- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Fully-funded PhD Position in Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience

by Alireza Soltani

Fully-funded PhD Position in Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience The Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (CCNL) at Dartmouth has a fully-funded PhD position for a motivated student to work on an exciting project on the role of attention in reward-based learning. The project involves a combination of human experiments and computational modeling. Experimentally, it aims to extend our previous studies that examined learning with multiple cues (Soltani et al, 2016) and multi-dimensional cues (Farashahi et al, 2017; Farashahi et al, 2020). In terms of computational modeling, the aim is to extend current mechanistic models (c.f., Soltani et al, 2016 and Farashahi et al, 2017) as well as recurrent neural networks to better understand the role of attention in learning from high-dimensional stimuli and how complex learning strategies emerge over time. A suitable candidate would have a strong background in cognitive and/or computational neuroscience, good computer programming skills, and a strong desire to understand neural mechanisms underlying cognition. Interested candidates should contact Alireza Soltani (Alireza.Soltani(a)dartmouth.edu) To apply, please visit the Dartmouth PBS’s Graduate Admissions page <https://pbs.dartmouth.edu/menufeature/graduate/graduate-admissions> For more recent publications from the lab please visit http://ccnl.dartmouth.edu <http://ccnl.dartmouth.edu/> Relevant references: 1. Soltani A, Khorsand P, Guo CZ, Farashahi S, Liu J (2016). Neural Substrates of Cognitive Biases during Probabilistic Inference. Nature Communications, 7:11393 2. Farashahi S, Rowe K, Aslami Z, Lee D, Soltani A (2017). Feature-based Learning Improves Adaptability without Compromising Precision. Nature Communications, 8:1768. 3. Farashahi S, Xu J, Wu S-W, Soltani A (2020). Learning Arbitrary Stimulus-Reward Associations for Naturalistic Stimuli Involves Transition from Learning about Features to Learning about Objects. Cognition, 205.

Nov. 15, 2020

Assistant Professor / Postdoc position in computational neuroscience and/or developmental robotics at the University of Tokyo

by Yukie Nagai

Dear colleagues, The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN) at the University of Tokyo is looking for highly motivated full-time Assistant Professor / Postdoc researchers in the field of computational neuroscience and/or developmental robotics. The selected candidates will join Cognitive Developmental Robotics Laboratory head by Prof. Yukie Nagai and have the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary research integrating computer science, robotics, neuroscience, cognitive science, and psychology. If you are interested in being considered, please send the required documents to yukie(a)ircn.jp. Assistant Professor / Postdoc Researcher at IRCN, the University of Tokyo https://ircn.jp/en/careers/postdoctoral-fellow-project-researcher-nagai-lab… Cognitive Developmental Robotics Laboratory (Nagai Lab) http://developmental-robotics.jp --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Job title: Project Assistant Professor / Project Researcher (Postdoctoral Fellow) 2. Starting Date: Negotiable 3. Term: The first contract will be ended on March 31, 2021. The contract is renewable on a fiscal year basis (from April 1 to March 31; every year) according to research budget, research activity, and research achievements. Contract duration is until March 31, 2023. 4. Place of Work International Research Center for Neurointelligence, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo, 113-0033 JAPAN 5. Qualifications (Required) - Ph.D. in Engineering, Ph.D. in Computer Science or equivalent in a related field - Good communication skill in English (Preferred) - Experiences in computational neuroscience, neural network, machine learning, and/or developmental robotics will be preferred. 6. Compensation & Benefits - Salary: To be determined in accordance with the University of Tokyo Regulations - Commuter allowance: JPY55,000 per month at maximum - Social Insurance: Eligible for MEXT Mutual Aid Association membership, employees’ pension, employment insurance, and workers’ accident compensation insurance. - Vacation: Annual paid vacation, Sick leave (paid), Special vacation (paid) 7. Working Hours Discretionary labor system, based on 7 hours, 45 minutes per day, or 38 hours 45 minutes per week 8. Holidays Saturdays and Sundays; Statutory public holidays of Japan; Year-end and New Year holidays (December 29 through January 3); Summer holidays 9. Applications and Selection Process - Applications deadline: When the position is filled - Application documents: (a) Cover letter in English (b) Curriculum vita in English (c) Publication list (d) Name and contact address for two references, one of which should be a previous employer - Submission: Interested applicants should send application materials to: yukie(a)ircn.jp - Selection Process: All applications will be screened, and only those qualified will be scheduled for an interview (on-site or via video). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- — Yukie Nagai, Ph.D. Project Professor, The University of Tokyo nagai.yukie(a)mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp | http://developmental-robotics.jp CREST Cognitive Mirroring: http://cognitive-mirroring.org

Nov. 13, 2020

Scientific Liaison Officer position open at Jülich Supercomputing Center, Germany

by Abigail Morrison

Dear colleagues, we have a position open for a Scientific Liaison Officer for EBRAINS at the Jülich Supercomputing Center, Jülich Research Center, Germany. We are looking for candidates with excellent communication skills, a strong scientific background and computing skills to both promote EBRAINS in the neuroscientific community, and trigger development activities within the Human Brain Project to ensure the requirements of the community are being met. For a full description and details of how to apply, the announcement on our website: https://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Stellenangebote/_common/dna/2020-359-E… Closing date: 1.12.2020 All the best, Abigail Morrison -- Prof. Dr. Abigail Morrison IAS-6 / INM-6 / SimLab Neuroscience Jülich Research Center & Computer Science 3 - Software Engineering RWTH Aachen http://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-6 http://www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc/slns http://www.se-rwth.de Office: +49 2461 61-9805 Fax # : +49 2461 61-9460 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Volker Rieke Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nov. 12, 2020

Brain Connectivity Workshop 2021

by Tanya Brown

After careful deliberation, and based on the latest public health authority information on COVID-19, along with swirling uncertainties regarding travel and gatherings, we have decided to host the next Brain Connectivity <https://bcw-2021.com/>Workshop <https://bcw-2021.com/> online. We are pleased to announce that it has been rescheduled for *MAY 25-28, 2021. *We a im to make this event accessible and inclusive and the timing of the schedule will aim to satisfy a global audience. Registration for the Brain Connectivity Workshop 2021 is Now Open <https://bcw-2021.com/register>. **Spots are limited in order to facilitate discussion throughout the workshop** This year we will revisit that primordial theme from a different perspective: *"What does the mind think of the brain?"* focusing the discussions around what we have learned about our mind over the last 20 years of brain connectomics. The topics will focus on *consciousness and cognition*, looking at the tripartite relationship between anatomical connectivity, brain dynamics and cognitive function. *SPEAKERS* | Dani Bassett | Gustavo Deco | Athena Demertzi | Andreea Diaconescu | Lisa Feldman Barrett | Emily Finn | Karl Friston | | Mike Halassa | Biyu Jade He | Sean Hill | Viktor Jirsa | Michael Mack | Randy McIntosh | Bratislav Misic | | Rosalyn Moran | Petra Ritter | Mac Shine | Enzo Tagliazucchi | Giulio Tononi | Brandon Turner | Please check the BCW website <https://bcw-2021.com/> for more details about the *program* and *speakers* <https://bcw-2021.com/details>. *REGISTER TODAY* <https://bcw-2021.com/register> We hope you can join us, along with leaders in the field of brain connectomics. The BCW 2021 Organizers www.bcw-2021.com

Nov. 11, 2020

Data scientist position in the Cardona lab at the LMB

by Andrey Stoychev

The lab of Dr Albert Cardona (https://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/group-leaders/a-to-g/albert-cardona/) is seeking to recruit a junior data scientist -- for lack of a more appropriate name -- to work on connectomics in the Drosophila fly and in many other organisms at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK. This is a 3-year, full-time position that's all about imagery: from electron microscopy volumes to laser-scanning microscopy. Duties include data handling, image registration, segmentation with machine learning, synapse detection, and more. More information can be found in the following ad, which is now closed, but will reopen soon: https://mrc.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/appcentre-int/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/…. Please note that this ad claims that a PhD is necessary, but that's not at all a requirement. It also claims this position is for a postdoc, which is also not correct. Enquiries should be sent to Dr Albert Cardona at acardona(a)mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk. Applications should be either sent directly to Dr Albert Cardona, or submitted through the ad linked above (when it reopens).

Nov. 11, 2020

Postdoc positions in Computational/Systems Neuroscience at Washington University in St Louis

by Geoffrey Goodhill

POSTDOC POSITIONS IN THE NEW GOODHILL LAB AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY In 2021 I am starting a new Computational, Systems and Developmental Neuroscience lab at Washington University in St Louis (USA) and several postdoc positions will be available. The lab will primarily focus on the formation of neural circuits underlying behavior. This will include developing novel experimental, computational and theoretical methods, and applying them to domains including hunting behavior, social behavior and sleep. The lab will be fully integrated between experimental and theoretical work, performing behavioral and calcium imaging experiments with zebrafish models, and will also have collaborations with other labs working on a range of model systems. Besides questions in basic neuroscience, a particular area of focus will be the circuit perturbations that underlie Autism Spectrum Disorders. For a list of previous publications see www.goodhill.org/pubs.html<http://www.goodhill.org/pubs.html> For these positions particularly suitable backgrounds include computational neuroscience, systems neuroscience, zebrafish neuroscience, optical physics, or more generally physics, applied mathematics, engineering and computer science. Washington University in St Louis is ranked in the top 10 globally for Neuroscience and Behavior, and offers an outstanding intellectual environment for neuroscience research. The lab will be based at the Medical School between the departments of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, but also expects to develop strong links with the Faculty of Engineering and departments of Mathematics and Physics. If you would like to discuss these positions further please contact me at my current address below, including a detailed CV and cover letter explaining your interest. Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Queensland Brain Institute and School of Mathematics & Physics University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Email: g.goodhill(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:g.goodhill@uq.edu.au> http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/professor-geoffrey-goodhill

Nov. 11, 2020

postdoc position to study spike dynamics in the thalamus during sleep and memory

by Carmen Varela

We are looking for a talented and highly motivated postdoc interested in studying the *dynamics of thalamic cell ensemble activity during learning and memory in rodents. *One of the goals in the Varela lab is to investigate the spike dynamics and brain states that allow animals to learn and make sense of their environment. https://www.varelalab.org/ The postdoctoral researcher will gain expertise in systems and behavioral neuroscience using extracellular electrophysiology and behavior to study the spike dynamics associated with sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Possibility of contributing to additional collaborative projects. We are a small young lab and highly interactive; we love what we do and work closely to support and help each other succeed. The lab is located in the beautiful Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University, a rapidly growing neuroscience hub that also holds our partners, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and Scripps Research Institute. *Requirements:* PhD with experience in electrophysiology and rodent models; outstanding interpersonal skills and motivation to work in a collaborative environment. Experience with MATLAB (or other programming languages) preferred. Candidates selected for an interview will be asked to provide contact information for three references. Start date flexible, January-May of 2021. *Interested applicants, please submit your curriculum to Carmen Varela: varelac(a)fau.edu <varelac(a)fau.edu>* FAU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veterans’ status or any other characteristic protected by law. -- *Carmen Varela, Ph.D.* Assistant Professor Psychology Department Florida Atlantic University MC-19, room 106 Jupiter, FL 33458

Nov. 10, 2020

Phd project in Brighton, UK, within SoCoBio's 4-year doctoral training program

by Sylvia Schröder

Within SoCoBio‘s 4-year doctoral training program <https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/>, the labs of Sylvia Schröder <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/labs/schroeder-lab/index> and Leon Lagnado <https://lagnadolab.com/> are offering the following Phd project in collaboration with their industrial partner, Scientifica <https://www.scientifica.uk.com/>: * **“Integration of visual and behavioural signals in the early visual system”* In this project, you will discover how retinal, cortical and neuromodulatory inputs shape the responses of visual neurons in the superior colliculus. The goal of your Phd project is to understand the mechanisms of signal integration, i.e. which inputs to the superior colliculus shape its neural activity, and the advantages of this integration for visual processing. You will use two-photon imaging in awake mice to simultaneously record activity of neurons in the superior colliculus as well as of axons originating in the retina, visual cortex, or brainstem nuclei such as the dorsal raphe (serotonin). You will compare the responses of the axonal inputs to those in the neurons, and you will observe how these signals change depending on the visual input and the behaviour of the animal. In the beginning of your project, you will develop an advanced imaging technique in collaboration with our industrial partner, Scientifica. You will adapt the existing two-photon microscope to image two separate fields of view simultaneously. This technique, termed multi-region imaging, will enable you to record inputs and outputs of superior colliculus at sufficient detail, speed, and quantity. Application to the program: https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/ <https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/> Project description: https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/project/integration-of-visual-and-mo… <https://southcoastbiosciencesdtp.ac.uk/project/integration-of-visual-and-mo…> For further information, contact sylvia.schroeder(a)ucl.ac.uk

Nov. 10, 2020

13 fully-funded PhD positions for "SmartNets"

by Fleur Zeldenrust

Dear all, The "SmartNets <http://www.smartnets-etn.eu>" consortium is looking for a total 13 PhD students studying network computation. The objective of SmartNets is to provide high-level training into the functioning of biological networks to a new generation of early stage researchers, to provide them with the skills necessary for thriving careers in a burgeoning area that underpins innovative technological development across a range of diverse disciplines. This goal will be achieved by a unique combination of “hands-on” research training, non-academic placements (industrial and non-profit organisations) and courses and workshops on both scientific and complementary -so-called “soft”- skills facilitated by the academic-non-academic composition of the consortium. SmartNets brings together neuroscientists, behavioural and cognitive scientists, physicists, computer scientists, and non-profit stakeholders in order to train the next generation of data scientists that will: 1) develop a fundamental understanding of the relationship between structure and function in biological networks and 2) translate this knowledge into novel technological solutions. The PhD students will develop a unique interdisciplinary set of skills that will make them capable of analyzing networks at many levels and for many systems. There are positions across 5 countries and institutes (Fleur Zeldenrust, Radboud University, the Netherlands; Tansu Celikel, Radboud University the Netherlands; Julijana Gjorgjieva, Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany; Iain Couzin, Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany; Yiota Poirazi, Foundation for Research and Technology, Greece; Georges Debrégeas, Sorbonne Université, France; Joni Dambre, Ghent University, Belgium). For more information, please refer to https://www.smartnets-etn.eu/vacancies/ Best regards, Fleur Zeldenrust -- Fleur Zeldenrust Assistant Professor Department of Neurophysiology Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Faculty of Science, Radboud University Heyendaalseweg 135, postvak 33, kamer 02.204 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands tel +31 24 36 53195 fleurzeldenrust.nl

Nov. 9, 2020

Master + PhD offer: A computational model of the retino-thalamo-cortical pathway

by Bruno Cessac

The new French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) project "ShootingStar" aims at studying the unexplored neuroscience and psychophysics of the visual perception of fast (over 100 deg/s) motion, and incorporating these results into models of the early visual system. This project involves the Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center (Paris), the Institut des Neurosciences de la Timone (Marseille), the vision Institute (Paris), NeuroPsi (Paris) and the INRIA Biovision team (Sophia-Antipolis). In this context B. Cessac (Biovision) and A. Destexhe (NeuroPsi) aim at developing a retino-thalamico-cortical mean-field model of the primary visual system. We have a funding for a PhD, that can be preceded by a 6 month Master 2 internship. We are seeking talented, curious and open-minded young scientists with strong backgrounds in physics or computer science, strong interests in neuroscience, and solid skills in programming (C++ and Python). The application deadline is 30th December 2020. For more detail please visit: [ https://team.inria.fr/biovision/files/2020/10/2020-internship-M2-shootingst… | https://team.inria.fr/biovision/files/2020/10/2020-internship-M2-shootingst… ] Bruno Cessac Directeur de Recherche Inria-Senior scientist Head of BIOVISION team 2004 Route des Lucioles 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex 2 Email: bruno.cessac(a)inria.fr Phone: +33-4-9238-5035 Fax: +33-4-9238-7845 Webpage: https://team.inria.fr/biovision/bruno-cessac/

Nov. 9, 2020

Free Online Seminar: How to build your own Connectome?

by Markus Butz-Ostendorf

Dear List, My apologies for cross-postings first of all! I would like to draw your attention to our second online seminar on Connectomics. We have invited our clinical neuroimaging specialist Dr Yong Li from Biomax Brain Science to demonstrate how brain tumors change the human Connectome and how the Connectome heals after tumor surgery. Abstract at the end of this message. The seminar takes place online on Tue, 10 Nov 2020 at 3pm (CET). Participation is free of charge but registration is kindly requested via this link https://www.biomax.com/webinar Explore NICARA yourself by registering a free demo account at https://ssl.biomax.de/nicara/ Kind regards, Markus == *Abstract* Brain damage such as tumors, traumatic brain injury or stroke alter the characteristics of the broader connectome—the map of all neural connections in the brain. A hot topic in ongoing research using the connectome approach is how brain rewiring can compensate for lesion-induced cognitive deficits before and after intervention. The site of a lesion within the connectome is critical. Damage of a node that acts e.g. as an integrator hub of several subnetworks is significantly more detrimental to cognitive functions than a damaged node with low connectivity or existing by-passes. Understanding brain rewiring in response to lesions is the major focus of clinical as well as computational neuroscience projects (such as The Virtual Brain) to pave the way for personalized medicine in neurology and related fields. In this online seminar we will focus on brain tumors and explore their effects on the connectome using NICARA™. A particular image processing pipeline in NICARA, employing the best available open-source tools for image preprocessing and probabilistic fiber tracking, enabled us to automatically extract full brain tractography based structural connectome data from DTI raw images. Besides the pipeline, we will discuss quality control mechanisms especially designed for the assessment of large cohorts. As an example, data set we used the Brain Tumor Connectomics Data (Aerts H et al. Modeling Brain Dynamics in Brain Tumor Patients Using the Virtual Brain. eNeuro. 2018 Jun 4;5(3): ENEURO.0083-18.2018.) and assessed alterations in major white matter fiber tracts before and after surgery. For quantification, provided not only the abstract presentation of digitalized connectome networks in MNI space by a 3D lattice graphs but also offered fiber density maps directly in the patient’s native T1w for a precise judgement of fiber pathway density distribution in the vicinity of, and remote to, a tumor. Our clinical neuroimaging specialist Dr. Yong Li will further show how he uses NICARA to explore, manage and compare extracted connectome networks for group comparisons, individual patient-matched controls comparisons and longitudinal assessments. NICARA is a novel neuroimaging tool created by clinical neuroimaging scientists for clinical and translational neuroscience users. A technical introduction by product manager Dr. Markus Butz-Ostendorf at the end of the seminar on how NICARA stores and retrieves connectome information using of knowledge models will complement the scientific presentation. The seminar will take place on November 10, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (CET) and will last about 45 minutes. Make use of this opportunity and register today at www.biomax.com/webinar. Next seminar for Pharmacologists : 1/12/2020, 3:00 pm To register, please go to https://www.biomax.com/webinar and request your access data via the webinar page. We are looking forward to meeting you. -- Dr. rer. nat. Markus Butz-Ostendorf Innovation Manager Brain Science Senior Product Manager Biomax Informatics AG Robert-Koch-Str. 2, 82152 Planegg, Germany Registergericht: Amtsgericht München, HRB 134442 Vorstand: Dr. Klaus Heumann Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Mewes Tel: +49 89 895574-862 Fax: +49 89 895574-825 Email:markus.butz-ostendorf@biomax.com Website:http://www.biomax.com PGP:https://ssl.biomax.de/pgp/

Nov. 6, 2020

COSYNE 2021: Abstract submission closes soon; Registration info

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2021 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING ONLINE 24 - 26 February 2021 www.cosyne.org ==================================================== The Cosyne abstract deadline is just one week away! Abstracts are due November 12, 2020 by 11.59pm PST. This year, because of the generous support of donors, we will be able to make registration low- or no-cost for a large number of attendees. Registration will open after final decisions are made on abstracts in January 2021. Registration rates will be $25 for students and postdocs, $100 for all other academics, and $150 for corporate attendees. We will have a fee waiver open for >1000 registrants. We will share additional details as support is finalized in the next few weeks. If you would like help revising your abstract before the deadline, or helping provide feedback to others, please consider joining the Cosyne Mentoring Forum! Rainer Engelken and Stephanie Palmer are organizing a google group to offer positive, constructive critiques of abstracts, along with "pro tips" for conveying the ideas and impact in your work effectively. Please sign up to review abstracts and submit your own for feedback. You can email sepalmer [at] uchicago.edu directly and also join the Cosyne mentoring group. Visit Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details on how to join the group. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural basis of behavior, sensory and motor systems, circuitry, learning, neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. Cosyne 2021 will take place online, February 24 - 26, 2021. The goal of this year's meeting is to promote early stage investigators. Therefore, there are no invited talks from established researchers. The format will include featured contributed talks chosen from submitted abstracts, and interactive poster-like presentations (short recorded presentation + live interactions). More details to follow. All abstract submissions will be reviewed as in previous years, but reviewing will be fully double blind. When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE 2021 TUTORIAL ---------------------------------------------------- Cosyne 2021 main meeting will be preceded by an online Cosyne Tutorial Session led by Kanaka Rajan (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) on 23 February 2021. More details will be posted on www.cosyne.org. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General & Program Chairs: Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris) Diversity Chairs: Eva Dyer (Georgia Tech, Emory) and Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Publicity Chair: Adam Calhoun (Princeton) Tutorial Chair: Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Development Chair: Michael Long (NYU) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) PROGRAM COMMITTEE Athena Akrami (UCL) Demba Ba (Harvard) Omri Barak (Technion) Brice Bathellier (Paris) Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) Christine Constantinople (NYU) Saskia De Vries (Allen Institute) Victor de Lafuente (UNAM Mexico) Jan Drugowitsch (Harvard) Tatiana Engel (CSHL) Annegret Falkner (Princeton) Kevin Franks (Duke) Tim Hanks (UC Davis) Ann Hermundstad (Janelia) Andrew Leifer (Princeton) Sukbin Lim (Shanghai) Scott Linderman (Stanford) Mackenzie Mathis (EPFL Lausanne) Ida Momennejad (Microsoft) Cris Niell (U Oregon) Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Adrien Peyrache (McGill Montreal) Kanaka Rajan (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) Robert Rosenbaum (Notre Dame) Christina Savin (NYU) Marshal Shuler (Johns Hopkins) Daniela Vallentin (Max Planck Munich) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details.

