German and experience in the design of neurocognitiveexperiments are desirable. Successful candidates will be responsible for the operation and administration of the MEG-system, the infrastructure, the development and improvement of measurement and analyses techniques and user consultancy. The University of Oldenburg is rapidly growing and offers a vibrant scientific environment with strong foci on cognitive and sensory neuroscience and a new medical school. The European Medical School is a cooperation project between the Universities of Oldenburg and Groningen as well as four local hospitals. Oldenburg is an attractive city in Germany's northwest with excellent quality of life. It is close to Bremen, Hamburg, Groningen, and approx. 1 h from the North Sea. The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increasing the percentage of women in science. Therefore, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply and will be given preference in cases of equal qualification. Handicapped applicants will be given preference if equally qualified. Electronic applications (one pdf file) are preferred and can be send to: Professor Dr. Jochem Rieger: Jochem.rieger(a)uni-oldenburg.de Applications by mail should be sent to: Prof. Jochem Rieger Universität Oldenburg Kuepkersweg 74 (W30) 26129 Oldenburg Germany The application process is open until 31.1.2017. Applications should include your CV, a list of most recent publications, and a statement of interest (max. 3 pages). For inquiries contact jochem.rieger(a)uni-oldenburg.de

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PhD studentship in 2P imaging and population coding
by Matthias Hennig Dec. 22, 2016

Dec. 22, 2016

A fully funded PhD studentship is available in the Precision Medicine DTP at Edinburgh: "Deficits and rescue of neuronal population coding in the sensory cortex of mouse models of autism spectrum disorders" This project will be jointly supervised by Nathalie Rochefort, Peter Kind (CIP, Edinburgh) and Matthias Hennig (Informatics, Edinburgh). The studentship is available to EU citizens. For more information, and to apply, go to: http://www.ed.ac.uk/usher/precision-medicine/how-to-apply/deficits-and-resc… For informal inquiries, please contact Nathalie Rochefort: n.rochefort(a)ed.ac.uk -- Matthias H Hennig http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/mhennig/ The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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Call for applications: SMART START - a joint training program in Computational Neuroscience for young researchers
by Smart Start Coordination Office Dec. 22, 2016

Dec. 22, 2016

Call for applications Ready for a SMARTSTART into Computational Neuroscience? We invite first and second-year Master students with a background in related fields to apply to our joint training program SMARTSTART. The program aims at complementing previous studies with concepts, theories and techniques of Computational Neuroscience. SMARTSTART consists of two programs. Both of them last one year each and take place at numerous locations of the Bernstein Network and further locations throughout Germany. SMARTSTART 1 provides financial support to then second-year Master students, allowing them to attend supplementary courses and training visits at participating institutions. Students will receive an experienced faculty mentor who will advise and guide them at this educational stage. SMARTSTART 2 provides fully funded positions for pre-PhD students. At the start of the program, these students will have already obtained their Master´s degree and are in the process of selecting a PhD project. SMARTSTART 2 allows them to elaborate their own PhD proposal as a collaborative project between two labs. This comprises exchange visits as well as voluntary attendance of lectures and courses offered by participating institutions. Both SMARTSTART programs will commence the second round in the winter term 2017/18. The Deadline for application is Tuesday, February 28, 2017. More information can be found on our website: www.smartstart-compneuro.de<http://www.smartstart-compneuro.de/> Best regards, Kathrin Hebert -- Smart Start - Joint Training Program in Computational Neuroscience Coordination Office Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS) Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9A | 79104 Freiburg, Germany phone: (+49) 0761 203 9593 mail: smartstart(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.hebert@fz-juelich.de> web: http://www.smartstart-compneuro.de/ Twitter: NNCN_Germany<https://twitter.com/NNCN_Germany> YouTube: Bernstein TV<https://www.youtube.com/user/BernsteinNetwork> Facebook: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.facebook.com/BernsteinNetwork/> LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…><https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Announcing Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course 2017
by Erik De Schutter Dec. 22, 2016

Dec. 22, 2016

OKINAWA/OIST COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE COURSE 2017 Methods, Neurons, Networks and Behaviors June 26 to July 13, 2017 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc The aim of the Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course is to provide opportunities for young researchers with theoretical backgrounds to learn the latest advances in neuroscience, and for those with experimental backgrounds to have hands-on experience in computational modeling. We invite graduate students and postgraduate researchers to participate in the course, held from June 26th through July 13th, 2017 at an oceanfront seminar house of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. Applications are through the course web page (https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc) only; January 3 - February 5, 2017. Applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance in March. Like in preceding years, OCNC will be a comprehensive three-week course covering single neurons, networks, and behaviors with ample time for student projects. The first week will focus exclusively on methods with hands-on tutorials during the afternoons, while the second and third weeks will have lectures by international experts. The course has a strong hands-on component based on student proposed modeling or data analysis projects, which are further refined with the help of a dedicated tutor. Applicants are required to propose their project at the time of application. There is no tuition fee. The sponsor will provide lodging and meals during the course and may support travel for those without funding. We hope that this course will be a good opportunity for theoretical and experimental neuroscientists to meet each other and to explore the attractive nature and culture of Okinawa, the southernmost island prefecture of Japan. Invited faculty: • Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, India) • Erik De Schutter (OIST) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Bard Ermentrout (University of Pittsburgh, USA) • Ila Fiete (University of Texas Austin, USA) • Sonja Grün (Research Centre Jülich, Germany) • Shin Ishii (Kyoto University, Japan) • Jason Kerr (MPI Bonn, Germany) • Bernd Kuhn (OIST) • Subkin Lim (NYU Shanghai, China) • Michele Migliore (Institute of Biophysics, Italy) • David Redish (University of Minnesota, USA) • Reza Shadmehr (Johns Hopkins University, USA) • Greg Stephens (OIST) • Yoko Yazaki-Sugiyama (OIST) • Charles Wilson (University of Texas San Antonio, USA)

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[ECSQARU 2017] Second Call for Papers
by Alessandro Antonucci Dec. 21, 2016

Dec. 21, 2016

The Fourteenth European Conference on Symbolic and Quantitative Approaches to Reasoning with Uncertainty SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch The biennial ECSQARU conferences constitute a major forum for advances in the theory and practice of reasoning under uncertainty. Contributions come from researchers interested in advancing the scientific knowledge and from practitioners using uncertainty techniques in real-world applications. The scope of the ECSQARU conferences encompasses fundamental issues, representation, inference, learning, and decision making in qualitative and numeric uncertainty paradigms. Previous ECSQARU events have been held in Marseille (1991), Granada (1993), Fribourg (1995), Bonn (1997), London (1999), Toulouse (2001), Aalborg (2003), Barcelona (2005), Hammamet (2007), Verona (2009), Belfast (2011), Utrecht (2013), and Compiègne (2015). ECSQARU 2017 will be co-located with ISIPTA '17, the Tenth International Symposium on Imprecise Probability: Theories and Applications. The joint event will be held in Lugano (Switzerland), on July 10-14, 2017. ::: SCOPE ::: For ECSQARU 2017 we invite submissions of conference papers on topics which include but are not limited to: - Algorithms for uncertain inference - Applications of uncertain systems - Argumentation systems - Automated planning and acting under uncertainty - Belief functions - Belief revision & merging - Classification & clustering - Decision theory & decision graphs - Default reasoning - Description logics with uncertainty - Foundations of reasoning under uncertainty - Fuzzy sets & fuzzy logic - Game theory - Imprecise probabilities - Inconsistency handling - Information fusion - Learning for uncertainty formalisms - Logics for reasoning under uncertainty - Markov decision processes - Possibility theory & possibilistic logic - Preferences - Probabilistic graphical models - Probabilistic logics - Qualitative uncertainty models - Rough sets - Uncertainty & data ::: INVITED SPEAKERS ::: We are delighted of having the following invited speakers: - Leila Amgoud (IRIT, France) - Alessio Benavoli (IDSIA, Switzerland) - Jim Berger (Duke University, USA) - Didier Dubois (IRIT, France) - Eyke Hüllermeier (Paderborn University, Germany) ::: PROCEEDINGS AND SUBMISSIONS ::: In accordance with the previous conferences, the proceedings of ECSQARU 2015 will be published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence series. Authors are requested to prepare their conference papers in the LNCS/LNAI format. Submitted papers will be evaluated by peer reviews based on originality, significance, technical soundness, and clarity of exposition. Authors of accepted papers are expected to attend the conference to present their work. The instructions for submission and the author kit are available here: http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch/submissions-ecsqaru/ ::: IMPORTANT DATES ::: - Tuesday, February 21, 2017: Paper submission deadline - Tuesday, April 18, 2017: Author notification - Friday, April 28, 2017: Camera-ready copy due ::: IJAR SPECIAL ISSUE ::: Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their work to a special issue of the International Journal of Approximate Reasoning (IJAR, Elsevier). ::: SPRINGER YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD ::: We also invite applications for the Springer Young Researcher Award. The prize, granted by Springer, will be awarded to one young researcher for excellent research in fields related to the ECSQARU scope. The award is open to Master students, PhD students and young post-doc researchers who have received their PhD in 2016 (or 2017). Applicants should have submitted a paper (not necessarily as first authors) to ECSQARU 2017. Applications should be received by the paper submission deadline (February 21, 2017). _________________________________ Alessandro Antonucci IDSIA Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence Via Cantonale (Galleria 2) CH-6928, Manno-Lugano, CH mail: alessandro(a)idsia.ch skype: alessandro.antonucci tel: +41 916108515 web: www.idsia.ch/~alessandro _________________________________

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Call for Applications: ISSA Summer School 2017
by Yukie Nagai Dec. 21, 2016

Dec. 21, 2016

Call for Applications: ISSA Summer School 2017 https://groups.oist.jp/issa Date: May 22nd – June 2nd, 2017 Venue: Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), Osaka, Japan https://cinet.jp/english/contact/ The Initiative for a Synthesis in Studies of Awareness, ISSA for short, is a group of scientists advocating an integrative approach to the study of consciousness and intelligence. ISSA will organize a two-week Summer School, with lectures covering a variety of topics in experimental and computational neuroscience, cognitive science, philosophy, complex systems, robotics and artificial intelligence. Following the lectures in the morning, students will engage in group disucussions and hand-on exercises in psychophysics, MRI, MEG, and robotics in the afternoon. First week: Fundamental lecturers and group discussions • Christof Koch (Allen Institute for Brain Science) • Ryota Kanai (ARAYA Brain Imaging, YHouse) • Larissa Albantakis (U Wisconsin-Madison) • Dan Zahavi (U Copenhagen) • Jun Tani (KAIST) Second week: Special topics and hands-on exercises • Kaoru Amano (CiNet) • Minoru Asada (Osaka U) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Piet Hut (Institute for Advanced Study, ELSI, YHouse) • Hiroshi Ishiguro (Osaka U, ATR) • Shinji Nishimoto (CiNet) • Mariko Osaka (CiNet) • Nao Tsuchiya (Monash U) • Noriko Yamagishi (CiNet) Application: We invite graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to participate in the summer school. Organizers will provide lodging for all accepted students and travel support for selected students. The applications will be open till December 25, 2016 from the web site (https://groups.oist.jp/issa) The result of selection, based on the research interest, educational background, and the balance of gender and geographic origins, will be notified by February 2017. Co-Sponsors • Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet) • CREST Artificial Consciousness Project (leader: Ryota Kanai) • CREST Social Neuroscience Project (leader: Masahiko Haruno) • Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology • KAKENHI Mental Time Project (leader: Shigeru Kitazawa) • KAKENHI Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science Project (leader: Kenji Doya) • Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) • YHouse (leaders: Piet Hut and Ryota Kanai) Web site: https://groups.oist.jp/issa Contact: Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology ncus (at) oist.jp — Yukie Nagai, Ph.D. Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Osaka University Visiting Researcher, Bielefeld University yukie(a)ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp http://cnr.ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/~yukie/

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The Fruit Fly Brain Observatory (FFBO)
by Aurel A. Lazar Dec. 20, 2016

Dec. 20, 2016

We would like to announce that we have released a unique open source platform for investigating fruit fly brain function, in both healthy and diseased brains. Our early version of the FFBO is at: http://fruitflybrain.org <http://fruitflybrain.org/> The Fruit Fly Brain Observatory (i) integrates within a single database, genetic, anatomical, neurophysiological data with computational models. It provides location, morphology, connectivity and biophysical properties of every neuron, (ii) is equipped with powerful executable tools for circuit generation, numerical simulation and user-friendly query and visualization, (iii) automatically generates models of the fly brain that can be simulated efficiently using multiple Graphics Processing Units. There are three main features of the FFBO: NeuroNLP, NeuroGFX and NeuroAPPs. NeuroNLP is natural language user interface for querying the NeuroArch fly brain database. NeuroGFX is a programming interface that automatically translates biological and modeling data into executable code that can be run on a local or cloud-based GPU servers. NeuroAPPs host integrated healthy and diseased models applications of the fruit fly brain. Our project The Fruit Fly Brain Observatory http://fruitflybrain.org <http://fruitflybrain.org/> is one of six finalists in the Open Science Prize Competition https://www.openscienceprize.org <https://www.openscienceprize.org/>. We are a collaborative effort between Columbia University, National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, and University of Sheffield, UK. It would be great if you can let people know about the competition and get them to hopefully vote for us at http://event.capconcorp.com/wp/osp/ <http://event.capconcorp.com/wp/osp/> :-) Aurel http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu <http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/>

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[CALL FOR PAPERS ]The 2017 International Conference on Brain Informatics (BI'17)
by 张铁林 Dec. 19, 2016

