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Post Graduate School "Cognitive Computing in Socio-Technical Systems" of Ulm University and University of Applied Sciences Ulm

by Friedhelm Schwenker

Post Graduate School "Cognitive Computing in Socio-Technical Systems" of Ulm University and University of Applied Sciences Ulm In 2016 Ulm University and the University of Applied Sciences Ulm award *12 scholarships to highly-qualified scientific talents* for preparing the doctoral degree in accordance with the Landesgraduiertenförderungsgesetz (LGFG). Scholarships will be granted for 12 doctoral projects for initially one year, starting – if possible – on 1st October 2016. There will be the option of a two-year extension (i.e. standard funding term is 3 years). The 12 doctoral projects aim at tightly linking the fundamental pillars of cognitive computing, i.e., (i) perception, (ii) planning & reasoning, (iii) learning, and (iv) interaction. Applications include service robotics, Industry 4.0, logistics, and adaptive process management systems. A scholarship can be granted provided that the following conditions are met: * an outstanding qualification, * acceptance as a doctoral candidate in the respective department of Ulm University, and * scientific support by a professor of Ulm University / University of Applied Sciences Ulm. Please submit your application *no later than 1st August 2016*. You may send it, together with the required attachments (e.g., certificates), as PDF file to Prof. Manfred Reichert (email: manfred.reichert(at)uni-ulm.de). Please use the application template provided on our website (see below). As subject of the email use "Application KPK Cognitive Systems". Alternatively, you may send your application to the following postal address: Prof. Dr. Manfred Reichert Universität Ulm, Institut für Datenbanken und Informationssysteme D-89069 Ulm, Germany On your cover letter please write code number 68, KPK "Cognitive Computing" as well as the supervisors of the projects you are interested in. You may find additional Information and the application template on the following website: * http://www.uni-ulm.de/KPK_Cognitive_Computing * http://www.hs-ulm.de/KPK_Cognitive_Computing -- PD Dr. Friedhelm Schwenker University of Ulm Institute of Neural Information Processing D-89069 Ulm, Germany phone: +49-731-50-24159 fax: +49-731-50-24156 email: friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de www: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/neuroinformatik/mitarbeiter/f-schwenker.html