Nov. 5, 2020

Grant For Equipping Electrophysiology Labs

by Maryam

Dear researchers, We are happy to announce that in order to accelerate neuroscience researches, ScienceBeam, a designer and manufacturer of neuroscience applications including EEG/ERP, QEEG, Neuro-Biofeedback and animal electrophysiology systems, is providing limited number of grants (30% - 70%) for equipping the neuroscience/electrophysiology laboratories to any young researcher with a well-defined research proposal. We particularly want to encourage outstanding candidates to apply for the ScienceBeam grant. We are also very keen to invite graduate students, who are towards the end of their Ph.D. and desire to return to their country to promote research in the field of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience. This Grant is offered for the below equipment: ➢ Neuro-biofeedback device ➢ Animal electrophysiology system ➢ EEG/QEEG/ERP acquisition system Consider the below terms and conditions: • Researches related to diagnosis and treatment of sensorimotor disorders (Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson) • Researches related to diagnosis and treatment of psychological and cognitive disorders. • Researches related to diagnosis and treatment of mental and nervous rehabilitation. To apply for any above grants please consider the following points: • Candidates should have a Ph.D. in neuroscience, physiology, pharmacology, psychology, medical engineering, and any related area. • Interested candidates must send an email request to grant(a)sciencebeam.com including their resumes and research proposal. • Candidates should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and a clear research proposal describing her/his research plan for two next year’s describing why they need our products. • Young candidates should arrange for two letters of recommendation sent on their behalf to grant(a)sciencebeam.com • All materials must be submitted to grant(a)sciencebeam.com until December 1st, 2020. For more information visit the link below: https://sciencebeam.com/mid-autumn-festival/ And submit your resume and research proposals to: grant(a)sciencebeam.com

Nov. 5, 2020

Virtual Training Webinar: Introduction to the Neuroscience Gateway Using NEURON and EEGLAB; November 20, 2020; 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM US Pacific Time

by Majumdar, Amitava

Date of Neuroscience Gateway training webinar: Friday, November 20, 2020 Time: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM US Pacific Time Registration is free (but total registration is limited): https://www.sdsc.edu/event_items/202011_NSGwebinar.html The Neuroscience Gateway (NSG<https://www.nsgportal.org/index.html>) enables large scale modeling and data processing research in neuroscience. NSG provides easy to use web portal based and programmatic access to supercomputing and high throughput computing resources. NSG is free and open to researchers and students. NSG provides about 20 widely used neuroscience software<https://www.nsgportal.org/software.html> for modeling, simulation, data processing, data analysis and machine learning optimally installed on supercomputing and high throughput computing resources. Neuroscientists who plan to use NSG for their research, irrespective of which of the NSG-provided neuroscience software they may use, will find this webinar useful. This webinar will provide training on how to use the NSG and its various features within the context of two widely used neuroscience software for modeling and data processing - NEURON and EEGLAB. The NEURON<https://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/> simulation environment is used by researchers and students worldwide for building and using computational models of neurons and networks of neurons. EEGLAB<https://sccn.ucsd.edu/eeglab/index.php> is an interactive Matlab toolbox for processing continuous and event-related EEG, MEG and other electrophysiological data incorporating independent component analysis (ICA), time/frequency analysis, artifact rejection, event-related statistics. We will also talk about a new supercomputer called Expanse<https://www.sdsc.edu/services/hpc/expanse/> that is becoming available to NSG for running these software. NSG is funded by the US National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. Agenda (listed in Pacific Time) * 9:30am - 9:50am: Introduction to NSG * Amit Majumdar, Kenneth Yoshimoto, Subhashini Sivagnanam, San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California San Diego * 9:50am - 10:10am: Demo of using NSG - via the portal and the programmatic REST access * Subhashini Sivagnanam, San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California San Diego * 10:10am - 10:35am: Introduction to NEURON * Ted Carnevale, Department of Neurobiology, Yale University * 10:35am - 10:55am: Demo of using NSG for NEURON * Ted Carnevale, Department of Neurobiology, Yale University * 10:55am - 11:10am: Break * 11:10am - 11:30am: Introduction to EEGLAB * Arnaud Delorme, Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of California San Diego * 11:30am - 12:10pm: Demo of using NSG for EEGLAB * Arnaud Delorme, Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of California San Diego * 12:10pm - 12:30pm: Q&A For questions, please email nsghelp(a)sdsc.edu -Amit Majumdar NSG Team San Diego Supercomputer Center University of California San Diego

Nov. 4, 2020

Two year postdoctoral position in Computational Neuroscience at the European Neuroscience Institute

by Jaramillo, Jorge Hernan Hoyos

Dear Colleagues, The Distributed Neural Dynamics and Control group at the European Neuroscience Institute (ENI) in Göttingen, Germany invites applications for a two year postdoctoral position focused on the simulation of subcortical and cortical dynamics in the context of cognitive function and clinical applications. A quantitative background and programming skills are required (e.g., PhD in Computational Neuroscience, Physics, Engineering), while experience with dynamical systems and previous exposure to neurobiology are preferred. Details of the position and application instructions can be found here: https://www.umg.eu/karriere/stellenangebote/stellenanzeigen-detail/?jobId=3… Application deadline: 15 Nov, 2020 Start: January 2021. Women are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities and equal qualifications will be given preferential treatment. For any questions about the position, please contact Jorge Jaramillo ( j.jaramillo(a)eni-g.de ). Jorge Jaramillo ENI Group Leader: Distributed Neural Dynamics and Control http://www.eni-g.de/groups/distributed-neural-dynamics

Nov. 4, 2020

Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Learning Algorithms for Neurmorphic Computing, Stralsund, Germany

by André Grüning

In the lab of Prof Gruening and within the EU-funded research project "The Human Brain Project" we are offering a 24months fixed-term postdoctoral post, available immediately. ‍The formal job ad can be found at https://www.hochschule-stralsund.de/host/aktuelles/stellenangebote/ (in German only), but feel free to contact me informally in person and in English at <mailto:andre.gruening@hochschule-stralsund.de>. ‍Welcome to the University of Applied Sciences Stralsund! With our campus on the shores of the Baltic Sea, we deliver industrial related studies with excellent job prospects to about 2300 students. Life on our campus is characterised by excellent facilities for both teaching and research and flat hierarchies. The historical centre of the UNESCO world heritage town of Stralsund is within easy reach on foot; maritime water sports, nature and the island of Rugia at our doorstep stand for the highest quality of life. As a certified family-friendly institution we embrace modern life and a proper work-life balance. We are looking forward to meeting people who are keen to strengthen our research team and are advertising the following fixed-term post, subject to confirmation of funding: **Research Assistant (f/m/d) in the EU-funded research project “The Human Brain Project”** The post is available immediately for 24 months (full-time) for a postdoctoral candidate. You will be working in the area of artificial intelligence based on neuromorphic hardware. Neuromorphic hardware is a modern and active area of research with the aim to design devices for artificial intelligence that utilise the spike-based operation of biological nervous systems. The energy consumption of such systems for example promises to be an order of magnitude less than classical AI systems. Neuromorphic systems are being developed within academic research as well as in industry. The work will be carried out in close cooperation with research groups across Europe that are partners in the Human Brain Project, for example groups at the Universities of Heidelberg, Bern or Manchester. **Your job responsibilities include the following:** - Development, implementation and evaluation of learning rules for artificial spiking neural networks with the aim to realise deep learning on neuromorphic hardware. - Contribution to and cooperation within the international framework of the EU/H2020 Flagship project “The Human Brain Project”, see <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/> in the area described above. - Participation in project management and reporting. **We expect from you:** - A PhD in a relevant area, for example computer science, mathematics, physics, cognitive science and neuroscience or engineering. - Programming experience, for example Python, C, C++. Experience with embedded systems is a plus. - Experience within the area of artificial neural networks. - Keen interest to familiarise yourself with the neuroscientific foundations of the project. - Experience with Unix-like operating systems and tool chains. - Experience in the write up of scientific reports and publications. Experience with LaTeX is a plus. - Experience with presenting research results. - Solid mathematical expertise. - A conscientious, independent and self-motivated attitude towards work. **We offer:** - A diverse, interesting and challenging job at an innovative, modern and family friendly institution in the lively world-heritage and Hanseatic town of Stralsund. - A work contract subject to the collective labour agreement of the public service of the German federal states (TV-L). - Remuneration up to pay grade 13 subject to personal and collective qualifying conditions. - 40 hrs/week; part-time and flexible work is possible. The University of Applied Science Stralsund is keen to increase the proportion of female employees in all areas where they are underrepresented. We therefore expressly invite qualified women to apply. As a certified family-friendly institution we support actions to reconcile family and job. Childcare can be arranged for a potential future interview. At an equal level of professional aptitude, applicants with recognised disabilities or equivalent (please provide evidence) will be preferred. For details of the job description, please contact Prof André Grüning (E-Mail: <mailto:andre.gruening@hochschule-stralsund.de>). According to §68 Abs 3 PersVG M-V, the Employee Committee (Personalrat) gets involved into HR matters for research staff only on the candidate’s request. If desired, please include such request in free form within your application documents. Please send your job application with all relevant documents in a single pdf file to <mailto:bewerbungpersonal@hochschule-stralsund.de> or by mail to Hochschule Stralsund Vertrauliche Personalangelegenheit Dezernat Personal, Haushalt und Controlling Zur Schwedenschanze 15 18435 Stralsund on or before the **deadline of 15.11.2020**. Thereafter applications will be reviewed until the post is filled. The protection of your personal data is very important to us. We will therefore collect, process and utilise any data arising in the application process only in line with the applicable data protection regulations. As application documents cannot be returned, please submit copies only. The University of Applied Sciences Stralsund does not cover any application expenses, including those arising for a potential interview. -- Prof. Dr. André Grüning -- Mathematik und Künstliche Intelligenz Fakultät Elektrotechnik und Informatik Hochschule Stralsund -- Mathematics and Computational Intelligence Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science University of Applied Sciences Stralsund -- 18435 Stralsund Deutschland/Germany

Nov. 4, 2020

NEURON Virtual Course deadline approaching

by Ted Carnevale

*What:* The one-day NEURON course presented as a series of short webinars. *When:* The webinars will run from 1 PM to 3 PM New York time on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 16 and 17, and on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 23 and 24, 2020 *Speakers:* Ted Carnevale and Robert McDougal Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and the deadline is Friday, November 13, 2020 at 5 PM New York time. There is no fee, but *total registration will be limited to 40 individuals* in order to be most responsive to participants' questions. For more information and a link to the application form: https://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nrn2020/nrn2020.html

Nov. 4, 2020

Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD programme, Tübingen

by Peter Dayan

The Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and the University of Tübingen invite students from all over the world to apply for their interdisciplinary 5-year PhD program leading to a PhD in Neuroscience. Full funding will be available for top-ranked applicants. We are seeking talented, curious and open-minded young scientists with strong backgrounds in neuroscience, biomedical sciences, computational science, applied mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence, or engineering. Successful candidates will possess a burning aspiration to shape the future of neuroscience and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary, environment. The application deadline is 30th November 2020. Please visit: https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/imprs-mmfd for more details and information about applying. The PhD program is a collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and the University of Tübingen. It is closely affiliated with the renowned Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, the centerpiece of neuroscience training in Tübingen. Students (who should have been awarded a Bachelor's degree by September 2021) will receive a broad interdisciplinary training in neuroscience, including expert teaching by international renowned scientists and individual and intensive mentoring. Potential research topics cover a variety of fields in systems neuroscience, cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, computational neuroscience, translational and clinical neuroscience as well as cellular and molecular neuroscience. Teaching and research are conducted in English.

Nov. 3, 2020

Deadline extended to Nov. 15th Postdoctoral position for the development of acquisition, storage and processing pipelines for reproducible science building on the BIDS standard.

by Jochem Rieger

Dear colleagues, We have an open post-doc level position for 3+2 years at the Neuroimaging Unit of Uni Oldenburg for the development of tools and infrastructure for open data data and reproducible science based on the BIDS standard. The position complemented by a full time technician position for support. The announcement is below. Please contact me if you have questions. We are looking forward to applications, Jochem The Neuroimaging Unit at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg is seeking to fill the position of a *Postdoctoral Research Associate m/f/d *(Salary level E13 TVL, 100%) *for the development of acquisition, storage and processing pipelines for reproducible science building on the BIDS standard.* The position is embedded in a DFG Core Facility grant and is available*as soon as possible*for a duration of three years (with the possibility to extend another two years after successful project evaluation). The position is suitable for part-time work. In a newly funded project we aim to implement data storage and processing pipelines for reproducible science building on the BIDS standard. The Neuroimaging Unit hosts a state of the art MEG (Elekta Triux) and an MRI (Siemens Prisma 3T) and is embedded in an excellent interdisciplinary scientific environment with a strong research focus on neurosensory, neurocognitive, and medical research. The successful candidate is expected to actively contribute to the implementation of neuroscience data acquisition, storage, and reproducible analysis pipelines building on the BIDS standard at the University of Oldenburg, to contribute to community efforts, and dissemination. Therefore, candidates are expected to have an academic university degree (Master or equivalent) in the field of informatics, engineering, neuroscience or psychology and have shown their ability to perform excellent scientific work, demonstrated by the outstanding quality of their doctorate/PhD research and an excellent publication record. Prior experience with the BIDS standard as well as its programming, experience with neuroimaging techniques and data analysis (especially fMR or MEG/EEG) and fluency in English is required. Experience with open science tools and databases, other neurophysiological modalities, as well as knowledge of German are desirable. The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increase the percentage of female employees in the field of science. Therefore, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. In accordance to § 21 Section 3 NHG, female candidates with equal qualifications will be preferentially considered. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference in case of equal qualification. Please send your application including a cover letter, CV, list of potential referees, links to recent publications and copies of certificates for academic grades to Prof. Jochem Rieger, Department of Psychology, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; (jochem.rieger(a)uni-oldenburg.de <mailto:jochem.rieger@uni-oldenburg.de>). Electronic applications (one pdf file) are preferred. For inquiries please use the same contact. The application deadline is*15th of November 2020*. -- Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jochem Rieger Head of Applied Neurocognitive Psychology Head of Neuroimaging Unit Faculty VI Carl-von-Ossietzky University 26111 Oldenburg Germany Phone: +49(0)4417984533 Fax: +49(0)4417983865

Nov. 3, 2020

computational neuroscience postdoc at Harvard

by Sam Gershman

The Gershman lab <http://gershmanlab.webfactional.com> at Harvard University is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on modeling of the basal ganglia and dopamine function. The postdoc will work closely with experimentalists as part of an NIH-funded U19 grant. Candidates must have a strong background in computational neuroscience and reinforcement learning models. Experience with neural data analysis is desirable but not required. The start date for this position is on or around September 1, 2021, but this can be flexibly adjusted as needed. The position is fully funded for 3 years. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law. Interested applicants should contact Sam Gershman (gershman(a)fas.harvard.edu) along with a CV and list of references.

Nov. 3, 2020

faculty position in Computational Approaches to Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University

by Sue Becker

Dear colleagues, We have an open faculty position at the Assistant Professor level in Computational Approaches to Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. The candidate could conduct computational research in a wide range of areas. Please see the job advert and the link below for details. https://careers.mcmaster.ca/psp/prepprd/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SC… Please feel free to share this with others who may be interested. thanks and best wishes, Sue -- Sue Becker, Professor Neurotechnology and Neuroplasticity Lab, PI Dept. of Psychology Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University www.science.mcmaster.ca/pnb/department/becker [1] Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Computational Approaches to Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations, and within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. _Position Description_ The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position in Computational Approaches to Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at the Assistant Professor level, beginning July 1, 2021. The successful candidate will use computational models to investigate fundamental questions related to psychology, neuroscience, and/or behaviour. Applications from any area that applies computational modelling to understand neural function or behaviour are welcome. Applications from early-career candidates are especially encouraged. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, big data analytics and machine learning applied to neural or behavioural data, computational models of reward and motivation, computational models of learning and memory, computational models of social interactions, and computational models of spatial navigation. The candidate could apply models to any level of analysis, from neurons to circuits to systems to populations. The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour has long-standing strengths in cognitive and computational neuroscience, sensory systems and behavioural neuroscience, perception, cognition, development, evolutionary psychology, and animal behaviour. We value and encourage collaboration among researchers and educators, and have close ties with the Departments of Biology, Kinesiology, Music, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Psychiatry & Behavioural Neuroscience. Many of our faculty are affiliated with McMaster's interdisciplinary graduate programs in Neuroscience and Computational Science & Engineering. For more information on the Department, please visit https://www.science.mcmaster.ca/pnb/ McMaster University is a globally renowned institution of higher learning and a research community committed to advancing human and societal health and well-being. Our focus on collaboratively exchanging ideas and approaches makes us uniquely positioned to pioneer ground-breaking solutions to real-world problems leading to a Brighter World. The Faculty of Science works to create global impact by advancing scientific discovery and knowledge, and promoting greater understanding. Our innovative, interdisciplinary approach generates new methods and insights, results, and lasting change. _Commitment to Inclusive Excellence_ The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity. The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, members of racialized communities ("visible minorities"), persons with disabilities, women, persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. We invite all applicants to complete a brief Diversity Survey, which takes approximately two minutes to complete, through McMaster's application submission portal. All questions are voluntary, with an option to decline to answer. All information collected is confidential and will be used to support efforts to broaden the diversity of the applicant pool and to promote a fair, equitable and inclusive talent acquisition process. Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Science at baileyd(a)mcmaster.ca to communicate accommodation needs. _How to Apply_ Complete applications must be made online at https://hr.mcmaster.ca/careers/current-opportunities/ (Faculty Positions, Job 34946) by the deadline to the attention of Dr. Bruce Milliken, Professor & Chair, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1. A complete application consists of: * a cover letter (including a statement regarding whether the applicant has Canadian citizenship/permanent resident status (see below)) * a current Curriculum Vitae, and three (3) representative publications (reprints or preprints) * a statement of research interests (2-page maximum) * a statement of teaching philosophy and interests (2-page maximum) * a statement of experience and plans for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in post-secondary education, community-based or other professional settings (2-page maximum) * the names and full contact information of at least three referees. o Letters of reference are not required and will not be reviewed at the application stage; the Department will request letters of recommendation from referees at later stages of the search process. Review of complete applications will begin December 10, 2020 and continue until the position is filled. All applicants will receive an on-line, system-generated confirmation of receipt of their application; however, only short-listed applicants will be contacted for interviews. Please be advised that any full-time, permanent faculty member of the Department can request confidential access to the application materials, including the reference letters. Progressive policies are in place to assist faculty members achieve a work-life balance. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada's reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants' status as either Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship; however, all applications, as stated above, MUST include one of the following statements in their application package: "I am/am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada." Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete. Links: ------ [1] http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/pnb/department/becker

Nov. 3, 2020

Fully-funded PhD Positions in Neuroscience in Germany and US | IMPRS for Brain and Behavior

by Ezgi Bulca

Dear all, Our PhD applications are open, please forward it to people who might be interested. 15 fully-funded PhD Positions in Neuroscience | IMPRS for Brain and Behavior Bonn, Germany & Jupiter, Florida (USA) Looking for a PhD position in neuroscience? Apply to our fully-funded, international PhD program in the Max Planck Society! IMPRS for Brain and Behavior is a transatlantic collaboration between the Max Planck associated caesar in Bonn and the University of Bonn, along with the USA partners Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) and Florida Atlantic University. The Projects More than 40 labs with an enormous variety of research projects are seeking outstanding PhD candidates to join their research. See our website (https://www.imprs-brain-behavior.org/research/faculty/) for further information on our faculty and possible doctoral projects. Topics include but are not limited to circuits and behavior, learning and memory, sensory processing, molecular signaling in neurons, nervous system development, biophysics of neurons and glia, and disorders of the nervous system. Successful candidates will work in a young and dynamic, interdisciplinary, international environment, embedded in the local scientific communities in Bonn or Jupiter. Your Profile Proven track record of academic and research excellence. Bachelor's or Master's degree (or equivalent) in life sciences, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, or other relevant subject (Degree should be concluded before admission to the PhD, latest by October 2021). Fluency in written and spoken English. Research experience is of advantage. Our Offer Immersion in a stimulating scientific culture of interaction and international cooperation. State-of-the art facilities with novel scientific technologies and advanced infrastructure. Dedicated support and mentoring personnel. Competitive salary funded for the whole duration of studies and no tuition fees. We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity for all applicants. Application deadline: November 15, 2020 https://www.imprs-brain-behavior.org/admissions/application-info/ You will need: CV, letter of motivation, contact info for 2 referees, academic certificates and transcripts. Only online applications accepted. Short-listed candidates will be (virtually) interviewed in January-February. Positions must be started latest in October 2021. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the coordinator Ezgi Bulca at imprs.info(a)caesar.de<mailto:imprs.info@caesar.de> . All the best, Ezgi Bulca Ezgi Bulca IMPRS for Brain & Behavior Coordinator phone +49/228/9656-318 e-mail: ezgi.bulca(a)caesar.de<mailto:ezgi.bulca@caesar.de> www.imprs-brain-behavior.mpg.de<http://www.imprs-brain-behavior.mpg.de> research center caesar center of advanced european studies and research an associate of the Max Planck Society Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2 53175 Bonn, Germany www.caesar.de<http://www.caesar.de/>

Nov. 3, 2020

PhD and post-doctoral positions in computational neuroscience and speech production, University of Geneva, Switzerland

by Timothée Proix

One PhD and one postdoctoral positions are available under the supervision of Timothée Proix (https://timothee.proix.ch) in the Auditory Language Group led by Prof. Anne-Lise Giraud (https://neurocenter-unige.ch/research-groups/anne-lise-giraud) at the University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. The project aims at developing a large-scale model of speech production using intracranial EEG data, and lies at the interface between data analysis, dynamical systems modeling, and machine learning. *Postdoctoral position. *The candidate will contribute to acquisition and analysis of intracranial EEG data and speech recordings. Applicants should have solid bases in maths/physics/bioengineering, prior experience in electrophysiological recordings and data analysis, as well as programming and machine learning skills. *P**hD** position. *The candidate will develop theoretical tools using dynamical systems theory to model neural activity during speech production. Applicants should hold a master degree in maths/physics/informatics/engineering. Previous experience in dynamical systems modeling, neuroscience, and programming will be valued. The research will be performed at the campus Biotech in the university of Geneva, a vibrant and stimulating environment for neuroscience research. The positions are funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, and salaries are in compliance with their guidelines. The ideal start is early 2021, with some flexibility. Applications will be considered until the positions are filled. To apply, send a motivation letter, CV, and contact information for 2-3 references, as well as any other relevant documents to timothee.proix (at) unige.ch. Best regards, Timothée Proix

Nov. 3, 2020

Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox, Nov 1-21 2020.

by Stewart Heitmann

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox Online Course Nov 1-21, 2020 The Brain Dynamics Toolbox is an open toolbox for simulating dynamical systems in neuroscience. This is a self-paced course is for researchers, students and instructors who wish to use the toolbox to build their own dynamical models. Participants learn the art of programming differential equations in Matlab and how to use the toolbox to solve those equations interactively. Topics include programming Ordinary Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations, Delay Differential Equations, Stochastic Differential Equations, Auxiliary Plot Functions and command-line tools. Example code is provided in all cases. Course Website https://bdtoolbox.org/p/modellers-workshop/ Important Dates Enrolments ($125) close 21st November, 2020. Stewart Heitmann | Computational Scientist Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute | Lowy Packer Building | 405 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 Australia E: s.heitmann(a)victorchang.edu.au<mailto:s.heitmann@victorchang.edu.au> | @VictorChangInst Disclaimer The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. This email has been scanned for viruses and malware, and may have been automatically archived by Mimecast Ltd, an innovator in Software as a Service (SaaS) for business. Providing a safer and more useful place for your human generated data. Specializing in; Security, archiving and compliance. To find out more visit the Mimecast website.