Dec. 19, 2016

[CALL FOR PAPERS]The 2017 International Conference on Brain Informatics (BI'17), Informatics Perspective of Investigation on the Brain and Mind Conference Data: November 16-18, 2017, Beijing, China Conference Homepage: http://bii.ia.ac.cn/bi-2017/ Homepage Mirror: http://wi-consortium.org/conferences/bi-2017/ (FULL PAPER SUBMISSION DEADLINE: April 2, 2017) ================ ***Conference Introduction *** Brain Informatics (BI) conference series provides a premier forum to bring together researchers and practitioners in the fields of neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, information communication technologies, and neuroimaging technologies. BI'17 addresses the computational, cognitive, physiological, biological, physical, ecological and social perspectives of brain informatics, as well as topics relating to mental health and well-being. It also welcomes emerging information technologies, including but not limited to Internet/Web of Things (IoT/WoT), cloud computing, big data analytics and interactive knowledge discovery related to brain research. BI'17 also encourages submissions that explore how advanced computing technologies are applied to and make a difference in various large-scale brain studies and their applications. BI'17 welcomes paper submissions (full paper and abstract submissions). Both research and application papers are solicited. All submitted papers will be reviewed on the basis of technical quality, relevance, significance and clarity. Accepted full papers will be included in the proceedings by Springer LNCS/LNAI. Workshop, Special-Session and Tutorial proposals, and Industry or Demo-Track papers are also welcome. The organizers of Workshops and Special-Sessions are invited to prepare a book proposal based on the topics of the workshop/special session for possible bookpublication in the Springer-Nature Brain Informatics & Health book series. ================ *** Topics and Areas *** Track 1: Cognitive and Computational Foundations of Brain Science Track 2: Investigations of Human Information Processing Systems Track 3: Brain Big Data Analytics, Curation and Management Track 4: Informatics Paradigms for Brain and Mental Health Track 5: Brain-Inspired Intelligence and Computing ================ *** Important Dates*** March 10, 2017: Submission for workshop/special-session proposals March 30, 2017: Notification of workshop/special-session proposal acceptance April 2, 2017: Submission deadline for full papers May 20, 2017: Submission deadline for workshop/special-session papers June 10, 2017: Notification of full paper acceptance June 20, 2017: Notification of workshop/special-session paper acceptance June 20, 2017: Submission deadline for abstracts July 10, 2017: Notification of abstract acceptance November 16, 2017: Tutorials, workshops and special-sessions November 17-18, 2017: Main conference ================ *** Post-Conference Journal Publication *** The Brain Informatics conferences have the formal ties with Brain Informatics journal (Springer-Nature, http://www.springer.com/40708) Accepted papers from the conference, including their Best Paper Award papers, will be expended and revised for possible inclusion in the Brain Informatics journal each year. It is fully sponsored and no any article-processing fee charged for authors of Brain Informatics conference. ================ *** Awards *** Best Paper awards will be conferred at the conference on the authors of (1) the best research paper and (2) the best student paper. ================ *** Organizers*** General Chairs Bo Xu (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) Hanchuan Peng (Allen Institute for Brain Sciences, USA) Qingming Luo (Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China) Program Committee Chairs Yi Zeng(Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) Yong He(Beijing Normal University, China) Jeanette Kotaleski (Karolinska Institute, Sweden) Maryann Martone (University of California, San Diego, USA) Organizing Chairs Ning Zhong (Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China Jianzhou Yan (Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China) Shengfu Lu (Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China) Workshop/Special-Session Chairs An'an Li (Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China) Sen Song (Tsinghua University, China) Tutorial Chair Wenming Zheng (South East University, China) Publicity Chairs Shouyi Wang (University of Texas at Arlington, USA) Yang Yang (Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China) Tielin Zhang (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) Steering Committee Chairs Ning Zhong (Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan) Hanchuan Peng (Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA) ================ *** Contact Information *** tielin.zhang(a)ia.ac.cn shouyiw(a)uta.edu yang(a)maebashi-it.org ================ (END)

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Developing gaze training for skilled upper-limb prosthetic use Ref: 2407
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira Dec. 17, 2016

Dec. 17, 2016

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. This project is part of a competition for funding. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Please note that of the 56 projects advertised we expect that up to 20 posts will be filled. Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Gavin Buckingham<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Gavin_Buckingham> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Sam Vine<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Samuel_Vine> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Greg Wood<http://www.cheshire.mmu.ac.uk/exspsci/ourstaff/profile/index.php?profile_id…> (Manchester Metropolitan University) Co-supervisor: Dr Mark Wilson<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Mark_Wilson> (University of Exeter) Project Description: Learning to use a prosthetic limb is inherently difficult and requires a huge amount of concentration. Like learning how to wield a new tool for the first time, amputees need to acquire the confidence and dexterity required for skilled action. In order to produce accurate goal-directed movements the motor system requires accurate and timely visual information making the timing and location of the person’s gaze, with relation to the movement of their limbs, critical for skilled behaviour. There is, however, no structured training protocol for use with prosthetic hands. We aim to develop a novel gaze training regime to facilitate the use of a prosthetic hand to skilfully interact with objects. In the first part of the project, the student will undertake an observational study to determine what factors lead some individuals to become skilled with a prosthesis faster than others. We will test large numbers of intact (i.e., without amputation) participants learning to use a state-of-the-art myoelectric prosthetic arm simulator, which is controlled by muscle feedback but ergonomically designed to fit over the wrist of an intact hand. Participants will move objects of different of sizes and weights from one location to another with a range of precision requirements and in the presence of a range of obstacles. Over multiple sessions we will measure hand and object kinematics, fingertip forces, and eye path with a head-mounted eye tracker. We will then develop a data-driven mathematical model of the eye tracking and biomechanical performance data. Statistical analysis of the patterns of eye movement will provide new insights into the ‘signature’ of good performance using the prosthetic arm. The second phase will use the data from Project 1 to develop a training protocol that will adopt the ‘expert signatures’ from project work 1 as a prototype for a trainee to follow. We will focus predominantly on the signature of expertise derived from the gaze behaviour measures and implement a gaze training protocol. We will then test the efficacy of this novel training with new set of intact participants using the prosthetic simulator, tracking their performance in comparison to individuals who will receive a sham training protocol. In the final stage of the project work, the gaze training protocol will be used in a sample of upper-limb-amputees as they learn how to use their new prosthesis. As this state of the project will not be limited to myoelectric prosthetic users, this will also allow us to test the generalizability of our training protocol. The students will be involved in these experiments by running model simulations and data analysis to provide quantitative information for the training protocol as well as focussing on completing the write-up of their PhD thesis. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes. If you have not resided in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship, you are not eligible for a maintenance allowance so you would need an alternative source of funding for living costs.To be eligible for fees only funding you must be ordinarily resident in a member state of the EU Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Number of awards: 1 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Controlling noise effects in models of excitable cells
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira Dec. 17, 2016

Dec. 17, 2016

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Jan Sieber<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/js543> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Joël Tabak<http://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/about/profiles/index.php?web_id=Joel_Tabak-Szn…> (University of Exeter) Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Project Description: This is a project that combines biological modelling and general mathematical analysis of the influence of noise on multiple-timescale systems. It will give the student the opportunity to work on open mathematical questions and see their results applied in experiments on living cells. Many types of cells such as neurons, heart and hormone-releasing cells generate impulses of electrical activity, organized as single spikes or bursts of impulses. In cells of the pituitary gland – the master hormonal gland of the body – the features of electrical activity patterns determine how much hormone is released into the circulation. Hence, understanding how the characteristic features of electrical activity arise is crucial to understanding how these cells function, and how they may malfunction in disease. Mathematical modelling and analysis techniques have proven very successful in helping unravel fundamental mechanisms controlling the behaviour of excitable cells. Electrical activity is driven by the interactions between ion channels of the cell membrane, which produce noisy electrical currents. The mathematical models of electrical activity thus contain random and deterministic parts, which typically appear as separate terms (e.g., the deterministic drift and the Brownian-motion induced diffusion in stochastic differential equations). In experimental practice this distinction is not as clear. For example, ion channels in cells with electrical activity generate noisy signals, driving systematically the electrical and chemical activity in the cell, which operate also on several time scales. It is still unclear how this randomness influences electrical activity in real cells. This PhD project will investigate how one can use control to identify the systematic (deterministic) component of trajectories in dynamical systems with random inputs (such as ion channel noise) that operate on two or three different time scales (such as spiking or bursting cells). A first goal to separate a systematic, approximately periodic, signal without knowledge of the period using control and geometric methods in a reconstructed phase space. Preliminary investigations with noise on a single time scale interacting with a two-timescale oscillation (spiking) have shown that this is in principle possible. It is an open question how this can be generalized to periodic behaviours with a more complicated geometry (such as bursting), interacting with noise effects that occur on two time scales. Another open question is how the geometric control and noise identification is related to extended time-delayed feedback, which creates a reference signal from a geometric time series of past outputs. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes; however up to 9 fully-funded studentships across the DTP are available for EU/EEA applicants not ordinarily resident in the UK. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year. Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College: 01392 722737 doctoral.college(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:doctoral.college@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics Living Systems Institute University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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CfP: 18th Int. Conf. on Engineering Applications of Neural Networks
by Simone Scardapane Dec. 16, 2016

Dec. 16, 2016

[Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this CFP] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18th Int. Conf. on Engineering Applications of Neural Networks EANN 2017 (Athens, Greece, August 25-27, 2017) Workshop submission deadline: 11th February, 2017 Paper submission deadline: 20th April, 2017 https://conferences.cwa.gr/eann2017/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Call for Papers -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Authors are invited to submit electronically original, English-language research contributions or experience reports not concurrently submitted elsewhere in ALL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOPICS! Papers should be no longer than 10 pages formatted according to the LNCS Springer style. The program committee may reject papers that exceed this length on the grounds of length alone. In the spirit of the previous EANN conferences, the paper should concentrate on the application rather than just the algorithm or the theory. Submitted papers will be refereed by at least three reviewers for quality, correctness, originality, and relevance. Notification and reviews will be communicated via email. Accepted papers will be presented at the conference and included in the proceedings, which will be published by SPRINGER CCIS “Communications in Computer and Information Science” and they will be available on site. It is important though to follow the instructions in this page to ensure that your paper will be included in the proceedings. Call for Workshops -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proposals for Workshops that examine emerging, innovative, or otherwise provocative issues within the conference area are encouraged as well. Workshop proposals should include a 1-2 page summary of the topic and the names and affiliations of 3-4 panelists who have made a commitment to participate. https://conferences.cwa.gr/eann2017/call-for-workshops/ Areas of interest: https://conferences.cwa.gr/eann2017/areas-of-interest/ Important dates -------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Tutorial and workshops proposals: February 11th, 2017 * Notification of tutorial and workshops proposals: February 12th, 2017 * Paper submission: April 20th, 2017 * Notification of paper acceptance: May 13th, 2017 * Conference Dates: 25-27 August, 2017

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Call for Workshops - Bernstein Conference 2017
by Zrinka Gattin Dec. 14, 2016

Dec. 14, 2016

The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and the Bernstein Center Göttingen invite proposals for Satellite Workshops. Satellite Workshops will directly precede the Bernstein Conference 2017 in Göttingen. ************************************************************** *Important Dates:* _Workshops: _September 12 - 13, 2017 _Main Bernstein Conference:_ September 13 - 15, 2017 _Deadline for proposal submission:_ March 01, 2017 _Notification of workshop acceptance:_ March 27, 2017 ************************************************************** Since 2013, the Bernstein Conference hosts pre-conference workshops. They provide a stage to discuss topical research questions, novel scientific approaches and challenges in Computational Neuroscience and related fields. Workshops addressing controversial issues, open problems, and comparisons of competing approaches are encouraged. Workshop formats should be designed to foster debate beyond a mere series of talks. The Bernstein Conference started out as the annual meeting of the Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and has become the largest annual single-track Computational Neuroscience conference in Europe in recent years. _Workshop time frame:_ September 12, 2017, 13:00 - 18:00 September 13, 2017, 9:00 - 12:30 Workshop proposals are welcome for either half-day or full-day workshops. Workshop costs: NEW THIS YEAR – FINANCIAL SUPPORT: For all accepted workshops the registration is free of charge for organizers and speakers. Organizers will also receive a waiver for the main conference fee. New this year: From the accepted workshops a maximum of ten workshops will be selected to each receive financial support of up to 1.500,00 €. For further information about the conference, please visit the conference website http://www.bernstein-conference.de. INSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS PREPARATION Workshop proposals must contain: 1) Workshop Title 2) Concise description of workshop topic 3) List of potential speakers indicating speaker commitment Please use the Workshop Proposal Form that can be downloaded here: http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/satellite-workshops *Deadline for submission of Workshop proposals: March 01, 2017* Accommodation and Hotel Reservation: We strongly recommend early room booking. The number of available accommodation is limited due to several concurrent events. We arranged for room contingents in a variety of hotels that you may book by yourself by email or phone. Please follow the instructions at our Accommodations Web-site (http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/venue/accommodation) We would like to emphasize that these room contingents will be held open up to different expiration dates depending on the hotel (or until they are filled). The earliest expiration date is already end of May 2017 whereas the majority of offers expire at the 12th of July 2017. We strongly encourage participants to share rooms and to book rooms as a group. Groups of three or four are possible if you book a suite. The room contingent contains a set of suits and apartments. We emphasize that it will be very difficult to book accommodation beyond the expiration dates. Please find a list of the hotels at our Accommodations Web-site. CONTACT: contact(at)bccn-goettingen.de We are looking forward to seeing you in Göttingen! WORKSHOP SELECTION COMMITTEE: Florentin Wörgötter (Chair) Marion Silies (co-Chair) Christian Tetzlaff (co-Chair) Matthias Bethge Laura Busse Claudia Clopath Julia Fischer Alexander Gail Richard Hahnloser Claus Hilgetag Peter Jonas Siegrid Löwel Michael Platt Viola Priesemann Nicole Rust Fred Wolf (Conference Chair) -- Dr Zrinka Gattin Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Goettingen Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology (BFNT) Goettingen PhD Program in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Am Fassberg 17 D-37077 Goettingen Phone: +49 (0)551 5176 418 Fax: +49 (0)551 5176 14418 E-Mail: zrinka(a)nld.ds.mpg.de

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Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS) - CNS2017 Meeting in Antwerpen (Belgium) - July 15-20, 2017
by Giugliano Michele Dec. 14, 2016

Dec. 14, 2016

Dear Colleagues, apologies for cross postings. I bring to your attention the announcement of the CNS<http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017>2017 <http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017> Meeting<http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017>, organised at the University of Antwerpen, by myself and Daniele Marinazzo. Please circulate it at your convenience and/or print and stick the A4 poster (download it here<https://www.dropbox.com/s/5yclp8dyspgnmu6/CNS2017_A4Poster.jpg?dl=0>) to the door of your office, library, campus, etc. Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS), 26th Annual Meeting, Antwerpen, Belgium, July 15-20, 2017 The main meeting (July 16-18) will be preceded by a day of tutorials (July 15) and followed by two days of workshops (July 19-20). Invited Keynote Speakers: Erik De Schutter, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan Panayiota Poirazi, IMBB-Forth, Greece and chair of FENS-Kavli network of excellence Fernando Lopes Da Silva, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Anne Churchland, Cold Spring Harbour Lab, USA Registration will open on January 11, 2017. Abstract submission will open on January 12, 2017 and close on March 5. Workshop proposals are now being accepted. Note that one of the authors has to register as sponsoring author for the main meeting before abstract submission is possible. In case the abstract is not accepted for presentation, the registration fee will be refunded. For up-to-date conference information, please visit http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017 ---------------------------------------- OCNS is the international member-based society for computational neuroscientists. Become a member to be eligible for travel awards and more. Visit our website for more information: http://www.cnsorg.org — Michele GIUGLIANO, PhD Dept. of Biomedical Sciences University of Antwerp B-2610 Wilrijk - Belgium www.uantwerpen.be/michele-giugliano<http://www.uantwerpen.be/michele-giugliano>

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Vacancy: Three Positions in the Dutch Research Consortium "Language in Interaction".
by Verhoef, J.P. (Julia) Dec. 12, 2016

