- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Reminder: Special Entropy Issue "Information Theory in Computational Neuroscience"

by Dimitrije Markovic

Dear Colleagues, We cordially invite you to submit a manuscript for possible publication in a Special Issue on "Information Theory in Computational Neuroscience" to be published in the journal Entropy (ISSN 1099-4300, IF 2.419, http://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy) The aim of the Special Issue is to bring together neuronal models and neuronal plasticity mechanisms that are grounded in information theory principles, modern inference, and learning algorithms. We welcome submissions that use information theory as the basis for defining generative principles of neuronal dynamics over multiple spatio-temporal scales, which informs our understanding of information processing in the brain. You can see full details of the scope and submission details at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/Computational_Neuroscie… The submission deadline is 31 January 2020. You may send your manuscript at any time before the deadline or a bit later. Submitted papers should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Entropy is fully open access. Open access (unlimited and free access by readers) increases publicity and promotes more frequent citations, as indicated by several studies. Please kindly note that an Article Processing Charge (APC) of CHF 1600 currently applies to all accepted papers. Fortunately, it is noticed that your institute have already had a central open access fund established in MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program, it means you do not have to pay the publication fees and your institute will cover it for you if you submit your papers to MDPI journals (see details at: <http://www.mdpi.com/about/ioap><http://www.mdpi.com/about/ioap>). You may contact your library and confirm this. Please do not hesitate to come back to us if there is anything further that we can help with. We look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Dimitrije Markovic and Claudius Gros ============================= Dr. Dimitrije Markovic Post-Doc at Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Psychology, Dresden, Germany Lab website: https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni Phone: +49-351-463-43146 Personal website: http://dimarkov.github.io/ =============================

Dec. 16, 2019

PhD position in Bern

by Jean-Pascal Pfister

The Department of Physiology at the University of Bern is opening a PhD position in computational neuroscience at the interface with experimental neuroscience. The cerebral cortex endows us with the ability to perform complex cognitive and emotional processes supporting adaptive behavior. The hippocampus is a high-order cortical area instrumental for cognition and emotions. The PhD project will focus on discovering selective computations related to spatial navigation and emotional states using hippocampal neural recordings in behaving rodents. It will further develop predictive models for animal position taking into account uncertainty of hidden states such as emotions. The specificity of the project is the close interactions between theory and experiments. The candidate will have access to experimental data acquired within the research group of Stéphane Ciocchi and the supervision will be shared with Jean-Pascal Pfister of the Theoretical Neuroscience Group. The candidate should hold a Master degree in Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience or a related field. She/he should have keen interests in close interactions between theory and experiments. Interested candidates can send their application and inquiries via email to pfister(a)pyl.unibe.ch <mailto:pfister@pyl.unibe.ch>, ciocchi(a)pyl.unibe.ch <mailto:ciocchi@pyl.unibe.ch> The application should include the following in one pdf document: letter of motivation, CV, contact details of 2 references. The position is funded for a duration of three years. The PhD position shall start early in 2020. Deadline for application is the 31st of January 2020 or until the position is filled. References: Ciocchi, S., Passecker, J., Malagon-Vina, H., Mikus, N., Klausberger, T. Selective information routing by ventral hippocampal CA1 projection neurons. Science (2015). Nonlinear Bayesian filtering and learning: a neuronal dynamics for perception. Kutschireiter A, Surace SC, Sprekeler H, Pfister JP. Sci Rep (2017). --------------------------------- Prof. Jean-Pascal Pfister Theoretical Neuroscience Group Institute of Neuroinformatics University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 8057 Zurich, Switzerland and Department of Physiology University of Bern Bühlplatz 5 3012 Bern, Switzerland www.ini.uzh.ch/~jpfister Tel: ++ 41 31 631 87 78

Dec. 16, 2019

Stellenanzeige

by Obermayer, Klaus, Prof. Dr.

Dear moderator, can you post our job announcement (see below) on the neuroinformatics mailing list? Thank you very much! Best regards Klaus Obermayer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neural Information Processing Group @ Technische Universität Berlin Research Assistant (PhD Position) in Computational Neuroscience Brain network models: Dynamics and Control Salary grade E13 (TV-L Berliner Hochschulen) Duration: 34 months Starting date: March 1st, 2020 Working field: The successful candidate is supposed to work on the analysis and simulation of calibrated whole-brain networks using neuronal mass models and on the design and evaluation of novel control schemes for the stabilization of and the switching between dynamical states. She/he will be part of the Collaborative Research Center "Control of self-organizing nonlinear systems: Theoretical methods and concepts of application" (https://www.itp.tu-berlin.de/sfb910/ sonderforschungsbereich_910/sonderforschungsbereich_910/) as well as the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (https://www.bccn-berlin.de/) The candidate is also expected to interact with clinical scientists who are interested in the non-invasive manipulation of the whole-brain dynamics using transcranial current stimulation. Requirements: Successfully completed university degree (Master, Diplom, or equivalent) in Computational Neuroscience, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related fields; in-depth knowledge in dynamical systems, knowledge in the area of control of non-linear dynamical systems is desirable; very good programming and English language skills. How to apply: Please send your application with the usual documents (CV, motivation letter, transcripts of records, certificates, and the names of two persons who can provide recommendation letters) to Prof. Dr. Obermayer, FG Neuronale Informationsverarbeitung, Sekr. MAR 5-6, Marchstr. 23, 10587 Berlin, Germany, or - preferably - by e-mail to klaus.obermayer(a)tu-berlin.de. For information about the research group see https://www.ni.tu-berlin.de/ Please send copies only. Original documents will not be returned. Aplication deadline for full consideration: 31. 1. 2020 Applications, however, will be accepted until the position is filled.

Dec. 16, 2019

2 postdoctoral positions at the Learning and Cognitive Control Lab, Ghent University, Belgium

by Clay Holroyd

The Learning and Cognitive Control Lab at Ghent University (Belgium) is recruiting two postdoctoral fellows. The positions are funded by a European Research Council Advanced Grant, “Cracking the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Code: Toward a Unified Theory of ACC Function” ( https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/216511/factsheet/en ; for an example of our approach, please see doi 10.1073/pnas.1803650115 ). The positions are for two years with an opportunity to renew and are available to start immediately. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. Position 1: The successful candidate will work on the development of a hierarchical recurrent neural network model of anterior cingulate cortex. A Ph.D. and a background in computational cognitive neuroscience, broadly defined, are required. The applicant must have experience with neural network modeling. Position 2: The successful candidate will conduct functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments following a model-based cognitive neuroscience approach. A Ph.D. and a background in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or a closely related discipline are required. Prior fMRI training as well as good programming skills (e.g., Python, Matlab) are required. Interested candidates should email their CV, a statement of research interests, and have three letters of reference forwarded to Clay Holroyd at clay.holroyd(a)ugent.be. Inquiries may be directed to him at that email address.

Dec. 14, 2019

Post-doctoral fellowships and faculty positions for Women in the faculty of engineering from Univ. de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

by Jean Rouat

Dear all, Please can you circulate? - The Faculty of Engineering at Université de Sherbrooke is launching a competition that fits perfectly with its bold and creative mission. Female doctoral candidates and young doctoral graduates can now participate in the Claire-Deschênes Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition. - The goal of the Claire-Deschênes Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition is to promote postdoctoral training for women who will also be offered a professorship position in engineering at Université de Sherbrooke. - Submit your application and you could get one of eight postdoctoral fellowships ($ 40,000/year, up to 2 years) each attached to a professorship at the Université de Sherbrooke. - For more information follow these links: English: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/promo/genie/claire-deschenes-en/ Français: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/promo/genie/claire-deschenes/ All the best Jean Jean Rouat, Prof., coord. IGLU, http://iglu-chistera.github.io Université de Sherbrooke Member of the centre for Interdisciplinary research Professeur titulaire, in Music Media and Technology NECOTIS: Computational Neurosciences McGill Schulich School of Music and Intelligent Signal Processing 527 Sherbrooke St. West Faculté de génie, GEGI, C1-3108 Montreal, Qc, 2500 boul. de l'université Canada, H3A 1E3 Sherbrooke, Québec Canada, J1K 2R1 Tél.: +1(819)-821-8000 ext. 63864 http://www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/rouat http://www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/necotis http://www.usherbrooke.ca/gelecinfo/fr/pers/profs/rouj-fr/ Jean.Rouat(a)umontreal.ca ou Jean.Rouat(a)usherbrooke.ca https://www.usherbrooke.ca/recherche/fr/expertus/?getSpecialist=369656&page… https://www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/rouat/publications/publiDeJRouat.html

Dec. 13, 2019

postdoctoral position Canavier lab New Orleans- hippocampal modeling

by Canavier, Carmen C.

A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the computational neuroscience lab of Carmen Canavier in the School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The position is to study cholinergic contributions to hippocampal information processing in close collaboration with electrophysiologist Sonia Gasparini. The successful candidate will construct a morphologically and biophysically realistic model of a hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron to explain the observed integration of synaptic inputs and the effects of neuromodulation. Some network modeling will also be required for the project. If interested, please apply at https://lsuhsc.peopleadmin.com/postings/6717 The primary duties will involve linear and non-linear analyses, writing code, calibrating single neuron models, and generating predictions that lead to additional experiments. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or a related field of study. The ideal candidate would have experience with the simulation package NEURON and some knowledge of the hippocampus. Familiarity with nonlinear dynamics, signal processing, and coding in C and or python in a Linux environment is also desirable. If you have questions, please email Dr. Canavier at ccanav(a)lsuhsc.edu<mailto:ccanav@lsuhsc.edu>. LSUHSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer for females, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Dec. 12, 2019

BBSRC MIBTP PhD Studentships in Computational Neuroscience at Leicester

by Jian Liu

Three fully-funded BBSRC MIBTP PhD Studentships in Computational Neuroscience are available at the Centre for Systems Neuroscience, the University of Leicester (UK). To apply, please visit: https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/funded-opportunities/bbsrc-mibtp <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fle.ac.uk%2Fstudy%2Fresearch-degr…> https://sites.google.com/site/jiankliu/join-us *The application deadline is 12 January 2020.* *1. Neuronal coupling across spatiotemporal scales and dimensions of cortical population activity* * Dr. Michael Okun and Dr. Jian Liu, CSN/NPB, University of Leicester* https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/neuronal-coupling-across-spatiotempor… The human cortex is the most complex known system. It is responsible for a vast range of sensorimotor, decision making, and other cognitive abilities of humans and other mammals. The activity of cortical neuronal networks is organised across multiple spatiotemporal scales, and remains poorly understood. Our laboratory is particularly interested in the relationship between the activity of an individual neuron and of the larger networks within which the neuron is embedded (Lewis, 2015). For example, we have recently compared the coupling between neurons and their local network across an extensive range of timescales, finding major timescale-dependent distinctions, suggestive of different mechanisms regulating cortical activity on different timescales (Okun et al., 2019). We use recordings using next-generation high-density silicon probes for data collection (Jun et al., 2017) and advanced computational methods for their analysis. There are several computational projects available in the above research area, relying on data we are collecting in the laboratory as part of ongoing projects, as well as on publicly available datasets. The projects are suitable for students with a background in exact sciences or computer science and programming. *2. Decoding movement kinematics from subpopulations of motor cortex neurons* * Dr. Todor Gerdjikov and Dr. Jian Liu, CSN/NPB, University of Leicester* https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/decoding-movement-kinematics-from-sub… The purpose of the current project is to investigate novel approaches for decoding movement parameters from neural data acquired from morphologically distinct motor cortex neurons. Using computational approaches we will investigate the relationship between forelimb movement kinetics and neural activity in subpopulations of output-defined motor cortex neurons. Firstly, we will link activity in discrete output-defined M1 neuronal populations to movement parameters in rats trained in a skilled reaching task. This aspect of the work will rely on modern viral approaches to separately tag neurons belonging to different projections and record their activity in behaving rats using fibre photometry and/or extracellular neurophysiology. Computational approaches such as machine learning and neural network modelling will be used to decode kinematics derived from movement data. A second aspect of the work will involve causal experiments where we will use optogenetics to selectively ‘turn off’ the activity of discrete projections. We will investigate how these manipulations affect fine motor control in behaving rats to causally tease apart the contribution of each projection to motor control. *3. Towards a functional model for associate learning and memory formation* * Dr. Jian Liu and Professor Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, CSN/NPB, University of Leicester* https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/towards-a-functional-model-for-associ… This project aims to study the most up-to-date experimental data regarding single-neuron and network learning and coding in humans, with the expectation that a functional model could be established thereon. If possible, this model shall be not just biologically descriptive but also computationally implementable, as the stimulation protocol is based on the natural scenes of visual and auditory scenes that are beyond the simple protocols. This project involves data analysis where the data of human recordings will be provided by local researchers at our Centre. We will have access to the data of single-cell hippocampal recordings during memory and learning tasks of human subjects under the natural stimulations. Based on these data, we will draw a hypothesised theoretical model that is plausible for these new sets of experimental data as well as for other related published results. Furthermore, designs of new experiments based on the theoretical predictions shall also be made such that the model could be experimentally testified or falsified.

Dec. 12, 2019

Postdoc (3 yrs) in dynamical reconfigurations of neural populations during movement

by Mark Humphries

A 3 year postdoc post is available in the lab of Prof Mark Humphries, at the University of Nottingham (UK) In this project, our aim is to test the overarching hypothesis that movement transitions are encoded by the same neural population reconfiguring its joint activity, for both rhythmic and discrete movements. We will tackle this question by developing new computational algorithms for dynamic systems, and applying them to newly-available population recordings during rhythmic movement transitions in Aplysia and discrete arm movement transitions in monkeys, The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes information about and actions in the world. For more see: https://www.humphries-lab.org Queries: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk Deadline: 10th January 2020 Full details, and to apply: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/SCI182819X1 Professor Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Fellow | Chair in Computational Neuroscience Lab: humphries-lab.org<https://www.humphries-lab.org/> Twitter: @markdhumphries Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

Dec. 12, 2019

Postdoc position at CNRS/Inserm

by James Bonaiuto

Dear all, I'd like to announce the following postdoctoral position on the role of oscillations in brain communication and motor behavior: This position is available for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher in Lyon, France, at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL) and at the Institute for Cognitives Sciences Marc Jeannerod (ISCMJ) under the direction of Mathilde Bonnefond, Ph.D and James Bonaiuto, PhD. The position is funded for 7 months and 2 years by two grants from the European Research Council (n°716862 and n°864550 respectively). The project is aimed at determining the role 1) of brain oscillations at different frequencies in brain communication and 2) of beta bursts in motor behavior. The candidate will use cutting edge techniques in both high precision magnetoencephalography (MEG) and high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, 3.0 T Siemens scanner) with healthy human volunteers. The post-doctoral fellow will: • develop and optimize the analysis of laminar level source signals as well as cortico-cortical functional connectivity applied to oscillatory activities. • analyze data from an fMRI experiment aiming at optimizing the analysis of MEG data for each participant. • analyze the relationship between three-dimensional movement kinematics and beta burst activity • synthesize results, write reports and scientific articles. The postdoctoral fellow will work together with a research assistant whose involvement in MEG/fMRI recording will be limited. Enthusiastic and self-motivated candidates are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will benefit from structured mentoring support and opportunities for travel and presentation at national meetings. The CRNL and ISCMJ are multidisciplinary research institutes offering a vibrant working atmosphere in an international environment with multiple opportunities for seminars, workshops and methodological clubs. *Expected starting date*: Mid-February 2018 the earliest, but applications will be considered until the position is filled. *Job Requirements: * * [Mandatory] Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience, Engineering or related field * [Mandatory] Autonomy in programming in MATLAB or Python * [Mandatory] Experience in using imaging analysis software (MNE, SPM, Fieldtrip, FSL, BrainVisa ...) * Knowledge of brain oscillations and signal processing * Experience with computer vision and analysis of movement kinematics is a plus * Fluency and solid writing skills in English are expected. French is absolutely not a requirement. *How to Apply: * Please send your application to BraindynMobeta(a)gmail.com with the following information: -CV including a brief (1/2 page) summary of previous research -Short letter of motivation describing research interests -Name of two colleagues who could provide a recommendation Please indicate "Post-doc application Braindyn Mobeta" as the subject of your email. James Bonaiuto Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod 67 Bd Pinel <https://maps.google.com/?q=67+Bd+Pinel&entry=gmail&source=g>, 69675, Bron Cedex, France james.bonaiuto(a)isc.cnrs.fr

Dec. 11, 2019

[jobs] Neural Network models for language and interactive robots

by Wermter, Stefan

The Department of Informatics, Institute of Knowledge Technology, invites applications for multiple positions as RESEARCH ASSOCIATES (Postdocs and PhD Students) in the context of the project CROSSMODAL LEARNING: Neural network models for language and interactive robots. Positions commence from January 2020 or as soon as possible thereafter and are in accordance with Section 28 subsection 3 of the Hamburg higher education act (Hamburgisches Hochschulgesetz, HmbHG) on SALARY LEVEL 13 TV-L. These are fixed-term contracts in accordance with Section 2 of the academic fixed-term labor contract act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG). The term is fixed for up to 4 years until 31st of December 2023. The full-time positions call for 39 hours per week. Responsibilities: Duties include academic services in the project named above. Research associates may also pursue independent research and further academic qualifications. Specific Duties: Duties in the project include the design, development and evaluation of neurocognitive models of crossmodal language learning as well as neurorobotic models for crossmodal joint attention and social interaction. The overall project aims to deepen interdisciplinary research between computer science, neuroscience, and psychology in order to set up collaborative research with a focus on human-robot-collaboration, artificial intelligence, neuroscience and psychology while focusing on the topic of cross-modal learning. The long-term challenge is to understand the neural, cognitive and computational evidence of cross-modal learning and to use this understanding for (1) better analyzing human performance with cross-modal correspondence and (2) building effective cross-modal computational and robot systems. Requirements: A university degree in a relevant subject. For doctoral positions, academic degree of MSc in computer science, computer engineering or similar. For post-doctoral positions, a doctorate, or equivalently the experience of more than three years of doctoral studies plus publications in the area of Intelligent Systems are required. The degree must qualify the post holder to carry out the above-mentioned duties. Programming skills in some of Python, C, ROS, Tensorflow or PyTorch are required. Your demonstrated research interests should be in some of the areas of Intelligent Systems (e.g. Neural Networks, Robotics, Machine Learning, Speech, Vision, or Affective Processing). International publication experience is expected. Very good communication skills in English are expected. The University aims to increase the number of women in research and teaching and explicitly encourages qualified women to apply. Equally qualified female applicants will receive preference in accordance with the Hamburg act on gender equality (Hamburgisches Gleichstellungsgesetz, HmbGleiG). Qualified disabled candidates or applicants with equivalent status receive preference in the application process. As a University of Excellence, Universität Hamburg is one of the strongest research universities in Germany. As a flagship university in the greater Hamburg region, it nurtures innovative, cooperative contacts to partners within and outside academia. It also provides and promotes sustainable education, knowledge, and knowledge exchange locally, nationally, and internationally. For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Stefan Wermter or consult our website at: https://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/ Applications should include a cover letter, a tabular curriculum vitae, pdf of best publications, and copies of degree certificate(s). Please send applications by 15.01.2020 or until the post gets filled to Ms Katja Koesters (katja.koesters(a)informatik.uni-hamburg.de) in a single pdf document. *********************************************** Professor Dr. Stefan Wermter Director of Knowledge Technology Department of Informatics University of Hamburg Vogt-Koelln-Str. 30 22527 Hamburg, Germany Email: wermter AT informatik.uni-hamburg.de https://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/WTM/ ***********************************************

Dec. 10, 2019

Fully funded PhD position: interdisciplinary work on machine/deep learning and visual cognitive neuroscience

by Tim Kietzmann

Dear all, I am hiring a graduate student to join our group at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, NL. Please spread the word, or consider applying if you are interested in working with us on machine/deep learning and visual cognitive neuroscience. - 40 hours per week - Maximum gross monthly salary: € 2,972 - Up to four years, fully funded - Application deadline: 15 December 2019 Please find more details on the job post here: https://www.ru.nl/werken-bij/vacature/details-vacature/?recid=1072356 Details on our work can be found here: http://www.timkietzmann.de Best wishes Tim __________________________________ *Dr. rer. nat. Tim C Kietzmann* Assistant Professor Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour DCC Department for Artificial Intelligence Radboud University, NL Senior Research Associate, Graduate Supervisor MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit University of Cambridge Web: http://www.timkietzmann.de Email: t.kietzmann(a)donders.ru.nl Twitter: @timkietzmann

Dec. 10, 2019

PhD position at Tel Aviv University: Enhancing motor learning with computational scaffolding

by Jason Friedman

A funded PhD position is available at Tel Aviv University in the Movement Sciences lab with Dr. Jason Friedman, in the field of human motor control, on the topic of enhancing motor learning. The PhD will be part of a larger collaborative project with Prof. Helge Ritter from Bielefeld University, Germany, where they investigate manual intelligence of both humans and robots. In this project, we will use a technique called computational scaffolding in order to speed up the process of motor learning. In this technique, a temporary structure (scaffold) is provided during the learning process and slowly removed as learning takes place. We will use this technique to individualize and enhance the motor learning process in two applications – learning how to play the piano and learning a new swimming stroke. The student will be involved in all aspects of the project, included running experiments, recording and analyzing movement data, applying motor guidance for enhancing learning, and active collaboration with our partners. Students with a background in Motor Control, Physical Therapy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Physics, Computer Science, Biomedical engineering or related areas are encouraged to apply. Programming experience in Python or other languages, and a musical background is an advantage. Please contact Dr. Friedman (jason(a)tau.ac.il) with a CV for further information.

Dec. 10, 2019

Call for Applications - 2020 Nengo Summer School

by Peter Blouw

[All details about this school can be found online at https://www.nengo.ai/summer-school] The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is excited to announce our 7th annual Nengo summer school on large-scale brain modelling and neuromorphic computing. This two-week school will teach participants to use the Nengo simulation package to build state-of-the-art cognitive and neural models to run both in simulation and on neuromorphic hardware. Summer school participants will be given on-site access to Loihi, Intel’s neuromorphic research chip [1], and will learn to run high-level applications on Loihi using Nengo! More generally, Nengo provides users with a versatile and powerful environment for designing cognitive and neural systems, and has been used to build what is currently the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun [2], which includes spiking deep learning, reinforcement learning, adaptive motor control, and cognitive control networks. For a look at a recent summer school, check out this short video: https://goo.gl/4tVUkQ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwtYgBB2N6I&t=1s> We welcome applications from all interested graduate students, postdocs, professors, and industry professionals with a relevant background. [1] Davies, et al. (2018). Loihi: A neuromorphic manycore processor with on-chip learning. IEEE Micro. Vol. 38 no. 1 pp. 82-99. [ https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8259423] [2] Eliasmith, C., Stewart T. C., Choo X., Bekolay T., DeWolf T., Tang Y., Rasmussen, D. (2012). A large-scale model of the functioning brain. Science. Vol. 338 no. 6111 pp. 1202-1205. DOI: 10.1126/science.1225266. [ http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/files/publications/eliasmith.2012.pdf] ***Application Deadline: February 15, 2020*** Format: A combination of tutorials and project-based work. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on building neuromorphic applications, modeling neural or cognitive data, implementing specific behavioural functions with neurons, expanding past models, or providing a proof-of-concept of various neural mechanisms. Hands-on tutorials, work on individual or group projects, and talks from invited faculty members will make up the bulk of day-to-day activities. A project demonstration event will be held on the last day of the school, with prizes for strong projects! Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to: - interface Nengo with various kinds of neuromorphic hardware (e.g. Loihi, SpiNNaker, BrainDrop) - interface Nengo with (spiking and normal) cameras and robotic systems - integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models - implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models - build perceptual, motor, and sophisticated cognitive models using spiking neurons - model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data - use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model - and much more… Date and Location: June 7th to June 19th, 2020 at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Applications: Please visit https://www.nengo.ai/summer-school/, where you can find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an application form. We ask that you provide a short description of a possible project, and to briefly indicate how this project might make use of the tools and methods that the summer school will be covering, as listed above. If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please contact Peter Blouw (peter.blouw(a)appliedbrainresearch.com) The school is partially supported by Applied Brain Research, Inc. We look forward to hearing from you!

