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Call for submissions for the special issue on "Reaching and Grasping the Multisensory Side of Dexterous Manipulation"
by Ivan Camponogara Jan. 29, 2020

Jan. 29, 2020

Dear List, In collaboration with the journal "Frontiers in Psychology", we are bringing together a selected group of international experts to contribute to an open-access article collection on: "Reaching and Grasping the Multisensory Side of Dexterous Manipulation" Guest Editors: Dr. Ivan Camponogara, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Dr. Luigi F. Cuturi, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genoa, Italy Dr. Simone Toma, Arizona State University, Tempe, United States Dr. Marco Santello, Arizona State University, Tempe, United States The submission deadline is 31 July 2020. Visit the collection homepage for the full description of the project: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/12640 Kind Regards, Ivan Camponogara Topic Editor, Cognition Section, Frontiers in Psychology On behalf of the Topic Editors. -- Ivan Camponogara Postdoctoral Associate New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Office Tel (UAE): +971 2 628 4960 New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Campus Computational Research Building (A2), desk 144-B P.O. Box 129188 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ᐧ

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Postdoc position in systems neuroscience
by Tania Rinaldi Barkat Jan. 28, 2020

Jan. 28, 2020

Dear colleagues, The Brain and Sound Lab at Basel University is happy to announce a postdoc position in systems neuroscience for an ambitious, smart and self-driven scientist. A background in neuroscience, physics, computer science, mathematics or engineering is desirable. For more information , please check www.brainsoundlab.com<http://www.brainsoundlab.com> or contact tania.barkat(a)unibas.ch<mailto:tania.barkat@unibas.ch>. Best regards Tania. --------------------------- Tania Rinaldi Barkat Assistant Professor in Neurophysiology Basel University Department of Biomedicine, room 7001 Klingelbergstrasse 50-70 4056 Basel Switzerland +41 61 207 1638 www.brainsoundlab.com

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PostDoc position in Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at Freie Universität Berlin
by Moritz Köster Jan. 26, 2020

Jan. 26, 2020

Dear colleagues, please find below the announcement for an open PostDoc Position on “visual perceptual processes and learning mechanisms in the infant brain” at Freie Universität Berlin. We would highly appreciate if you could forward this announcement to potentially interested candidates. With best regards, Moritz Köster --- Dr. Moritz Köster <https://www.ewi-psy.fu-berlin.de/einrichtungen/arbeitsbereiche/kulturvergl_…> Freie Universität Berlin *PostDoc position in Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at Freie Universität Berlin* We seek for a highly qualified PostDoc (3 years, 100%, TV-L 13) to join us in investigating the development of early visual perceptual processes and learning mechanisms in the infant brain. The position will focus on the application of state of the art analysis-methods from cognitive neuroscience (e.g., neural oscillatory analyses, SSVEP, MVPA, connectivity analyses) to infant EEG data, to understand the development of the visual system in the first year of life. The scope of the project is within the cognitive developmental neuroscience, a highly dynamic, multidisciplinary, and rapidly growing field. The position is part of a DFG-funded project led by Dr. Moritz Köster at the Freie Universität Berlin, in collaboration with Prof. Stefanie Höhl (Vienna University) and Dr. Radoslaw Martin Cichy (Freie Universität Berlin). The post holder will be affiliated with the “Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition” group at the Freie Universität Berlin. The main responsibilities will be performing cutting-edge EEG data analyses, publishing articles in high-ranked peer-reviewed journals, the supervision of data assessments, and the training and co-supervision of a PhD student (based at Vienna University). The preferred starting date is the 1st of March 2020 (but this date is flexible). Interested candidates should send a CV, a brief motivation letter, and the names and contact details of two academic references to moritz.koester(a)fu-berlin.de. All applications will be considered until the official closing date (soon announced on the job site of the University <https://www.fu-berlin.de/universitaet/beruf-karriere/jobs>), but later applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Informal requests can be sent to moritz.koester(a)fu-berlin.de at any time. *Requirements:* - PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, Biology, or a related discipline (completed or submitted) - Very good programming skills (preferentially Matlab) and experience with time series analyses (preferentially on EEG/MEG data) - Excellent command of written and spoken English *Desired:* - First-authored publications in cognitive (developmental) neuroscience - Experience with programming and conducting neuroscience studies - Theoretical knowledge and interest in cognitive neuroscience and/or developmental psychology - Experience in student supervision (Bachelor/ Master’s theses)

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Postdoc for theoretician to collaborate with experimentalists on hippocampal oscillations
by Canavier, Carmen C. Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

A postdoctoral position is available in the lab of Carmen Canavier at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. This is an exciting opportunity to participate as a theoretician in a synergistic loop with John White's experimental group at Boston University on gamma oscillations in excitatory and inhibitory neural networks. The successful candidate must be creative and able to work as part of a team. Both network level and single cell modeling using NEURON will be utilized in concert with nonlinear dynamics and other analytical methods to develop and test neural signatures of different oscillatory mechanisms. Quantitative training in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or a related field is required, as well as some programming expertise. Some knowledge of neuroscience and familiarity with Linux is preferred. Please contact Dr. Canavier at ccanav(a)lsuhsc.edu if you are interested. The position is available immediately, but we are also interested in strong candidates who will graduate in the spring or summer.

