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Call for Papers - Neural Networks special issue on Big Data
by Asim Roy Nov. 1, 2014

Nov. 1, 2014

Apologies for cross posting. Special Issue on Neural Network Learning in Big Data [Special Issue on Neural Network Learning in Big Data] Neural Networks Special Issue: Neural Network Learning in Big Data Big data is much more than storage of and access to data. Analytics plays an important role in making sense of that data and exploiting its value. But learning from big data has become a significant challenge and requires development of new types of algorithms. Most machine learning algorithms encounter theoretical challenges in scaling up to big data. Plus there are challenges of high dimensionality, velocity and variety for all types of machine learning algorithms. The neural network field has historically focused on algorithms that learn in an online, incremental mode without requiring in-memory access to huge amounts of data. The brain is arguably the best and most elegant big data processor and is the inspiration for neural network learning methods. Neural network type of learning is not only ideal for streaming data (as in the Industrial Internet or the Internet of Things), but could also be used for stored big data. For stored big data, neural network algorithms can learn from all of the data instead of from samples of the data. And the same is true for streaming data where not all of the data is actually stored. In general, online, incremental learning algorithms are less vulnerable to size of the data. Neural network algorithms, in particular, can take advantage of massively parallel (brain-like) computations, which use very simple processors, that other machine learning technologies cannot. Specialized neuromorphic hardware, originally meant for large-scale brain simulations, is becoming available to implement these algorithms in a massively parallel fashion. Neural network algorithms, therefore, can deliver very fast and efficient real-time learning through the use of hardware and this could be particularly useful for streaming data in the Industrial Internet. Neural network technologies thus can become significant components of big data analytics platforms and this special issue will begin that journey with big data. For this special issue of Neural Networks, we invite papers that address many of the challenges of learning from big data. In particular, we are interested in papers on efficient and innovative algorithmic approaches to analyzing big data (e.g. deep networks, nature-inspired and brain-inspired algorithms), implementations on different computing platforms (e.g. neuromorphic, GPUs, clouds, clusters) and applications of online learning to solve real-world big data problems (e.g. health care, transportation, and electric power and energy management). RECOMMENDED TOPICS: Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 1. Autonomous, online, incremental learning - theory, algorithms and applications in big data 2. High dimensional data, feature selection, feature transformation - theory, algorithms and applications for big data 3. Scalable neural network algorithms for big data 4. Neural network learning algorithms for high-velocity streaming data 5. Deep neural network learning 6. Neuromorphic hardware for scalable neural network learning 7. Big data analytics using neural networks in healthcare/medical applications 8. Big data analytics using neural networks in electric power and energy systems 9. Big data analytics using neural networks in large sensor networks 10.Big data and neural network learning in computational biology and bioinformatics SUBMISSION PROCEDURE: Prospective authors should visit http://ees.elsevier.com/neunet/ for information on paper submission. During the submission process, there will be steps to designate the submission to this special issue. However, please indicate on the first page of the manuscript that the manuscript is intended for the Special Issue: Neural Network Learning in Big Data. Manuscripts will be peer reviewed according to Neural Networks guidelines. Manuscript submission due: December 15, 2014 First review completed: March 1, 2015 Revised manuscript due: April 1, 2015 Second review completed, final decisions to authors: April 15, 2015 Final manuscript due: April 30, 2015 GUEST EDITORS: Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA (asim.roy(a)asu.edu<mailto:asim.roy@asu.edu>) (lead guest editor) Kumar Venayagamoorthy, Clemson University, USA (gkumar(a)ieee.org<mailto:gvenaya@clemson.edu>) Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand (nkasabov(a)aut.ac.nz<mailto:nkasabov@aut.ac.nz>) Irwin King, Chinese University of Hong Kong, China (irwinking(a)gmail.com<mailto:irwinking@gmail.com>)

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Postdoctoral Position in Neuroscience (BRAIN Initiative project): In vivo imaging of cortical dynamics
by Patrick Kanold Oct. 31, 2014