Dec. 9, 2019

NEURONUS 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum (24-26 April 2020, Krakow, Poland)

by Michał Zaręba

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS and REGISTRATION for NEURONUS 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum (24-26 April 2020, Krakow, Poland) are now OPEN! More information and the application forms can be found on our website: http://neuronusforum.pl/. With prominent speakers and an unique atmosphere of 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. 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. So far, we have confirmed participation of two pioneering researchers: - Viktor Jirsa (Aix-Marseille University, France) - 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 in the pleasant spring scenery of Krakow! On behalf of the Organising Committee, Michał Zaręba

Dec. 9, 2019

Openings for Machine Learning Engineer / Healthcare Data Analyst / Neural Engineer (multiple levels)

by Zanos, Theodoros

The Neural and Data Science Lab at the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is currently recruiting for a Machine Learning Engineer / Healthcare Data Analyst / Neural Engineer (multiple levels). The lab focuses on data analysis and machine learning methods to develop algorithms that will power the next generation bioelectronic medicine devices to enable early diagnosis, disease severity assessment and personalization and adaptability of a therapy. The specific opening is part of our lab's ongoing efforts to gain actionable insights into advanced diagnostics and healthcare processes to improve the quality of care and enhance the patient experience. The successful candidate will lead cutting edge projects in healthcare data analytics, having access to state-of-the-art computing power (both on-prem and cloud-based) and access to enormous amounts of data from one of the largest health systems in the world. They will collect, organize and analyze data from various sources, collaborate with physicians and other research staff and publish and present data in a timely manner. They will also work collaboratively with other investigators to facilitate their scientific research and training. Furthermore, they will participate in various types of institute and community activities and may apply for grant funding and/or patents as appropriate. Required Qualifications/Skills - Graduate-level degree in electrical/biomedical engineering, computer science, or related fields - Fluent programming in Python and Matlab - Experience with scientific packages in Python: Numpy, Scipy, Pandas, Matplotlib - Background in machine learning: basic ML concepts, training, and evaluation of model Preferred Skills - Experience implementing custom ML models using Tensorflow - Worked both on Windows and Linux - Authored/co-authored research papers and/or scientific abstracts - Experience with various signal processing methods To apply, please send a cover letter describing your qualifications and an academic CV to tzanos at northwell.edu and include Machine Learning Engineer / Healthcare Data Analyst / Neural Engineer in the subject heading. Work Visa Sponsorship is available. Theodoros Zanos, PhD Assistant Professor Head, Neural & Data Science Lab www.neuraldatascience.org<http://www.neuraldatascience.org/> Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Room 1257 The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine Phone: +1-516-562-0484 Email: tzanos(a)northwell.edu<mailto:tzanos@northwell.edu> The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

Dec. 9, 2019

two post-doc positions at the University of Bristol

by Jeffrey Bowers

Please find links two RA (postdoc) positions to join the ERC project "Generalisation in Mind and Machine" at University of Bristol, UK. Also, here is a link to our lab page: https://mindandmachine.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/ Feel free to email me if you have any questions, Jeff https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BXD841/senior-research-associate https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BXF540/erc-research-associate Jeffrey Bowers School of Experimental Psychology University of Bristol Personal website: https://jeffbowers.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/ ERC lab website: https://mindandmachine.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/

Dec. 9, 2019

Recruitment of postdoctoral researchers and PhD students in computational brain science, Yonsei University College of Medicine

by Jiyoung Kang

Dear all, It is our pleasure to announce an exciting opportunity for post-doc (or any other research) positions at Center for Systems and Translational Brain Science, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea (P.I. Professor Hae-Jeong Park). We develop computational methods to explore brain dynamics at various levels (from neuron to behavior), and seek for highly motivated candidates who find interest in computational neuroscience. The center specializes in the following domains: - Computational modeling based on dynamic causal modelling of the neural circuit observed in vitro and in vivo animal and human data (CaI, VSDI, LFP, M/EEG, BOLD). - Computational and systems neuroscience for the network controllability - Computational modeling of human behaviors We have neuroimaging facility of 3T fMRI, PET, EEG-fMRI, MEG, TMS+(navigation). Our research team is composed of multidisciplinary researchers from biophysics, biomedical engineering and cognitive science with strong clinical support. For details, please see the following web link: http://neuroimage.yonsei.ac.kr. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jiyoung Kang (jykang(a)yuhs.ac) Best regards Jiyoung Kang Center for Systems and Translational Brain Science Department of Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Psychiatry, Department of Cognitive Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Dec. 9, 2019

PhD Opening on large-scale dynamics of functional networks and information routing (@Aix-Marseille University)

by BATTAGLIA Demian

We are recruiting one PhD fellow at the Institute for Systems Neuroscience at Aix-Marseille University. The student will work within Dr. Demian Battaglia’s group (theoretical neuroscientist), in strict interaction with other researchers at Aix-Marseille University (Andrea Brovelli, systems and cognitive neuroscientist; Alain Barrat, complex networks physicist). The project will delve with the analysis of multi-frequency dynamic brain networks in large-scale electrophysiological recordings. Brain regions interact between them in a highly dynamic manner even to perform very simple tasks, preventing too simplistic attempts of description. Flexibly changing patterns of information exchange and integration can be tracked using novel information theoretical and time-series analyses tools and generating directed multi-layer temporal networks representations of the data. In the framework of this project, a variety of different large-scale electrophysiological datasets (from rodents to non-human primates and humans), will be characterized based on complex network analyses tools that, initially forged in statistical physics, have not yet been adapted to be compliant with neural datasets, although they provide a natural language to describe the complex “life” of cell assemblies and transiently integrated coalitions of brain regions. The PhD fellow will characterize how spatio-spectro-temporal network patterns correlate or predict behavior and cognitive performance (e.g. in working memory or spatial navigation tasks) and, potentially, how these patterns are altered in specific animal pathology models (AD, ALS…). Network analyses of empirical data may be complemented by the design of connectome-based computational models of multi-scale oscillations, to reverse engineer physiological mechanisms (e.g. alterations of excitability) that may underpin generalized functional connectivity changes, in control or pathological conditions. This project is one of the “ESR” (Early Stage Researcher) positions opening within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN) project “i-Conn” funded by the European Commission, under their H2020 program. Such prestige program offers ideal conditions to the successful candidate such as: a salary well superior to the national average of ~1.9k euros monthly (plus family allowance when applies), net after taxes, with full social security coverage; and generous grant money for training and traveling to conferences. Through the ITN project activities, the PhD fellow will have the opportunity to come in contact with leading research groups in the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria and Cyprus adopting network science techniques in a wide variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, but also socio-economics, geography, astronomy, etc. At Aix-Marseille University, the PhD fellow will integrate the second largest neuroscience community in France in a dynamic university with emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches. The PhD fellow will profit of the high-level training opportunities provided by the local “NeuroSchool” (https://neuro-marseille.org/en) an excellence PhD program in clinical and integrative neuroscience, as well as by convergence institutes as the Turing Center for Living Systems (http://centuri-livingsystems.org) In addition, Marseille is a vibrant multi-cultural city located in the beautiful natural and cultural context of Southern France, at a few hours only by direct high-speed train from European cities as Paris, Barcelona, Brussels or Frankfurt. We seek for candidates with computational neuroscience, physics or computer science/machine learning background (ideally but not necessarily). The most important prerequisite is the willingness and skill to explore large-scale datasets. Previous experience in programming, computational modeling or network analyses is a plus. The working and training language is English. IMPORTANT! some strict eligibility requirements apply to be eligible as an Early Stage Researcher funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie program: 1) The applicant should have — at the date of recruitment — less than 4 years of a research career, and not have a doctoral degree. The 4 years are measured from the date when they obtained the degree which would formally entitle them to embark on a PhD, either in the country where the degree was obtained or in the country where the PhD is provided. 2) Trans-national mobility: The applicant — at the date of recruitment— should not have resided in the country where the research training takes place for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment, and not have carried out their main activity (work ,studies, etc.) in that country. For refugees under the Geneva Convention (1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol), the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as ‘period of residence/activity in the country of the beneficiary’. To register your interest in applying for this position please, and to ask for any further information, please contact demian.battaglia(a)univ-amu.fr. To apply for this position, we require a copy of your CV, degree transcripts, motivation letter and the names and/or recommendation letters of 2 referees. Please include your master thesis as well and any publication you authored (included manuscripts at preprint or sufficiently advanced draft stages).

Dec. 9, 2019

Research Associate in the Open Source Brain project, University College London

by Gleeson, Padraig

(Apologies for cross postings) The Silver lab (http://silverlab.org) at University College London is looking to hire a postdoc/research associate to work on a project to extend the functionality of the Open Source Brain platform (http://www.opensourcebrain.org, Gleeson et al. Neuron 2019) to support the sharing of standardised experimental neuroscience data alongside neuronal models. This will involve building web-based infrastructure and the curation and standardisation of neuroscience models (in NeuroML format) and data (in Neurodata Without Borders format). This will facilitate collaborative model development and model reuse by the community as well as enable interactive display and analysis of models and neuroscience data through the browser. A PhD in neuroscience, physics, computer science or a related field is required, as well as experience in computational neuroscience, neuroinformatics, or development of analysis pipelines for electrophysiology and imaging data. A strong foundation in computer programming, with strong competencies in data structures, algorithms and software design is essential, along with demonstrable knowledge of UNIX/Linux, experience of web development technologies and Python and/or JavaScript programming experience. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to fully participate in the academic activities related to this initiative including contributing to research and attending scientific conferences. Deadline for applications is 3rd Jan 2020. The post is funded for 2 years in the first instance. Full details can be found here<https://atsv7.wcn.co.uk/search_engine/jobs.cgi?owner=5041179&ownertype=fair…>. For informal enquiries, please contact p.gleeson(a)ucl.ac.uk<mailto:p.gleeson@ucl.ac.uk> ----------------------------------------------------- Padraig Gleeson Room 321, Anatomy Building Department of Neuroscience, Physiology& Pharmacology University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom +44 207 679 3214 p.gleeson(a)ucl.ac.uk<mailto:p.gleeson@ucl.ac.uk> -----------------------------------------------------

Dec. 9, 2019

Workshop on Modelling Consciousness

by Xerxes D. Arsiwalla

Dear Computational Neuroscience Community, We would like to announce a workshop on formal approaches to consciousness studies: https://modelling-consciousness.org/ This workshop brings together researchers who have a deep interest in questions related to the scientific study of consciousness as well as background in formal research topics in order to discuss mathematical questions in the scientific study of consciousness and formal models of the mind-matter relation. The workshop takes place in a mountain cabin in the Austrian alps in Dorfgastein from March 21st to 28th, 2020. Unlike usual workshops and conferences, the focus is not placed upon presentation of recent results, but on creating an atmosphere that stimulates discussion of open questions and new ideas concerning models of consciousness. The workshop is aimed at researchers of any age who are interested in the problems discussed in contemporary consciousness studies. A background in mathematics, physics or other formal disciplines of sciences is appreciated. The deadline for applications is January 31st, 2020. Application details can be found on our website given above. Best wishes on behalf of the workshop organizing committee, Xerxes D. Arsiwalla (IBEC & Universitat Pompeu Fabra) Ian Durham (Saint Anselm College) Johannes Kleiner Giovanni Rabuffo (University of Aix-Marseille) Joanna Szczotka (University of Sussex & Jagiellonian University) Sean Tull (Cambridge Quantum Computing)

Dec. 9, 2019

PhD position in Computational and Mathematical Neuroscience: Drug Discovery

by Serafim Rodrigues

*This position encourages students in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics (or Biophysics) or Computer Science to apply.* We are seeking students that are highly motivated to pursue a PhD project that interfaces several fields, including Neuroscience, Computer Science, Biophysics with the aim to screen new drugs against Alzheimer’s Disease. The project will employ advanced methods in computer science (e.g. machine learning, molecular simulations) and other advanced methods from mathematics and biophysics to develop drugs with high therapeutic efficacy against identified pathways in Alzheimer’s patients. The project will be developed at BCAM (Basque Centre for Applied Mathematics) in Bilbao in collaboration with several centres in France, Canada and Singapore. Candidate’s requirements: - Should have completed an MSc. - The following background knowledge are desirable - Programming. - Mathematics. - Biophysics. Interested students, please contact srodrigues(a)bcamath.org

Dec. 8, 2019

Fwd: PhD and postdoctoral positions, University of Utah

by Alla Borisyuk

Postdoctoral and PhD student positions are available at the University of Utah (Salt Lake City, USA) in the Computational Neuroscience group of Dr. Alla Borisyuk. Dr Borisyuk is affiliated with both Department of Mathematics and the Neuroscience program. Depending on the background of the trainee the placement might be possible in either program. Current projects include: - A mutiscale study of the role of astrocytes in neural networks; - Elucidating the odor coding and connectivity in mammalian and insect olfactory systems. All projects are in collaboration with local experimental neuroscience labs. We have dynamic, active, student-centered and supportive environment, with a multitude of opportunities for trainees to get involved in. Outside of the academics - the outdoor recreational opportunities (National parks, skiing, hiking, climbing) all around us in Utah are unparalleled. Salt Lake City is the center of a metropolitan area with a population of approximately one million residents, has extensive arts and cultural activities, and has a major international airport with a Delta Airlines hub and direct flights to most U.S. cities and direct international flights to Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Mexico City. The area has received international recognition for its new light rail system, foodie culture, downtown renewal, and increasing diversity. For project and position details and other inquiries please contact Alla Borisyuk: borisyuk(a)math.utah.edu Screening of candidates is ongoing, do not delay with your application!

Dec. 6, 2019

Post-doctoral Researcher - Statistical machine learning of neural time-series data and mechanisms of network coordination

by Kirst, Christoph

Dear computational neuroscience community, The Kirst lab at UCSF<https://neurograd.ucsf.edu/people/christoph-kirst-phd-ms-bs> and the Bouchard lab at LBNL/UC Berkeley<https://bouchardlab.lbl.gov/> are looking for a joint post-doctoral researcher to work at the interface of dynamical systems, statistical machine learning, and neural time-series data. The goal is to better understand mechanisms underlying flexible network coordination in the brain. This position will focus on developing and applying methods to analyze neurophysiological signals from diverse brain areas.The post-doc will advance the state of the art in analysis methods to characterize brain dynamics and understand distributed computations in diverse brains areas. State-space modeling approaches will be integrated with emerging unsupervised learning and supervised inference procedures. This position will include a strong collaboration with both basic and clinical neuroscience labs across UCSF, UC Berkeley, and LBNL. The position is located at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and LawrenceBerkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and is part of a broader collaborative effort between UCSF, LBNL, and UCB. This Bay Area collaboration combines UCSF's strong clinical and experimental neuroscience experience with in vivo cortical electrophysiology, UCB's expertise in theoretical neuroscience, statistical learning and data analysis, and LBNL's supercomputing and applied mathematics together with electronics and microfabrication.Successful applicants will have access to the full range of facilities andexpertise uniquely allowed by this collaboration. The position has significant flexibility and 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, but the successful candidate will take an active role in mentoring students and further developing the research program. Excellent (written and oral) communication skills in English are required. The start date is flexible but ideally would be in June of 2020. Compensation will be commensurate with relevant experience. UCSF has competitive benefits and is an equal opportunity employer. UCSF is located in the Bay Area, which is one of the fastest-growing neurobiology-neurotechnology centers in the United States. The Bay Area offers a wide range of opportunities for recreation, culture, and easy access to domestic and international transportation. Applicants should have aPh.D. (or equivalent degree) in a computational oriented field (e.g., physics, computer science, electrical engineering, data science, etc.,) and/or a track record of advanced data statistical analysis of neural time-series data. Applicants must be able to work in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment and exhibit good communication skills. Experience with scientific programing languages (e.g., C/C++,Python, Matlab) is also required. To apply, please submit a CV and three letters of reference to: christoph.kirst(a)ucsf.edu and kebouchard(a)lbl.gov Yours sincerely, Christoph Kirst and Kristofer Bouchard

Dec. 6, 2019

Ph.D. positions in Math Biology and 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, 2019 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 to:misieg@njit.edu, matveev(a)njit.edu) PhD Program advertisement flyer is available at 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/

Dec. 6, 2019

Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling: March 30 to April 3, 2020

by Jelmer Borst

Fifth Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling – ACT-R, Nengo, PRIMs, error-driven learning, and dynamical systems. – Date: March 30 to April 3, 2020 Location: Groningen, the Netherlands Fee: € 250 (late fee after February 15 will be € 300) More information and registration: www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool <http://www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool> We are happy to announce the fifth Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling (March 30 to April 3, 2020). This year, the Spring School will again cover four different modeling paradigms: ACT-R, Nengo, PRIMs, and error-driven learning. It thereby offers a unique opportunity to learn the relative strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. Moreover, this year we are offering a lecture series on dynamical systems, which should be interesting for anyone looking into modeling cognitive dynamics at some level of abstraction. We recommend this lecture series as an excellent combination with Nengo, for those interested in neuromorphic computing. The first day will provide an introduction to all five topics. From day two, spring school students will be asked to commit to one topic, for which they will attend lectures as well as tutorials. In addition, students can sign up for a second topic, for which they will attend lectures only. All students are invited to join a series of plenary research talks on the different paradigms. On the first day, spring school students are asked to introduce themselves and their research interests in a poster session. Registration is now open. For more information and registration, please see the website: www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool <http://www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool> Please feel free to forward the information to anyone who might be interested in the Spring School. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Groningen, The Spring School team ______________ ACT-R Teachers: Jelmer Borst, Maarten van der Velde, Stephen Jones, & Katja Mehlhorn (University of Groningen) Website: http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu <http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/>. ACT-R is a high-level cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time experiments to driving a car, learning algebra, and air traffic control. ACT-R can be used to develop process models of a task at a symbolic level. Participants will follow a compressed five-day version of the traditional summer school curriculum. We will also cover the connection between ACT-R and fMRI. Nengo Teacher: Terry Stewart (University of Waterloo) Website: http://www.nengo.ca <http://www.nengo.ca/> Nengo is a toolkit for converting high-level cognitive theories into low-level spiking neuron implementations. In this way, aspects of model performance such as response accuracy and reaction times emerge as a consequence of neural parameters such as the neurotransmitter time constants. It has been used to model adaptive motor control, visual attention, serial list memory, reinforcement learning, Tower of Hanoi, and fluid intelligence. Participants will learn to construct these kinds of models, starting with generic tasks like representing values and positions, and ending with full production-like systems. There will also be special emphasis on extracting various forms of data out of a model, such that it can be compared to experimental data. PRIMs Teacher: Niels Taatgen (University of Groningen) Website: https://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/prims/index.html <https://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/prims/index.html> How do people handle and prioritize multiple tasks? How can we learn something in the context of one task, and partially benefit from it in another task? The goal of PRIMs is to cross the artificial boundary that most cognitive architectures have imposed on themselves by studying single tasks. It has mechanisms to model transfer of cognitive skills, and the competition between multiple goals. In the tutorial we will look at how PRIMs can model phenomena of cognitive transfer and cognitive training, and how multiple goals compete for priority in models of distraction. Error-driven learning Teachers: Jacolien van Rij and Dorothée Hoppe (University of Groningen) Error-driven learning (also called discrimination learning) allows to simulate the time course of learning. It is based on the Rescorla-Wagner model (Rescorla & Wagner, 1972) for animal cognition, which assumes that learning is driven by expectation error, instead of behaviorist association (Rescorla, 1988). The equations formulated by Rescorla and Wagner have been used to investigate different aspects of cognition, including language acquisition (e.g., Hsu, Chater, and Vitányi, 2011; St. Clair, Monaghan, and Ramscar, 2009), second language learning (Ellis, 2006), and reading of complex words (Baayen et al, 2011). Although error-driven learning can be applied for all domains in cognitive science, in this course we will focus on how it could be used for modeling language processing and language learning. Dynamical Systems: a Navigation Guide Teacher: Herbert Jaeger (University of Groningen) This lecture-series gives a broad overview over the zillions of formal models and methods invented by mathematicians and physicists for describing “dynamical systems”. Here is a list of covered items: Finite-state automata with and without input, deterministic and non-deterministic, probabilistic), hidden Markov models and partially observable Markov decision processes, cellular automata, dynamical Bayesian networks, iterated function systems, ordinary differential equations, stochastic differential equations, delay differential equations, partial differential equations, (neural) field equations, Takens’ theorem, the engineering view on “signals”, describing sequential data by grammars, Chomsky hierarchy, exponential and power-law long-range interactions, attractors, structural stability, bifurcations, phase transitions, topological dynamics, nonautonomous attractor concepts. In the lectures, I try to work out the underlying connecting lines between the “dots” listed above. -- Jelmer Borst Assistant Professor Model-Based & Computational Neuroscience University of Groningen, Bernoulli Institute, dept. of Artificial Intelligence http://www.jelmerborst.nl/

Dec. 5, 2019

Postdoctoral positions, Brown University (Truccolo Lab)

by Wilson Truccolo

Applications for postdoctoral positions in Computational Neuroscience are invited for the laboratory of Dr. Wilson Truccolo in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. The positions are for the development of theoretical and data-driven stochastic models of neuronal network dynamics, including applications to collective dynamics in normal neocortex, and propagation and control of epileptic seizures. Neural data consist of recordings of ensembles of single-neurons and high-density local field potentials obtained via multiple intracortical microelectrode arrays implanted in human and nonhuman primates. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational/theoretical neuroscience, and modeling of stochastic neural dynamics. Related publications can be found on the Truccolo lab website ( http://www.truccololab.com/) Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Truccolo (wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu) Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees should be sent to wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu. -- Wilson Truccolo, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Neuroscience Department of Neuroscience & Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University Lab website: http://www.truccololab.com/

Dec. 3, 2019

Neuroscience PhD Program, Tuebingen: deadline 15th Dec

by Peter Dayan

The Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics 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 December 15, 2019. Please visit: https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/phd-program for more details and information about applying. The PhD program is a collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics 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 2020) 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.

