- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Call for Proposals: Local Organizers for CNS*2020

by Sharon Crook

We look forward to seeing all of you next summer at the 2019 Computational Neuroscience meeting in Barcelona! However, it is already time to begin planning for CNS*2020. OCNS requests proposals from candidate local organizers to hold CNS*2020 at a location outside of Europe, preferably in North or South America. Groups or individuals interested in organizing the 2020 meeting should submit a proposal following the extensive on-line instructions and using the on-line templates at: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2020-local-organizer. Proposals should be submitted by email to the OCNS President at president(a)cnsorg.org no later than February 1, 2019.The OCNS Board Members will consider the proposals, contact local organizers for more information if necessary, and select a location in a timely agreement between OCNS and the potential local organizers. As usual, the selected location will be officially announced at the CNS Meeting in July. An earlier email to the OCNS President declaring the intent to submit a proposal would be appreciated, but is not required. Thank you! Your Organization for Computational Neuroscience Team

Dec. 7, 2018

CFP: Advances in HCI: SI on Advancing Big Data in Speech Computation

by Friedhelm Schwenker

CALL FOR PAPERS Advances in Human-Computer Interaction Special Issue on Advancing Big Data in Speech Computation Hindawi Submission Deadline: Friday, 31 May 2019 Publication Date: October 2019 Big Data is an emerging topic in a broad variety of research areas, with the promise to allow predictive user behavior analytics for a wide variety of speech patterns like emotions, sentiment, personality, and pathology. With the emerging voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, speech interaction has attracted increasing attention. In addition, further speech-based HCI-systems could benefit from big data computation, such as Speech-to-Speech translation systems, conversational agents, and educational systems. Unfortunately, when dealing with speech computation tasks, oen only comparably small amounts of data are available, or the collection is cumbersome.Thus, advanced methods such as transfer learning, active learning, data synthesis, and (semi-)automatic annotation methods or domain-/topic-adaptation are needed. This special issue welcomes original research papers concerned with the big data exploitation of speech data, particularly in HCI-related contexts. We encourage researchers to submit review articles describing the current state of the art in speech-based big-data analyses. Submissions dealing with data synthesis or recordings and automatic annotation of large sets of speech data are highly encouraged. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following: * Speech data transfer learning and active learning for HCI systems * (Semi-) Automatic speech data analyses for HCI systems * Big data language modeling for HCI systems * Generative adversarial networks for speech-based HCI behavior analytics * Methods review for big data in advancing speech-based HCI * Comparison of big data and small data approaches for speech-based HCI * Application of Big data methods for speech based HCI-systems Authors can submit their manuscripts through the Manuscript Tracking System at https://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/ahci/abd/. Papers are published upon acceptance, regardless of the Special Issue publication date. Lead Guest Editor Ingo Siegert, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany ingo.siegert(a)ovgu.de Guest Editors Anna Esposito, Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy anna.esposito(a)unicampania.it Friedhelm Schwenker, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de Gennaro Cordasco, Anna Esposito, Università della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy gennaro.cordasco(a)unicampania.it -- PD Dr. Friedhelm Schwenker University of Ulm Institute of Neural Information Processing D-89069 Ulm, Germany phone: +49-731-50-24159 fax: +49-731-50-24156 email: friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de www: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/neuroinformatik/mitarbeiter/f-schwenker.html

Dec. 7, 2018

PhD in Computational and Mathematical Neuroscience (EPSRC funded, 3.5 yrs, Sept 2019 start)

by James Rankin

*PhD in Computational and Mathematical Neuroscience (EPSRC funded, 3.5 yrs, Sept 2019 start)* General information & apply (funding is primarily targeted at UK students): http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/index.php?id=3386 Project description: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/codebox/phdprojects/Rankin-EPSRC-DTP-Project.pdf *Closing date 7th Jan 2019* This interdisciplinary project will develop computational and mathematical models of the auditory system to understand how complex stimuli like speech are encoded by spiking neurons in the midbrain. The auditory midbrain is a key hub in the auditory processing pathway, functioning as an important junction that relays and shapes neural signals as they ascend towards auditory cortex. Knowledge of the way in which complex sounds, e.g. speech, are encoded in the midbrain is crucial for understanding how dysfunction in the earlier auditory processing pathway (cochlea, auditory nerve, cochlear nucleus) leads to different types of hearing loss (a problem affecting 1 in 6 people in the UK). Working with neural recordings from the auditory midbrain in gerbils, a commonly-used animal for the study of low-frequency hearing, this project will develop mathematical and computational models of the auditory processing pathway. The aim is to understand the different roles of the patterns of inputs to midbrain neurons and their intrinsic response properties (e.g. their spiking rate) in shaping their responses to complex sounds. The project will use a dynamical systems approach to model the intrinsic properties of individual neurons in the midbrain in a biologically plausible way (working with, e.g. adaptive exponential integrate-and-fire neurons or the Hodgkin-Huxley equations). Inputs to these neurons will be based on established cochlear models and the biological details of the auditory nerve and cochlear nucleus. The resulting model will produce firing patterns directly comparable with neural recordings provided by the experimental supervisor. This data will be used to train and parameter fit the model using e.g. Bayesian optimisation or genetic algorithms. The resultant model will have explanatory power for the extent to which midbrain responses are shaped by its inputs from cochlear nucleus. Further, it will make predictions, testable in new experiments, of how midbrain responses will be affected by different dysfunctions of the early auditory system relating to hearing loss. The successful candidate will receive training dynamical systems theory and in the development and analysis of individual neuron and neural network models. An interdisciplinary approach, incorporating known biological details of the auditory processing pathway, will require the candidate to learn the relevant biology and neuroscience along with mathematical and computational techniques. The project will involve working closely with experimental neuroscientists and experimental data. This project provides a unique opportunity to receive training in mathematical modelling in close collaboration with experimentalists using cutting-edge methods recording spikes simultaneously from hundreds of neurons. Experience working on such interdisciplinary projects is highly sought after. Candidates with quantitative backgrounds (mathematics, physics, engineering) and from neuroscience programmes are encouraged to apply. Programming experience, knowledge of dynamical systems theory and experience in biological modelling are a plus. For further information, please contact me at the email address above. *For further information, please contact Dr James Rankin, email j.a.rankin(a)exeter.ac.uk <j.a.rankin(a)exeter.ac.uk>* http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/jar226

Dec. 7, 2018

PhD Studentships in Neuroscience/Psychology at the University of Leicester

by Jian Liu

PhD Studentships in Neuroscience/Psychology at the University of Leicester, UK. Centre for Systems Neuroscience www.le.ac.uk/csn Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour https://le.ac.uk/npb A number of PhD studentships are available in a wide range of research topics. Please find the details of all the projects below. Please contact the PIs on the list: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/phd-research-projects/department-of-neuroscie… Jian K. Liu, Ph.D. Mathematics Centre for Systems Neuroscience Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour University of Leicester, Leicester, UK Phone: +44 (0)116 373-6860 Webpage: https://sites.google.com/site/jiankliu

Dec. 6, 2018

3 Faculty Positions in Psychology at the University of Leicester

by Jian Liu

LECTURER IN PSYCHOLOGY https://jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/621/lecturer-in-psychology.html Vacancy ID:621 Location:Leicester Department:Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour Vacancy terms:Full-time permanent Salary details:Grade 8 £39,609 to £48,677 per annum Hours per week:37.5 Advert closes midnight on:02 Jan 2019 About the role We are looking for an excellent researcher to develop and enhance the reputation of the Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour. This post provides the opportunity for those with excellent academic potential to contribute to high quality research and teaching within the Department. You will be expected to contribute to raising levels of research activity, research income, teaching excellence and the overall visibility of the Department. You will undertake high quality individual and collaborative research in line with the Department’s aim of producing world-leading research with meaningful impact. You will contribute to undergraduate teaching primarily in the School of Psychology and be involved in postgraduate training at MSc and PhD level. About you The successful applicant will be an experienced researcher, as demonstrated by publications in leading peer-reviewed journals. You will be undertaking high quality teaching in cognate areas and across the discipline of psychology. You will have an international research profile that will integrate, complement and strengthen our existing NPB Department expertise. We are particularly interested in recruiting researchers in developmental psychology, behaviour (e.g. learning and memory) or artificial intelligence/human-machine interaction. Additional information Leicester is a leading University committed to international excellence, world-changing research and high quality, inspirational teaching. We are strongly committed to inclusivity, promoting equality and celebrating diversity among our staff and students. Our strength is built on the talent of our scholars, drawn to us by a mutual passion for discovery. We seek to embed an adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit into our research culture, and to create an environment in which both disciplinary excellence and interdisciplinarity thrive. In return for your hard work, we offer a working environment that is committed to inclusivity, through promoting equality and valuing diversity. We offer a competitive salary package with excellent pension scheme, a generous annual leave allowance and an online portal that offers a range of lifestyle benefits and discounts. Located close to Leicester city centre, our award winning campus benefits from a wide range of cafes, a fully equipped sports centre and nursery facilities. Further information regarding our extensive range of staff benefits is available here. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to: Professor Ian Forsythe, Head of the Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, on idf(a)leicester.ac.uk Professor John Maltby, Professor of Differential Psychology, on jm148(a)leicester.ac.uk Professor Kevin Paterson, Professor of Experimental Psychology, on kbp3(a)leicester.ac.uk Dr Jose Prados, Head of the School of Psychology, on jpg19(a)leicester.ac.uk

Dec. 6, 2018

[jobs] Research Associate Intelligent Adaptive Systems (e.g neural networks, nlp or robotics)

by Wermter, Stefan

The Knowledge Technology Research Institute at the University of Hamburg invites applications for a Research Associate (Postdoc or postdoc-level/ final year PhD candidate) in accordance with Section 28 subsection 2 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act (Hamburgisches Hochschul- gesetz, HmbHG). The position commences on 1 Feb 2019 or as soon as possible and is for three years plus a three year extension option subject to the availability of resources. Responsibilities: Duties include teaching and research in the knowledge technology institute. Research associates can also pursue independent research and further academic qualifications as well as acquire teaching experience. These duties are intended to promote academic achieve- ment. Therefore, at least one-third of set working hours will be made available for the associate's own academic work. Specific Duties: The successful candidate will manage the international Master Programme in Computer Science (Intelligent Adaptive Systems) as well as contribute to teaching (4hrs/teaching week). Furthermore, the candidate is expected to conduct research in the area of Knowledge Technology and Intelligent Systems. Requirements: A university degree in a relevant subject plus doctorate prefered. Academic degree preferably in computer science qualifying the post holder to carry out the above-mentioned responsibilities. In particular, an MSc or PhD in Artificial Intelligence or Computer Science is essential. This post is open to Postdocs or experienced PhD candidates. Your demonstrated research interests should be in the areas of Knowledge Technology and Intelligent Systems (e.g. Neural Networks, Robotics, Natural Language Processing, Vision, or Knowledge Representation etc). You should have published in a field relevant to this post. We are also looking for very good communication skills and teamwork; a very good command of both German and English is a requirement. Experience with teaching or organisation of MSc programmes is considered an advantage. The job is remunerated at the salary level TV-L 13. The position is full-time and comprises 39 hours per week. The fixed-term nature of this contract is based upon Section 2 of the Academic Fixed-Term Labor Contract Act (Wissenschaftszeitver- tragsgesetz, WissZeitVG). The initial fixed term is three years. The contract provides for a maximum extension of another three years de- pending on the associate's achievements during the first stage. The University aims to increase the number of women in research and teaching and explicitly encourages women to apply. Equally qualified female applicants will receive preference in accordance with the Hamburg Equality Act (Hamburgisches Gleichstellungsgesetz, HmbGleiG). Severely disabled applicants will receive preference over equally qualified non-disabled applicants. For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Stefan Wermter, Head of Knowledge Technology Institute or consult our website at https://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/ https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/about/job/files/open-position… Applications should include an application letter, full curriculum vitae, pdf of best international publications, copies of degree certificates, evidence for required German and English language. The application deadline is 19 Dec 2018. Please email applications in a single pdf file to: Ms Katja Koesters, katja.koesters(a)informatik.uni-hamburg.de *********************************************** 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 http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~wermter/ http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/WTM/ ***********************************************

Dec. 6, 2018

Lab manager position in Perception & Brain Dynamics Laboratory at NYU Medical Center

by Max Levinson

The Perception & Brain Dynamics Laboratory (http://www.med.nyu.edu/helab/) at Langone Medical Center, New York University is looking for a lab manager to start in summer 2019. The Laboratory is within the Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Health (http://www.med.nyu.edu/neuroscience) affiliated with Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Physiology, and Radiology. Our research focus is on understanding the neural bases of perceptual awareness using multimodal imaging (fMRI, MEG, EEG, ECoG) and stimulation (tDCS, TMS) techniques in humans, combined with computational neuroscience approaches. We are looking for a bright and driven candidate with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree who is dedicated to neuroscience research. A variety of backgrounds, including neuroscience, biology, psychology, and computer science is possible, and experience with programming is highly desirable. In addition, the ideal candidate has high responsibility and dependability, as well as excellent critical thinking, organizational and leadership skills. Performing independent research is an important aspect of the position, in addition to lab management duties. A minimal commitment of 2 years is required. Interested candidates please send a cover letter, a CV, undergraduate and/or graduate transcript, and names and contacts of two to three referees, to Prof. Biyu J. He at biyu.jade.he(a)gmail.com, with the subject line “Lab manager application 2019”

