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Change of date! Announcing free online spiking neural network workshop Nov 2-3, reg & submissions open
by Goodman, Daniel F M July 12, 2021

July 12, 2021

Apologies for emailing again with this announcement. We originally announced the workshop (included below) for Nov 8-9 but found out that it clashed with SFN online meeting. We have changed the dates to 2-3 November 2021. Please update your diaries accordingly. Many thanks, Dan We are delighted to announce the second edition of the "SNUFA" spiking neural network online workshop, taking place this November 2-3. Free registration and abstract submission is now open at http://snufa.net/2021 This online workshop brings together researchers in the field to present their work and discuss ways of translating these findings into a better understanding of neural circuits. Topics include artificial and biologically plausible learning algorithms and the dissection of trained spiking circuits toward understanding neural processing. We have a manageable number of talks with ample time for discussions. This year’s executive committee comprises Chiara Bartolozzi<https://www.iit.it/people/chiara-bartolozzi>, Sander Bohté<https://homepages.cwi.nl/~sbohte/>, Dan Goodman<https://neural-reckoning.org/>, and Friedemann Zenke<https://fzenke.net/>. The workshop will take place 2-3 November, 2021. Abstract submission will close 1 October, 2021. The workshop will feature invited speakers: * Tara Hamilton<https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Tara.Hamilton>, University of Technology Sydney * Dylan Muir<http://dylan-muir.com/>, SynSense<https://www.synsense-neuromorphic.com/> * Katie Schumann<https://www.ornl.gov/staff-profile/catherine-d-schuman>, Oak Ridge National Laboratory * Henning Sprekeler<https://www.sprekelerlab.org/henning/>, TU Berlin The format will be: * Two half days (European afternoon times) * 4 invited talks * 8 contributed talks * Poster session * Panel debate: “What should be the next big breakthrough in spiking neural networks?” (speakers to be decided) You can see last year’s talks on Crowdcast<https://www.crowdcast.io/e/snufa2020> or the talks and one of the recorded discussions on YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL09WqqDbQWHFvM9DFYkM_GfnrVnIdLRhy>. This workshop was great fun last year and we had around 700 participants! This year should be even better with your contributed talks and posters. Looking forward to seeing you all there! And please forward this announcement to any colleagues or local distribution lists. Many thanks, Dan, Chiara, Sander and Friedemann

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Two Postdoctoral Scholar Positions at Washington University in St. Louis
by Shuo Wang July 11, 2021

July 11, 2021

We are looking for two highly motivated postdoctoral scholars to work on NSF and DoD funded projects. One postdoctoral scholar will use human single-neuron recordings to study the neural circuits underlying social attention, and the other postdoctoral scholar will use multimodal neuroimaging techniques to study social behavior and brain networks in people with autism. The research will be conducted in a highly collaborative environment using state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, and analytical methods. The postdoctoral scholars will collaborate with an established team of investigators within and outside WashU and have ample opportunity to learn new techniques and methods. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in systems, cognitive, or computational neuroscience, or in physics, electrical engineering, or computer science, with relevant research expertise in neuroscience. Applicants must also have strong programming (Matlab or similar) skills. Individuals with previous human intracranial EEG expertise and/or macaque single-neuron recordings that wish to expand into human single-unit recordings are encouraged to apply. Our lab combines multimodal and advanced measurement techniques with sophisticated computational approaches to understand the neural mechanisms and neural computations underlying social attention, face processing, emotion, memory, and decision making. Overarching questions involve how the brain figures out what is important in the environment, how socially relevant stimuli pop out and attract attention, how faces are processed and represented in general, and how memory is modulated by attention. We are particularly interested in the neural computations underlying these cognitive processes: multimodal approaches allow us to investigate these questions from the microscopic single-neuron and neural circuit level using our state-of-the-art human single-neuron recordings as well as macroscopic level using fMRI, EEG, and intracranial EEG (sEEG and ECoG). These multimodal experimental approaches are powered by sophisticated computational approaches that can deal with complex and large datasets. The Wang Neuroscience Lab is housed in the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at the Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St Louis. WUSM is a world class research intensive academic health center that is consistently ranked among the nation’s research-oriented medical schools. Additionally, it is nationally known for its attractive campus, which borders residential neighborhoods and one of the nation’s largest urban parks. St. Louis is consistently rated a Forbes most affordable city with vibrant music, food and park scene, and has one of the fastest growing start-up communities with impressive accelerator and incubator services available through the Biogenerator, Cambridge Innovation Center, and Cortex Innovation District. Shuo Wang, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Washington University in St. Louis https://sites.wustl.edu/wanglab/