June 28, 2016

Burst coding: extended deadline

by Zeldenrust, Fleur

Dear colleagues, Recently, you received a call for participation in the Frontiers Research Topic on Burst coding (see below). Due to FENS and the summer vacations, several authors asked us to extend the deadline. Therefore, the deadline for articles is now extended to: October 1st 2016. With kind regards, Fleur Zeldenrust Bernhard Englitz Wytse Wadman ________________________________ Dear colleagues, This is a call for participation in a Frontiers Research Topic titled "Burst coding: from cell to cognition” (for a description, see below). We, the editors, would highly value your participation. If you would like to contribute, please follow the following link: http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/4374/burst-coding-from-cell-to… Abstract deadline: 1 February 2016 Manuscript deadline: 30 June 2016 Please note that reviews at Frontiers allow and encourage a discussion between the authors and the reviewers. As editors we would like to further encourage you to use this opportunity, while guaranteeing from our side that a constructive discussion with the reviewers will have a positive influence on the evaluation of your work. Let us know if you have any questions about the Research Topic. We look forward to hearing from you soon. With kind regards, Fleur Zeldenrust Bernhard Englitz Wytse J. Wadman Guest Associate Editors, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience BURST CODING: FROM CELL TO COGNITION Bursting is a firing mode of neurons in which they respond to and input with a group of high frequency action potentials, followed by a period of relative silence. These bursts can be generated intrinsically in neurons themselves, or they can be the result of network activity. Many different systems show a burst-firing mode next to a tonic-firing mode. Despite the ubiquity of bursting, the question of the functional properties of bursts remains unknown: why do some systems rely on bursts for their information transmission and what do bursts code for? We encourage authors to contribute their expertise, both from experimental and from computational backgrounds, on this question on the fundamental properties of burst coding. Papers should address one or more of the following issues: 1. Burst generation. How can different systems generate bursts? This includes both the single neuron level (active dendritic calcium, sodium dynamics, ‘ping-pong’ mechanisms) and the network level (synchronization, inhibition). 2. Differences between systems. In what brain areas of what animals do bursts occur (region CA3 of the rodent hippocampus, mammalian thalamus, weakly electric fish, insect auditory receptors), and what are the similarities/differences in the properties of these systems? 3. Detection and analysis of bursts. The detection of bursts is mostly done using inter-spike interval distributions or return maps; these give a typical inter-spike interval. Often, inter-spike intervals and spike amplitudes change over the course of a burst, making the last spikes in a burst hard to detect. This makes the analysis of burst challenging. Moreover, many traditional tools for the analysis of spike trains cannot be used to analyse spike trains that include bursts without some form of correction for it (reverse correlation techniques, Spike Coincidence Factor). 4. Information processing (burst coding). What are the functional information processing effects of bursts? These include decoding (resonance coding or inter-spike interval coding, burst duration coding), encoding (what stimulus features trigger bursts?), and other coding properties (reliability at unreliable synapses, feature detection for bursts versus stimulus estimation for single spikes, ‘wake-up call’ function of bursts). 5. Relation between bursts and pathology. The burst-firing mode of the thalamus has been associated with sleep and anaesthesia, and therefore with pathological conditions, before evidence showed that bursts also occur in awake states. Bursting in the subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus is associated with Parkinson’s disease; high-frequency cortical oscillations are thought to be a hallmark of epilepsy, but their origins have been disputed. Are there more relations between the burst-firing mode and pathological conditions? 6. Relation between bursts and behaviour. Bursts of complex spike cells play an important functional role in hippocampal place cells. In the oculomotor system bursts play an important role in generating saccades. In weakly electric fish, bursts are a response to ‘communication-like’ stimuli, but not to ‘prey-like’ stimuli. Thalamic bursts have a much stronger effect on their cortical targets than single spikes. These results suggest that bursts can have a different signalling function then single spikes, often associated with different behaviour. ABOUT FRONTIERS RESEARCH TOPICS Founded by scientists in 2007, Frontiers is a community-rooted open-access publisher, driving innovations in peer review, article-level metrics and research networking. The "Frontiers in" journal series hosts 54 journals covering more than 350 academic specialties, with a network of over 200,000 leading researchers worldwide. Frontiers is a registered member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (http://www.oaspa.org/member/Frontiers) and was recognized by the ALPSP Award for Innovation in Publishing in 2014. The idea behind a Frontiers Research Topic is to create a comprehensive collection of peer-reviewed articles that address a specific theme of research, as well as a forum for discussion and debate. Contributions can be articles describing original research, methods, hypothesis & theory, opinions, and more. Please see the relevant journal for a full list of accepted article types. Frontiers will also compile an e-book, as soon as all contributing articles are published, that can be used as educational material, be sent to foundations that fund your research, to journalists and press agencies, or to your professional network. E-books are free to read and download. Once published, your articles will be free to access for all readers, indexed in relevant repositories, and as an author in Frontiers, you retain the copyright to your own papers and figures. FRONTIERS PUBLISHING FEES Manuscripts accepted for publication are subject to publishing fees, which vary depending on the article type. All Research Topic manuscripts receive a discount on publishing fees; please see here for a full fee table, and further relevant FAQs: http://www.frontiersin.org/about/PublishingFees. http://www.frontiersin.org/Mail/IbarMail.aspx?op=4&msgid=10350094&msg=In

June 28, 2016

PhD position at HU Berlin available

by Benjamin Lindner

We are looking for a PhD candidate in Computational Neuroscience with a strong background in theoretical physics, specifically in stochastic processes, to work on effective descriptions of temporal and spatial correlations in recurrent networks of spiking neurons. Funding is provided for three years, starting October 2016, through the international research training group IRTG 1740 "Dynamical Phenomena in Complex Networks: Fundamentals and Applications". Part of this program is a (minimum six month) stay in the lab of our collaborator in Brazil, Prof. Roque (FFCLRP, Universidade de Sao Paulo). For details on the doctoral examination process at the Physics Department of Humboldt University Berlin, see https://fakultaeten.hu-berlin.de/en/mnf/wisskar/promotionen/index_html?set_…. Please, send your application until July 31, 2016 to Nikola Schrenk (nikola.schrenk(a)bccn-berlin.de) and to me (benjamin.lindner(a)physik.hu-berlin.de) -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin Lindner Theory of Complex Systems and Neurophysics Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin Philippstr. 13, Haus 2, 10115 Berlin Room: 1.17, phone: 0049(0)302093 6336 Department of Physics Humboldt University Berlin Newtonstr. 15 12489 Berlin Room: 3.408, phone: 0049(0)302093 7934 http://people.physik.hu-berlin.de/~lindner/index.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 27, 2016