Nov. 1, 2020

Gatsby Unit PhD Programme

by Maneesh Sahani

We're currently accepting applications for 2021 entry to the 4-year Gatsby Unit PhD programme at University College London. The Unit studies the fundamental principles of learning, perception and action in brains and machines. Ours is one of the original programmes to bring together neuroscience and machine learning, creating a critical mass for interaction amongst theoreticians in related fields. First-year courses provide training in both fields, after which thesis research may specialise in one or the other or encompass both. Students are able to work closely with colleagues in the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour (SWC, with which we share a purpose-designed building), or the cross-faculty Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning (CSML); and we have links to many world-class research groups in related departments at UCL and beyond. Applicants should have a very strong analytical and mathematical background, a keen interest in neuroscience and/or machine learning and a relevant first degree, for example in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Physics, Psychology or Statistics. Full funding is available regardless of nationality. For more details and how to apply, see: http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/phd Information about the Unit and our research interests can be found at http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/about.html, http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/research.html, and the individual faculty webpages at http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/Members.html. Applications must be received by 15th November 2020. Please direct enquiries to admissions(a)gatsby.ucl.ac.uk. -- Maneesh Sahani, Ph.D. Professor of Theoretical Neuroscience and Machine Learning, Director, Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit UCL, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG

Oct. 31, 2020

postdoc and PhD positions in Budapest

by Balazs Ujfalussy

The newly established Laboratory of Biological Computation (https://biocomplab.wordpress.com/) is looking for highly motivated postdoctoral fellows and PhD students to investigate the role of hippocampus in model based planning and predictions. The focus of our laboratory is to understand how various biological phenomena (e.g., ion channels, dendritic spikes, synaptic clustering or theta sequences) contribute to the behaviorally relevant computations performed by the hippocampus. To achieve this we develop novel theories connecting hippocampal circuit dynamics to network function, combine biophysical modelling with in vivo-like input patterns and develop new tools for statistical analysis of hippocampal single neuron and populations activity patterns. The positions with a competitive salary are available from January 1st, 2021, initially for 1 year with the possibility of extension up to 5 years. We offer a stimulating environment in the Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest and active collaboration with experimental groups in the institute with the potential to get involved in the design of novel 2P imaging and virtual reality experiments in mice and/or in analysing the data. The ideal candidate has a strong background in quantitative disciplines (physics, math, computer science) and is competent in programming (e.g. python, matlab, R, C). It is an advantage to have an experience in biophysical modelling or analysis of in vivo population activity data (imaging or electrophysiology). Please send your CV, publication list, letter of motivation and contact information for at least two references to Balazs Ujfalussy (ujfalussy.balazs(a)koki.hu) The first evaluation round will begin on November 18th, 2020. The positions will remain open until filled. With best regards, Balazs Ujfalussy

Oct. 31, 2020

GEM 2021 - Call for papers - deadline extended

by Vinita Samarasinghe

The deadline to submit abstracts for the GEM 2021 workshop has been extended until 30.11.2020. Please visit https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021 to submit your abstracts for both the main workshop and the PhD symposium. ** *GEM 2021 - Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from psychology, neuroscience and philosophy* https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021 16-18 February 2021 The workshop will take place in virtual space and is free of charge. Abstracts for both the workshop and the PhD symposium, which will precede the workshop, are now being accepted via EasyChair https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021 Keynote Speakers: Karl-Heinz Bäuml - University Regensburg, Germany Dorthe Berntsen - Aarhus University, Denmark Amy Criss - Syracuse University, USA Dorothea Debus - University of Konstanz, Germany David Huber - University of Massachusetts, USA Sarah Robins - University of Kansas, USA Call for papers The DFG-funded research consortium “FOR 2812 – Constructing scenarios of the past” https://for2812.rub.de is proud to announce a call for papers for its first workshop on generative episodic memory. We invite submissions for talks and posters https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021. Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary workshop therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory. FOR 2812 “Constructing scenarios of the past: A new framework in episodic memory” consists of 9 researchers. Seven from the Ruhr University Bochum and two from the University of Münster. The consortium adopts an interdisciplinary approach and investigates generative episodic memory from a conceptual, modeling, and experimental perspective using a common conceptual framework: scenario construction. Paper submission deadlines [GMT +1 (CET)]: Abstract submission - 30.11.2020 Notification of acceptance - 31.12.2020 Submission guidelines: Abstracts must be submitted in English and be no longer than 1 page. Submitted work must be original and unpublished. Abstracts must be submitted electronically through the GEM 2021 paper submission site on EasyChair https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021. Authors will receive confirmation of receipt of their abstracts including an ID number after submission. You can edit your submission at any time before the deadline. We will consider only the final version. Program committee: Nikolai Axmacher - Faculty of Psychology - Ruhr University Bochum Sen Cheng - Institute for Neural Computation - Ruhr University Bochum Gerald Echterhoff - Faculty of Psychology - University of Münster Albert Newen - Faculty of Philosophy - Ruhr University Bochum Ricarda Schubotz - Faculty of Psychology - University of Münster Markus Werning - Faculty of Philosophy - Ruhr University Bochum Laurenz Wiskott - Institute for Neural Computation - Ruhr University Bochum Oliver Wolf - Faculty of Psychology - Ruhr University Bochum All questions regarding the workshop should be emailed to for2812(a)rub.de <mailto:for2812@rub.de> Coordinator - Vinita Samarasinghe Secretary - Christiane Dahl Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/26 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 D-44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0)234 32 27996 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de

Oct. 30, 2020

Postdoctoral Fellow, Boston University School of Medicine, Luebke & Killiany labs

by Klaus Wimmer

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented postdoctoral fellow with a track record in research applying magnetic resonance imaging and image processing. The central goal of the binational (Boston and Barcelona) CRCNS project is to advance our understanding of the computational and neural mechanisms underlying working memory as well as age-related changes to executive function. The successful candidate will lead analyses of structural MRI (T1 TFE scans), resting-state fMRI, and diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) brain scans with an overall focus on brain morphometry and connectivity. Data generated from the MRI scans will be correlated with behavioral, physiological, and other anatomical data across the adult life span. This work will be part of a highly interdisciplinary project (psychophysics, imaging, anatomy, electrophysiological experiments, innovative data analysis and computational modeling) and includes the possibility for extended research stays at the Center for Mathematical Research in Barcelona, Spain (Wimmer lab <https://sites.google.com/view/wimmerlab>). The appointment as a Boston University School of Medicine postdoctoral fellow (supervised by Jennifer Luebke <http://www.bumc.bu.edu/anatneuro/our-people/faculty/luebke/> and Ronald J. Killiany <http://www.bumc.bu.edu/anatneuro/our-people/faculty/killiany/>) will be for at least 1 year with the possibility for extension based on performance. REQUIRED SKILLS: *Assist in the acquisition of MR data *Set up a pipeline for the analysis of the MRI scans *Manage image sets/data and perform quality assurance on both *Coordinate data sharing between collaborating laboratories in Boston and Barcelona *Preparation of manuscripts and scientific presentations *For questions or informal inquiries contact: Dr. Jennifer Luebke at * *jluebke(a)bu.edu* <jluebke(a)bu.edu> *Application materials must be submitted through **BU's HR website <https://bu.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&id=23&jo…>* *.* -- Klaus Wimmer Ramón y Cajal researcher at Centre de Recerca Matemàtica Campus de Bellaterra, Edifici C 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona) Spain Tel. +34 935 86 85 15 https://sites.google.com/view/wimmerlab

Oct. 30, 2020

[jobs] Postdoctoral position in “Cognition for safety and ergonomics for human-robot interaction in unstructured workspaces” at Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)

by Francesco Rea

COgNiTive Architecture for Collaborative Technologies Research Line at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Erzelli, Genoa, is seeking to appoint one postdoctoral position focusing on the assessment of engagement with safety and ergonomic work, the design of proactive measures and counter measures for safety preservation, the optimization of ergonomics, design of software infrastructure for social interaction with the mobile and dexterous co-robot. The first goal of the research is redesigning cognition for safety and ergonomics for human-robot collaboration in manufacturing and construction unstructured workspaces. The second goal is to support the design of new multipurpose robotics for collaboration (co-robots) in manufacturing processes. The selected candidate will work with a multidisciplinary consortium of participants to the recently awarded project VOJEXT, Value Of Joint EXperimentation in digital Technologies for manufacturing and construction (H2020 DT-ICT-03-2020, n. 952197). The candidate will work with different robotic platforms for human-robot interaction in manufacturing and construction sites selected together with the consortium and with different sensorial setups specifically designed to assess ergonomics and safety associated with the workers in unstructured manufacturing and constructions settings. Apply online at https://iit.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=20000042 The research for this postdoctoral position will involve: * Sensing of human working conditions for social, safe and ergonomic based on human-robot collaboration in unstructured manufacturing and construction settings * Design of control systems for mobile robots for Safety in human-robot collaboration * Development of a system improving human-robot social collaboration in unstructured manufacturing and construction sites * Development of a system improving ergonomics and mitigating health and safety risks in open and unstructured environments

Oct. 29, 2020

NEURONUS 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum - registration open 3 more days!

by Michał Zaręba

*REGISTRATION for NEURONUS 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum (8-11 December 2020, ONLINE) is open only for THREE MORE DAYS! The fee has been reduced to 12€. **More information and registration forms can be found on our website: **http://neuronusforum.pl/* <http://neuronusforum.pl/>*.* The program of the conference consists of numerous sessions on biological, cognitive, computational and medical aspects of neuroscience, creating a dynamic environment for sharing knowledge. The schedule of the meeting is further complemented with lectures by invited guests. This year’s keynote speakers include: - *Karl Friston *(University College London, the UK) - *Pico Caroni *(University of Basel, Switzerland) - *Karin Roelofs *(Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands) - *Alejandro Schinder *(Leloir Institute, Buenos Aires, Argentina) - *Adam Hampshire *(Imperial College London, the UK) - *Dayu Lin *(New York University School of Medicine, the USA) Furthermore, a special panel concerning the Future of Neuroscience will be held. We have confirmed participation of three pioneering researchers: - *Viktor Jirsa *(Aix-Marseille University, France) - *Panayiota Poirazi* (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece) - *Dominik Paquet *(Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany) During the upcoming 11th edition of the conference, we will traditionally continue to put *emphasis on development of early-career researchers*. The main purpose of this event is to provide means for both young and experienced neuroscientists to share the latest discoveries, knowledge and experience in neuroscience, as well as make valuable contacts with scientists representing various fields of neurobiology. We actively promote young scientists through preferentially allocating oral presentations of their experimental results. We strongly encourage you to join this special initiative, and hope to see you soon! On behalf of the Organising Committee, Michał Zaręba

Oct. 28, 2020

Launch of World Wide Theoretical Neuroscience Seminar on November, 4, 2020 at 11am EST

by David Hansel

Dear Colleagues, We are happy to announce the launch of the World Wide Theoretical Neuroscience Seminar (WWTNS). WWTNS is a weekly digital seminar on Zoom targeting the theoretical neuroscience community. Its aim is to be a platform of exchange among theoreticians. Speakers have the occasion to talk about theoretical aspects of their work which cannot be discussed in a setting where the majority of the audience consists of experimentalists. The seminars are 45 min long followed by a discussion and are held on Wednesdays at 5 pm in Western Europe, /i.e./, 11 am EST. The talks are recorded with authorization of the speaker and will be available to everybody on our YouTube channel. The first seminar will be on *November, 4, 2020 at 11am EST.* The speaker will be Larry Abbott (Columbia University). The title of his talk is: /Vector Addition in the Navigational Circuits of the Fly/// The abstract of the talk is available on the WWTNS website: http://www.wwtns.online/ *To participate in the seminar you need to fill out a registration form https://www.wwtns.online/register-page after which you will**receive an email telling you how to connect.* We would be grateful if you could forward this email to all those who may be interested. Looking forward to seeing you soon, David Hansel & Carl van Vreeswijk

Oct. 28, 2020

PhD position, University of Exeter, UK

by Roman Borisyuk

The University of Exeter is recruiting a PhD student to work on an exciting project to investigate theoretically how neural networks can dynamically transition between multiple behaviours. This BBSRC-funded project is open to students from Mathematics, Physics, Natural Sciences, and Computer Science. The successful candidate will develop new neural network models of rhythmic activity in the tadpole spinal cord. They will use these models to analyse how network behaviour adapts to different sensory inputs. Data for model development will be provided by world-class electrophysiologists, who will also test predictions made by the model. This project will uncover cellular-level and network-level mechanisms that enable dynamic circuit reconfiguration in response to a changing environment. For more information on the project and instructions for applying, please visit http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/?id=3975. Please contact the project investigators with any question: Joël Tabak j.tabak(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:j.tabak@exeter.ac.uk> Roman Borisyuk r.m.borisyuk(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:r.m.borisyuk@exeter.ac.uk> ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif]<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass> This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, University of Plymouth accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. University of Plymouth does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form.

Oct. 28, 2020

Postdoctoral Swartz Fellowship Positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at Yale

by Murray, John

Postdoctoral Swartz Fellowship Positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at Yale University The Swartz Center for Theoretical Neurobiology at Yale University invites applications for up to two postdoctoral positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, with flexible start date in 2021. Competitive candidates include those with a strong quantitative background who wish to gain neuroscience research experience. We especially encourage candidates with an interest in collaborating directly with experimental neuroscientists. The candidates will be expected to perform theoretical/computational studies relevant to one or more laboratories of the Swartz Center at Yale (for a list of affiliated faculty, see: https://medicine.yale.edu/neuroscience/swartz/corelabs.aspx) and will be encouraged to participate in an expanding quantitative biology environment at Yale. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree by the time of beginning the fellowship. Please send a CV, selected (p)reprints, contact information for two or three references, and a statement of research interests including which laboratories at Yale are of interest. All application materials should be sent electronically to the following e-mail address: john.murray(a)yale.edu<mailto:john.murray@yale.edu>. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, but priority will be given to those received on or before January 15, 2021. For any questions, please contact John Murray. Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and especially welcomes applications from women and underrepresented minorities. https://neurojobs.sfn.org/job/27534/postdoctoral-swartz-fellowship-position… John D. Murray ----------------------------------------------- Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Physics, and Neuroscience Yale University murraylab.yale.edu<http://murraylab.yale.edu/> -----------------------------------------------

Oct. 28, 2020

SMILES workshop, Nov 2/3: Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols

by Xavier Hinaut

* WHAT The SMILES workshop is about Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols. It is a satellite event from the ICDL 2020 (International Conference on Developmental Learning). * WHEN Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd November 2020 afternoonsfrom 1pm to 6pm CET (UTC+1) * WHERE Online event on Zoom. (Link sent to registered people the day before, see * LINKS section) * WHO - 6 Invited speakers: - Luc Steels - Jun Tani - Rahma Chaabouni - Leila Wehbe - Emre Ugur - Jean-Rémi King - 6 Selected talks: - Alex Pitti, Cergy-Pontoise, France - Xueyang Yao, Waterloo, Canada - Valentin Villecroze, Bordeaux, France - Wei Hong Chin, Tokyo, Japan - Martin Takac, Bratislava, Slovakia - Alistair Knott, Dunedin, New Zealand * LINKS - ** Website **: https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/home - ** Registration **: https://forms.gle/4cdHvvm79NcWwnD36 - Contact: smiles.conf(a)gmail.com - ICDL conference website: https://cdstc.gitlab.io/icdl-2020/ * WHAT+ (Short Description) On the one hand, models of sensorimotor interaction are embodied in the environment and in the interaction with other agents. On the other hand, recent Deep Learning development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) models allow to capture increasing language complexity (e.g. compositional representations, word embedding, long term dependencies). However, those NLP models are disembodied in the sense that they are learned from static datasets of text or speech. How can we bridge the gap from low-level sensorimotor interaction to high-level compositional symbolic communication? The SMILES workshop will address this issue through an interdisciplinary approach involving researchers from (but not limited to): - Sensori-motor learning, - Emergent communication in multi-agent systems, - Chunking of perceptuo-motor gestures (gestures in a general sense: motor, vocal, ...), - Sensori-motor learning, - Symbol grounding and symbol emergence, - Compositional representations for communication and action sequence, - Hierarchical representations of temporal information, - Language processing and acquisition in brains and machines, - Models of animal communication, - Understanding composition and temporal processing in neural network models, and - Enaction, active perception, perception-action loop. Xavier Hinaut, on behalf of the SMILES workshop organisers - Xavier Hinaut, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Clément Moulin-Frier, Inria and Ensta ParisTech, Bordeaux, France - Silvia Pagliarini, Inria, Bordeaux, France - Chukiong Loo, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Michael Spranger, Sony AI and Sony CSL, Tokyo, Japan - Tadahiro Taniguchi, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan - Junpei Zhong, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom Xavier Hinaut Inria Researcher (CR) Mnemosyne team, Inria LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives www.xavierhinaut.com

Oct. 28, 2020

Scientist I position at the Allen Institute - Bio-realistic Modeling of Reconstructed Cortical Tissue

by Anton Arkhipov

Scientist I - Bio-realistic Modeling of Reconstructed Cortical Tissue https://alleninstitute.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-opening.php?req=1415274 Our mission at the Allen Institute is to advance our understanding of how the brain works in health and disease. Using a team science approach, we strive to discover how the brain implements fundamental computations through the integration of technological innovation, cutting-edge experiments, modeling, and theory. The Allen Institute is seeking exceptional candidates for a BRAIN Initiative-funded position of Scientist in our Seattle-based multidisciplinary organization. The Scientist will join the computational team of Anton Arkhipov and will focus on data analysis and modeling of structure, activity, and computations in mouse cortical circuits. This project will take advantage of unprecedented experimental datasets from the Allen Institute that contain a systematic characterization of synaptic connections between the cell types (https://portal.brain-map.org/explore/connectivity/synaptic-physiology) and a connectome of individual neurons coupled with dense recordings of activity in the mouse visual cortex (https://microns-explorer.org<https://microns-explorer.org/>). The Scientist will work collaboratively with colleagues to integrate these data into new, highly realistic network models of cortical circuits, use the models to explore theoretical predictions, and provide them as a resource to fuel future theoretical, modeling, and experimental work in the community. Our computational team collaborates closely with experimentalists to build systematic classifications of structure and function of the mouse visual cortex based on high-throughput recordings in vitro (e.g., Gouwens et al., Nature Neurosci., 2019; Gouwens et al., Cell, in press, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.03.932244) and in vivo (e.g., Siegle et al., Nature, in press, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1101/805010) Using systematically constructed models of neurons from diverse types, we are building and simulating data-driven, highly realistic models of the mouse visual cortex (Arkhipov et al., PLOS Comp. Bio., 2018; Billeh et al., Neuron, 2020; https://portal.brain-map.org/explore/models) The team also develops and disseminates modeling software (https://alleninstitute.github.io/bmtk/; https://github.com/AllenInstitute/sonata) Join us to analyze world-class experimental data and build the next generation of brain models! Essential Functions * Collaborate with in-house experimentalists to analyze data from the synaptic physiology and 2-photon calcium imaging/electron microscopy connectomics datasets. * Use these data to build and simulate models of cortical circuits, in order to study mechanisms connecting circuit structure and function. * Publish/present findings in peer-reviewed journals/scientific conferences. Required Education and Experience * PhD degree in Neuroscience, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or related fields. * 0-2 years of post-doctoral experience. * Strong publication record. * Track record of scientific excellence and independent thinking. Preferred Education and Experience * Experience in computational neuroscience and/or systems neuroscience is preferred, but other strong applicants will be considered (with background in computational physics, biophysics, and related disciplines). * Candidates with strong background in experimental systems neuroscience, willing to switch to computational work, are encouraged to apply. * Experience with scientific programming (e.g., in Python) and sharing/collaborative development of software (e.g., GitHub) is a plus. Physical Demands * Fine motor movements in fingers/hands to operate computers and other office equipment; lab equipment Position Type/Expected Hours of Work * This role is currently able to work remotely due to COVID-19 and our focus on employee safety; this may change, and you may be required to work onsite at our South Lake Union office as safety restrictions are lifted in relation to COVID-19. It is the policy of the Allen Institute to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Allen Institute will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Apply here: https://alleninstitute.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-opening.php?req=1415274

Oct. 27, 2020

New release of the Comp-Neuro Fedora Linux operating system for computational neuroscience is now available for download

by Ankur Sinha

Hello everyone, (Apologies for the cross posts) I am happy to announce that the latest release of the Comp-Neuro Fedora Linux based operating system for computational neuroscience research is now available for download from: https://labs.fedoraproject.org/comp-neuro/ For those that prefer torrents to direct server downloads, it can also be downloaded here: https://torrent.fedoraproject.org/ Detailed documentation can be accessed at: https://neuro.fedoraproject.org Based on the Fedora Workstation OS[1], the Comp-Neuro installer image includes a plethora of computational neuroscience software[2]. This includes: - commonly used simulators: NEST, NEURON, Brian2, Arbor, Auryn, CalC, COPASI, GENESIS, MOOSE; - the complete Python 3.9 science stack: Matplotlib, Jupyter notebooks, Numpy, Pandas, Pillow, Scikit-image, Scikit-learn, Scipy, Statsmodels, Sympy, *and* other utilities such as GNU Octave. Comp-Neuro Fedora also uses the popular and modern GNOME desktop environment[3], and so includes all the productivity tools that are part of the latest GNOME 3.38 release. Further, more software that is not included in the installation media can also be installed from the Fedora software repositories[4] and from FlatHub[5]. The ISO installer image is a "live" image, which means one can also run the operating system directly off the image without installing it to disk Fedora, and so Comp-Neuro Fedora is completely Free and Open Source Software, which is free for everyone to use, share, study, and modify. It is developed by the volunteer community driven NeuroFedora Special Interest Group (SIG). Any feedback and comments are most welcome[6]. If you develop software for neuroscience research, please consider getting in touch with the NeuroFedora community to help us include it in NeuroFedora. Everyone is welcome to join the community and work on whatever tasks they find interesting[7]. No prior knowledge or skills are expected. [1] https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/ [2] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/compneuro-tools/ [3] https://www.gnome.org/ [4] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/software/ [5] https://flathub.org/home [6] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/communicating/ [7] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/contributing/ On behalf of the NeuroFedora community, -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) | https://ankursinha.in Research Fellow at the Silver Lab, University College London | http://silverlab.org/ Free/Open source community volunteer at the NeuroFedora project | https://neuro.fedoraproject.org Time zone: Europe/London

Oct. 27, 2020

Job opportunity - Postdoctoral Sleep Researcher at Bitbrain (Zaragoza, Spain)

by Eduardo López-Larraz

We are looking for a postdoctoral sleep researcher to join Bitbrain <https://www.bitbrain.com/> and work on an EU-funded neurotechnology research project. The main objective will be to exploit some of the most recent advances in sleep research to develop interventions based on cutting-edge wearable neurotechnology for sleep (and sleep-mediated cognitive processes) improvement. The candidate will join Bitbrain <https://www.bitbrain.com/>’s interdisciplinary R&D department of applied neuroscience and neurotechnology and will lead all the R&D activities related to sleep. The candidate will have to: 1) design the R&D strategy of this new area in the company, which will require attending and participating in international events and networks, and 2) design and carry out a feasibility study in sleep improvement using innovative and practical technologies that can be used outside the lab. The position is initially offered for 12 months and includes a relocation and training package. *Requirements*: Sleep expert with a PhD degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering or similar. Strong background in sleep research, understanding of EEG (required) and brain stimulation (desirable). Project management skills. Problem solving and potential of growth. English is required, Spanish is a plus. *We offer*: - Competitive salary. Benefits associated with mobility and family. - Possibility of doing part of the work remotely (to be discussed). - Work-life balance. * Starting date: *01.03.2021 *Application Deadline*: 15.12.2020 More information and application procedure: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/545040

Oct. 27, 2020

postdoc position with Christopher Rozell at Georgia Tech

by Christopher Rozell

A postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience is available in the lab of Christopher Rozell at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA). This BRAIN Initiative research project seeks to advance the field of closed-loop computational neuroscience by pioneering the use of real-time feedback stimulation during experiments to decouple recurrently connected circuit elements and make stronger causal inferences about circuit interactions. This position will have a broad opportunity to develop models and algorithms that are implemented in novel experiments using closed-loop optogenetic stimulation. We aim to provide both new scientific insight about computation in neural circuits (especially sensory coding in the thalamo-cortical circuit) as well as new approaches and algorithmic tools for the community to use in novel electrophysiology experiments. This position will work as part of a team and in close collaboration with the experimental lab of Garrett Stanley (also at Georgia Tech), and it is expected that the computational and algorithmic approaches will be implemented experimentally through close partnership with experimentalists in the Stanley Laboratory. Applicants should hold a PhD in a related discipline with a strong record of research impact, quantitative thinking and collaborative work. Experience in computational neuroscience, machine learning, feedback control, and causal inference is all advantageous. The lab is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive environment for all scholars, and applications are especially encouraged from all underrepresented groups. Additionally, the lab is committed to the professional development of the members, making it valuable preparation for people who are interested in academic, industrial or entrepreneurial careers. The position has no mandatory teaching or administrative duties. Excellent (written and oral) communication skills in English are required. This particular project is part of the Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience program (CRCNS), providing access to a community of researchers across the country who are focused on similar types of collaborations between computational and experimental labs. Georgia Tech's campus in the heart of midtown Atlanta, which has a thriving and collaborative neuroscience community that has a particular emphasis on computational and systems neuroscience. Atlanta is also one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, boasting a wide range of opportunities for recreation and culture. Georgia Tech has competitive benefits (including comprehensive medical insurance) and is an equal opportunity employer. The position would ideally start as soon as possible (spring 2021). The appointment is initially for 12 months with the expectation of renewal. Compensation will be commensurate with relevant experience. Candidates should send a CV, a statement of research experience and interests, expected date of availability, and the contact information for three references to crozell(a)gatech.edu with the subject line "CRCNS postdoc". Application review will proceed until the position is filled and should be received by December 1 for full consideration.