Dec. 5, 2018

SoAIR 2019: IEEE-RAS Spring School on "Social and Artificial Intelligence for User-Friendly Robots" in Japan

by Amir Aly

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS **Apologies for cross posting ** We are pleased to call for applications for the IEEE-RAS spring school on: "*Social and Artificial Intelligence for User-Friendly Robots*" * Which will be held from 17-24 March, 2019 in Shonan Village, Japan *after the *Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)* conference that will be held in the near South Korea. *Webpage: **https://inic8.bitbucket.io/SoAIR19/* <https://inic8.bitbucket.io/SoAIR19/> *I. Aim and Scope *Autonomous and intelligent systems are progressively moving into spaces, which have previously been predominantly shaped by human agency. Unlike in the past where machines obediently served their human operators, machines now increasingly act without the intervention of a human. Artificial intelligence is meeting new challenges in the world, though human-like intelligence may still be a distant goal. Robots in factories are coming out of their cages. Autonomous cars are being tested on streets with regular human-driven cars. The private household is changing with the appearance of not only robotic vacuum cleaners, but also with the first-generation of social robots and smart devices. The challenges that face both the robotics and artificial intelligence communities are how the necessary intelligence for such new environments can be created as well as how to make artificial agents capable of not only solving tasks at hand but also considering social environments around them during interaction with human users so as to behave appropriately. Within the school, we plan to address the tension created by the balance between task-specific artificial intelligence and the demands of sociability required to function effectively in human-centered environments. ** *Who should apply?* We invite *Masters and PhD students* as well as *post-doctoral candidates and researchers from industry* with relevant research background to apply for this spring school. ** *This spring school is a Technical Education Program (TEP) endorsed and supported by IEEE-RAS*. ** *The school aims at bridging the gap between social and cognitive Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Autonomous Vehicles (AV) through high level talks, tutorials, and hands-on workshops (the program will be announced soon).* *II. Keynote Speakers: * 1. * Jun Tani *– Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Japan 2. *Daniele Magazzeni *– King's College London, UK 3. * Yukie Nagai *– National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan 4. * Tetsuya Ogata* – Waseda University, Japan 5. *Mohamed Chetouani *– University of Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC), France 6. *Silvia Rossi* – University of Naples, Italy 7. *Agnieszka Wykowska *– Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Italy 8. *Tetsunari Inamura *– National Institute of Informatics (NII), Japan 9. *Amit Kumar Pandey *– SoftBank (Aldebaran) Robotics, France 10. *Mehul Bhatt* – Orebro University, Sweden (Tutorial) 11. *Mohsen Kaboli –* Bavarian Motor Works (BMW), Germany (Tutorial) 12. *Francesco Maurelli *– Jacobs University, Germany (Preparing Marie Curie funding proposal) 13. *Atsuko Nakatsuka* – Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan (Preparing JSPS funding proposal) *III. Submission * The applications must include the following files (combined into one file). No other documents would be necessary (More information is available on the school's webpage). 1. *Curriculum vitae*: A CV detailing relevant aspects of the candidate's academic career that demonstrates her/his relevance to the school theme. Please consider including the list of publications. 2. *Research abstract*: A 200-word research abstract that the candidate intends to present during the school. 3. *Letter of recommendation*: A brief letter from the academic advisor or the employer of the candidate supporting her/his application. Please also indicate if partial support would be required to attend the school. *Application submission*: Please use the following EasyChair web link:* Application Submission <https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=soair2019>.* *IV. Important Dates * 1. Application submission: *20-December, 2018 * 2. Notification of acceptance: *28-December, 2018 * 3. Spring School: *17-24 March, 2019* *V. Organizers * 1. *Amir Aly *– Ritsumeikan University – Japan 2. *Franziska Kirstein *– Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark 3. * Shashank Pathak *– Visteon Corporation, Germany --------------------- *Amir Aly, Ph.D.* Senior Researcher Emergent Systems Laboratory College of Information Science and Engineering Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 Japan

Dec. 4, 2018

Wellcome Trust funded four-year PhD programme in Neural Dynamics

by Conor Houghton

Wellcome Trust funded four-year PhD programme in Neural Dynamics. We are looking for applicants to the Neural Dynamics four-year PhD programme at the University of Bristol http://www.bristol.ac.uk/neural-dynamics/ The PhD programme is strongly interdisciplinary with all students jointly supervised by a computational and an experimental or clinical supervisor and we invite applications from potential students with a wide range of backgrounds including neuroscience, mathematics, statistics, machine learning, computer science, physics, psychology, and medicine. We offer a generous four-year studentship stipend, PhD registration fees at the current Home/EU rate, substantial research expenses, and funds for travel to conferences or courses. We are also able to waive the international fee a successful international student. The deadline for applications is the 6 January 2019. All the best Conor Houghton

Dec. 4, 2018

Faculty position in Neurorobotics at Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany)

by Julien Vitay

The Department of Computer Science at Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany) invites applications for a faculty position in Neurorobotics (W2-Professor with W3 Tenure-Track-Option). Please note that the position is initially limited to a duration of six years and requires a positive tenure review beginning 4 years after starting the position to be continued for an indefinite period as a W3 position. Further, the position includes teaching obligations. Courses can be given in English. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application by January 31, 2019. The complete job advertisement (in German) can be found here: https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/verwaltung/personal/stellen/W2-Neurorobotik.php Informal inquiries can be addressed to: Prof. Dr. Fred Hamker, Chair of the Search Committee (fred.hamker(a)informatik.tu-chemnitz.de) Best regards Julien Vitay -- Professur für Künstliche Intelligenz Fakultät für Informatik Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz (+49) 371 531-39468 julien.vitay(a)informatik.tu-chemnitz.de http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/~vitay/ <http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/~vitay/>

Dec. 3, 2018

3 EPFL faculty positions in Neurocomputing, Neuroengineering, Neuroscience

by Wulfram Gerstner

The EPFL in Switzerland has several faculty positions at the interface of neuroscience and engineering https://professeurs.epfl.ch/page-158407-en.html There are several positions announced in the broad area between engineering and neuroscience, one of the keywords is neurocomputing. Enquiries can be addressed to the chair of the search committee, Kind regards W. Gerstner

Dec. 3, 2018

Modeling milestones from the Allen Institute for Brain Science

by Anton Arkhipov

The Allen Institute for Brain Science has recently achieved some modeling milestones, which we are happy to share with the community. 1. Our paper about a biologically-realistic, data-driven model of the Layer 4 of mouse V1 has been published: https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006…. As reported in the paper, simulations of the 45,000-neuron model reproduced a variety of experimental observations, including effects of optogenetic perturbations. Insights into the mechanisms underlying patterns of activity and computations in the Layer 4 circuit were obtained. And, the model was developed and simulated employing both the biophysically detailed and point-neuron levels of resolution. The model and results of simulations are freely available to the community. 2. We publicly released our software suite for model building and simulations, the Brain Modeling ToolKit (BMTK): https://alleninstitute.github.io/bmtk/. This Python-based tool provides a powerful environment for building neuronal circuit models and a standardized interface for simulations, which interacts with other excellent tools, such as NEURON, NEST, and others. The interface allows one to harness the power of these existing tools for large-scale network simulations, while keeping the need for software coding to the minimum. 3. The Allen Institute website now features a section on Computational Modeling and Theory: http://portal.brain-map.org/explore/models. This site contains information and data from our published modeling papers (including the one above, but also others) and modeling software. Please visit the site and use our resources for your work! We hope that these tools and data will be useful for you and are looking forward to questions and feedback. Anton Arkhipov Associate Investigator antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org> T: 206.548.8414 www.alleninstitute.org<http://www.alleninstitute.org>

Dec. 3, 2018

Researcher in NLP with focus on "identification of early signs of cognitive abnormalities in language"

by Dimitrios Kokkinakis

*Type of employment:* Fixed-term employment, research position (12 months) *Extent*: 100 % *Location*: Department of Swedish, Gothenburg, Sweden *First day of employment: *2019-01-01 or as agreed. *Apply by*: 2018-12-13 *The position focus*:* identification of early signs of cognitive abnormalities in language* *Details of the post and instructions on how to apply are available from this link*: < *https://www.gu.se/english/about_the_university/job-opportunities/vacancies-details/?id=3417* <https://www.gu.se/english/about_the_university/job-opportunities/vacancies-…> *>* *Qualifications*: Ph.D. in Natural Language Processing (NLP), preferably in computer science with a strong focus on NLP and/or automatic speech processing (ASP), and *preferably *with a specialization in prior work related to mental and neurological impairments The Swedish Language Bank (SB) is a research unit at the Department of Swedish, University of Gothenburg. SB is the coordinating partner of the research project: “*Linguistic and extra-linguistic parameters for early detection of cognitive impairment*”. The successful applicant will conduct research in this project and particularly in the area in NLP and/or ASP in order to develop, adapt, analyze, and implement methods for processing *available* spoken and transcribed data samples acquired from people with mild and subjective forms of cognitive impairment as well as healthy controls (i.e. differentiating the different groups and/or identifying early cognitive abnormalities such as atypical language production, that precede the onset of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s). In particular, you will be using machine learning and other related techniques (deep learning) and develop, evaluate and deploy classification models and tools for experimenting with the data. Inquiries can be made to Dimitrios Kokkinakis ( dimitrios.kokkinakis(a)svenska.gu.se)

Nov. 30, 2018

'la Caixa' INPhINIT PhD opportunity at MCEN/BCAM and UChicago on neuron-glial connectomics

by Maurizio De Pitta

Dear colleagues, please share with whoever could be interested and forward to your department mailing lists. PhD project : Structure and function of the glial connectome. Lab / Host institution : Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience (MCEN) at the Basque Center of Applied Mathematics (BCAM). Supervisors : Maurizio De Pittà (BCAM), SerafimRodrigues (BCAM), Narayanan Kasthuri (The University of Chicago, and Argonne National Labs). Location : Bilbao, The Basque Country, Spain. Duration : 3 years. Stipend : 30k+ EUR/year + mobility allowance. Starting date : May—Oct 2019 (negotiable). Award type: Preselection + competitive call. Categories: Incoming (for international students not living in Spain at the time of the call) and Retaining (for Spanish students) Preselection deadline: January 13th, 2019 (incoming); February 9th, 2019 (retaining). Application deadlines: February 6th, 2019 (incoming); February 27th, 2019 (retaining) (more details: https://goo.gl/HZCPxp) Scientific background : Neurons of the brain form complex circuits, connecting each other by means of synapses. The structure of these circuits is believed to closely relate with their function. Accordingly, mapping the architecture of neural circuits of the brain, otherwise known as the brain’s neuronal connectome, is a prominent area of investigation of modern neuroscience. In parallel, there is growing awareness that glial cells such as astrocytes, could modulate the physical structure of the neuronal connectome. Astrocytes indeed form barriers to neuronal connectivity and regulate synapse formation and deletion, but they could also modulate neuronal signal transmission in the extracellular space, along with structure and dynamics of synapses. In addition, astrocytes contact hundreds of thousand synapses, and are also connected in complex networks. This suggests that understanding the neuronal connectome should also include neuron-astrocyte interactions and thus mapping of the associated glial connectome in terms of synapse-astrocyte and astrocyte-astrocyte connections. Workplan : The candidate will be part of an international team of researchers within the framework of the Open Connectome Project (https://neurodata.io/) She/He will deploy mathematical tools borrowed from graph theory, statistical analysis, machine learning and algebraic topology to analyze big data sets from 3D electron microscopy of cortical tissue of rodent’s brain to seek the first map of astrocytic connections with synapses at subcellular spatial resolution. In parallel the candidate will develop expertise in modeling of complex heterogeneous cell networks of neurons and astrocytes, to explore potential functional relevance of specific synapse-astrocyte circuits and motifs in neuron-glial networks. Working environment : The candidate will be based in Bilbao (Spain) where she/he will work under the supervision of Drs. Maurizio De Pittà and Serafim Rodrigues at the Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience at the Basque Center of Applied Mathematics (BCAM). In addition, the candidate will also collaborate with and be supervised by Dr. Narayanan “Bobby” Kasthuri at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Labs (USA), where she/he will spend regular periods of time during her/his graduate training. Dr. De Pittà is a leading expert on computational modeling of neuron-glia interactions, with an experience in computational neuroscience of 10+ years who recently joined the MCEN group at BCAM as « Junior Leader » fellow with a start-up grant supported by la Caixa Banking Foundation. The MCEN group is a rapidly growing team led by Ikerbasque Professor Serafim Rodrigues, that was established in 2016 as part of the strategic research portfolio enacted by the Basque Country to foster interdisciplinary research in Neuroscience. Dr. Kasthuri is one of the leading experts in modern connectomics, who has pioneered large volume automated electron microscopy for mapping neuronal connections and synchrotron source X-ray microscopy to map the cellular composition of entire brains. BCAM is one of the Severo Ochoa’s excellence centers for scientific research in Spain and it provides an exeptionally fertile international environment for professional development and enriching scientific collaborations. Bilbao, as the capital of the Basque Country in Spain, is a vibrant, friendly city with one of the highest standards of life quality in Spain. Requirements : -- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, or related fields. -- Excellent English skills (oral and written). – Experience in machine learning and/or statistical analysis and/or topology or algebraic topology. -- Programming skills in Matlab, Python and C/C++. -- High motivation for interdisciplinary research with strong interests for biological details and an analytic mindset. – Capacity to meet deadlines and outstanding propensity to work in an international dynamic environment. -- Essential knowledge of neuroscience and graph theory is preferred but not required. Additional notes : This is a cutting-edge project that ideally matches with outstanding and creative candidates, with a strong motivation for international collaborations, mobility, and independence. The candidate will work on the project full-time and no part-time agreements will be taken into consideration. Application process : The INPhINIT PhD Fellowship Program by la Caixa Banking Foundation is the most prestigious PhD fellowship program running in Spain. The program is highly competitive and offers unequalled training an financial support to its fellow. The ideal successful candidate should have an outstanding educational background and rank among the 5% best of his/her class. Candidates who are interested in the advertised PhD project, must first send a CV with letter of motivation (max 2 pages) to Drs. De Pittà (mdepitta(a)bcamath.org) and Kasthuri (bobbykasthuri(a)uchicago.edu) for review and preselection. Preselections are open now till January 13, 2019 (for incoming candidates) and February 3rd, 2019 (for retaining candidates). Specify as mail object: “INPhINIT PhD Project Application”. Relevant References: De Pittà et al., Astrocytes: orchestrating synaptic plasticity?, Neuroscience, 2015, 323:43. Katshuri et al., Saturated reconstruction of a volume of neocortex, Cell, 2015, 162 :648 Relevant links: Official call by BCAM: https://goo.gl/Vq8mto INPhINIT: https://goo.gl/d761sP BCAM homepage: https://goo.gl/ENSBAo Maurizio De Pittà: https://goo.gl/pJXEYJ Narayanan “Bobby” Kasthuri: https://goo.gl/pYmv2w Open Connectome Project: https://neurodata.io/ ----- Maurizio De Pitta' Research Fellow MCEN -- Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience BCAM -- Basque Center of Applied Mathematics https://sites.google.com/site/mauriziodepitta/home