Postdoc position in cognitive and neural modeling (Angela Yu)

by Angela J. Yu

Applications are invited from highly motivated researchers for a postdoctoral position immediately available in the Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, led by Angela Yu, at University of California, San Diego. Initial appointment is one-two years, with flexible start date and opportunity for renewal. Anticipated research direction is rather flexible, generally involving developing a decision-theoretical framework for the inter-related problems of perceptual decision-making, active sensing, active learning, interactions between affective and cognitive processing, and social cognition. Candidates must have a strong mathematical and modeling background in Bayesian statistics, Markov decision process, and general machine learning methods. Experience with measure-theoretic probability theory, stochastic processes, stochastic control theory (stopping problems, bandit problems, sequential decision problems), and/or dynamical systems analysis is also desirable. Applicants should be committed to applying rigorous mathematical tools to modeling cognitive and neural processes. Experience or interest in carrying out human behavioral experiments (either in person or on Amazon M-Turk) and/or collaborating with other human/animal neuroscience laboratories is also desirable. Dr. Yu's lab is situated within the Cognitive Science department of UCSD, and affiliated with the Computer Science Department, Neurosciences Graduate Program, and the Institute of Neural Computation. There are ample opportunities for collaborations with related groups across the UCSD main campus, the medical school, and the Salk Institute. Interested candidates should send a research statement, along with a CV including publications, to Dr. Angela Yu (ajyu(a)ucsd.edu <mailto:ajyu@ucsd.edu>). Two or more letters of references should be sent directly to the same address. ------------------------------------- Angela J. Yu Associate Professor UCSD Cognitive Science www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ajyu -------------------------------------

June 27, 2016

PhD position in Deep Neural Learning for Computer Vision - Naples, Italy

by Alfredo Petrosino

A fully funded 3-year PhD position is available at CVPRLab (cvprlab.uniparthenope.it) of the department of Science and Technology at the University of Naples Parthenope, Italy, on topics related to neural and machine learning and scene understanding. The aim is to work about new models of deep neural architectures with biological plausability capable of human-like learning, including learning from scratch and spatio temporal analysis. Applications include autonomous systems, active vision, and elderly assisted living, also through mobile devices and jointly with highly specialised industries. Eligibility requirements include: - Master of Science degree with academic excellence, i.e. normally an Honours Degree; - Strong experience in machine learning and basics of computer vision, as well as good mathematical and programming skills (either C/C++ or MATLAB). The net salary is nearly 1.300,00 euros per month. For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see Advert link: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/dottorati_borse_premi/Bando_DOTTORATI_XXXII_c… Forms link: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/dottorati_borse_premi/Allegati%20bando%20gene… The deadline for applications is 1pm, 6 July 2016. Further information are given by sending an email to petrosino(a)uniparthenope.it Alfredo Petrosino, University of Naples Parthenope ****************************************************************************** IL MERITO DEGLI STUDENTI VIENE RICONOSCIUTO Il 5 per mille all'Universita' degli Studi di Napoli "Parthenope" incrementa le borse di studio agli studenti - codice fiscale 80018240632 http://www.uniparthenope.it/index.php/it/5-per-mille Questa informativa e' inserita in automatico dal sistema al fine esclusivo della realizzazione dei fini istituzionali dell'ente.

June 25, 2016

Computational Neuroscience Postdoctoral Positions at Sandia National Laboratories

by Chance, Frances S.