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IMRF 2020 | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | Deadline March 01, 2020
by Marc Ernst Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

**** IMRF 2020 | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | Deadline March 01, 2020 **** IMRF - the International Multisensory Research Forum - is now accepting abstracts to be considered for poster and talk presentations at the IMRF 2020 Meeting. The IMRF 2020 is taking place in Ulm, Germany June 22-25, 2020. The IMRF hosts around 300 contributions from all over the world on topics of multisensory perception, ranging from neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, computer science, behavioral biology and its applications. With this it is the major conference in this field. Abstracts should be submitted through the IMRF 2020 web-page <https://cops.ifp.uni-ulm.de/imrf2020/index.php/imrf-2020/registration-submi…>. They should be no more than 300 words. Each individual may present only one contribution. Presenters should be first author. An author can be co-author on more than one contribution. Submission Deadline: March 1, 2020 Decisions will be made by end of March. Registration will open shortly. For more information see the IMRF 2020 web-page <https://cops.ifp.uni-ulm.de/imrf2020/index.php> You can submit your abstracts here <https://cops.ifp.uni-ulm.de/imrf2020/index.php/imrf-2020/registration-submi…>. Looking forward to see you in Ulm later this year, On behalf of the IMRF 2020 organizing team --------------------------------------------------------- Prof. Dr. Marc Ernst Appl. Cognitive Psychology Faculty for Computer Science, Engineering, and Psychology Ulm University Albert-Einstein-Allee 43 89081 Ulm room: 43.3.103 phone: +49-731-50 320 50 sekr: +49-731-50 320 51 fax: +49-731-50 320 59 mobile: +49-152-22 543 156 marc.ernst(a)uni-ulm.de <mailto:marc.ernst@uni-ulm.de>

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NeuroBridges 2020 School announcement
by Ahmed El Hady Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

*/NeuroBridges 2020 Summer school , Cluny, France/* */( September 6th - September 17th, 2020)/* *//* I would like to bring to your attention the NeuroBridges 2020 Summer School <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2020.html> <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2020.html> NeuroBridges <https://www.facebook.com/NeuroBridges/>is a one-of-a-kind series of scientific meetings in brain research, which brings together Mediterranean and Middle Eastern scientists, in order to promote international scientific cooperation in system and computational neuroscience. A major goal of this school is to serve as a bridge between experimental and theoretical neuroscientists, addressing system-level questions. This year the school will primarily focus on the neural basis and computational principles underlying decision making. *The forthcoming NeuroBridges 2020*will be a ten-day summer school. Students will attend lectures delivered by a group of leading neuroscientists, experimentalists as well as theoreticians, which will address the fundamental questions in the field of decision making. 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 (but not only) from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region either working in their home countries or abroad. We will consider applicants with some background in related fields in neuroscience or cognitive psychology. Through the online application system, you will be asked to provide personal details, academic background, a motivation letter that should include a paragraph about your quantitative skills and a CV. In addition, we request two recommendation letters. The school will take place between *September 6 and September 17, 2020* in Le Centre de Conferences 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. *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). Review of applications will end in May 2020. *2020 Faculty:* Carlos Brody (Princeton) <https://pni.princeton.edu/faculty/carlos-brody> Ahmed El Hady (Princeton) <http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home> David Hansel (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/david-hansel/> Ifat Levy (Yale) <https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/ifat_levy> Yonatan Loewenstein (Hebrew U.) <https://elsc.huji.ac.il/faculty-staff/yonatan-loewenstein> Najib Majaj (NYU) <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Najib_Majaj> Mike Shadlen (Columbia U.) <https://neuroscience.columbia.edu/profile/michaelshadlen> Eyal Winter (Hebrew U.) <http://www.ma.huji.ac.il/%7Emseyal/> Yoram Yovell (Hadassah Hebrew U. Medical Center) <http://yovell.co.il/en/> The deadline for application is *April 1st, 2020 *and the following is the website including the link for the online application: http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2020.html <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2019.html> <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2019.html> For more information, please contact neurobridges2020(a)gmail.com <mailto:neurobridges2018@gmail.com>.