Dec. 3, 2019

Single Units and Human iEEG Meeting - April 1-3, 2020 - Birmingham UK

by MJ ter Wal

Dear colleagues, We are very happy to announce registration and abstract submissions are open for SUsHi 2020! The Single Units and Human iEEG Meeting (SUsHi), taking place in Birmingham, UK, from 1st – 3rd April 2020, will bring together Cognitive Neuroscientists working with human single unit and/or LFP recordings. The three day event will comprise of a small workshop followed by a two-day traditional conference, hosted at the University of Birmingham. SUsHi will bring together researchers who work with these rich and complex datasets, with the aim to discuss the appropriate methods for data analysis, hands-on training for researchers who are new to these methods, and a discussion of the latest scientific progress in the field. This three day event includes a spike sorting workshop for early career researchers (sold out), panel discussions, poster sessions and the chance to take part in a Method Challenge prior to the conference. We have exciting Keynote Presentations from Prof. Florian Mormann, Dr Leila Reddy, Dr Ueli Rutishauser and Prof. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga. You can *register *here: https://shop.bham.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/college-of-medical-dental-sc… submit *abstracts *here: https://memorybham.squarespace.com/abstract-submission and find out more about our *Method Challenge* here: https://memorybham.squarespace.com/method-challenge * * *Important deadlines:* 15th January – Abstract and Method Challenge Submissions 16th March – Registration Kind regards, Dr Simon Hanslmayr, Dr Bernhard Staresina and Dr Maria Wimber SUsHi Organisers SUsHi(a)contacts.bham.ac.uk https://memorybham.squarespace.com/sushi2020 <mailto:SUsHi@contacts.bham.ac.uk>

Dec. 2, 2019

Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Computational Brain Science group at Western University

by Jorn Diedrichsen

Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Computational Brain Science group at Western University The newly formed Computational Brain Sciences Group<https://brainscan.uwo.ca/research/cores/computational_core/index.html> at Western University offers postdoctoral positions through Western’s prestigious BrainsCAN postdoctoral fellowship program<https://brainscan.uwo.ca/research/cores/computational_core/postdoctoral_and…>. Applicants should have a PhD in a computational or neuroscience-related field. Candidates with expertise in both are strongly preferred. The successful applicant will play a key role in neuroimaging and computational investigations of human brain function. They will enjoy working as part of an interdisciplinary collaborative team and will join the Brain and Mind Institute<https://www.uwo.ca/bmi/> (BMI), which is one of the leading centres in cognitive neuroscience in Canada. The BMI hosts a full range of ultra-high field, research-dedicated MRI scanners and state-of-the-art research facilities for cognitive, behavioural, and neurophysiological testing. The applicant should contact one or more potential supervisors<https://brainscan.uwo.ca/research/cores/computational_core/affiliated_labs.…> with a cover letter, a detailed CV and 2-3 referees. Review of applicants will start on Dec 15, 2019. The deadline for submitting the final proposal is Feb 1st, 2020. In brief, applicants must be no more than 6 years post-PhD and the salaries are highly competitive (55-70K per year, CDN, with additional benefits). The proposed research should fit within the broad BrainsCAN remit, which covers research that addresses fundamental questions regarding how we learn, think, move, and communicate. Jörn Diedrichsen Western Research Chair Brain Mind Institute Department of Computer Science Department of Statistics Email: jdiedric(a)uwo.ca<mailto:jdiedric@uwo.ca> Tel: 1-519-661-2111 x86994

Dec. 2, 2019

Postdoc in computational neuroimaging

by Vuksanovic, Vesna

Dear List The following link contains details of a postdoc vacancy at University of Aberdeen in understanding of multi-modal MRI brain data to develop a network approach in understanding changes in brain structure and functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BWR950/research-fellow Please forward the link, if you know of some potential candidates. Many thanks, Vesna The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683. Tha Oilthigh Obar Dheathain na charthannas clàraichte ann an Alba, Àir. SC013683.

Dec. 2, 2019

Dynamics Days XL: Nice, France, 24- 28 August 2020

by Mathieu Desroches

We are pleased to invite you to the 40th Dynamics Days Europe Conference, which will be held in Nice, France, on the 24-28 August 2020. Dynamic Days Europe is a major international conferences providing a forum for developments in the applications of and theory for dynamics. The themes of the meetings include Physics, Biology, Theoretical Dynamical Systems, Complex Systems, and Numerical Methods. The list of plenary speakers include: * Sylvain Crovisier (Université Paris-Sud) * Bard Ermentrout (University of Pittsburgh) * Veronica Grieneisen (Cardiff University) * Björn Hof (IST Austria) * Chris Jones (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) * Alejandro Maass (University of Chile) * Antonio Politi (University of Aberdeen) * Katharina Schratz (Heriot-Watt University) * Anna von der Heydt (Universiteit Utrecht) * Lai-Sang Young (Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences New York University) All information regarding the conference will be published on our website https://dynamicsdays2020.univ-cotedazur.fr <https://dynamicsdays2020.univ-cotedazur.fr/> We are currently soliciting Minisymposia proposals (deadline on the 20th of December 2019), which can be submitted on our website, or by filling out this form https://dynamicsdays2020.univ-cotedazur.fr/Minisymposium_proposal/ <https://dynamicsdays2020.univ-cotedazur.fr/Minisymposium_proposal/> We invite you to follow us on Twitter @dyndays_2020, and to use the hashtag #DDaysXL. Please disseminate this advert to potential participants. We look forward to hosting you in Nice! The organising committee: Daniele Avitabile, Stéphane Barland, Mathieu Desroches, François Gautero, Sergey Nazarenko, Elisabeth Pécou

Nov. 29, 2019

PhD position in computational neuroscience/brain physics in Oslo Norway

by Gaute Einevoll

PhD-position in Computational Neuroscience/Brain Physics in Oslo, Norway Applications are invited for a position as PhD Research Fellow available at the Department of Biosciences in the research group of Professors Gaute Einevoll and Marianne Fyhn at CINPLA. The position is funded by the UiO:Life Science Initiative, Convergence Environments to the project ”MultiModal Mental Models: converging approaches from genomes to mental illness and interplay with psychosocial stressors (4MENT)”<https://www.uio.no/english/research/strategic-research-areas/life-science/r…>. The successful candidate will work on model-based exploration of cortical neuron and neural network models, in particular effects of genetic variants on neural functions. The modeling work will be carried out in collaboration with statistical geneticists as well as researchers working with stem cells and brain imaging. The goal of the project is to build models for mental phenotypes that are relevant in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The candidate will work in the cross-disciplinary environment Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity (cinpla.org) a research center set up by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Presently, CINPLA includes about twenty biologists, physicists, and computer scientists co-localised in the building of Department of Biosciences at UiO. The candidate will develop and use state-of-the-art computer simulation packages and national supercomputer resources. The fellowships will be for a period of 3 years, with no compulsory work, or for a period of 4 years, with 25 % compulsory work at the UiO:LifeScience. Anticipated start date is Winter/Spring 2020. The research fellow must take part in the Faculty’s appproved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. Requirements: * Master’s degree in physics, mathematics, or computer science. The Master thesis should preferably have been done within computational neuroscience, but also candidates with master projects in other branches of computational science may be considered. * Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system. * The candidate must have demonstrated strong skills in developing codes for scientific computing. * A good command of English is required. For more information, including on how to apply, see: https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/178653/phd-research-fellowsh… Deadline for application: December 18th 2019 For questions, please contact professor Gaute T. Einevoll, gaute.einevoll(a)fys.uio.no. ********************************************** Professor Gaute T. Einevoll Faculty of Science and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Aas, Norway; Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Ph. +47-64965433, Mobile: +47-95124536 email: Gaute.Einevoll(a)nmbu.no, web: compneuro.nmbu.no, cinpla.org

Nov. 28, 2019

Call for Paper: [Information] Special Issue--"Advances in Mobile Gaming and Games-based Leaning" （More than 15 scholars agreed to submit）

by Blink Yu

Special Issue: Advances in Mobile Gaming and Games-based Leaning Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2020 Website and Planned Papers:https://www.mdpi.com/journal/information/special_issues/MobileGaming… Guest Editor: Dr. Antonio Coelho Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal Dr. Carlos Vaz de Carvalho Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Polit?cnico do Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal ======================= Dear Colleagues, We cordially invite you to submit a manuscript for consideration and possible publication in a Special Issue on "Advances in Mobile Gaming and Games-based Leaning" to be published in an EI, ESCI and Scopus-indexed open access journal Information (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/information) The submission manuscript deadline is 31 January 2020. For more details, please visit the website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/information/special_issues/MobileGaming_Gamesb… You may share this invitation with your team members and colleagues; co-authors are most welcome. Please let me know within a month or as soon as possible if you and your colleagues are interested in submitting a manuscript for this special issue. If more time is needed, please feel free to tell us (information(a)mdpi.com) Your contribution would be most welcome. Information is fully open access. Open access (unlimited and free access by readers) increases publicity and promotes more frequent citations, as indicated by several studies. Open access is supported by the authors and their institutes. An Article Processing Charge (APC) of CHF 1000 currently applies to all accepted papers. You may be entitled to a discount if you have previously received a discount code or if your institute is participating in the MDPI Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), for more information see: http://www.mdpi.com/about/ioap. For further details on the submission process, please see the instructions for authors at the journal website (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/information/instructions) We hope this topic is of interest to you and look forward to collaborating with you in the near future. Kind regards, Blink Yu Section Managing Editor --- Dear Colleagues, Education is evolving to overcome new challenges related to the unique competencies of the professionals of the future and the requirements of a new generation that is immersed in the digital media world from birth. Digital Games is one of the media that have the potential to reach these two objectives. Game-based learning is the scientific area that focuses on the development of games that are designed over specific learning objectives. From thoroughly crafted educational games to the use of gamification, the new era of the school will be digital. However, we should not forget tangential learning with the use of entertainment games. Mobile games are also leveraging a large community of gamers that relies on the specifics of mobile technology, such as ubiquity and pervasiveness. The solutions can leverage informal learning, literacy, science communication, and citizenship, among a vast area of applications. The aim of this Special Issue is to disclose the new advances in game-based learning and mobile games that can enhance the effectiveness and outreach of learning objects. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following: Game-based learning; Serious games; Mobile games; Pervasive games; Learning models and practices with the use of games; New technologies for game-based learning: Virtual and augmented reality; New interaction devices, toys, and playthings; Simulations; 3D rendering technologies; Game engines and development tools; Location-based games; Artificial intelligence; Educational games analytics; Assessment and evaluation of educational games; User experience design; The psychology of educational games; Gender and age issues; Social and collaborative games; Security and confidentiality in educational games; Case studies in educational games; Game development for mobile devices. Dr. Antonio Coelho Dr. Carlos Vaz de Carvalho Guest Editors -- Mr. Blink Yu Managing Editor E-Mail: blink.yu(a)mdpi.com Skype: live:c91693ac8277e1f0 -- MDPI Wuhan Office No.6 Jingan Road, 430064 Wuhan, China MDPI Postfach, CH-4020 Basel, Switzerland http://www.mdpi.com -- Disclaimer: MDPI recognizes the importance of data privacy and protection. We treat personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and with what the community expects of us. The information contained in this message is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this message in error, please notify me and delete this message from your system. You may not copy this message in its entirety or in part, or disclose its contents to anyone.

Nov. 27, 2019

Research Fellow in Deep Reinforcement Learning for Machine Theory of Mind @ Oxford Brookes

by Fabio Cuzzolin

The Visual Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Oxford Brookes University, led by Professor Fabio Cuzzolin, is seeking a Research Fellow in Deep Reinforcement Learning for Machine Theory of Mind, to be appointed asap, on a 30-month contract. The deadline for application is 16th December 2019. Salary: £31,866 rising annually to £34,804. The Research Fellow will lead the Lab’s efforts within the Leverhulme Trust-funded Research Project Grant “Theory of mind at the interface of neuroscience and AI”, in partnership with Prof Barbara Sahakian of the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Cambridge, a leading figure in the field of Clinical Neuropsychology and the President of the International Neuroethics Society ( https://www.bcni.psychol.cam.ac.uk/directory/barbara-sahakian) The project aims to provide machines with ‘theory of mind’ capabilities, i.e., the ability to guess the reasoning processes and intentions of other intelligent agents. It will explore the possibility of creating flexible theory of mind simulations based on the concept of reconfigurable deep networks, trained in a reinforcement learning setting, as well as refine and test new cognitive models for these functionalities in the human brain. Similarities and differences with inverse reinforcement learning will also be investigated. The Visual Artificial Intelligence Laboratory ( http://cms.brookes.ac.uk/staff/FabioCuzzolin/) is of the top research groups in the world in deep learning for action detection, and is heavily investing in the topic of predicting future behaviour and events. The team designed in 2017 the first system yet able to localise multiple actions on the image plane in real time, and our algorithms regularly compete for the best detection accuracies. Former PhD students have moved on to postdoc positions at Oxford, Stanford and ETH Zurich. The Laboratory is currently running on a budget of almost £2 million, with seven live funded projects spanning computer vision, machine learning, general AI, autonomous driving, surgical and mobile robotics, AI for healthcare, decision making and uncertainty theory. We are also significantly involved in the new £1.9 Oxford Brookes AI Incubator (AIDA), and in the University’s Ethical AI Institute. For an overview of our research themes and projects, please consult http://cms.brookes.ac.uk/staff/FabioCuzzolin/files/VAIL.pdf You will join a vibrant and fast growing team projected to comprise 25+ people in 2019-20. You will be working on a network of cutting edge 4-GPU and 8-GPU workstations. The Lab collaborates with various companies including Huawei, Leonardo, Cisco, Ocado, Cortexica and Oxbotica, and is in the process of spinning off a company in the area of action detection. We closely work with Cambridge University’s Neuroscience, as well as Oxford University’s Engineering and Computer Science Departments, and have established links with IIT Bombay, Harvard, Seoul National, the Fraunhofer Institute, and numerous other European partners. You are encouraged to contact Prof Cuzzolin at fabio.cuzzolin(a)brookes.ac.uk for more information and informal feedback on your application. To formally apply, please follow the instructions provided here: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BWZ564/research-fellow-in-reinforcement-learning…

Nov. 26, 2019

Director search for SCI Institute, University of Utah

by Rob MacLeod

The University of Utah seeks applications for the Director of the Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute <http://www.sci.utah.edu/> The University of Utah is a Carnegie Research I Institution and member of the Association of American Universities (AAU); the SCI Institute is a trans-college, research-focused partnering entity at the University of Utah consisting of faculty from 4 academic departments (School of Computing, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics) and 2 colleges, students, and staff (185 current personnel). The SCI Institute’s vision is to see applied computing bring transformation across disciplines in a way that benefits the University of Utah and society at large. Its mission is to bring together excellence in diverse domains applied to multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary problems of societal importance. The Institute accomplishes these goals through the collaborative development, assembly, and/or application of applied scientific and data computing, imaging, and visualization tools. Over more than two decades, the SCI Institute <http://www.sci.utah.edu/> has established itself as an internationally recognized leader in visualization, scientific and biomedical computing, and image analysis applied to a broad range of challenging problems. For example, the SCI Institute is ranked by CSRankings (http://csrankings.org <http://csrankings.org/>) as housing the top visualization group internationally. Alongside its research goals is a passion to educate students and staff. The SCI Institute is proud to have supported over 400 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and nearly 100 undergraduates to achieve an education at the cutting-edge of research. SCI graduates move into faculty positions with universities internationally and also become innovators with companies such as Apple, Exxon Mobil, Nvidia, Google, Intel, Boston Scientific, Orthogrid, Philips Medical, and Medtronic. Additional information about the Institute and current faculty can be found at scidirectorsearch.sci.utah.edu <http://scidirectorsearch.sci.utah.edu/> For more information, please contact Rob MacLeod (macleod(a)sci.utah.edu <mailto:macleod@sci.utah.edu>)

Nov. 25, 2019

Postdoc position: Institute of Neuroinformatics, ETH and UZH Zurich

by Hazem Toutounji

We seek a postdoctoral researcher with deep interest in human reinforcement learning and decision-making to work on the newly funded project: *Learning and Exploration under Perceptual and Value Uncertainty* Organisms often face the challenge of navigating a world riddled with many sources of uncertainty, be it ambiguous sensory inputs or unreliable behavioral outcomes. Most existing research only considered either of these two sources of uncertainty in the contexts of perceptual decision making for the former, and reinforcement learning and value-based decision making for the latter. The goal of the project is to develop a unifying experimental and theoretical account of human adaptive behavior subject to both perceptual and value uncertainty. The post of 1-year is at the Institute of Neuroinformatics (ini.uzh.ch <http://www.ini.uzh.ch>) of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, in close collaboration with Rafael Polania’s Decision Neuroscience Lab ( decision.ethz.ch <http://www.decision.ethz.ch>). *Preferable starting date:* February 1st, 2020. The post involves psychophysics and data-driven computational modelling. Candidates should have a PhD in cognitive science, psychology, neuroscience, computational science, or a related field. Preference will be given to applicants with prior experience in designing and conducting psychophysics experiments, in addition to having strong programming (MATLAB or python), computational and statistical skills. *How to apply:* Please write to Hazem Toutounji (hazem(a)ini.ethz.ch) using the email as a cover letter, preferably before December 9th, 2019. Later applications will be considered until the post is filled. The application should include CV, list of publications and preprints, and contact information of 1-3 potential referees, in addition to a short summary (max. 300 words) of most relevant paper, describing your contribution. -- Dr. rer. nat. Hazem Toutounji Institute of Neuroinformatics University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland office: +41-44-635-3063 twitter: @HazemToutounji

Nov. 25, 2019

University of Sussex funded PhD positions: Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme, “From Sensation and Perception to Awareness”

by Miguel Maravall

Dear colleagues, We are inviting applications for our interdisciplinary Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme at the University of Sussex, “From Sensation and Perception to Awareness”, for entry in September 2020. Could you please kindly distribute to interested students. Thank you Best wishes Miguel Maravall FUNDED PHD POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX The University of Sussex invites applications for PhD studentship awards within its Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme entitled “From Sensation and Perception to Awareness”, directed by Jamie Ward and Anil Seth. The prestigious Sussex Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarship Programme<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=3783&type=185&url=htt…> brings together doctoral researchers from different disciplines to advance our understanding of the interactions between sensing, perception, and awareness in humans, animals, and machines. The Programme will support an intake of up to NINE students starting in September 2020. PhD students will be registered within one of the participating schools (Life Sciences, Informatics, Psychology, Media Film & Music, and Brighton and Sussex Medical School). The closing date for applications is January 31st, 2020. For further details, including how to apply, see… https://www.findaphd.com/phds/program/studentships-available-from-the-unive…

Nov. 25, 2019

COSYNE 2020: Registration; Travel grants; Cosyne Tutorials

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2020 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 27 February - 01 March 2020 Denver, Colorado WORKSHOPS 02 March - 03 March 2020 Breckenridge, Colorado www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Online registration is now open. Travel grant submission is now open. Travel grant application deadlines 31 December 2019, 11.59PM PST (*Undergraduate* Travel Grant) 14 January 2020, 11.59PM PST (Other travel grants) TAs wanted for a tutorial session. ----------------------------------------------- TRAVEL GRANTS ----------------------------------------------- Applications are now open for travel grants to attend the conference. Each awardee will receive at least $500 to help offset the costs of travel, registration, and accommodations. Larger grants may be available to those traveling from outside North America. Special consideration is given to scientists who have not previously attended the meeting, under-represented minorities, students who are attending the meeting together with a mentor, undergraduate students, and authors of submitted Cosyne abstracts. We currently offer five travel grant programs for New Attendees, Presenters, Mentors, Undergraduates, and Childcare travel grants. For details on applying, see Cosyne.org -> Travel grants. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE TUTORIALS ---------------------------------------------------- Cosyne 2019 will host two tutorial sessions on 27 February 2020. For details on Cosyne tutorials please visit Cosyne.org -> Tutorials 20. Tutorial 1: Cosyne 2020 Tutorial session sponsored by the Simons Foundation Topic: Normative approaches to understanding neural coding and behavior Speaker: Ann Hermundstad Ann Hermundstad is a Group Leader in the Computation & Theory research core at Janelia Research Campus. She studies how the brain creates and uses adaptive sensorimotor representations to generate flexible behavior. Her lab uses a combination of theory, modeling, and data analysis to explore how neural circuits can do this efficiently and flexibly, and works in close collaboration with experimentalists to test these ideas in biological systems. *We are recruiting TAs for the tutorial session. If interested, please see Cosyne.org -> Tutorials 20 for details on how to apply.* Tutorial 2 Topic: Neurodata without Borders Tutorial NWB is a data standard for neurophysiology, providing neuroscientists with a common standard to share, archive, use, and build common analysis tools for neurophysiology data. Navigating the Allen Brain Observatory ---------------------------------------------------- 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. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks is selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. For details on workshop proposals please see below or visit Cosyne.org -> Workshops. 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. This year we would like to foster increased participation from experimental groups as well as computational ones. Please circulate widely and encourage your students and postdocs to apply. COSYNE INVITED SPEAKERS Matthew Botvinick (Deepmind/Princeton) Megan Carey (Champalimaud) John Cunningham (Columbia) Gul Dolen (Hopkins) Rainer Friedrich (FMI Basel) Sam Gershman (Harvard) Lisa Giocomo (Stanford) Christopher Harvey (Harvard) Mehrdad Jazayeri (MIT) Wei Ji Ma (NYU) Hendrikje Nienborg (Tuebingen/NIH) Linda Wilbrecht (Berkeley) Marta Zlatic (Janelia) ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Eugenia Chiappe (Champalimaud) and Christian Machens (Champalimaud) Program Chairs: Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris) Workshop Chairs: Catherine Hartley (NYU) and Blake Richards (McGill) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Angela Langdon (Princeton) and Robert Wilson (U Arizona) 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.