Oct. 31, 2014

Dear all, A postdoctoral position utilizing in vivo 2-photon imaging is available in the laboratory of Dr. Patrick Kanold at the University of Maryland. The laboratory studies the function, development, and plasticity of the cerebral cortex (http://www.kanold.org) We are seeking highly motivated individuals that want to join exciting collaborative project, together with Dr. Dietmar Plenz (NIMH, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/labs-at-nimh/principal-investigators/dietmar-plenz.…) and Dr. Wolfgang Losert (UMd Physics), funded by the NIH BRAIN initiative. We use in vivo 2-photon imaging and stimulation technology that allows rapid imaging and stimulation in multiple focal planes and aim to develop new analysis techniques based on dynamic systems and graph theoretic measures to extract network dynamics at the single neuron and population level. We aim to identify the influence of single neurons relative to the synergistic influence of specific groups of neurons (the crowd) on network dynamics and ultimately behavior of the animal (see http://www.clfs.umd.edu/biology/kanold/Research.html) The ideal candidate will have a PhD in neuroscience, engineering, or related discipline, a background in systems neuroscience, and an ability to work in a large multidisciplinary team. Special considerations are given to applicants with training in imaging, in vivo physiology, computational approaches, and programming skills (esp. MATLAB). Qualified individuals should send a copy of curriculum vitae and names of three references to pkanold(a)umd.edu.

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Postodoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience of Alcohol Addiction (ENS-Paris France- Indiana USA)
by GUTKIN Boris Oct. 31, 2014

Oct. 31, 2014

A postdoctoral position is available for a USA-France collaborative project on the influence of alcohol on the central dopamine system. The project combines computational and experimental techniques. The post-doc will design and analyze a biophysical computational models of the brain circuitry affected by alcohol. The position is available immediately for up to three years. The position is based at the Group for Neural Theory, Ecole Normale Superieure Paris France, with extensive research visits between two institutions: Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France. In Paris, he or she will work with Prof. Gutkin (Group of Neural Theory, ENS) and Prof. Mamelli (Institut du Fer a Moulin, INSERM) on circuit level models. In Indianapolis, the post-doc will work with Prof. Kuznetsov (Mathematics Dept.) and Prof. Lapish (Psychology Dept.) on cellular level models. Both locations provide an excellent environment for collaborative research in quantitative biosciences. Ample travel support, competitive salary and full social coverage is offered. Qualifications: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Computational Neuroscience, Mathematics, Physics, or a quantitative field, a background in dynamical systems, programming experience and working knowledge in Computational Neuroscience. How to Apply: Send your CV, list of publications, research statement, and contact information for three references to Prof. Boris Gutkin via e-mail: boris.gutkin(a)ens.fr.

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USA-Israel Postdoctoral Position
by Jean-Marc Oct. 30, 2014

Oct. 30, 2014

*Postdoctoral Position* University of Arizona and University of Haifa The Computational and Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory is looking to fill a position for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. The research project is geared towards understanding the role of hippocampal replay in spatial navigation and memory consolidation during sleep. The techniques used include high density electrophysiology in the behaving rat, neuropharmacology, optogenetics and computational modeling. The project is multidisciplinary and involves collaborations with research teams in the USA and France (Univ. South Florida Tampa, INSERM Lyon France, Harvard Univ MA, UCSD, UCR and Salk, California). Good communication skills are necessary. This is a joint position between the University of Haifa (Israel) and the University of Arizona (Tucson, USA). The successful candidate will be expected to spend part of his/her time in the USA and in Israel. Basic knowledge of Hebrew will be helpful. Applicants with a subset of the following skill set are strongly encouraged to apply: - Scientific expertise or interests in hippocampus and/or prefrontal-cortex - Electrophysiology (in vivo chronic behaving, or in vitro) - Behavioral Neuroscience (rat training/testing) - General laboratory skills (e.g. histology, surgery) - Matlab and/or NEURON programming and spike-data analyses Applicant should send a cover letter, CV and the names of at least 2 references to Dr. Jean-Marc Fellous (fellous at email.arizona.edu) Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The search is ongoing and is projected to be completed by November 30th, 2014. Information about the laboratory can be found at: http://amygdala.psychdept.arizona.edu/lab.html

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Research Associate in Neuroscience, University of Leicester
by Atkinson, Sue Oct. 29, 2014