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[jobs] several positions in embodied computational models of body representations @CTU Prague
by Matej Hoffmann Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

** *Dear colleagues, * * there are several positions open in the humanoid, cognitive, neuro-, and collaborative robotics group coordinated by Dr. Matej Hoffmann (https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/) at the Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague. The positions include PhD, post-doc, and tenure-track. Group webpage: https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/research/groups-teams/humanoids/ The topics are in the context of the newly starting 5-year project entitled “Whole-body awareness for safe and natural interaction: from brains to collaborative robots” for excellence in fundamental research from the Czech Science Foundation (see https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/news/new-gacr-expro-project <https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/news/new-gacr-expro-project/>for more information) and include: * Employing humanoid robots with artificial skin to construct embodied computational models of body and peripersonal space representations * Neural network models of multisensory integration and peripersonal space * Physical human-robot interaction with special focus on tactile and proximity sensing * Social human-robot interaction focusing on touch and interpersonal distance Open positions: PhD student. The topic will be co-defined with the student depending on his skills and interests. The standard duration of the PhD study is 4 years. The funding corresponds to a gross salary of CZK 40 000 per month (approx. 1600 EUR), plus direct bonuses for scientific achievements such as top-tier publications. Postdoc. The postdoc will independently conduct research and will also be involved in shaping the research of the group and supervising students. The gross salary will be in the range of CZK 50 000-70 000 per month (approx. 2000-2700 EUR) depending on qualification, plus direct bonuses for scientific achievements such as top-tier publications. Tenure-track. This position is open in the humanoids group or in the broader context of Vision for Robotics and Autonomous Systems group (https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/research/groups-teams/vras/) and the Research Center For Informatics (http://rci.cvut.cz/) Robots and infrastructure The humanoids group has at its disposal several humanoid robots (iCub - procurement being finalized, 2 Naos - 1 with whole-body sensitive skin) and collaborative or lightweight manipulators (KUKA LBR iiwa, UR10e with Airskin, Kinova Gen3). Additional infrastructure includes several robot hands (Barrett Hand BH8-282, QB Soft Hand) and grippers, a 3D Motion Capture System, Impact measuring devices (GTE), and integrated devices for collaborative robots (http://smartrobots.it/) The group has also access to the facilities of the Research Center for Informatics such as a high-performance computational cluster. International collaborations There is a large group of international experts who have agreed to act as collaborators/advisors on the project. These include experts in - developmental psychology: Dr. Kevin O’Regan (CNRS, Paris), Prof. Jeffrey J. Lockman (Tulane University, New Orleans) - cognitive psychology and neuroscience: Prof. Matthew Longo (Birkbeck University, London), Prof. Tobias Heed (Bielefeld), Prof. Andrea Serino (University of Lausanne), Dr. Jean-Paul Noel (Center for Neural Science at New York University), Drs. M.Gori and Giulia Cappagli (Italian Institute of Technology, Dr. S. Signorini (IRCSS Fondazione Mondino Pavia) - physical human-robot interaction: Prof. Sami Haddadin (TU Munich), Dr. Arash Ajoudani (Italian Institute of Technology), Dr. Michael Zillich (Blue Danube Robotics – manufacturer of Airskin) - social human-robot interaction: Dr. Alessandra Sciutti (Italian Institute of Technology), Dr. Hagen Lehmann (University of Macerata) How to apply. The application should include: ** -**Motivation letter (max. 1 page) ** - *CV (including 2 reference persons)* ** -***1 Letter of recommendation (can be from 1 of the reference persons above)*** Please send the applications or inquiries to matej.hoffmann(a)fel.cvut.cz <mailto:matej.hoffmann@fel.cvut.cz>with (“[PhD / Postdoc / tenure-track] application” in the subject). The positions are open until filled. Best regards, Matej Hoffmann * -- Matej Hoffmann, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Cybernetics Faculty of Electrical Engineering Czech Technical University in Prague https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home +420 224 357 387

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PhD and MSc Opportunities in Computational Neuroscience and Neuroimaging at the University of Toronto
by John Griffiths Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