Nov. 29, 2018

CFP Frontiers Research Topic: Closing the Loop: From Human Behavior to Multisensory Robots

by Pablo Barros

Call For Papers - Frontiers Research Topic: Closing the Loop: From Human Behavior to Multisensory Robots I. Aim and Scope The ability to efficiently process crossmodal information is a key feature of the human brain that provides a robust perceptual experience and behavioral responses. Consequently, the processing and integration of multisensory information streams such as vision, audio, haptics, and proprioception play a crucial role in the development of autonomous agents and cognitive robots, yielding an efficient interaction with the environment also under conditions of sensory uncertainty. This Research Topic invites authors to submit new findings, theories, systems, and trends in multisensory learning for intelligent agents and robots with the aim to foster the development of novel and impactful research which will contribute to the understanding of human behavior and the development of artificial systems operating in real-world environments. II. Potential Topics Topics include, but are not limited to: - New methods and applications for crossmodal processing and multisensory integration (e.g. vision, audio, haptics, proprioception) - Machine learning and neural networks for multisensory robot perception - Computational models of crossmodal attention and perception - Bio-inspired approaches for crossmodal learning - Multisensory conflict resolution and executive control - Sensorimotor learning for autonomous agents and robots - Crossmodal learning for embodied and cognitive robots III. Submission - Abstract - 18th January 2019 - Paper Submission - 12th May 2019 More information: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/9321/closing-the-loop-from-huma… IV. Guest Editors Pablo Barros, University of Hamburg, Germany Doreen Jirak, Hamburg University, Germany German I. Parisi, Apprente, Inc., USA Jun Tani, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan -- Dr. Pablo Barros Postdoctoral Research Associate - Crossmodal Learning Project (CML) Knowledge Technology Department of Informatics University of Hamburg Vogt-Koelln-Str. 30 22527 Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 40 42883 2535 Fax: +49 40 42883 2515 barros at informatik.uni-hamburg.dehttp://www.pablobarros.nethttps://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/people/barros.htmlhttps://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/

Nov. 29, 2018

Faculty position in Computational Neuroscience and AI at the University of Edinburgh

by Matthias Hennig

The Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation at the University of Edinburgh is inviting applications for a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader (Assistant/Associate professor) position in Computational Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence. This position is part of an expansion of research and teaching in cognition, neuroscience, and AI. Candidates should have inter-disciplinary research interests, combining computational and machine learning based methods and cognitive science, and be able to teach undergraduate and master’s level courses in areas such as AI and machine learning, in addition to teaching in cognitive science. The closing date is 15. Jan 2019. For further details and to apply, go to: https://www.vacancies.ed.ac.uk/pls/corehrrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.jobs… Edinburgh is also recruiting faculty in Computational Cognitive Science: https://www.vacancies.ed.ac.uk/pls/corehrrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.jobs… -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Nov. 28, 2018

Cognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience Training Program at University of Oregon

by Luca Mazzucato

The Institute of Neuroscience (ION) at the University of Oregon is welcoming applications for graduate training in neuroscience (deadline December 1st 2018). The training program in Cognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience ( CCSN <http://ion.uoregon.edu/content/cognitive-computational-and-systems-neurosci…>) is sponsored by the University of Oregon Institute of Neuroscience, the nation's first research institute of its kind. In keeping with the innovative origins of the Institute, the CCSN program provides a rare opportunity for graduate students to forge experimental and theoretical links between systems and cognitive neuroscience while becoming experts in their field of choice. We believe that such interdisciplinary training positions our graduates to become leaders in the growing field of integrative and behavioral neuroscience. The Computational Neuroscience core of the CCSN includes Yashar Ahmadian's and Luca Mazzucato's labs, in close collaboration with all other ION labs (Chris Doe, Santiago Jaramillo, Bryce Kuhl, Shawn Lockery, David McCormick, Cris Niell, Matt Smear, Mike Wehr, and many others). The heart of our program is thesis research. Twenty eight faculty members drawn from the departments of Biology, Psychology, and Mathematics serve as research mentors and instructors. These researchers use a wide range of approaches including molecular biology, genetics, electrophysiology, optogenetics, functional brain imaging, and computational neuroscience to tackle fundamental questions in the neuronal basis of perception, behavior, memory, and cognition. CCSN faculty study not only humans but a wide range of model organisms including C. elegans, Drosophila, zebrafish, and rodents. As a result, students enrolled in our PhD program come away with the broad conceptual and technical skills necessary to run an independent neuroscience research lab or pursue many other related career paths. Our state-of-the-art facilities and excellent support staff allow ION members to progress rapidly by making exploratory or pilot experiments accessible. When not "at the bench," trainees follow a customizable course of study that leads from a year-long graduate core course to a variety of elective courses that allow students to go deeper into their specialty. In addition to course work, trainees learn in a variety of interactive settings including lab meetings, journal clubs, seminars, bi-monthly research-in-progress meetings, and institute retreats. These activities, together with a culture of openness and engagement among CCSN faculty members, create a degree of cohesiveness that sets CCSN apart from programs at other universities. We're passionate about creating an inclusive environment that promotes and values diversity. Research institutions that are diverse in gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, and perspective are proven to foster greater creativity and promote synergistic, collaborative innovation and interactions. Our application deadline is December 1, 2018. If interested in applying, please contact David McCormick (davidmc(a)uoregon.edu) David A. McCormick Director, Institute of Neuroscience davidmc(a)uoregon.edu

Nov. 27, 2018

2 openings in vision rehabilitation and multi-modal data modelling: 1 PhD and 1 RA/postdoc

by Paul Matusz

Institute of Information Systems at HES-SO in Valais and Foundation for the Blind in Lausanne (Switzerland) are looking for 1 PhD student and 1 RA/postdoc (open rank) interested in links between (eye) health, neuroscience and modelling links between sensory/ perceptual - brain - cognitive processes. Our project aims to asssess the potential of virtual reality games in the rehabilitation of the most common pediatric vision disorder - amblyopia ("lazy eye"). The recovery potential is assessed at the level of both the usual, basic vision skills (visual acuity or 3D vision) and functional "visual" skills like age-appropriate literacy skills. The project likewise aims to establish the role therein of different selective attention systems (visual, multisensory), as studied with rigorous experimental paradigms combined with the advantages of EEG and multi-variate EEG/ERP analyses (eg. Murray et al. 2008 BTOP; Tivadar & Murray 2018 ORM tinyurl.com/y8uxonnf ). The project is well-suited for students interested in modelling multi-modal clinical pediatric data and clinical change in the areas of medicine, neuroscience and/or cognition. More details here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VpzIFBz1wzrqHQNqEsD3CnktbD2axGgv/view Paul (Pawel) Matusz, Ph.D. Junior Group Leader Institute of Information Systems, HES-SO – Radiology, University Hospital Centre & University of Lausanne, Sierre – Lausanne, Switzerland Adjunct Assistant Professor Hearing & Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA https://groupforrealworldneuroscience.wordpress.com/ https://twitter.com/paweljmatusz +41 213141547

Nov. 27, 2018

Graduate Program in Computational Neuroscience at Tübingen - Deadline Jan 15th

by Philipp Berens

The Master program "Neural Information Processing - Computational Neuroscience" covers theoretical and computational aspects of neuroscience. Faculty include: Peter Dayan, Matthias Bethge, Zhaoping Li, Martin Giese, Alexander Ecker, Philipp Berens, Fabian Sinz, Anna Levina and many more! Students obtain extensive training in computational modeling of neural systems, machine learning data analysis and neuroscience. While the first year is dedicated to course work at the graduate level, the second year provides hands-on research experience in leading labs in lab rotations and during thesis work. After finishing the Master program, students can smoothly transition to our PhD program and continue their research. The program provides research-oriented training in a wide spectrum of basic computational neuroscience topics with different options: machine learning for neuroscience and neural data analysis models of neural dynamics and coding motor control, rehabilitation robotics and brain-computer interfaces systems neuroscience and neurophysiology data science, bioinformatics and programming behaviour and cognition The deadline for applications is January, 15th (written documents must be in Tübingen). For more information please visit: https://www.bccn-tuebingen.de/education/master-of-science-neural-informatio… Please forward to interested students at the BSc level. -- Prof. Dr. Philipp Berens University of Tübingen Institute for Ophthalmic Research http://www.berenslab.org phone: +49-7071-2988833

Nov. 27, 2018

Three Postdocs in Epilepsy and Brain-Computer Interfaces, Melbourne, Australia

by David Grayden

Three Postdocs in Epilepsy and Brain-Computer Interfaces ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies The University of Melbourne and IBM Research - Australia http://jobs.unimelb.edu.au/caw/en/job/898108/research-fellows-in-epilepsy-3… We have created a new research training centre dedicated to Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies and are now looking for outstanding Research Fellows to join on us on three-year appointments. This is an exciting joint venture between the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Computing and Information Systems in collaboration with our research partners IBM Research Australia, University of South Australia, Western Sydney University, RMIT University, and CSIRO. Our focus is to create a workforce that is expert in developing, applying, and integrating artificial intelligence technologies in data-intensive medical contexts by facilitating the next generation of data-driven and machine learning-based medical technologies. The Three Roles: 1. Epileptic Seizure Prediction - in this project, you will work to develop and apply state-of-the-art machine learning approaches for epileptic seizure prediction as well as assessing the efficacy of epilepsy medication. 2. Epilepsy Modelling - in this project, you will help understand the causes and behaviours of epileptic seizures and develop high fidelity models for seizure prediction. This will be done by bringing together neural models of the brain with machine learning. 3. Brain-Computer Interfaces - in this project, you will work to develop a neural network-based brain-computer interface that can be used to control augmentative devices for people with speech, vision or motor disorders. We are interested in applications from those whose expertise aligns with and reflects strengths in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. We are also interested in specific experience in programming skills, machine learning, signal processing and computational neuroscience. Applications close: 07 Jan 2019 11:55 PM AUS Eastern Daylight Time Details: http://jobs.unimelb.edu.au/caw/en/job/898108/research-fellows-in-epilepsy-3… Regards, David Professor David B. Grayden Head of Department Dept of Biomedical Engineering Melbourne School of Engineering The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 Australia http://www.bme.unimelb.edu.au | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgrayden

Nov. 27, 2018

open rank faculty position in Human Movement Science at Northeastern, Boston, MA

by Marta Russo

The Department of Biology at College of Science and the Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Science at the Bouve College of Health Sciences invites nominations and applications for a tenure track faculty position (open rank, from the Assistant to the Full Professor rank). Applicants are encouraged to submit their application by November 29, 2018 to receive full considerations, but review of applications will continue until the position is filled. More info can be found below or here <https://neu.peopleadmin.com/postings/57607.>. Informal inquiries can be addressed to: Dr. Dagmar Sternad, Chair of the Search Committee (d.sternad(a)northeastern.edu) Apologies for multiple posting. -- Marta Russo, PhD Postdoctoral Research Associate Action Lab Office: 503 Richards Hall Mail: 134 Mugar Life Sciences Building Northeastern University 360 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 m.russo(a)northeastern.edu *Faculty Position in Human Movement Science* *Northeastern University, Boston, MA* *Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor* *A tenure-track position is open in Human Movement Sciences in the Department of Biology, College of Science and the Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Science, Bouve College of Health Sciences, at Northeastern University.* The position is open for applicants from the Assistant to the Full Professor rank. The candidate’s research can be in the areas of experimental, computational, or clinical human movement, with a possible bridge to prosthetics and robotics. This position is part of a growing university-wide cluster in the science of human movement, spanning research strengths from basic experimental and computational research to rehabilitation science, robotics, and neuroengineering. Priority will be placed on research strengths that complement existing strengths in computational human movement science, rehabilitation science, neurophysiology, neuroimaging, and control theory, although excellence is of top-most priority. Depending on the research profile, an affiliated appointment with Bioengineering or Electrical and Mechanical Engineering is possible. The anticipated start date is Fall Semester, 2019. Responsibilities will include conducting an independent, externally funded research program, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, and participating in departmental, college and university service. Qualified candidates should have experience in, or be able to demonstrate a commitment to, working with diverse student populations and/or in a culturally diverse work and educational environment. The Department of Biology is strongly interdisciplinary, with 20 tenured and tenure-track faculty in Biology and an additional 9 faculty with joint appointments in other departments. The department administers programs in the College of Science at Northeastern University for 1,200 undergraduates, and 100 students in Ph.D., Masters, and Professional Masters programs. The Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, located within Bouvé College of Health Sciences, is comprised of 10 tenured and tenure track faculty and 20 clinical faculty. The Department offers a Ph.D. program in Human Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, as well as one of the oldest and largest Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the country. Grounded in its signature co-op program, Northeastern provides unprecedented global experiential learning opportunities. Northeastern University occupies a vibrant 67-acre campus in the heart of Boston, surrounded by other leading educational, health care, technological, and research institutions, as well as world-renowned venues for art and music. Applicants must have a PhD in the life sciences, including physical medicine and physical therapy, neuroscience, neurophysiology, bioengineering, electrical or mechanical engineering, kinesiology, rehabilitation sciences, or other related disciplines. All applicants should have a strong record of scholarly accomplishment that demonstrate research productivity and the ability to perform cutting edge research. Candidates seeking appointment at the associate or full professor level should have substantial research productivity and a history of grant support and academic service. *Please submit a curriculum vitae, cover letter, a two-page description of research accomplishments and plans, a statement on teaching, and the name and contact information for three references through the application portal* https://neu.peopleadmin.com/postings/57607 <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense…> . Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applications should be submitted by November 29, 2018 to receive full considerations. Informal inquiries can be addressed to: Dr. Dagmar Sternad, Chair of the Search Committee (d.sternad(a)northeastern.edu) -- <http://www.hsantalucia.it/5x1000-sostieni-la-nostra-ricerca> *Rispetta l'ambiente: se non ti è necessario, non stampare questo messaggio - **Please consider the environment before printing this email.*