Dec. 12, 2016

Three Positions in the Dutch Research Consortium 'Language in Interaction' (1,0 fte) [Logo NWO][Logo]Dutch Research Consortium 'Language in Interaction' Vacancy number: 30.10.16 Application deadline: Jan 29, 2017, 23:59 CET Responsibilities We are looking for highly motivated candidates to enrich a unique consortium of researchers that aims to unravel the neurocognitive mechanisms of language at multiple levels. The goal is to understand both the universality and the variability of the human language faculty from genes to behaviour. Currently, our consortium advertises 1 Postdoc and 2 Research Assistant positions. These positions provide the opportunity for conducting world-class research as a member of an interdisciplinary team. Each position has its own requirements and profile. Click here for more information on the advertised positions<https://www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html>. Work environment The Netherlands has an outstanding track record in the language sciences. The research consortium 'Language in Interaction', sponsored by a large grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific research (NWO), brings together many of the excellent research groups in the Netherlands with a research programme on the foundations of language. In addition to excellence in the domain of language and related relevant fields of cognition, our consortium provides state-of-the-art research facilities and a research team with ample experience in the complex research methods that will be invoked to address the scientific questions at the highest level of methodological sophistication. These include methods from genetics, neuroimaging, computational modelling, and patient-related research. This consortium realizes both quality and critical mass for studying human language at a scale not easily found anywhere else. We have identified five Big Questions (BQ) that are central to our understanding of the human language faculty. These questions are interrelated at multiple levels. Teams of researchers will collaborate to collectively address these key questions of our field. Our five Big Questions are: BQ1: The nature of the mental lexicon: How to bridge neurobiology and psycholinguistic theory by computational modelling? BQ2: What are the characteristics and consequences of internal brain organization for language? BQ3: Creating a shared cognitive space: How is language grounded in and shaped by communicative settings of interacting people? BQ4: Variability in language processing and in language learning: Why does the ability to learn language change with age? How can we characterise and map individual language skills in relation to the population distribution? BQ5: How are other cognitive systems shaped by the presence of a language system in humans? Successful candidates will be appointed at one of the consortium's home institutions, depending on the position applied for. All successful candidates will become members of our Big Question teams. The research is conducted in an international setting at all participating institutions. English is the lingua franca. What we expect from you Each position has its own requirements and profile. Detailed information on: www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html<http://www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html> General requirements for all positions are: · a degree in one of the fields indicated for the positions; · strong motivation; · excellent proficiency in written and spoken English. What we have to offer · employment: 1,0 fte; · you will be appointed at one of the consortium's home institutions, depending on the position applied for; · Terms of employment depend on the embedding institution. · Dutch universities and the institute involved have a number of regulations in place that enable employees to create a good work-life balance. Other Information The institute involved is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and as such encourages applications from women and minorities. Would you like to know more? Further information on: the Language in Interaction Consortium<https://www.languageininteraction.nl/>. Further information on: the different positions<http://www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html>, including terms of employment and contacts Are you interested? You should upload your application (attn. of Prof. dr. P. Hagoort) using the button 'Apply'. Your application should include (and be limited to) the following attachments: · a cover letter quoting at the top the number (BQ1N or BQ4RA) of the position you apply for, · your curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and the names of at least two persons who can provide references. Please apply before Jan 29, 2017, 23:59 CET. For more information on your application: +31 24 3611173. Big Question 1 Scientific summary The big question this project addresses is how to use computational modeling to link levels of description, from neurons to cognition and behavior, in understanding the language system. We focus on the mental lexicon and aim to characterize its structure in a way that is precise and meaningful in neurobiological and (psycho)linguistic terms. Our overarching goal is to devise causal/explanatory models of the mental lexicon that can explain neural and behavioral data. This will significantly deepen our understanding of the mental lexicon, lexical access, and lexical acquisition. Postdoc Position - BQ1N Neurobiologically realistic models of the mental lexicon Content description You will participate in a team effort to understand the computational neurobiology underlying language by means of recurrent networks of spiking neurons (RNN) for sentence processing. The goal is to develop an RNN model of the long-term storage and retrieval of lexical items and their associated structural and semantic properties (Mental Lexicon), encoded into high-dimensional feature vectors. Core objectives are to understand the nature of these lexical representations, how they are linked to relevant retrieval cues, and how this system is acquired based on local, unsupervised, neurobiological plasticity principles (e.g., spike-timing dependent plasticity, homeostatic plasticity, synaptic consolidation). This memory network will interface with a network for online sentence comprehension (Unification) that is currently being developed in the Neurobiology of Language Department (MPI). In this combined architecture it will be investigated to what extent structured word representations delivered by the mental lexicon are suitable for incremental, combinatorial processing and what-conversely-the influence of sentence context is on lexical retrieval. Model building will be supplemented by the development of analytic techniques to measure memory capacity and dynamic stability, and methods to discover hidden representational structure in neuronal assemblies. Requirements You should have · A PhD degree (or equivalent) on the computational modeling of language processing/acquisition with a background in mathematics, physics, computer science, or other relevant fields of study. · A strong background in psycholinguistics as well as computational neuroscience is required. This includes detailed knowledge of neuronal dynamics, synaptic plasticity, and neurobiological principles for learning. · Expertise on mathematical models of neural networks, dynamical systems, and the analysis of neuronal activity is highly valued. · Extensive experience in scientific computing, including numerical methods, large-scale simulations, and data-science approaches. Programming experience especially in languages such as Matlab and Python is required, knowledge of simulation tools like NEST is desirable. · Experience with concepts and methods for statistical analysis, and with state-of-the-art techniques for data visualization. · An active interest in brain physiology, memory research, and computability theory. · Affinity with cognitive neuroscience, machine learning, and fundamental issues in theoretical linguistics is desirable. · Experience with designing and supervising PhD projects and have a proven ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, with strong communication skills in an international work environment. · The ability to work independently, organize and lead group meetings, compose research reports regularly, and present results to a wide scientific audience. · Fluency in English, spoken and written, is a must. Knowledge of Dutch is desirable but not mandatory. Embedding and Terms of employment This position will be held at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen. * Employment: 1,0 fte; · Starting salary will be based on Tarifvertrag im Öffentlichen Dienst E13 Stufe 1 (TVöD Bund). Final scaling dependant on experience; · In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance · The Max Planck Institute involved has a number of regulations that make it possible for employees to create a good work-life balance. Contact information Dr. Karl Magnus Petersson (Karl-Magnus.Petersson(a)mpi.nl<mailto:Karl-Magnus.Petersson@mpi.nl>) and Prof. Peter Hagoort (Peter.Hagoort(a)mpi.nl<mailto:Peter.Hagoort@mpi.nl>) Big Question 4 Scientific summary We aim to characterize variation in language processing and learning skills and to determine how these variations relate to variations in the underlying biology of individual participants. The project has two strands: Strand A focuses on language processing skills in young adults, and Strand B on language learning skills in children and adults. Strand A will develop a comprehensive battery of language tasks targeting sound, meaning, and grammatical processing of words and longer utterances during speaking and listening. In addition, tasks will be selected or developed assessing general cognitive skills that are likely to affect performance in language tasks. Strand B uses variability in learning ability to investigate why second-language (L2) acquisition can become harder in adulthood. Two Research Assistant Positions - BQ4RA Content Description You will work primarily in Strand A of the project. You will be involved in the development of the tests items (e.g., generation of stimuli, adaptation of English tests for use in Dutch, preparing the presentation of the items in existing software packages), data analysis and archiving. Your main duties will, however, be to schedule and test participants in the lab in Nijmegen and in schools in various locations in the Netherlands. Requirements You should minimally have a BA degree (or equivalent) in Psychology, (Special) Education , or another relevant field of study. You must have native or near native knowledge of Dutch and good knowledge of English. Good IT skills would be highly valued. Most importantly, you should have good communicative and organizational skills and feel comfortable interacting with young persons, individually and in groups. Some experience in teaching, therapy, or tutoring would be useful. Applications from excellent candidates with a less than ideal profile will be equally considered. Embedding These positions will be held at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen. * Employment: 1,0 fte; * Starting salary will be based on Tarifvertrag im Öffentlichen Dienst E9b Stufe 1 (TVöD Bund); · In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance; · The Max Planck Institute involved has a number of regulations that make it possible for employees to create a good work-life balance. Contact information Prof. Antje S. Meyer (antje.meyer(a)mpi.nl<mailto:antje.meyer@mpi.nl>) and Prof. James McQueen (j.mcqueen(a)donders.ru.nl<mailto:j.mcqueen@donders.ru.nl>)

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vacancy for female tenure track assistant professor at University of Groningen (Artificial Intelligence)
by Marieke van Vugt RUG Dec. 10, 2016

Dec. 10, 2016

There are 5 tenure track positions available for female candidates in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, of which one will be placed in the Department of Artificial Intelligence. This department has a very broad interpretation of artificial intelligence, with expertise ranging from cognitive science to robotics and machine learning. We have a particular interest in model-based neuroscience and neuromorphic computing. http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=… Rosalind Franklin Fellowships at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (216337-41 RFF) Organisation The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences is home to a kaleidoscopic range of disciplines and research strengths. Our teaching and research programmes range from nanomaterials to engineering, from pharmacy to ecology, and from computer science to astronomy. Our researchers investigate fundamental key questions while collaborating with partners from industry, the medical world and other social sectors. Frontline research groups explore new fields such as synthetic biology and sustainable energy use. The Faculty place a high priority on the international dimension of teaching and research and has a long history of stimulating, initiating and carrying out multidisciplinary and internationally oriented research. The Faculty has 40 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, 35 of which are English-taught, attracting students from all over the world. Job description The University of Groningen initiated the prestigious Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme to promote the advancement of talented international researchers at the highest levels of the institution. The ambitious programme has been running at the Groningen Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences since 2002 and at the University as a whole since 2007. The Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme is aimed at women in industry, academia or research institutes who have a PhD and would like a career as full professor in a European top research university. The Fellowship is only awarded to outstanding researchers. Successful candidates will be expected to establish an independent, largely externally funded research programme in collaboration with colleagues at our Faculty and elsewhere. They will also be expected to participate in and contribute to the development of the teaching programme of their discipline. The University of Groningen has 13 tenure track positions available in this programme, currently co-funded by the European Union. We invite ambitious female academics to apply for these positions. Under European jurisdiction it is lawful to specifically recruit underrepresented groups. Five RFF positions In the next round of Rosalind Franklin Fellowships, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has five Rosalind Franklin Fellowships to offer in the disciplines: Fundamental Computer Science (Data Management, Theory of Computing, Algorithms, Networks, Security) Fundamental Mathematics (Algebra, Geometry, Analysis), Mathematical Data Analysis, Complex Systems Mechanical Engineering (field of dynamics and vibrations, optomechatronics, or other fields relevant for advanced instrumentation) Artificial Intelligence (logic, neuromorphic computing, cognitive modelling or robotics) Bioinformatics (complex biological systems, genome analyses, metagenomics and microbiology, host-microbe biology, new computational algorithms and methods). Qualifications • PhD degree for at least 3 years on reference date 1 February 2017 • exemplary research record demonstrated by publications in international top journals and/or in peer-reviewed books • proof of independence and international recognition • experience in various working environments in different countries • successful in acquiring external funding for research projects • teaching experience or proven inclination for teaching demonstrated by tutoring/mentoring of individuals or small groups • demonstrable organizational qualities and communication skills • a well-founded and motivated application with an innovative research plan for the first five years and a challenging outlook for the future which takes into account the international research landscape in their field of specialization • must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date of 1 February 2017. Please check whether you are eligible to apply by doing the eligibility check: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/ <http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/> Additional requirements In addition to the University’s general requirements for the fellowships, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has the following additional requirements: • at least two years of postdoctoral experience, preferably in various research institutions (Dutch applicants should have at least two years of postdoctoral experience outside The Netherlands) • experience in supervising research projects • the candidate must have the potential to develop into a leader who guides and inspires • the proposed research should be complementary and of added value to the research areas currently represented within the Faculty. Conditions of employment The University of Groningen offers a starting salary for the Rosalind Franklin Fellow/assistant professor, dependent on qualifications and relevant work experience, of a minimum of € 3,427 gross per month (salary scale 11 Dutch Universities) up to a maximum of € 5,330 gross per month (salary scale 12) for a fulltime position. The salaries include an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus and participation in an employee pension scheme. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for the University of Groningen. The appointment of a Rosalind Franklin Fellow/assistant professor will be on a temporary basis for a maximum of 6 years. After 5 years of employment, there will be an assessment of performance based on established criteria including research and teaching qualifications. If the outcome of the assessment is positive, the assistant professor will be promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure. At the end of a further 4-7 year period, there will be another assessment aimed at promotion to full professor. Please visit our webpage for more information about conditions of employment: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/condi… <http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/condit…> Application You may apply for this position until 31 January / before 1 February 2017 Dutch local time by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website). Applicants should submit: 1. A full curriculum vitae including a complete list of publications (file 1) 2. A letter of motivation (file 2) 3. A 3-5 page statement of research accomplishments and future research goals (file 3) 4. A list of five selected ‘best papers’ (preferably including copies) (file 4) 5. the names and contact information (including email address) of 3 referees (file 5). The application files should be sent electronically in PDF format. Applications with missing credentials will not be taken into consideration. http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=… -------------------------------------------------------------------- Marieke van Vugt, PhD Assistant Professor, Cognitive Modelling Group University of Groningen Bernoulliborg, room 326 Nijenborgh 9 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands phone: +31-6-5195-4984 (cell) +31-50-363-9487 (office) http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt <http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt> twitter: @mvugt m.k.van.vugt(a)rug.nl <mailto:m.k.van.vugt@rug.nl> / mkvanvugt(a)gmail.com

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Postdoctoral Scholar - Sensorimotor Integration and Sensorimotor Learning for Speech Production
by Emre Neftci Dec. 8, 2016

Dec. 8, 2016

A Postdoctoral Scholar position in the areas of sensorimotor integration and sensorimotor learning for speech production is available in the Auditory & Language Neuroscience Lab (PI Greg Hickok; http://sites.uci.edu/alns/) and the Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence Lab (PI Emre Neftci; http://nmi-lab.org/) in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Description of Duties: The research involves developing neurally feasible computational models of speech production that is integrated with and informed by ongoing work on speech production using a wide range of methods including functional imaging, lesion, and intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) and stimulation mapping. Salary and benefits: This position is full-time and includes benefits. Salary is commensurate with experience. Qualifications: The successful candidate must possess a Ph.D. (by the start of the appointment) in Cognitive Sciences, Physics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, or Engineering, and must have expertise in computational neuroscience and/or machine learning. The position is anticipated to begin in late 2016 or early 2017 for one year with an additional one-year reappointment possible contingent upon satisfactory performance and productivity. We seek a candidate with excellent verbal and written communication skills who is strongly motivated and has substantial computer programming experience – the labs rely heavily on MATLAB, R, Psyscope/Psychtoolbox and Python. Working knowledge of artificial and spiking neural networks is a plus. Application Procedure: Interested candidates should submit a cover letter (describing their research experiences, interests, and goals,), a CV, and the names and contact information of three references at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF03744 For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Greg Hickok (greg.hickok(a)uci.edu) or Dr. Emre Neftci (eneftci(a)uci.edu) The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy. -- Emre Neftci, PhD (ETH Zurich), Assistant Professor, Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence Lab (http://nmi-lab.org/) Department of Cognitive Sciences, 2308 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway Building, UC Irvine 92697-5100

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Postdoc position in systems neuroscience
by Shuzo Sakata Dec. 6, 2016