Nov. 25, 2019

Postdoctoral Researcher position at U Goettingen, Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks

by von Behren, Christina

Dear list, We would like to draw your attention to the postdoc opportunity below: The Department of Data-driven Analysis of Biological Networks at the Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen invites applications for a position as Postdoctoral Researcher (all genders welcome) This position is available starting from April 1st, 2020. It is a full time position with a limited contract of 3 years and the possibility of extension. Salary and working hours will be according to the German grade 13 TV-L (100%, currently 39.80 hours per week). The position will be associated with the group of Prof. Michael Wibral at the Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks. We are recruiting a Postdoc for the interdisciplinary research project "Deep learning techniques for association studies of transcriptome and system dynamics in tissue morphogenesis" funded by the Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony within the research initiative Niedersächsisches Vorab "Big Data in the Life Sciences of the Future". The project aims for establishing the fundamental principles for generating tools for the identification of individual cells that are key to the dynamics of embryonic development via the automation of digital, dynamic tissue reconstruction from large-scale live imaging data and the use of local information dynamics. We are looking for candidates with an excellent PhD in physics, mathematics, computer science or a closely related field, who are committed to pursuing a career in research. The successful applicant will participate in research on the real-time application of novel information theoretic measures applied to imaging data from developing embryonic tissue. The ideal candidate should have excellent skills in scientific writing, experience with the application of information theory to biological data, and should have demonstrated her/his ability to work independently. Coding skills in a language relevant to data analysis (e.g. Python, Julia, R, Scala, Java) are considered as an advantage. We offer the opportunity to become a member of a vibrant community dedicated to innovative research and teaching at the frontier of the exact and biological sciences, and to connect to the latest developments in information theory, including partial information decompositions. The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of biophysics and neuroscience in Europe hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University and its Medical Center, the three life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Göttingen. The Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN) is a newly founded transdisciplinary institute. Its mission is to foster frontier research at the border of the exact and biological sciences and to develop advanced mathematical and computational concepts for the analysis of biological networks. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference. Please send your e-mail application, preferably in one single PDF-document, including a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae with a list of publications, copies of your certificates and contact information of at least two references by December 31st, 2019 to e-mail address bianca.spitalieri(a)biologie.uni-goettingen.de<mailto:bianca.spitalieri@biologie.uni-goettingen.de> (Subject: PostDoc and ID). Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, Department of Data-driven Analysis of Biological Networks, Mrs Bianca Spitalieri, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen. If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Michael Wibral, via e-mail: michael.wibral(a)uni-goettingen.de<mailto:michael.wibral@uni-goettingen.de>. Please note: With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Information General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Please see http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/305402.html?cid=14701 Kind regards, Christina von Behren ------ Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience Goettingen University of Goettingen Postal address: Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine Hermann-Rein-Str. 3 37075 Goettingen Germany Phone: +49-(0)551-39-26674

Nov. 22, 2019

Postdoc/PhD position: Biologically inspired DNN for neuronal and behavioral analyses.

by Luczak, Artur

Dear All, Our lab seeks highly motivated individuals with strong computational backgrounds to work at the interface of neuroscience and machine learning. We are especially interested in application of deep neural networks to improve our understanding of neuronal data, and application of recent neuroscience findings to improve performance of deep neural networks. In our lab we also record activity of hundreds of neurons in normal and epileptic animals, and successful candidate is welcome to participate in those projects. Preferred candidate should have strong background in modeling neurons and networks, and should be very familiar with models of synaptic plasticity (e.g. BCM). Our lab at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience in Lethbridge is located in the sunniest area of Canada and next to scenic Rocky Mountains. For more information please contact: Artur Luczak (Luczak(a)uleth.ca) Relevant papers from our lab: Ryait et al. PLoS Biology 2019: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.30005… Neumann et al. Brain 2017 http://people.uleth.ca/~luczak/papers/Luczak_Brain2017.pdf Luczak et al. Nature Rev Neurosci. http://people.uleth.ca/~luczak/papers/Luczak_nrn2015final.pdf Best, Artur http://lethbridgebraindynamics.com/artur_luczak

Nov. 22, 2019

Postdoc position at the SimLab Neuroscience, Juelich, Germany

by Abigail Morrison

Dear colleagues, we have a postdoc position available in the SimLab Neuroscience, Juelich Research Centre, Germany. We are looking for candidates with a proven track record in developing scientific software who are interested in developing an HPC-amenable neuronal simulator and engaging with the neuroscience community. For a full description and details of how to apply, please see the announcement on our website: https://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Stellenangebote/_common/dna/2019-415-E… All the best, Abigail Morrison -- Prof. Dr. Abigail Morrison IAS-6 / INM-6 / SimLab Neuroscience Jülich Research Center & Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience Ruhr-University Bochum http://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-6 http://www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc/slns http://www.ikn.psy.ruhr-uni-bochum.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, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nov. 21, 2019

Neurobiology Events at EMBL Heidelberg in 2020

by Julie Heinecke

The EMBL is one of the world’s leading research institutions, and Europe’s flagship laboratory for the life sciences. We have an extensive course and conference programme, with many multiple related to neurobiology taking place at EMBL Heidelberg, Germany in 2020. Please see our events below. 8 Mar - 11 Mar 2020 EMBL Conference: Advances in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine https://www.embl.de/training/events/2020/STM20-01/index.html <https://www.embl.de/training/events/2020/STM20-01/index.html> 15 Mar - 18 Mar 2020 EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Inter-Organ Communication in Physiology and Disease https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-02 <https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-02?_ga=2.140139891.1…> 6 May - 9 May 2020 EMBO Workshop: Microglia 2020 https://www.embl.de/training/events/2020/GLI20-01/index.html <https://www.embl.de/training/events/2020/GLI20-01/index.html> 11 May - 14 May 2020 EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Cellular Mechanisms Driven by Liquid Phase Separation https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-04 <https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-04> 14 Sep - 17 Sep 2020 EMBO | EMBL Symposium: The Neurovascular Interface https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-08 <https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-08> 21 Oct - 24 Oct 2020 EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Organoids: Modelling Organ Development and Disease in 3D Culture https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-11 <https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-11> 28 Oct - 31 Oct 2020 EMBO Workshop: Neuroepigenetics: From Cells to Behaviour and Disease https://www.embl.de/training/events/2020/NEG20-01/index.html <https://www.embl.de/training/events/2020/NEG20-01/index.html> 8 Nov - 11 Nov 2020 EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Biological Oscillators: Design, Mechanism, Function https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-12 <https://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2020/EES20-12> Julie Heinecke, PhD Marketing Team Lead European Molecular Biology Laboratory Course and Conference Office Meyerhofstr. 1 D-69117 Heidelberg Germany Tel: +49 6221 387 8359 Fax: +49 6221 387 8158 Visit www.embl.org/events <http://www.embl.org/events> for a list of all EMBL events and subscribe to our newsletter at www.embl.org/events/newsletter/signup <http://www.embl.org/events/newsletter/signup>. Follow us on: Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/EMBLEvents/> | Twitter <https://twitter.com/EMBLEvents> | Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/emblevents/> | LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/in/embl-events-716b1531/> | YouTube <https://www.youtube.com/user/emblmedia/playlists?sort=dd&view=50&shelf_id=4> | EMBL Events Blog <https://blogs.embl.org/events/>

Nov. 21, 2019

FW: Fries Lab PhD and Postdoc positions

by Ben S

The Fries Lab at the Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) aims to fill Several positions for PhD candidates and Postdocs in Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience in the course of 2020 and early 2021. The Fries Lab investigates rhythmic neuronal synchronization and its functional roles for attention and memory (www.esi-frankfurt.de/pf <http://www.esi-frankfurt.de/pf> ). Interactions between different brain areas are studied with multi-site electrophysiology and optogenetics in awake behaving marmoset and macaque monkeys, magnetoencephalography in human subjects, and advanced data analysis. The new lab members will join existing teams with extensive expertise in the relevant techniques, and will typically combine experimental projects with data analysis projects on existing datasets. ESI provides an outstanding infrastructure. All positions are for four years and are core funded by ESI for their full duration. Positions can start at any time in 2020 or early 2021, and this call will remain open until all positions are filled. PhD candidates interested in joining the lab in late 2020 or early 2021 are encouraged to apply to the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Neural Circuits (www.brain.mpg.de/registration <http://www.brain.mpg.de/registration> ) with a deadline on 1 December 2019, and to send their application material in parallel directly to ESI at the below mentioned e-mail address. PhD candidates should have a B.Sc. or a M.Sc. or an equivalent qualification in neuroscience or a neuroscience-related discipline like medicine, psychology, physics or biology. Correspondingly, Postdoc candidates should have or expect a Ph.D. in neuroscience or a neuroscience-related discipline. Experience with in-vivo electrophysiology or MEG and with data analysis is a plus. Yet, the main criteria are a strong academic track record and a dedication to perform excellent brain research. Applications should include a motivation letter, a curriculum vitae, copies of the school leaving exam and university degrees, lists of university courses with obtained grades, and the names and e-mail addresses of two scientists, who can provide references (do not include reference letters). Please send your application materials in electronic format (ideally in one PDF file) to: renata.vajda(a)esi-frankfurt.de <mailto:renata.vajda@esi-frankfurt.de> . Prof. Dr. Pascal Fries Director, Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society Deutschordenstr. 46, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany Web: <http://www.esi-frankfurt.de/> www.esi-frankfurt.de Mail: <mailto:pascal.fries@esi-frankfurt.de> pascal.fries(a)esi-frankfurt.de Tel: +49 (0)69 96769 501 Fax: +49 (0)69 96769 555 <http://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=d3U-6zUAAAAJ&view_op=list_wo rks&pagesize=100> Pascal Fries @ Google Scholar Sitz der Gesellschaft: Frankfurt am Main Registergericht: Amtsgericht Frankfurt - HRB 84266 Geschäftsführer: Prof. Dr. Pascal Fries

Nov. 21, 2019

Developing advanced nanotechnology for neuroscience: 2 postdoc positions available

by Michele Giugliano

The positions are funded for up to 42 months on a newly funded EC-Horizon 2020 project called "Ionic Neuromodulation For Epilepsy Treatment (IN-FET)", combining neurobiology, nanotechnologies, electrochemistry, and electronics together for designing a breakthrough novel technology in brain modulation. We aim at experimentally validating novel routes for cellular and microcircuit stimulation or suppression, in collaboration with a consortium of partners which includes IBM Research Zurich, the University of Geneva, the University of Sheffield, and the Inter-university consortium for Nanoelectronics. We search for experts in in vitro electrophysiology (substrate-integrated microelectrode arrays) and patch-clamp recordings (dissociated cell cultures, acute and organotypic brain tissue slices) with a strong background in quantitative data analysis and a strong interest for interdisciplinary research. The link to the text of the call is https://www.sissa.it/bandi/selezione-pubblica-titoli-colloquio-conferimento… <https://www.sissa.it/bandi/selezione-pubblica-titoli-colloquio-conferimento…> The deadline for the application is 14/01/2020 at 13.00 and the link to apply is https://pica.cineca.it/sissa/ar-fe-neur-45-2019/ <https://pica.cineca.it/sissa/ar-fe-neur-45-2019/> For any information, email to assegniricerca(a)sissa.it <mailto:assegniricerca@sissa.it>

Nov. 20, 2019

PhD position: modeling sequential human behavior, Centre for Cognitive Science @ TU Darmstadt

by Constantin Rothkopf

A PhD position is available in the lab of Constantin Rothkopf (https://www.pip.tu-darmstadt.de/) at the Centre for Cognitive Science (https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/cogsci/) at Technical University Darmstadt. The lab investigates sequential decision making and control under uncertainty in humans, how we actively use our visual system to take decisions and guide actions. Our work often involves behavioral experiments measuring eye movements and developing computational models in tasks ranging from psychophysical detection tasks to catching balls, navigation in VR, or reasoning about physics. We offer a supportive and interdisciplinary environment based on scientific curiosity with local and international collaborations. Candidates should have a Masters degree in cognitive science, computer science, psychology, neuroscience, or a related discipline. Preference will be given to candidates with evidence of strong quantitative and computational skills. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to interact closely with the existing team in our lab, as well as other colleagues at the Centre including Frank Jäkel, Kristian Kersting, Jan Peters, and Stefan Roth. If you are interested, please send an informal inquiry to constantin.rothkopf(a)cogsci.tu-darmstadt.de. Full applications including a CV, a brief (max. 2 pages) cover letter explaining your research interests, why you would like to study in the lab, your longer term career goals, and the names and contact details of up to 3 academic references need to be sent to dekanat(a)humanw.tu-darmstadt.de until November 25th 2019, but later applications will be considered until the position is filled. -- Constantin A. Rothkopf, PhD http://www.pip.tu-darmstadt.de/ http://www.cogsci.tu-darmstadt.de/ http://www.ai-da.tu-darmstadt.de/

Nov. 20, 2019

Neuroscience postdoc at the University of Leicester, UK

by Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo (Prof.)

Dear all, The Centre for Systems Neuroscience at the University of Leicester, UK, offers a 3-years postdoc position to study single cell recordings in humans, performed in epileptic patients for curative surgery. The project will investigate concept cells (a.k.a. Jennifer Aniston neurons) – that means, neurons in the hippocampus and surrounding areas that selectively fire to specific concepts, like different pictures and the written or spoken name of a particular person (e.g. Quian Quiroga et al, Nature 2005; Quian Quiroga, Cell 2019), which are involved in declarative memory functions. For more details see: www.le.ac.uk/csn The successful candidate will contribute to performing recordings with patients in collaborating hospitals and the analysis of the data to investigate the role of these neurons in memory. He/She should have very good quantitative skills (data processing, and programing e.g. in Matlab) and a strong background or interest in neuroscience. He/She should be able to work both independently and as part of a research team within the Centre for System Neuroscience at Leicester and with our external collaborators. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Paula Warrington, Research Centre Manager, csn(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. To apply, please use this link: https://jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/vacancy-details.aspx?VacancyID=1393 The applications should include a curriculum vitae and a brief description of their scientific interests The closing date for the applications is 3rd December 2019. Cheers, Rodrigo Rodrigo Quian Quiroga Centre for Systems Neuroscience University of Leicester www.le.ac.uk/csn

Nov. 19, 2019

Postdoc and PhD positions on cortical dynamics underlying vocal production in freely moving mammals (Univ Grenoble, France)

by Blaise Yvert

Dear Colleagues, I would be very grateful if you could forward this announcement for a postdoc and a PhD positions currently available in my group at the University of Grenoble (France) to study the cortical dynamics of vocal production in freely moving mammals. More information is available at the following links: https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/available-positions/postdoc-cort… https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/available-positions/phd-cortical… Thank you very much Kind regards, Blaise. -- Blaise Yvert, PhD. Inserm Research Director Team Neurotechnology and Network Dynamics BrainTech Laboratory U1205 Inserm and Univ Grenoble Alpes UFR Chimie Biologie Bâtiment Biologie B 3e étage 2280 rue de la piscine 38400 Saint Martin d'Hères France Tel (admin). +33 4 56 52 03 73 Tel (direct). +33 4 56 52 03 74 Tel (lab). +33 4 56 52 03 81 Tel (mobile). +33 6 32 88 75 90 https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/accueil http://www.braincom-project.eu/

Nov. 19, 2019

Postdoc position on speech BCI (Univ Grenoble, France)

by Blaise Yvert

Dear Colleagues, I would be very grateful if you could forward this announcement for a postdoc position currently available in my group at the University of Grenoble (France) on the development of a speech BCI (ECoG and Intracortical). More information is available at the following link: https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/available-positions/postdoc-deco… Thank you very much Kind regards, Blaise. -- Blaise Yvert, PhD. Inserm Research Director Team Neurotechnology and Network Dynamics BrainTech Laboratory U1205 Inserm and Univ Grenoble Alpes UFR Chimie Biologie Bâtiment Biologie B 3e étage 2280 rue de la piscine 38400 Saint Martin d'Hères France Tel (admin). +33 4 56 52 03 73 Tel (direct). +33 4 56 52 03 74 Tel (lab). +33 4 56 52 03 81 Tel (mobile). +33 6 32 88 75 90 https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/accueil http://www.braincom-project.eu/

Nov. 19, 2019

Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox, Final Call.

by Stewart Heitmann

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox Online Course Nov 1-22, 2019 Final Announcement. Enrolments close Friday. The Brain Dynamics Toolbox is an open toolbox for simulating dynamical systems in neuroscience. The Modeller’s Workshop is an on-line course is for those 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 open Friday 1st Nov, 2019. Enrolments close Friday 22nd Nov, 2019. This course will not be offered again until March 2020. ______________________________________________________________________ The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute's Email is scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.

Nov. 19, 2019

Postdoctoral Position in Systems/Computational Neuroscience, Drexel University

by Liang,Hualou

A postdoctoral fellowship is available to conduct research with Drs. Hualou Liang and Vikas Bhandawat at Drexel University. The position is for a computational neuroscientist. Experience/Interest in performing experiments is a plus but not essential. The research project is aimed at understanding neural control of movement – how descending neurons and thoracic (equivalent to spinal cord) motor circuits, and sensory feedback control the coordination of a fly’s leg and coordination between legs. Because each leg has many degrees of freedom, and there are 6 legs, the movement space is large. We will employ concepts from dynamical systems, statistical methods as well as machine learning/deep learning to discover latent structure from high-dimensional data, to extract movement states, and to understand how these states are regulated by interactions between behavioral demands (carried by descending inputs), current body configuration (computed by thoracic circuits based on past limb positions), and on-going sensory feedback (through proprioceptors and load feedback). The successful candidate will have received a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline with substantial experience in Computational Neuroscience. The position will be largely computational, but there is an opportunity to perform a wide variety of experiments, including, in vivo whole-cell patch clamp, in vivo functional imaging, tethered/free behavioral assays in the Bhandawat lab. The Liang Lab works on problems at the intersection of machine learning and neuroscience, with particular interest in using the tools of artificial intelligence to study brain function and other complex processes. The major thrust of the lab is computational. Our current research uses data science to advance a broad range of topics that include understanding brain function, discovering causal structure from observations, and using deep learning and natural language processing to ease the burden of generic drug review. For current projects, please visit https://liang-lab.org/research/. The Bhandawat lab studies how animal behavior emerges from the complex interaction amongst the animal's nervous systems, their muscle-body dynamics, and their environment. We use fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as our model organism because they perform many complex behaviors with a relatively simple brain, and because of the many genetic tools that are available in the flies. We employ a multi-pronged approach which includes in vivo whole-cell patch clamp recordings, imaging, and quantitative measurement of behavior, biomechanics and computation. For more information on research conducted in the Bhandawat lab, please check our website at http://biomed.drexel.edu/labs/bhandawat/ To be considered for this position please send a CV and a letter describing research interest to Hualou Liang (hualou.liang(a)drexel.edu) and Vikas Bhandawat (vikas.bhandawat(a)drexel.edu) Start date: Immediately Funding mechanism: funded by a NIH grant. Hualou Liang, PhD Professor School of Biomedical Engineering Drexel University 3141 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Tel: (215) 571-3706 Fax: (215) 895-4983 hualou.liang(a)drexel.edu<mailto:hualou.liang@drexel.edu> https://liang-lab.org/ Mailing address: Monell Building 3508 Market Street Suite 100 Philadelphia, PA 19104

Nov. 18, 2019

postdoc opportunity at NIMH (machine learning approaches in anxiety and depression)

by Francisco Pereira

Dear list, We have a postdoc opportunity in the Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience at NIMH, working with Daniel Pine, David Jangraw, and the NIMH Machine Learning Team. Please see below for full details. Francisco Pereira ## Who we are: Drs. Daniel Pine (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/research-conducted-at-nimh/research-areas…) and David Jangraw (https://davidjangraw.wordpress.com) are seeking applicants for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship position that would develop new machine learning-based approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Our aims are to better understand the causes and mechanisms of certain psychiatric disorders, improve their definition and classification, and ensure the best treatment can be offered to psychiatric patients. We do this by identifying neuroscience-based phenotypes that map onto clinical phenotypes, and which can be targeted with novel treatments. The position is co-advised by the NIMH Machine Learning Team (https://cmn.nimh.nih.gov/mlt) led by Dr. Francisco Pereira, whose mission is to solve the scientific problems of NIMH researchers by developing new machine learning methods, or developing new analysis approaches relying on existing methods. ## What you will do: One line of research will focus on refining and testing latent constructs derived from multiple brain imaging and behavioral markers of inhibitory control. Inhibitory control deficits are common to many psychiatric disorders, and if the latent construct shows good reliability, it may serve as a target for novel treatments. Another line of research will hinge on extracting characteristics of psychotherapy session data, such as therapist speech and facial expressions, that can predict patient clinical outcomes. While the work will concentrate on anxiety and mood disorders in young people, the approaches will be applicable to any mental disorder. The fellow will work with multi-modal imaging datasets that include MRI (functional, structural), EEG, MEG, and associated behavioral and clinical data, all of which may be used as input to machine learning methods. Data sets are already available, and the fellow will devote most of their time to analyzing these data or developing new methods. The fellow will also have access to excellent computational resources within NIH (e.g., top-100 supercomputer with hundreds of thousands of CPUs and hundreds of GPUs). ## Who you are: Candidates with a strong computational background (e.g., PhD in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Computational Neuroscience, and related areas) who are interested in brain development and psychopathology are particularly encouraged to apply. Requirements for this position include: - Programming experience in data-intensive computation tasks, in Python (preferably) or in R/Matlab - Practical machine learning experience (e.g., training of classification/regression models, statistical testing of results, interpretation and visualization of models), especially using open source machine learning platforms such as scikit-learn - Excellent interpersonal and written (English) communication skills Experience in psychiatry or knowledge of software for processing neuroimaging data are not required. However, the candidate will be expected to learn some of these topics as part of their role in our research group. ## How to apply: The successful candidate will work jointly with Drs. Daniel Pine, David Jangraw, and Francisco Pereira. Please write to them (pined(a)mail.nih.gov, david.jangraw(a)nih.gov, francisco.pereira(a)nih.gov) with your CV, using the email as the cover letter. Other enquiries are also very welcome. The National Institutes of Health is an equal opportunity employer.

Nov. 17, 2019

PhD grant on spiking networks at Barcelona

by Xavier Otazu

The Neurocomputation and Biological Vision Team (NeuroBiT) (http://www.cvc.uab.es/neurobit) offer a PhD scholarship to work in a highly multidisciplinary project which includes computational modelling of primary visual cortex and psychophysical experimentation of colour perception and its relationship to visual migraines. The Research will take place at the Computer Vision Centre (http://www.cvc.uab.es) of the Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona, which is consistently ranked among the top Spanish Universities (https://www.uab.cat/web/about-the-uab/the-uab/the-uab-in-the-rankings-13456…) The centre is located in a campus outside the vibrant city of Barcelona and has a strong tradition of multidisciplinary research in computational colour vision with their own psychophysical laboratory, living labs facilities and several computer clusters. The candidate will be part of the NeuroComputation and Biological Vision Team (NeuroBiT), a recently-formed multidisciplinary research group which combines perceptual and computational approaches with visual neuroscience. We offer regular meetings with other PhD students, international contacts and the possibility of internship/cooperation with other experimental/theoretical labs. The successful candidate is likely to obtain several high-impact publications. The PhD student research topic will be the development of recurrent multilayer spiking networks to reproduce the biological architecture of the primary visual cortex and several of its physiological properties, aiming at reproducing the results of psychophysical studies in colour perception and clinical studies on migraines. The duration of the position is 3 years (36 months). We expect the position to start before July 1st 2020 (i.e. eventual visa issues should be solved beforehand!). The total annual stipend of the grant is around 15.000 euros gross, which include the cost of registration fees for the official doctorate program. Conditions: The candidate must -hold a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) qualification of at least 300 ECTS credits or a university-awarded Master degree or equivalent in the natural sciences/engineering at the time of signing the contract. - have experience in programming with Python and/or Matlab (C, C++, Unix environment and computer cluster experience are also valued) - have knowledge of / interest in the human visual system, visual perception and statistics - proficiency in English and (desired in) Spanish or Catalan - have excellent skills in analytical thinking, perceptiveness, commitment, self-organization, teamwork, and communication. Any previous experience in the subject of computational modelling will also be a bonus. How to apply: Please send your CV and a short statement (500 words) connecting your previous work with the topics of this grant to xotazu(a)cvc.uab.es and a copy of the official academic transcript (including GPA) before november 25th. We encourage candidates with strong skills in programming who are interested to work in a highly multidisciplinary project and environment (computer science, neuroscience, psychophysics), to apply. Candidates should have a degree in a related subject (Neuroscience, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, etc.). Xavier Otazu Senior Researcher at Computer Vision Center Professor at Computer Science Department, Univ Autonoma de Barcelona

Nov. 16, 2019

PhD Position in Psychology at Ghent University

by Clay Holroyd

PhD Position in Psychology at Ghent University The Learning and Cognitive Control Lab is recruiting a highly motivated PhD student for a 4-year position at the Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University (Belgium). The position is funded by a European Research Council Advanced Grant, “Cracking the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Code: Toward a Unified Theory of ACC Function” ( https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/216511/factsheet/en ). Our department provides a vibrant and collaborative research environment that include several groups investigating the cognitive neuroscience of cognitive control and decision making. The available facilities include a research-dedicated 3T Siemens Magnetom Trio MRI scanner, EEG, TMS, eye-tracking, and an MR-compatible EEG system. Our seminar programs enable staff and students to engage with leading researchers from across the world. The successful candidate will conduct functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments following a model-based cognitive neuroscience approach (for an example of our approach, see doi 10.1073/pnas.1803650115 ). There are also opportunities in the department to conduct EEG, pupillometry and TMS experiments. Candidates are expected to have a Master’s degree in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or a closely related discipline at the time of the starting date. Candidates with prior fMRI training as well as good programming skills (Python, Matlab) would be excellent for this position. The position can start any time between February 1st 2020 and July 1st 2020. The call closes on January 5th 2020. Interested candidates should email their CV, a statement of research interests, and have three letters of reference forwarded to Clay Holroyd at clay.holroyd(a)ugent.be. Inquiries may be directed to him at this email address.