Oct. 27, 2020

[virtual event] - neuromorphic colloquium

by Chiara Bartolozzi

The NEUROTECH Educational Team is organizing a webinar series on neuromorphic computing technologies. The objective is to offer educational material about the field but also hold discussions with the experts about how the field started, how it evolved, where it’s going and how it’s going to shape the future industrial landscape. The first webinar will be on the 3rd of November at 16 CET and the question of the day is: “What is Neuromorphic Engineering?”. The first speakers are: Prof. Giacomo Indiveri, Prof. Steven Furber, Prof. Bernabé Linares-Barranco and Prof. Kwabena Boahen. You can register for free here: https://neurotech.iniforum.ch/educational/ Join us and spread the word! This initiative is supported as part of the NEUROTECH EU-H2020 coordination and support action. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Neurotech: Our mission is to catalyse research and collaboration in NCT. Today's neuromorphic community in Europe is leading the state of the art in this domain. The community counts an increasing number of labs that work on theory, modelling, and implementation of neuromorphic computing systems. The NEUROTECH Project will create a Cartography of NCT in Europe, explore Roadmaps for its development, collect educational and information resources on NCT, and inform about upcoming and previous events. https://neurotech.iniforum.ch Follow us on LinkedIN: NEUROTECHAI

Oct. 26, 2020

Postdoc position in Bologna

by Andrea Santamaria

Dear Sirs, We are the ERC Project INSCRIBE Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings. Sorry for having forget the title, which I've now included in the object as "Postdoc position in Bologna". We would therefore be delighted to share our announcement on your list. You can find the dame text here below in bold. The ERC Project INSCRIBE Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings, based at the University of Bologna, Italy, seeks candidates for a postdoctoral position in interdisciplinary research with expertise in computational neuroscience. The selected candidate will straddle the borders of neuroscience, cognition and the evolution of graphic codes, to apply quantitative methods to large databases with the goal of establishing commonalities worldwide in the evolution of symbols from a broadly cognitive, and more specifically, motor-driven and visual perspective. The ideal candidate will have earned a PhD in either neuroscience or neural computational sciences, with skills in statistical methods. The position is renewable on a yearly basis, up to three consecutive years and can be held remotely. Deadline: 28 October 2020. For more information on how to apply: https://site.unibo.it/inscribe/en/jobs or contact: s.ferrara(a)unibo.it. Thank you in advance and Kind Regards, Andrea Santamaria Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>

Oct. 26, 2020

Neuromatch conference Oct 26-30

by Goodman, Daniel F M

This is just a reminder that the Neuromatch conference starts tomorrow (at the time of writing) Oct 26-30. We have around 900 talks on all aspects of neuroscience, debates, panels, as well as special series in partnership with the BRAIN initiative, Black in Neuro, and Queer in Neuro. Check our our website here: https://www.neuromatch.io/ Registration is $25, but can be waived with the press of a button, no questions asked, if you're not able to pay. You can see the full agenda with recommendation engine once you've registered, or you can use our old fashioned schedule here before registering (but no automatic recommendations on this one): https://neural-reckoning.github.io/nmc3_provisional_schedule/ Please pass this message on to anyone or any list you think would be interested. Many thanks, The Neuromatch organisers

Oct. 25, 2020

Postdoc position on Biological Deep Learning

by Walter Senn

Dear all A second postdoc position devoted to learning in deep cortical networks is available in our Computational Neuroscience labs at the University of Bern, Switzerland. This position is focussed on formulating error-based learning in deep cortical networks in terms of a principle of least action. We will extend this theory to natural gradient learning and to learning with spiking neurons. The research of our labs is more broadly devoted to biologically realistic models of spatio-temporal processing in cortical networks and their relation to reinforcement learning, Bayesian computing, and neuromorphic implementations. The position is part of the European Human Brain Project and is available by January 1st, 2021, for 2 years (extendable). We offer a stimulating environment with three research groups in theoretical and computational neuroscience, along with experimental neuroscience at the same Department of Physiology (physio.unibe.ch/gruppen.aspx <http://physio.unibe.ch/gruppen.aspx>), as well as close collaborations with other labs in neuroscience, artificial intelligence and neuromorphic engineering. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in computational neuroscience, machine learning, applied mathematics and/or physics. Please send your CV, publication list, letter of motivation and contact information for at least two references to Walter Senn (walter.senn(a)unibe.ch <mailto:walter.senn@unibe.ch>) and Mihai Petrovici (mihai.petrovici(a)unibe.ch <mailto:mihai.petrovici@unibe.ch>), with cc to Virginie Sabado (virginie.sabado(a)unibe.ch <mailto:virginie.sabado@unibe.ch>). The first evaluation round will begin on November 8, 2020. The positions will remain open until filled. With best regards, Mihai Petrovici and Walter

Oct. 23, 2020

Postdoctoral position on the integration of vision and behaviour (Schröder Lab, University of Sussex, UK)

by Sylvia Schröder

The Schröder Lab <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/labs/schroeder-lab/>(Vision and Behaviour) at the University of Sussex, UK, offers a position for a *Postdoctoral researcher*** to study information processing in the early visual system of mice using two-photon imaging, electrophysiology (Neuropixels probes), and opto- and chemogenetic manipulations. The lab’s goal is to determine how behavioural and internal states like arousal are integrated with visual responses in the retina and superior colliculus. We want to discover the underlying mechanisms and the purpose of this integration in terms of visual processing and the animal’s behavioural demands. This paper describes our previous findings. *Your profile* ·Phd degree in neuroscience or in physics, computer science or engineering with a keen interest in neuroscience ·You will take ownership of the project and drive it forward ·Experience in experimental biology and quantitative data analysis including programming in Python, Matlab or a similar language ·Experience with two-photon imaging and/or extracellular electrophysiology desirable *Our offer to you* The Schröder lab opens its doors in January 2021. The candidate will have the opportunity: ·to make use of the lab’s own two-photon microscopy and Neuropixels recording setups ·to benefit from the PI’s active support in research and her mentoring in career development ·to learn essential skills in organising and setting up a lab ·to shape the research culture of the lab based on the values of scientific excellence, team work, and diversity ·to collaborate with other labs within Sussex Neuroscience <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/sussex-neuroscience/>with expertise visual and other sensory systems, mouse behaviour, techniques of two-photon imaging and electrophysiology, and computational neuroscience *Start date*: January 2021 or later *Contract*: for 2 years initially, funding available for 5 years (through Sir Henry Dale Fellowship, Wellcome Trust) *Location*: campus is just outside Brighton at the coast of South East England, surrounded by South Downs National Park, 1 h from London See**the ***job advertisement <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/about/jobs/research-fellow-in-neuroscience-4726>* for details on how to apply. Informal enquiries are highly encouraged and should be made to Sylvia Schröder (sylvia.schroeder(a)ucl.ac.uk) **

Oct. 23, 2020

Postdoc position in biological intelligence of exploration at CMU & Pitt

by Timothy Verstynen

Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh are seeking applications for a joint, NIH-funded postdoc position on the computational neuroscience of exploration, linking computational models to both human behavioral and rodent optogenetic/electrophysiology data. The successful candidate will work with Professors Jonathan Rubin (Pitt) and Timothy Verstynen (CMU), in collaboration with Professors Eric Yttri (Department of Biological Sciences, CMU) and Cati Vich (Department of Applied Mathematics, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Mallorca, Spain). The project specifically focuses on how dynamics of cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic pathways map to cognitive models of adaptive decision-making. The position is funded for several years, with an initial one-year appointment and an expectation of extension to three years, given that performance is satisfactory. Applicants with a PhD in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Computational Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience or a related discipline, and ideally with experience in computing, in dynamical systems, and in computational neuroscience, should apply at: https://cmu.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=2015566 Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh are both Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employers and value equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. Members of all groups under-represented in academia are especially encouraged to apply. Best, Tim Verstynen -- Timothy Verstynen Ph.D. (he/him) Associate Professor Psychology, Carnegie Mellon Neuroscience Institute, & Biomedical Engineering (by courtesy) Co-Director of the CMU-Pitt BRIDGE Center Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: 412-533-AXN1 (412-533-2961) Lab URL: www.cognitiveaxon.com Center URL: www.bridge-center.org CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachments) contains information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). No confidentiality or privilege is waived. Any review or distribution by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete all copies, whether electronic or hard copy. Thank you.

Oct. 23, 2020

Postdoctoral position in the Pachitariu Lab at Janelia

by Marius Pachitariu

The Pachitariu Lab at HHMI Janelia is looking for postdoctoral researchers to lead projects that investigate the neural basis of cognition in rodents. The lab uses large-scale neural recordings combined with modern computational and theoretical approaches. Learn more about our work here <https://www.janelia.org/lab/pachitariu-lab>. *Essential Duties and Responsibilities* - Design novel behavioral paradigms in mice - Combine behavior and large-scale neural recordings - Explore and analyze large datasets with machine learning and data science - Participate in collaborative projects with computational researchers. *Required qualifications * - PhD in neuroscience / related discipline - or PhD in a computational field, but interested to start experimental work - Proficiency with Python or Matlab for data analysis *Skills and Abilities (optional)* - Experience with rodent training - Experience with neural recordings (ephys or imaging) - Skills to manage and support interdisciplinary collaborations The Janelia campus, including our lab, is committed to building an inclusive environment for under-represented minorities and women. We strongly encourage applications from all under-represented groups. For more information, reach out directly to pachitarium(a)hhmi.org or apply here <https://hhmi.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job/Janelia-Research-Campus/Pos…> .

Oct. 22, 2020

PhD and postdoc position in quadruped robotics and machine learning at EPFL, Lausanne Switzerland

by Auke Ijspeert

The Biorobotics laboratory (Biorob, https://www.epfl.ch/labs/biorob/ <https://www.epfl.ch/labs/biorob>) at EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) has one open *PhD student* and one *postdoc position* in *quadruped robotics and machine learning*. The project is at the intersection between robotics, machine learning, and computational neuroscience. Its goal is is to develop a computational architecture that (i) merges spinal-cord-like dynamics with higher-level planning and learning, (ii) allows testing hypotheses about animal motor control at a conceptual level, and (iii) can serve as basis for controlling, planning, and learning rich motor skills in robots. The architecture will be evaluated with a scenario that involves control and learning in a quadruped robot crossing a (simple) parkour. The positions are fully funded for 4 years through a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation. EPFL is one of the leading Institutes of Technology in Europe and offers extremely competitive salaries and research infrastructure. *Instructions to apply* can be found here: https://www.epfl.ch/labs/biorob/openings/ *The ideal starting date is early 2021* (with some flexibility). Applications will be considered starting *from November 15 2020*, and then continuously until the positions are filled. Best regards, Auke Ijspeert -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Prof Auke Jan Ijspeert Biorobotics Laboratory EPFL-STI-IBI-BIOROB, ME D1 1226, Station 9 EPFL, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne CH 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Office: ME D1 1226 Tel: +41 21 693 2658 Fax: +41 21 693 3705 www:http://biorob.epfl.ch Email:Auke.Ijspeert@epfl.ch -----------------------------------------------------------------

Oct. 21, 2020

Post-doc position in EEG Analysis in Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna

by Alberto Mazzoni

A postdoc position is available in the Computational Neuroengineering Laboratory / Translational Neural Engineering Area of The Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa (Italy). The work will focus on the analysis and decoding of neural signals, with particular emphasis on electroencephalographic signals, by means of machine learning algorithms. The aim is to develop prognostic tools to assess the possible evolution of neurodegenerative diseases (as Alzheimer Disease) from early screenings and to identify optimal motor rehabilitation procedures after events such as stroke. The ideal candidate has previous experience in EEG analysis. Previous experience in machine learning is an asset. The ideal candidate has also experience in conducting R&D projects both individually and as a part of a group, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and most important an imaginative and creative mind. The Computational Neuroengineering Laboratory ( www.santannapisa.it/en/computational-neuroengineering-laboratory ) lead by Dr. Alberto Mazzoni (me) focuses on the modeling and analysis of information processing in neural systems for neural disorders diagnosis and the development of novel neurostimulation therapies (from glioma to movement disorders). The laboratory is part of the Transational Neuroengineering Area lead by Prof. Silvestro Micera ( www.santannapisa.it/en/institute/biorobotics/translational-neural-engineeri… ) which is one of the leading neuroengineering groups in Europe, in particular on the development of neurotechnologies able to restore sensorimotor functions in disabled people. The projects involve a network of clinical and research centers between Pisa and Florence. Both cities are Unesco World Heritage sites and are characterized by a high quality of life, but are also hubs of high level research. In particular, the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna was ranked 4th best young university in the world in 2020 (TIME rankings). <#_msocom_1> Start date is flexible, but winter 2021 is preferred. Please send - cover letter, - Curriculum Vitae - 1-3 selected publications To a.mazzoni(a)santannapisa.it . Deadline for application is November 27th. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed December 11th. ------------------------------ -- */////////////////////////////////////////////////////* perché quello del populo è più onesto fine che quello de' grandi, volendo questi opprimere, e quello non essere oppresso N.M.

Oct. 21, 2020

INTERNATIONAL NEURAL NETWORK SOCIETY (INNS) - FREE Inaugural Virtual Workshop on Explainable AI on November 6, 2020, Friday, 9 am to 1 pm EST - REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW

by Asim Roy

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce that INNS (the International Neural Network Society) is launching a Virtual Technical Event series that will feature workshops, seminars, tutorials, discussions and so on. These technical events will occur throughout the year for a worldwide audience. We welcome proposals on challenging and controversial research topics and ones that provide new insights on biological learning. Through this series of virtual technical events, we would like to serve the growing need for advanced education in a variety of fields that are linked together such as AI, machine learning, neural networks, cognitive science, robotics and so on. Further details on proposal submission are available at https://www.inns.org/virtual-technical-events. We also welcome proposals from the industry and industry sponsorship of these events. FREE Inaugural Virtual Workshop on Explainable AI on November 6, 2020, Friday, 9 am to 1 pm EST This inaugural workshop focuses on Explainable AI (XAI), a topic that is highly important for us to widely deploy our AI/ML systems. We invited five prominent scholars to present their thoughts in this virtual workshop. Further details are provided below including where to register for the event. WORKSHOP SPEAKERS 1. Stephen Grossberg, Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems, Boston University, http://sites.bu.edu/steveg/ 2. Juergen Schmidhuber, Scientific Director of IDSIA<http://www.idsia.ch/>, http://people.idsia.ch/~juergen/ 3. Jeff Krichmar, Professor of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma 4. Vladimir Cherkassky, Professor of ECE, Univ. of Minnesota, https://ece.umn.edu/directory/cherkassky-vladimir/ 5. Lee Giles, Professor of Information Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, https://clgiles.ist.psu.edu/ MODERATORS: Asim Roy, Professor, Arizona State University (https://lifeboat.com/ex/bios.asim.roy) Daniel Levine, Professor, University of Texas at Arlington (https://www.uta.edu/psychology/people/daniel-levine.php) FORMAT: Each speaker - 35 minute presentation + 10 mins Q&A REGISTRATION - https://www.eventbrite.hk/e/explainable-ai-xai-virtual-workshop-registratio… With regards, Irwin King INNS President, FIEEE, FHKIE, DMACM, BoG APNNS & INNS Chair, Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering o +(852) 3943-8398 The Chinese University of Hong Kong f +(852) 2603-5024 Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong http://www.cse.cuhk.edu.hk/irwin.king<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.cse.cuhk.edu.hk_irw…> Asim Roy VP, Industry Relations, INNS Chair, Committee for Virtual Technical Events, INNS Professor, Arizona State University https://lifeboat.com/ex/bios.asim.roy

Oct. 21, 2020

PhD in ML and AI - two VC Scholarships

by Konstantin Nikolic

Two Vice-Chancellor Scholarship PhD positions in Machine Leaning are available in the “Learning and Intelligence” group of Prof Konstantin Nikolic at University of West London, UK. The group’s interests are mostly in modelling biological systems and AI/ML related to bio-inspired themes. Potential project topics include (but are not limited to, since these scholarships are not project linked): Learning in Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), Neuromorphic robots controlled by SNNs (available are SpiNNaker boards, Dynamic Vision Sensors, etc, for example see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=135fH21QXtg) Data-driven ML algorithms based on information theory and their applications (such as medical diagnostics, video/image analysis, financial/economic or some other large dataset analysis), Neural microcircuits of learning and cognitive modelling, etc. We are also interested in developing ML algorithms for controlling neuromodulatory implants. Research related to Theoretical and Computational neuroscience could be also interesting, especially if exploring some new ideas related to learning in relatively simple biological systems. The researchers will be based in the School of Computing and Engineering at University of West London, with possible close collaboration with the Centre for Bio-Inspired Technology at Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London. Informal enquires can be directed to konstantin.nikolic(a)uwl.ac.uk<mailto:konstantin.nikolic@uwl.ac.uk>. The School enjoys state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure and continues to invest heavily in its improvement. The UWL, sourcing its origins from the Lady Byron School in 1860, is a leading modern university in the UK, consistently progressing in the league tables for the past several years. The life on campus is enriched with frequent high-quality live performances and plays given by the students from our London College of Music and London School of Film, Media and Design, the two hubs of talent and creativity. The positions are advertised here: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CCB695/phd-in-machine-learning-and-artificial-in…<https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jobs.…> Konstantin Nikolic, PhD Professor in Computer Science (AI, ML, Data) at University of West London Viiting Professor at Imperial College London (Institute of Biomedical Engineering) School of Computing and Engineering University of West London Ealing campus St Mary’s Road London W5 5RF UK email: konstantin.nikolic(a)uwl.ac.uk<mailto:konstantin.nikolic@uwl.ac.uk>, k.nikolic(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:k.nikolic@imperial.ac.uk> web: https://www.uwl.ac.uk/users/konstantin-nikolic, https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/k.nikolic

Oct. 20, 2020

Online workshop series - Neural Control: From data to machines

by DPI, plan4act

We are pleased to announce the online workshop series Neural Control: From data to machines with weekly Zoom-sessions starting on November 5th, 2020. Topic: Movement disorders leave individuals unable to control parts of their bodies, creating a disconnect between their brain and the world around them. This workshop series looks at how neural activity can be mapped to control smart systems, producing desired movements on demand. To discuss the implied problems and solutions, we have brought together experts from the different involved scientific fields. Details and registration at: https://alexandria.physik3.uni-goettingen.de/cns-group/projects/webinars/ Confirmed Speakers: * Dario Farina * Silvestro Micera * Tonio Ball * Nick Ramsay * Juan Álvaro Gallego * Florentin Wörgötter * Alexander Gail * Christian Tetzlaff * Michael Fauth * Tomoki Fukai * Petra Ritter * Valerio Mante * Hans Scherberger * Gordon Cheng * Poramate Manoonpong * Jan-Matthias Braun * Eugenio Gaeta * Daniel Durstewitz * Yukie Nagai Please forward to anyone who may be interested. Best, Florentin Wörgötter and Christian Tetzlaff

Oct. 20, 2020

Call for papers : Special Issue on Deep Learning Approaches for Brain-Computer Interfaces (Signals - MDPI)

by Panagiotis Petrantonakis

Call For Papers for a Special issue on: *Deep Learning Approaches for Brain-Computer Interfaces* https://www.mdpi.com/journal/signals/special_issues/Brain_Computer_Interfac… *Special Issue Information* Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) decipher and translate brain signals into commands for the surrounding environment. Different types of brain signals, e.g., EEG and fMRI, have been used as a means to decode intended user commands, and various machine learning approaches have been tested in such a task. With the advent of the deep learning (DL) era, new studies have emerged that exploit the advantages of the deep network architectures for BCI systems and depict more efficient and reliable brain signal decoding systems. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a collection of forefront works investigating the deployment of various deep network types in different BCI applications using a variety of brain signals either of unimodal or multimodal signal processing framework. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following: - Deep network architectures for BCIs; - Transfer learning in BCIs; - Big data for DL-based BCIs; - Fusion of multiple brain signals for BCIs using DL methods. *Guest Editor* Panagiotis Petrantonakis (ppetrant(a)iti.gr) Please do not hesitate to contact me for additional questions. Kind regards, Panagiotis

Oct. 20, 2020

PhD position in Insect-Inspired AI at Edinburgh

by Barbara Webb

The Insect Robotics lab at the University of Edinburgh, led by Professor Barbara Webb, has a fully-funded PhD studentship (3 years fees and stipend) available to study 'Insect-Inspired AI'. The position could commence any time from now. The project will develop an alternative architecture for intelligent autonomous systems based on the insect brain. Insects are hugely successful at a number of tasks that are still major challenges for artificial intelligence, including rapid learning from minimal data and sophisticated navigation and robust coordination of behaviour in dynamic environments. The focus of the work will be to obtain a functional understanding of the computations occurring in the insect ‘mushroom body’ (MB) neuropil. Specifically, the PhD topic is to understand how the input and output organisation of the MB support adaptive and context dependent associative learning of complex sensory patterns for the control of behaviour. This will be applied to robot navigation tasks. A suitable candidate would have a strong first degree in computing, maths or engineering; ideally with some background in computational neuroscience, neuromorphic computing, robotics or similar topics; and a strong interest in obtaining biological understanding of brain mechanisms for control of behaviour. Interested candidates should in the first instance contact Professor Barbara Webb <B.Webb(a)ed.ac.uk>. More details about graduate study at the School of Informatics and the formal application process can be found here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/informatics/postgraduate/research-degrees -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Oct. 19, 2020

NEURONUS 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum (8-11 December 2020, ONLINE)

by Michał Zaręba

*REGISTRATION for NEURONUS 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum is open only UNTIL OCTOBER 31! The fee has been lowered to 12€. The number of the participants is limited only to 1000 – hurry up! More information and registration forms can be found on our website: **http://neuronusforum.pl/* <http://neuronusforum.pl/>*.* With prominent speakers and an unique atmosphere of Krakow, one of the oldest and most beautiful Polish cities, NEURONUS IBRO Neuroscience Forums have established themselves in the European calendar of scientific events as a platform for communication between scientists from different fields of neuroscience. Unfortunately, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to move our event to the virtual plane. The program of the conference consists of numerous sessions on biological, cognitive, computational and medical aspects of neuroscience, creating a dynamic environment for sharing knowledge. The schedule of the meeting is further complemented with lectures by invited guests, and we invest a lot of effort to attract as influential neuroscientists as possible. This year’s keynote speakers include: - *Karl Friston *(University College London, the UK) - *Pico Caroni *(University of Basel, Switzerland) - *Karin Roelofs *(Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands) - *Alejandro Schinder *(Leloir Institute, Buenos Aires, Argentina) - *Adam Hampshire *(Imperial College London, the UK) - *Dayu Lin *(New York University School of Medicine, the USA) Furthermore, a special panel concerning the Future of Neuroscience will be held. We have confirmed participation of three pioneering researchers: - *Viktor Jirsa *(Aix-Marseille University, France) - *Panayiota Poirazi* (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece) - *Dominik Paquet *(Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany) During the upcoming 11th edition of the conference, we will traditionally continue to put *emphasis on development of early-career researchers*. The main purpose of this event is to provide means for both young and experienced neuroscientists to share the latest discoveries, knowledge and experience in neuroscience, as well as make valuable contacts with scientists representing various fields of neurobiology. We actively promote young scientists through preferentially allocating oral presentations of their experimental results. We strongly encourage you to join this special initiative, and hope to see you soon! On behalf of the Organising Committee, Michał Zaręba

Oct. 19, 2020

PhD-positions in computational neuroscience at the University of Oslo as part of CompSci grant in EU Horizon 2020

by Gaute Einevoll

CompSci is a Doctoral Programme launched and managed by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo (UiO). It is partly funded by the EU Horizon 2020 under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) - Co-funding of Regional, National and International Programmes (COFUND). The CompSci Doctoral Program will recruit 32 PhDs in two calls. In this Call, we open for applications to the 1st cohort of 16 PhD fellowship positions, that will join our PhD programme starting autumn 2021 at UiO. The possible PhD-projects span over a wide range of topics where methods from computational science are applied to different fields in the natural sciences: https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/ Four of the possible projects in Call 1 are within computational neuroscience: * Bio-inspired neural networks for navigation<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/bioscience/bio-inspired-neur…> Supervisors: Anders Malthe-Sørenssen<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/malthe-sorenssen…>, Gaute T. Einevoll<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/einevoll.html> * Large-scale recordings of neurons to reveal mechanisms of learning and memory<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/bioscience/learning-and-memo…> Supervisors: Marianne Fyhn<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/fyhn.html>, Anders Malthe-Sørenssen<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/malthe-sorenssen…> * Large-scale network simulations of mouse visual cortex<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/bioscience/neural-networks.h…> Supervisors: Gaute T. Einevoll<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/einevoll.html>, Marianne Fyhn<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/fyhn.html> * Modelling systems levels changes in brain aging induced by genome instability<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/bioscience/brain-aging.html> Supervisors: Hilde Nilsen<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/nilsen.html>, Gaute T. Einevoll<https://www.mn.uio.no/compsci/english/projects/supervisors/einevoll.html> For information about how to apply, see https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/193610/compsci-call-1-marie-… . The application deadline for Call 1 is: January 3rd 2021 Questions about the individual projects should be sent to the supervisors listed above.