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Deadline extension: CFP Workshop on Spatio-temporal Aspects of Embodied Predictive Processing - STEPP @ ICDL2021
by Stefan Heinrich July 11, 2021

July 11, 2021

Call For Contributions - Workshop on Spatio-temporal Aspects of Embodied Predictive Processing - STEPP @ IEEE ICDL2021 Deadline extended! Aims and Scope: Understanding human intelligence and building strong AI systems is a key challenge for our generation. A particularly puzzling aspect is that the human brain seems to cope very well with the highly variable and uncertain nature of perception and action, regarding both their signal characteristic and how they extend over time. Furthermore, it seems apparent that the information processing in the brain always involves previous bodily experiences and all our senses, thus is embodied and crossmodal. For explaining these characteristics, there are strong accounts that the brain is constantly predicting sensory input and feedback while minimising free energy in the prediction and is hierarchically abstracting the perception as well as hierarchically composing action. Furthermore, it is also hypothesised that mechanistic priors in the brain’s information processing induce a failure of hierarchical inference in the brain, accounting for atypical perception and action of psychiatric disorders. For example, some brains might have developed to focus too strongly on current sensory input while others might focus too strongly on memorised previous experience. A typically developed brain, in contrast, would show a fine balance compared to these two extreme priors. The big open mystery is: how is the brain developing this on a mechanistic level and thus how can this get learned within an AI system? Thus, to lift this mystery, we further need to bring together research from computational neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and artificial intelligence. With this workshop, we particularly want to wrap up different recent hypotheses, models, and experiments and discuss in-depth how to shape future imaging, behavioural, and developmental robotics studies as a complement to computational modelling and bio-inspired artificial intelligent algorithms. As a guiding theme, we aim to approach the following central questions: - How does the brain learn spatio-temporal stochasticity in perception and action? - What is the role of priors in learning spatio-temporal adaptive prediction? - How can developmental robotics help us to study spatio-temporal stochasticity as an analogy to infant learning? We examine these questions with the insight from invited key speakers from complementary fields as well as original contributions in breakout sessions in order to conclude the next steps within in a panel discussion. All information online: https://sites.google.com/view/stepp21/home Keynotes/Panellists: - Jun Tani, Cognitive Neurorobotics, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) - Marcel van Gerven, Artificial Cognitive Systems, Donders Institute, Radboud University - Takuya Isomura, Brain Intelligence Theory, RIKEN Center for Brain Science - Takamitsu Watanabe, Brain Network Dynamics, International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN), The University of Tokyo Contributions: We invite submissions of extended abstracts on ongoing research that focuses on one or several of our guiding questions as contributions. In addition to the live presentation and discussion during the workshop, the contributions will be made public in workshop proceedings. - Extended abstract submission deadline: 25.07.2021 (extended) - Decision & Notification: 01.08.2021 (latest) - Camera-ready version due: 08.08.2021 - Workshop online: 22.08.2021 Submission website: https://sites.google.com/view/stepp21/ => Contribute Organisers: Stefan Heinrich, IRCN, The University of Tokyo, Japan Shingo Murata, Dept. Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, Japan Yukie Nagai, IRCN & Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Japan Yuichi Yamashita, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan -- ************************************************************* Dr. Stefan Heinrich Postdoctoral Project Researcher Cognitive Developmental Robotics Lab The University of Tokyo, Institutes for Advanced Studies, International Research Center for Neurointelligence Email: heinrich.stefan(a)ircn.jp https://developmental-robotics.jp/en/members/stefan_heinrich/ https://ircn.jp/en/ https://stefanheinrich.net/ *************************************************************

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Brain Connectivity, Dynamics, and Complexity--please submit abtracts--deadline extended
by Stephen José Hanson July 9, 2021