Dec. 6, 2016

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research associate position in the group of Dr Shuzo Sakata in Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. This position is funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Mission of our research team is to understand state-dependent information processing in the brain at the level of neural circuits. This project particularly concerns the function of dream sleep. Taking multidisciplinary approaches, we will investigate the function of sub-second brain waves during REM sleep in rodents. Candidates should have a PhD or EngD in the field of neuroscience or related disciplines, including engineering and physics. Experience in at least one of the following areas is desirable: behavioural neuroscience, in vivo neurophysiology and computational neuroscience. Experience with quantitative skills for neurophysiological data analysis would be advantageous. Applicants should send (1) a CV and (2) a summary of their specific interests in our research programs to Dr. Shuzo Sakata, email: shuzo.sakata(a)strath.ac.uk. -- Shuzo Sakata, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer in Circuit Neurophysiology Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences University of Strathclyde 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK tel: +44-(0)141-548-2156, fax: +44-(0)141-552-2562 email: shuzo.sakata(a)strath.ac.uk The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263

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Post-doctoral Fellow in Human Intracranial Physiology at NIH
by Zaghloul, Kareem (NIH/NINDS) [E] Dec. 5, 2016

Dec. 5, 2016

Hi, I would like to post following ad for a post-doctoral fellow on the comp-neuro list serv. Thank you, Kareem A. Zaghloul, MD, PhD Surgical Neurology Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH Bldg 10, Rm. 3D20 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892-1414 O: 301-594-8114 F: 301-402-0380 A full-time post-doctoral position focused on understanding the neural correlates of human cognitive function is available in the Surgical Neurology Branch of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the NIH. This position involves studies focused on analyzing and manipulating human intracranial electrophysiological signals, including single-unit activity, local field potentials, and electro corticography (ECoG), captured from patients with medically refractory epilepsy and from patients receiving deep brain stimulation surgery. Post-doctoral fellows will join a laboratory aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie human memory and decision making and at developing novel and innovative techniques to directly communicate with those circuits. We are seeking candidates that are highly creative, motivated, and independent with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or a related field. Candidates must have a strong research background, with a record of relevant publications. Candidates will be encouraged and expected to participate in independent laboratory research, and will be expected to write scholarly manuscripts. Candidates must be able to lead and work well in a team. Candidates should have strong computational, quantitative, and/or engineering skills, with proficiency in developing custom code (Matlab, Python, etc.) for data analysis preferred. Past medical research is not required, but candidates must be willing to perform experiments in a clinical setting. Candidates will interact with clinical staff, graduate students, research fellows, and must have excellent spoken and written English skills. Applicants should submit a brief statement of research activities and interests, a current CV, and names and contact information of at least three references. Salary will be commensurate with experience and accomplishments. To arrange a meeting with the PI and to send materials required for consideration for this appointment please contact Dr. Zaghloul at: zaghloulka(a)mail.nih.gov<mailto:zaghloulka@mail.nih.gov> NIH, an agency of DHHS, is an equal opportunity employer.

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Postdoctoral Fellowship in Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience
by Paul Miller Dec. 2, 2016

Dec. 2, 2016

Brandeis University invited applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in theoretical/computational neuroscience. The successful applicant will be expected to work on a project related to the current research interests of faculty associated with the Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at Brandeis (see http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/sloan/ and http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/faculty/list_programNeuro.html) Example research areas include: Decision making; Short-term memory; Robustness and stability of small circuits; Cellular mechanisms of homeostasis; Attractor-state computing; Plasticity and development of cortical circuits. Candidates should have a Ph. D. in one of the Physical Sciences or Neuroscience, a demonstrated ability in scientific computation, a solid foundation in calculus and differential equations, and a strong interest in neuroscience. Prior training and experience in neuroscience is desirable, though we accept those candidates new to the field who are willing to commit to the intense and extensive training available here. Brandeis has a small, but strong neuroscience program (4 National Academy members) with significant expertise in systems neuroscience. Brandeis is located in Eastern Massachusetts, about 8 miles from Boston/Cambridge. All interested candidates should send a C.V., with the name and contact details of three or more references, and a paragraph indicating their career plans and research interests, by email to: pmiller(a)brandeis.edu. Please include in the subject line the phrase "Postdoc Application".

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Postdoctoral Positions available in Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience
by Jonathan Nicholas Dec. 1, 2016

Dec. 1, 2016

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Computational Modeling of Brain Networks The Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships in brain network modeling and analysis. We seek candidates with strong research backgrounds in one or more of the following areas: resting-state fMRI, DTI, functional and structural brain connectivity analysis, and network modeling. This is an exciting opportunity to work on NIH- and NSF-funded projects using computational, network modeling and multimodal (fMRI, DTI, EEG) brain imaging techniques. The successful candidate will develop a vigorous research program that contributes to, and complements, ongoing research studies. The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art brain imaging and computational facilities. Strong programming skills and previous experience with DTI analysis are desirable. Please email a CV, statement of research interests and relevant background, and names of three referees to Drs. Vinod Menon and Aarthi Padmanabhan at scsnl.stanford+postdoc(a)gmail.com<mailto:scsnl.stanford@gmail.com> Postdoctoral Fellowship in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience The Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships in developmental cognitive neuroscience. We seek candidates with strong research backgrounds in one or more of the following areas: typical and atypical neurocognitive development, learning disabilities (dyscalculia and dyslexia), autism, numerical cognition, cognitive training, and brain network development. This is an exciting opportunity to work on NIH-funded projects using behavioral, computational, and multimodal (fMRI, MRI, DTI) brain imaging techniques. The successful candidate will develop a vigorous research program that contributes to, and complements, ongoing research studies. The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art brain imaging facilities and computational resources. Candidates must have a PhD and relevant research experience in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology or related fields. Strong expertise in fMRI data analysis and computational skills are highly desirable. Please email a CV, statement of research interests and relevant background, and names of three referees to Drs. Vinod Menon and Teresa Iuculano at scsnl.stanford+postdoc(a)gmail.com<mailto:scsnl.stanford+postdoc@gmail.com>.

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Postdoctoral Position in Machine Learning and Neuromodulation
by Babak Mahmoudi Dec. 1, 2016

Dec. 1, 2016

A Postdoctoral position is available at Emory University School of Medicine on developing novel neuromodulation therapies for epilepsy and memory. The research and training is focused on developing Big Data analytic tools and machine learning algorithms for the optimization of neuromodulation therapies. The successful candidate will collaborate with scientists and clinicians in the Departments of Biomedical Informatics, Neurosurgery, Neurology and Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Tech, Grenoble University at France, and medical device industry partners. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Neuroscience or related fields with a strong background in machine learning, optimization theory, multivariate analysis and signal processing. Programming skill sets in Matlab and other languages (e.g., C++ and python) would be key to a successful candidate. Inquiries should be addressed to Babak Mahmoudi (b.mahmoudi(a)emory.edu) The position begins in January 1st but the start date is negotiable. The initial appointment is for one year, renewal expected if progress is satisfactory and funds are available. Please send applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three references to b.mahmoudi(a)emory.edu

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Researcher position at ATR Brain Labs (Kyoto, Japan)
by Haruo HOSOYA Dec. 1, 2016

Dec. 1, 2016

Dear all, ATR Brain Labs in Kyoto, Japan has two open positions in computational visual neuroscience. I would appreciate if you forward the following message to anyone who might be interested. Best regards, Haruo Hosoya, Senior Researcher Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging ATR Brain Labs, Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories Open researcher positions at ATR Brain Labs., Kyoto, Japan ============================================ Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan, has open positions for researchers in computational visual neuroscience. Our institute has a long tradition in computational neuroscience and has recently been promoting theoretical studies of hierarchical vision models based on statistical learning theory (a.k.a. deep learning), with the emphasis on the bidirectional (feedforward and feedback) computation in the visual cortex. We seek for autonomous and motivated applicants who are interested in working on this research theme in collaboration with our research group. Haruo Hosoya, Ph.D. Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan 2016, December Project outline --------------------- It is well known that, in the visual cortex, a number of visual areas form a hierarchy with low-level to high-level feature representations, and perform bidirectional interactions through the feedforward and feedback circuitry. Such bidirectional computation has conventionally been considered to play roles in visual perception, imagery, information completion, selective attention, etc. However, our research group is considering that bidirectional computation may be far more essential in the visual system than previously thought. For example, we have recently released a theoretical model that proposes a potential role of bidirectional computation in visual representations of objects and facts in the higher visual cortex (http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/086637) We will continue to pursue other roles of the bidirectionality in various visual functions of the brain through developing new computational models based on learning theory and evaluating their visual processing capability, performance, and explainability of neuroscientific data. Furthermore, we are also interested in building a larger-scale hierarchical visual model that integrates various computational models developed in our group as well as pursuing its applicability in realistic problems. More on the project can be seen here: http://www.cns.atr.jp/~hosoya/project_outline.pdf. What's ATR? ------------------ ATR is a private company specialized to basic science founded in 1986. It is renowned for its long and unique tradition of computational neuroscience since the foundation, emphasizing the importance of mathematical understanding of computation in the brain for the technological innovation. Research in ATR is highly international and involves a number of scientists from all over the world for collaboration. The institute is located in Keihanna scientific city surrounded by the second largest city of Japan, Osaka, and two beautiful old capitals of Japan, Kyoto and Nara. Requirements for Researchers ----------------------------------------- Applicants must have a Ph.D. or be expected to get one before starting the job. The applicants are required to show expertise in a mathematical area, as well as strong interest in neuroscience and good programming experience. In particular, expertise in machine learning will be considered important. Additional knowledge in computation vision and computational neuroscience will also be welcome. Number of openings --------------------------- Two Employment conditions -------------------------------- Position : Full-time Researcher Tenure : Single year based contract, renewable based on evaluation Treatment: Based on individual performance Work Location: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan Application materials ---------------------------- Please submit the following five materials to the contact address below, either in a printed or in an electronic form: • 1 CV • 2 List of publications • 3 Reprints of 1-3 major publications of past projects • 4 Essay (up to two pages in A4 or letter size) describing summary of your previous research, interest in our project, and other skills and experiences potentially useful for research. • 5 Recommendation letters from two or more researchers * If submitted in printed form, original documents will not be returned. Judging system --------------------- After documentary examination, we ask for presentation and interview if needed. Starting date -------------------- Soon (negotiable) Deadline for application --------------------------------- Opens until positions are filled. Contact ----------- Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging ATR Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan Email: dbi-tvn at atr.jp at=@ Use of personal data ---------------------------- All personal data received will be properly managed and only be used for the purpose of recruitment.

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Engineer/Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience
by Irene Yujnovsky Nov. 30, 2016

Nov. 30, 2016

*Engineer/Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience*** *Institute of System Neuroscience (INS**), UMR1106 AMU-Inserm, Marseille, FRANCE*** ** An engineer/post-doctoral position**is open in the Theoretical Neuroscience Group (TNG) <http://ins.univ-amu.fr/research-teams/theoretical-neurosciences-group/>directed by Viktor JIRSA at the Institute of System Neuroscience (INS) for an experienced computational neuroscientist to work in modeling brain networks with the aim of creating individual Virtual Patient epilepsy models using The Virtual Brain platform as framework (see http://www.thevirtualbrain.org) *Qualification* Candidates must be highly motivated to work on an interdisciplinary project and collaborate with the various members of the group and with clinicians. They should have a degree in computational neuroscience, engineering or equivalent level of knowledge. A strong background in computational neuroscience (networks, dynamic system theory) and/or data fitting (Bayesian approaches, Dynamical Causal Modeling (DCM), Monte Carlo techniques) will be highly appreciated. Candidates must be comfortable working in computational environmentsand possess excellent programming skills. Experience using The Virtual Brain platform and development of clinical databases would be considered an advantage. *The Theoretical Neuroscience group* We are a multi-national team interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying the spatiotemporal organization of large-scale brain networks. Our work comprises mathematical and computational modeling of large-scale network dynamics and human brain imaging data, the development of neuroinformatics tools for studying large-scale brain networks applied to concrete functions, dysfunctions (epilepsy, dementia) and aging. *Terms of salary and employment* A 12-month renewable contract will be established. Salary will depend on the diploma and experience. Operating language in the laboratory is English. Applications including a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names of two referees should be sent by December 31^st 2016 to: *Dr. Irene Yujnovsky* at irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr More information about the INS and the Theoretical Neurosciences Group can be found at: http://bit.ly/29kub1k -- --------------------------------------------------- Irene Yujnovsky, PhD Chef de projet EPINEXT Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes Inserm UMR1106 Université Aix-Marseille Faculté de Médecine, 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin 13005 Marseille, France Phone: +33 (0)491324239 email: irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr Website: http://epinext.org/

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Postdoctoral Position: Modeling of aging cortical networks
by Christina M. Weaver Nov. 30, 2016

Nov. 30, 2016

Postdoctoral Position: Modeling of aging cortical networks A postdoctoral research fellowship in computational neuroscience is available to work with Christina Weaver (Dept. of Mathematics, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA). The postdoctoral fellow will be a vital member of the interdisciplinary research team led jointly by Dr. Weaver, Dr. Jennifer Luebke (Dept of Anatomy & Physiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA), and Dr. Patrick Hof (Dept. of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY). The research will explore structural and functional abnormalities of cortical neurons in middle-aged rhesus monkeys, and the extent to which intervention with a powerful antioxidant affects age-related dysfunction. The new postdoctoral fellow will build computational models of small cortical networks, constrained by our recent computational results and empirical studies in the Luebke and Hof laboratories. Our joint publications include: Amatrudo et al., J. Neurosci.(2012), PMID 23035077; Luebke et al., Cerebral Cortex (2015), PMID 24323499 and Rumbell et al., J. Comput. Neuro. (2016), PMID 27106692. The postdoc will travel occasionally to Boston and/or New York City as part of this collaboration. The postdoc will also have funds to support conference travel, professional development, and full access to campus services including F&M's Faculty Center. Applicants should have a strong background or interest in computational neuroscience and have a keen interest in interdisciplinary approaches that integrate modeling, imaging, and physiological experiments in neuroscience research. Initial appointment for this position is for one year, and may be extended contingent upon funding. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Requirements: - PhD or equivalent in computational neuroscience, applied mathematics, or a related field from an accredited institution is required. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. - Experience with differential equations-based mathematical models or automated parameter optimization is required. - Experience with conductance-based modeling of single neurons, or small networks, and/or NEURON compartmental modeling software is preferred. An extended job posting and link to apply is available at https://fandm.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=79194

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Research Fellow Position in Neuroinformatics
by Leon French Nov. 30, 2016

Nov. 30, 2016

The Computational Neurobiology Laboratory at CAMH seeks a postdoctoral fellow to join our efforts to understand brain disease. We focus on mining datasets of connectivity, gene expression and epigenetics across the genome and the brain. We employ multifaceted approaches that gain information by using data that crosses scales, modalities, and species. We seek one postdoctoral fellow interested in bioinformatics and neuroscience. The primary project will be to create, explore, and test methods for mapping many genes across neuroanatomy and brain development. Given the polygenic complexity of mental illness, there are many exciting applications for these methods. Our current applications use genes associated with Parkinson’s disease, aging (collaboration with Dr. Etienne Sibille) and intellectual disability (with Dr. John B. Vincent). In addition to this project, there would be opportunities to pursue other research interests. Some of our frequently used keywords give a good description of our work: neuroinformatics, molecular neuroanatomy, genetics, epigenomics, population neuroscience, transcriptomics, machine learning, text mining, neuroimaging, software development, and connectomics. The ideal candidate should have a PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science or related field with extensive knowledge in genome-wide data integration. Significant interest in neuroscience and experience working with large datasets are requested. Writing manuscripts and applying for independent grants and fellowships will be strongly encouraged. Highly motivated individuals (Ph.D. and/or M.D.) should submit a curriculum vitae, names of 3 references and a cover letter explaining their interest, and a brief description of research experience. Send information to Leon French at leonfrench+recruit(a)gmail.com You will support a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork and complies with all applicable and regulatory requirements. This position will be located at 250 College Street, Toronto.