The Whole Brain Modelling Group (PI Dr. John Griffiths; www.grifflab.com) at the CAMH Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics ( www.krembilneuroinformatics.ca) and University of Toronto is looking for PhD and MSc students with a strong background in computational neuroscience and/or neuroimaging. The focus of the Group’s work is computational models of large-scale brain activity, with particular emphases on neural dynamics as measured by M/EEG and fMRI, oscillations, brain stimulation (TMS, TDCS), neural plasticity, and macro-connectomics. The student shall conduct research in one or more of these areas. They will have the opportunity to shape the details of the project based on their specific interests, as well as to contribute to other ongoing projects on a range of topics, including: neuroinformatics of whole-brain modelling, mapping and modelling anatomical connectivity and microstructure with DWI in relation to ageing and stroke, and multi-scale modelling of the thalamocortical system in relation to sleep, pharmacological neuromodulation, and neuropsychiatric disease. The successful candidate should have, minimally, an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, engineering, physics, mathematics, psychology, or related area, and a demonstrable track record of research experience and interest in computational neuroscience and/or neuroimaging. Expertise in one or more modern scientific computing programming language (Python, Matlab, Julia, R, C++) is essential. The candidate should also have familiarity with one or both of: i) neuroimaging data analysis (s/d/fMRI and/or M/EEG), and ii) computational modelling using numerical simulations (particularly modelling of neural population activity with mean-field/neural mass/neural field techniques, either with custom implementations or with tools such as The Virtual Brain Platform or Dynamic Causal Modelling). Full details of the position and application instructions can be found at www.grifflab.com/positions/ For informal inquiries, please email Dr. John Griffiths at john.griffiths(a)camh.ca with the title “PhD in Whole Brain Modelling” in the subject line ( Note: students interested in a September 2020 start at the University of Toronto should get in touch immediately to leave time for approaching application deadlines ) -- Dr. John D. Griffiths Independent Scientist @ Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, CAMH, Toronto Assistant Professor @ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto www.grifflab.com

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[publication and call for dialog] IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems
by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

Dear colleagues, we are happy to announce the release of the latest issue of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (open access). This is a biannual newsletter addressing the sciences of developmental and cognitive processes in natural and artificial organisms, from humans to robots, at the crossroads of cognitive science, developmental psychology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and neuroscience. It is available at: https://goo.gl/NAwBfD Featuring dialog: === "Curiosity as Driver of Extreme Specialization in Humans" == Dialog initiated by Celeste Kidd with responses from: Elizabeth Bonawitz, Maya Zhe Wang, Brian Sweis, Benjamin Hayden, Susan Engel, Abigail Hsiung, Shabnam Hakimi, Alison Adcock, Moritz Daum, Arjun Shankar, Tobias Hauser, Goren Gordon and Perry Zurn == Topic: Curiosity-driven learning is probably one of the most fundamental mechanisms in human learning, and yet it is also probably one of the least understood. Broadly construed as spontaneous exploration and engagement with activities or material without any extrinsic goal (as opposed to searching for information useful for an extrinsic goal), many mysteries remain to be uncovered. What are the causal links between curiosity and learning? How does prior knowledge about a topic or an activity relates to curiosity about this topic? What is the role of curiosity in life-span development? Can human curiosity explain the apparently unique tendency of humans for extreme specialization? Reversely, how do different forms of curiosity (diversive or specific) evolve as children grow up and become adults? While early computational models of curiosity propose theoretical approaches to understand their cognitive mechanisms, how can we understand the affective/ emotional dimensions of curiosity? And how has the linguistic concept of “curiosity” evolved in occidental culture? Call for new dialog: === « Leveraging Adaptive Games to Learn How to Help Children Learn Effectively" == Dialog initiated by George Kachergis == Topic: How can one achieve efficiently “translational educational sciences” and get these principles used in real-world large-scale educational technologies? In this dialog, Georges Kachergis highlights challenges related to collaborations between cognitive scientists and game developers, how to deploy real world experiments, and how to enable scientific understanding when many variables cannot easily be controlled? Those of you interested in reacting to this dialog initiation are welcome to submit a response by December 15th, 2018. The length of each response must be between 600 and 800 words including references (contact pierre-yves.oudeyer(a)inria.fr) Let us remind you that all issues of the newsletter are all open-access and available at: https://goo.gl/ZjjZNz I wish you a stimulating reading! Best regards, Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, Editor of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems Research director, Inria Head of Flowers project-team Inria and Ensta ParisTech, France http://www.pyoudeyer.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/pyoudeyer and Fabien Benureau, Editorial Assistant Cognitive NeuroRobotics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa Japan Email: fabien.benureau [at] oist [dot] jp

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UK PhD opportunities in Computational/Mathematical Biology or Neuroscience (EPSRC funded, 3.5 yrs, Sept 2020 start)
by James Rankin Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

*PhD in Computational/Mathematical Biology or Neuroscience (EPSRC funded, 3.5 yrs, Sept 2020 start) * There are a number projects proposed in Computational and Mathematical Biology or Neuroscience in the following call (follow Research Theme link to Mathematical biology and medicine). General information & apply (funding is primarily targeted at currently UK-based students): http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/index.php?id=3830 Deadline is soon: 30th January. Contact: j.a.rankin(a)exeter.ac.uk or m.goodfellow(a)exeter.ac.uk

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