July 9, 2021

We are still looking for a few more submissions especially related to Resting state and fMRI..theoretical papers as well. The deadline is extended for submission till Aug 1. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/20807/brain-connectivity-dynami… send queries through the website. thanks. Steve Hanson -- Stephen José Hanson Professor Director RUBIC (University- Wide) Department of Psychology (NK) Cognitive Science Center (NB)

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Postdoctoral positions: modeling, imaging, and optogenetics (Boston U School of Medicine)
by Christina M. Weaver July 8, 2021

July 8, 2021

Postdoctoral positions in modeling, imaging, and optogenetics (Boston University School of Medicine) The Luebke & Medalla labs (Dept. of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine) use state-of-the-art approaches in imaging, immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, and computational modeling to explore neural mechanisms underlying executive function in the mammalian prefrontal cortex. We seek highly motivated, detail-oriented postdoctoral research fellows to join our interdisciplinary team related to several exciting, federally funded projects. Read more about our research here <https://www.bumc.bu.edu/anatneuro/research/cellular-neurobiology/>. Modeling: This project, led jointly by Dr. Jennifer Luebke, Dr. Christina Weaver (Dept of Mathematics, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA), and Dr. Patrick Hof (Dept of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY), aims to characterize changes in the prefrontal cortex and visual cortex during normal aging in the rhesus monkeys. We seek candidates with experience building differential equations-based mathematical models using MATLAB, Python, and/or NEURON compartmental modeling software. Experience with conductance-based modeling of single neurons or excitatory-inhibitory networks preferred. The successful candidate will build computational models to explore mechanisms of network dysfunction, constrained by our data from aging studies in rhesus monkeys, including new multiplexing data in collaboration with GE Healthcare. Imaging: This project, led by Dr. Luebke and Dr Klaus Wimmer (Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Barcelona, Spain) and funded by the Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) program, focuses on the computational and neural mechanisms underlying working memory and age-related changes to working memory and other executive function in the rhesus monkey. We seek candidates with an excellent track record using magnetic resonance imaging and image processing techniques to explore scientific questions with high health relevance. The successful candidate will lead analyses of structural MRI (T1 TFE scans), resting state fMRI, and diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) brain scans to assess brain morphometry and connectivity. Data generated from brain scans will be correlated with behavioral, physiological and other anatomical data collected across the adult life span to inform sophisticated computational models. The project includes unique cross-national training opportunities for researchers in Boston and Barcelona alike. Optogenetics: One project, newly funded by NIH, uses multi-scale neuroanatomical, in vitro, and in vivo electrophysiological, pharmacologic and optogenetic techniques to study inhibitory circuits in the anterior cingulate cortex and lateral prefrontal cortex (ACC and LPFC) of rhesus monkeys, and how limbic input from the amygdala influences communication within the ACC-LPFC network. We seek candidates with expertise in optogenetics, imaging of voltage-sensitive dyes, patch-clamp recording and multiphoton microscopy. The successful candidate will combine anatomical and viral tracing with in vivo electrophysiological recordings in anesthetized preparations, as well as optogenetic stimulation and whole cell patch-clamp recording in in vitro slices, to investigate the cellular and synaptic properties of prefrontal circuits involved in cognitive and emotional control and integration. Each appointment as a Boston University School of Medicine research fellow will be for at least 1 year with the possibility for extension based on performance. Competitive salary based on experience. Interested applicants should attach the following: - A cover letter, - A current CV, - A brief statement of current and future research interests, - The contact information of three references. Please be aware that references may be contacted anytime after receipt of your application. Contact: Dr. Christina Weaver, christina.weaver(a)fandm.edu or Dr. Jennifer Luebke, jluebke(a)bu.edu Christina M. Weaver, Ph.D. Associate Chair of Mathematics Associate Professor Franklin & Marshall College P.O. Box 3003 Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 Email: christina.weaver(a)fandm.edu

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Announcing free online spiking neural network workshop Nov 8-9, reg & submissions open
by Goodman, Daniel F M July 7, 2021