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Poostdoctoral Position - Jorge Riera on Behalf of Dr. Zachary Danziger) (Applied Neural Interfaces)
by Jorge Riera Diaz Nov. 30, 2016

Nov. 30, 2016

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITION A postdoctoral research position is available to develop validation systems and decoding algorithms for brain-computer interface applications. Investigations will take place at the Applied Neural Interfaces Laboratory in Florida International University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, which is housed in the College of Engineering and Computing. The position entails software development, conducting human behavioral studies, and algorithm design with the goal of advancing the frontiers of brain-computer interface research and understanding the relationship between human users and adaptive controllers. The postdoctoral scholar will be expected to lead experiment design and data analysis efforts as well as participate in guiding the overall intellectual direction of the project. The position will allow the postdoctoral researcher the opportunity to creatively develop new solutions to challenging problems related to the neuroscience of braincomputer interfaces using state-of-the-art algorithms, advanced computing equipment, and virtual reality hardware. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, or a related field and have experience with MATLAB. For information about related projects see: https://anil.fiu.edu/ Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 512642 at facultycareers.fiu.edu or directly to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Zachary Danziger (Zachary.Danziger(a)fiu.edu) with a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for at least 3 references. To receive full consideration, applications and required materials should be received by December 30th. Review will continue until position is filled. FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Florida International University is classified by Carnegie as a R1: Doctoral Universities - Highest Research Activity and recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers 196 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, computer science, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes almost $9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded more than 220,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU's Medina Aquarius Program houses the Aquarius Reef Base, a unique underwater research facility in the Florida Keys. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has more than 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/. Jorge Riera, PhD Associate Professor Dept. Biomedical Engineering Florida International University Miami, FL 33174 Tel. 305 348 4948 Email. jrieradi(a)fiu.edu<mailto:jrieradi@fiu.edu>

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Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses
by Alberto Mazzoni Nov. 30, 2016

Nov. 30, 2016

Dear all, the workshop on tactile coding taking place in the The Biorobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in the next two days (see below) will be available for streaming on the Facebook page of the Institute https://www.facebook.com/istitutobioroticascuolasuperioresantanna/ the full program is now available in .pdf form here sssa.bioroboticsinstitute.it/events/TFN2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses * *December 1-2 2016, Pontedera (Pisa) - Italy * *@ The Biorobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna* *ABSTRACT* Neurophysiology of touch and development of artificial tactile sensation are two fields of research with an ever-increasing interchange. Advanced neuroprostheses are progressively focusing on reproducing the naturalistic processing of tactile sensations in the peripheral and central nervous system. In turn, biomimetic tactile sensors and behavioral studies on patient implanted with tactile neuroprostheses can contribute to the understanding of tactile coding. This workshop aims at fostering the integration of neurophysiological, computational and robotics studies on touch with contribution of leading experts in the different fields. *WORKSHOP SESSIONS* *Neurophysiology of touch *- keynote speaker *Roland S Johannson* (Umea University, Sweden) *Touch perception and tactile coding *- keynote speaker *Vincent Hayward* (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, Paris, France) *Touch restoration, neuroprostheses and biorobotics *- keynote speaker *Sliman Bensmaia* (University of Chicago, USA) *DETAILS* The workshop takes place on the premises of The Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, viale Rinaldo Piaggio 24, in Pontedera (15 mins by train from Pisa, 50 mins from Florence). The event is free, but registration is compulsory. *To register, please write to local organizer Alberto Mazzoni (a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it <a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it>)* *ORGANIZERS* Silvestro Micera (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy / École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland) Henrik Jorntell (Lund University, Sweden) Calogero Oddo (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) Alberto Mazzoni (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) *ACKNOWLEDGMENTS* Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Directorate General for Country Promotion (Economy, Culture and Science)—Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, via the Italy-Sweden bilateral research project on "Brain network mechanisms for integration of natural tactile input patterns", NEBIAS European project (EUFP7-ICT-611687) and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna fund IEXERC14AM.

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Job Opening: Computational Neuroscience Research Assistant
by Jonathan Nicholas Nov. 29, 2016

Nov. 29, 2016

Hello all, Please see the following ad for a full-time computational neuroscience RA: Computational Neuroscience Research Assistant Position at Stanford University: Stanford University has an opening for a talented research assistant with strong computational and programming skills. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary research team (http://scsnl.stanford.edu) on a wide range of studies of human brain function and dysfunction. The successful candidate will assist lab members with neuroimaging data analysis and data organization and management. He/She will have opportunities to develop and apply novel multimodal data analysis techniques and to co-author research publications. Experience with Matlab, Python, R, signal and image processing, machine learning, statistics, databases, Linux, and shell scripting is required. Experience in neuroimaging/neural data analysis is desired. Excellent organizational and interpersonal communication skills are required. We are seeking talented and enthusiastic candidates with a strong background in biomedical engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics, computational neuroscience, quantitative psychology, or related subjects. Stanford offers a highly competitive salary with excellent health and retirement benefits. A two-year commitment is required. Please email a CV, a statement of research interests and career goals, and contact information for three references to scsnl.stanford+quantitative(a)gmail.com Thanks, Jonathan

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Fully-funded four-year PhD studentship in Computational Neuroscience at Imperial College London
by Reichenbach, Johann D T Nov. 28, 2016

Nov. 28, 2016

An exciting PhD project in Computational Neuroscience is available for UK/EU candidates in the group of Tobias Reichenbach (http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/index.html) at Imperial College London. The student will develop state-of-the art neuronal network models to investigate the effects of complex spatio-temporal neurostimulation on speech processing. The model development and results will be linked with ongoing experiments, and will pave the way to a novel rehabilitation from neural impairments with speech comprehension. The PhD position is part of the Center for Neurotechnology (http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology/cdt) at Imperial College London. The successful candidate will join an international cohort of PhD students working on cutting-edge topics of computational and experimental neuroscience and engineering. To apply please visit the Centre's project page (http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology/cdt/projects/) access the tab "Projects available for Oct 2017" and select the project "Developing a novel type of neurostimulation to foster speech processing and rehabilitation from aphasia". Deadline is the 31st of January 2017. ------------------------------------------- Tobias Reichenbach Lecturer, Biophysics of Hearing Editor, Heliyon Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London South Kensington Campus SW7 2AZ London, UK http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/

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Graduate assistantships in Computational Science at FSU
by Gordon Erlebacher Nov. 28, 2016

Nov. 28, 2016

Florida State University Graduate student assistantships available for Ph.D. and M.S. degree programs in Computational Science The Department of Scientific Computing at Florida State University offers innovative M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in Computational Science. Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available for qualified, motivated students who are interested in receiving cross-disciplinary training in computational science. Many, if not most interdisciplinary degree programs and schools, including those in computational science, are jointly administered by several departments. Florida State University has created an independent department, the Department of Scientific Computing, that offers truly cross-disciplinary graduate degree programs in computational science. All faculty, postdoctoral associates, and students associated with the Department of Scientific Computing have offices in the same building, leading to a supportive, synergetic, environment in which the varied aspects of research and education in computational science are not only supported, but is a way of life. For more information about the Department of Scientific Computing and its graduate degree programs, please go to http://www.sc.fsu.edu. Over the last few decades, computations have joined theory and experimentation to form the three pillars of scientific discovery and technological design. Computational science can be viewed as residing at the intersection of traditional disciplines such as mathematics, computer science, statistics, engineering, and the sciences. Thus, computational science draws from but is not a subset of any of these disciplines. Due to the cross-disciplinary nature of computational science, it is essential that a computational scientist be trained in a setting that incorporates all the components that make up computational science. The Department of Scientific Computing is uniquely positioned to offer such training because it composed of truly cross-disciplinary faculty with strong computational backgrounds in the fields of biology, computer science, engineering, geophysical science, mathematics, material science, physics, and statistics, with an even broader spectrum of disciplines through collaborations within and outside Florida State. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Computational Science can choose several areas of specialization. In addition to the major track, which trains students interested in the mathematical and computer science aspects of computational algorithms that can be applied to a wide range of disciplines, we offer tracks in atmospheric science, biochemistry, biological science, geological science, materials science, and physics. Soon, we will add a track in computational intelligence. Students following these tracks gain expertise in computational issues specifically related to the chosen field. All students, however, will be involved in truly cross-disciplinary training and research. The Department of Scientific Computing maintains a large and diverse computing infrastructure in support of research and education. Available computing resources include supercomputers, a number of clusters and computational servers, and multi-core workstations with advanced graphics cards available, and other specialized hardware. Florida State University is a national graduate research university which has built a reputation as a strong center for research in the sciences. It is located in Tallahassee, FL which is situated in the Florida panhandle and is near some of the most beautiful, uncrowded beaches in the United States as well as other scenic wonders. Applications are being accepted now for Fall 2017. Assistantships are available for qualified individuals. Minorities and women are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants should hold, by the time of entry into the graduate program, a baccalaureate degree in a natural science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, or statistics. Interested applicants should go to http://www.sc.fsu.edu/graduate/application, where detailed instructions about how to apply are given. Requests for more information and questions about the graduate programs or about the Department of Scientific Computing should be addressed to Dr. Sachin Shanbhag (Graduate Coordinator) at sshanbhag(a)fsu.edu or Gordon Erlebacher (Chair) at gerlebacher(a)fsu.edu. -- Gordon Erlebacher Chair, Department of Scientific Computing

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Postdoc opening in perceptual/cognitive neuroscience
by Simon Kelly Nov. 25, 2016

Nov. 25, 2016

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research post in the Cognitive Neural systems lab (https://cogneusys.com/) led by Simon Kelly, to study computational and neural mechanisms of value-biased sensorimotor decision making under time pressure. This position is part of a project funded by Science Foundation Ireland, which involves a combination of psychophysics, computational modelling, non-invasive electrophysiology of human brain and muscle, and analyses of existing single-cell neurophysiological data. Though involvement is expected in all of these aspects, the most critical role of the postdoctoral researcher will be in computational modelling. Candidates must thus have strong analytic and programming skills, and specific experience in the computational modelling of cognitive processes. Candidates must also be highly motivated and have excellent communication skills. Dr. Kelly's electrophysiology/psychophysics lab is situated within the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in University College Dublin, Ireland, and has strong collaborative links to cognitive and clinical neuroscience research groups both locally (e.g. Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience) and internationally (e.g. City College and Columbia University in New York). The successful applicant will have ample opportunities for wider collaborations and the learning of new skills. Interested candidates should submit a brief research statement and CV including publications through the UCD job vacancies site ( http://www.ucd.ie/hr/jobvacancies/ - search for keyword 'kelly', or job ref 008870). Informal enquiries can be directed to Simon (simon.kelly(a)ucd.edu) Candidates should explain in their statement how their own research interests fit with those of the Kelly lab. The deadline for submitting applications is Jan 8th 2017, and shortlisting and interviews will take place shortly after that. ----------------------------------------------------------- Simon Kelly, Ph.D. Associate Professor School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering University College Dublin t: +353 (1) 716 1803 e: simon.kelly(a)ucd.ie -----------------------------------------------------------

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Developing gaze training for skilled upper-limb prosthetic use Ref: 2407
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira Nov. 19, 2016

Nov. 19, 2016

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. This project is part of a competition for funding. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Please note that of the 56 projects advertised we expect that up to 20 posts will be filled. Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Gavin Buckingham<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Gavin_Buckingham> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Sam Vine<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Samuel_Vine> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Greg Wood<http://www.cheshire.mmu.ac.uk/exspsci/ourstaff/profile/index.php?profile_id…> (Manchester Metropolitan University) Co-supervisor: Dr Mark Wilson<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Mark_Wilson> (University of Exeter) Project Description: Learning to use a prosthetic limb is inherently difficult and requires a huge amount of concentration. Like learning how to wield a new tool for the first time, amputees need to acquire the confidence and dexterity required for skilled action. In order to produce accurate goal-directed movements the motor system requires accurate and timely visual information making the timing and location of the person’s gaze, with relation to the movement of their limbs, critical for skilled behaviour. There is, however, no structured training protocol for use with prosthetic hands. We aim to develop a novel gaze training regime to facilitate the use of a prosthetic hand to skilfully interact with objects. In the first part of the project, the student will undertake an observational study to determine what factors lead some individuals to become skilled with a prosthesis faster than others. We will test large numbers of intact (i.e., without amputation) participants learning to use a state-of-the-art myoelectric prosthetic arm simulator, which is controlled by muscle feedback but ergonomically designed to fit over the wrist of an intact hand. Participants will move objects of different of sizes and weights from one location to another with a range of precision requirements and in the presence of a range of obstacles. Over multiple sessions we will measure hand and object kinematics, fingertip forces, and eye path with a head-mounted eye tracker. We will then develop a data-driven mathematical model of the eye tracking and biomechanical performance data. Statistical analysis of the patterns of eye movement will provide new insights into the ‘signature’ of good performance using the prosthetic arm. The second phase will use the data from Project 1 to develop a training protocol that will adopt the ‘expert signatures’ from project work 1 as a prototype for a trainee to follow. We will focus predominantly on the signature of expertise derived from the gaze behaviour measures and implement a gaze training protocol. We will then test the efficacy of this novel training with new set of intact participants using the prosthetic simulator, tracking their performance in comparison to individuals who will receive a sham training protocol. In the final stage of the project work, the gaze training protocol will be used in a sample of upper-limb-amputees as they learn how to use their new prosthesis. As this state of the project will not be limited to myoelectric prosthetic users, this will also allow us to test the generalizability of our training protocol. The students will be involved in these experiments by running model simulations and data analysis to provide quantitative information for the training protocol as well as focussing on completing the write-up of their PhD thesis. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes. If you have not resided in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship, you are not eligible for a maintenance allowance so you would need an alternative source of funding for living costs.To be eligible for fees only funding you must be ordinarily resident in a member state of the EU Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Number of awards: 1 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Controlling noise effects in models of excitable cells
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira Nov. 19, 2016