Nov. 26, 2018

Using spike train distances to identify the most discriminative neuronal subpopulation

by Thomas Kreuz

Dear all, may I kindly draw your attention to our most recent paper which contains several new algorithms to address neuronal population coding using spike train distances: Satuvuori E, Mulansky M, Daffertshofer A, Kreuz T: Using spike train distances to identify the most discriminative neuronal subpopulation <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165027018302747> JNeurosci Methods, 308, 354 [PDF <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165027018302747>] and arXiv [PDF <https://arxiv.org/pdf/1805.10892.pdf>] (2018). For the abstract see below. This paper is part of the dissertation "Spike train distances and neuronal coding <http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/handle/1871/55855/abstract%20english.pdf?s…>" of my PhD student Eero Satuvuori whose full thesis can now be found here <http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/handle/1871/55855/abstract%20english.pdf?s…>. Besides some original parts and the paper cited above it also contains these recent works: Satuvuori E, Kreuz T: Which spike train distance is most suitable for distinguishing rate and temporal coding? JNeurosci Methods 299, 22 [PDF <https://ac.els-cdn.com/S0165027018300372/1-s2.0-S0165027018300372-main.pdf?…>] and arXiv [PDF <https://arxiv.org/pdf/1708.07508.pdf>] (2018). Kreuz T, Satuvuori E, Pofahl M, Mulansky M: Leaders and followers: Quantifying consistency in spatio-temporal propagation patterns New J. Phys., 19, 043028 [PDF <https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa68c3>] and arXiv [PDF <https://arxiv.org/pdf/1610.07986v4.pdf>] (2017). Satuvuori E, Mulansky M, Bozanic N, Malvestio I, Zeldenrust F, Lenk K, Kreuz T: Measures of spike train synchrony for data with multiple time-scales JNeurosci Methods 287, 25 [PDF <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.05.028>] and arXiv [PDF <https://arxiv.org/pdf/1702.05394.pdf>] (2017). All the best, Thomas Kreuz PS: Satuvuori E, Mulansky M, Daffertshofer A, Kreuz T: Using spike train distances to identify the most discriminative neuronal subpopulation <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165027018302747> JNeurosci Methods, 308, 354 [PDF <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165027018302747>] and arXiv [PDF <https://arxiv.org/pdf/1805.10892.pdf>] (2018). Abstract: Background Spike trains of multiple neurons can be analyzed following the summed population (SP) or the labeled line (LL) hypothesis. Responses to external stimuli are generated by a neuronal population as a whole or the individual neurons have encoding capacities of their own. The SPIKE-distance estimated either for a single, pooled spike train over a population or for each neuron separately can serve to quantify these responses. New method For the SP case we compare three algorithms that search for the most discriminative subpopulation over all stimulus pairs. For the LL case we introduce a new algorithm that combines neurons that individually separate different pairs of stimuli best. Results The best approach for SP is a brute force search over all possible subpopulations. However, it is only feasible for small populations. For more realistic settings, simulated annealing clearly outperforms gradient algorithms with only a limited increase in computational load. Our novel LL approach can handle very involved coding scenarios despite its computational ease. Comparison with existing methods Spike train distances have been extended to the analysis of neural populations interpolating between SP and LL coding. This includes parametrizing the importance of distinguishing spikes being fired in different neurons. Yet, these approaches only consider the population as a whole. The explicit focus on subpopulations render our algorithms complimentary. Conclusions The spectrum of encoding possibilities in neural populations is broad. The SP and LL cases are two extremes for which our algorithms provide correct identification results. -- Institute for complex systems, CNR Via Madonna del Piano 10 50119 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy) Tel: +39-349-0748506 Email: thomas.kreuz(a)cnr.it Webpage: http://www.fi.isc.cnr.it/users/thomas.kreuz/

Nov. 26, 2018

Frontiers Research Topic "Discrimination of Genuine and Posed Facial Expressions of Emotion"

by Jian Liu

Call for Papers: Frontiers Research Topic "Discrimination of Genuine and Posed Facial Expressions of Emotion" More information: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/9221/discrimination-of-genuine-… About this Research Topic Facial expressions demonstrate one emotional states in interpersonal situations. Evidence shows that part of the facial display reflects the emotional experience that is literally felt by the expresser. Interestingly, human beings are capable of identifying facial expressions of the felt emotions as a form of intentional deception to conduct social interaction and to stage displays that have the support of others. Staged or posed facial expressions implement an emotion that an expresser intends to convey, where genuine expressions are considered as the companion of spontaneous emotional expressions. The ability to differentiate genuine displays of emotional experience from posed ones is very important for dealing with day-to-day social interactions. Recent work has been conducted on whether or not people can distinguish between posed and genuine displays of emotion. In spite of few studies to investigate this ability, most prior research suggests that people have the ability to judge genuine and posed facial displays. Unfortunately, previous research has suffered from two major shortcomings: (1) the mixture of staged and genuine displays due to the lack of accounting for possible effects of intentional manipulation, and (2) struggling to consider dynamic aspects when people prepare facial stimuli for experimental investigation. This Research Topic encourages the submission of theoretical and experimental perspectives to broaden understanding of the importance of the discrimination of genuine and posed facial expressions of emotion. These may be new theoretical approaches, those from other disciplines of psychology not usually utilized within the discrimination of genuine and staged emotion identification or new theories and designs. We seek articles that present new hypotheses, concepts, experimental observations, and theories or models; demonstrate how theories adapted from other disciplines may be utilized for emotion identification or provide recommendations to improve current models or theories to enhance their capacity. We look for papers that may combine critical analysis of current models, synthesis of early empirical work by single- or multi-modality analysis (e.g. video, ECG, EEG, fMRI, and single cells in humans and/or animals), and explore the potential for their development applied to the context of emotion recognition. Submissions of systematic reviews and meta-analysis should discuss and promote comprehensive approaches to update and evolve concepts, hypotheses, and theories with potential applications in the community. Keywords: face expression, discrimination, genuine, posed, emotion Guest editors: Huiyu Zhou, Department of Informatics, University of Leicester, United Kingdom. Caroline Ling Li, School of Computing, University of Kent, United Kingdom. Shiguang Shan, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. Shuo Wang, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, United States. Jian Liu, Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester, United Kingdom.

Nov. 26, 2018

Call for applications - 2019 Nengo Summer School

by Peter Blouw

[All details about this school can be found online at https://www.nengo.ai/summerschool] The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is excited to announce our 6th 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 new 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 last year's summer school, check out this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwtYgBB2N6I 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, 2019*** Format: A combination of tutorials and project-based work. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on testing hypotheses, 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 neuromorphic hardware (e.g. Loihi, SpiNNaker) - build perceptual, motor, and cognitive models using spiking neurons - model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data - use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model - integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models - interface Nengo with cameras and robotic systems - implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models - and much more… Date and Location: June 9th to June 21st, 2019 at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Applications: Please visit http://www.nengo.ai/summerschool, where you can find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an application form listing required materials. If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please contact Peter Blouw (peter.blouw(a)appliedbrainresearch.com) The school is also partly supported by ONR and ABR, Inc. We look forward to hearing from you!

Nov. 23, 2018

Postdoc position at The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics

by Leon French

The Computational Neurobiology Laboratory at The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics seeks a postdoctoral fellow to join our efforts to understand brain disorders. We focus on mining datasets of connectivity, gene expression, and epigenetics across the genome and the brain. We employ multifaceted approaches that gain information by using data that crosses scales, modalities, and species. We seek one postdoctoral fellow interested in bioinformatics and neuroscience. The primary project will be to join large transcriptomic resources with the polygenic signal of major depression to gain insight into the disorder. In addition to this project, there would be opportunities to pursue other research interests. Some of our frequently used keywords give a good description of our work: neuroinformatics, molecular neuroanatomy, genetics, transcriptomics, machine learning, text mining, neuroimaging, software development, and connectomics. The ideal candidate should have a PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science or related field with extensive knowledge in genome wide data integration. Significant interest in neuroscience and experience working with large datasets are requested. Familiarity with The Library of Integrative Network-based Cellular Signatures (LINCS) is a plus. Preferred qualifications and experience: - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Extensive experience in programming and scripting (e.g., R or Python) - Expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, neuroscience or related areas - Experience in analyzing, visualizing and integrating large-scale biological data - Contributions to public software projects Writing manuscripts and applying for independent grants and fellowships will be strongly encouraged. Highly motivated individuals (Ph.D. and/or M.D.) should submit a curriculum vitae, names of 3 references and a cover letter explaining their interest, and a brief description of research experience to leonfrench+recruit at gmail.com. You will support a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork and complies with all applicable and regulatory requirements. This position will be located at 250 College Street, Toronto.

Nov. 21, 2018

2 years postdoc position in reinforcement learning-based modeling of animal behavior

by david robbe

Dear Colleagues, Please find below an announcement for a postdoc position in Marseille (France) to develop reinforcement learning-based models of animal behavior. The Turing Centre for Living Systems in Marseille seeks applicants for a postdoc position in computational neuroscience/robotics under the joint supervision of David Robbe and Christophe Eloy. The initial appointment will be for 2 years. The goal of this project is to understand, at an algorithmic level, how animals learn to develop adaptive behavior by trial-and-error interaction with their environment. We propose an interdisciplinary approach combining behavioral experiments in rats and the development of an "artificial" agent facing challenges similar to those experienced by the rats. The experimental data (already available) show that rats challenged in a time estimation task converged progressively toward a conserved embodied strategy (Rueda-Orozco and Robbe, Nature Neuroscience, 2015). Key determinants of that strategy have been isolated experimentally, by altering task rules and environment and quantifying how these alterations affect animal performance. Learning theoretical models will be based on reinforcement learning and more recent developments coming from artificial intelligence (deep learning). The main task of the project will be to develop computational model and therefore we expect the candidates to have a solid background in the gerenal field of machine learning. The successful applicant will work in close collaboration with experimentalists and robotic engineers. We are therefore looking for an enthusiastic applicant with excellent communication skills and a track record in interdisciplinary collaborative environments Deadline for application: 1st of December 2018 (late application will be considered until the end of the year) More information and application.<http://centuri-livingsystems.org/pdp2018-11/>http://centuri-livingsystems.org/pdp2018-11/ -- David Robbe, PhD Neural Bases of Sensorimotor learning Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED) INSERM-UMR1249 163, avenue de Luminy. BP13 13273 Marseille Cedex 9 France Tel: +33 4 91 82 81 99 Fax: +33 4 91 82 81 05 Team Web Page <http://www.inmed.fr/en/en-avenir-dynamiques-neuronales-et-fonctions-des-gan…> /"It is disturbingly common for studies to include behavior as simply a hasty add-on in papers that are otherwise crammed full of multiple techniques, types of results, and even species. It is as if every paper needs to be a methodological decathlon in order to be considered important."/ Krakauer et al., Neuron 2017 <https://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(16)31040-6>

Nov. 21, 2018

New AFOSR Cognitive & Computational Neuroscience research funding portfolio

by GREENWALD, HAL S DR-04 USAF AFMC AFOSR/RTA

Dear Colleagues, Please check out AFOSR's new research funding portfolio in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience! The Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience program funds high-risk, high-potential basic research that uses experimental and computational modeling techniques from systems neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, computational/theoretical neuroscience, cognitive science, and cognitive psychology to understand the neural mechanisms responsible for perception, cognition, and behavior. The program also supports brain-inspired algorithm and hardware development provided these are useful for testing proposed neuroscience theories and/or enabling novel capabilities in computing, artificial intelligence, or autonomous systems. The Broad Agency Announcement is posted at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=305996 (see file FA9550-18-S-0003 Amendment 002.pdf) Awards under this BAA are not limited to US researchers. Although the BAA remains open year round, to be considered for FY19 funding, full proposals should be submitted via grants.gov no later than mid-February. Emailed pre-proposals in the form of white papers (approximately 3-5 pages, excluding references) describing specific research questions and approaches are encouraged. Regards, Hal Greenwald Hal S. Greenwald, Ph.D. Program Officer, Cognitive & Computational Neuroscience Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR/RTA) 875 N. Randolph St. Arlington, VA 22203-1768 (703) 588-8441 neuroscience(a)us.af.mil

Nov. 19, 2018

PhD studentship, University of Exeter

by Goodfellow, Marc

A fully funded studentship is available to work with Dr. Marc Goodfellow (University of Exeter, UK) and Prof. George Augustine (NTU, Singapore). The deadline for applications is 31st January 2019. Healthy brain function is mediated by the coordination of neuronal activity - both locally and across different brain regions - giving rise to large-scale brain dynamics. These dynamics are measured using a variety of techniques, for example magneto-/electro-encephalography or functional MRI in humans, or by fluorescence-based imaging of voltage- or calcium-sensitive indicators in animal models in vivo. Uncovering the nature and mechanisms of large-scale brain dynamics at rest, or during sensory processing, remains a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. In addition to basic insight, improving our understanding of healthy brain dynamics will help us elucidate reasons why abnormal dynamics occur, for example in neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders. This studentship will develop a novel program of interdisciplinary research across in vivo (mouse) experimentation and mathematical modelling. The overall aim is to construct and validate mathematical models of large-scale brain dynamics that are able to explain the spontaneous activity of the rodent brain in vivo. The student will train in optogenetic technologies and in vivo imaging, as well as mathematical model development, multi-variate time series analysis and parameter fitting tools, thus placing them at the forefront of interdisciplinary neuroscience. In a first step, targeted optogenetic stimuli will be combined with voltage sensitive dye imaging in awake mice to probe the response of brain tissue to excitatory and inhibitory afferent stimuli. Neural mass models will be fit to these data, using machine learning approaches (for example random forests). This information will be compiled into a predictive model of cortical dynamics and tested against experimental recordings of spontaneous activity. The studentship is part of a joint program between The University of Exeter (UoE) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. They are offering six fully funded postgraduate studentships to undertake collaborative research projects at the two institutions, leading to PhD degrees (split-site) to be conferred either by the UoE or NTU. Students pursuing these postgraduate research projects will benefit from the unique opportunity to conduct their research at both institutions. Students will be registered at one or other institution, where they will be based for the majority of their time, but will spend at least 12 and not more than 18 months at the partner institution over the duration of the programme. The frequency and length of stays at each institution will be agreed with successful candidates prior to offers being made. All six projects are advertised concurrently at both institutions and three will be allocated to each institution after the deadline has passed, based on a collaborative decision made between the UoE and NTU. The final decision on the successful applicant for each project will be made by the institution hosting the project. Project allocation will be based on the applicant's best fit to a project, following a review of applications submitted to each institution. Applications to undertake the projects at the UoE and NTU are open to all nationalities. The programme start dates are August 2019 for NTU and September 2019 for UoE The home institution will determine the regulations that will apply to the successful applicant. The student's main supervisor will be based at the home institution. For further information and to register interest, please contact Dr. Marc Goodfellow (m.goodfellow(a)exeter.ac.uk) To apply and for further details, please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/?id=3058