Oct. 18, 2020

Re: [Comp-neuro] Lecture video about Explainable and Reliable AI: Deep Learning and Adaptive Resonance

by Grossberg, Stephen

Dear Colleagues, On September 19, I gave a pre-recorded keynote lecture on Zoom to the 13th International Conference on Brain Informatics about Explainable and Reliable AI, a topic that's of considerable interest these days. The lecture's title and url are: Explainable and Reliable AI and Autonomous Adaptive Intelligence: Deep Learning, Adaptive Resonance, and Models of Perception, Emotion, and Action http://sites.bu.edu/steveg/files/2020/10/Grossberg-keynote-for-BI-on-9-19-2… The lecture can also be found on my web page sites.bu.edu/steveg along with a pdf of its powerpoint slides and various other lectures and articles. Best, Steve Grossberg Stephen Grossberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Grossberg http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3BIV70wAAAAJ&hl=en https://youtu.be/9n5AnvFur7I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hBye6JQCh4 Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems Director, Center for Adaptive Systems Professor Emeritus of Mathematics & Statistics, Psychological & Brain Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering Boston University sites.bu.edu/steveg steve(a)bu.edu

Oct. 17, 2020

How to find your scientific neighbours, future colleagues

by Tim Vogels

Dear Colleagues, For those of you who are looking for a position as a postdoc (or faculty), consider posting your info to world-wide.org/neighbors <http://world-wide.org/neighbors>. It's a place to find your closest scientific neighbours, and maybe your next position. Fill in & submit your info, and a few minutes later we will post it, if you want to with the best matching labs. /neighbors <http://world-wide.org/neighbors> is an extension of the popular worldwideneuro.com <http://worldwideneuro.com/>, and currently works best for neuroscience matches. For those of you who are looking for postdocs and advertising positions for postdocs to HIRE, it may be interesting to also post your ads on world-wide.org/neighbors <http://world-wide.org/neighbors>. Posting your ad to the website will make it visible for a much longer time than a single fleeting email. And while you are here, come brows through the info on people looking for jobs. Finally, you can also just browse if you're just “curious”, and check out who your closest neighbours are. Or find some amazing talks on worldwideneuro.com <http://worldwideneuro.com/> or https://www.world-wide.org/Physics-of-Life/ <https://www.world-wide.org/Physics-of-Life/> If you want to, let us know if you like it, and what improvements you’d like to see. All the best, (Panos Bozelos and ) Tim Vogels ------------- Vogelslab.org <http://vogelslab.org/> IST, Austria

Oct. 17, 2020

Call for papers : Special Issue on Brain Simulation and Spiking Neural Networks ( Cognitive Computation - Springer)

by Vassilis Cutsuridis

*Call For Papers:Journal : Cognitive ComputationSpecial Issue : Brain Simulation and Spiking Neural Networks* https://www.springer.com/journal/12559/updates/18336610 *Scope and Motivation* During the past 10 years, many experiments have been implemented with the aim of improving our understanding on the brain’s structure and function. Alongside, simulation neuroscience has become an important strategy to investigate how the brain works. The Human Connectome Project in the US started in 2009 and aimed to provide a big human brain mapping dataset on which many brain models have already been tested. In the Human Brain Project in the EU, a large-scale virtual rodent brain simulation is being built with the purpose of revealing various brain activities. In Japan, whole human-scale brain simulations on the Fugaku supercomputer are being established to investigate how neural networks develop their learning process. On the other hand, the foundation of cognitive computing and control mechanism can be revealed from the simulations of brain circuits and the neural dynamics. Moreover, these are also critical to improve current artificial intelligent systems and for building brain intelligence level algorithms. In this special issue, we invite researchers to present their state-of-the-art approaches, introduce recent advances and therefore show the potential of brain-simulation-related technologies. *Guest Editors* Jordi Solé-Casals (jordi.sole(a)uvic.cat) Cesar F. Caiafa (ccaiafa(a)fi.uba.ar) Zhe Sun (zhe.sun.vk(a)riken.jp) Vassilis Cutsuridis (vcutsuridis(a)lincoln.ac.uk) *Topics* Topics include but are not limited to: • Brain Connectivity mapping and functional mapping • Data analysis methods for connectome data • Multi-scale neural system simulation • Neuromorphic hardware • High-performance computing system for large scale simulations • Neural system inspired spiking neural network • Neuro-robotics systems • Sensorimotor learning model *Deadlines* *Submissions Deadline*: *April 1, 2021* First notification of acceptance: June 1, 2021 Submission of revised papers: August 1, 2021 Final notification to the authors: Oct 1, 2021 Submission of final/camera-ready papers: Nov 1, 2021 Publication of special issue: Nov 22, 2021 *Submission Instruction:* Prepare your paper in accordance with the Journal guidelines: www.springer.com/12559. Submit manuscripts at: http://www.editorialmanager.com/cogn/. Select “SI: Brain Simulation and Spiking Neural Networks” for the special issue under “Additional Information.” Your paper must contain significant and original work that has not been published nor submitted to any journals. All papers will be reviewed following standard reviewing procedures of the Journal. *Author Resources* Authors are encouraged to submit high-quality, original work that has neither appeared in, nor is under consideration by other journals. All papers will be reviewed following standard reviewing procedures for the Journal. Papers must be prepared in accordance with the Journal guidelines: www.springer.com/12559 Springer provides a host of information about publishing in a Springer Journal on our Journal Author Resources <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author> page, including FAQs <http://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/frequently-asked-…> , Tutorials <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-a…>along with Help and Support. <https://support.springer.com/en/support/home> Other links include: - editorial policies <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-h…> - publication policies <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/publication-policies> - copyright transfer <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/publication-policies/copyright-tran…> - self-archiving <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/publication-policies/self-archiving…> - OA funding <https://www.springernature.com/gp/open-research/funding> - open choice <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/springer-open-choice> - funder compliance <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/publication-policies/funder-complia…> - read and publish agreements <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/springer-open-choice/springer-compa…> - preprint sharing <https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/preprint-sharing/16718886> - my publication process <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-h…> - production <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-h…> - publication <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-h…> - post-publication <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-h…> - ORCID <https://www.springernature.com/de/researchers/orcid?utm_source=springer&utm…> - Publons <https://www.springernature.com/gp/reviewers/publons> - article sharing <https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/sharedit> - citation alerts <https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/journal-author-h…> If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Best regards, Vassilis --- Dr Vassilis Cutsuridis Senior Lecturer School of Computer Science & Lincoln Sleep Research Center University of Lincoln Lincoln UK Tel: +44 (0) 1522 83 5701 Email: vcutsuridis(a)lincoln.ac.uk Web: http://staff.lincoln.ac.uk/vcutsuridis Personal website: http://www.vassiliscutsuridis.org/

Oct. 16, 2020

Free Online Seminar: How to build your own Connectome?

by Markus Butz-Ostendorf

Dear List, My apologies for cross-postings first of all! I would like to draw your attention to the first free online webinar on connectomics in clinical application with our novel neuroimaging software NICARA, particularly dedicated to human connectomics. Abstract at the end of this message. The seminar takes place online on Tue, 20 Oct 2020 at 3pm (CET). Participation is free of charge but registration is kindly requested via this link https://www.biomax.com/webinar With NICARA every neuroscientists can explore the beauty of connectomes and focus on connectome-related research questions without being a neuroimaging or neuroinformatics expert him- or herself. Register one of the limited NICARA demo accounts today via https://ssl.biomax.de/nicara/ Looking forward to meeting you online at the seminar! kind regards, Markus == Free Online Seminar Series: How to build your own Connectome? With our neuroimaging solution NICARA we help clinicians working in the field of mental disorders to classify their patients faster and even better than ever before. Pharmacologists can significantly speed up the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of new drugs and scientists can access data and publications quickly and easily, thus greatly accelerating the success of research, while saving costs. All of these experts face more or less the same problem: Extracting structural and functional brain connectivity form raw images is time consuming and requires extensive expert knowledge. With NICARA you have thousands of publicly available connectomes at your fingertips and the possibility to analyze your own data by creating individual connectomes on the fly. Explore the world of connectomics with NICARA and learn how you can easily build your own Connectome. Register today for free for one of our upcoming Online Seminars and Live Demos. for Clinicians: 20/10/2020, 3:00 pm for Scientists 10/11/2020, 3:00 pm for Pharmacologists 1/12/2020, 3:00 pm To register, please go to https://www.biomax.com/webinar and request your access data via the webinar page. We are looking forward to meeting you. -- Dr. rer. nat. Markus Butz-Ostendorf Innovation Manager Brain Science Senior Product Manager Biomax Informatics AG Robert-Koch-Str. 2, 82152 Planegg, Germany Registergericht: Amtsgericht München, HRB 134442 Vorstand: Dr. Klaus Heumann Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Mewes Tel: +49 89 895574-862 Fax: +49 89 895574-825 Email:markus.butz-ostendorf@biomax.com Website:http://www.biomax.com PGP:https://ssl.biomax.de/pgp/

Oct. 16, 2020

PhD and PostDoc positions on physical models of biological computation

by elisabetta chicca

The Bio-Inspired Circuits and Systems (BICS) group at the University of Groningen, Netherlands headed by Prof. Elisabetta Chicca is inviting applications for PhD and PostDoc positions on physical models of biological computation. The positions will be embedded in a highly interdisciplinary, international research group lead by Prof. Elisabetta Chicca, who recently started a new group in the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) at the University of Groningen. The BICS group aims to identify the principles of neural computation and implement them in fully parallel and low-power neuromorphic systems that offer the opportunity to overcome the limitations of traditional digital architectures. The successful candidate should have a background in physics, computer sciences, electrical engineering, neurosciences or some related field. Some modelling, programming or analog CMOS design experience is advantageous. Applications will be considered until the positions are filled. The application should include a cover letter stating the candidate’s research interests and how these fit to the research conducted in the BICS group; a CV outlining prior education, research experience, skills and publications; reprints (if available); academic transcripts; and names of two referees. Electronic submission is preferred (to be addressed to Prof. Elisabetta Chicca, e.chicca <e.chicca(a)rug.nl>ATrug.nl <e.chicca(a)rug.nl>). ------------------------------------------------------------ Prof. Dr. Elisabetta Chicca Full Professor Chair of Bio-Inspired Circuits and Systems (BICS) Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials CogniGron - Groningen Cognitive Systems and Materials Center University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands Phone: +31 50 363 8731 Office: 5113.0039 Secretary: Jeannette de Boer Phone: +31 50 363 4843

Oct. 16, 2020

Postdoctoral position in computational and statistical neuroscience

by John Pearson

Posting below. Interested candidates are also encouraged to reach out directly. The laboratories of Dr. Richard Mooney (https://www.neuro.duke.edu/mooney-lab) and Dr. John Pearson (http://pearsonlab.github.io<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://pearsonlab.github.io/__;!!OToaGQ!5lp4UHC…>) at Duke University are seeking two (2) postdoctoral scholars in conjunction with an NIH BRAIN Initiative-funded project investigating the contributions of basal ganglia to vocal motor exploration and reinforcement learning. Candidates will combine state of the art viral, electrophysiological, imaging, and computational methods and work as part of a multi-institution team that also includes Dr. Carlos Lois, in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering at CalTech, and Dr. Tim Gardner, in the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon. The first postdoc, appointed in the Department of Neurobiology, will use behavioral, optogenetic, electrophysiological and optical imaging methods to explore how cortico-basal ganglia circuits contribute to vocal exploration and learning. Previous experience with imaging and electrophysiological methods is desirable, and experience using viral gene transfer methods to monitor and manipulate neural activity will be especially helpful. Candidates with strong quantitative skills and an interest in developing or improving computational skills are especially desired. This postdoc will work closely with a related postdoc hire in the Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, as well as team members across all institutions. The second postdoc, appointed in the Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, will perform computational modeling of reinforcement learning in the birdsong system, including development of new statistical machine learning methods for the analysis of song, electrophysiology, and calcium imaging data. The postdoc will work closely with experimentalists to design studies, analyze data, and refine hypotheses. Candidates should hold a PhD in a quantitative discipline such as computational neuroscience, physics, statistics, or computer science. Previous experience in neurobiology is a plus but not required. This postdoc will work closely with a related postdoc hire in the Department of Neurobiology, as well as team members across the other institutions. John ------------------------------- John Pearson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Electrical and Computer Engineering Neurobiology; Psychology and Neuroscience Duke University B255 LSRC Box 91003 Durham, NC 27708 919.613.8338 http://pearsonlab.github.io/

Oct. 16, 2020

Postdoc position on Biological Deep Learning

by Walter Senn

Dear all One postdoc position devoted to learning in deep cortical networks is available in the Computational Neuroscience labs at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Our research is focussed on biologically realistic models of spatio-temporal processing in recurrent cortical networks and their relation to reinforcement learning, Bayesian computing, and neuromorphic implementations. The position is focussed on formalizing the dendritic processing of cortical pyramidal neurons, in particular on combining top-down and bottom-up information streams within pyramidal neurons, and in integrating these neurons in deep networks. The position is part of a collaboration with Profs Fritjof Helmchen and Giacomo Indiveri (UniZH / ETHZ) supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and is available from January 1st, 2021, for 2 years (extendable). We offer a stimulating environment with three research groups in theoretical and computational neuroscience, along with experimental neuroscience at the same Department of Physiology (physio.unibe.ch/gruppen.aspx <file:///Users/walter/Documents/Walter_Physio/admin/ownPositionAnnouncments/HBP_PosAnnouncments2020/physio.unibe.ch/gruppen.aspx>), as well as close collaborations with other labs in neuroscience, artificial intelligence and neuromorphic engineering. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in computational neuroscience, machine learning, applied mathematics and/or physics. Please send your CV, publication list, letter of motivation and contact information for at least two references to Walter Senn (walter.senn(a)unibe.ch <mailto:walter.senn@unibe.ch>) and Mihai Petrovici (mihai.petrovici(a)unibe.ch <mailto:mihai.petrovici@unibe.ch>), with cc to Virginie Sabado (virginie.sabado(a)unibe.ch <mailto:virginie.sabado@unibe.ch>). The first evaluation round will begin on November 8, 2020. The positions will remain open until filled. With best regards, Mihai Petrovici and Walter Senn

Oct. 15, 2020

postdoc on computational modelling of perceptual inference and psychophysics (Hyafil lab, CRM, Barcelona)

by Alexandre Hyafil

A postdoc position is available under the supervision of Alexandre Hyafil in the group of Computational Neuroscience at the *Center for Research in Mathematics (CRM),* Barcelona, Spain ( http://www.crm.cat/en/Research/ResearchGroups/Neuroscience/Pages/default.as…) The project will combine modelling and psychophysics (possibly neuroimaging) to study the mechanisms of propagation of belief in human perception. The candidate will benefit from the stimulating environment of Barcelona area in Theoretical and Systems Neuroscience and will have the opportunity of enjoying a lively city (should the pandemics permit). Our lab forms part of a larger interacting network of neuroscience labs in Barcelona ( http://www.barccsyn.org) Candidates should have a PhD in computational cognitive neuroscience or a related field. Prior experience with psychophysics, neuroimaging, machine learning and/or computational modelling will be valued. Financial support is provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science. Initial appointment: two years. *APPLICATION:* Send a curriculum and motivation letter with a list of two contacts for recommendation letter to alexandre.hyafil(a)gmail.com. Informal enquiries are welcome. *DEADLINE:* until the position is filled *STARTING DATE:* anytime before summer 2021

Oct. 15, 2020

PhD/Postdoc position in Tübingen, Deep nets + human neurophysiology data

by Jakob Macke

Dear colleagues, We have a position for a Ph.D. Student or Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d, E13 TV-L) in `Deep learning for studying population codes in the human brain’, starting as soon as possible. The initial fixed-term contract will be for 3 years with possible extension. Details at https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/196976. How do neural circuits in the human brain recognize objects, persons and actions from complex visual stimuli? To address these questions, we will develop deep convolutional neural networks for modelling how neurons in high-level human brain areas respond to complex visual information. We will make use of a unique dataset of neurophysiological recordings of single-unit activity and field potentials recorded from the medial temporal lobe of epilepsy patients. Our tools will open up avenues for a range of new investigations in cognitive and clinical neuroscience, and may inspire new artificial vision systems. The position is part of the BMBF-funded project DeepHumanVision in collaboration with the `Dynamic Vision and Learning’ Group at TU Munich (Prof. Dr. Laura Leal-Taixé) and the Cognitive and Clinical Neurophysiology Group at University Hospital Bonn (Prof. Dr. Dr. Mormann). Our group develop computational methods that help scientists interpret empirical data, with a focus on basic and clinical neuroscience research. We want to understand how neuronal networks in the brain process sensory information and control intelligent behaviour, and use this knowledge to develop methods for the diagnosis and therapy of neuronal dysfunction. We aim to work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative and supportive work environment which emphasizes diversity and inclusion. Tübingen has an internationally renowned research community in artificial intelligence, machine learning and computational neuroscience, including the Cyber Valley Initiative, the Tübingen AI Center, the Excellence Cluster Machine Learning, and the new MSc Program Machine Learning. We are situated in the AI Research Building, in close proximity to the Max Planck Institutes for Intelligent Systems and Biological Cybernetics, and participate in the two International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS) `Intelligent Systems’ and `Mechanisms of Mental Function and Dysfunction’. The position is open to candidates who have a PhD or Master’s in in a quantitative discipline (e.g. computer science, maths, statistics, physics, electrical engineering, computational neuroscience), a genuine interest in interdisciplinary work at the interface of machine learning and neuroscience, and strong programming skills (ideally Python/PyTorch). Prior experience in deep learning, and/or in analysing neurophysiological data with statistical methods is advantageous. The University seeks to raise the number of women in research and teaching and therefore urges qualified women academics to apply for these positions. Equally qualified applicants with disabilities will be given preference. The employment will be carried out by the central administration of the University of Tübingen. PhD applicants are also expected to apply to the IMPRS `Intelligent Systems’ https://imprs.is.mpg.de, Deadline also November 2. Please submit your application materials to mls-sekretariat(a)inf.uni-tuebingen.de, with subject `Application: Postdoc/PhD DeepHumanVision‘. Please include a CV, a brief statement of research interests, contact details of two referees and a work sample - anything that is genuinely your own work, e.g. a thesis, computer code, a research manuscript, an essay, or a publication. For postdoc applicants, we expect relevant prior publications. Application deadline: November 02, 2020. Best, Jakob Macke Prof. Dr. Jakob Macke Chair of Machine Learning in Science Excellence Cluster `Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science’ Department of Computer Science University of Tübingen Adjunct Senior Research Scientist, Department of Empirical Inference Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems Tübingen Jakob.Macke(a)uni-tuebingen.de Office: Franziska Weiler, mls-sekretariat(a)inf.uni-tuebingen.de www.mackelab.org/tuebingen

Oct. 15, 2020

Positions in Probabilistic Data Science / Machine Learning Lab, Oldenburg University, Germany

by Jörg Lücke

Dear list, The Machine Learning Lab at the University of Oldenburg, Germany, is seeking to fill the position of a Researcher in Probabilistic Data Science. We look for somebody who has already obtained a PhD degree or is close to obtaining one. The only definitive source of information is here: https://uol.de/stellen/?stelle=67593 The application deadline is Oct 20 but we very likely also accept applications until the end of next week. We are seeking somebody with knowledge on probabilistic generative modeling. Best wishes, Jörg Lücke -- Jörg Lücke (PhD) Professor and Head of the Machine Learning Lab Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Oldenburg 26111 Oldenburg Germany www.uol.de/ml

Oct. 14, 2020

COSYNE 2021: Abstract submission is now open

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2021 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING ONLINE 24 - 26 February 2021 www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Abstract submission is now open Abstract submission deadline: 12 November 2020 ---------------------------------------------------- MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. Cosyne 2021 will take place online, February 24 - 26, 2021. Please note that the dates have changed slightly from the initial announcement. The goal of this year’s meeting is to promote early stage investigators. Therefore, there are no invited talks from established researchers. The format will include featured contributed talks chosen from submitted abstracts, and interactive poster-like presentations (short recorded presentation + live interactions). More details to follow. All abstract submissions will be reviewed as in previous years, but reviewing will be fully double blind. The deadline for Abstract submission will be November 12, 2020. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural basis of behavior, sensory and motor systems, circuitry, learning, neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE 2021 TUTORIAL ---------------------------------------------------- Cosyne 2021 main meeting will be preceded by an online Cosyne Tutorial Session led by Kanaka Rajan (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) on 23 February 2021. More details will be posted on www.cosyne.org. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General & Program Chairs: Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris) Diversity Chairs: Eva Dyer (Georgia Tech, Emory) and Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Publicity Chair: Adam Calhoun (Princeton) Tutorial Chair: Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Development Chair: Michael Long (NYU) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) PROGRAM COMMITTEE Athena Akrami (UCL) Demba Ba (Harvard) Omri Barak (Technion) Brice Bathellier (Paris) Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) Christine Constantinople (NYU) Saskia De Vries (Allen Institute) Victor de Lafuente (UNAM Mexico) Jan Drugowitsch (Harvard) Tatiana Engel (CSHL) Annegret Falkner (Princeton) Kevin Franks (Duke) Tim Hanks (UC Davis) Ann Hermundstad (Janelia) Andrew Leifer (Princeton) Sukbin Lim (Shanghai) Scott Linderman (Stanford) Mackenzie Mathis (EPFL Lausanne) Ida Momennejad (Microsoft) Cris Niell (U Oregon) Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Adrien Peyrache (McGill Montreal) Kanaka Rajan (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) Robert Rosenbaum (Notre Dame) Christina Savin (NYU) Marshal Shuler (Johns Hopkins) Daniela Vallentin (Max Planck Munich) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details.