July 7, 2021

We are delighted to announce the second edition of the "SNUFA" spiking neural network online workshop, taking place this November 8-9. Free registration and abstract submission is now open at http://snufa.net/2021 This online workshop brings together researchers in the field to present their work and discuss ways of translating these findings into a better understanding of neural circuits. Topics include artificial and biologically plausible learning algorithms and the dissection of trained spiking circuits toward understanding neural processing. We have a manageable number of talks with ample time for discussions. This year’s executive committee comprises Chiara Bartolozzi<https://www.iit.it/people/chiara-bartolozzi>, Sander Bohté<https://homepages.cwi.nl/~sbohte/>, Dan Goodman<https://neural-reckoning.org/>, and Friedemann Zenke<https://fzenke.net/>. The workshop will take place 8-9 November, 2021. Abstract submission will close 1 October, 2021. The workshop will feature invited speakers: * Tara Hamilton<https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Tara.Hamilton>, University of Technology Sydney * Dylan Muir<http://dylan-muir.com/>, SynSense<https://www.synsense-neuromorphic.com/> * Katie Schumann<https://www.ornl.gov/staff-profile/catherine-d-schuman>, Oak Ridge National Laboratory * Henning Sprekeler<https://www.sprekelerlab.org/henning/>, TU Berlin The format will be: * Two half days (European afternoon times) * 4 invited talks * 8 contributed talks * Poster session * Panel debate: “What should be the next big breakthrough in spiking neural networks?” (speakers to be decided) You can see last year’s talks on Crowdcast<https://www.crowdcast.io/e/snufa2020> or the talks and one of the recorded discussions on YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL09WqqDbQWHFvM9DFYkM_GfnrVnIdLRhy>. This workshop was great fun last year and we had around 700 participants! This year should be even better with your contributed talks and posters. Looking forward to seeing you all there! And please forward this announcement to any colleagues or local distribution lists. Many thanks, Dan, Chiara, Sander and Friedemann

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Postdoctoral Researcher position on fMRI study of spontaneous thoughts and natural task
by Mingbo Cai July 7, 2021

July 7, 2021

*Postdoctoral Researcher position on fMRI study of spontaneous thoughts and natural task* We seek a talented neuroscientist with extensive experience in the areas of advanced fMRI analysis, (such as encoding or decoding models) and the design of experiments using naturalistic tasks and assessing spontaneous thoughts. A 2.5-year postdoctoral position is available at Dr. Mingbo Cai’s lab <https://cailab-ircn.org/> at the International Research Center for Neurointelligence <https://ircn.jp/en/>, The University of Tokyo. You will work on an exciting international collaboration project directed by both Dr. Cai <https://ircn.jp/en/mission/people/mingbo-cai> and Dr. Nicolas Schuck <https://schucklab.gitlab.io/> at Max Planck Institute for Human Development. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate remotely with Dr. Quentin Huys <https://quentinhuys.com/> at the University College London. The project will focus on understanding the contents and dynamics of spontaneous thoughts using fMRI decoding and natural tasks. In the later stage of the project, we also plan to examine the clinical implication of differences in spontaneous thoughts. Applicants with experience working on populations with mental disorders are also highly encouraged to apply. The working language is English. The working location is at The University of Tokyo, Japan. Contract duration: renewed annually up until Jan 2024 (future renewal depends on performance and budget), with a probation period of 6 months. Starting date: negotiable Requirements (1) Applicants must hold, or be expected to hold by the time of appointment, a PhD, M.D. or equivalent degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Psychiatry, Machine Learning, Statistics or related fields. (2) Experience in conducting fMRI experiments and data analysis (evidenced by publications, conference presentations or writing samples). (3) Familiar with at least one of the following tools: AFNI, FSL, nilearn, BrainIAK. (4) Good speaking and scientific writing skills in English. (5) Good programming skills. (6) Willing to collaborate and help colleagues. Requirements 2 and 3 may be replaced by two or three of the preferred skills below: Preferred skills: (1) Research experience with fMRI experiments involving natural tasks and multivariate pattern analysis. (2) Experience with experiments investigating spontaneous thoughts. (3) Research experience with investigations of psychiatric disorders. (4) Knowledge of and experience with deep learning. Application procedure: Please send an email with the title “[Postdoc Application] + your name” to mingbo[doc]cai[at]ircn[dot]jp. Please include a cover letter describing your background and research interest, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for 2-3 recommendation letters (ideally you can also request your referees to send their letters directly to the above email address). To increase the chance of being considered, we suggest you include writing samples or a copy of a poster or other presentation. Informal inquiry can also be sent to Dr. Cai. Application deadline: The application deadline is July 31. The position will remain open until filled. Review of applications starts as soon as they are received. Mingbo Cai Assistant Professor International Research Center for Neurointelligence The University of Tokyo https://cailab-ircn.org/