Oct. 29, 2014

Dear Colleagues, We are recruiting for a Research Associate here at the Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester. You will work on calcium imaging (2-photon) and electrophysiology recordings in mice as part of the research activities of the Centre for Systems Neuroscience. Research will be done in collaboration with the Department of Cell Pharmacology and Physiology (Ian Forsythe). The project aims to use a virtual navigation environment for the head restrained mice to record neuronal activity in the mouse hippocampus whilst the animal performs different tasks. The work will be performed in synergy with experiments done in humans ("concept cells") to gain a deeper understanding of perception and memory processes. You will contribute to imaging and electrophysiology data collection and analysis, as well as the design of the experiments and overall setup of the system. In particular you will work on the development and optimization of advance methods for the analysis of the data. You will have, or be close to completing, a PhD in an area related to Neuroscience or signal processing (physics, mathematics, engineering, computer sciences). You will also have good programming skills, particularly in Matlab, and ideally you have experience in neurophysiology and imaging recording. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Sue Atkinson on sam45(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. The closing date for this post is midnight on 24 November 2014. Click here and search on the reference number SEN00519 for more information and to apply. http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/jobs/opportunities/jobsearch Sue ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Susan Atkinson Centre Manager Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester, 9 Salisbury Road, Leicester, LE1 7QR, UK T: +44 116 252 3249 E: sam45(a)le.ac.uk<mailto:sam45@le.ac.uk> W: http://www2.le.ac.uk/centres/csn [cid:image001.jpg@01CFF1FC.B7D361D0] Elite without being elitist Follow us on Twitter<https://twitter.com/uniofleicester> or visit our Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/uniofleicester> page

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Neurocontrol Frontiers Research Topic, Call for Papers
by Ritt, Jason T Oct. 29, 2014

Oct. 29, 2014

Hello comp-neuro, Daniel Moran, ShiNung Ching and I are guest editing a Research Topic in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience/Neuroprosthetics, titled "From Neurostimulation to Neurocontrol: Advances and Challenges in Adapting Control Theory to the Brain”: http://www.frontiersin.org/Neuroprosthetics/researchtopics/From_neurostimul… We encourage all interested in advancing the theory of control of neural systems to consider submitting an article to this Research Topic. Frontiers articles are published upon acceptance, without waiting for other submissions to finish peer review, and are available open access. To find more information on the Topic or submission process, please follow the link above, and/or email me. Cheers, Jason Ritt, Boston University, jritt(a)bu.edu with Daniel Moran, Washington University, St. Louis ShiNung Ching, Washington University, St. Louis --- Jason Ritt Assistant Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering Boston University 44 Cummington Mall Boston MA 02215 jritt(a)bu.edu 617-353-5903 (office) http://www.bu.edu/dbin/bme/people/primary/ritt.php

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2014 SFN Mtg Workshop: Portal for parallel simulations
by Ted Carnevale Oct. 28, 2014

Oct. 28, 2014

A few seats remain open for the workshop Using the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) for Parallel Simulations which will be held on the morning of Saturday, November 15, 2014, from 9 AM to Noon in Washington DC as a satellite to the SFN 2014 meeting. The NSG is being developed with suport from NSF to help neuroscientists access high performance computing resources. Several parallel simulators are already installed, including Brian, NEST, NEURON, PGENESIS, and PyNN, and more are planned for the future. Find out how the NSG makes it easy to get allocations of free CPU time, upload your model, launch and monitor jobs, and download results. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 31, so you'll need to act quickly. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2014/nsg2014.html for further details and the registration form. --Ted

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Postdoctoral Position in Neuroengineering and Cognitive Engineering at the SiNAPSE Institute, Singapore
by Justin Dauwels (Asst Prof) Oct. 27, 2014

Oct. 27, 2014

Postdoctoral Position in Neuroengineering and Cognitive Engineering at the SiNAPSE Institute, Singapore Inquiries and applications are invited from highly productive, creative and ambitious young scientists for a postdoctoral fellowship in the recently launched the SiNAPSE Institute (www.sinapseinstitute.com<http://www.sinapseinstitute.com>) - a multidisplinary research Institute devoted to research on neurotechnologies, cognitive sciences, neuroengineering, and translational and clinically motivated research at the National University of Singapore under the direction of Prof. Nitish Thakor (www.jhu.edu/nthakor<http://www.jhu.edu/nthakor>). For this project, the postdoctoral fellow is expected to interact with PIs at the SiNAPSE Institute (Profs Nitish Thakor and Anastasios Bezerianos), as well as collaborators at Nanyang Technological University (Prof. Justin Dauwels and others) and International Collaborators (Prof. Hasan Al-Nashash). Candidates with a PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Neurosciences or Neuroengineering with outstanding skills and credentials are invited to apply for appropriate positions in the Institute. The main objectives of the research project are (but not limited to): 1. Cognitive science studies involving attention, vigilance, benefits of training, novel modes of cognitive enhancement and learning. 2. Mathematical modeling of brain connectome from EEG, ERP, fNIR and fMRI, 3. Principled statistical models for merging different brain imaging modalities (EEG/MEG/fMRI/DTI). The researchers will have access to impressive financial and physical resources, including noninvasive human and small animal experimental facilities, laboratory instrumentation, computing and imaging resources, and additional project-specific discretionary funding. SINAPSE will provide excellent work conditions (an environment about 20 collaborative PIs and more than 100 researchers in steady state). The salaries will be internationally competitive and commensurate with experience, and health insurance coverage as well as travel to international conferences will be included. Interested researchers and fellows should contact as soon as possible Prof. Nitish Thakor (sinapsedirector(a)gmail.com<mailto:sinapsedirector@gmail.com>) and Justin Dauwels (jdauwels(a)ntu.edu.sg<mailto:jdauwels@ntu.edu.sg>) sending a CV with two external references and a letter of accomplishments, motivation and career goals. ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY: This email is intended solely for the person(s) named and may be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it, notify us and do not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Towards a sustainable earth: Print only when necessary. Thank you.