Nov. 16, 2019

MindCORE at the University of Pennsylvania: Postdoctoral Fellowship Opening - Jan 3 deadline

by Calvert, Heather J

MindCORE Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Penn MindCORE, an interdisciplinary effort to understand human intelligence and behavior at the University of Pennsylvania, seeks to recruit outstanding postdoctoral researchers for our MindCORE Fellowship. Designed for individuals who have recently obtained a PhD degree in psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy or other cognitive science discipline, the MindCORE Fellowship is a springboard for young researchers as they establish their own research program. The fellowship covers salary and a modest research budget. The most exciting applications often come from candidates who are interested in working collaboratively with multiple faculty members. Applications for 2020 are due January 3rd: https://mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/post-doctoral-research-fellowship/ Heather J. Calvert (she / her) Executive Director, MindCORE Penn's hub for the integrative study of the mind. 112 Leidy Labs, 3740 Hamilton Walk, University of Pennsylvania 215-573-1111 ~ hcalvert(a)sas.upenn.edu https://web.sas.upenn.edu/mindcore/ Follow MindCORE on Twitter & Facebook @PennMindCORE

Nov. 14, 2019

Call for papers for Vision Research special issue on "Calibrating the visual system"

by Ruben Coen-Cagli

**Apologies for cross-posting ** Calibrating the visual system Vision Research seeks contributions for a special issue entitled ‘Calibrating the visual system’. Visual systems evolved according to consistent characteristics of the environment and task demands of the species, but also to be malleable in order to adapt to specific perturbations in the stimulus and the observer. The special issue aims to integrate work on the calibration of visual processes in relation to the stable properties of natural scenes or to variations in the sensory stimulus or the individual’s sensory apparatus, in different visual domains and over different time scales. Of particular interest are processes of short, medium and long-term adaptation, and processes to maintain perceptual constancy, as well as processes that occur during visual development. We are also seeking papers concerned with the benefits, costs, and limitations of these adaptations for optimal encoding of visual information, and for learning and representing relevant stimuli in the environment. We are seeking both original research articles and reviews on this subject, covering diverse methods including psychophysics, physiology, neuroimaging, and computational modelling Guest Editors: Jenny Bosten, University of Sussex Ruben Coen Cagli, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Anna Franklin, University of Sussex Samuel Solomon, UCL Michael Webster, University of Nevada, Reno Submission Deadline: March 2020 Manuscripts are submitted through the Special Issue portal of the submission system and go through peer review as usual. Each article in the special issue is assigned a unique identifier and once the article is accepted will be published in a regular journal issue as soon as available. The unique identifier allows us to simultaneously add the article to the special issue on ScienceDirect which is gradually built up as individual articles are published online. We do provide Shared Link of the final published version to the corresponding authors with 50 days free access so that they can share it. Submission Instructions https://ees.elsevier.com/vr/<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fees.elsev…> Authors to select “VSI: Calibrating vision” as article type when submitting their special issue paper in EES. Guide for Authors for more details <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elsev…>https://www.elsevier.com/journals/vision-research/0042-6989/guide-for-autho…<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elsev…>https://www.elsevier.com/journals/vision-research/0042-6989/guide-for-autho…

Nov. 14, 2019

Postdoctoral fellow in AI, and real time signal processing for Brain Computer Interface clinical application at CEA, Grenoble and Paris-Saclay, France

by Tetiana AKSENOVA 218551

Postdoctoral fellow in AI, and real time signal processing for Brain Computer Interface clinical application The post-doctoral fellowship will be carried out within the frame of the multidisciplinary project "Brain Computer Interface" (BCI) at CEA-LETI-CLINATEC, Grenoble, France, in collaboration with the Data Intelligence Service from CEA-LIST (Paris-Saclay), France. The goal of the BCI project is the proof of concept that it is possible to control complex effectors thanks to brain activity decoding. Motor BCI raises the hope that limb mobility may be restored for severely motor-impaired patients to regain autonomy, providing them with control over orthosis or prostheses. The project is based on the recording of neuronal activity at the level of cerebral motor cortex (ElectroCorticoGrams, ECoG) with innovative wireless WIMAGINE® implant dedicated to the long term clinical use. A clinical research protocol « BCI and Tetraplegia » at CLINATEC® includes several tetraplegic subjects and is in progress. In this general frame, the project of partners CEA-LETI-CLINATEC and CEA-LIST "Enabling out-of-laboratory neuroprosthetics for severely motor-impaired patients using artificial intelligence", is supported by Programme Transversal de Compétences « Simulation Numérique » of CEA. The particular objective of the project is moving toward neuroprosthetics out-of-the-lab applications. This goal entails solving major challenges: increase number of Degrees of Freedom (DoF), improving accuracy and robustness of neural signal decoding to ensure usability of neuroprosthetics for real life tasks from one side, and providing a BCI system for constrained execution environments offered by portable devices from another side. One direction to improve decoding performances is to use recent advances in artificial neural networks. To ensure that the decoding algorithm is compatible with constrained environments, including the restrained CPU and memory costs such that real-time signal processing and decoding remains feasible, various strategies could be investigated. Missions of post-doctoral fellow will include: The experiment design and set up for real life tasks of using of neuroprosthesis by tetraplegic subject; Design of innovative ANN decoding algorithms, the test and the comparison to conventional methods; Optimization and implementation for real time application, integration to the Clinatec BCI platform; A unique clinical trial ECoG database supports the project. Initial contract duration is 12 months with possible prolongation (24 months at max), initial 12 months in CEA / DRT / LETI / CLINATEC, Grenoble and the next ones in CEA / DRT / List / DM2I / SID / LI3A, Saclay. Profile of candidate: PhD or equivalent with strong knowledge in Machine learning, Deep learning, real time Signal processing (high dimensional data flow), with strong skills in Python, matlab. Application: The candidates should send a CV, the names of 2 referees, and a cover letter to Dr. Tetiana AKSENOVA, tetiana.aksenova(a)cea.fr<mailto:tetiana.aksenova@cea.fr>, Dr. Cedric GOUY-PAILLER, cedric.gouy-pailler(a)cea.fr, and Dr. Pierre BLANCHART, pierre.blanchart(a)cea.fr. The selected candidates will be interviewed for an expected start in March 2019.

Nov. 14, 2019

Call for Paper: [Computers]: Special Issue "Simulation, Imaging and Modelling for Biomedical Systems" (Scopus, ESCI, 50% discount, Deadline Approaching)

by Blink Yu

[Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this message] ==================================== Special Issue "Simulation, Imaging and Modelling for Biomedical Systems" Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2019 Guest Editor: Dr. Elena Casiraghi and Dr. Barbara Barricelli Department of Computer Science; Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/computers/special_issues/SIM_BS ===================================== Dear Colleagues, Over the past decades, a continuous increase in computational power, together with substantial advances in the digital image processing and pattern recognition fields, has motivated the development of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems, augmented and virtual reality applications for surgical planning and simulation, and digital-twin applications for healthcare. Thanks to their effective, precise, and repeatable results, validated CAD systems are nowadays exploited as a valid aid during diagnostic procedures. Surgical simulation applications have become an essential part of surgical procedures as well as training, while research on the development of digital-twin applications in healthcare is continuously increasing, to deliver significant societal and health benefits. Similar important advances in the field of microscopy image analysis have been motivated by the advent of digital microscopes producing high-resolution digital images. Indeed, in the past thirty years the development of computerized systems that have helped pathologists in their analysis of images obtained by fluorescence, histochemical, and immunohistochemical labeling has become a main research focus for computer scientists and clinicians. State-of-the-art automatic microscopy image analysis systems automatically identify biological structures of interest and then try to reproduce the evaluation and quantification performed by expert pathologists and clinicians. These tools are much appreciated in the field for their potential to minimize the inherent subjectivity of manual analysis and to largely reduce the workload of clinicians via high-throughput analysis. This Special Issue intends to provide a comprehensive overview of recent, theoretical, and/or practical advances and new trends in biomedical/microscopy image enhancement and analysis, vision modelling, and general physiological models applied to biomedical/microscopy image processing and advanced visualization methods and devices, and to discuss their applications in the biological and medical fields. Keywords: BioMedical/microscopy image enhancement Biomedical/microscopy image quality assessment Biomedical/microscopy image analysis Computational approaches for citology and histology Computer-aided diagnosis Neuro imaging BioMedical/microscopy image databases Machine learning and artificial intelligence Image segmentation, registration, and fusion Interventional imaging systems Image-guided interventions and surgery Surgical and interventional simulation systems Interventional tracking and navigation Surgical planning and simulation Surgical visualization and mixed, augmented and virtual reality Digital twins and end-user development in biomedicine Interventional software and user interfaces Physiological models Dr. Elena Casiraghi Dr. Barbara Barricelli Guest Editors -- Mr. Blink Yu Managing Editor E-Mail: blink.yu(a)mdpi.com Skype: live:c91693ac8277e1f0 -- MDPI Wuhan Office No.6 Jingan Road, 430064 Wuhan, China MDPI Postfach, CH-4020 Basel, Switzerland http://www.mdpi.com -- Disclaimer: MDPI recognizes the importance of data privacy and protection. We treat personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and with what the community expects of us. The information contained in this message is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this message in error, please notify me and delete this message from your system. You may not copy this message in its entirety or in part, or disclose its contents to anyone.

Nov. 14, 2019

University of Sussex 4-year PhD Programme in Neuroscience

by Miguel Maravall

Dear colleagues, We are inviting applications for our PhD Programme in Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, for entry in September 2020. Could you please kindly distribute to interested students - we are very interested in applications from students with quantitative (physical sciences/computing/math) backgrounds. Thank you Best wishes Miguel Maravall University of Sussex 4-year PhD Programme in Neuroscience Sussex Neuroscience is now inviting applications for September 2020 entry to our funded PhD Programme, which includes a first year of laboratory rotations and taught modules. These support a transition into neuroscience from other science disciplines such as physics and computing, and provide students with the opportunity to both broaden and deepen their experience of different neuroscience fields and techniques. More than 40 supervisors are offering research projects in topics including molecular & cellular biology, neurophysiology, learning, behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, psychology, development, sensory systems, computational neuroscience, functional imaging, neurodegeneration and translational neuroscience (the interface between fundamental and clinical neuroscience). Application Deadline: January 6th 2020 The beautiful Sussex campus, located just outside Brighton, is home to one of the largest neuroscience research communities in the UK, with strong interdisciplinary interactions between the biological and computational sciences. Our PhD Programme attracts some of the brightest students internationally. Home/EU fees are waived and a stipend is provided. We also welcome applications from non-EU students; we may be able to contribute top-up funds to exceptional international students who secure partial external funding. All students on the Programme can access financial support to attend conferences and additional training opportunities in the UK and overseas throughout their PhD. For further information and application instructions, please visit: www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexneuroscience/study/4yearphd<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexneuroscience/study/4yearphd>

Nov. 13, 2019

PhD opportunity: Computational approaches to multisensory processing (UK-based)

by Thomas Otto

Dear colleagues, Thank you for forwarding this advertisement for a 4-year PhD position at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, to UK-based students with interests in computational approaches to multisensory processing. More details can be found with the link below. Kind regards, Tom https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/eastbio-the-role-of-sequential-effect… -- Dr. Thomas Otto University of St Andrews School of Psychology and Neuroscience St Mary’s Quad, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP, Scotland Phone: +44 (0)1334 462091 http://lclab.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/

Nov. 13, 2019

postdoc in computational cognitive neuroscience at TU Dresden

by Dimitrije Markovic

Dear colleagues, please find bellow a brief description of an open postdoc position for someone into computational cognitive neuroscience. Application deadline is November 29. Best wishes, Dimitrije Markovic -- The Department of Psychology at the TU Dresden (PI: Stefan Kiebel) is looking for a postdoc. The position is for 3,5 years. The candidate will be working on computational models in cognitive control and decision making. Detailed information about the position can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/whabxhv The position in the group of Stefan Kiebel<https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni?set_language=de> is associated with the DFG-funded CRC 940 'volition and cognitive control' (https://tu-dresden.de/bereichsuebergreifendes/sfb940) and TRR 265 'Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake: From Trajectories to Mechanisms to Interventions' (https://sfb-trr265.charite.de/en/) In the CRC 940 projects we're developing models of meta-control, while in the TRR 265 project we're focusing on models of balancing habitual and goal-directed control. The candidate will work as a member of a team of both modellers and experimenters (fMRI and EEG). ============================= Dr. Dimitrije Markovic Post-Doc at Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Psychology, Dresden, Germany Lab website: https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni Phone: +49-351-463-43146 Personal website: http://dimarkov.github.io/ =============================

Nov. 12, 2019

PhD/postdoc vacancy: EEG and audio processing for neuro-steered hearing aids

by Tom Francart

Dear colleagues, Thank you for forwarding this advertisement for two positions at the University of Leuven, Belgium, to any interested party. We have a *PhD and Post-doc position*on a joint project between the research group ExpORL, Dept. Neurosciences (Tom Francart) and the research group ESAT-STADIUS, Dept. Electrical Engineering (Alexander Bertrand). The long-term goal of this project is to design smart hearing devices that can be controlled by the brain. Topic: EEG and audio processing for neuro-steered hearing aids: ·adaptive signal processing and/or machine learning methods to perform auditory attention decoding, and use these in EEG experiments ·a brain-computer interface set-up for real-time (closed loop) attention decoding with EEG and perform experiments on subjects Candidates need a *degree in engineering, computer science,* physics, or similar, and good machine learning, signal processing and programming skills. Excellent English proficiency is required as well as a strong interest in auditory perception and willingness to work in an interdisciplinary team. Knowledge of human neurophysiology and psychology of hearing is a strong plus. More details and the link to apply can be found through the following links: PhD position: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/55358404 Postdoc position: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/55358406 With kind regards, Tom Francart Alexander Bertrand -- Prof. Dr. Tom Francart KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, ExpORL Herestraat 49 bus 721, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium Tel: +32 16 37 98 40

Nov. 12, 2019

CFP SAB 2020: FROM ANIMALS TO ANIMATS 16th International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive Behavior - Cergy-Pontoise, France, 22-24 Sep 2020 -- deadline: 1st Apr 2020

by alexandre pitti

Call for papers for the 16th International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive Behavior (SAB2020) SAB 2020 : FROM ANIMALS TO ANIMATS 16 that will be held at Cergy-Pontoise University (near Paris), France 22-24 september 2020 + workshops day 21st https://sab2020.sciencesconf.org/ *Scope of the Conference* ========================= The objective of this interdisciplinary conference is to bring together researchers in computer science, artificial intelligence, artificial life, control, robotics, neurosciences, ethology, evolutionary biology and related fields in order to further our understanding of the behaviors and underlying mechanisms that allow natural and artificial animals to adapt and survive in uncertain environments. The conference will focus on experiments with well-defined models including robot models, computer simulation models and mathematical models designed to help characterize and compare various organizational principles or architectures underlying adaptive behavior in real animals and in synthetic agents, the animats. *Location* ========== Cergy-Pontoise University, close to Paris, France *Relevant Research Areas* ========================= SAB2020 solicits contributions dealing with any aspect of adaptive behavior in natural and artificial systems. Typical, but not exclusive, topics of interest are: The animat approach Motor control Body and brain co-evolution Self-assembling and self-replication Sensory-motor coordination Action selection and behavioral sequencing Navigation and mapping Internal models and representation Evolution, development and learning Collective and social behavior Applied adaptive behavior Motivation and emotion Communication and language Emergent structures and behaviors Neural correlates of behavior Evolutionary and co-evolutionary approaches Bio-inspired and hybrid robotics Autonomous robotics Humanoid robotics Cognitive and developmental robotics Software agents and virtual creatures Philosophical and psychological issues Animats in education *Conference Format* =================== Following the tradition of SAB conferences, the conference will be single track with additional poster sessions. There will also be a day of tutorials. *Important Dates* ================= The conference will be held between 22-24 Sep 2020 and the 21st of September will be dedicated to workshops and tutorials Submission deadline : 1st of April, 2020 Notification of Acceptance : 1st of May, 2020 Camera ready: 1st of June, 2020 workshops/tutorials: 21st of September, 2020 Venue: 22nd-24th of September, 2020 Workshop/Tutorial Proposal Deadline: 21st May, 2020 Workshop/Tutorial Notification of Acceptance: 31th May, 2020 *Paper Submission Instruction and Publication Details* ====================================================== Submitted papers must not exceed 12 pages. Detailed submission instructions are available from the conference website (https://sab2020.sciencesconf.org/) Special Issue to Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence All accepted papers with oral or poster presentation will be published in Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence series conference proceedings. Selected authors may additionally be invited to submit extended versions for a conference Special Issue of the Journal of Adaptive Behavior. *Workshops & tutorials* ======================= The SAB2020 organizing committee invites proposals for workshops and tutorials, which will be held on the 21st of September, 2020. Instructions for preparing the tutorial proposal and further details on the tutorials will be found at http://www.sab2020.sciencesconf.org *Best Paper Award* ================== Two best paper prizes will be awarded at the end of the conference to honour the authors of papers of exceptional merit. For more information please refer to the official SAB2020 website. *Further Information* ===================== Up-to-date information will be published on the website https://sab2020.sciencesconf.org/ . For information about local arrangements, registration forms, etc., please refer to the website or contact the local organizers at the address below. * Organizers * ============== ETIS laboratory, CNRS UMR 8051, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, ISAB Philippe Gaussier General Chair, UCP Sofiane Boucenna Program Chair, UCP Nicolas Cuperlier Program Chair, UCP Alexandre Pitti Local Chair and Publicity Chair, UCP TBA *Conference Address* ==================== Laboratoire ETIS, Département Informatique Université de Cergy-Pontoise, Site Saint-Martin 2 avenue Adolphe Chauvin, 95302 Cergy-Pontoise, France *Contact * ========== [ mailto:sab2020@sciencesconf.org | sab2020(a)sciencesconf.org ]

Nov. 12, 2019

Call for graduate students

by Joshua Hartshorne

The laboratories of Joshua Hartshorne and Stefano Anzellotti at Boston College are accepting applications for co-advised graduate students starting in Fall 2019, for collaborative projects focusing on computational modeling of fMRI and other neural data. We are particularly interested in finding a student to work on understanding individual variation in functional connectivity. Applications could be to the neural processing of language, social perception, or other high-level cognitive problems. The application deadline is December 15th. If you have any questions you can contact us at stefano.anzellotti[at]bc.edu. To apply, visit https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/mcas/graduate/admission/apply-now.html

Nov. 11, 2019

[meetings] [LM2020] Living Machines 2020 - First call for papers

by Vicky Vouloutsi

Dear colleagues, Please find below the first call for papers, satellite events, and sponsors for the 9th International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems of Living Machines, 28th-31st of July 2020. Apologies for cross-posting but please share this announcement with your colleagues. Looking forward to seeing you in Freiburg, Germany! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *First Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors* *Living Machines. The 9th International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems* * 28 – 31 July 2020* To be hosted at the Botanical Garden of Freiburg and the Cluster of Excellence livMatS at the University of Freiburg, Germany Accepted papers will be published in *Springer Lecturer Notes in Artificial Intelligence* *Submission deadline: March 23, 2020* http://livingmachinesconference.eu/2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2020* The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems. *Biomimetics* is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering. *Biohybrid* systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity. The theme of the conference also encompasses biomimetic methods for manufacture, repair, and recycling inspired by natural processes such as reproduction, digestion, morphogenesis, and metamorphosis. The following are some examples of “Living Machines” as featured at past conferences: * Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments. * Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behavior. * Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair or show other bio-inspired functions. * Nature-inspired designs and manufacturing processes. * Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants. * Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses. * Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems. *ACTIVITIES* The main conference will take the form of a *three-day single-track oral* and *poster presentation program*, *28th July to 31st July 2020*, and will be hosted at the Botanical Garden of Freiburg by the University of Freiburg, Germany, and the Cluster of Excellence “Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS)” (www.livmats.uni-freiburg.de<http://www.livmats.uni-freiburg.de>). The conference program will include *five plenary lectures* from leading international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems, and the demonstrations of state-of-the-art living machine technologies. The full conference will be preceded by up to two days of *Satellite Events* hosted at the University of Freiburg. *SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2020* We invite both *full papers* and *extended abstracts* in areas related to the conference themes. All contributions will be refereed and accepted papers will appear in the Living Machines Proceedings, published in the *Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence*. Full papers (minimum 8 pages, up to 12 pages) are invited from researchers at any stage in their career and should present significant findings and advances in biomimetic or biohybrid research. More preliminary work is better suited for short paper submission (maximum 4 pages, with a maximum of ten references and no more than three self-citations). Full papers will be accepted for either oral presentation (single track) or poster presentation with a short podium preview. Extended abstracts will be accepted for poster presentations only. Authors of the best full papers will be invited to submitted extended versions of their paper for publication in a special issue of the Taylor & Francis journal *Connection Science*. *SATELLITE EVENTS* Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to propose topics for full or half-day *tutorials*, *symposia* or *workshops* on related themes to be held on 28. July at the Institute for Biology II/III of the University of Freiburg (http://www.bio.uni-freiburg.de/index-en?set_language=en) Attendance at satellite events will attract a small fee intended to cover the costs of the meeting. There is flexibility about the content, organization, and budgeting for these events. Please contact us if you are interested in organizing a satellite event! *EXPECTED DEADLINES* March 23, 2020: Paper submission deadline May 15, 2020: Notification of acceptance May 25, 2020: Camera-ready copy July 28, 29-31, 2020 Workshops and Conference *SPONSORSHIP* Organizations wishing to sponsor the conference in any way and gain the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves and their products through conference publications, conference events, and conference publicity are encouraged to contact the organizers to discuss the terms of sponsorship and necessary arrangements. We also offer a number of attractive options for potential sponsors. *VENUE* Consistent with the Living Machines’ tradition of choosing historical venues at the crossroads between life and human sciences, this year the conference will take place at the Botanical Garden of Freiburg. Freiburg is considered the gateway to the Black Forest and thanks to its geographical location is blessed with mild weather all year round. The city is over 900 years old and known to be the sunniest city(1,740 hours of sunshine/year) in Germany. Freiburg has a beautiful historical inner city and is home to one of the oldest universities and Botanical Gardens in Germany. The Botanical Garden Freiburg will be celebrating its 400 year anniversary in 2020 and is located in the district Herdern near the Botanical Institute of the University of Freiburg. The Botanical Garden invites visitors to enjoy its wonderful greenery and learn about both plants from all around the world and plant-based biomimetics with its biomimetic educational trail. The trail highlights biomimetic inventions based on plants while providing fascinating insights into underlying biological principles. *CONFERENCE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE* *Thomas Speck* University of Freiburg, Germany (Local Chair) *Paul Verschure* IBEC, BIST, ICREA, CSN Foundation (Co-Chair) *Tony Prescott* University of Sheffield, CSN Foundation (Steering Committee) *Anna Mura* IBEC, BIST Barcelona, CSN Foundation (General Organization) *PROGRAM CHAIR* *Vicky Vouloutsi* IBEC, BIST, Barcelona *COMMUNICATION* *Sonja Seidel* University of Freiburg, Germany *Yulia Sandamirskaya* INI, Zurich Univ. and ETH *WORKSHOPS CHAIR* *Falk Esser* University of Freiburg, Germany *LOCAL ORGANIZERS COMMITTEE* *Thomas Speck* University of Freiburg, Germany *Falk Esser* University of Freiburg, Germany *Sonja Seidel* University of Freiburg, Germany -- Vicky Vouloutsi, PhD Postdoc Researcher at the laboratory for Synthetic Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS<http://specs-lab.com/>) mail: vvouloutsi(a)ibecbarcelona.eu<mailto:vvouloutsi@ibecbarcelona.eu> linkedin<https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-vouloutsi-28496133/> researchgate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Vasiliki_Vouloutsi> tel: +34 934011913 Aquest correu electrònic conté informació confidencial emparada pel secret professional. Qualsevol reproducció, distribució o divulgació del seu contingut estan estrictament prohibides. Si vostè no és el destinatari, li preguem no faci difusió ni copiï el seu contingut i ens ho notifiqui el més aviat possible a l'adreça dataprotection(a)ibecbarcelona.eu Este correo electrónico contiene información confidencial amparada por el secreto profesional. Cualquier reproducción, distribución o divulgación de su contenido están estrictamente prohibidas. Si usted no es el destinatario, le rogamos no difunda ni copie su contenido y nos lo notifique de inmediato a la dirección dataprotection(a)ibecbarcelona.eu This electronic transmission contains confidential information covered by professional secrecy. Any reproduction, distribution or disclosure of its contents is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you are kindly requested not to disseminate nor to copy this transmission and to notify us as soon as possible by email to dataprotection(a)ibecbarcelona.eu .