Oct. 14, 2020

Online Mentoring Job Offer

by Maryam

WE WANT YOU ! ScienceBeam, which is a designer and manufacturer of neuroscience applications and organizer of neuroscience educational courses, is looking for professional, experienced and authentic mentors from all around the world for online courses. Required fields: ➢ Neuroscience ➢ Neuro-Biofeedback ➢ EEG/ERP/QEEG ➢ Cognitive Science ➢ Programming (MATLAB, Bio-Signal processing, etc.) If you are as passionate about mentoring as you are about the above-mentioned fields, and can give a few hours per week in return for an honorarium, we would love to hear from you. Apply now and send your resumes to: workshop(a)sciencebeam.com WhatsApp No: +8613380781282

Oct. 13, 2020

Ph.D. program (with details) in Computational/Experimental Neuroscience in Tuebingen, Germany

by Zhaoping Li

(I apologize for a previous message sent without details): Join our interdisciplinary PhD program and experience a vibrant and international training environment in Neuroscience! see https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/imprs-mmfd for more details. Application deadline 30th Nov. 2020 More details International Max Planck Research School The Mechanisms of Mental Function and Dysfunction The ‘International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for The Mechanisms of Mental Function and Dysfunction’ (MMFD) provides state-of-the-art training and research under the guidance of leading neuroscientists, psychologists, psychiatrists and computational scientists in Tübingen. Excellent graduates with a Bachelor´s degree will enjoy an unparalleled opportunity to start their research career in neuroscience. What´s it all about? The IMPRS is a joint project of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics <https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/2549/en> and the University of Tübingen <https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/>. It is embedded in the Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience (GTC) <https://www.neuroschool-tuebingen.de> and thus benefits from more than 20 years of successful cooperation in the training of young neuroscientists. The IMPRS-MMFD offers a combined MSc/PhD program to outstanding BSc graduates. IMPRS students will not only receive an admission to one of the GTC´s regular MSc programs, but additionally a commitment of the IMPRS faculty to offer them a PhD position after their successful MSc graduation. The direct access to the IMPRS doctoral program for those students who are already holding a MSc degree and have already been admitted by the Graduate Training Centre is also possible. Prerequisite is the primarily supervision by one of the IMPRS faculty members (see: Application). Teaching and research in the IMPRS and at the GTC of Neuroscience are conducted entirely in English. The IMPRS MMFD was launched in January 2020 and is one of about sixty International Max Planck Research Schools <https://www.mpg.de/en/imprs> run by the Max Planck Society <https://www.mpg.de/en> in partnership with various universities and research institutions. IMPRS programs provide an extraordinary framework and working environment for graduate students, and they provide unique opportunities for interdisciplinary research projects.

Oct. 9, 2020

postdoc position in dynamical models of learning in working memory (Kilpatrick, CU Boulder)

by Zachary Kilpatrick

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on a BRAIN/NIMH/NIBIB funded project developing and validating neural circuit models of experience-driven computations in working memory. Our group is in the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado Boulder, and we have affiliations with the Institute of Cognitive Science and School of Medicine. The start date would likely be in Spring or Summer 2021. The position is fully funded till September 2023, with a possible extension contingent on funding. Interested applicants should contact Zack Kilpatrick (zpkilpat(a)colorado.edu <mailto:zpkilpat@colorado.edu>), along with a CV and list of 3 or more references. The aim of this project is to understand how task-relevant experience is encoded in neuronal circuits through plasticity-driven changes to network architecture (building off ideas in Kilpatrick (2018) Sci Rep <https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-25958-9>). Our mechanistic neural circuit models will be validated using data from humans (psychophysical response) and non-human primates (response + large-scale neural recordings) from the Gold (Penn), Buschman (Princeton), and Bays (Cambridge) labs. Candidates must have a strong background developing, simulating, and mathematically analyzing dynamical/mechanistic neural network models. We will build and analyze neural field models of large-scale activity using a combination of methods from stochastic processes, asymptotics, Bayesian inference, and numerical PDEs. Experience working with psychophysics and/or neural recording data is a plus but not required. Models will be fit using Bayesian parameter estimation and model comparison. Within our group, you could also work on a side project or two in decision-making, stochastic dynamics, social networks, and/or social foraging. Outside of work, the great outdoors in and around Boulder can’t be beat with over 40,000 acres of public open space, 1hr to skiing at Eldora Mtn Resort, 1hr to Rocky Mtn Natl Park, and tons of hiking and climbing. Boulder is consistently rated one of the most bike-able cities in the nation. We also have a very active local food scene with multiple restaurants receiving James Beard nominations this year. Non-stop international flights to Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, the UK, Japan, Mexico, and Canada are a 45 minute bus ride away at Denver Airport. ---------- Zachary P Kilpatrick, PhD (he/him/his) Associate Professor University of Colorado Boulder Department of Applied Mathematics http://www.colorado.edu/amath/zpkilpat <http://www.colorado.edu/amath/zpkilpat>

Oct. 8, 2020

Postdoctoral position in Computational Neuroscience, Italian Institute of Technology

by Stefano Panzeri

A postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience is available at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Italy to work with Stefano Panzeri ( https://www.iit.it/people/stefano-panzeri) The successful candidate will conduct research in the laboratory of Neural Computation of Prof. Panzeri and in collaboration with Prof. Christopher Harvey at Harvard Medical School. We investigate, by developing and using advanced data analysis methods and neural network models, how circuits of neurons in the brain encode information and use it to produce appropriate behaviors. The Neural Computation laboratory offers a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise in computational neuroscience, including both advanced neural analysis techniques and neural network modeling. The laboratory also offers a thriving, ambitious research environment which is well funded (including several grants from the NIH Brain Initiative). This gives successful candidates ample opportunities for advanced training and personal scientific growth. We seek candidates holding a PhD in a numerate or neuroscientific discipline, with a solid computational background and a keen interest in neuroscience. They must be highly motivated and creative individuals who want to work in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary research environment and be willing to interact with both experimental and theoretical neuroscientists. For recent publications relevant to this project, see: Runyan C. A., et al (2017) Distinct timescales of population coding across cortex, *Nature*: 548: 92-96. G. Pica, et al (2017) Quantifying how much sensory information in a neural code is relevant for behavior, *Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS 2017)* Panzeri S., et al (2017) Cracking the neural code for sensory perception by combining statistics, intervention and behaviour. *Neuron* 93: 491-507 Chettih and Harvey (2019) Single-neuron perturbations reveal feature-specific competition in V1. *Nature* 567, 334 Chong, E. et al (2020) Manipulating synthetic optogenetic odors reveals the coding logic of olfactory perception. *Science* 368, 1329. The deadline for applications is *Oct. 27th, 2020*. Applications will be examined as soon as they are received and until the position is filled. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to email Stefano Panzeri ( stefano.panzeri(a)iit.it) as soon as possible, to informally inform him of their interest for the position and initiate a discussion about research projects. Formal applications should be submitted, before the deadline, through the following web site: https://iit.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=20000039 Thanks Stefano Panzeri

Oct. 8, 2020

Two research fellow positions in Neuromorphic Olfaction

by Michael Schmuker

We have two Research Fellow positions available, funded through the NSF/MRC NeuroNex grant “Odor to Action”, an international consortium of 16 world-leading research groups from the US, Canada, and the UK. The consortium will apply their joint expertise in computational and experimental neuroscience, behavioural studies, fluid dynamics, and fragrance chemistry to unlock how brains use natural stimuli to generate adaptive natural behaviours. Apply to join an interdisciplinary team of computational neuroscientists, AI researchers and computer scientists to investigate the neuro-computational principles of the sense of smell and translate them into approaches for machine and robot olfaction. Our team will investigate real-time machine olfaction using biologically realistic spiking networks, on neuromorphic hardware, embodied in robots, performing olfactory navigation in real time. We will also use machine learning to analyse experimental data provided by collaborators and to gain a deeper insight into fragrance space. For more information and to apply, please head to https://www.jobs.herts.ac.uk <https://www.jobs.herts.ac.uk/> , search for job vacancy 029755. Informal inquiries via email are welcome! — Dr Michael Schmuker AFHEA Professor of Neural Computation Biocomputation Group University of Hertfordshire https://biomachinelearning.net

Oct. 6, 2020

Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Italy

by Silvia Ferrara

The ERC Project INSCRIBE Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings<https://site.unibo.it/inscribe/en>, based at the University of Bologna, Italy, seeks candidates for a postdoctoral position in interdisciplinary research with expertise in computational neuroscience. The selected candidate will straddle the borders of neuroscience, cognition and the evolution of graphic codes, in order to apply quantitative methods to large databases with the goal of establishing commonalities worldwide in the evolution of symbols from a broadly cognitive, and more specifically, motor-driven and visual perspective. The ideal candidate will have earned a PhD in either neuroscience or neural computational sciences, with extensive skills in statistical methods. His/her research results will be published in general audience, as well as specialized open-access, peer-reviewed journals, and will be presented at scientific conferences. The position is renewable on a yearly basis, up to three consecutive years and can be held remotely. Deadline: 28 October 2020. For more information on how to apply: https://site.unibo.it/inscribe/en/jobs or contact: s.ferrara(a)unibo.it. Thank you Silvia Ferrara Full Professor Department of Classical Philology University of Bologna Via Zamboni 32, 40126 Bologna, Italy https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/s.ferrara ERC Consolidator 2017 Principal Investigator INSCRIBE Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings<https://site.unibo.it/inscribe/en> Resident Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies (ISA) University of Bologna Senior Research Fellow, Sapienza School for Advanced Studies (SSAS) Sapienza, University of Rome

Oct. 6, 2020

Call For Abstracts - Workshop on Affective Shared Perception (WASP)

by Pablo Vinicius Alves De Barros

Dear all, We are delighted to invite you to submit an abstract, and to participate in our Workshop on Affective Shared Perception (WASP), hosted by the International Conference on Developmental Learning and Epigenetic Robotics (ICDL-EPIROB2020). Please find below all the information! Cheers, Pablo I. Aim and Scope Our perception of the world, in particular, the ones which are influenced by affective understanding, depends both on sensory perception and prior knowledge. Most of the current research on modeling affective behavior as computer models ground their contribution to pre-trained learning models, which are purely data-driven, or on reproducing existing human behavior. Such approaches allow for easily reproducible solutions that fail when applied to complex social scenarios. Understanding shared perception as part of the affective processing mechanisms will allow us to tackle this problem and to provide the next step towards a real-world affective computing system. The goal of this workshop is to present and discuss new findings, theories, systems, and trends in computational models of affective shared perception. The workshop will feature a multidisciplinary list of invited speakers with experience in different aspects of social interaction, which will allow a rich and diverse debate about our overarching theme of affective shared perception. The workshop is scheduled to happen on the 30th of October of 2020 virtually. It will start at 15h00 CET and it will have a total duration of 3h30min. The participation is free, and a Zoom room will be available shortly before the workshop starts. II. Registration The registration to the workshop is free, but to guarantee a place to attend the workshop, please register here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=XkYvv3Ufb0u-Kb9TJzvB2u5… III. Potential Topics Topics include, but are not limited to: - Affective perception and learning - Affective modulation and decision making - Developmental perspectives of shared perception - Machine learning for shared perception - Bio-inspired approaches for affective shared perception - Affective processing for embodied and cognitive robots - Multisensory modeling for conflict resolution in shared perception - New psychological findings on shared perception - Assistive aspects and applications of shared affective perception IV. Invited Speakers Prof. Dr. Ginevra Castellano - Uppsala University, Sweeden Prof. Dr. Ellen Souza - Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil Prof. Dr. Yukie Nagai - The University of Tokyo, Japan V. Submission Prospective participants in the workshop are invited to submit a contribution as an abstract with a maximum of 350 words. Submission information: https://www.whisperproject.eu/wasp2020 The abstracts will be peer-reviewed by experts from all over the world. To encourage the integration with the local affective computing communities, we will allow student abstracts to be submitted in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Each accepted abstract will be presented as a 5 min video (in English!) that will be shared on the workshop's social media. During the workshop, all the videos will be streamed and the authors will have a joint live Q/A with the audience for 60minutes. Participants can also opt-in for participating in our Frontiers Research Topic on Affective Shared Perception ( https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/16086/affective-shared-percepti…) The same abstract sent to the workshop can be sent as an abstract submission to the research topic. If you want to opt-in for the research topic, only English submissions will be accepted. - Abstract submission deadline: 12th of October - Notification of acceptance: 17th of October - Frontiers Research Topic Abstract Deadline: 24th of October - Video submission: 24th of October VI. Organizers Pablo Vinicius Alves De Barros, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy Alessandra Sciutti, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy VII. Acknowledgment The workshop is organized in the framework of the Starting Grant wHiSPER (G.A. No 804388) funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. ---------------------------------------- Dr. Pablo Barros Postdoctoral Researcher - CONTACT Unit Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – Center for Human Technologies Via Enrico Melen 83, Building B 16152 Genova, Italy email: pablo.alvesdebarros(a)iit.it website: https://www.pablobarros.net<http://www.pablobarros.net><https://www.p> twitter: @PBarros_br

Oct. 5, 2020

GEM2021 - Registration open

by Vinita Samarasinghe

Registration has opened! *GEM 2021**- Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from psychology, neuroscience and philosophy* https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021 <https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021> 16-18 February 2021 The workshop will take place in virtual space and is free of charge. The main workshop will be preceded by a PhD symposium, for which submissions are now being accepted via EasyChair https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021 <https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021> Keynote Speakers: Karl-Heinz Bäuml - University Regensburg, Germany Dorthe Berntsen - Aarhus University, Denmark Amy Criss - University of Syracuse, USA Dorothea Debus - University of Konstanz, Germany David Huber - University of Massachusetts, USA Sarah Robins - University of Kansas, USA Call for papers The DFG-funded research consortium “FOR 2812 – Constructing scenarios of the past” https://for2812.rub.de <https://for2812.rub.de> is proud to announce a call for papers for its first workshop on generative episodic memory. We invite submissions for talks and posters https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021 <https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021>. Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary workshop therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory. FOR 2812 “Constructing scenarios of the past: A new framework in episodic memory” consists of 9 researchers. Seven from the Ruhr University Bochum and two from the University of Münster. The consortium adopts an interdisciplinary approach and investigates generative episodic memory from a conceptual, modeling, and experimental perspective using a common conceptual framework: scenario construction. Paper submission deadlines [GMT +1 (CET)]: Abstract submission - 15.11.2020 Notification of acceptance - 19.12.2020 Submission guidelines: Abstracts must be submitted in English and be no longer than 1 page. Submitted work must be original and unpublished. Abstracts must be submitted electronically through the GEM 2021 paper submission site on EasyChair https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021 <https://easychair.org/cfp/gem2021>. Authors will receive confirmation of receipt of their abstracts including an ID number after submission. You can edit your submission at any time before the deadline. We will consider only the final version. Program committee: Nikolai Axmacher - Faculty of Psychology - Ruhr University Bochum Sen Cheng - Institute for Neural Computation - Ruhr University Bochum Gerald Echterhoff - Faculty of Psychology - University of Münster Albert Newen - Faculty of Philosophy - Ruhr University Bochum Ricarda Schubotz - Faculty of Psychology - University of Münster Markus Werning - Faculty of Philosophy - Ruhr University Bochum Laurenz Wiskott - Institute for Neural Computation - Ruhr University Bochum Oliver Wolf - Faculty of Psychology - Ruhr University Bochum All questions regarding the workshop should be emailed to for2812(a)rub.de Coordinator - Vinita Samarasinghe Secretary - Christiane Dahl -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/26 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de

Oct. 5, 2020

Postdoc position in learning and decision making in Chicago

by Thorsten Kahnt

A postdoc position is available in the Kahnt Lab at Northwestern University. The work will involve neuroimaging (fMRI), neurostimulation (TMS), and computational modeling to study learning and decision making in humans. Research in the Kahnt Lab (www.Kahntlab.org) focuses on the neural systems supporting learning, decision making, and olfaction in humans. Experimental techniques include behavioral testing, fMRI, diffusion MRI, olfactory psychophysics, and TMS. We utilize advanced data analysis techniques and computational modeling. The ideal candidate will have relevant research experience and will bring a unique perspective and background to the lab. Start date is flexible, but a start in 2020 is preferred. Please send your application package (cover letter, CV, and 1-3 selected publications) as a single PDF to thorsten.kahnt(a)northwestern.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For more information see: www.kahntlab.org/s/postdoc_job_posting_2020-5e32.pdf Thorsten Kahnt, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Neurology Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 320 E Superior St, Searle 11-463 Chicago, IL 60611 thorsten.kahnt(a)northwestern.edu kahntlab.org twitter.com/kahntlab

Oct. 4, 2020

Misha Mahowald Prize 2020

by Terry Sejnowski

Reminder: Misha Mahowald Prize 2020 image The Misha Mahowald Prize <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mahowaldprize.org/__;!!GX6Nv3_Pjr8b-17q…> recognizes outstanding research in neuromorphic engineering. The Prize is named for the late Misha Mahowald, one of the most influential pioneers of the field of neuromorphic engineering. The award is considered annually. The competition is open to any individual or research group worldwide. The Prize is for a project, not persons. Entries will likely to fall into one or more of the following categories: * a neuromorphic circuit, device or system * a neuromorphic algorithm or operating principle * a tool which promotes the use of neuromorphic engineering technology The entry may be a summary of a published or unpublished paper, or a description of a project, product or service. Every project will be considered on its own merits, regardless of the development budget or the group who worked on it. We strongly encourage everyone who has developed a novel contribution to the field to enter, no matter how large or small the project. Projects can be submitted even if they are still in progress. They will be judged according to the results achieved at the time of submission. The submission of revised versions of projects that have been unsuccessful in previous years, is strongly encouraged. 2020 Prize * The value of the 2020 Prize will be $10,000. * The prize is decided by a Jury of internationally recognized experts under the chair of Prof. Terry Sejnowski * The submission document is limited to 4 A4 pages. This will be a brief description of the work: its novelty, _reality_, performance, and its potential impact. Include links to relevant images/tables/original papers, etc. * Details can be found here <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mahowaldprize.org/submission/__;!!GX6Nv…> * The submission deadline is 23:59 UTC 31 October 2020. * The decision of the Jury concerning the 2019 Prize will be announced in December 2020. The prize is administered by /iniForum/, a Swiss association and events management company that promotes education, research and applications of brain-like computation. Contact: info(a)iniforum.ch <mailto:info@iniforum.ch>

Oct. 2, 2020

PhD/post-doc opening on Neuro-AI in Montreal, Canada

by Muller Eilif

I'm happy to announce the Architectures of Biological Learning Lab is Hiring! I'm looking for exceptional candidates at the MSc, PhD or post-doc level to work on "Dendritic Algorithms for Perceptual Learning". The project will employ simulations of pyramidal neurons and plasticity, and deep convolutional networks to study representation learning in the neocortex. Prior experience with Python, NEURON, and/or PyTorch would be an asset. This project will be undertaken in collaboration with Profs. Yoshua Bengio (UdeM, Mila), Roberto Araya (UdeM, CRCHUSJ), and Blake Richards (McGill, Mila). Montreal, Canada is a thriving international hub for Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience research, with a booming AI industry. It's where Donald O. Hebb originally formulated Hebbian Learning. It's also a vibrant, funky, cosmopolitan yet affordable city of over 4 million, referred to as "Canada's Cultural Capital" by Monocle magazine. In 2017, Montreal was ranked the 12th-most liveable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit in its annual Global Liveability Ranking, and the best city in the world to be a university student in the QS World University Rankings. For more details and instructions how to apply, please visit: https://bit.ly/3l1PGFH --- Eilif B. Muller, Ph.D.<https://research.chusj.org/en/Axes-de-recherche/Bio?id=a7716033-22af-49a0-8…> IVADO Assistant Research Professor Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal Associate Faculty Member - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila) Centre de recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal QC H3T 1C5, Canada

Oct. 1, 2020

POSTDOC POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE IN PARIS AND BASEL

by Rava A. da Silveira

*Several postdoctoral openings in the lab of Rava Azeredo da Silveira **(Paris & Basel)* The lab of Rava Azeredo da Silveira invites applications for *Postdoctoral Researcher* positions at ENS, Paris, and IOB, an associated institute of the University of Basel. Research questions will be chosen from a broad range of topics in theoretical/computational neuroscience and cognitive science (see the description of the lab’s activity, below). One of the postdoc positions to be filled in Basel will be part of a collaborative framework with Michael Woodford (Columbia University) and will involve projects relating the study of decision making to models of perception and memory. Candidates with backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence, physics, computer science, engineering, biology, and psychology are welcome. Experience with data analysis and proficiency with numerical methods, in addition to familiarity with neuroscience topics and mathematical and statistical methods, are desirable. Equally desirable are a spirit of intellectual adventure, eagerness, and drive. The positions will come with highly competitive work conditions and salaries. *Application deadline:* For full consideration, please apply by 30 October 2020. *How to apply:* Please send the following information *in one single PDF, to * *silveira(a)iob.ch* <silveira(a)iob.ch>*:* 1. letter of motivation; 2. statement of research interests, limited to two pages; 3. curriculum vitæ including a list of publications; 4. any relevant publications that you wish to showcase. In addition, please arrange for three letters of recommendations to be sent to the same email address. In all email correspondence, please include the mention “APPLICATION-POSTDOC” in the subject header, otherwise the application will *not* be considered. *** *ENS,* together with a number of neighboring institutions (College de France, Institut Curie, ESPCI, Sorbonne Université, and Institut Pasteur), offers a rich scientific and intellectual environment, with a strong representation in computational neuroscience and related fields. *IOB* is a research institute combining basic and clinical research. Its mission is to drive innovations in understanding vision and its diseases and develop new therapies for vision loss. IOB is an equal-opportunity employer with family-friendly work policies. *The Silveira** Lab* focuses on a range of topics, which, however, are tied together through a central question: How does the brain represent and manipulate information? Among the more concrete approaches to this question, the lab analyses and models neural activity in circuits that can be identified, recorded from, and perturbed experimentally, such as visual neural circuits in the retina and the cortex. Establishing links between physiological specificity and the structure of neural activity yields an understanding of circuits as building blocks of cerebral information processing. On a more abstract level, the lab investigates the representation of information in populations of neurons, from a statistical and algorithmic—rather than mechanistic—point of view, through theories of coding and data analyses. These studies aim at understanding the statistical nature of high-dimensional neural activity in different conditions, and how this serves to encode and process information from the sensory world. In the context of cognitive studies, the lab investigates mental processes such as inference, learning, and decision-making, through both theoretical developments and behavioral experiments. A particular focus is the study of neural constraints and limitations and, further, their impact on mental processes. Neural limitations impinge on the structure and variability of mental representations, which in turn inform the cognitive algorithms that produce behavior. The lab explores the nature of neural limitations, mental representations, and cognitive algorithms, and their interrelations.

Sept. 30, 2020

COSYNE 2021: Meeting announcement and call for abstracts

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2021 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING ONLINE 27 February - 01 March 2021 www.cosyne.org ==================================================== ---------------------------------------------------- MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. Cosyne 2021 will take place online, February 27 - March 1, 2021. The goal of this year’s meeting is to promote early stage investigators. Therefore, there are no invited talks from established researchers. The format will include featured contributed talks and an interactive poster-like presentations (short recorded presentation + live interactions). More details to follow. All abstract submissions will be reviewed as in previous years, but reviewing will be fully double blind. The deadline for Abstract submission will be November 12, 2020. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural basis of behavior, sensory and motor systems, circuitry, learning, neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. IMPORTANT DATES Abstract submission opens: 11 October 2020 Abstract submission deadline: 12 November 2020 When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General & Program Chairs: Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris) Diversity Chairs: Eva Dyer (Georgia Tech, Emory) and Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Publicity Chair: Adam Calhoun (Princeton) Development Chair: Michael Long (NYU) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details.