Nov. 19, 2018

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. Teaching and research assistantships are available, and include a tuition waiver and a competitive stipend. Application target date is December 15, 2018 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/?utm_… For more information, please email us (math(a)njit.edu, CC to:rmoore@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/

Nov. 17, 2018

Threshold Networks Workshop - First announcement

by Stephen Coombes

First announcement Threshold Networks July 22 - 24, 2019 Nottingham, UK https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/conference/fac-sci/maths-sci/threshold-network… This workshop will bring together a community of people interested in both networks and dynamics, with an eye to both mathematical tractability and applications to biology, engineering, physics, and the social sciences. The emphasis will be on ‘thresholds’ in their broadest sense as exemplified by node dynamics or interactions that are described by simple, yet possibly non-smooth or discontinuous switch-like processes. The workshop will cover both theory and applications. The meeting will have no parallel sessions, and it is expected to involve around 60 participants (with 12 main speakers) and contributed poster presentations. Speakers: Alex Arenas, Universidad Rovira i Virgili, Spain Mario Di Bernardo, University of Bristol, UK Ginestra Bianconi, Queen Mary University of London, UK Des Higham, University of Strathclyde, UK Renaud Lambiotte, University of Oxford, UK Naoki Masuda, University of Bristol, UK Peter Mucha, University of North Carolina, USA Sarah Muldoon, University at Buffalo, USA Yamir Moreno, University of Zaragoza, Spain Important dates Registration deadline: 1st June 2019 Poster abstract submission deadline: 12th April 2019. Notification of acceptance: 1st May 2019 The registration fee for the conference is 100.00 GBP. A “Tutorial Day” (covering key concepts in dynamical systems and network science) will also take place prior to the meeting (on July 21). Some financial assistance may be available to assist graduate students who attend both the training workshop and the conference. Further details of this meeting and how to register may be found at https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/conference/fac-sci/maths-sci/threshold-network… Scientific Organisers Yi Ming Lai, Rüdiger Thul, and Stephen Coombes, University of Nottingham Mason A. Porter, UCLA Enquiries should be sent to: ThresholdNetworks2019(a)nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:ThresholdNetworks2019@nottingham.ac.uk> ------------------------------------------------------- Stephen Coombes Professor of Applied Mathematics School of Mathematical Sciences Nottingham, UK Tel: 0115 846 7836 http://www.maths.nott.ac.uk/~sc/ ------------------------------------------------------- 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.

Nov. 16, 2018

Multiple Postdocs available in the Neurobiology of Language

by Woolnough, Oscar

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITIONS Multiple Postdoctoral research positions are available in the Tandon Lab at The University of Texas in Houston as part of the newly formed Texas Epilepsy Neurotechnologies and Neuroinformatics (TENN) Institute. Positions are funded either via multi year Institute funding or by NIH funds (an R01 and a U01). The lab uses multimodal approaches – fMRI, lesional analysis following epilepsy surgery, intracranial recordings and direct stimulation to create validate network level representations of language. Lab Collaborators include Greg Hickok (UCI), Stanislas Dehaene (NeuroSpin), Nathan Crone (JHU), Simon Fisher Baum (Rice) and Xaq Pitkow (Rice-Baylor); the post-doc will benefit from a close interaction with these experts in the fields of reading, semantics, speech production and computational neuroscience. The selected individual must have a Ph.D. in one or more of the following: neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, mathematics, electrical engineering or computer science. Previous experience in neural time series data analysis, functional imaging studies of language, or studies of speech production are desirable – but not crucial. They must possess the ability to independently code in any or all of the following: MATLAB, R or python. They are expected to be highly motivated, team players with a passion to study cognitive processes using any or all of the various modalities available in the lab - imaging, direct recordings and closed-loop cortical stimulation in humans. Given the multiple unpredictable variables and privacy issues around data collection in human patients, the individual must possess high ethical and professional standards and be adaptable. A strong publication record and excellent academic credentials are highly desirable. CONTACT: Nitin.Tandon(a)uth.tmc.edu<mailto:Nitin.Tandon@uth.tmc.edu> Eliana.Klier(a)uth.tmc.edu<mailto:Eliana.Klier@uth.tmc.edu> More information @ www.tandonlab.org

Nov. 16, 2018

PhD fellowship on analysis/large-scale modelling of cross-frequency coupling and stimulation

by BATTAGLIA Demian

Applications are invited for a: PhD fellowship at Aix-Marseille University (AMU, southern France) under the mentoring of Dr. Demian Battaglia (Institute for Systems Neuroscience - INS). This three-years fellowship is funded by the ANR grant (Agence National de la Recherche) “ERMUNDY (Exact Reduction of Multiscale Neural Dynamics)”. In the context of this project we will develop computational multi-scale models of cortical oscillatory dynamics (multiple frequencies, cross-frequency coupling…) and of its control via stimulation. The used models (from the regional to the whole-brain level) will be constrained by realistic information on the phase response properties of actual neural populations, which will be inferred from both extra-cranial (TMS) and intra-cranial (sEEG) stimulation data, acquired in house at AMU. Interactions with other researchers will take place as well, including experimentalists located in AMU, and theorists at Cergy-Pontoise University (Alessandro Torcini) and Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris (Boris Gutkin). The PhD fellow will participate to both experimental data analysis (extraction of Phase Response Curves, functional connectivity analyses…) and model design and simulation. The successful candidate will integrate the Theoretical Neuroscience Group at the Institute for Systems Neuroscience (INS), located on the same campus of the Timone University hospital (AP-HM). The integrative and clinical neuroscience community in Marseille is among the most lively in Europe and Marseille is a vibrating city, with wonderful natural surroundings and home to the largest French-speaking university in the world, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary studies. Salary (~1.4k euros net, after all taxes and full social security coverage) is defined according to French national guidelines and cannot be negotiated. Interested candidates should send a cv, a brief description of qualifications and research interests and the name of one or two reference contacts to: Demian Battaglia demian.battaglia(a)univ-amu.fr Feel free to inquire for further information. Applications from under-represented categories in STEM sciences are welcome and supported.

Nov. 16, 2018

PhD position at HU Berlin (Physics Dep.) available

by Benjamin Lindner

*Calcium spiking with cumulative refractoriness - statistics of the fluctuations and implications for Calcium signaling** *We are looking for a PhD candidate to theoretically explore models of noisy spike-generating cellular signalling systems for which the intracellular Calcium dynamics is a prominent example. Methods will be developed within the frameworks of the theory of stochastic processes, statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics. The project is a collaboration between the research groups of Martin Falcke (Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine Berlin and Humboldt University Berlin) and Benjamin Lindner (Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin and Humboldt University Berlin) and the PhD students of both groups are expected to closely collaborate. The successful candidate should have a degree in physics (a background in physical biology is desirable but not obligatory), expertise in analytical calculations, programming skills (C++ or C, Python, LaTeX, Linux), and excellent command of the English language, good communication skills, and team spirit. Funding is provided for three years, starting at the latest February 1, 2019. For details on the doctoral examination process at the Physics Department of Humboldt University Berlin, see https://fakultaeten.hu-berlin.de/en/mnf/wisskar/promotionen/index_html?set_…. Applications, including a letter of motivation, a CV, and a list of three potential referees should be sent by email to   me benjamin.lindner(a)physik.hu-berlin.de  (cc to nikola.schrenk(a)bccn-berlin.de)  The deadline for applications is December 31st 2018, however, later applications might also be considered. HU is seeking to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching, and specifically encourages qualified female scholars to apply. Severely disabled applicants with equivalent qualifications will be given preferential consideration. People with an immigration background are specifically encouraged to apply. Since we will not return your documents, please submit copies in the application only. Kind regards, Benjamin Lindner -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin Lindner Professor for Theory of Complex Systems and Neurophysics Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin Philippstr. 13, Haus 2, 10115 Berlin Room: 1.17, phone: 0049(0)302093 6336 Department of Physics Humboldt University Berlin Newtonstr. 15 12489 Berlin Room: 3.408, phone: 0049(0)302093 7934 http://people.physik.hu-berlin.de/~lindner/index.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nov. 16, 2018

Associate Professor in Mathematical Imaging

by Stephen Coombes

Dear all, As part of the growth of activity in Precision Imaging at Nottingham there is an opening at Associate Professor level in the area of Mathematical Imaging. The post-holder will undertake original research of international excellence in Mathematical Imaging or closely related areas including Neuroimaging and Computational Neuroscience, complementing and enhancing the current activity of the Mathematical Medicine and Biology group (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cmmb/index.aspx) and the University Beacon in Precision Imaging (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/beacons-of-excellence/precision-imagi…) For information about how to apply please visit https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/MED1511 Best regards, Steve ------------------------------------------------------- Stephen Coombes Professor of Applied Mathematics School of Mathematical Sciences Nottingham, UK Tel: 0115 846 7836 http://www.maths.nott.ac.uk/~sc/ ------------------------------------------------------- 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.

Nov. 14, 2018

XI. Dubrovnik Conference on Cognitive Science - Computational Rationality

by Gergo Orban

Dear All, We are happy to announce the XI. Dubrovnik Conference on Cognitive Science, which is devoted to the topic of Computational Rationality. The conference will take place between 23-25 May 2019 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Invited speakers are: Ulrike Hahn (Birkbeck, University of London, UK) Quentin Huys (ETH Zürich, Switzerland) Julian Jara-Ettinger (Yale University, USA) Mate Lengyel (University of Cambridge, Central European University) Azzurra Ruggeri (Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany) Laura Schultz (MIT, USA) For more information please visit: http://www.cecog.eu/ducog/page_invitation.php <http://www.cecog.eu/ducog/page_invitation.php> or email us: ducog(a)cogsci.bme.hu <mailto:ducog@cogsci.bme.hu> On behalf of the organisers, Oana Stanciu Gergő Orbán

Nov. 13, 2018

Postdoc positions in computational and multimodal neuroimaging

by Laura Lewis

Postdoc positions at Boston University and Harvard Medical School/MGH POSITION 1: We have openings for postdoctoral associates to lead multimodal neuroimaging studies of brain function in Laura Lewis' lab at Boston University, aiming to advance computational and systems neuroscience of the human brain. These positions offer the opportunity to develop computational neuroimaging approaches using state-of-the-art MR techniques, and study the neural basis and cognitive consequences of sleep, wake, arousal, and attentional states. We use fast fMRI, multimodal imaging (e.g. EEG-fMRI, PET-fMRI), computational modeling, ultra-high field (7 Tesla) imaging, and other multimodal approaches to measure and analyze brain function across diverse states. The lab is a fast-paced and interdisciplinary environment that supports its members in achieving their long-term research and career goals, and has strong collaborations throughout the Boston-area computational neuroscience and neuroimaging communities. POSITION 2: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in advanced functional MRI based at the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School. Our research aims to enable new kinds of analyses of brain activity through advanced neuroimaging and signal processing approaches. Working with Drs. Jonathan Polimeni and Laura Lewis, the fellow will study the neural and vascular origins of fast fMRI signals and test the upper limits of the speed and sensitivity of fMRI. The postdoctoral fellow will use advanced accelerated fMRI methods and ultra-high field imaging (7T) to study and model the dynamics of neural activation at fast timescales and across cortical layers. Multimodal imaging (including ASL, CBV, and simultaneous EEG/fMRI) and computational models of physiological dynamics may also be used, to ultimately track fast and local neural dynamics using accelerated fMRI. The Martinos Center is home to state-of-the-art imaging facilities and technological expertise in neuroimaging. The center houses over 200 faculty and postdoc members, conducting diverse neuroimaging research with great potential for collaborations and career development. BU and MGH are equal opportunity employers. Position is well suited for a highly motivated researcher with a desire to begin an independent career related to advanced fMRI and/or neuroscience. A Ph.D. in engineering, physics, neuroscience, psychology, or related field, is required. A background in neuroimaging techniques and/or neurophysiology is an asset but not required. Strong analysis skills and independent motivation and creativity are essential. TO APPLY: Interested applicants should send a cover letter describing research experience, interests, and future goals, as well as a CV and contact information for three references, to ldlewis(a)bu.edu For more information see: http://www.lewisneurolab.org/positions

Nov. 13, 2018

Postdoc in auditory thalamocortical system modeling & data analysis

by Neymotin, Samuel (NKI)

A computational neuroscience postdoctoral position is available at the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research under the auspices of a NIH R01 (MPI: Peter Lakatos, Sam Neymotin). The aim of our project is to develop/utilize computer models of the auditory thalamocortical system to investigate mechanisms and functions of neuronal oscillatory patterns observed in the auditory system in the electrophysiological recordings from Dr. Lakatos' group. The broad goal is to develop a biologically-realistic data-driven computer model of the thalamocortical auditory system that is able to support critical auditory information processing features, with special emphasis on neuronal oscillations. The combined in vivo and in silico results of our project will pave the way for model-driven neuromodulation, offering precise predictions on how to efficiently control biological circuits. Besides modeling, our group also focuses heavily on developing and applying novel signal processing techniques for the analysis of electrophysiological data on multiple spatial scales, from single neurons to ECoG recordings. Applicants should have a strong background in: computer programming, with demonstrated proficiency in Python and Matlab, analysis of electrophysiological data, development of signal processing methods for neural data, detailed computational modeling of neurons/neuronal circuits using NEURON with Python. The job will be based at the Nathan Kline Institute (www.nki.rfmh.org<http://www.nki.rfmh.org> ~1 hour north of NYC), but some telecommuting will be allowed. Applicants should contact Sam Neymotin by email (samuel.neymotin(a)nki.rfmh.org<mailto:samuel.neymotin@nki.rfmh.org>) with a CV and cover letter. The Nathan Kline Institute is an equal opportunity employer. ________________________________ IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail is meant only for the use of the intended recipient. It may contain confidential information which is legally privileged or otherwise protected by law. If you received this e-mail in error or from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, you are strictly prohibited from reviewing, using, disseminating, distributing or copying the e-mail. PLEASE NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY OF THE ERROR BY RETURN E-MAIL AND DELETE THIS MESSAGE FROM YOUR SYSTEM. Thank you for your cooperation.