Nov. 11, 2019

Call for Papers for Journal of Neuroscience Methods Special Issue: Multiscale Modelling and Analysis in Neuroscience

by Wong-Lin, Kongfatt

I am co-editing a Special Issue on Multiscale Modelling and Analysis in Neuroscience in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods. The Special Issue is focused on state-of-the-art: (i) computational modelling techniques; (ii) theoretical, mathematical or numerical methods; (iii) analysis of data; (iv) curation of data; or (v) combinations of the above. For more information, please see: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-neuroscience-methods/call-for-… There is an open call for papers for this Special Issue. Both original research and insightful reviews are welcomed. Please contact me or any of the other co-editors if you are interested or have queries. The deadline for submissions is 30th April, 2020. Manuscripts will undergo the normal peer review process as soon as they are submitted. Best, KongFatt Wong-Lin -------------------------- E-mail: k.wong-lin(a)ulster.ac.uk https://www.ulster.ac.uk/staff/k-wong-lin This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at postmaster(a)ulster.ac.uk and delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster University. The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100% secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by 3rd parties under relevant legislation. The Ulster University was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

Nov. 11, 2019

Computational Neuroscience Research Scientist Faculty Position in Toronto - Krembil Research Institute

by Frances Skinner

Hello all, Please consider applying for the following position. Position: *Computational Neuroscience Research Scientist* Site: Krembil Research Institute/Toronto Western Hospital Department: Research Reports to: Institute Director Status: Permanent Full-time https://www.recruitingsite.com/csbsites/uhncareers/JobDescription.asp?SiteI… The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a relevant field, research expertise and experience in mathematical and computational modeling, and research interests that complement those of the Institute in neurobiology and neurodegeneration. Candidates whose research interests encompass cellular, micro/macro circuits and/or large scale brain models, and who have collaborative experimental experience are especially encouraged. The successful candidate will have the ability to establish an independent, well-funded program and will be eligible for appointment at the appropriate level within the University of Toronto. Qualified applicants are invited to submit their online application (letter of interest, research plan, curriculum vitae), in PDF format as well as complete some initial screening questions. The search committee will begin to review applications in January with a potential start date in Spring/Summer 2020. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. -- Frances Skinner, PhD Krembil Research Institute/UHN and Univ Toronto www.skinnerlab.org

Nov. 9, 2019

NeuroFedora: ready to use/install ISO for computational neuroscience available

by Ankur Sinha

Hello, The NeuroFedora community is pleased to announce its first deliverable: a ready to use/install Fedora based ISO image that includes a plethora of computational neuroscience software[1]. It currently includes: auryn, bionetgen, calcium-calculator, COPASI, qalculate, getdp, genesis-simulator, gnuplot, moose, nest, neuron, neurord, octave, paraview, python3, brian2, ipython, nest, neuron, libNeuroML, neo, nineml, PyLEMS, smoldyn and the Python science stack: matplotlib, jupyter notebook, numpy, pandas, pillow, scikit-image, scikit-learn, scipy, statsmodels, and sympy. The ISO image is a "live" image and can be used without installing the operating system. It can be obtained here[1] with more information on NeuroFedora available here[2,3]. NeuroFedora is a Free/Open Source Software community based volunteer initiative. We are always looking for more volunteers to help with the work[4]. It is an excellent project for students new to computational neuroscience to learn valuable technical skills while aiding the neuroscience community. Feedback is always welcome. Please get in touch using one of our communication channels[5]. [1] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/install-media/ [2] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/ [3] https://neuroblog.fedoraproject.org [4] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/contributing/ [5] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/communicating/ On behalf of the NeuroFedora community, -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) | https://ankursinha.in PhD candidate in computational neuroscience at UH Biocomputation | http://biocomputation.herts.ac.uk/ Free/Open source community volunteer at the Fedora project | https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Ankursinha Time zone: Europe/London

Nov. 8, 2019

PhD in computational neuroscience, University of Edinburgh

by Matthias Hennig

We invite applications for our fully funded PhD programme in COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE and NEUROINFORMATICS at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, for a start in or around September 2020. The studentships are ideal for students who want to apply their computational and analytical skills to problems in neuroscience and related fields. The following supervisors have openings: Douglas Armstrong: Molecular neuroinformatics, network models, behavioural models, molecular drug design. Angus Chadwick (joining early 2020): Visual and spatial processing, network dynamics, neural data analysis. Matthias Hennig: Learning and homeostasis, analysis of large-scale electrophysiological recordings. Arno Onken: Probabilistic models, dimensionality reduction, information theory. Peggy Seriès: Bayesian approaches to cognition and perception, computational psychiatry. Ian Simpson: Regulatory genomics, developmental disorders. Barbara Webb: Perceptual systems for the control of behaviour, robot models of animals. The PhD project can be done in collaboration with one of the many affiliated departments and institutes. Edinburgh has been voted as 'best place to live in Britain', and has many exciting cultural and student activities. Students with a strong background in either computer science, mathematics, physics or engineering are particularly welcome to apply. Motivated students with other backgrounds will also be considered. For more information, see: http://web.inf.ed.ac.uk/anc/research/neuroscience There is no fixed deadline, but applications completed by 29 Nov 2019 will be considered in a first round, with decisions expected by late January 2020. -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Nov. 6, 2019

Competition funded PhD position on computational sensorimotor control @ U of Birmingham and U of Warwick

by Sang-Hoon Yeo

Title: The integration of visually-guided interception with balance Supervisors: Dr R Reynolds (Bham), Dr Sang-Hoon Yeo (Bham) and Prof James Tresilian (Warwick) Type: Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only) Project Description Control of fast interceptive movements is the highlight of human sensorimotor behaviour, whose flexibility and adaptability far surpasses that of any existing robot. The neural control mechanism of interceptive movement remains elusive. For example, when an object that we are reaching for moves unexpectedly, the hand is ‘magnetically’ drawn towards the new object location. These trajectory adjustments occur within a remarkably short latency (<100ms), do not require conscious awareness of the change, and may rely upon sub-cortical neural circuitry[1]. We have demonstrated that this exceptionally fast visuomotor system also controls the lower limb when attempting to step onto a moving target [2]. However, when standing, such automatic adjustments may threaten balance, which is also largely controlled by sub-cortical brain circuitry. For example, reaching for a moving object (e.g. catching a ball), causes a concomitant shift of the centre of mass which disturbs the balance, but we rarely fall. The apparently contradictory requirements of reaching and balancing must therefore be somehow seamlessly integrated at a low neural level. Staying upright in the face of such self-imposed perturbations is natural for humans, but we still do not understand the underlying mechanism(s). For example, attempts to implement such control into bipedal robots often leads to catastrophic falls (see DARPA challenge https://bit.ly/1Il2QVS) This failure to coordinate interception and balance can also lead to human falls as a result of neural degeneration (e.g. ageing). We plan to investigate the integration of these two systems, balance and interception, at both a behavioural and neural level, to address the following questions: How are balance and visually-guided interception integrated, and what are the limits of this process? What neural circuitry underlies this integration? How does normal ageing affect the integration process, and what are the consequences for fall risk? We will address these questions using a combination of techniques from Biomechanics, Neurophysiology and Robotics. To study the integration of balance and interception we will use virtual reality to present visual interception targets. This will allow us to subtly manipulate the relationship between hand and target motion [3]. Limb trajectory will be recorded using motion capture and processed in real-time to manipulate visual feedback. Balance will be simultaneously assessed by measuring ground reaction forces and full-body motion capture. The limits of the integration process (i.e. when do you fall?) will first be tested in young healthy individuals. To understand the neural circuitry we will use Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)[4], Electromyography and H-reflexes. These techniques will allow us to determine the relative contribution of cortical and sub-cortical brain areas to these behaviours. This, in turn, will also have relevance for understanding rehabilitation of balance following brain injury. Finally, we will study older adults. This will determine the extent to which the ability to combine interception and balance is compromised by the ageing process, and the relevance for fall risk. Funding Notes This project is funded by the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Partnership. MIBTP is a BBSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership between the University of Warwick, the University of Birmingham, the University of Leicester and Aston University and Harper Adams University. Successful candidates will start in October 2020. Candidates can apply via the MIBTP website (Weblink coming here soon) but are strongly encouraged to contact Raymond Reynolds for further information prior to applying (r.f.reynolds(a)bham.ac.uk) References 1. B.L. Day, P. Brown, Evidence for subcortical involvement in the visual control of human reaching, Brain. 124 (2001) 2. R.F. Reynolds, B.L. Day, Rapid visuo-motor processes drive the leg regardless of balance constraints, Curr. Biol. 15 (2005). 3. S.H. Yeo, D.W. Franklin, D.M. Wolpert, When Optimal Feedback Control Is Not Enough: Feedforward Strategies Are Required for Optimal Control with Active Sensing, PLoS Comput. Biol. 12 (2016). 4. W. Marinovic, C.S. Reid, A.M. Plooy, S. Riek, J.R. Tresilian, Corticospinal excitability during preparation for an anticipatory action is modulated by the variability of visual information, J. Neurophysiol. 105 (2011).

Nov. 6, 2019

Call for PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience|Cognitive Science| Psychology|Neurophysics @ IMPRS NeuroCom

by Martin Bogdan

***Call for applications The International Max Planck Research School on Neuroscience of Communication: Function, Structure, and Plasticity (IMPRS NeuroCom) offers several positions for excellent students holding a master's degree (or equivalent) to perform research resulting in a PhD in the field of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurophysics. The IMPRS NeuroCom is based at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig and Leipzig University and also involves the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, and the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University College London, UK. ****Deadline for applications is 10 November 2019. Interviews will take place in January 2020. Starting date is flexible, but not later than autumn 2020. The IMPRS NeuroCom aims to recruit and educate motivated, independent, self-organized young scientists who wish to extend their knowledge and research experience in a structured 3-year PhD program, in order to pursue a successful career in cognitive neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, or neurophysics. The school is intended for students holding 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 university degree should be awarded by an internationally recognized university-level institution. Students near the completion of their master’s degree are also eligible 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 mandatory. The IMPRS NeuroCom offers its doctoral students outstanding research opportunities in a very international and multidisciplinary environment with access to state-of-the-art cognitive and imaging neuroscience equipment, e.g. 7T MRI scanner, four 3T MRI scanners including a “connectome scanner” equipped with ultrastrong gradients (one of only three world-wide), a 306 channels MEG system, several TMS, TDCS, NIRS, and EEG systems. Applications will be evaluated by IMPRS NeuroCom faculty members. Interview selection is based on academic qualifications, personal references, research experience and interests, and suitability to the program. 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. Payment is based on the guidelines of German public service pay scale (TVöD). For more information about our graduate school please visit: http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/ Please see http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/applications for details and use http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/applications/how-to-apply/registration-fo… for your application. For further information please contact Dr Veronika Krieghoff: vkrieghoff(a)cbs.mpg.de -- ************************************************************************** Prof. Dr. Martin Bogdan Institut für Informatik Technische Informatik Universität Leipzig Augustusplatz 10 D-04109 Leipzig Germany ************************************************************************** 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 **************************************************************************

Nov. 6, 2019

Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience, University of Warwick, UK

by Timofeeva, Yulia

Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, UK Fixed Term Contract for 3 years from 1 January 2020. The appointee will work on a project funded by the MRC that aims to develop and implement a mechanistic modelling framework for studying regulation of synaptic transmitter release in health and disease. This project will be led by Dr Yulia Timofeeva with the co-applicant Prof Kirill Volynski (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London) and in close collaboration with a number of world-leading experimental laboratories working in the field of synaptic transmission and information processing in the brain, that are located in Europe, USA, Canada and Japan. The successful candidate should have a PhD, or equivalent, in applied mathematics/theoretical physics/computer science or a related discipline and should have excellent skills in scientific computing. Previous experience of research in computational biology or neuroscience is desirable. The working environment will be in the Mathematical Science Building, in the Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER, https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/zeeman_institute/) For further details see https://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~yulia/job_102287_109.html https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dcs/jobs/ Deadline for applications: 21 November 2019 -- __________________________________________ Dr Yulia Timofeeva Associate Professor Department of Computer Science and Centre for Complexity Science Warwick, UK Honorary Associate Professor UCL, Institute of Neurology London, UK Tel: 024 765 73786 http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~yulia/ __________________________________________

Nov. 6, 2019

Assistant Professor position available in Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine

by Jeff Krichmar

Dear Colleagues, We are accepting applications for an Assistant Professor position in Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine up until December 1st, 2019. The Department of Cognitive Sciences has a long history of combining a wide range of experimental methods with computational modeling at multiple levels. UCI is consistently recognized as a trailblazer in a broad range of fields, garnering national and international honors in every school. Please consider applying. The official job posting is below: The Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) invites applications for an assistant professor (tenure-track) position with an expected start date of July 1, 2020. We are seeking scientists who study learning, memory, decision making, and related topics with behavioral, developmental, computational, artificial intelligence, or neuroimaging methods. Of particular interest are cognitive scientists who combine an empirical research program with innovative quantitative analysis or computational modeling. The successful candidates will interact with a dynamic and growing community in cognitive, computational, and neural sciences within the department (http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/) and the broader campus. Interested candidates can find specific application requirements and the online application at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF05668. To ensure full consideration, applications must be completed by December 1, 2019. The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy. As a recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity, UCI understands the needs of dual career couples, supports work-life balance through an array of family-friendly policies, and is dedicated to broadening participation in higher education. As a Minority Serving Institution, UCI seeks future faculty who will contribute to our enduring commitment to inclusive excellence and serve as role models. Best regards, Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma

Nov. 5, 2019

5 year PhD Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program, Tuebingen

by Peter Dayan

The Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics 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 ambition to shape the future of neuroscience and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary, environment. The application deadline is December 15, 2019. Please visit: https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/phd-program for more details and information about applying. The PhD program is a collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics 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 2020) 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. 5, 2019

Two PhD/Postdoc positions in theory of neuromorphic computing, Groningen, Netherland

by Herbert Jaeger

In the group of Herbert Jaeger two fully funded positions are open for PhD students (4 year contract) or Postdocs (3 year contract). Both positions are about formal, theoretical analyses and algorithmic models of „neuromorphic“ computing in non-digital hardware (analog, unclocked, spiking microchips or even unconventional material substrates exhibiting relevant nonlinear dyanmical phenomena). Herbert Jaeger’s group is embedded in the Groningen Cognitive Systems and Materials Center (CogniGron, https://www.rug.nl/research/fse/cognitive-systems-and-materials/?lang=en) CogniGron, founded in 2018, is an interdisciplinary initiative at the intersection of computer science, AI, machine learning, computational neuroscience and material science. With 10 new professorships and 30 PhD stipends, CogniGron stands out as one of the most visible scientific investments in the Netherlands in recent times. The *first position* is defined within the European H2020 project „Memory technologies with multi-scale time constants for neuromorphic architectures (MeM-Scales)“, whose central objective is to build (analog, spiking) neuromorphic microchips which can adapt to online input signals which display several or even many timescales. Since microchip physics will deliver only a few physical timescales, collective computational phenomena will have to be explored in order to realize the long-range memory timescales required by many tasks. Since at this point, numerous but hardly explored options are "in the air" for computational timescale management, this position offers much freedom to engage in original work. The *second position* is funded through university budgets and is independent of specific project demands. The position holder will enjoy unusual freedom, paired with intellectual risk, to contribute to the ultimate scientific goal of Jaeger’s group: a unifying formal theory of information processing in nonlinear dynamical systems - regardless of whether they are similar to biological brains, or rest on non-neural dynamical phenomena in novel material substrates. Obviously, such a unifying theory, which would play for neuromorphic computing a similarly central role as Turing computability theory plays for digital computing, is not in sight and may be even not possible. However, many mini-revolutions in mathematical description formats are possible, and needed. Each position will be filled by either a PhD student with a 4-year contract, or by a Postdoc with a 3-year contract. The only selection criterion is qualification (product of intellectual audacity, analytical thinking power, and relevant mathematical and factual knowledge). Groningen is a beautiful and welcoming city, the university sits in the top 100 in virtually all global ranking lists, and the salary is highly competitive. More detail can be found in the official job announcements on the website of the University of Groningen: First position: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… (PhD version) https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… (Postdoc version) Second position: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… (PhD version) https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… (Postdoc version) Please apply for at most one of these formal job announcements, following the instructions given at these weblinks. For pre-application inquiries please contact me directly by email (h.jaeger(a)rug.nl) Applications received before December 1 will be given full consideration; however, the positions will remain open until filled. The earliest (and desirable) starting date for both positions is January 1, 2020. -- Dr. Herbert Jaeger Professor of Computing in Cognitive Materials Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Faculty of Science and Engineering - CogniGron Bernoulliborg Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG Groningen web: minds.jacobs-university.de

Nov. 5, 2019

Open position: MIT, Co-instructor and education support coordinator in computational neuroscience

by Ila Fiete

Dear Colleagues, I would appreciate if you would pass along to appropriate candidates the following advertisement for an open position for a Co-instructor and education support coordinator in computational neuroscience at MIT. Apologies if you receive multiple postings. Best wishes, Ila Fiete ------------------------------------------------ COMPUTATION COURSE CO-INSTRUCTOR AND EDUCATION SUPPORT COORDINATOR, MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences, to support the development and instruction of computational courses (85%) and provide assistance to the department as a whole on enhancing and evaluating the quality of its undergraduate course offerings (15%). The goal will be to integrate computational thinking skills across the Course 9 curriculum and in the new Computation and Cognition (Course 6-9) curriculum, and provide innovative training in the areas of computational neuroscience, neuroengineering, and human and machine intelligence. The main responsibility will be to develop learning content for MIT students in these areas, including instructional videos, tutorials, problem sets, demonstrations of basic neuroscience and data analysis methods. Will hold office hours and give in-class lectures as appropriate and provide feedback and guidance before and after a course launches to ensure a high-quality learning experience. Will also provide support to the department in enhancing and evaluating the undergraduate program broadly, including assisting with website content (e.g., videotapes of classroom instruction, faculty/student interactions, etc.) and coordinating with the Teaching and Learning Laboratory to evaluate the efficacy of the department’s approaches to improving undergraduate education; and perform other duties as requested. Job Requirements REQUIRED: Ph.D. in neuroscience, bioengineering, computational cognitive science or related/equivalent area; at least one year of teaching experience; proficiency with MATLAB and Python; excellent communication skills; and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate education. Web publishing experience a plus; as is knowledge of Dreamweaver, Photoshop, InDesign, Fetch, and HTML coding. Job #17993. Link: https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_mit/external/jobDetails/jo…

Nov. 5, 2019

Data Scientist Position at Boston University

by Chen, Jerry

The Lab of Jerry Chen at Boston University is hiring a Data Scientist to be involved in several multi-year BRAIN Initiative related NIH and NSF funded projects. These projects focus on understanding cortical computation during behavior by combining large-scale population recordings, anatomical reconstructions, and transcriptional profiling as well as developing tools for large-scale and high-speed imaging of neuronal populations. This person will be involved in help to analyze experimental data, developing software tools to aid in the data analysis, and helping with data infrastructure and management. Specific Projects include: 1. Analysis of dense electron microscope reconstructions of neuronal connectivity (ie. Connectomics) 2. Establishing pipeline for image analysis for in situ sequencing of gene expression 3. Establishing pipeline for automated behavioral training and analysis. 4. Visualization and analysis of population imaging data across multiple brain areas during behavior. Qualifications: BA/BS degree (MA or PhD preferred) in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Neuroscience or related technical field. One to three years of academic or professional experience. Programming experience in MATLAB is required. Additional experience in Python, C++, or LABView is preferred. Extensive background in either computational neuroscience, image analysis, computer vision, or machine learning is preferred. If interested in applying, please submit a CV along with 3 references to jerry(a)chen-lab.org<mailto:jerry@chen-lab.org>.