Sept. 29, 2020

(on behalf of Loren Frank) faculty position @ UCSF

by Peter Dayan

The Department of Physiology at UCSF is seeking a visionary neuroscientist to join our vibrant and collaborative discovery research community. This open-rank, tenure-track faculty position is part of a multi-year UCSF institutional initiative that began in 2018 to foster equity and inclusion in biomedical research and to promote the success of our diverse student population. Since launching this effort, UCSF has tripled the number of underrepresented faculty in our basic sciences departments and this critical mass will continue to grow. Candidates are expected to hold a Ph.D. and/or M.D., to have demonstrated significant research accomplishment and potential, and to be committed to the mentorship of students, with a particular emphasis on candidates with demonstrated success mentoring students from groups that are historically underrepresented in biomedical science. We encourage outstanding candidates who are early in their postdoctoral research training to apply, even if their main findings are not yet published. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a dynamic and interactive research program focused in the field of integrative neuroscience, which could include molecular, genetic, cellular, systems, behavioral, computational, and engineering approaches. The candidate would become a member of the Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, the Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and the Weill Institute for Neuroscience at UCSF. The candidate would be expected to join the UCSF Neuroscience Graduate Program and, if so desired, one or more of our other top-ranked interdisciplinary graduate programs (see https://graduate.ucsf.edu/list-programs) The candidate, like all faculty at UCSF, will also be expected to contribute to graduate teaching, to be a leader in inclusive mentoring practices, and to participate in activities that promote equity and inclusion at our institution and in the broader scientific community. Service and teaching expectations are comparable to those of any other UCSF tenure-track faculty position. Faculty appointment will be made at a professorial rank commensurate with current academic standing. UCSF offers competitive salaries, research set-up funds, and recruitment allowances, and has numerous opportunities for faculty development and further training in mentorship. Applications must be submitted online and include the following documents in a single PDF: (1) cover letter briefly describing how the candidate fits the position; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) 1-page summary of research accomplishments demonstrating the candidate’s scientific leadership through their contribution to their project(s) and describing the potential impact of their work on the field of neuroscience; (4) 2-page description of future research plans that includes both high risk / high reward projects and an NIH-fundable program; and 5) a statement of personal experiences with, and contributions to, issues related to social and racial justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, with particular attention to demonstrated success with formal and informal mentoring of individuals from historically underrepresented groups. We encourage candidates to describe specific mentoring strategies to support the success of all trainees in their research group. Copies of major publications that demonstrate the candidate’s ability to carry out creative and impactful work should be included. Applicants should request three to five letters of recommendation describing how the candidate meets the criteria in this job description. We encourage recommenders to provide explicit examples to illustrate their statements. We expect candidates to provide a letter from their postdoctoral and graduate advisors but will consider candidates who can provide justifications when these will be lacking. Review will begin on December 1, 2020 and continue until the position is filled. Please direct inquiries about the position and suggestions of potential candidates to Dr. Loren Frank (loren(a)phy.ucsf.edu) As an institution that values diversity, UC San Francisco especially encourages application from historically excluded groups, including but not limited to racially underrepresented individuals, women, and individuals with a commitment to mentoring historically excluded groups in the sciences. UC San Francisco seeks candidates whose experience, teaching, research, or community service that has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. Please apply online at https://aprecruit.ucsf.edu/JPF03083.

Sept. 29, 2020

postdoc/PhD students needed

by Alexey Kuznetsov

*POSTDOCTORAL POSITION* *Indianapolis, Indiana, United States* A postdoctoral position and/or PhD student positions are available for a cutting-edge project on computational modeling of habit formation. The project takes place in the excellent collaborative environment of the Indiana Alcohol Research Center and studies the influence of alcohol on habits. The post-doc will develop a model of the cortico-striatal brain circuitry affected by alcohol. The post-doc will work with Prof. Kuznetsov (Mathematics Dept. IUPUI) and collaborate with experimentalists Prof. Atwood (IUSM) and Prof. Lapish (Psycology Dept. IUPUI). The position is available beginning December 2020 for one year. The continuation is contingent upon the availability of funds. *Qualifications*: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Mathematics, Physics, or a related field, a background in Dynamical Systems, programming experience and working knowledge in Computational Neuroscience. Experience in modeling the basal ganglia is desirable. *How to Apply:* Send your CV, list of publications, research statement, and contact information for three references to Prof. Alexey Kuznetsov via e-mail: askuznet(a)iupui.edu. IUPUI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application process must notify Cindy Ritchie at 402 N. Blackford Street, LD 270, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 or call (317) 274-6920, a reasonable time in advance. IUPUI strongly encourages applications from women and underrepresented minorities. Additional information about IUPUI and the Department is available at www.iupui.edu and www.math.iupui.edu. -- Alexey Kuznetsov Associate Professor Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, IUPUI Science Building, LD 270, 402 N. Blackford St., Indianapolis, IN

Sept. 28, 2020

Postdoctoral position at BU (Nancy Kopell) and MIT (Emery Brown)

by McCarthy, Michelle M

Dear Comp-Neuro Community, The Kopell lab at Boston University has an open position (2 years with the possibility of renewal) for a postdoctoral associate to work on computational models concerning mechanisms of anesthesia, with experimental work to be done in the labs of Emery Brown, Earl Miller and others. The models are physiologically detailed (Hodgkin-Huxley based), linking anesthetic-mediated changes in physiology to changes in brain rhythms and their coordination both locally and across the brain; the models further link the brain rhythms to changes in consciousness. The work is relevant to sleep and brain disorders. Programming proficiency and modeling experience is necessary and some neuroscience training is desirable. Please send inquiries and applications to Xiaoshi Shi (xiaoshi(a)bu.edu<mailto:xiaoshi@bu.edu>) and nk(a)bu.edu<mailto:nk@bu.edu>. Nancy Kopell Department of Mathematics and Statistics Boston University, Boston MA 02215

Sept. 28, 2020

Two Cardiac Simulation/Computational Neuroscience postdoc computer modeling positions are available for development of a novel ICNS (intrinsic cardiac nervous system) simulation project.

by Salvador Dura

Our new NIH SPARC Initiative ICNS project aims to build and establish a new model of RAGP (right atrial ganglionic plexus) The work is being done as a collaboration between SUNY Downstate (Brooklyn, NY), and Jefferson University (Philadelphia, CT) under the auspices of a 2-year NIH SPARC Initiative grant. The two new postdocs will work closely together - one focusing primarily on cell-level modeling and the other primarily on network but with both expected to work in both areas. Candidates should have a strong background in computer programming, with demonstrated proficiency in Python. Strong interest, though not necessarily research experie nce, in neuroscience is a must. Some experience with NEURON and NetPyNE is desirable. Job Types: Full-time or Contract contact: bill.lytton(a)downstate.edu<mailto:bill.lytton@downstate.edu> -- William W. Lytton, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY bill.lytton(a)downstate.edu; http://neurosimlab.com ________________________________________________________________

Sept. 28, 2020

Postdoc with Sonia Bishop in Computational Psychiatry at UC Berkeley

by Peter Dayan

Postdoc in Computational Psychiatry at UC Berkeley The UC Berkeley Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute is looking to hire a postdoctoral researcher to work on an exciting, newly funded, five-year NIH project. This project brings together researchers with expertise in computational psychiatry, computational and cognitive neuroscience and clinical science from the Psychology Department and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at UC Berkeley and from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. Faculty involved include Professor Sonia Bishop (Psychology & HWNI, UC Berkeley), Professor Anne Collins (Psychology & HWNI, UC Berkeley), Professor Sheri Johnson (Psychology, UC Berkeley) and Professor Peter Dayan (MPI, Tübingen, Germany). This provides an exciting opportunity for a postdoctoral candidate to work at the cutting edge of computational psychiatry research and to take on a pivotal role in this team. The aim of the project is to use a computational approach to delineate component processes contributing to probabilistic decision-making across positive and negative valence domains, to investigate their neural substrate (using fMRI), and to relate abnormalities in these processes and alterations in associated neural function to dimensional measures of psychopathology. In addition, we aim to develop tasks and models that can be shared with the broader computational psychiatry and RDoC community. For pertinent theoretical and empirical work by team members please see: http://bishoplab.berkeley.edu/bishop_2018.pdf http://bishoplab.berkeley.edu/Browning_et_al_NatNeuroscience_2015.pdf https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32710256/ The successful applicant will have the opportunity to take an early lead on studies conducted as part of this 5-year project and to contribute intellectually to their development and direction. The postdoc will be based within the Computational Psychiatry and Affective Cognitive Neuroscience laboratory at UC Berkeley (please note, given Covid, there may be an opportunity for remote working in year 1 - feel free to inquire). The CPACN lab is located within the new Berkeley Way West (BWW) building which houses the Department of Psychology and multiple cognitive neuroscience, computational and clinical research groups, providing a rich and stimulating scientific community. BWW is within a 2 minute walk of the H. Wheeler Brain Imaging Center, located within the Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences which is home to two 3T MRI scanners and one 7T scanner. There will also be the opportunity for annual collaborative trips to the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. We are looking for an individual who is strongly motivated to pursue an academic career and is excited by the opportunities for personal and career development this position can provide. In addition to regular interactions with, and training by, members of the project team, the successful applicant will be able to take advantage of the many opportunities provided by the broader scientific community at UC Berkeley, including participation in weekly seminars and advanced computational modelling and fMRI courses provided by the HWNI and Psychology Department. There are also many opportunities for more informal interactions with members of the local scientific community. We seek postdoctoral applicants with established computational modelling skills and a PhD in cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience or a related discipline. Experience with fMRI is preferred but not required. Strong programming skills (ideally in python or matlab) are required. Candidates should have a track record of productivity and show potential for success in working in a team environment. Good knowledge of the computational psychiatry, decision-making, or computational neuroscience literatures is desirable. Qualified postdoctoral applicants should submit a current CV, a personal statement describing their experience and interests, and contact information for three references to sbishop(a)berkeley.edu (informal enquiries also welcome). At UC Berkeley, postdoctoral salaries start at $50,760/year depending on prior post-doctoral experience, and the University offers medical insurance and benefits. The position is available at this time but a delayed start is also negotiable. An initial appointment for a one-year period will be made with potential for extension for a further two years (or longer) depending on successful performance. UC Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a strong institutional commitment to excellence through diversity.

Sept. 28, 2020

Join us at the NMC 3.0 conference, Oct 26-30, submissions open now

by Brad Wyble

Dear Neuroscience Community, We are excited to announce the launch of Neuromatch Conference (Oct 26-30). The Neuromatch team has been working hard to bring a virtual conference that accepts submissions from all areas of neuroscience, and where all relevant submissions are accepted as a talk! Our goal with this conference is to provide a place where neuroscientists from all over the world get to share research ideas and come together as a community! We’re working hard to make it the most inclusive neuroscience meeting that has ever existed. The deadline for submissions is October 2, 2020, so we encourage you to get your abstracts ready now! There is a $25 registration fee but this is waivable (no validation required) for anyone who cannot pay to attend for any reason. Please view our website for more information regarding submission and registration: neuromatch.io <http://neuromatch.io/>j The conference will be organized by themes, tailored to fit your area of research best. These themes will be: Theme A: Developmental Disorders and Injury Theme B: Excitability, Synapses, and Glia Theme C: Sensory & Motor Systems, and Physiology & Behavior Theme D: Cognition, Motivation and Emotion Theme E: Computation and Techniques Theme F: History, Education, and Society We developed algorithms that will allow us to place you in a virtual room with other scientists and attendees who are interested in similar topics, therefore ensuring an audience that is excited about your talk. The talks will have two formats, and you will be able to choose which one you prefer - Traditional Talk: 12-minute talk plus 3-minute Q&A - Interactive Talk: 5-minute talk plus 10-minute Q&A (this talk is focused on discussion) We hope that you will attend the Neuromatch Conference and consider submitting your abstract for presentation! We would love to hear from you and see everyone’s latest results.. Best wishes, The Neuromatch Team Please follow our social media and visit our website for regular updates @Neuromatch <https://twitter.com/neuromatch?lang=en> @Neuromatch <https://www.instagram.com/neuromatch/> neuromatch.io -- Brad Wyble Associate Professor Psychology Department Penn State University http://wyblelab.com

Sept. 27, 2020

2 postdoc positions in computational neuroscience

by Alain Destexhe

Dear Colleagues, Please pass on these two positions that we have for postdocs in computational neuroscience at the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience - many thanks. best, Alain ---------------- 2 POSTDOC POSITIONS AVAILABLE Two postdoc positions are available for computational and theoretical studies in the framework of the Human Brain Project. The theoretical work associated to these two postdoctoral positions consists of (1) investigating models and mathematical techniques to model decision making phenomena (in collaboration with Rubem Moreno-Bote in Barcelona), and (2) investigate models of sensory perception, up to consciousness (in collaboration with Fanis Panagiotaropoulos and Stan Dehaene at NeuroSpin). Both postdocs will be supervised by A. Desyexhe and will work in tight collaboration with the European Institute for Theoretical Neuroscience (EITN). DETAILS OF THE FIRST POSTDOC POSITION: We are seeking for a postdoc position in the framework of a project called "COREDEM", and which was recently integrated in the Human Brain Project European flaghsip. COREDEM aims at conceiving decision making models based on electrophysiological recordings in human and monkey, and ultimately test these models on neuromorphic and neuro-robotic applications. The project comprises a significant computational neuroscience component consisting mainly of two laboratories, Alain Destexhe at the CNRS and Paris-Saclay University, and Ruben Moreno-Bote at the UPF in Barcelona. We will consider spiking models that will compare parallel and sequential strategies to decision making, in a way constrained by unit recordings in monkey and human. Mean-field models will be derived from the spiking models, and such mean-field models will be incorporated in large-scale models of interacting brain areas. Both spiking and mean-field models will be integrated in neuromorphic SpiNNaker computers to be simulated in real time, to open the possibility of being used in real-time applications such as neuro-robotics. The postdoc can begin as early as January 2021, and latest on March 2021, and will be for a 2-year period. We expect that candidates have prior experience either in computational neuroscience, or in decision making. The working environment is the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI) of the CNRS, which comprises 22 research labs in experimental and computational neuroscience, mixed in the same environment. The postdoc will thus interact on a daily basis with experimentalists and theoreticians, and regular visits to the experimental labs of COREDEM (Stefano Ferraina from Rome and Tom Theys from Leuven) are planned. The postdoc will also interact strongly with the researchers and staff of Destexhe's lab at NeuroPSI, and will actively participate to the activities of the EITN. DETAILS OF THE SECOND POSTDOC POSITION: We are seeking for a postdoc position in the framework of a project called "BRICON", and which was recently integrated in the Human Brain Project European flaghsip. BRICON aims at investigating mechanisms of sensory perception and consciousness based on a strong interaction between computational models and experiments on human and monkey. The model will consider how the state of the brain interacts with external input and allows neural activity related to external input to propagate (or not) between brain areas. We will constrain the model based on unit recordings obtained in awake monkey collected by the experimental teams (Fanis Panagiotaropoulos and Stanislas Dehaene, NeuroSpin center). Models will start with conventional spiking neural networks, which then will be converted into population models using mean-field techniques. These mean-field model will then form the basis of whole-brain models simulated using The Virtual Brain platform of the HBP. The postdoc can begin as early as January 2021, and latet on June 2021, and will be for a 20 month period. We expect that candidates have prior experience either in computational neuroscience, or in sensory perception. The working environment is the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI) of the CNRS, which comprises 22 research labs in experimental and computational neuroscience, mixed in the same environment. The postdoc will thus interact on a daily basis with experimentalists and theoreticians, and regular visits to the experimental labs of BRICON (Panagiotaropoulos and Dehaene), who are working next-door in the NeuroSpin center. The postdoc will also interact strongly with the researchers and staff of Destexhe's lab at NeuroPSI, and will actively participate to the activities of the EITN. Interested candidates should send a CV and two recommendation letters at Alain Destexhe or email for more details. alain.destexhe (at) cnrs.fr Alain Destexhe Department of Integrative and Computational Neuroscience (ICN), Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI), CNRS, Bat 33, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.

Sept. 26, 2020

SMILES virtual workshop @ICDL 2020: extended DEADLINE

by Xavier Hinaut

The SMILES (Sensorimotor Interaction, Language and Embodiment of Symbols) Workshop will take place virtually at the ICDL 2020, on 2nd & 3rd November 2020. * Call for abstracts and papers: - *** Deadline: extended to 12th of October 2020 *** - paper abstracts: 2 pages - long papers: 4-6 pages - Submissions: smiles.conf(a)gmail.com <mailto:smiles.conf@gmail.com> - Papers format: free format, but similar shape to ICDL conference https://cis.ieee.org/publications/t-cognitive-and-developmental-systems/tcd… <https://cis.ieee.org/publications/t-cognitive-and-developmental-systems/tcd…> - Workshop dates: 2nd & 3rd November 2020 afternoons (1 to 6 pm CET) * Workshop Short Description On the one hand, models of sensorimotor interaction are embodied in the environment and in the interaction with other agents. On the other hand, recent Deep Learning development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) models allow to capture increasing language complexity (e.g. compositional representations, word embedding, long term dependencies). However, those NLP models are disembodied in the sense that they are learned from static datasets of text or speech. How can we bridge the gap from low-level sensorimotor interaction to high-level compositional symbolic communication? The SMILES workshop will address this issue through an interdisciplinary approach involving researchers from (but not limited to): - Sensori-motor learning, - Emergent communication in multi-agent systems, - Chunking of perceptuo-motor gestures (gestures in a general sense: motor, vocal, ...), - Sensori-motor learning, - Symbol grounding and symbol emergence, - Compositional representations for communication and action sequence, - Hierarchical representations of temporal information, - Language processing and acquisition in brains and machines, - Models of animal communication, - Understanding composition and temporal processing in neural network models, and - Enaction, active perception, perception-action loop. * More info - workshop website : https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/ <https://sites.google.com/view/smiles-workshop/> - contact: smiles.conf(a)gmail.com - organizers: Xavier Hinaut, Clement Moulin-Frier, Silvia Pagliarini, Joni Zhong, Loo CHU KIONG, Michael Spranger, Tadahiro Taniguchi - ICDL conference website: https://cdstc.gitlab.io/icdl-2020/ <https://cdstc.gitlab.io/icdl-2020/> Xavier Hinaut Inria Researcher (CR) Mnemosyne team, Inria LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives +33 5 33 51 48 01 www.xavierhinaut.com

Sept. 25, 2020

Postdoctoral position data/knowledge management for open neuroscience

by Andrew Davison

Dear colleagues, A postdoctoral position in neuroscience data curation is available within the Neuroinformatics research group of the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, led by Dr Andrew Davison. The Human Brain Project is developing an open data repository for neuroscience, following the FAIR principles of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability. The role of our group is to strongly focus on Reusability, by ensuring that all datasets have high quality, in-depth metadata so that they can be used in model building, model validation, and further analysis, and by providing tools to facilitate data re-use. The position is available immediately, and is funded until 31st March 2023, with future extensions possible. Salary depends on experience, and will be on the standard CNRS research scale. Application is through the CNRS jobs portal: https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UMR9197-ANDDAV-006/Default.aspx?lang=EN Informal inquiries may be addressed to Andrew Davison (andrew.davison(a)cnrs.fr) Activities: The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and improving metadata schemas, protocols, and curation workflows for neural activity data (including patch clamp recordings, fluorescence imaging, multi-electrode array recordings and fMRI), and for coordinating the in-depth curation process. The project will involve intensive collaboration with other researchers, curators and software developers within the research group, within the Human Brain Project, and in the wider neuroscience/neuroinformatics communities. Qualifications: Applicants should have a PhD in either neuroscience, computer science, library/information science, or a closely related discipline, or be nearing completion of PhD studies in one of these domains. Experience with experimental methods in neuroscience, semantic web technologies and/or information management approaches will be of particular benefit. Knowledge of computer programming, in particular using the Python language, would also be an advantage. Knowledge of French would be helpful but is not required, as English is the working language of the project. Context: The Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (https://neuropsi.cnrs.fr/en/institute-home/) is part of the CNRS and Université Paris-Saclay, situated in Gif-sur-Yvette in the Paris region. The Davison team (https://neuropsi.cnrs.fr/en/icn-home/andrew-davison/) develops tools and methods for data sharing, modelling and simulation in neuroscience and brain-inspired computing. This position is funded by the Human Brain Project, an EU Flagship research project, within which more than 100 universities and research institutions collaborate to build a digital research infrastructure for neuroscience, brain-inspired computing and medicine.