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PhD opportunities in Computational Neuroscience
by Clopath, Claudia Oct. 27, 2014

Oct. 27, 2014

Computational Neuroscience Laboratory Headed by Dr. Claudia Clopath Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London -----------------Requirements:----------------- The Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, headed by Dr. Claudia Clopath, is looking for a talented PhD student, interested in working in the field of computational neuroscience, specifically addressing questions of *learning and memory*. The perfect candidate has a strong mathematical, physical or engineering background (or equivalent), and a keen interest in biological and neural systems. Demonstrated programming skills are a plus. -----------------Research topic:----------------- Learning and memory are among the most fascinating topic of neuroscience, yet our understanding of it is only at the beginning. Learning is thought to change the connections between the neurons in the brain, a process called *synaptic plasticity*. Using mathematical and computational tools, it is possible to model synaptic plasticity across different time scales, which helps understand how different types of memory are formed. The PhD candidate will be working to build those models of synaptic plasticity, and study the functional role of synaptic plasticity in artificial neural networks. They will have the opportunity to collaborate with experimental laboratories, which study connectivity changes and behavioural learning. Candidates should be EU nationals. ----------------- The lab:----------------- The Computational Neuroscience Laboratory is very young and dynamic, and publishes in prestigious journals, such as Nature and Science. It is part of the Department of Bioengineering, which conducts state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research in biomechanics, neuroscience and neurotechnology. The lab is at *Imperial College London*, the 3rd ranked university in Europe, is in the top 10 worldwide, and is located in the city centre of London. More information can be found at: http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/c.clopath/lab/index.html<http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/c.clopath/>

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Neucomp 2015 CFP (in conjunction with DATE'15 conference)
by Jeff Krichmar Oct. 24, 2014