(Apologies in advance for any cross-posting) Colleagues, We are seeking computational neuroscientists to join an interdisciplinary research program focused on understanding neural computation at the circuit level. Example research topics of interest include computational models of retina, visual cortex (or the neural circuitry underlying perception), and the hippocampus. Candidates should have a strong background in neuroscience, and an interest in understanding of relations between neuroscience, cognitive science, and computation. Our department is part of a highly interdisciplinary community of researchers with interests spanning systems neuroscience and brain-inspired computing, engineering, and computer science. Successful applicants will be expected to conduct high-quality research, maintain a successful publication record in peer-reviewed journals, and develop collaborations with this vibrant and growing community. This position is located at Sandia's Albuquerque, NM, USA site. Required 1. A Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related field. 2. Experience with neuroscience research methods and data analysis. 3. Strong publication record. 4. Excellent interpersonal, communication and writing skills. 5. Demonstrated ability to contribute to multidisciplinary teams. 6. Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Energy security clearance. Desired At least some of the following qualifications are preferred: 1. Demonstrated abilities in mathematical and computational modeling of neural or cognitive function. 2. Previous research experience in a sensory system. 3. Experience with biologically-inspired machine learning algorithms. 4. Experience developing in at least one C-derived programming language (C, C++, C#, Java, etc.), or with a neural simulator (NEURON, PyNN, NEST, etc). 5. Laboratory experience in any of: electrophysiology, neural imaging, connectomics, pharmacological manipulations combined with measurement of neural activity. Submissions: Apply online at http://www.sandia.gov/careers/index.html - select "View All Jobs", and search for 653748 in the keywords box. Please include a letter of interest and a curriculum vitae. For questions or information, please contact Frances Chance (fschanc(a)sandia.gov<mailto:fschanc@sandia.gov>) or Brad Aimone (jbaimon(a)sandia.gov) Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but to ensure full consideration please submit by August 31, 2016. Sandia National Laboratories is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.

June 24, 2016

[jobs] Post-Doc in Developmental Robotics - Short Deadline

by Patricia Hazel Shaw [phs]

Post-Doctoral Research Associate, (Fixed Term until 31 March 2018) Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science Grade 7 - £32,600 - £37,768 Closing Date: 30th June 2016 Interview Date: 4th July 2016 Applicants are invited to join the Robotics Laboratory for a project (entitled “Developmental Algorithms for Robotics”). The project is focusing on developmental robotic learning based on an iCub humanoid robot. This is a three year EPSRC funded project running at Aberystwyth University started March 2015, with the support of an International Scientific Advisory Board consisting of leading developmental psychologists. We wish to appoint a Post-Doctoral Research Associate who will develop models based on the psychological literature, and conduct experiments on our iCub humanoid robot. The successful candidate will have appropriate modelling skills and experience, and proven abilities in this area. Other tasks include writing scientific documents and papers, documenting experiments and writing reports, supervising a PhD student and collaborating with other researchers. Regular European travel will be involved. The project ends March 2018, with the fixed-term contract running to this date. For informal enquiries contact Patricia Shaw: phs(a)aber.ac.uk<mailto:phs@aber.ac.uk> +44 (0)1970 622432. For the full job description, please visit: https://jobs.aber.ac.uk/en/vacancy/post-doctoral-research-associate-develop… -------------------------------------------------------------------- Astudio gyda ni yn Aberystwyth - Prifysgol Gyntaf Cymru https://www.aber.ac.uk/cy/undergrad/ Study at Aberystwyth – Wales’ First University https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/undergrad/

June 24, 2016

Postdoctoral Position at Yale Neuroscience

by McCormick, David

An outstanding, highly-motivated post-doctoral fellow is sought to participate in studies on the cellular/network mechanisms of optimal state for performance. Candidates experienced in either computational, imaging/optogenetic, or electrophysiological methodologies are sought. We are investigating the mechanisms by which the optimal state for detection and discrimination performance is achieved in mouse neocortex. Mice are trained to perform visual and auditory detection/recognition/discrimination tasks. Through state-of-the-art techniques, such as two-photon monitoring of activity in known neuromodulatory axons in the cortex, whole cell recording of synaptic activity, high density array recordings of cortical unit activity, and optogenetic manipulation of specific transmitter systems, we are able to determine and decipher the role of different transmitter systems and neural pathways that rapidly control neuronal responsiveness. We have recently shown that the waking state varies on a continual basis and that these fluctuations account for a large component of response and behavioral variance. We take a circuit-based approach to systems neuroscience, revealing how the nervous system achieves a goal through the synaptic interaction of cells in local and long range circuits, modulated by neurotransmitters, to generate flexible behavior. Support: Postdoctoral fellows are well supported with state-of-the-art equipment dedicated to their experiments. Salary (45-65K) is competitive and commensurate with experience and contribution. Lab website: www.mccormicklab.org<http://www.mccormicklab.org/> Please contact david.mccormick(a)yale.edu<mailto:david.mccormick@yale.edu> with inquiries and applications. Send statement of interest, CV, and the names of three people for letters of recommendation. Positions available Fall, 2016. David A. McCormick Professor, Neuroscience | Yale University School of Medicine Dept. Neuroscience 333 Cedar Street | New Haven, CT 06510 | 203.785.5981 www.mccormicklab.org<http://www.mccormicklab.org/> | www.neurobiology.org<http://www.neurobiology.org/>