Nov. 19, 2016

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Jan Sieber<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/js543> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Joël Tabak<http://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/about/profiles/index.php?web_id=Joel_Tabak-Szn…> (University of Exeter) Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Project Description: This is a project that combines biological modelling and general mathematical analysis of the influence of noise on multiple-timescale systems. It will give the student the opportunity to work on open mathematical questions and see their results applied in experiments on living cells. Many types of cells such as neurons, heart and hormone-releasing cells generate impulses of electrical activity, organized as single spikes or bursts of impulses. In cells of the pituitary gland – the master hormonal gland of the body – the features of electrical activity patterns determine how much hormone is released into the circulation. Hence, understanding how the characteristic features of electrical activity arise is crucial to understanding how these cells function, and how they may malfunction in disease. Mathematical modelling and analysis techniques have proven very successful in helping unravel fundamental mechanisms controlling the behaviour of excitable cells. Electrical activity is driven by the interactions between ion channels of the cell membrane, which produce noisy electrical currents. The mathematical models of electrical activity thus contain random and deterministic parts, which typically appear as separate terms (e.g., the deterministic drift and the Brownian-motion induced diffusion in stochastic differential equations). In experimental practice this distinction is not as clear. For example, ion channels in cells with electrical activity generate noisy signals, driving systematically the electrical and chemical activity in the cell, which operate also on several time scales. It is still unclear how this randomness influences electrical activity in real cells. This PhD project will investigate how one can use control to identify the systematic (deterministic) component of trajectories in dynamical systems with random inputs (such as ion channel noise) that operate on two or three different time scales (such as spiking or bursting cells). A first goal to separate a systematic, approximately periodic, signal without knowledge of the period using control and geometric methods in a reconstructed phase space. Preliminary investigations with noise on a single time scale interacting with a two-timescale oscillation (spiking) have shown that this is in principle possible. It is an open question how this can be generalized to periodic behaviours with a more complicated geometry (such as bursting), interacting with noise effects that occur on two time scales. Another open question is how the geometric control and noise identification is related to extended time-delayed feedback, which creates a reference signal from a geometric time series of past outputs. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes; however up to 9 fully-funded studentships across the DTP are available for EU/EEA applicants not ordinarily resident in the UK. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year. Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College: 01392 722737 doctoral.college(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:doctoral.college@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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PhD Position: Modelling spine calcium dynamics and cross talk: implications for synaptic plasticity and ischaemia
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira Nov. 19, 2016

Nov. 19, 2016

PhD Position: Modelling Spine Calcium Dynamics, University of Exeter Project Description: Nerve cells (neurones) in the brain communicate with one another at connect ions called synapses. A chemical (neurotransmitter) is released from a neuron and travels across the synapse to activate receptors in the adjacent neuron. Synapses can change their strength (known as “synaptic plasticity”) by altering the number of receptors found on the surface of the neuron in the synapse. This process is thought to underlie learning and memory, because the memory is likely to be stored in a circuit of interconnected neurons. The critical trigger for synaptic plasticity is the influx of calcium ions into very small compartments of neurones called spines, tiny structures approximately 1 millionth of a metre in diameter. However, this influx of calcium ions can also trigger cell death after ischaemic injury that occurs during stroke so it must be tightly regulated. Plasticity of excitatory synapses is a key mechanism by which we alter the flow of information in the brain and encode memories. Individual synapses occur at thousands of postsynaptic dendritic spines separated from the dendrite by a thin neck making each spine a semi-autonomous entity. It is thought that this is what underpins synapse specific plasticity enabling high capacity memory. However, recently it has become clear that cross talk between coactive spines is the basis for many forms of synaptic plasticity, but the mechanism, requirements and biological function for this spine-spine communication remain unknown. Similarly, the precise calcium signals that differentiate plasticity from cell death processes are also unknown. This project aims to address these questions using a combination of mathematical modelling and high-resolution imaging data collected with high-powered laser microscope. In order to capture the complex geometry of the system we will employ advanced mathematical techniques for spatio-temporal modelling and analysis such as finite element methods. This work is important because it will lead to a wealth of new information about synaptic plasticity and cell death processes, and hence the mechanisms underlying learning and memory and ischaemic brain damage. Furthermore, dysfunction in the ability to undergo synaptic plasticity is thought to underlie the altered neuronal activity in several brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and autism. Therefore, the mechanisms that we will study in this research will add to our knowledge about these debilitating diseases, and may contribute to developing therapies. Academic Supervisors: Main Supervisor: Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Jack Mellor (University of Bristol) Summary Application deadline: 5th December 2016 Value: £14,296 per annum for 2016-17 How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding//application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. Please indicate your preferred project choice if applying for multiple BBSRC SWBio DTP projects. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English (see entry requirements above) You will be asked to name 2 referees as part of the application process however we will not contact these people until the shortlisting stage. Your referees should not be from the prospective supervisory team. The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday, 5 December 2016. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter in early February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email cles-pgr-support(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:cles-pgr-support@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 725150 / 723706. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. ----------------------------------------------------------- BBSRC SWBio DTP PhD studentship: Modelling spine calcium dynamics and cross talk: implications for synaptic plasticity and ischaemia About the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership: The South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP) is a BBSRC-funded PhD training programme in the biosciences, delivered by a consortium comprising the Universities of Bristol (lead), Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, and Rothamsted Research. Together, these institutions present a distinctive cadre of bioscience research staff and students with established international, national and regional networks and widely recognised research excellence. The partnership has a strong track record in advancing knowledge through high quality research and teaching in partnership with industry and government. The aim of the SWBio DTP is to produce highly motivated and excellently trained postgraduates in the BBSRC priority areas of Agriculture & Food Security (AFS) and World-Class Underpinning Bioscience (WCUB). These are growth areas of the biosciences and for which there will be considerable future demand. About the award: This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP). Up to 4 fully-funded studentships are being offered to start in September 2017 at the University of Exeter. For UK/EU nationals who meet the residency requirements outlined by the BBSRC, the studentship will cover funding for 4 years (48 months) as follows. These awards might be available to part-time students, but only in exceptional circumstances, in which case the funding will be paid on a pro-rata basis. • a stipend at the standard Research Council UK rate; currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017 • research and training costs • tuition fees (at the standard Research Councils UK rate • additional funds to support fieldwork, conferences and a 3-month internship Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Masters degree or have significant relevant non-academic experience. In addition, due to the strong mathematical component of the taught course in the first year and the quantitative emphasis in our projects, a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths or an equivalent qualification or experience is required. If English is not your first language you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS and no less than 6.5 in any section by the start of the project. Alternative tests may be acceptable, please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/. Students from EU countries who do not meet the residency requirements may still be eligible for a fees-only award but no stipend. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Further information about eligibility can be found in the following document: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/documents/studentship-eligibility-pdf/ Selection process: Please note, the studentship selection process will take place in two stages: 1. The project supervisors will consider your application and may invite you to visit for an informal interview. You can apply for more than one BBSRC SWBio DTP project, although supervisors may take into account your interest and commitment to their particular project. If you apply for multiple projects, please indicate your preferred project choice in your letter of application. Each application for an individual project will be considered separately by the project supervisors. 2. After closure of applications, each supervisory team will then nominate their preferred applicant. A shortlist will be selected from these nominations and shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview on a selection day at the University of Exeter. Please note that nomination by a project supervisor therefore does not guarantee the award of a studentship. ----------------------------------------------------------- Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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Call for Registration: Computational Neurology 2017. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
by roman bauer Nov. 19, 2016

Nov. 19, 2016

Dear all, We are pleased to announce that the registration for the Computational Neurology Conference in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK has opened. *Please register here:* https://conferences.ncl.ac.uk/compneurology/registration/ - Registration is free and includes lunch/coffee breaks on both days - Speakers are not required to register *Registration deadline:* February 5, 2017 *List of confirmed speakers:* - Javier Escudero - Edinburgh - Marc Goodfellow - Exeter - Andrew Jackson - Newcastle - Viktor Jirsa – Marseille - Marcus Kaiser - Newcastle - Dimitri Kullmann – University College London - Marco Manca - CERN - Florian Mormann - Bonn - Matthew Nolan – Edinburgh - Gregory Scott - Imperial College London - Evelyne Sernagor - Newcastle - Peter Uhlhaas – Glasgow Additionally, there will be multiple mini-talks from selected poster presenters. More information on the conference can be found at the dedicated website: https://conferences.ncl.ac.uk/compneurology/ Thanks and we look forward to seeing you in Newcastle upon Tyne! On behalf of the organizers: Roman Bauer, Anupam Hazra, Luis Peraza Rodriguez, Peter Taylor, Yujiang Wang -- Roman Bauer, Ph.D. MRC Research Fellow Institute of Neuroscience Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK tel: +44 (0) 191 208 8933 <+44%20(0)%20191%20208%208933>

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Funded PhD places at Royal Holloway
by Durant, Szonya Nov. 18, 2016

Nov. 18, 2016

Applications are open for funded PhD places starting 2017 in the Dept. of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London. Further details: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/psychology/prospectivestudents/postgraduate… The following projects may be of interest to the readers of this list (linked the project descriptions below), please contact the primary supervisor for more information. ? The perceived duration of actions (Primary Supervisor: Dr Durant<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/szonya-durant_64105598-7…>; Second Supervisor: Dr Lingnau<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/angelika-lingnau%283be38…>) ? Semantic information transfer from audition to vision (Primary Supervisor: Dr Vetter<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/petra-vetter(cdfd308c-1e…>; Second Supervisor: Dr Auer) ? Perceptual and physiological correlates of aesthetic preferences (Primary supervisor: Prof Zanker<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/johannes-zanker_350450c5…>; Second Supervisor: Dr Durant<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/szonya-durant_64105598-7…>) ? The neuroscience of facial attractiveness choices (Primary Supervisor: Dr Furl<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/nicholas-furl(ea2a352b-6…> ; Second Supervisor: Dr McKay<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/ryan-mckay_cda72457-6d2a…>) ? Detection of emotion and trustworthiness across the lifespan (Primary Supervisor : Dr Watling<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/dawn-watling_70194d88-af…>; Second Supervisor : Dr Durant<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/szonya-durant_64105598-7…> ) Szonya Durant, RHUL Angelika Lingnau, RHUL The perceived duration of actions Project Summary The perception of duration is often cited as being crucial for action. Overlapping neural areas have been found to be involved in motor planning and duration perception. However, dissociations have been found in time judgement for action and perception. Our ability to judge the duration of our own and others' actions has been little investigated. Additionally, predictability affects duration perception and neural signal change - do expected actions differ from unexpected ones in their perceived duration? This project combines psychophysical, EEG and fMRI techniques, providing the PhD candidate with a broad training in neuroscientific techniques. The behavioural experiments compare the perceived duration of action to matched non-action visual stimuli. We test if judging our own actions cued by a visual stimulus improves accuracy or shifts means compared to action or non-action visual stimuli alone. We will also manipulate predictability of actions, both by probability of occurrence or expectation in terms of object affordance. The fMRI studies will contrast judging the duration of another person's actions versus one's own as well as non-action visual stimuli. We will examine which brain areas are modulated by perceived duration and by predictability. Moreover, we will use MVPA to examine predictability effects on the ability to categorize actions. The EEG experiments will use the visual mismatch negativity signal as a measure of what is considered a predictable action when attention is not directed towards it and relate this to the psychophysical results. Petra Vetter, RHUL Tibor Auer, RHUL Semantic information transfer from audition to vision Project summary: Our brain integrates a multitude of sensory information into one coherent percept so that we can interact with the world. Previous research typically focussed on how multisensory information is integrated across space and time, but so far little research has attempted to determine the semantic meaning of the communicated information across the senses. However, knowing the semantic content of cross-modally transmitted information is crucial to optimise multimedia environments and sensory substitution devices for the blind. The goal of this project is to characterise the semantic information content that is transferred from audition to vision in the human brain, and to identify the neural pathways of this information transfer. The predominant methods will be functional MRI in combination with multivariate brain decoding techniques and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The project will address two main questions: 1. Which semantic categories of auditory information are distinguished in visual cortex and to which level of abstraction? Here we will decode natural sounds of several semantic categories (e.g. animals versus humans, female versus male, tools versus instruments) from fMRI activity patterns in early visual cortex in the absence of visual stimulation. 2. Where in the brain are these semantic categories distinguished? Here the brain pathways of audio-visual information transfer will be identified by connectivity and whole brain decoding analyses, as well as by stimulating multi-sensory brain areas with TMS prior to MRI scanning. The latter allows to identify the brain areas that are causally involved in mediating semantic information transfer from audition to vision. Johannes Zanker, RHUL Szonya Durant, RHUL Perceptual and physiological correlates of aesthetic preferences Project summary Arts history has plenty of 'theoretical' concepts on offer to explain what human spectators regard as beautiful (Gombrich 1977), which often closer to believe systems than being based on evidence. With the advent of psychophysics, investigating the relationship between the physical world and its mental representation, aesthetic judgement became accessible to empirical study (Fechner 1860), soon to be aided by some physiological and behavioural methods (Yarbus 1967, Berlyne 1971). The proposed project is planned to extend previous work that established (a) quantitative methods to measure aesthetic attributes - such as complexity, regularity, liking - that were applied to both to synthetic stimuli and samples of artwork, and (b) an analysis method for preferential eye movements for the same stimulus material, and complement it with (c) recordings of cortical activity recorded with the EEG system. The combination of methods offers the opportunity to directly link the perceptual tasks, recordings of eye movement signals (which are also picked up by the EEG system) and neural responses and align preference data sets from a single experiment. The goal of this project is to explore whether features such as style aspect, particular composition schemes, geometric properties such as perspective or symmetry, and mathematical properties such as the complexity of a piece of art, are reflected in the activity of the early visual system, and to what extent such cortical activity in the early visual system can contribute to for what participants perceive as pleasing, and describe as 'beautiful'. Dawn Watling, RHUL Szonya Durant, RHUL Detection of emotion and trustworthiness across the lifespan Project Summary Emotion recognition is a key social skill which we use on a daily basis to navigate successfully through social interactions. Individuals use facial expressions to infer and make judgments about the attitude and/or feelings of another (Cunningham & Odom, 1986) and the judgments that one makes are often used to guide future behaviour within the interaction (Gao & Maurer, 2009). Children recognize from 6-years-old that facial expressions of emotion do not always match true feelings. This PhD will address: first, what factors influence one's ability to detect a genuine (or faked) facial expression of emotion, how does this relate to judgements of trustworthiness; second, are their age related changes in detection and judgements across the lifespan? Throughout this PhD a series of studies will be designed to address these questions using static and dynamic images, and live interactions. The proposed cross-sectional design will include participant groups from early childhood to late adulthood. Participants will visit the Oculomotor lab and be asked to make judgements on genuineness of emotional expressions and how trustworthy an individual is. Participants' eye movements and gaze fixations will be recorded and analysed in terms of scan paths, gaze duration at targeted areas, and related to the perceived genuineness of the individual. There are important implications for the understanding of how a child may respond to an approaching strangers or how an elderly individual may respond to a stranger who makes a request (e.g., for money, to enter their home). Nicholas Furl, RHUL Ryan McKay, RHUL Bruno Averbeck, NIMH/NIH Davide Rivolta, University of East London The neuroscience of facial attractiveness choices Project summary Users of modern dating applications (e.g., Tinder) face a classic decision problem. This "best choice" or "marriage" problem requires participants to view a series of options one at a time (e.g., a series of used cars) and to decide whether to accept or reject each option. A participant's task is to find a high-ranking option in the series (e.g., a car with low mileage), with the restriction that declined options cannot be returned to. The problem is known as the "marriage" problem after the decision process adopted by astronomer Johannes Kepler when searching for a wife; after considering several candidates, Kepler returned to a previous candidate and was duly rejected. Our research team has shown that humans confronted by a similar mate choice task make suboptimal decisions, compared to computational "ideal observer" models. Further, parietal cortex activity may contribute to these decisions. Our Ph.D. project will use brain imaging to assess how suboptimal searches for the most attractive face arise from interactions between brain activity involved in decision making (parietal cortex) and social perception. Our student will also test whether brain stimulation (e.g., to parietal cortex) changes participants' ability to "wait for the right person". Our Ph.D. student will lead a project with potential for broad scientific and social impact and will receive training in brain imaging, brain stimulation and behavioural and computational methods. Szonya Durant Department of Psychology Royal Holloway, University of London Egham TW20 0EX 01784 276522