Sept. 25, 2020

International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science 2020 Online

by Kenji Doya

We are going to hold an online symposium that brings together researchers in the forefront of AI and neuroscience. All talks will be made accessible as pre-recorded movies and we will have two-hour live discussion sessions on October 10-12, 2020. Registration is free and open till September 30. Please register from the web site below. ******** International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science http://www.brain-ai.jp/symposium2020/ Time below is in UTC (i.e., 10pm-0am Japan, 2pm-4pm UK, 9am-11am EDT, 6am-8am PDT) <Saturday, October 10th> 13:00 Get connected 13:15 Greetings: Kenji Doya (OIST) 13:30 Discussion on Keynote: Josh Tenenbaum (MIT) 14:00 Discussion on Session 1: Deep Learning and Reinforcement Learning Chair: Jun Morimoto (ATR) Discussant: Shunichi Amari (RIKEN) Speakers: Yann LeCun (NYU, Facebook), Yutaka Matsuo (U Tokyo), Doina Precup (McGill U) David Silver (DeepMind), Masashi Sugiyama (RIKEN AIP/U Tokyo IRCN) <Sunday, October 11th> 13:00 Discussion on Session 2: World Model Learning and Inference Chair: Hiroaki Gomi (NTT) Discussant: Mitsuo Kawato (ATR) Speakers: Ila Fiete (MIT), Karl Friston (UCL), Yukie Nagai (U Tokyo IRCN) Maneesh Sahani (Gatsby Unit), Tadahiro Taniguchi (Ritsumeikan U) 14:00 Discussion on Session 3: Metacognition and Metalearning Chair: Masayuki Matsumoto (Tsukuba U) Discussant: Keiji Tanaka (RIKEN) Speakers: Matthew Botvinick (DeepMind), Ryota Kanai (ARAYA), Angela Langdon (Princeton U) Hiroyuki Nakahara (RIKEN CBS), Xiao-Jing Wang (NYU) <Monday, October 12th> 13:00 Discussion on Session 4: AI for Neuroscience and Neuromorphic Technologies Chair: Takatoshi Hikida (Osaka U) Discussant: Kunihiko Fukushima (FLSI) Speakers: Jim DiCarlo (MIT), Yukiyaku Kamitani (Kyoto U), Rosalyn Moran (King’s College London) Terry Sejnowski (Salk Institute), Hidehiko Takahashi (Tokyo MDU) 14:00 Discussion on Session 5: Social Impact and Neuro-AI Ethics Chair: Masamichi Sakagami (Tamagawa U) Speakers: Anne Churchland (UCLA), Kenji Doya (OIST), Arisa Ema (U Tokyo IFI) Hiroaki Kitano (SONY CSL), Stuart Russell (UC Berkeley) Sponsor: KAKENHI Project on Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science (http://www.brain-ai.jp) Co-sponsors: RIKEN AIP (https://aip.riken.jp/?lang=en) U Tokyo IFI (https://ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/) U Tokyo IRCN (https://ircn.jp/en/) Contact: ncus(a)oist.jp ---- Kenji Doya <doya(a)oist.jp> Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan Phone: +81-98-966-8594; Fax: +81-98-966-2891 https://groups.oist.jp/ncu

Sept. 24, 2020

You are invited to DSP online course

by Maryam

You are invited to “DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING Online Course” Dear researcher; ScienceBeam, which is a forefront technology provider of neuroscience applications, would like to take the opportunity to invite you for 10-sessions “DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING Online Course” that is going to start on October 18,2020. During this course you will learn: • Discrete-time signals and systems • Z-Transform • Transform of continuous-time signals • Transform analysis of linear time invariant systems • Structures for discrete-time systems • Filter design • The discrete Fourier Transform • Computation of the discrete Fourier transform Dr. Luu Gia Thien is an experienced lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Digital signal processing from University of Orléans, France. Registration is open until October 5th. Special discount is considered for students. You won’t want to miss this! Don’t hesitate and register from the link below: https://sciencebeam.com/luu-gia-thien-course/ If you need more information please contact us via Whatsapp or Mail: Whatsapp number: +86 133 8078 1282 Email: workshop(a)sciencebeam.com www.sciencebeam.com

Sept. 24, 2020

Software engineer position in human brain project

by Eloy Retamino

Position: Neuro-robotics Software Engineer Location: Granada, Spain At the Applied Computational Neuroscience (ACN) Group [1], headed by Prof. Eduardo Ros and part of the Computer Architecture and Technology Department at University of Granada, we are engaged in developing robot controllers from models and techniques drawn from neuroscience. Concretely we focus on the exploration of models of the cerebellum and their application in robot control. We are looking for a software engineer to contribute to our tasks in the Human Brain Project (HBP) [2]. HBP is an ambitious, 10 years long research project funded by the European Commision and targeting the exploration of human cognition and its relation to brain structures and activity. The project is developing a series of simulation platforms to facilitate different levels of research in neuroscience. At UGR we participate in the design and development of the Neuro-Robotics Platform (NRP) [3], a research infrastructure which enables embodied simulated experiments in neuroscience in which a spiking neural simulator and a physics simulator run synchronously and communicate in a closed loop fashion. As a member of our group you will contribute to the development of the NRP in the last stage of the HBP. *Your tasks* Contribute to the full cycle development of the NRP. We have some interesting challenges in this last part of the HBP and need a motivated person with experience and passion for software architecture design, physics and neural simulation and robotics. As well, the NRP is built as a production grade software product and we try to take seriously all steps in the development, including unit testing, quality assurance and continuous integration. Depending on your profile you will focus more on particular tasks suiting your experience with the possibility of learning and applying new skills. *Your profile* * Basic skills: - Demonstrable excellent Python and C/C++ programming skills - Experience and participation in collaborative software projects - Experience and passion in robotics, machine learning, neural simulation and/or physics simulation is a big plus - Good spoken and written English skills * Additional skills: - Experience in other programming languages - Version Control software (eg. GIT) - Robotics oriented middlewares and frameworks (eg. ROS) - Experience in Software Architecture design - Experience in Real Time systems design - QA and devops experience *Our offer* - You will participate in an international research project of great relevance and collaborate with top european institutions - Contract of two and a half years with a competitive salary according to experience. Offered brute salary range is 1600 - 2400 €, to be concreted according to relevant experience and skills. - Short trips within Europe as part of the project activities. - Very nice and friendly atmosphere in the group - You will be based on Granada, an exciting and cultural city at the South of Spain half an hour away from mountains, snow and the beach If you are interested in joining our group and HBP send your application to Eloy Retamino (retamino at ugr.es) including your CV and a motivation letter. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Also, applications without a dedicated motivation letter will not be considered. [1] http://acn.ugr.es [2] https://www.humanbrainproject.eu [3] https://neurorobotics.net

Sept. 23, 2020

International Max Planck Research Schhol NeuroCom: Call for applications

by Martin Bogdan

Call for applications: International Max Planck Research Schhol NeuroCom: Call for applications The International Max Planck Research School on Neuroscience of Communication: Function, Structure, and Plasticity (IMPRS NeuroCom) invites excellent students holding a master's degree (or equivalent) to pursue a PhD in the field of cognitive neuroscience and methods in cognitive neuroscience. The IMPRS NeuroCom is based at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, and Leipzig University. It also closely partners with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, and the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, UK. Deadline for applications is 15 November 2020. Interviews will take place in January 2021. Start date is flexible, but not later than autumn 2021. For more information about our graduate school please visit: http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/ . The IMPRS NeuroCom aims to recruit and educate motivated, independent, self-organised and highly talented scientists who wish to extend their knowledge and research experience in a structured 3-year PhD programme in order to pursue a successful career in cognitive neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, neurophysics, or other methods in cognitive neuroscience. Students are expected to hold an excellent master's degree (or equivalent) in a wide spectrum of potential disciplines such as cognitive neuroscience, psychology, medicine, neurobiology, linguistics, computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, biochemistry, or related fields. The master’s degree should have been awarded by an internationally recognised university. Students nearing completion of their master’s degree are also encouraged to apply. Research experience in an area that is related to the graduate school’s scope is essential for successful candidates. Proficiency in oral and written English is crucial. The IMPRS NeuroCom offers its doctoral students outstanding research opportunities in a very international and multidisciplinary environment. It includes access to state-of-the-art cognitive and imaging neuroscience facilities, e.g. 7T MRI scanner, four 3T MRI scanners including a Connectom MRI scanner equipped with ultra- strong gradients (one of only four worldwide), a 306 channel MEG system, several TMS, TDCS, NIRS, and EEG systems. Research projects and teaching at IMPRS NeuroCom are assigned to four thematic modules (Language and Communication, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, and Neuroimaging Physics and Signal Processing). Our faculty is very interdisciplinary and comprises more than 30 highly- renowned researchers from our participating research organisations performing high-end research related to one of the four modules. Applications will be evaluated by the IMPRS NeuroCom faculty members in two stages. Firstly, candidates will be selected for interviews based on their written applications, with a focus on academic qualifications, personal references, research experience and interests, and suitability to the programme. Secondly, interviews with the IMPRS NeuroCom faculty members will take place in January 2021. The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Salary is based on the guidelines of the German public sector pay scale (TVöD). With almost 600,000 inhabitants, Leipzig is the largest city in the federal state of Saxony. In more than 800 years of recorded history, Leipzig emerged as a city of classical music, trade fairs, academic education, and —recently—modern arts. With its many parks, forests, canals and lakes, Leipzig is a perfect place for recreation, sports, and leisure time, and it offers plenty of opportunities for social life. Only recently Leipzig was listed by the New York Times as one of the 52 places to go in 2020. For more information about our graduate school please visit: http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/ . -- ************************************************************************** Prof. Dr. Martin Bogdan Institut für Informatik Neuromorphe Informationsverarbeitung Universität Leipzig Augustusplatz 10 D-04109 Leipzig Germany Postadresse: PF 100920 D-04009 Leipzig Tel: (++49) 341 97 32208 Fax: (++49) 341 97 32252 E-mail: bogdan(a)informatik.uni-leipzig.de https://ti.informatik.uni-leipzig.de/ ************************************************************************** Denken Sie selbst, sonst tuen es Maschinen für Sie! 'Nihil est ab omni parte beatum' (Horaz) El problema de la humanidad es que los estúpidos están seguros de todo y los inteligentes están llenos de dudas **************************************************************************

Sept. 23, 2020

Postdoctoral Position in Cognitive Robotics at UC Irvine

by Jeffrey Krichmar

Dear Colleagues, We have an opening for a postdoctoral scholar position in the Cognitive Anteater Robotics Laboratory (CARL) at the University of California, Irvine. The position is for research projects on neurobiologically inspired models of navigation, which are to be implemented on indoor and outdoor robots. Applicants should have a strong computer science background, robotics experience, as well as an interest in neuroscience and/or cognitive science. The specific Federally funded projects include: · Cognitive Maps in Rats, Robots and Men · Advantages of Varying Navigational Abilities in Humans and Robots More information about the lab, recent publications, software, and videos can be found at: · http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma · https://www.youtube.com/user/cognitiveroboticsuci/videos Interested candidates can find specific application requirements and the online application for this position at: · https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF06408 Your cover letter should specify that you are interested in the postdoctoral position with Jeff Krichmar. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at: jkrichma(a)uci.edu About UCI (www.uci.edu) In 1965, the University of California, Irvine was founded with a mission to catalyze the community and enhance lives through rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and dedicated public service. Today, we draw on the unyielding spirit of our pioneering faculty, staff and students who arrived on campus with a dream to inspire change and generate new ideas. We believe that true progress is made when different perspectives come together to advance our understanding of the world around us. And we enlighten our communities and point the way to a better future. At UCI, we shine brighter. 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

Sept. 22, 2020

[Call for Papers] Shared Visual Representations in Human and Machine Intelligence (SVRHM) NeurIPS 2020 Workshop

by SVRHM Workshop

The goal of the Second Workshop on Shared Visual Representations in Human and Machine Intelligence (SVRHM) at NeurIPS 2020 is to discuss and disseminate relevant findings and parallels between the computational neuro/cognitive science and machine learning/artificial intelligence communities. In the past few years, machine learning tools — especially deep neural networks — have permeated the vision/cognitive/neuro science communities to become the leading computational models that describe many cognitive tasks. Huge strides are also being made in the machine learning/artificial intelligence community with biologically inspired algorithms providing large efficiency gains in both computational and learning capabilities. However, many mysteries remain with regards to the alignment of human and machine perception, and there are cases where we see divergent rather than convergent representations. To resolve such questions, this workshop aims to bring fruitful discussions between scientists and engineers with multi-disciplinary backgrounds to review the recent progress in shared visual representations in both humans and machines, and in doing so identifying road-blocks and areas of interest to further accelerate the growth of both fields. The workshop will include a series of talks and panel discussions from a diverse group of speakers from both industry and academia who will share their research at the intersection of humans and machines that pushes the field of vision forward. The aim of our Call for Papers is to bring together scientists and engineers to share their work in progress at the Poster Session that are applicable to the scope of the Workshop. For the first time this year, the 4 highest scoring papers will also be awarded an Oral Presentation entry in the program. The following areas provide a sense of suitable topics for 4-5 page paper submissions: - Biological inspiration and inductive bias in vision - Human-relevant strategies for robustness and generalization - New datasets (e.g., for comparing humans/animals and machines) - Biologically-driven self-supervision - Perceptual invariance and metamerism - Biologically-informed strategies to mitigate adversarial vulnerability - Foveation, active perception, and attention models - Intuitive physics - Biologically inspired Generative Models - Perceptual and cognitive robustness - Nuances and noise in perceptual and cognitive systems - Creative problem-solving - Differences and similarities between humans and deep neural networks - Canonical computations in biological and artificial systems - Alternative architectures for deep neural networks - Reverse engineering of the human visual system via deep neural networks We will be awarding a new *NVIDIA Titan RTX* *3080* as the *Diversity in AI Best Paper Award* and an *Oculus Quest* *2* as the *Breakthrough in Biologically-Driven Generative Models Award* respectively at the conference. Link to the workshop with additional details for the Call for Papers: https://www.svrhm.com https://www.svrhm.com/call-for-papers Link to Paper workshop submission: https://openreview.net/group?id=NeurIPS.cc/2020/Workshop/SVRHM The submission deadline is October 4th, 2020. Questions regarding the workshop should be sent to: svrhm2020(a)gmail.com Sincerely, The Organizers Arturo Deza, Joshua Peterson, Apruva Ratan Murty, Tom Griffiths The SVRHM workshop is currently sponsored by MIT’s Center from Brains, Minds and Machines (CBMM), National Science Foundation (NSF), NVIDIA, Facebook Reality Labs (Oculus) and MIT’s Quest for Intelligence.

Sept. 22, 2020

Full Prof Post in AI

by Thomas Wennekers

Dear All Please have a look at the following advertisement for a Professorship in AI at the University of Plymouth (UK). https://hrservices.plymouth.ac.uk/tlive_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.o… https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CBH704/professor-in-artificial-intelligence-mach… Stay Well! Thomas Wennekers ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif]<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass> This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, University of Plymouth accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. University of Plymouth does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form.

Sept. 21, 2020

M2/PhD pisition in Optical analysis of sodium currents in the axon initial segment

by luiza filipis

Stage « Master 2 » : Optical analysis of sodium currents in the axon initial segment We propose a Master 2 (M2) stage that can be extended to a 3-4 years PhD project on the study of the sodium currents that generate the action potential in neurons. To this aim, we use cutting-edge optical techniques entirely developed by our group and NEURON modeling. The stage will take place at the Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique in the campus of the University of Grenoble. This stage, of 4-6 months, is available for students at the final year of the University to start in February or March 2021.We will offer this opportunity to a brilliant student motivated to begin a career in scientific research. A PhD scholarship is already available starting in October 2021 to apply the research of the M2 project to investigate mutations of the sodium channel Nav1.2 associated with neurological diseases. For an overview of the activity and of the achievements of our group, visit the website: http://marco-canepari.wix.com/neuron-imaging-team Applications of students, with a very high academic profile based on the notes obtained the entire university history, from different backgrounds (physics, biology, medicine or chemistry) will be equally considered. The application for the stage, in English or French, must be sent to: marco.canepari(a)univ-grenoble-alpes.fr and must include: • A motivation letter • A CV with contact details • The detailed marks of the entire academic history • (Optional) a reference letter from an academic who knows well the student The deadline for the application is October 10th 2020, but the call for applications will close before if a suitable candidate is found. -- Luiza Filipis,PhD Equipe MOTIV Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique (LIPhy), Université Grenoble Alpes et CNRS UMR 5588, Bat. E45, 140 avenue de la physique, Domaine univ., 38402 St Martin d'Hères cedex, FRANCE 33(0)476514731, Fax +33(0)476635495. luiza.filipis(a)univ-grenoble-alpes.fr http://marco-canepari.wix.com/neuron-imaging-team

Sept. 21, 2020

Announcement: 2nd Elephant User Workshop for Reproducible Data Analysis in Electrophysiology, Nov 17-19, 2020

by Michael Denker

***2nd Elephant User Workshop*** --Accelerate Structured and Reproducible Data Analysis in Electrophysiology-- Virtual Event Nov 17-19, 2020 Summary: This event delves into challenges in the reproducibility of neuroscience workflows dealing with classical electrophysiological activity data, such as spiking data or local field potentials, from experiment or simulation. The training will cover the complete cycle from generating structured and consistent data and metadata, accessing the data, pre-processing, setting up analysis workflows, up to the tracking of the provenance of the analysis results. In this context, the e-infrastructure services of EBRAINS offer a mature data, software and compute services ecosystem with community-driven tools developed in the framework of the Human Brain Project. In the first part of the workshop, participants will be trained in the use of tools covering the following topics: * reading and manipulating electrophysiology data in Python using Neo [1] * analysis of such data using Elephant [2] * best practices for integrating metadata into your workflow to aid the analysis process * best practices for structuring analysis results * tracking data analysis pipelines using the HBP Knowledge Graph [3] * collaboration and sharing documents using the HBP Collaboratory [4] In the second part of the workshop, participants will work together with a tutor in small groups, on their own data and on particular personal interests in the scope of the workshop. To this end, participants are asked to provide a small abstract describing the data set they would like to bring and work on (contents of the dataset, data format, data size...) and the topic they are interested in. The latter may, for example, be related to: annotating the dataset with metadata for collaboration and sharing, working with the dataset in the Neo framework, or performing a certain kind of analysis with the data set. The goal of each group is to get started addressing the topic, identify solutions together with the tutors, and implement a first prototype of the required functionality. For more information and registration, check out: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/participatecollaborate/infras… Organizers: Andrew Davison | French National Centre for Scientific Research, France Michael Denker | Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany Martina Schmalholz | Heidelberg University, Germany References: [1] Neo, https://neo.readthedocs.io [2] Elephant, https://elephant.readthedocs.io [3] HBP Knowledge Graph, https://kg.ebrains.eu [4] HBP Collaboratory, https://wiki.humanbrainproject.eu -- Dr. Michael Denker Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) Tel: +49 2461 61-9471 Computational and Systems Neuroscience & Fax: +49 2461 61-9460 Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Theoretical Neurosciencewww.csn.fz-juelich.de Jülich Research Centre and JARA 52425 Jülich, Germany ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Volker Rieke Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sept. 21, 2020

PhD positions in Math Biology & Computational Neuroscience at NJIT

by Victor Matveev

Dear all, The Department of Mathematical Sciences at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is inviting candidates to apply to one of our doctoral program tracks: (1) Applied Mathematics or (2) Applied Probability & Statistics. The Department's research focus spans Mathematical Biology and Computational Neuroscience, Scientific Computing, Fluid Dynamics, Materials Science, Wave Propagation, Applied Analysis, Applied Probability & Statistics, including Biostatistics and Data Science. Teaching and research assistantships are available, and include a tuition waiver and a competitive stipend. Application target date is December 15, 2020 but ongoing review will continue until all available positions are filled. To apply, please visit our homepage: https://www.njit.edu/graduatestudies/department-mathematical-sciences/ For more information, please email us (math(a)njit.edu, CC: shahriar(a)njit.edu, matveev(a)njit.edu) PhD Program advertisement flyer is available here: http://web.njit.edu/~matveev/NJIT_DMS_PhD_flyer.pdf Sincerely, -- Admissions Committee, Department of Mathematical Sciences, NJIT -- _____________________________________________ Victor Matveev, Professor Applied Math, Biophysics, Neuroscience Department of Mathematical Sciences Graduate Faculty, Dept of Biological Sciences New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ 07102-1982 Office: Cullimore Hall 616 E-mail: matveev(a)njit.edu http://web.njit.edu/~matveev/

Sept. 20, 2020

Two open postdoc positions in Rutledge Lab at Yale

by Rutledge, Robb

The Rutledge Lab in the Department of Psychology at Yale is accepting applications from prospective postdocs for 3-year postdoc positions with a flexible start date. Our lab uses computational models to study reinforcement learning, decision making, and affective states like happiness. We explore these questions using a combination of brain scanning, pharmacology, and large-scale smartphone-based experiments in healthy and clinical populations. Our previous app The Great Brain Experiment had over 100,000 users. We are looking for postdocs for a NIMH-funded project using longitudinal smartphone-based data collection with tasks and surveys in people with depression and control participants (N>600) including a subset (N>200) with fMRI data. Collaborators for rsfMRI: Avram Holmes (Yale), Faith Gunning and Conor Liston (Cornell Weill) Machine learning: Zeb Kurth-Nelson (DeepMind) Clinical and longitudinal: Akshay Nair (UCL), John Krystal, Leying Guan and Ralitza Gueorguieva (Yale) Further details can be found on our website (www.rutledgelab.org) Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Rutledge directly (robb.rutledge(a)yale.edu) with a CV, a brief description of research interests, and a list of three references (names and email addresses).

Sept. 18, 2020

Registration, abstracts - Brain Criticality Virtual Meeting October 6 – 9 2020

by Plenz, Dietmar (NIH/NIMH) [E]

Brain Criticality Virtual Meeting October 6 – 9 2020 https://braincriticality.org/ Organizers: Dietmar Plenz, Lucilla de Arcangelis, Dante Chialvo, Demian Battaglia This meeting intends to gather recent contributions in the field of systems neuroscience, with the purpose of further discussing the role of criticality and its implications in the dynamics of large neuronal populations, functional and structural connectivity, development and learning, robustness of system operation. Recent advances in selective recording and perturbation approaches involving large populations of neurons offer unique opportunities to test these predictions, challenge current interpretations of large data sets and trigger novel theoretical developments. The meeting will take place virtually. Registration is free but limited and allows interactively participating to discussions and submitting contributed abstracts. A free live streaming will also be offered. Deadline for registration is October 2nd, 2020 Abstracts submitted before Sunday September 27th will be considered for spotlight oral presentation. Remaining abstracts will be presented as virtual posters Follow us on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/BrainCriticalityorg-121887946321170 Twitter https://twitter.com/brain_crit

Sept. 17, 2020

Postdoc positions in Neural Control of Speech Production, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

by Bush, Alan

The Brain Modulation Laboratory (www.brainmodulationlab.org<https://www.brainmodulationlab.org/>) within the Department of Neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, headed Dr. Mark Richardson, seeks to recruit a highly motivated and outstanding candidate to fill a postdoctoral associate position. This 3 to 5-year position is funded through a recently awarded NIH-NINDS U01 grant to Principal Investigator Mark Richardson, MD, PhD. The successful candidate will work in a highly interdisciplinary team, studying the role of cortical-basal ganglia networks during speech production, based on the analysis of intra operative local field potential and micro-electrode recording data acquired in the context of Deep Brain Stimulation implantation surgery. Co-investigators include Frank Guenther (BU), Nathan Crone (Johns Hopkins), Lori Holt (CMU), Julie Fiez (Pitt), and Rob Turner (Pitt). Experience in electrophysiology, speech comprehension and/or production research, and a solid background in computational neuroscience is required. Interested applicants please use following link https://neurojobs.sfn.org/job/27234/post-doctoral-associate/ Project Summary: Modulating how we speak is critical for effective communication. The production and modulation of speech, like other behaviors, relies on basal ganglia-thalamocortical networks, not merely on cortical processes. Current knowledge about how the basal ganglia modulate speech, however, is primarily theoretical, due to a lack of empirical data. Theoretical models for speech production, in turn, remain underdeveloped. Notably, no models of speech production include the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a basal ganglia node that has been implicated in multiple cognitive processes relevant to speech production (e.g. action selection/suppression, gain modulation, and motor learning). Using access to the brain that can only be provided by deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, we initiated studies to understand how motor speech information is encoded within the STN-cortical network. We established a novel experimental paradigm to simultaneously record primary motor electrocorticography (ECoG) and STN activity in subjects who are awake and speaking. In our initial project, we discovered separate populations of STN neurons whose inhibition or excitation was selective for either speech planning or production, respectively [1]. We also found that STN population activity tracks with specific articulatory motor features and with vocal gain adjustment [2]. Our discoveries indicate multiple roles for STN activity in speech planning and modulation, consistent with nonhuman primate data that STN neurons are functionally diverse and that the STN is innervated broadly from cortical areas critical for speech production in humans. We propose to build on our foundational results by exploring how a broader cortical-STN network participates in speech production. Specifically, we have developed a protocol for simultaneous recording of high-density ECoG from the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), ventral sensorimotor cortex (vSMC), superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the STN. Our preliminary data support the hypothesis that these cortical speech areas communicate with the basal ganglia not only through cortical-striatal direct and indirect pathways, but also through a hyperdirect pathway to STN. These findings include the STG, consistent with evidence for basal ganglia participation in auditory processing. To uncover seminal knowledge about how cortical-basal ganglia dynamics shape speech, we will use intracranial electrophysiology to define the connectivity of speech-related cortex to the STN, while evaluating the role of cortical-STN and cortical-GPi dynamics in two basal ganglia functions critical for speech: motor sequence learning and gain modulation. Our invasive human neuroscience approach is unique in its ability to define, for the first time, a broad cortical-basal ganglia network for modulating speech. Establishing a neurobiological framework for cortical-basal ganglia network control of these processes will represent an order of magnitude change in our understanding of mechanisms for modulating speech, in turn informing how we model the dynamics of other human behaviors modulated by the basal ganglia. 1. Lipski, W. J. et al. Subthalamic Nucleus Neurons Differentially Encode Early and Late Aspects of Speech Production. Journal of Neuroscience 38, 5620–5631 (2018). 2. Chrabaszcz, A. et al. Subthalamic nucleus and sensorimotor cortex activity during speech production. The Journal of Neuroscience 2842–18 (2019). doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2842-18.2019 Alan Bush, PhD Research Scientist, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital. Instructor, Harvard Medical School. 55 Fruit Street, Thier 429 | Boston, MA 02114 The information in this e-mail is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you believe this e-mail was sent to you in error and the e-mail contains patient information, please contact the Mass General Brigham Compliance HelpLine at http://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/complianceline . If the e-mail was sent to you in error but does not contain patient information, please contact the sender and properly dispose of the e-mail.

Sept. 17, 2020