Nov. 13, 2018

Post-doc position in neuroimaging and computational neuroscience in Bordeaux, France

by Alexandre Zenon

Post-doctoral position in neuroimaging Applications are invited for a Research Fellow in the Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, Bordeaux, France. The successful applicant will pursue research projects on the neurobiological and computational underpinnings of the cost of cognition. These projects will combine neuroimaging and computational approaches. The post is available from early 2019 and is funded for two years by a grant from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche. Applicants must have, or be close to obtaining, a PhD in neuroscience, psychology, or a related area. Experience in conducting neuroscience research and in programming (Matlab and/or Python) is required. Experience in conducting neuroimaging research and in building computational models of behavior will be very appreciated. To apply for the vacancy, or for more information, please contact Dr. Alexandre Zénon (email: alexandre.zenon(a)u-bordeaux.fr ). Applications should include CV, motivation letter and contact information for 3 references.

Nov. 13, 2018

PhD positions in computational neuroscience, University of Edinburgh

by Matthias Hennig

3 YEAR PhD IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. We invite applications for our PhD programme in COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE at the Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation at the University of Edinburgh. 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: Matthias Hennig: Neural network models; homeostasis and development; visual and auditory neuroscience; analysis of large-scale recordings. Arno Onken: Neural coding; machine learning for neural data analysis; multi-modal and multi-scale analysis. Peggy Seriès: Bayesian approaches to cognition and perception; computational psychiatry. 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. To apply, visit https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&ed… Applications completed by 16. January 2019 will receive full consideration. -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Nov. 13, 2018

PhD in cortical memory storage at the University of Edinburgh

by Matthias Hennig

Applications are invited for an EASTBIO-funded PhD position in the labs of Dr. Gulsen Surmeli and Dr. Matthias Hennig. This is an excellent training opportunity for a highly motivated individual to learn both the use of modern in vivo functional neuron imaging technologies and the applications computational methods to address fundamental questions in neuronal computation. Objectives: Cognitive abilities are a result of coordinated activity of billions of neurons. Recent advances in neuroscience research now enables monitoring activity of thousands of neurons during cognitive tasks. Decoding these large ensemble codes enable unprecedented insight into the inner workings of the brain. This project aims to investigate neural ensemble coding of cortical memory networks. In this project, we will investigate the encoding of memories in cortical networks. In Dr. Surmeli’s lab, a miniaturized head attached fluorescent microscope (miniscope) will be used to perform cellular resolution imaging of activity of neuronal ensembles in freely moving mice during memory tasks. Combined with advanced genetic techniques this method allows tracking activity of thousands of neurons during memory formation and recall. Since memory engrams are typically sparse and highly distributed over many neurons, tracking the acquisition of new memories will require advanced analysis methods, which will be developed in collaboration with the second supervisor based in the School of Informatics. Moreover, the results will enable constructing new models of short and long-term memory acquisition that can advance artificial neural networks used in machine learning applications. For conditions of applying and to apply please refer to: https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=100855 Download application and reference forms via: https://www.ed.ac.uk/roslin/postgraduate/bbsrc-eastbio-dtp Lab website/Online Profile https://www.ed.ac.uk/discovery-brain-sciences/our-staff/research-groups/dr-… http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/mhennig/ -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Nov. 12, 2018

Doctoral studies in Computational/Theoretical Neuroscience at NYU

by Eero P Simoncelli

New York University is home to a thriving interdisciplinary community of researchers using computational and theoretical approaches in neuroscience. We are interested in exceptional PhD candidates with strong quantitative training (e.g., physics, mathematics, engineering) coupled with a clear interest in scientific study of the brain. A listing of faculty, sorted by their primary departmental affiliation, is given below. Doctoral programs are flexible, allowing students to pursue research across departmental boundaries. Nevertheless, admissions are handled separately by each department, and students interested in pursuing graduate studies should submit an application to the program that best fits their goals and interests. Center for Neural Science (CNS), Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (deadline: 1 December) [http://neuroscience.nyu.edu/graduate-programs/, and http://www.cns.nyu.edu/doctoral/] * Andre A. Fenton - Molecular, neural, behavioral, and computational aspects of memory. * Paul W. Glimcher - Decision-making in humans and animals. Neuroeconomics. * Roozbeh Kiani - Vision and decision-making. * Wei Ji Ma (also in Psychology) - Perception, working memory, and decision-making. * Tony Movshon - Vision and visual development. * Bijan Pesaran - Neuronal dynamics and decision-making. * Alex Reyes - Functional interactions of neurons in a network. * John Rinzel (also in Mathematics) - Biophysical mechanisms and theory of neural computation. * Cristina Savin (also in the Center for Data Science) - Computational models of learning and memory, machine learning. * Robert Shapley - Visual physiology and perception. * Eero Simoncelli - Computational vision and audition. * Xiao-Jing Wang - Computational neuroscience, decision-making and working memory, neural circuits. Neuroscience Institute, School of Medicine (deadline: 1 December) [http://neuroscience.nyu.edu/graduate-programs/, and https://med.nyu.edu/departments-institutes/neuroscience/] * Gyorgy Buzsaki - Rhythms in neural networks. * Dmitri Chklovskii (also in the Simons Foundation) - Neural computation and connectomics. * Dmitry Rinberg - Sensory information processing in the behaving animal. * Mario Svirsky - Auditory neural prostheses; experimental/computational studies of speech production/perception. Psychology, Cognition & Perception program (deadline: 1 December) [http://as.nyu.edu/psychology/graduate/phd-cognition-perception.html] * Todd Gureckis - Memory, learning, and decision processes. * David Heeger (also in CNS) - Computational neuroscience, vision, attention. * Brendan Lake (also in the Center for Data Science) - Computational modeling of cognition. * Michael Landy - Computational approaches to vision. * Laurence Maloney - Mathematical approaches to psychology and neuroscience. * Gary Marcus - Origins of the human mind. * Denis Pelli - Visual object recognition. * Jonathan Winawer - Visual perception and memory. Mathematics (deadline: 18 December) [http://math.nyu.edu/degree/phd/] * David McLaughlin - Nonlinear wave equations, computational visual neuroscience. * Aaditya Rangan - Computational neurobiology, numerical analysis. * Charles Peskin - Mathematical biology. * Michael Shelley - Modeling and large-scale computation, computational visual neuroscience. * Daniel Tranchina - Information processing in the retina. * Lai-Sang Young - Dynamical systems, statistical physics, computational modeling and theoretical neuroscience. Center for Data Science (deadline: 12 December) [https://cds.nyu.edu/academics/phd-in-data-science/] * Joan Bruna (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, signal/image processing. * Kyungyun Cho (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, natural language processing. * Carlos Fernandez-Granda (also in Mathematics) - Optimization methods for medical imaging, neuroscience, computer vision. * Brenden Lake - Computational modeling of cognition, deep learning. Physics (deadline: 18 December) [http://physics.as.nyu.edu/page/graduate] * Marc Gershow - Perception, decision-making, and learning in neural circuits. Computer Science (deadline: 12 December) [http://www.cs.nyu.edu/home/phd/] * Davi Geiger - Computational vision and learning. * Yann LeCun - Machine learning, computer vision, robotics, computational neuroscience. Economics (deadline: 18 December) [http://as.nyu.edu/econ/degree-programs/phd.html] * Andrew Caplin - Economic theory, neurobiology of decision. * Andrew Schotter - Experimental economics, game theory, neurobiology of decision.

Nov. 12, 2018

REMINDER: Special Issue Operations Research for Neuroscience II

by Ruben A. Tikidji-Hamburyan

Dear Colleagues, Just a friendly reminder: Deadline for paper submission is in a few weeks. December 1, 2018 We strongly encourage colleagues who are using modern operations research methods, to consider submitting a manuscript. We also invite manuscripts which propose further developments of modern formal theories (such as the free-energy principle, integrated information, Bayesian learning, etc). Please find the CfP attached as a pdf file or as plain text below. Best regards, Ruben Tikidji-Hamburyan. ____________________________________________________ ― Call for Papers ― Annals of Operations Research Special Issue Operations Research for Neuroscience II ____________________________________________________ After the positive and encouraging response from the scientific and wider community to the special issue Operations Research for Neuroscience, the journal Annals of OperationsResearch (Springer) now invites submissions of papers to a second special issue on the same subject, called Operations Research for Neuroscience II. Neuroscience, a multidisciplinary science, is concerned with the study of the structure and functions of the nervous system. It comprises aspects of physiology, cellular and molecular biology, as well as behavioral and cognitive science. Recent technological and theoretical advances offer promising opportunities for better understanding of the nervous system at the quantitative level. New optogenetic, in vitro and in vivo multielectrode recording, neuroimaging, brain imaging, and other modern techniques provide high-quality data that can be used in elucidating the fundamental mechanisms of information processing in the nervous system. The rapidly growing pool of experimental data has triggered the development of new mathematical models that can provide new insights into the functioning of the nervous system at various scales, ranging from that of molecular biology to that of the organizational principles of behavior and cognition. Sophisticated analyses of intracellular signaling or dynamics in heterogeneous neural networks, conditional behavior, or connections of brain regions in decision-making lead to theoretical problems, addressed by operations research. Although, operations research is actively used in bottom-up approaches--from experimental observation to consistent theory-- it also widely overlaps modern and rapidly developing formal theories, for example the free-energy principle, integrated information theory, and may others. The special issue will cover a broad range of topics in the field of neuroscience using operations research approaches, methods, and theories. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following areas and methodologies of neuroscience: o intracellular signaling and regulation o synaptic plasticity o dynamics in heterogeneous neural networks o intelligent systems and control o perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral functions o learning and memory o spatio-temporal network analysis o behavioral economics and finance o linguistics and cognition o combinatorial optimization o signal and information processing o neuroimaging and functional brain imaging processing o computational modeling and simulation o formal theoretical approaches: the free-energy principle, integrated information, Bayesian inference, etc. The use of methods from modern operations research in neuroscience is a prerequisite for any paper submitted to this special issue to enter the reviewing process. Annals of Operations Research is abstracted and indexed in the following databases: Science Citation Index, Science Citation Index Expanded (SciSearch), Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, SCOPUS, INSPEC, Zentralblatt Math, Google Scholar, EBSCO, CSA, ProQuest, ABS Academic Journal Quality Guide, Academic OneFile, Academic Search, Computer Abstracts International Database, Computer Science Index, CSA Environmental Sciences, Current Contents/Engineering, Computing and Technology, DBLP, ECONIS, Expanded Academic, International Abstracts in Operations Research, Mathematical Reviews, OCLC, SCImago, STMA-Z, Summon by ProQuest. The Special Issue is officially endorsed by EURO Conference 2018, Valencia. Guest Editors: Erik Kropat, Ruben A. Tikidji-Hamburyan, Gerhard-Wilhelm Weber Important Date: Submission deadline of full papers: December 1, 2018. Submission Details: The format of manuscripts for the Annals of Operations Research as well as guidelines can be found on the web page of Springer, the publisher of the journal: http://www.springer.com/journal/10479/submission. Authors should submit a cover letter mentioning that the paper is for a special issue and a manuscript via the journal's online submission site: http://www.editorialmanager.com/anor. When prompted, please select the article type “S.I.: OR in Neuroscience II”. All papers submitted for publication will be carefully refereed. In case of any question please contact by e-mail one of the following guest editors: Dr. Erik Kropat Department of Computer Science Universität der Bundeswehr München Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39 85577 Neubiberg, Germany E-mail: erik.kropat(a)gmx.de Dr. Ruben A. Tikidji-Hamburyan Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy Health Sciences Center, Louisiana State University New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail: rtikid(a)lsuhsc.edu Prof. Dr. Gerhard-Wilhelm Weber Faculty of Engineering Management Chair of Marketing and Economic Engineering Poznan University of Technology ul. Strzelecka 11 60-965 Poznan, Poland E-mail: gerhard.weber(a)put.poznan.pl

Nov. 11, 2018

PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience and Neuroimaging at Jülich Research Centre and University of Düsseldorf Germany

by Martina Reske

PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience and Neuroimaging at Jülich Research Centre and University of Düsseldorf Germany One PhD position is available in computational neuroscience with a focus on mathematical modeling of brain dynamics based on neuroimaging data in the lab of Prof. Dr. Simon Eickhoff at Jülich Research Centre and University of Düsseldorf in Germany. The PhD candidate will work on projects involving large-scale dynamical brain models derived from multimodal neuroimaging data (structural, functional & diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) combined with numerical simulations and analysis of model dynamics and parameter space. We are specifically looking for candidates with training in applied mathematics/computational neuroscience or related fields and experience in programming and numerical simulation of neuronal models/nonlinear dynamics systems. The candidate will be responsible for derivation, validation and analytical and numerical investigation of the whole-brain dynamical models, preparation of necessary neuroimaging data, and writing manuscripts for publication. The position provides an opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment and training in mathematical modeling of neuroimaging data and methods for data analysis. More details on the lab: http://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-7/EN/ Requirements: * Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Applied Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Computer Science or a related field. * Experience with programming languages such as C/C++/CUDA/Python/Matlab/R. * Familiarity with numerical simulations of nonlinear dynamical systems/differential equations. Experience with high-performance computing is a plus. * Strong writing, communication, interpersonal and organizational skills. * Experience with neuroimaging data processing and related analysis packages (FSL, SPM, MRtrix, etc.) will be of advantage. To apply: Please send your CV, names of two referees, one-page letter of motivation (emphasizing any related work/projects) and representative publications if any (up to 3) to Oleksandr Popovych via email (o.popovych(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:o.popovych@fz-juelich.de>). Please mention “PhD application” in the subject. -- 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 Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nov. 9, 2018