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Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses - Pontedera (Pisa), Italy - Dec 1-2 2016
by Alberto Mazzoni Nov. 18, 2016

Nov. 18, 2016

Workshop announcement (apologies for cross-postings) *Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses * *December 1-2 2016, Pontedera (Pisa) - Italy * *@ The Biorobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna* *ABSTRACT* Neurophysiology of touch and development of artificial tactile sensation are two fields of research with an ever-increasing interchange. Advanced neuroprostheses are progressively focusing on reproducing the naturalistic processing of tactile sensations in the peripheral and central nervous system. In turn, biomimetic tactile sensors and behavioral studies on patient implanted with tactile neuroprostheses can contribute to the understanding of tactile coding. This workshop aims at fostering the integration of neurophysiological, computational and robotics studies on touch with contribution of leading experts in the different fields. *WORKSHOP SESSIONS* *Neurophysiology of touch *- keynote speaker *Roland S Johannson* (Umea University, Sweden) *Touch perception and tactile coding *- keynote speaker *Vincent Hayward* (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, Paris, France) *Touch restoration, neuroprostheses and biorobotics *- keynote speaker *Sliman Bensmaia* (University of Chicago, USA) *DETAILS* The workshop takes place on the premises of The Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, viale Rinaldo Piaggio 24, in Pontedera (15 mins by train from Pisa, 50 mins from Florence). The event is free, but registration is compulsory. *To register, please write to local organizer Alberto Mazzoni (a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it <a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it>)* *ORGANIZERS* Silvestro Micera (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy / École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland) Henrik Jorntell (Lund University, Sweden) Calogero Oddo (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) Alberto Mazzoni (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) *ACKNOWLEDGMENTS* Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Directorate General for Country Promotion (Economy, Culture and Science)—Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, via the Italy-Sweden bilateral research project on "Brain network mechanisms for integration of natural tactile input patterns", NEBIAS European project (EUFP7-ICT-611687) and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna fund IEXERC14AM.

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Hiring Interviews at NIPS Barcelona for NEURAL DATA ANALYTICS - Post Docs, Staff Scientists, & Electrical Engineers
by Platt, Jo Ann Nov. 17, 2016

Nov. 17, 2016

Bioelectronic Medicine is the new frontier of medicine - challenging and changing the way we diagnose, manage, and treat disease. Today's discoveries and devices are successfully replacing drugs. We aim to treat bleeding, cancer, diabetes, lupus, obesity, paralysis, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, and many other diseases and conditions. The Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is conducting interviews at Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) for multiple positions in the fields of machine learning, neural engineering, neural decoding and data analytics, microfabrication, bioelectronics and biosensing, and neurophysiology. Each successful candidate will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to determine the nature of neural control over molecular, cellular and organ functions of the body, the parts of the brain that regulate those nerves, and the signals that the brain receives to monitor cell and organ function. The candidates will work on projects involving development of novel signal processing and machine learning methods to gain insights into decoding and encoding mechanisms of the brain and peripheral nerves, reinforcement learning approaches used to optimize neural stimulation, techniques to directionally transmit or receive neural signals and numerical and biophysical modeling of neural circuits. Submit your resume to japlatt(a)northwell.edu<mailto:japlatt@northwell.edu> for consideration and to arrange an onsite interview. Jo Ann Platt The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Cell: (415) 265-0441<tel:(415)%20265-0441> 350 Community Drive<x-apple-data-detectors://2/1> Manhasset, NY 11030<x-apple-data-detectors://2/1> The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

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[ECSQARU 2017] First Call for Papers
by Alessandro Antonucci Nov. 17, 2016

Nov. 17, 2016

The Fourteenth European Conference on Symbolic and Quantitative Approaches to Reasoning with Uncertainty FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch The biennial ECSQARU conferences constitute a major forum for advances in the theory and practice of reasoning under uncertainty. Contributions come from researchers interested in advancing the scientific knowledge and from practitioners using uncertainty techniques in real-world applications. The scope of the ECSQARU conferences encompasses fundamental issues, representation, inference, learning, and decision making in qualitative and numeric uncertainty paradigms. Previous ECSQARU events have been held in Marseille (1991), Granada (1993), Fribourg (1995), Bonn (1997), London (1999), Toulouse (2001), Aalborg (2003), Barcelona (2005), Hammamet (2007), Verona (2009), Belfast (2011), Utrecht (2013), and Compiègne (2015). ECSQARU 2017 will be co-located with ISIPTA '17, the Tenth International Symposium on Imprecise Probability: Theories and Applications. The joint event will be held in Lugano (Switzerland), on July 10-14, 2017. ::: SCOPE ::: For ECSQARU 2017 we invite submissions of conference papers on topics which include but are not limited to: - Algorithms for uncertain inference - Applications of uncertain systems - Argumentation systems - Automated planning and acting under uncertainty - Belief functions - Belief revision & merging - Classification & clustering - Decision theory & decision graphs - Default reasoning - Description logics with uncertainty - Foundations of reasoning under uncertainty - Fuzzy sets & fuzzy logic - Game theory - Imprecise probabilities - Inconsistency handling - Information fusion - Learning for uncertainty formalisms - Logics for reasoning under uncertainty - Markov decision processes - Possibility theory & possibilistic logic - Preferences - Probabilistic graphical models - Probabilistic logics - Qualitative uncertainty models - Rough sets - Uncertainty & data ::: INVITED SPEAKERS ::: We are delighted of having the following invited speakers: - Leila Amgoud (IRIT, France) - Alessio Benavoli (IDSIA, Switzerland) - Jim Berger (Duke University, USA) - Didier Dubois (IRIT, France) - Eyke Hüllermeier (Paderborn University, Germany) ::: PROCEEDINGS AND SUBMISSIONS ::: In accordance with the previous conferences, the proceedings of ECSQARU 2015 will be published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence series. Authors are requested to prepare their conference papers in the LNCS/LNAI format. Submitted papers will be evaluated by peer reviews based on originality, significance, technical soundness, and clarity of exposition. Authors of accepted papers are expected to attend the conference to present their work. The instructions for submission and the author kit are available here: http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch/submissions-ecsqaru/ ::: IMPORTANT DATES ::: - Tuesday, February 21, 2017: Paper submission deadline - Tuesday, April 18, 2017: Author notification - Friday, April 28, 2017: Camera-ready copy due ::: IJAR SPECIAL ISSUE ::: Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their work to a special issue of the International Journal of Approximate Reasoning (IJAR, Elsevier). ::: SPRINGER YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD ::: We also invite applications for the Springer Young Researcher Award. The prize, granted by Springer, will be awarded to one young researcher for excellent research in fields related to the ECSQARU scope. The award is open to Master students, PhD students and young post-doc researchers who have received their PhD in 2016 (or 2017). Applicants should have submitted a paper (not necessarily as first authors) to ECSQARU 2017. Applications should be received by the paper submission deadline (February 21, 2017). _________________________________ Alessandro Antonucci IDSIA Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence Via Cantonale (Galleria 2) CH-6928, Manno-Lugano, CH mail: alessandro(a)idsia.ch skype: alessandro.antonucci tel: +41 916108515 web: www.idsia.ch/~alessandro _________________________________

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[ICANN 2017] Preliminary announcement, 26th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy
by ENNS Secretary Nov. 17, 2016

Nov. 17, 2016

Preliminary Announcement [Apologies for cross-postings] =========================================================== www.icann2017.org <http://www.icann2017.org/> ICANN 2017 26th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks Alghero/Sassari, Sardinia, Italy 11th - 15th September 2017 =========================================================== The International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) is the annual flagship conference of the European Neural Network Society (ENNS). In 2017, the 26th ICANN will be organised from the 11th to the 15th of September 2017 in Alghero/Sassari, Sardinia, Italy. Conference proceedings will be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. IMPORTANT DATES Special session / workshop proposals: 15 January 2017 Proposals for competitions and tutorials: 31 January 2017 Submission of demonstration proposals: 1 March 2017 Submission of abstracts and papers: 19 March 2017 Notification of acceptance: 30 April 2017 Camera-ready paper and registration: 15 May 2017 Conference dates: 11 - 15 September 2017 CONFERENCE TOPICS ICANN 2017 will feature the main tracks Brain Inspired computing and Machine Learning research, with strong cross-disciplinary interactions and applications. All research fields dealing with Neural Networks will be present at the conference. A non-exhaustive list of topics includes: • Brain Inspired Computing: Cognitive models, Computational Neuroscience, Self-organization, Reinforcement Learning, Neural Control and Planning, Hybrid Neural-Symbolic Architectures, Neural Dynamics, Recurrent Networks, Deep Learning. • Machine Learning: Neural Network Theory, Neural Network Models, Graphical Models, Bayesian Networks, Kernel Methods, Generative Models, Information Theoretic Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Relational Learning, Dynamical Models. • Neural Applications for: Intelligent Robotics, Neurorobotics, Language Processing, Image Processing, Sensor Fusion, Pattern Recognition, Data Mining, Neural Agents, Brain-Computer Interaction, Neural Hardware, Evolutionary Neural Networks. CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES - To bring together researchers from two worlds: Information Sciences and Neurosciences - To keep a wide scope, ranging from Machine Learning Algorithms to models of real nervous systems - To facilitate discussions and interactions in the effort towards developing more intelligent computational systems and increasing our understanding of neural and cognitive processes in the brain. - To help researchers to meet, mingle and network with colleagues from all over the world. - To be the meeting point between research and business. - To be a global interdisciplinary meeting encompassing Machine Learning and Neural Computation. BENEFITS OF ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE - A solid cutting-edge scientific programme including talks from the world experts in the field of artificial neural networks. - A conference schedule tailored to encourage interaction between the attendees, with time for networking and discussion. - The publication of all accepted contributions in the peer-reviewed book of conference proceedings, in the Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. - The opportunity to vote and to be considered for the best paper awards, presented during the final ceremony of ICANN. - A top-level conference in the field with a reasonable registration fee, thanks to the not-for-profit policy of the ENNS organisation. Students can apply for ENNS funded travel grants to attend. - An overly attractive conference location in the beautiful setting of the Sardinian coast, with social events to explore the area. http://www.alghero-turismo.it/en/ <http://www.alghero-turismo.it/en/> CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES Early registration fees have been kept particularly low for this kind of event because ENNS and ICANN aim at full implementation of the academic not-for-profit policy. Undergraduate students (Bachelor and Master level): 100 EUR PhD Students: 240 EUR Regular delegates: 290 EUR ENNS members have a reduction of 40 EUR Students can apply for ENNS funded travel grants to attend (see the conference website). CALL FOR CONTRIBUTED SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS All scientific communications presented at ICANN 2017 will be reviewed and scientifically evaluated by a panel of experts. The conference will feature three categories of communications: - oral communications (15'+5') - poster communications (on permanent display and 2 hours presentation) - demonstrations Authors willing to present original contributions for any category must submit a manuscript of maximum 8 pages length that will be refereed to international standards by at least three referees. Accepted papers of contributing authors will be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. Selected papers will be invited after the conference for a full journal paper submission. Authors willing to present a contribution for oral communications and posters without submitting a full manuscript must submit a 1-page abstract that will also be refereed by at least three referees. The abstracts will be published all together in a proceedings section without an author index. In case of program constraints the priority will be given to original contributions accompanied by a full paper submission. WORKSHOPS, SPECIAL SESSIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS, COMPETITION PROPOSALS and TUTORIALS ICANN 2017 invites proposals for workshops, special sessions, demonstrations, competitions and tutorials to be held during the conference. For more information, please refer to the website. BEST PAPER AWARDS ENNS will sponsor several best paper awards, in the Brain Inspired Computing track and in the Machine Learning research track. All awardees will be presented during the final ceremony. ORGANISATION General Chair: Alessandro E.P. Villa General Co-chairs: Alessandra Lintas, Věra Kůrková, Stefano Rovetta, Paul F.M.J. Verschure Local Co-chairs: Eugenio Lintas, Anna Mura Program and Workshop Committee: Cesare Alippi, Jérémie Cabessa, Barbara Hammer, Petia Koprinkova-Hristova, Jaako Peltonen, Antonio J. Pons, Yifat Prut, Stefano Rovetta, Igor V. Tetko, Paul F.M.J. Verschure, Alessandro E.P. Villa, Francisco Zamora-Martinéz Communications Chair: Paolo Masulli Organisation Università degli Studi di Sassari, Italy University of Lausanne, Switzerland Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain ENNS Secretariat, Switzerland -- Caroline Kleinheny secretary ENNS University of Lausanne Laboratoire de Neuroheuristique Internef - 137 CH - 1015 Lausanne Switzerland Tel : +41 21 692 33 88 secretary(a)e-nns.org <mailto:secretary@e-nns.org>--

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Grants for independent young scientists - Romanian Institute of Science and Technology
by R. Valentin Florian Nov. 16, 2016

Nov. 16, 2016

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[IJCNN 2017] Submission deadline is extended to Thursday, 1st December 2359 hr (UTC-8 hr)
by Teng Teck Hou Nov. 16, 2016