June 22, 2016

Summer school on neural and sensorimotor foundations of social interaction (BCBT/socSMCs)

by Alexander Maye

---------------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR PARTICIPATION ---------------------------------------------------------- Barcelona Cognition, Brain and Technology Summer School (BCBT2016) University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. 5-16 September 2016 http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt16 Join us for the annual "Barcelona Cognition, Brain and Technology summer school - BCBT2016 " (see http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt16/home) to be held 5-16 September 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. The BCBT summer school is positioned at the interface between biology and future and emerging technologies with an emphasis on the principles underlying brains and their translation to avant-garde technologies. BCBT promotes a shared systems-level understanding of the functional architecture of the brain and its possible emulation in artificial systems. The summer school has been part of a series of events organized by the European coordination action Convergent Science Network of Biomimetics and Neurotechnology (http://csnetwork.eu/) This year the school will be supported by the EU project socSMCs (Socializing Sensorimotor Contingencies) - A FET Proactive Horizon 2020 funded research project. (http://socsmcs.eu/) This is the 9th year of BCBT, which has run with great success in previous years thanks to an excellent line-up of outstanding speakers (see bcbt.upf.edu for previous editions of the school). BCBT lectures are available online (see http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt16/media) with the BCBT Podcast interviews with many of the BCBT speakers. BCBT caters to students and researchers involved in projects that are in the ambit of “BIO-ICT convergence”, "Brain Inspired ICT", “Cognitive systems- robotics”, “Cognitive and neural systems”, “Foundations of social cognition”. BCBT will offer up to 30 student slots for the practical workshops, while as many researchers can register to attend the presentations and discussion sessions as they are interested. The atmosphere of the BCBT summer school is informal with the goal to stimulate in-depth discussion. There are 1 or 2 presentations in the morning, with the afternoons reserved for tutorials and projects for student participants and road-mapping workshops or further discussion for senior scientists. For the 2016 edition we plan a 1st week of the school addressing Neural basis of social interaction while the 2nd week will include presentations aimed at the investigation of Socializing Sensorimotor Contingencies. Friday 16 is reserved for the presentation of the student projects to which everybody is invited. Application deadline: July 27th, 2016 For more information on how to apply, please go to http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt16/ participate BCBT is organized by Paul Verschure (BCBT Chair), ICREA and University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, ES Andreas K. Engel (BCBT Co-Chair) University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), DE Anna Mura (BCBT Co-Chair), University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, ES -- _____________________________________________________________________ Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf; Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts; Gerichtsstand: Hamburg | www.uke.de Vorstandsmitglieder: Prof. Dr. Burkhard Göke (Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr. Dr. Uwe Koch-Gromus, Joachim Prölß, Rainer Schoppik _____________________________________________________________________ SAVE PAPER - THINK BEFORE PRINTING

June 21, 2016

Postdoc Position Available in the Kanan lab at the Rochester Institute of Technology

by Christopher Kanan

Topic: Machine learning and deep learning for detecting manipulated images One postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Christopher Kanan at the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, NY (USA). The lab specializes in applying machine learning algorithms to solve problems in computer vision and related fields. The candidate will be responsible for developing new algorithms for the detecting manipulated and tampered images. Requirements: Ph.D. in computer science or related field; A research record in computer vision and/or machine learning; Familiarity with deep learning The position is initially for one year, but is renewable upon strong performance for an additional year. The salary is significantly above the typical postdoctoral market rate. Applications should be sent by email to ( christopher.kanan(a)rit.edu) and should include a CV, the expected data of availability, and contact information for 3 references. The starting date is September 2016. I will be available to do interviews during CVPR-2016. -- Christopher Kanan, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Carlson Center for Imaging Science Rochester Institute of Technology Office 3140, Building #76 http://klab.cis.rit.edu/ http://www.chriskanan.com

June 21, 2016