Ph.D. position in deep learning for signal processing at University of Oldenburg

by Jörn Anemüller

A Ph.D. position in the field of deep learning for signal processing is available at University of Oldenburg, Germany, within the newly established, DFG-funded collaborative research centre "CRC 1330 - Hearing Acoustics" in the group of Jörn Anemüller. For details, see below or contact me directly (joern.anemueller(a)uol.de, https://uol.de/en/computational-audition/statistical-modelling/) Kind regards, Jörn The Computational Audition Group at the Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, University of Oldenburg, Germany, seeks a highly motivated PhD student (75 % of full time, TV-L E13, 3 years, with possibility of extension) in the field of Deep Learning for Signal Processing Our group investigates audio signal recognition with multi-channel microphone arrays, identifying important sound sources in real-world acoustic scenes, and performing source separation to enhance e.g. an attended speech signal. Applicants for the position must hold an academic university degree (master or equivalent) in physics, engineering, computer science or a related discipline and should have knowledge in at least one of the following fields: - machine learning, - speech recognition, - acoustic event detection, - speech and audio processing. Excellent knowledge of scientific programming languages such as Python or MATLAB, as well as excellent English language skills are required. The position is funded by the newly established DFG collaborative research centre CRC 1330 "Hearing Acoustics", which aims at improving human communication in real-world acoustic scenes and is a long-term collaboration of researchers from Oldenburg, Aachen and Munich. For more information about the CRC see https://www.uni-oldenburg.de/sfb1330. The Computational Audition Group is part of the Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics at University of Oldenburg. We offer an international scientific environment and world-class research facilities. For more information about the group and the department see https://uol.de/computational-audition/ and https://uol.de.de/en/mediphysics-acoustics/. The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increase the percentage of women in science. Therefore, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. In accordance to § 21 Section 3 NHG, female candidates with equal qualifications will be preferentially considered. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference in case of equal qualification. Applications including a CV, a motivation letter, copies of relevant certificates and the name and contact details of two references should be sent as single pdf-file to joern.anemueller(a)uni-oldenburg.de or to Dr. Jörn Anemüller Faculty VI Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics Universität Oldenburg D - 26111 Oldenburg Tel. (+49) 441 798 3610 The application deadline is 28th of November 2018. *******************************************************

Nov. 9, 2018

Re: [Comp-neuro] PhD Studentship in Computational Neuroscience

by Dimitris Pinotsis

The School of Psychology at City, University of London, is offering * one full-time, three-year doctoral studentship for 2019/20 entry*. Applications are invited from exceptional UK, EU, and international graduates wishing to pursue cutting-edge research in the following areas of Neuroscience and Psychology: *Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cognitive Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience, Brain Imaging, Computational Psychiatry, Decision Making, Behavioral Economics, Counselling, Health and Organizational Psychology. * For information on how to apply for the studentships, please go to https://www.city.ac.uk/courses/research-degrees/psychology *Closing date: 23.59 on 20th January 2019* For any enquiries, please email SASS-enquiries(a)city.ac.uk We encourage potential applicants to contact prospective supervisors to discuss possible research projects prior to submitting an application. For further details about the psychology department please go to https://www.city.ac.uk/arts-social-sciences/psychology#unit=research where you will find information about research groups and individual staff interests. Full information about all our doctoral studentships can be found at: https://www.city.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/sa… *What is Offered* · An annual bursary at the prevailing ESRC rate (£16,777 in 2018/19) · A full tuition-fee waiver for UK and EU students. Applications from overseas applicants are welcome, but the applicant must make appropriate arrangements to cover the difference between the overseas and UK tuition fee. · Further funds to support research expenses (up to £1000 over three years) As part of our commitment to doctoral student training, you will also be eligible for appointment as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and are likely to be offered teaching-related duties within your department (to a maximum of 150 hours each year). This work will be paid in full. *Eligibility* The studentships will be awarded on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and the potential to produce cutting-edge research. · Applicants must hold at least a 2.1 honours degree and a merit-level Master’s degree in a relevant subject (or international equivalent) · Applicants whose first language is not English must have achieved at least 7.0 in IELTS or a recognised equivalent · Applicants must not be currently registered as a doctoral student at City, University of London, or any other academic institution <SASS-enquiries(a)city.ac.uk>

Nov. 9, 2018

PhD Projects - ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies

by David Grayden

Current PhD Project Openings at the ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies We are seeking Expressions of Interest from potential Graduate Researchers to work on the following PhD projects in Australia. These project are embedded within the Centre, where up to 14 PhD students, 5 post-doctoral researchers, and 11 University of Melbourne staff will collaborate across 4 research streams with researchers at IBM Research and a number of Australian Universities, including The University of Melbourne, RMIT University, the University of South Australia, and Western Sydney University. Each student will be jointly supervised by Universities and IBM Research and will spend at least 12 months of their candidature working on site at an IBM Research laboratory. These positions are supported by a scholarship and a supplemented living stipend of A$34,848 per annum. Projects available: 1. Context-specific clinical decision support leveraging clinical practice guidelines 2. Multi-document summarisation supporting clinical evidence review 3. Seizure forecasting using neural networks 4. Deep learning for fitting neural mass models to EEG 5. Brain-computer interfaces for low-powered mobile/wearable devices 6. Multimodal brain-computer interfaces for augmented reality and virtual reality applications If interested, please visit: http://aimedtech.org.au/phd-openings.html Regards, David Professor David B. Grayden Head of Department Dept of Biomedical Engineering Melbourne School of Engineering The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 Australia http://www.bme.unimelb.edu.au | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgrayden [cid:image001.jpg@01D1F264.94C20650] This email and any attachments may contain personal information or information that is otherwise confidential or the subject of copyright. Any use, disclosure or copying of any part of it is prohibited. The University does not warrant that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or defects. Please check any attachments for viruses and defects before opening them. If this email is received in error please delete it and notify us by return email.

Nov. 7, 2018

One fMRI MVPA Post-Doc (very competitive salary) 5 year position available under an ERC Starting Grant on the organization of object knowledge

by Jorge Almeida

The Proaction Laboratory (Perception and Recognition of Objects and Actions; http://gaius.fpce.uc.pt/pessoais/jorgealmeida/proaction_home.html; Jorge Almeida’s Lab) at the University of Coimbra (www.uc.pt) Portugal is looking for a motivated and bright Post-doctoral researcher to work on an ERC Starting Grant project (ContentMAP) on the neural organization of object knowledge. In this project we will explore how complex information is topographically organized in the brain using fMRI and state of the art analytical techniques, as well as computational approaches, and neuromodulation. Excellent understanding of and experience with fMRI and data analysis is required. Strong programming skills (matlab, python, etc.) are also a requirement. Experience with data analysis techniques using MVPA and other multivariate approaches (e.g., Representation Similarity Analysis). Very good English (oral and written) communicative skills are necessary. The position is for a maximum of 5 years, and will start in February 2019. The position involves no formal teaching (unless the candidate wants to). It does involve, however, lab mentoring. The salary is extremely competitive – between 2200 and 2400 euros per month (dependent on experience), tax free (annual 26400-28800 euros tax free). This value is on par with the average salaries at top American institutions, as well as London, Paris, etc. However, the cost of living in Portugal (and particularly in Coimbra) is much lower. According to Numbeo, 2400 euros would be equivalent to 4850 pounds in London/4800 euros in Paris/6615 USD in Boston/6210 USD in Los Angeles/ 8330 USD in New York). The researcher will work directly with Jorge Almeida in Coimbra, but the laboratory has extensive collaborations with researchers throughout the world. In fact, there may be the option of spending some time in another lab as part of the position. The researcher will also be encouraged to develop her/his own projects and look for additional funding so that the stay can be extended. We have access to a 3T MRI scanner with a 32-channel coil (with EEG inside the scanner), to tDCS with neuronavigation, and to a fully set psychophysics lab. We have EEG and eyetracking on site. We also have access, through other collaborations, to a 7T scanner. Finally, the University of Coimbra is a 700 year old University and has been selected as a UNESCO world Heritage site. Coimbra is one of the most lively university cities in the world, and it is a beautiful city with easy access to the beach and mountain. The deadline for the application is NOVEMBER 20, but you should apply as soon as you can, as we may fill in the positions sooner than the deadline if there are candidates with a superb fit with the requirements and project. The interested candidates should email Jorge Almeida for questions and applications. Please send an email with the subject “Post-doc position underERC - ContentMAP” with your*curriculum vitae, list of publications, 2 reference letters, and a short description of your experience in the field and how you fulfill the requirements (fit with the position)* to: jorgealmeida(a)fpce.uc.pt.

Nov. 6, 2018

Research internship for 2nd year master student in Toulouse, France

by MASQUELIER Timothee

TOPIC: Spiking neural networks for bird song detection SUPERVISORS: Timothée Masquelier (computational neuroscience) and Thomas Pellegrini (machine learning for audio processing) STARTING DATE: early 2019 DURATION: 5 months PLACE: Toulouse, France (Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition and Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse) STIPEND: 560€/month The goal of the internship is to use spiking neural networks (SNN) to detect bird songs in audio recordings. Several learning rules will be evaluated, including spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). More information: https://www.dropbox.com/s/psvqubjdlral6zf/Masquelier-Pellegrini-AO%20M2%20T… We are looking for an outstanding student with a strong quantitative background (computer science, physics, applied maths...) and a keen interest in neuroscience. Applicants should send their CV and a brief statement of purpose to: timothee.masquelier(a)cnrs.fr and Thomas.Pellegrini(a)irit.fr Informal enquiries are welcome.

Nov. 5, 2018

Postdoc at Aix-Marseille University in computational modelling of basal-ganglia-cortico-cerebellar circuits

by BATTAGLIA Demian

Applications are invited for a: POSTDOCTORAL POSITION at Aix-Marseille University (southern France) under the joint mentoring of Dr. Demian Battaglia (Institute for Systems Neuroscience - INS) and Dr. Nicole Malfait (Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone - INT). This two-years position is funded by the project ANR (Agence National de la Recherche) “SENCE - Movement disorders in Parkinson’s disease: The role of somatoSENsory deficits and CErebellar anomalies”, involving researchers from Aix-Marseille University and the University of Oxford, as well as clinicians of the Hôpital de la Timone (AP-HM). In the context of this project, behavioral, electrophysiological (EEG/subthalamic nucleus LFP) and neuroimaging data will be recorded in patients with Parkinson's disease, under different medication (ON/OFF L-Dopa) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) conditions. In particular, effects of conventional continuous “open-loop” and "closed-loop" (adaptive) DBS will be contrasted. Rich expertise will be thus available in psychophysics and electrophysiology of sensorimotor systems (Nicole Malfait, INT; Huiling Tan, University of Oxford), structural and functional neuroimaging analyses (Olivier Coulon, INT), basal ganglia involvement in sensorimotor coordination (Andrea Brovelli, INT), and DBS (Alexandre Eusebio, AP-HM; Huiling Tan, University of Oxford) and theoretical and computational modelling of oscillating circuits dynamics (Demian Battaglia, INS). The postdoctoral fellow will participate to the design of circuit models (mean-field and spiking) with realistic anatomy, including known basal ganglia/cortical loops, as well as connections between basal ganglia and cerebellum, whose role has been until now only poorly studied. It has indeed recently been hypothesized that basal ganglia deregulation may directly interact with cerebellar predictive functions contributing to movement disorders in Parkinsons’s disease. Computational simulations of extended BG–cortex–cerebellum circuits will be used to reverse engineer circuit mechanisms responsible for the transition from normal to pathological oscillatory dynamics –also in relation to Dopamine levels– and to model and optimize the impact of adaptive deep brain stimulation protocols. Candidates should have already acquired experience in the computational modelling of neural circuits during their PhD. Previous experience in the modelling of BG circuits is a plus. Candidates should be able to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary and international work environment. Salary corresponds to French national guidelines (~2K € net per month, experience-dependent), with travel and equipment funds. The successful candidate will integrate the Theoretical Neuroscience Group at the Institute for Systems Neuroscience (INS), located on the same campus as the Institut des Neuroscience de la Timone (INT) and the Hôpital de la Timone (AP-HM). The integrative and clinical neuroscience community in Marseille is among the most lively in Europe and Marseille is a vibrating city, with wonderful natural surroundings and home to the largest French-speaking university in the world, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary studies. Interested candidates should send a cv, a brief description of qualifications and research interests and the name of two reference contacts to both the co-directors: Demian Battaglia demian.battaglia(a)univ-amu.fr<mailto:demian.battaglia@univ-amu.fr> Nicole Malfait nicole.malfait(a)univ-amu.fr<mailto:nicole.malfait@univ-amu.fr> Feel free to inquire for further information. Applications from under-represented categories in STEM sciences are welcome and supported.

Nov. 4, 2018

Postdoc Position in Neural Data Analysis, University of Edinburgh

by Arno Onken

The School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, invites applications for a full-time, fixed term Research Associate position on the project "Novel techniques for stochastic modelling of time-dependent multivariate relationships with application to primary visual cortex", funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and directed by Dr Arno Onken (PI). The successful candidate will contribute to the development of a new framework for analysing multi-modal and multi-scale neural recordings. Moreover, the candidate will apply this framework to analyse activity of large neural populations recorded from awake mice during a virtual reality task by experimental project partner Dr Nathalie Rochefort. Candidates should have a PhD (or near completion) in a quantitative discipline (Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Computational Neuroscience or related), good software development skills and a keen interest in interdisciplinary research. A background in neuroscience is desirable, but not essential. The post is full time and fixed term at UE07: £33,199 - £39,609 pa. The post is available from 1st March 2019 for 36 months until the scheduled end of the project at 28th February 2022. For further information, please visit the vacancy website at: https://www.vacancies.ed.ac.uk/pls/corehrrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.jobs… Informal enquires can be made to Dr Arno Onken <aonken(a)inf.ed.ac.uk>. -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Oct. 30, 2018

PhD in Cognitive Sciences at UC Irvine

by Jeff Krichmar

Dear colleagues, The Department of Cognitive Sciences at UC Irvine has a number of openings for new graduate students starting Fall of 2019. We are in the process of expanding our graduate program, so please feel free to forward this information to any interested parties. All this information and more can be found via cogs.ci. Our department specializes in • Computational and mathematical cognitive modeling • Cognitive neuroscience • Visual and auditory perception • Attention and representation • Learning and development • Memory and language • Judgment and decision making ... and is generally strong in the use of leading technologies such as EEG, fMRI, and robotics, and of modern research tools such as computational methods, big data, and Bayesian statistics. We offer PhD degrees in Cognitive Sciences with an optional specialization in cognitive neuroscience and an optional joint degree (MS/PhD) in Statistics. We also take pride in offering excellent financial packages to our graduate students, including at least five years of guaranteed support, health insurance, research funding, and more. These positions are also open to international students with appropriate academic qualifications (i.e., a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field). This year's deadline to apply is December 1, 2018. We are happy to answer questions you or your students might have. Best, Joachim & Jeff -- Joachim Vandekerckhove Associate Professor Department of Cognitive Sciences Department of Statistics University of California, Irvine 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

Oct. 30, 2018

Faculty position at the University of Minnesota, School of Mathematics

by Duane Nykamp

The School of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota has identified Mathematical Biology, including Computational Neuroscience, as a priority area for hiring and invites qualified candidates to apply. Current areas of focus in the department are cancer modeling, cell motility, continuum mechanics in biology, neuroscience, and stochastic processes. Application available at https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/jobs/12436.