Nov. 16, 2016

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## CALL FOR PAPERS International Joint Conference on Neural Networks May 14-19, 2017, Anchorage, Alaska, USA http://www.ijcnn.org/ http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-papers ################################################## IJCNN is the premier international conference in the area of neural network theory, analysis, and applications. Co-sponsored by the International Neural Network Society (INNS) and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE-CIS), over the last three decades this conference and its predecessors has hosted [past, present, and future] leaders of neural network research. IJCNN 2017 will feature invited plenary talks by world-renowned speakers in the areas of neural network theory and applications, computational neuroscience, robotics, and distributed intelligence. In addition to regular technical sessions with oral and poster presentations, the conference program will include special sessions, competitions, tutorials and workshops on topics of current interest. The 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017) will be held at the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 14-19, 2017. "... Only in Anchorage can you meet a moose, walk on a glacier and explore a vast, natural park all in a single day. Between mountains and an inlet, surrounded by national parks and filled with Alaska wildlife, Anchorage combines the best of Alaska in a city that has the comforts of home and the hospitality of the Last Frontier. ..." For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook (https://fb.me/ijcnn2017/) and Twitter (@ijcnn2017). ##############################Important Dates############################## * Paper Submission December 1, 2016 * Paper Decision Notification January 20, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission February 20, 2017 ########################################################################### ##########################Plenary Speakers########################## * Alex Graves, Research Scientist, Google DeepMind * Stephen Grossberg, Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems, Boston University, USA * Odest Chadwicke Jenkins, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan * Christof Koch, President and Chief Scientific Officer, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA * Jose C. Principle, Distinguished Professor, University of Florida, USA * Hava Siegelmann, Program Manager, DARPA * Paul Werbos, Program Director (retired), National Science Foundation #################################################################### ##########################Accepted Special Sessions########################## 1 Advanced Data Analytics for Large-scale Complex Data Environment Jia, Wu (University of Technology Sydney); Shirui, Pan; Xiangnan, Kong; Ivor W., Tsang 2 Advances in Computational Intelligence for applied Time Series Forecasting (ACIATSF) Rodriguez Rivero (Universidad Nacional de Crdoba, Argentina), Cristian; Leonardo, Franco; Julian, Pucheta; Juarez, Gustavo 3 Artificial Neural Network Solutions in Power Plant Safety and Security Alamaniotis, Miltos (Purdue University, USA); Tambouratzis, Tatiana 4 Artificial Neural Network-Based Methodologies for Environmental Sustainability Development: Theory and Practice Souliou, Dora (National Technical University of Athens, Greece);Tambouratzis, Tatiana 5 Biologically Inspired Computational Vision Iftekharuddin, Khan (Old Dominion Univ., USA) 6 Biologically-inspired Neural Networks and Learning Systems for Robotics Luo, Chaomin (Univ. of Detroit City, USA) 7 Cognition and Development Alessandro Di Nuovo (Sheffield Hallam Univ., UK); Pierre-Yves Oudeyer; Angelo Cangelosi 8 Computational Intelligence Algorithms for Digital Audio Applications Principi, Emanuele (Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Italy); Uncini, Aurelio; Schuller, Björn; Squartini, Stefano 9 Concept Drift, Domain Adaptation & Learning in Dynamic Environments Giacomo, Boracchi (Politecnico de Milano, Italy); Robi, Polikar; Manuel, Roveri; regory Ditzler 10 Cybersecurity Analytics Catherine Huang (Intel) 11 Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery in Cyber-Physical Systems Bo, Tang (Hofstra Univ. USA); Ozawa, Seiichi; Alippi, Cerase; He, Haibo 12 Data stream mining in industry Xu, Rui (General Electric); Xu, YunWen; Yan, Weizhong 13 Deep and Reinforcement Learning (DRL) Altahhan, Abdulrahman (Coventry Univ., UK); Palade, Vasile; Razavi-Far, Roozbeh; 14 Explainability of Learning Machines Guyon, Isabelle (Universit Paris-Saclay, France); Escalante, Hugo Jair; Escalera, Sergio; Viegas, Evelyne 15 Extreme Learning Machines (ELM) Huang, Guang-Bin (Nanyang Technological Univ., Singapore); Cambria, Erik; Weizhong, Yan; Wunsch II, Donald C. 16 Incremental Machine Learning: Methods and Applications Nicoleta Rogovschi (Paris Descartes Univ., France); Seiichi Ozawa (Kobe University, Japan) 17 Intelligent Vehicle and Transportation Systems Murphey, Yi (Univ. of Michigan-Dearborn, USA); Abou-Nasr, Mahmoud; Sethi, Ishwar K; Robert, Karlsen; Ahmadi , Majid; Luo, Chaomin; Dauwels, Justin; Kocchar, Dev; 18 Interpretable Models in Machine Learning for Advanced Data Analysis Biehl, Michael (Univ. of Groningen, Netherlands); Villmann, Thomas 19 Large Datasets and Big Data Analytics: Theory, Methods, and Applications Oneto, Luca (University of Genoa, Italy); Navarin, Nicolo?; Donini, Michele; Aiolli, Fabio; Anguita Davide 20 Machine Learning for Business Analytics Sung, Chul (IBM); Higgins, Chunhui; Zhang Bo; Park, Chanjin 21 Machine Learning for Enhancing Biomedical Data Analysis Martin-Guerrero, Jose D. (Univ. of Valencia, Spain); Lisboa, Paulo J. G.; Vellido, Alfredo; Taktak, Azzam F. G.; Peterson, Leif E. 22 Machine Learning Methods Applied to Medicine Bolon-Canedo, Veronica (Univ. of A Corua, Spain); Remeseiro, Beatriz; Alonso-Betanzos, Amparo; Campilho, Aurelio 23 Machine Learning Methods applied to Vision and Robotics (MLMVR) Garcia-Rodriguez, Jose (Univ. of Alicante, Spain); Escalera, Sergio; Psarrou, Alexandra;Guyo, Isabel; Lewis, Andrew; Leitner, Juxi; Dominguez, Enrique 24 Machine Learning Techniques for Data-Driven Cyber Security Hongmei He (Cranfield Univ., UK) 25 Mind, Brain, and Cognitive Algorithms Perlovsky, Leonid (Northeastern Univ., USA); Fontanari, Jose F.; Roy, Asim; Cangelosi, Angelo; Levine, Daniel 26 Nature-Inspired Neural Network Optimization Bosman (Rakitianskaia), Anna (Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa); Engelbrecht, Andries 27 Neuro-Inspired Computing with Nanoelectronic Devices Saibal Mukhopadhyay (Georgia Tech, USA); Kaushik Roy 28 Neural Network Transfer Learning for the Recognition of Human Behavior and Affect Schwenker, Friedhelm (Univ. of Ulm, Germany); Scherer, Stefan; 29 Online Real-Time Strategies for Data Stream Mining Mahardhika Pratama (La Trobe University, Australia), Plamen P. Angelov, Meng Joo Er, Edwin Lughofer 30 Optimizing Neural Networks via Evolutionary Computation and Swarm Intelligence Wei-Chang Yeh (National Tsing Hua Univ. Taiwan), Yew-Soon Ong 31 Probabilistic Models and Kernel Methods Sun, Shiliang (East China Normal Univ. China); Ding, Shifei; Liu, Huawen; Wang, Wenjian; Yang, Xiaowei; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Jing 32 Reservoir Computing in Hardware Merkel, Cory (Airforce Research Laboratory, USA); McDonald, Nathan; Thiem, Clare; Wysocki, Bryant 33 Smart Educational Techniques in Big Data Age Guandong Xu (Univ. Technology Sydney, Australia), Gang Li, and Wu He ############################################################################ # ############Paper Submission and Publication############ * Regular paper can have up to 8 pages in double-column IEEE Conference format * All papers are to be prepared using IEEE-compliant Latex or Word templates on paper of U.S. letter size. * All submitted papers will be checked for plagiarism through the IEEE CrossCheck system. * Papers with significant overlap with the authors own papers or other papers will be rejected without review. ######################################################## ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: NEURAL NETWORK MODELS * Feedforward neural networks * Recurrent neural networks * Self-organizing maps * Radial basis function networks * Attractor neural networks and associative memory * Modular networks * Fuzzy neural networks * Spiking neural networks * Reservoir networks (echo-state networks, liquid-state machines, etc.) * Large-scale neural networks * Other topics in artificial neural networks MACHINE LEARNING * Supervised learning * Unsupervised learning and clustering, (including PCA, and ICA) * Reinforcement learning * Probabilistic and information-theoretic methods * Support vector machines and kernel methods * EM algorithms * Mixture models, ensemble learning, and other meta-learning or committee algorithms * Bayesian, belief, causal, and semantic networks * Statistical and pattern recognition algorithms * Visualization of data * Feature selection, extraction, and aggregation * Evolutionary learning * Hybrid learning methods * Computational power of neural networks * Deep learning * Other topics in machine learning NEURODYNAMICS * Dynamical models of spiking neurons * Synchronization and temporal correlation in neural networks * Dynamics of neural systems * Chaotic neural networks * Dynamics of analog networks * Neural oscillators and oscillator networks * Dynamics of attractor networks * Other topics in neurodynamics COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE * Connectomics * Models of large-scale networks in the nervous system * Models of neurons and local circuits * Models of synaptic learning and synaptic dynamics * Models of neuromodulation * Brain imaging * Analysis of neurophysiological and neuroanatomical data * Cognitive neuroscience * Models of neural development * Models of neurochemical processes * Neuroinformatics * Other topics in computational neuroscience NEURAL MODELS OF PERCEPTION, COGNITION AND ACTION * Neurocognitive networks * Cognitive architectures * Models of conditioning, reward and behavior * Cognitive models of decision-making * Embodied cognition * Cognitive agents * Multi-agent models of group cognition * Developmental and evolutionary models of cognition * Visual system * Auditory system * Olfactory system * Other sensory systems * Attention * Learning and memory * Spatial cognition, representation and navigation * Semantic cognition and language * Neural models of symbolic processing * Reasoning and problem-solving * Working memory and cognitive control * Emotion and motivation * Motor control and action * Dynamical models of coordination and behavior * Consciousness and awareness * Models of sleep and diurnal rhythms * Mental disorders * Other topics in neural models of perception, cognition and action NEUROENGINEERING * Brain-machine interfaces * Neural prostheses * Neuromorphic hardware * Embedded neural systems * Other topics in neuroengineering BIO-INSPIRED AND BIOMORPHIC SYSTEMS * Brain-inspired cognitive architectures * Embodied robotics * Evolutionary robotics * Developmental robotics * Computational models of development * Collective intelligence * Swarms * Autonomous complex systems * Self-configuring systems * Self-healing systems * Self-aware systems * Emotional computation * Artificial life * Other topics in bio-inspired and biomorphic systems APPLICATIONS * Bioinformatics * Biomedical engineering * Data analysis and pattern recognition * Speech recognition and speech production * Robotics * Neurocontrol * Approximate dynamic programming, adaptive critics, and Markov decision processes * Neural network approaches to optimization * Signal processing, image processing, and multi-media * Temporal data analysis, prediction, and forecasting; time series analysis * Communications and computer networks * Data mining and knowledge discovery * Power system applications * Financial engineering applications * Applications in multi-agent systems and social computing * Manufacturing and industrial applications * Expert systems * Clinical applications * Big data applications * Smart grid applications * Other applications CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TOPICS * Hybrid intelligent systems * Swarm intelligence * Sensor networks * Quantum computation * Computational biology * Molecular and DNA computation * Computation in tissues and cells * Artificial immune systems * Other cross-disciplinary topics ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## General Chair * Yoonsuck Choe, Texas A and M University, USA Program Chair * Christina Jayne, Robert Gordon University, UK Technical Co-Chairs * Irwin King, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China * Barbara Hammer, University of Bielefeld, Germany Plenary Chair * Cesare Alippi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy Special Session Co-Chairs * Derong Liu, University of Chicago, USA * Tatiana Tambouriatzis, University of Piraeus, Greece Tutorial Chair * Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA Workshop Chair * Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Poster Session Chair * Richard Duro, Universidad Coruna, Spain Competition Chair * Juyang (John) Weng, Michigan State University, USA Panels Chair * Robert Kozma, University of Memphis, USA Awards Chair * Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, Australia Web Reviews Chair * Tomasz Cholewo, Lexmark International Inc., USA Sponsors & Exhibits Chair * Lipo Wang, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Publication Chair * Bill Howell, Natural Resources Canada (retired), Canada International Liaison * Teresa Ludermir, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil European Liaison * Danilo P. Mandic, Imperial College, UK Asia-Pacific Liaison * Minho Lee, Kyungpook National University, Korea Neuroscience Liaison * Péter Érdi, Kalamazoo College, USA Robotics Liaison * Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, INRIA, France Industry Liaison * Sven F. Crone, Lancaster University, UK Publicity Co-Chairs * Giacomo Boracchi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy * Simone Scardapane, Sapienza University, Italy * Teck-Hou Teng, Singapore Management University, Singapore Local Arrangements Co-Chairs * Frank W. Moore, University of Alaska, USA * Kenrick Mock, University of Alaska, USA Registration Chair * Jaerock Kwon, Kettering University, USA Webmaster * Jaewook Yoo, Texas A & M University, USA ####################################################################### ##################Sponsoring Organizations################## * INNS - International Neural Network Society * IEEE - Computational Intelligence Society * BSCS - Budapest Semester in Cognitive Science * BMI - Brain-Mind Institute ############################################################

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PhD student openings in auditory neuroscience at Purdue University
by Bharadwaj, Hari M Nov. 15, 2016

Nov. 15, 2016

[Apologies for cross posting] Two PhD student positions are available at the Systems Neuroscience of Auditory Perception<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab> Lab at Purdue University. We study the neural mechanisms of auditory perception in complex multi-source environments (e.g., crowded restaurants or busy streets) using a combination of human neuroimaging techniques (EEG, MRI, otoacoustic emissions), behavioral listening experiments, and computational modeling. In addition we are interested in the effects of overexposure to loud sounds and early aging on the auditory system, and how that affects perception. A notable capability of the lab is the ability to non-invasively measure, and to model physiological responses at different levels of the auditory pathway from the cochlea to the cortex. Please visit https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab for more information about the lab, the facilities, and the vibrant intellectual environment at Purdue with a large community of hearing researchers<https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/slhs/events/seminars_in_hearing_research.html> and neuroscientists<https://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/pillars/integrative-neuroscience-cente…>. Applications can be submitted through the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering<https://engineering.purdue.edu/BME/Academics/Graduate/Admissions>, or the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences<http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/slhs/graduate/index.html> as described here<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab/research/prospective.html>. Informal enquiries about the positions can be directed to Hari Bharadwaj (hbharadwaj(a)purdue.edu) Preference will be given to applications received by December 15, 2016. -- Hari M. Bharadwaj, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Lyles-Porter Hall Purdue University 715 Clinic Drive, Room 3162 West Lafayette, IN 47907 (765) 496-2249 hbharadwaj(a)purdue.edu<mailto:hbharadwaj@purdue.edu> http://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab>

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3-year PostDoc position in Aberdeen
by Andersen, Soren Nov. 15, 2016

Nov. 15, 2016

Hello, a 3-year PostDoc position in my lab in Aberdeen in Scotland is currently open. It is in a BBSRC funded project to do quantitative modelling of EEG and behavioural data, combining steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) and drift diffusion modelling. Candidates should have very solid technical skills (esp. Matlab) and ideally know something about attention and EEG. The position is still open until the 20th of November and applications must be submitted through the University's online application portal. For further information see: https://www.abdnjobs.co.uk/vacancy/research-fellow-281767.html Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this position. Best regards, Søren Andersen ------------------------------ Søren K. Andersen, Ph.D. School of Psychology William Guild Building Room T5 Kings College Old Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK Phone: +44 (0)1224 274240 Email: skandersen(a)abdn.ac.uk http://www.abdn.ac.uk/staffpages/skandersen The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683. Tha Oilthigh Obar Dheathain na charthannas clàraichte ann an Alba, Àir. SC013683.

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