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PhD and Postdoc opportunities in Germany
by Tatjana Tchumatchenko July 6, 2021

July 6, 2021

Dear friends and colleagues, I would appreciate if you could spread the word among your students and postdocs. My group which is now at the University of Bonn is looking for Master Students, PhD Students and Postdocs PhD Students or Postdocs interested in understanding how neuronal networks work, how they respond to stimuli and what role connectivity and single neuron dynamics play for the activity of the brain. Though the focus of my research is on the theory side, my lab has close ties to experimentally oriented labs and projects typically involve modelling and data analysis. We are looking for bright and hard-working students with a life-science or quantitative background (physics, math, biology etc). The following PhD and Postdoc positions are currently open: 1) A PhD position in a project exploring the intersection of protein dynamics and machine learning. This involves analyzing the collective motion of multiple receptors in a cell. 2) A PhD position in project designing models describing protein dynamics in dendrites and analyzing imaging data 3) A postdoc or PhD position in a project addressing the relation between neurological diseases, protein dynamics and network activity. When applying please attach a CV (with a publication record) and a current copy of academic transcripts and mention at least one academic reference. For more information, please contact Prof. Tatjana Tchumatchenko via email tatjana.tchumatchenko(a)uni-bonn.de https://twitter.com/TTchumatchenko www.tchumatchenko.de

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Call for applications at the paris Brain Institute
by Jean Daunizeau July 5, 2021

July 5, 2021

Dear colleagues, This is to let you know that the Paris Brain Institute is seeking to recruit a team leader at the starting, junior or mid-career level, working in computational and/or theoretical neuroscience. Please visit this page for more info: https://institutducerveau-icm.org/en/actualite/call-for-applications/ Best regards, Jean Daunizeau. -- Jean Daunizeau Motivation, Brain and Behaviour group (ICM) web: http://sites.google.com/site/jeandaunizeauswebsite/

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PhD/Postdoc Positions at the Interface of Neuroscience and Machine Learning
by Jian Liu July 5, 2021

July 5, 2021

*PhD/Postdoc Positions at the Interface of Neuroscience and Machine Learning* The lab of Dr Jian Liu invites applications for several PhD/Postdoc positions at the interface of computational neuroscience and machine learning, at the School of Computing, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds. Research projects will involve theoretical analysis, computational modeling, and data analysis, with worldwide collaborations of neuroscience experimentalists, clinicians, and robotic engineers. We are working on a wide range of topics, from fundamental neuroscience questions to robotic applications. For representative examples and publications, please visit: http://jiankliu.github.io Candidates with a quantitative background are welcome. We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a spirit of intellectual adventure. The positions will come with competitive work conditions. Generous traveling budgets are available. Please send the following information in one single PDF, to j.liu9(a)leeds.ac.uk: - Detailed CV with publications; - Letter on motivation and interests; - Other relevant materials of interest; The School of Computing conducts ranging from fundamental advances in algorithms and our understanding of computation, through to highly applied research into new display technologies for clinical diagnosis, energy-efficient data centres, and profound insight into data through visualisation. We are parents with the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s premier research centre for data science and artificial intelligence. The University of Leeds is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offers a range of family friendly policies. The University is a charter member of Athena SWAN and holds the Bronze award. The School of Medicine holds the Gold award. We are committed to being an inclusive medical school that values all staff, and we are happy to consider job share applications and requests for flexible working arrangements from our employees. We will make the working patten inclusive and flexible. If female candidates are selected, the maternity leave will be fully guaranteed and the children care responsibilities will be satisfied (e.g. working in part time). We will also actively promote gender equality in education and employment opportunities through workshops, seminars, webinars, and university open days.

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