Nov. 5, 2019

Post-doc on modeling neural circuit dynamics and homeostasis

by Jochen Triesch

A 2-year post-doc position on modeling neural circuit dynamics and homeostasis is available at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (https://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/en/) The project aims at better understanding how different plasticity mechanisms maintain neural circuits in healthy activity regimes suitable for information processing and how these mechanisms may break down in certain network disorders. We are also interested the role of non-neuronal cell types in the process. The project is jointly lead by Prof. Jochen Triesch and Prof. Peter Jedlicka. The successful candidate will have the possibility to work closely together with experimental labs from Frankfurt’s vibrant Neuroscience community. The project is funded through Frankfurt’s new Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER). Applications (single pdf file including CV, list of publications, statement of research interests and names and email addresses of three references) should be sent to jedlicka(a)em.uni-frankfurt.de and triesch(a)fias.uni-frankfurt.de. The ideal candidate will have obtained a PhD/Master Degree in Computational Neuroscience or closely related field and have a strong interest in applying their knowledge to problems of medical relevance. A strong background in either neural mass models or spiking neural network models or compartmental modeling is expected. Experience in modeling epilepsy, neural plasticity and neuroimmune interactions is a plus. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. -- Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch Johanna Quandt Research Professor Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies http://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~triesch/ Tel: +49 (0)69 798-47531 Fax: +49 (0)69 798-47611

Nov. 4, 2019

Ten Years Reproducibility Challenge / ReScience special issue

by Nicolas Rougier

Dear all, We’ve just launched the "Ten Years Reproducibility Challenge” whose goal is to try to compile & run your old code (> 10 years) that accompanied one of your published article or preprint (details below). More information at: https://github.com/ReScience/ten-years/ Deadline for submission: 01/04/2020 Nicolas Rougier --- Did you ever try to run an old code that you wrote for a scientific article you published years ago? Did you encounter any problems? Were you successful? We are curious to hear your story. This is the reason why we are editing a special issue of ReScience to collect these stories. The ten years reproducibility challenge is an invitation for researchers to try to run the code they've created for a scientific publication that was published more than ten years ago. This code can be anything (statistical analysis, numerical simulation, data processing, etc.), can be written in any language and can address any scientific domain. The only mandatory condition to enter the challenge is to have published a scientific article before 2010, in a journal or a conference with proceedings, which contains results produced by code, irrespectively of whether this code was published in some form at the time or not. Note that we do not ask you to write a new version of your old code. We ask you instead to try to make your old code to run on modern hardware/software (with minimal modifications) in order to check if you can obtain the exact same results that were publised at least ten years ago. Sounds easy? We have good reasons to think this might be more difficult than you think. And maybe the first problem you'll have to solve is to find your own source code. More information at: https://github.com/ReScience/ten-years/

Nov. 4, 2019

COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE MODELER FOR PAIN PROJECT

by Hugo-Geerts＠In-Silico-Biosciences.com

Do you want to make a difference in the life of patients suffering from chronic pain? Are you motivated to help solving the opioid epidemic? In Silico Biosciences (www.in-silico-biosciences.com) a pioneer in Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) for R&D in CNS diseases has openings for computational neuroscientists. The fully funded European Pain project (duration 3.5 years with start in early 2020) aims to develop an actionable biophysically realistic computer model of the relevant human neuronal circuits for analgesia, sedation, cognitive impairment, and substance abuse liability for opioids. These models will be integrated in an existing QSP platform for the introduction of approved therapeutic medications based on their pharmacological properties for combination therapy. The models will be developed based on preclinical knowledge combined with human neurophysiology and imaging studies of relevant neuronal circuits, will be calibrated using biomarkers and therapeutic interventions in human patients and predictions will be tested in preclinical models and in clinical studies. This is an unique opportunity to work in a world-class multi-disciplinary consortium ranging from preclinical studies over computer modeling of pharmacological interventions to clinical studies and at the same time pursuing a meaningful outcome for patients. The platform is based on NEURON software. The positions are at both post-doc and graduate student level, with the opportunity to pursue a PhD and can be embedded in the Leiden-Amsterdam Center for Drug Research in Leiden, the Netherlands. However, alternative locations and flexible remote working arrangements can be considered depending on individual circumstances. Salary is commensurate with experience. Please send your CV, covering letter and the names of two references to Hugo-Geerts(a)In-Silico-Biosciences.com

Nov. 3, 2019

15 funded PhD Positions in Neuroscience | IMPRS for Brain and Behavior

by Ezgi Bulca

15 fully-funded PhD Positions in Neuroscience | IMPRS (International Max Planck Research School) 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. Successful candidates will work in a young and dynamic, interdisciplinary, international environment, embedded in the local scientific communities in Bonn or Jupiter. Your Profile Highly qualified and motivated aspiring PhD student from any nationality. 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. 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: December 1, 2019 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 interviewed in February-March. Positions must be started within 6 months of selection. 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 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/>

Oct. 31, 2019

CFP: 3rd Conference of Consciousness Research Network at NYU Shanghai

by Ryota Kanai

Conference dates and venue: April 3-5, 2020, NYU Shanghai, Rooms 1502-1505 CFP deadline: December 15, 2019 Result notification: January 31, 2020 Consciousness Research Network (CoRN <https://www.conresnet.org/>) is a network that aims at connecting researchers in the fields of philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, biology, and related fields to deepen our understanding of the nature of consciousness. It also seeks to facilitate collaborations on interdisplinary projects. The 1st and 2nd conferences of CoRN were held in Taipei (November 2017) and Okazaki (January 2019), and were huge successes. We would like to invite submissions of abstracts to be presented at the 3rd Meeting of CoRN to be held April 3-5 at NYU Shanghai. Please submit an abstract no longer than 300 words to the submission site <https://www.conresnet.org/abstract-submission8203.html>. Submissions will be refereed and selected as talks or posters based on quality and relevance to CoRN. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Lu Teng at lt77(a)nyu.edu Here is a list of confirmed speakers: Tim Bayne (Monash University, Australia) Domenica Bueti (SISSA – International School for Advanced Studies, Italy) Acer Chang (Araya, Inc., Japan) Amit Chaturvedi (University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong) Juan Chen (South China Normal University, China) Tony Cheng (National Chengchi University, Taiwan) Colin Klein (Austrialian National University, Australia) Sze Chai Kwok (East China Normal University, China) Luo Liang (Beijing Normal University, China) Ying-Tung Lin (National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan) Kengo Miyazono (Hiroshima University, Japan) Pengmin Qin (South China Normal University, China) Shinsuke Shimojo (Caltech, USA) Chen Song (Cardiff University, UK) Lu Teng (NYU Shanghai, China) Xiaohong Wan (Beijing Normal University, China) Masataka Watanabe (The University of Tokyo, Japan) Makiko Yamada (QST, Japan) Xilin Zhang (South China Normal University, China) Local organizing committee: Acer Chang (Araya, Inc., Japan) Ryota Kanai (Araya, Inc., Japan) Sze Chai Kwok (East China Normal University) Lu Teng (NYU Shanghai)

Oct. 30, 2019

Postdoctoral positions in invasive human neurophysiology (Dr. Pouratian’s lab)

by Mahsa Malekmohammadi

Three postdoctoral research positions are immediately available at the UCLA Neurosurgical Brain Mapping and Restoration Lab (NBMRL), under the direction of Dr. Nader Pouratian in the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery. We are seeking individuals with interest in any of the following areas: (1) pathophysiology of Parkinson disease (2) therapeutic mechanisms of deep brain stimulation (3) network basis of anesthesia and consciousness (4) biophysics of visual cortex stimulation. These NIH-funded positions are outstanding opportunities to receive training and develop innovative research projects in a highly productive and cutting-edge research program. The successful candidates are expected to be team players and collaborate closely with other team members (both within UCLA and across our collaborative multi-site network) to develop and validate data acquisitions and behavioral testing and advanced image and signal analyses and interpretation. The candidates are also expected to report, through oral presentation and written reports/papers, algorithms and experimental findings. In addition, opportunities to develop research proposals under direct mentorship from the PI will be provided. Candidates with a Ph.D. in Computational Neuroscience, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or Data Science, an excellent research record, and a drive to work independently and collaboratively to solve conceptual and computational challenges are encouraged to apply. A strong quantitative and theoretical skillset is a must, prior experience in biomechanical modeling, cognitive sciences or neuroscience, and a background in relevant modeling and analysis of behavioral or neurophysiological data are a plus. Excellent written and oral English communication skills and proven ability to conduct high-quality research evidenced by first-author publications are required. Previous experience with human scalp-or intracranial EEG, animal intracranial electrophysiology, or advanced MRI analysis is preferred. Interested candidates should contact *Dr. Nader Pouratian* at *npouratian(a)mednet.ucla.edu <npouratian(a)mednet.ucla.edu>* and submit a letter of interest, CV, and at least 2 references. -- *Mahsa Malekmohammadi, PhD* Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Neurosurgery University of California, Los Angeles 300 Stein Plaza, Suite 562 Los Angeles, CA 90095 Email: mmalekmohammadi(a)mednet.ucla.edu Office: (310) 206-9187

Oct. 30, 2019

an educational review on time delay systems

by Claudius Gros

Dear All Time delays are ubiquitous in the brain. To this regard we would like to point out a new introductory review, Chaos in time delay systems, an educational review by H. Wernecke, B. Sandor, C. Gros Physics Reports 824, 1-40 (2019). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0370157319302601 abstract -------- The time needed to exchange information in the physical world induces a delay term when the respective system is modeled by differential equations. Time delays are hence ubiquitous, being furthermore likely to induce instabilities and with it various kinds of chaotic phases. Which are then the possible types of time delays, induced chaotic states, and methods suitable to characterize the resulting dynamics? This review presents an overview of the field that includes an in-depth discussion of the most important results, of the standard numerical approaches and of several novel tests for identifying chaos. Special emphasis is placed on a structured representation that is straightforward to follow. Several educational examples are included in addition as entry points to the rapidly developing field of time delay systems. table of contents ----------------- 1 Introduction 1.1 Time delays in theory and nature 1.2 Outline 1.3 States and state histories 1.4 Lyapunov exponents 1.4.1 Local Lyapunov exponents 1.4.2 Global and maximal Lyapunov exponents 1.4.3 Global Lyapunov exponents for maps 1.5 Educational example: Stability of a fixed point 1.5.1 Analytic ansatz for local Lyapunov exponents 1.5.2 Euler map 2 Types of time delay systems 2.1 Single constant time delay 2.2 Multiple constant time delays 2.3 Time-varying delay 2.4 State-dependent delay 2.5 Conservative vs. dissipative delay 2.6 Distribution of delays 2.7 Reducible time delay systems 2.8 Neutral delay systems 2.9 Networks with delay coupling 2.10 Long time delays 3 Characterizing the dynamics of time delay systems 3.1 Fixed points 3.2 Types of chaotic motion 3.2.1 Delay induced chaos 3.2.2 Partially predictable chaos 3.2.3 Weak and strong chaos 3.2.4 Intermittent and laminar chaos 3.2.5 Transient chaos 3.3 Lyapunov spectrum 3.4 Lyapunov prediction time 3.5 Phase space contraction rate 3.6 Poincaré section 3.7 The power spectrum of attractors 3.8 The dimension of attractors 3.8.1 Mori dimension 3.8.2 Kaplan-Yorke dimension 3.8.3 Fractal dimension 3.8.4 Correlation dimension 3.9 Binary tests for identifying chaos 3.9.1 Cross-distance scaling exponent 3.9.2 Gottwald-Melbourn test 3.10 Space-time interpretation of time delay systems 4 Numerical treatment 4.1 Numerical integration 4.1.1 Euler algorithm 4.1.2 Euler integration as a discrete map 4.1.3 Explicit Runge-Kutta algorithms 4.2 Lyapunov exponents 4.2.1 Maximal Lyapunov exponent from two diverging trajectories 4.2.2 Benettin’s algorithm 4.2.3 Extracting Lyapunov exponents from the Euler map 5 Conclusions ### ### Prof. Dr. Claudius Gros ### http://itp.uni-frankfurt.de/~gros ### ### Complex and Adaptive Dynamical Systems, A Primer ### A graduate-level textbook, Springer (2008/10/13/15) ### ### Mageia, das Buch der Farben ### http://www.buchderfarben.de ### ### Life for barren exoplanets: The Genesis project ### https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10509-016-2911-0 ###

Oct. 30, 2019

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox. Nov 1-22, 2019.

by Stewart Heitmann

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox Online Course Nov 1-22, 2019 The Brain Dynamics Toolbox is an open toolbox for simulating dynamical systems in neuroscience. This on-line 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 open Friday 1st Nov, 2019. Enrolments close Friday 22nd Nov, 2019. 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 | @VictorChangInst ______________________________________________________________________ The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute's Email is scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.

Oct. 29, 2019

18 month Post-doc position coordinated by Laurent Perrinet, supported by INT (Marseille, France) and Yves Frégnac (UNIC-NeuroPSI, Gif)

by Laurent Perrinet

Dear colleagues, Applications are welcome for a post-doctoral position at INT in Marseille, France. Your mission will be to explore novel visual computations using spatio-temporal diffusion kernels and traveling waves. The project is funded by the ANR Horizontal V1 grant (ANR-17-CE37-0006) from the French National Research Agency (ANR) and will be coordinated by Laurent Perrinet, in collaboration with Lyle Muller and Frédéric Chavane at INT and Yves Frégnac and Jan Antolik at UNIC-NeuroPSI, Gif. We are seeking candidates with a strong background in machine learning, computer vision and computational neuroscience. For more information, visit https://laurentperrinet.github.io/post/2019-10-28_postdoc-position. The starting date is set to January 6th, 2020 but can be flexibly extended. To obtain further information or send applications (including a full CV, a letter of motivation, 2 reference names), please contact me @ Laurent.Perrinet(a)univ-amu.fr. The appointment is for 18 month. Applications are welcome immediately and until the end of year 2019. Thanks for distributing this announcement to potential candidates! Laurent -- Laurent Perrinet - INT (UMR 7289)/CNRS https://laurentperrinet.github.io/

Oct. 28, 2019

Postdoctoral position(s) available at the University of Pittsburgh

by Williamson, Ross S

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posting. Postdoctoral position(s) investigating the organization and function of auditory corticofugal projection systems in behaving mice are available in the Williamson Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh. Details on the research focus and approaches of the laboratory can be found here: https://www.williamsonlaboratory.com/research/ Applicants must have a PhD in Neuroscience or a relevant field and must be eligible for employment in the US. We are looking for individuals with an excellent record of research achievements and expertise at the intersection of two or more of the following areas: electrophysiology, two-photon imaging, quantitative behavior, and computational neuroscience. Applications will continue until the position is filled. The Williamson Laboratory is the newest member of the Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh. The lab is embedded within the Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurobiology, and affiliated with the Center for Neuroscience (CNUP) and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC). Postdoctoral fellows will be part of a highly supportive and diverse research environment with excellent career development opportunities. The University of Pittsburgh was ranked third in terms of total NIH funding received in 2018. The Global Liveability Index (The Economist) recently ranked Pittsburgh as the second most livable city in America. Interested candidates should email a brief statement of research interests, a CV, and the names and contact information of three references to Dr. Ross Williamson (rsw(a)pitt.edu<mailto:rsw@pitt.edu>). The positions will remain open until filled. Regards, Ross --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ross S. Williamson, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor | Otolaryngology Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center | University of Pittsburgh Biomedical Science Tower | W1448 www.williamsonlaboratory.com<http://www.williamsonlaboratory.com>

Oct. 28, 2019

Luminous Workshop on Consciousness - University of Oxford - Call for Participation

by Aureli Soria Frisch

————————————————— Luminous Workshop on Consciousness ————————————————— Call for Participation Neuroscience researchers interested in the field of Consciousness are warmly invited to participate in the Luminous workshop “Studying, Measuring and Altering Consciousness” to be held 21st November 2019 in Merton College, University of Oxford. Luminous (http://www.luminous-project.eu/ <http://www.luminous-project.eu/> ) is a H2020 project funded under the FET Open program of the EU. The Luminous workshop is an open discussion on following topics: • Fundamental aspects, including theories of consciousness • Neurobiological mechanisms and correlates of consciousness • Models, simulations and emulation of consciousness • Clinical, ethical and societal implications of consciousness research • Techniques for consciousness alteration The workshop includes: • Invited Talks by Anil Seth, Hector Zenil, Claire Sergent, and Morten Kringlebach; • Latest advances in Luminous by consortium members Marcello Massimini, Katie Warnaby, Giulio Ruffini, Silvia Casarotto, Michael Nitsche, Aurore Thibaut, Niels Birbaumer, Julien Modolo, Aureli Soria-Frisch; • Peer-reviewed Flash Talks and Poster Presentations. For further details on the schedule please visit http://www.luminous-project.eu/index.php/workshop-studying-measuring-and-al… <http://www.luminous-project.eu/index.php/workshop-studying-measuring-and-al…> Registration to the meeting at: https://www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk/short-courses/nuffield-department-… <https://www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk/short-courses/nuffield-department-…> The Luminous workshop includes a public lecture that needs an additional registration. More details in the web site. Hoping to see you in Oxford, we send you in the meantime our kindest greetings, Organising committee: Katie Warnaby & Jostein Holmgren, University of Oxford; Aureli Soria-Frisch & Eleni Kroupi, Starlab; Julia Moser & Hubert Preissl, University of Tubingen

Oct. 28, 2019

Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience, University of Warwick, UK

by Timofeeva, Yulia

Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, UK Fixed Term Contract for 3 years from 1 January 2020. The appointee will work on a project funded by the MRC that aims to develop and implement a mechanistic modelling framework for studying regulation of synaptic transmitter release in health and disease. This project will be led by Dr Yulia Timofeeva with the co-applicant Prof Kirill Volynski (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London) and in close collaboration with a number of world-leading experimental laboratories working in the field of synaptic transmission and information processing in the brain, that are located in Europe, USA, Canada and Japan. The successful candidate should have a PhD, or equivalent, in applied mathematics/theoretical physics/computer science or a related discipline and should have excellent skills in scientific computing. Previous experience of research in computational biology or neuroscience is desirable. The working environment will be in the Mathematical Science Building, in the Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER, https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/zeeman_institute/) For further details see https://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~yulia/job_102287_109.html https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dcs/jobs/ Deadline for applications: 21 November 2019 -- __________________________________________ Dr Yulia Timofeeva Associate Professor Department of Computer Science and Centre for Complexity Science Warwick, UK Honorary Associate Professor UCL, Institute of Neurology London, UK Tel: 024 765 73786 http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~yulia/ __________________________________________

Oct. 26, 2019

COSYNE 2020: Abstract submission closes soon; Registration opens

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2020 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 27 February - 01 March 2020 Denver, Colorado WORKSHOPS 02 March - 03 March 2020 Breckenridge, Colorado www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Abstract submission closes soon! Abstract submission deadline: 31 October 2019 Workshop proposal deadline: 10 November 2019 Cosyne registration opens: 11 November 2019 ---------------------------------------------------- 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. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks is selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. For details on workshop proposals please see below or visit Cosyne.org -> Workshops. 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. This year we would like to foster increased participation from experimental groups as well as computational ones. Please circulate widely and encourage your students and postdocs to apply. When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting, due to space constraints. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. COSYNE INVITED SPEAKERS Matthew Botvinick (Deepmind/Princeton) Megan Carey (Champalimaud) John Cunningham (Columbia) Gul Dolen (Hopkins) Rainer Friedrich (FMI Basel) Sam Gershman (Harvard) Lisa Giocomo (Stanford) Christopher Harvey (Harvard) Mehrdad Jazayeri (MIT) Wei Ji Ma (NYU) Hendrikje Nienborg (Tuebingen/NIH) Linda Wilbrecht (Berkeley) Marta Zlatic (Janelia) ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Eugenia Chiappe (Champalimaud) and Christian Machens (Champalimaud) Program Chairs: Anne-Marie Oswald (U Pittsburgh) and Srdjan Ostojic (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris) Workshop Chairs: Catherine Hartley (NYU) and Blake Richards (McGill) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Angela Langdon (Princeton) and Robert Wilson (U Arizona) 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- WORKSHOP PROPOSAL DEADLINE: 10 November 2019 A series of workshops will be held after the main Cosyne meeting. The goal is to provide an informal forum for the discussion of important research questions and challenges. Controversial issues, open problems, comparisons of competing approaches, and alternative viewpoints are encouraged. The overarching goal of all workshops should be the integration of empirical and theoretical approaches, in an environment that fosters collegial discussion and debate. - There will be 4-8 workshops/day, running in parallel. - Each workshop is expected to draw between 15 and 80 people. - The workshops will be split into morning (8.00-11.00 AM) and afternoon (4.30-7.30 PM) sessions. - Workshops will be held in Breckenridge, CO, a ski village 80 miles west of Denver. Buses from the main conference will be provided. - Workshop speakers do *not* receive free registration, travel expenses, or accommodation for either the main meeting or the workshop sessions. Organizers should let invited speakers know that they are expected to pay for workshop registration fees Workshop organizer responsibilities include coordinating workshop participation and content, scheduling all speakers, submitting a final schedule for the workshop program, and moderating the discussion. Organizers can, but need not, be speakers. One complimentary (free) organizer registration is provided per workshop. For workshops with two organizers, the free registration can be given to one of the organizers or split evenly between them. Any required multimedia resources beyond a projector, screen, and microphones will be the responsibility of the workshop organizers to coordinate with Cosyne and Breckenridge staff. EVALUATION CRITERIA As stated above, the goal of Cosyne workshops is to provide an interactive, informal forum for discussions. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to: sensory processing; motor planning and control; functional neural circuits; motivation, reward and decision making; learning and memory; adaptation and plasticity; neural coding; neural circuitry and network models; and methods in computational or systems neuroscience. Workshop proposals will be evaluated by the Cosyne Workshop Chairs, and a subset of the proposals will be selected. The proposals will be evaluated according to the following six metrics (which will be weighted equally): 1. Relevance to the Cosyne community 2. Integration of experimental and theoretical issues 3. Current interest in the topic in the scientific community 4. Potential for new research directions and interactions to emerge 5. Distinctive scope/approach compared to other workshops (including previous years’) 6. Diversity and equity in the proposed speakers PROPOSALS should include: - Name(s) and email address(es) of the organizers (no more than 2 organizers per session, please). A primary contact should be designated. - A title. - A brief description of 1) what the workshop will address and accomplish, 2) why the topic is of interest, 3) who is the targeted group of participants. - List of confirmed speakers and names of potential invitees. Preference will be given to workshops with confirmed speakers. - Proposed workshop length (1 or 2 days). Most workshops will be limited to a single day. If you think your workshop needs two days, please explain why. - A brief resume of the workshop organizer(s) along with a short list of workshop-relevant publications (about half a page total). Experience has shown that the best discussions during a workshop are those that arise spontaneously. A good way to foster these is to have short talks and long question periods (e.g. 30+15 minutes), and have plenty of breaks. We recommend keeping the number of talks small (i.e., fewer than 10 talks per day). WORKSHOP COSTS Detailed registration costs, etc, will be available at www.cosyne.org. Please note: Cosyne does NOT provide travel funding for workshop speakers. Organizers should let invited speakers know that they are expected to pay for workshop registration fees. Participants are encouraged to register early, in order to qualify for discounted registration rates. One complimentary (free) organizer registration is provided per workshop. For workshops with 2 organizers, the free registration can be given to one of the organizers or split evenly between them. COSYNE 2020 WORKSHOP CHAIRS Catherine Hartley (NYU) and Blake Richards (McGill) QUESTIONS email: workshops [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. 25, 2019