Oct. 24, 2014

Dear CompNeuro, This CFP may be of interest to many of you. Best regards, Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma Begin forwarded message: > From: Philippe Coussy <philippe.coussy(a)univ-ubs.fr> > Subject: Neucomp 2015 CFP (in conjunction with DATE'15 conference) > Date: October 23, 2014 at 4:25:07 PM GMT+2 > To: Nikil Dutt <dutt(a)ics.uci.edu>, Jeff Krichmar <jkrichma(a)uci.edu>, Philippe Coussy <philippe.coussy(a)univ-ubs.fr> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Apologies in advance for any duplicate announcements > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > CALL FOR POSTER ABSTRACTS > > 2nd International Workshop on Neuromorphic and Brain-Based Computing Systems (NeuComp 2015) > http://www.date-conference.com/conference/workshop-w03 > Friday March 13, 2015, Grenoble, France > > held in conjunction with DATE'15 conference > (http://www.date-conference.com) > > > **Description** > Biological neural systems are well known for their robust and power-efficient operation in highly noisy environments. Biological circuits are made up of low-precision, unreliable and massively parallel neural elements with highly reconfigurable and plastic connections. Two of the most interesting properties of the neural systems are its self-organizing capabilities and its template architecture. Recent research in biologically-plausible neural networks has demonstrated interesting principles about learning and neural computation. Understanding and applying these principles to practical problems is only possible if large-scale neural simulators or circuits can be constructed. This workshop will outline key modelling abstractions for the brain and focus on recent neural network models. Aspects of neuronal processing and computational issues related to modelling these processes will be discussed. Hardware and software solutions readily usable by neuroscientists and computer scientists and efficient enough to construct very large networks comparable to brain networks will be presented. > > > **Target Audience and Workshop Format** > NeuComp 2015 is the second edition of a DATE workshop designed to attract both newcomers to neuromorphic computing, as well as neuromorphic researchers who wish to interact with the DATE community to stimulate new ideas, topics and collaborations. Since this is a hot area but one that is probably new to a large segment of the DATE community, half of the workshop will be devoted to a comprehensive introduction to Neuromorphic and Brain-Based Computing, where the audience will be exposed to basic definitions, key concepts, abstractions, design flows, and design constraints; also some highly visible research projects will be presented as exemplars to provide an overview of existing and emerging solutions in this domain. The other half of the event will create a forum for interactive discussion and exchange of ideas and experiences between researchers through posters and demonstrations, with the goal of highlighting details on applicability, performance, and strengths of current solutions. Our aim is for attendees to learn about emerging Neuromorphic and Brain-Based computing techniques, highlight publicly available modelling and simulation tools, and view directions for longer term research. > > > **Topics of interest** > Authors are invited to submit original unpublished works on topics from a wide range of Neuromorphic and Brain-Based computing areas, including but not limited to: > - Formal models > - Hardware architectures > - Software tools > - Systems and applications > - Simulation Infrastructures > > > **Submission** > Submissions are invited in the form of 2-page extended abstract describing the novelties and advantages of the work. > Submissions must be done through Easychair at https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=neucomp2015 > All submissions will be evaluated with regard to their suitability for the workshop, originality and technical soundness. Selected submissions will be accepted for oral presentation and/or poster/interactive presentations. This workshop does not require blind submissions. Informal proceedings with accepted papers will be made available at the workshop as detailed below. > > > **Important dates** > - Submission deadline October 30th, 2014 > - Notification of acceptance November 30th, 2015 > - Final program December 15th, 2015 > > > **Informal Workshop Digest** > NeuComp 2015 will distribute an informal workshop digest to all workshop participants. NeuComp 2015 presenters are encouraged to submit papers for inclusion in this informal workshop digest. > Note that since the informal workshop digest is only distributed to workshop participants (and is not archived as part of DATE or ACM/IEEE digital libraries), authors are free to submit their work to other archival conferences and journals. > > > **Proceedings** > Selected results of the two first editions of Neucomp will be published in form of an edited book by Springer. > > > **Workshop format** > The workshop will combine oral and interactive sessions (posters and demonstrations) together with invited talks representing major neuromorphic research projects. The event will be designed to be highly interactive, with ample time for discussion and cross-disciplinary engagement. > > > **Confirmed Invited speakers** > - Romain Brette (ENS, FR) > - Kristofor Carlson (UCI, US) > - Jörg Conradt (TU Munich, DE) > - Steve Furber (Manchester Univ., UK) > - Todd Hylton (Brain Corporation, US) > - Giacomo Indiveri (ETHZ, CH) > - Anders Lansner (KTH, SW) > - Rajit Manohar (Cornell Univ., US) > > > **General Co-chairs** > Philippe Coussy Université de Bretagne-Sud/Lab-STICC, FR > Nikil Dutt University of California – Irvine, Irvine, CA USA > > > **Preliminary Technical Program Committee** > Jeff Krichmar University of California – Irvine, Irvine, USA (Program Co-Chair) > Philippe Coussy Université de Bretagne-Sud/Lab-STICC, FR (Program Co-Chair) > > Angelo Arleo Université Pierre et Marie Curie, FR > Romain Brette ENS Paris, FR > Gert Cauwenberghs UCSD, USA > Yiran Chen University of Pittsburgh, USA > Jorg Conradt TU Munich, GER > Nikil Dutt UC Irvine, USA > Steve Furber Manchester University, UK > Karlheinz Meier Heidelberg University, GER > Vijaykrishnan Narayanan Pennsylvania State University, USA > Narayan Srinivasa HRL, USA > Massimiliano Versace Boston University, USA > > > If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact philippe.coussy(a)univ-ubs.fr > > **Previous edition** > For more information about Neucomp 2013 program, see > http://www-labsticc.univ-ubs.fr/~coussy/neucomp2013/ > > > -- > ================================================ > Pr. Philippe COUSSY > > Université de Bretagne-Sud - UEB > Laboratoire Lab-STICC - CNRS, UMR 6285 > Centre de Recherche - BP 92116 > F-56321 Lorient Cedex - FRANCE > > Phone +33 (0)2 97 87 45 65 > Web http://www-labsticc.univ-ubs.fr/~coussy/ > ================================================ > > >

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