Independent Postdoctoral Opportunity at Harvard: The George F. Carrier Fellowship

by Cengiz Pehlevan

Dear colleagues, Harvard has an independent postdoctoral position in widely applied mathematics, the George F. Carrier Fellowship. One of the areas of interest is computational neuroscience, details below. The application deadline for full consideration is Nov 15th, 2019. Please encourage qualified candidates to apply. Thank you in advance for your help. Best wishes, Cengiz —————— The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University seeks applicants for an endowed honorific postdoctoral position in widely applied mathematics, the George F. Carrier* Fellowship, with an expected start date of September 1, 2020. The normal duration of the Carrier Fellow appointment is two years, with a potential extension to a third year, at an annual salary of $65,000. In addition, Carrier Fellows receive an annual allocation of $6,000 for research and travel expenses. We are looking for applicants interested in an opportunity for independent research that reflects the spirit of George Carrier’s approach and complements that of the current faculty in Applied Mathematics, broadly interpreted, including those in the Harvard Paulson School, the Department of Physics and elsewhere at the University. Current faculty interests are in applied mathematics in biological, earth science, engineering and physical contexts, and especially in soft materials, biophysics and neuroscience. For more information, see http://www.seas.harvard.edu/applied-mathematics <http://www.seas.harvard.edu/applied-mathematics> Candidates are required to have a doctorate or terminal degree in Applied Mathematics, Physics or a related area by the expected start date. Required application documents include a cover letter, statement of research interests, a CV (including a list of publications), and names and contact information for three references. We encourage candidates to apply by November 15, 2019, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please apply through https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/9368 <https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/9368> Harvard is an equal opportunity employer 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 veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. *George Carrier (1919-2002) was the T. Jefferson Coolidge Professor of Mathematics at Harvard, and one of the pre-eminent applied mathematicians of his generation. He had a special talent for describing complicated physical phenomena mathematically, and did so with great facility over a wide range of problems that included fluid dynamics, elasticity, combustion and natural hazards. For more see information, see http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/03.21/08-carrier.html <http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/03.21/08-carrier.html> -----------

Oct. 24, 2019

Gatsby Unit PhD Programme

by Maneesh Sahani

Gatsby Unit PhD: Training in theoretical and computational neuroscience and machine learning. Deadline: 17th November 2019 The Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit is a leading research centre focused on theoretical neuroscience and machine learning. We study unsupervised, supervised and reinforcement learning in brains and machines; inference, coding and neural dynamics; Bayesian and kernel methods, and deep learning; with applications to the analysis of perceptual processing and cognition, neural data, signal and image processing, machine vision, network data and nonparametric hypothesis testing. The Unit provides a unique opportunity for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each other, with the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour (SWC, with which we share a purpose-designed building), with the cross-faculty Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning (CSML), and with other world-class research groups in related departments at UCL including: Computer Science; Functional Imaging; Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology; Psychology; Neurology; Ophthalmology; The Ear Institute; Statistical Science; and the nearby Alan Turing and Francis Crick Institutes. Students at the Gatsby Unit complete a four-year PhD in either machine learning or theoretical neuroscience, with minor emphasis in the complementary field. Courses in the first year, taught in conjunction with colleagues from the SWC and CSML, provide a comprehensive and intensive introduction to both fields. Students are encouraged to work and interact closely with peers and faculty in the SWC and/or CSML throughout their PhD, providing a uniquely multidisciplinary research environment. Applicants should have a strong analytical and quantitative background, a keen interest in neuroscience, machine learning or both, and a relevant first degree, for example in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Physics, Psychology or Statistics. Full funding is available regardless of nationality and current residence. The Unit also welcomes applicants who have secured or are seeking funding from other sources. Applications (including a CV, transcripts, statement of research interests, and letters from three referees) should be sent directly to admissions(a)gatsby.ucl.ac.uk. Only applications complete by the deadline are guaranteed full consideration; late applications will be entertained only if places remain unfilled. For further details of our programme and how to apply please see: http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/phd Further details of research interests are available from http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/research.html and the individual faculty webpages at http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/Members.html. -- Maneesh Sahani, Ph.D. Professor of Theoretical Neuroscience and Machine Learning, Director, Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit UCL, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG

Oct. 24, 2019

Faculty positions at Imperial College London

by Schultz, Simon R

Dear all, Please see below for this year's job round in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London. While the positions are open with respect to area, I'd particularly like to encourage applications in the (broadly defined) area of neurotechnology. Location: London Salary: Internationally competitive Hours: Full Time Contract Type: Permanent Placed On: 24th October 2019 Closes: 17th November 2019 Job Ref: ENG01048 Are you seeking an academic appointment in bioengineering in a department which is leading the bioengineering agenda both nationally and internationally? If so, then this exciting, challenging and rewarding opportunity may be the next career step for you. Due to rapid growth and the strategic importance of the discipline of bioengineering at Imperial, the major new translational White City Campus, the flagship Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub and national Dementia Research Institute Care Research & Technology Centre, the Department of Bioengineering wishes to appoint multiple outstanding academics at Lecturer or Senior Lecturer level. We invite applications from candidates across all areas of bioengineering, highlighting those that are synergistic with the research centres in our new translational campus: * Dementia Research Institute Care Research & Technology Centre, * Musculoskeletal Medical Engineering Centre, * Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Technology, * Cardiovascular Engineering, and * Wound Healing and Regeneration. Imperial College London is one of the world’s leading engineering focused universities and its mission is to achieve enduring excellence in both research and education, and we are committed to making life changing advancements for the benefit of society. The Department of Bioengineering is committed to this mission through advancing the frontiers of our knowledge, translating that knowledge for societal benefit, and educating leaders in the discipline’s three main areas: * BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (developing devices, techniques and interventions for human health) * BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING (solving problems related to the life sciences and their applications for health) * BIOMIMETICS (using the structures and functions of living organisms as models for the design and engineering of materials and machines). In the most recent national research assessment, 95% of the Department's returned research was judged either world leading or internationally excellent and in the National Student Survey (2017) we achieved 97% overall student satisfaction. We are committed to building on this success through the recruitment of talented academic staff. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups such as female applicants. The posts will be based either at the South Kensington Campus or at the White City Campus, dependent on research area and facility requirements, on a full time, open ended basis. The departmental research activities may be found at: www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering<http://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering> Closing Date: 17 November 2019 For an informal discussion please contact the Head of Department, Professor Anthony Bull - email: a.bull(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:a.bull@imperial.ac.uk> or telephone: 020 7594 5186. For further assistance, please contact Angela Glyes – email: a.glyes(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:a.glyes@imperial.ac.uk>. -- Simon R Schultz Professor of Neurotechnology Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK Neural Coding Laboratory: http://www.schultzlab.org Director, Imperial College Centre for Neurotechnology Administrator: Dr Kate Hobson, Phone: +44 207 594 5101 http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology

Oct. 24, 2019

Postdoctoral position in Computational Neuroscience, University of Exeter, UK,

by Roman Borisyuk

The University of Exeter is looking for a postdoctoral Research Fellow in computational modelling of central pattern generators. This 3-year project in collaboration with neurobiologists from the University of St Andrews is funded by BBSRC. Vertebrate neural circuits are not fixed into producing a single behaviour. They can dynamically change their activity to respond appropriately to changing situations. This project asks how networks can switch between different behaviours. Specifically, you will investigate the dynamic transition between rhythmic activity patterns in the spinal cord circuits of the tadpole. To do so you will develop reduced and detailed computational models of the tadpole neural circuits that produce swimming and struggling behaviours. You will use reduced models to analyse the dynamic transition between swimming and struggling and determine how coordination among oscillatory circuits changes at the transition. You will also build detailed models (both anatomical and functional) to determine how the intrinsic characteristics of the neurons and the network properties together produce each behaviour. You will be supported by our experimental collaborators who have determined neuronal properties and network connectivity with an exquisite level of detail. Predictions from your model simulations will be tested experimentally using an array of electrophysiology and imaging tools. The tadpole central pattern generators offer a unique system to ask how vertebrate networks can produce and switch between different behaviours: they are complex enough to generate different behaviours, but simple enough that we have detailed information to ground our models. For more information about this job and to apply, please follow the link https://jobs.exeter.ac.uk and enter keyword 70011 Enquiries: Dr Joel Tabak - j.tabak(a)exeter.ac.uk Prof Roman Borisyuk - r.m.borisyuk(a)exeter.ac.uk, r.borisyuk(a)plymouth.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. 24, 2019

Job Opening: Research Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University

by COMP HKBU

The Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Baptist University is presently offering BSc, MSc, MPhil, and PhD programmes, and invites outstanding applicants for the following position. *Research Assistant Professor (PR0166/19-20) * The position is created and funded as part of the strategic research development initiatives in the Department. The appointee will be provided with a conducive research environment, and will work within an established group of faculty members in the Department. They are expected to perform group-based high-impact research and to undertake some teaching duties. Applicants should possess a PhD degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field, and have abilities to conduct high-quality research in one of the Department's key research areas: (i) computational intelligence, (ii) databases and information management, (iii) networking and systems, and (iv) pattern recognition and machine learning. These key research areas have a special thematic focus on (a) health informatics, and (b) secure and privacy-awareness computing related applications. Initial appointment will be made on a fixed-term contract up to three years. Re-appointment thereafter will be subject to mutual agreement. For enquiry, please contact Dr William Cheung, Head of Department (email: william(a)comp.hkbu.edu.hk More information about the Department can be found on its website at http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk. *Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.* *Application Procedure:* Applicants are invited to submit their applications at the HKBU e-Recruitment System (jobs.hkbu.edu.hk) with samples of publications, preferably three best ones out of their most recent publications/works. Those should also request two referees to send in confidential letters of reference, with PR number (stated above) quoted on the letters, to the Personnel Office (Email: recruit(a)hkbu.edu.hk) direct. Those who are not invited for interview 4 months after the closing date may consider their applications unsuccessful. All application materials including publication samples, scholarly/creative works will be disposed of after completion of the recruitment exercise. Details of the University’s Personal Information Collection Statement can be found at http://pers.hkbu.edu.hk/pics. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment for the post advertised, and appointment will be made according to the terms and conditions then applicable at the time of offer. *Closing date: 25 November 2019 (or until the position is filled)* URL: http://www.comp.hkbu.edu.hk/v1/?page=job_vacancies&id=540

Oct. 24, 2019

Workshop announcement: HBP CodeJam #10

by Luca Leonardo Bologna

Dear colleagues, You are invited to participate in: ---------------------------- The HBP CodeJam #10 Workshop Nov. 26, 2019 at 09:00 - Nov. 28, 2019 at 18:00 - Heidelberg | Germany https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/participatecollaborate/infras… Early-bird registration ends *31st October!* ---------------------------- The goal of the CodeJam workshops is to catalyze open-source, collaborative software development in computational and systems neuroscience and neuroinformatics by bringing together researchers, students and engineers to share ideas, present their work, and write code together. While the mornings are dedicated to invited and contributed talks, the afternoons are free for discussions, tutorials and code sprints. This year's theme is "Integration". It is aimed to gather scientists, students and engineers from different disciplines collaborating to build a highly integrated research infrastructure for computation-based neuroscience, and to show how this infrastructure can be used to model brain circuits, behaviour and learning, develop novel bio-inspired computing systems, and help discover new drugs for neurological disorders. Confirmed speakers: Mihai Andrei, CODEMART, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Axel von Arnim, fortiss GmbH, Munich, Germany Luca L. Bologna, Italian National Research Council, Italy Claudia Casellato, University of Pavia, Italy Andrew Davison, French National Centre for Scientific Research, France Alexander Dietz, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland Allan Francani, EPFL, Switzerland Alberto Antonietti, University of Pavia, Italy Thanasis Karabatsis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece Kostis Karozos, Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). Athens, Greece Michael Hines, Yale University, USA Christian Mauch, Heidelberg University, Germany Johannes Schemmel, Heidelberg University, Germany Philipp Spilger, Heidelberg University, Germany Lorenzo Vannucci, Instituto di BioRobotica, SSSA, Pisa, Italy Jonathan Villemaire-Krajden, EPFL, Switzerland Programme Committee Andrew Davison, French National Centre for Scientific Research, France Luca L. Bologna, Italien National Research Council, Italy Alexander Dietz, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland Bernd Schuller, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany Evita Mailli, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece Eric Müller, Heidelberg University, Germany Egidio Falotico, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy Martina Schmalholz, Heidelberg University, Germany Please visit the event website https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/participatecollaborate/infras… to learn more and register. Places are limited, so early registration is recommended. Best regards, Luca Leonardo Bologna

Oct. 23, 2019

Open position in Juelich: Scientific coordinator in Computational Neuroscience in Juelich, Germany

by Martina Reske

Dear comp-neuro The Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM) at Research Center Jülich, Germany, investigates the structure and function of the human brain on different spatial and temporal scales within the research program “Decoding the Human Brain”. The Supercomputing Centre is home of one of the most powerful machines and has a leading role in the European exascale strategy. Basic neuroscience connects the two research areas as it heavily relies on modeling and simulation, which are necessary to approach the brain’s immense complexity, manage the huge amount of resulting data, and develop reliable control techniques. The subinstitute INM-6, Computational and Systems Neuroscience ( https://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-6/EN/Home/home_node_INM6.html ), develops mathematical models of neuronal dynamics and function. Model-driven analyses of brain activity and structure as well as simulation of biologically realistic models form the core of our work. Among others, the INM-6/IAS-6 is actively involved in the EU flagship project „Human Brain Project“ (HBP, https://www.humanbrainproject.eu ). Together with its partners, INM-6 develops analysis tools and the leading simulation code (NEST) for brain scale networks with cellular resolution in an open source approach ( http://www.nest-initiative.org ). NEST has been under continuous development for 20 years and is serving a worldwide community. We are looking to recruit a Scientific Coordinator Your Job: * Supervision and controlling of administrative aspects of third party funded projects, incl. monitoring of project milestones, collecting and providing material for scientific reports, among others in EU projects in close collaboration with scientists, for instance within the Human Brain Project * Supporting the heads of the subinstitute in all scientific and administrative matters, incl. the recruitment of staff members * Collection, processing and evaluation of information relevant for the research strategy * Support of drafting of research proposals and grants * Organisation as well as professional and content-related preparation and monitoring of project-relevant events/meetings (e.g. meetings with internal and external cooperation partners, guest visits, conferences, workshops, reviews and committee meetings) * Communication with international research partners * PR work and social media: Support in the production of PR material and the presentation of scientific content in social media channels Your Profile: * Completed study in natural sciences, ideally with PhD * Experience in neuroscience, physics or computer science * Experience in administration of third-party funded projects * Strong organizational skills and multitasking capability * Ability to approach tasks with an eye toward efficiency and reproducibility * High communication skills and ability to work in a team * Excellent verbal and written forms of expression in both, German and English, especially with regard to drafting scientific and administrative texts * Ability to work under pressure, assertiveness and empathy * Skilled in software on project planning, text processing (Latex, Word), presentations (Powerpoint), scheduling of dates and websites * Willingness to travel * High ability to work in interdisciplinary, international team Beneficial: * Work experience abroad * Expertise in Computational Neuroscience * Professional experience in above-mentioned areas of responsibility Our Offer: * Exciting working environment on an attractive research campus with excellent infrastructure, located between the cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf and Aachen * International and interdisciplinary working atmosphere * Responsibility in world-class science environment at the interface between neuroscience and technology on the most complex known systems * High visibility through participation in an Open Source community project and work on key technologies of the European Human Brain Project * Integration into a interdisciplinary and international institute * A comprehensive further training programme * Flexible working hours and various opportunities to reconcile work and private life * Possibility, to apply for the desired level of working hours from 50% to a full position * Limited for 2 years with possible longer-term prospects * Salary and social benefits in conformity with the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service (TVöD) Forschungszentrum Jülich aims to employ more women in this area and therefore particularly welcomes applications from women. We also welcome applications from disabled persons. We look forward to receiving your application until 12.11.2019 via our online recruiting system, https://www.hrecruiting.de/obf2/bewerbermanagement.php?kunden_nr=t5ChjatkIf… quoting the reference number 2019-374. Martina Reske -- Dr. Martina Reske Scientific Coordinator Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) Computational and Systems Neuroscience & Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Theoretical Neuroscience Jülich Research Centre and JARA Jülich, Germany Work +49.2461.611916 Work Cell +49.151.26156918 Fax +49.2461.619460 www.csn.fz-juelich.de<http://www.csn.fz-juelich.de> Office hours: TU & FR 9.00-17, WE & TH 9.00-13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oct. 21, 2019

SCiNDU 2020 Conference Announcement

by Geoffrey Goodhill

3rd SYSTEMS AND COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE DOWNUNDER (SCiNDU) CONFERENCE January 29-31, 2020 Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/scindu Abstract submission deadline Nov 15th 2019 Invited speakers: Matilde Balbi (University of British Columbia / University of Queensland) Tony Burkitt (Melbourne University) Gwyneth Card (Janelia) Kai-Hsiang Chuang (University of Queensland) Barry Dickson (Janelia / University of Queensland) Alex Fornito (Monash University) Takao Hensch (Harvard University, TBC) Vinod Menon (Stanford University) Lucy Palmer (Florey Institute) Nicholas Price (Monash University) Linda Richards (University of Queensland) Tatyana Sharpee (Salk Institute) Bruno van Swinderen (University of Queensland) Stephen Williams (University of Queensland) For registration, accommodation and abstract submission information please see http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/scindu 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

Oct. 19, 2019

Postdoc openings in the Lefebvre lab at uOttawa

by J?r?mie Lefebvre

The Lefebvre lab at uOttawa is recruiting two postdoctoral fellows for the Winter 2020. Candidates interested in computational neuroscience, brain imaging and applied mathematics are encouraged to apply. Selected candidates will be involved in the following projects: 1. In collaboration with the Griffiths Lab at the CAMH Krembil Center for Neuroinformatics (KCNI) and University of Toronto, the goal of the project is to develop, analyse and explore computational models of non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g. TMS, TES) and their impact on multi-scale neural activity. Specifically, we seek to better understand network-based mechanisms of neural control, oscillatory entrainment and/or stimulation-induced brain plasticity. This project involves a combination of computational and mathematical modelling, has strong potential for knowledge translation, and aims to help inspire new non-invasive treatments for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). 1. In collaboration with the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, the goal of this project is to better understand mechanisms of white matter plasticity, neuron-glia interactions, myelination and its impact on brain function. Using a combination of modelling and simulations, interfacing rodent and human data, the role of the fellow will be to examine the influence of white matter plasticity on neural synchrony and memory. This project involves a combination of computational and mathematical modelling, and strong interactions with experimentalists. The research will take place in the Department of Biology, the Brain and Mind Institute and the Center for Neural Dynamics of the University of Ottawa, a vivid interdisciplinary research cluster set in the bilingual capital of Canada. Both projects are deployed in the Ottawa-Toronto axis, through close collaborations between uOttawa, uToronto, CAMH KCNI, The University Health Network and The Krembil Research Institute. Based on the research needs and resources, candidates will be required to travel between both cities often. Throughout, candidates will interact closely with clinicians, experimentalists and scholars in neuroimaging. Requisites: Candidates should have completed their PhD in physics, mathematics, neuroscience or related disciplines, and have an excellent publication track record. Expertise in programming is a necessity, as well as independence in research. Experience in brain imaging, signal processing and dynamical systems are considered strong assets. Contracts are for one year, with possibility of extension subject to sufficient progress. of one additional year. While the positions are fully funded, candidates are nonetheless expected to apply for external/competitive funding throughout their training. To apply, please send 1) a letter of interest, 2) a full CV and 3) two(2) letters of reference to jeremie.lefebvre(a)hotmail.com<mailto:jeremie.lefebvre@hotmail.com> before Dec 1st , 2019. Selected candidates will be contacted for an interview in December. Jeremie Lefebvre PhD Scientist | Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network Assistant Professor | Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto Assistant Professor (cross appointed)| Institute for Biomaterial and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Room 4KD509, Toronto, M5T2S8, Canada Phone: +1 (416) 507-6935 Fax: +1 (416) 603-6274

Oct. 18, 2019

Head of the "Machine Learning Transfer Center"

by Philipp Berens

The Cluster of Excellence "Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science" at the University of Tübingen offers a position as Scientific Head of the central Cluster Facility "Scientific Transfer Center" (100%) to be filled as soon as possible. The position is initially limited until December 31, 2025, with the option of a tenured position. The Transfer Center will be a new facility of the Cluster of Excellence, intended to act as an interface between the Cluster and the various Departments of the University. The Scientific Head is going to promote the transfer of knowledge from the field of machine learning within the Cluster of Excellence to other Departments of the University and to help establishing links between scientific application domains and the research in the area of machine learning. YOUR TASKS - To counsel scientific projects from a variety of disciplines on questions in the field of machine learning - To develop prototypes for standard use cases of machine learning - To initiate networking events between researchers in the field of machine learning and scientific application domains - To develop a (small number of) special courses that introduce machine learning to doctoral students and scientists from other disciplines - To supervise the other scientists employed at the Transfer Center If you enjoy supporting scientific projects at the interface between machine learning and other fields of science, then this is the place for you. The position offers quite a lot of creative freedom. The opportunity to participate in publications is given, but is not the primary goal of the position. The Transfer Center will concentrate on the transfer of machine learning methods to other fields of science. Target persons are doctoral students and scientists from other disciplines. Teaching in Bachelor's or Master's degree programs and transfer to industry will explicitly not be the scope of the Transfer Center. YOUR PROFILE - A doctorate in machine learning or data science and a background in computer science, physics, mathematics or a similar field - Good communication skills with different people - You enjoy working on machine learning problems in different contexts. You are curious about research in various scientific disciplines - Programming experience in the common languages (Python, R, C++) - Experience in project management Further information on the Cluster of Excellence can be found at www.ml-in-science.uni-tuebingen.de. Applications with the usual documents (cover letter, curriculum vitae, copies of certificates, list of publications) are requested by November 08, 2019 in electronic form (as a single PDF, not exceeding 5 MB) to the Central Office of the Cluster of Excellence (ml-in-science(a)uni-tuebingen.de) Please also direct any questions regarding this advertisement to the Central Office. ml-in-science(a)uni-tuebingen.de - www.ml-in-science.uni-tuebingen.de https://www.academics.de/jobs/preview/1015018?preview_id=_GfViDrGixL5dwP6Y5… -- Prof. Dr. Philipp Berens Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen Excellence Cluster "Machine Learning - New Perspectives for Science" http://www.berenslab.org phone: +49-7071-2988833

Oct. 17, 2019

PhD posittion in machine learning for closed-loop deep brain stimulation

by Sebastián Castaño C.

Dear mailing-list members, We are looking for a motivated student to work with us at the Brain State Decoding lab, University of Freiburg, Germany! Specifically, we have an open PhD position for investigating machine learning methods for closed-loop deep brain stimulation systems in Parkinson's disease patients. Find the full proposal under https://www.bsdlab.uni-freiburg.de/jobs/phd-position-closed-loop-control-fo… and apply to work with us! Best on behalf of the lab, Sebastian Castaño-Candamil Doctorate student Brain state decoding lab University of Freiburg E // sebastian.castano(a)blbt.uni-freiburg.de (mailto:sebastian.castano@blbt.uni-freiburg.de)

Oct. 17, 2019