Oct. 30, 2018

Postdoctoral Position - BRAIN Initiative

by Woolnough, Oscar

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITIONS FUNDED BY BRAIN INITIATIVE GRANT Postdoctoral research positions are available in the lab of Nitin Tandon in Houston. This position is funded by a BRAIN Initiative U01 grant project that uses electro-corticographic (ECoG) recordings and fMRI on a large cohort (n>80) to evaluate psycholinguistic models of reading and speech production to create network level representations of language. Collaborators on the project include Greg Hickok, Stanislas Dehaene, Nathan Crone and Xaq Pitkow; the post-doc will benefit from a close interaction with these experts in the fields of reading, semantics, speech production and computational neuroscience. The selected individuals are expected to be a highly motivated team players with a passion to study cognitive processes using imaging, direct recordings and closed-loop cortical stimulation in humans. They will be responsible for 1) data collection in the epilepsy monitoring unit and in the MRI scanner 2) ECoG and/or fMRI data analysis using analysis pipelines existent in the lab and via the development of innovative analytic strategies including machine learning and AI approaches 3) data presentation at conferences and manuscript preparation. The selected individuals must have a Ph.D. in a field relating to: neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, mathematics, electrical engineering or computer science. Previous experience in neural time series data analysis, functional imaging studies or studies of language and speech production are desirable – but not crucial. They must possess the ability to independently code in any or all of the following: MATLAB, R or Python. Given the multiple unpredictable variables and privacy issues around data collection in human patients, the individual must possess high ethical and professionalism standards, be able to adapt to a changing environment, reorganize schedules dynamically, and work with short deadlines. A strong publication record and excellent academic credentials are highly desirable. CONTACT DR. NITIN TANDON: Nitin.Tandon(a)uth.tmc.edu<mailto:Nitin.Tandon@uth.tmc.edu> Candidates who are attending the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting at San Diego in November should reach out to schedule a meeting.

Oct. 29, 2018

SfN 2018 - Visit the Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience at booth #4325

by Kerstin Schwarzwaelder

Dear all, The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience will be an exhibitor at the SfN Meeting 2018. Please find us at the NEUROSCIENCE IN GERMANY booth #4325. The Bernstein Network will present: * research fields * study and training programs * open positions * research and funding opportunities * infrastructural facilities Furthermore, the German Neuroinformatics Node (G-Node) will present their data management services for organizing, sharing, and publishing research data. Demo presentations times are: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday (Nov 4, 5, 7) 10am - 12pm and 3pm - 5pm, or by individual appointment (mail to: info(a)g-node.org<mailto:info@g-node.org>). We are looking forward to welcoming you at booth #4325! Best regards, Kerstin Schwarzwaelder -- Dr. Kerstin Schwarzwälder Scientific Coordination / Management Officer Please note: Our email addresses have changed. Please use k.schwarzwaelder(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.schwarzwaelder@fz-juelich.de> Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS) Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9A | 79104 Freiburg, Germany phone: (+49) 0761 203 9589 mail: k.schwarzwaelder(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.schwarzwaelder@fz-juelich.de> web: www.nncn.de<http://www.nncn.de> Twitter: NNCN_Germany<https://twitter.com/NNCN_Germany> YouTube: Bernstein TV<https://www.youtube.com/user/BernsteinNetwork> Facebook: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.facebook.com/BernsteinNetwork/> LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oct. 29, 2018

Postdoctoral Swartz Fellowship Positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at Yale University

by Murray, John

Postdoctoral Swartz Fellowship Positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at Yale University The Swartz Center in Theoretical Neurobiology at Yale University invites applications for up to two postdoctoral positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, with flexible start date from mid to late 2019. Competitive candidates include those with a strong quantitative background who wish to gain neuroscience research experience. We especially encourage candidates with an interest in collaborating directly with experimental neuroscientists. The candidates will be expected to perform theoretical/computational studies relevant to one or more laboratories of the Swartz Center at Yale (for a list of affiliated faculty, see: https://medicine.yale.edu/neuroscience/swartz/corelabs.aspx) and will be encouraged to participate in an expanding quantitative biology environment. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree by the time of beginning the fellowship. Please send a Curriculum Vitae, selected reprints, contact information for three references, and a statement of research interests including the laboratories of interest at Yale. All application materials should be sent electronically to the following e-mail address: john.murray(a)yale.edu<mailto:john.murray@yale.edu> Applications will be reviewed as they are received, but priority will be given to those received on or before January 12th, 2019. For any questions, please contact John Murray<mailto:john.murray@yale.edu?subject=Swartz%20fellowship>. Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and especially welcomes applications from women and underrepresented minorities. http://neurojobs.sfn.org/jobs/10584092/<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__neurojobs.sfn.org_jobs_…> John D. Murray ----------------------------------------------- Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry Yale University School of Medicine murraylab.yale.edu<http://murraylab.yale.edu/> -----------------------------------------------

Oct. 29, 2018

Post-doctoral positions: Neurobiology of Learning and Memory in Health and Disease

by Annabelle Singer

Post-doctoral positions available: Neurobiology of Learning and Memory in Health and Disease Description Multiple postdoctoral positions are available in the Singer lab at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine studyinghow neural activity produces memories and how stimulating neural activity affects memory and immune function in health and Alzheimer’s disease. To find out more about the Singer Lab, see our lab website http://singer.gatech.edu/ with our recent publications. Major Responsibilities: The successful applicants will examine (a) how neural activity produces memories of experiences or (b) how novel forms of non-invasive neural stimulation affects neural circuits, immune responses, and learning and memory. These projects will focus on the hippocampal circuit and related structures in health and Alzheimer’s disease using a variety of advanced neuroscience techniques. One set of projects will utilize virtual reality behavior, in vivo recordings from many single cells, histological analysis, and innovative data analysis methods in rodents. Another set of projects will use MRI, PET imaging, histological analysis, and molecular signaling assays in both rodents and human patients. This research involves collaboration with other groups at Georgia Tech and Emory and therefore a successful applicant must work well in a collaborative environment. These projects are fully funded for 3-5 years, pending satisfactory annual performance review. The projects offer significant opportunities to perform pioneering research and be trained in cutting-edge neuroscience techniques. All lab members are actively trained in scientific methods and mentored in career development. Applicants will have extensive opportunities to interact with the dynamic, exciting, and collaborative neuroscience and neuroengineering communities at Georgia Tech and Emory University in one of the most affordable and livable major cities of the US. Qualifications The ideal candidates will have a PhD in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline and a record of leading scientific projects to completion. Previous experience with in related techniques including vivo experimentation, histology, behavior, electrophysiology, human or rodent MRI, and/or learning and memory is preferred. Candidates with experience performing advances data analysis or with quantitative backgrounds like signal processing, electrical engineering, and/or programming are encouraged to apply. Candidates should have excellent communication skills and the ability to both collaborate with a team and lead projects. How to Apply: If you meet these requirements and are interested in this position, please provide your detailed CV, a cover letter stating your research interests, and names and contact information for two or three references to Annabelle Singer: asinger(a)gatech.edu Department Description The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Techis part of a vibrant biomedical community in Atlanta that includes the Emory School of Medicine, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Winship Cancer Institute, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), Georgia ImmunoEngineering Consortium, Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, and more. This rich scientific environment provides unique and unparalleled research opportunities, including seminars given by leaders in science and engineering from throughout the U.S. and abroad, opportunities for collaborations, exposure to diverse research programs, and sophisticated core facilities. As such, we offer the best of internationally renowned institutions. The partnerships have created an outstanding undergraduate program and graduate program, now ranked No. 2 in the world. Georgia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Annabelle Singer Assistant Professor Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Tech & Emory University 313 Ferst Drive Atlanta, GA 30332 Web: http://singer.gatech.edu/ Email: asinger(a)bme.gatech.edu

Oct. 27, 2018

DPG Focus Session "Collective dynamics in neural networks"

by Johannes Zierenberg

Dear all, It is our pleasure to invite you to the focus session "Collective dynamics in neural networks" at the upcoming DPG (German Physical Society) spring meeting: 31 March - 05 April 2019 Regensburg, Germany The aim of the focus session is to provide a forum for discussions on the emergence of a rich set of collective dynamics in neural networks from a physicist perspective. We want to discuss principles that determine collective dynamics as well as the transitions between them, e.g., the role of local learning rules, topology and noise. The focus session consists of two invited talks (Moritz Helias and Anna Levina), selected contributed talks, and a poster session. If you are interested, we encourage you to contribute by submitting an abstract (http://regensburg19.dpg-tagungen.de/programm/abstract) until 01.12.2018 (Bereich: BP). In any case, we welcome you to attend the focus session. Of course, you are more than welcome to share this announcement with your colleagues. Best wishes, Johannes Zierenberg and Viola Priesemann -- Dr. Johannes Zierenberg Postdoctoral Researcher Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany https://zierenberg.github.io

Oct. 26, 2018

Doctoral Scholarships

by Christopher Laurie Buckley

Hi all, Our new round (2019) of Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships ‘From Sensation and Perception to Awareness’ at the University of Sussex are now online. See, https://www.sussex.ac.uk/sensation/applications <https://www.sussex.ac.uk/sensation/applications> Please have a look at all the great projects. Among the offered projects is one with me on the free energy principle, cognition and robotics so please get in touch if your interested. Best, Chris Dr Christopher L. Buckley Senior Lecturer in Neural Computation Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems Group Sussex Neuroscience Department of Informatics and Engineering University of Sussex Falmer Brighton, UK Twitter: @drclbuckley email: c.l.buckley(a)sussex.ac.uk <mailto:c.l.buckley@sussex.ac.uk>

Oct. 26, 2018

Open PhD and Postoc positions in Berlin: Learning in spiking neural networks

by Gütig, Robert

The newly formed research group "Mathematical modeling of neuronal learning", headed by Robert Gütig is seeking highly motivated researchers at the PhD and postdoctoral level to study information processing and learning in spiking neural networks. The group is funded by the Berlin Institute of Health and located at the Charité Medical School in the center of Berlin. Our close proximity to the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience facilitates close interactions between our group and Berlin’s vibrant and growing neuroscience community. We use analytical and numerical modeling techniques to identify the computational principles underlying spike based information processing and learning in the central nervous system and to understand how these principles are implemented by biological processes. Open projects center around, but are not limited to, the recently developed tempotron family of spiking neuronal network models (e.g. Gütig & Sompolinsky 2006; Gütig 2016). The positions are available immediately. Applicants should have a strong background in physics, mathematics, computer science, computational neuroscience or a related field and a keen interest in neurobiology and machine learning. Good programming skills (e.g. in C and/or Python) are important and experience with numerical simulations highly beneficial. Previous exposure to neuroscience is preferred but not required. Applications will be considered until all positions are filled. Please send your application or questions to Robert Gütig (robert.guetig at charite.de). When applying please include a detailed CV (including degrees, current academic transcripts, and publication record) and the names and contact information of two referees.

Oct. 25, 2018

PhD positions in the Neural Reckoning group at Imperial College

by Dan Goodman

One or more PhD positions in theoretical and computational neuroscience are available in the group of Dan Goodman at Imperial College London (http://neural-reckoning.org) I am interested in supervising students with a strong mathematical, computational or neuroscience background. Projects could be carried out in several possible areas relating to the work in the group. Some suggestions for topics that would be interesting to me are below, but I'm very happy to consider other possibilities. In addition to working within the group, studying at Imperial College provides excellent opportunities for interacting with other theoretical and experimental researchers, both at Imperial and in the many neuroscience groups in London. Suggested areas include: * Spiking neural networks * Auditory and other sensory systems * Machine learning and neuroscience * Simulation and data analysis For more detail, see: http://neural-reckoning.org/openings.html Applicants should initially send me a brief CV and cover letter with a description of research interests or a proposed project, and will eventually have to formally apply through the standard Imperial College mechanism (http://www.imperial.ac.uk/electrical-engineering/study/phd/) There are no strict deadlines, although chances of success are higher for earlier applications as I will consider them as they arrive. EU students from outside the UK are particularly encouraged to apply before Christmas. Funded offers made before Brexit day (March 29) will be honoured by Imperial no matter what happens in the Brexit negotiations, and the last funding panel meeting before that will probably be in early February. So, applying before Christmas means we will have time to process the application and arrange an interview before that meeting. Imperial College requirements: * General requirements: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/ * Country-specific minimum grades: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/pgacademic/ Dan Goodman

Oct. 25, 2018

SoAIR 2019: IEEE-RAS Spring School on "Social and Artificial Intelligence for User-Friendly Robots" in Japan

by Amir Aly

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS **Apologies for cross posting ** We are pleased to call for applications for the IEEE-RAS spring school on: "*Social and Artificial Intelligence for User-Friendly Robots*" * Which will be held from 17-24 March, 2019 in Shonan Village, Japan *after the Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) conference that will be held in the near South Korea. *Webpage: **https://inic8.bitbucket.io/SoAIR19/* <https://inic8.bitbucket.io/SoAIR19/> *I. Aim and Scope *Autonomous and intelligent systems are progressively moving into spaces, which have previously been predominantly shaped by human agency. Unlike in the past where machines obediently served their human operators, machines now increasingly act without the intervention of a human. Artificial intelligence is meeting new challenges in the world, though human-like intelligence may still be a distant goal. Robots in factories are coming out of their cages. Autonomous cars are being tested on streets with regular human-driven cars. The private household is changing with the appearance of not only robotic vacuum cleaners, but also with the first-generation of social robots and smart devices. The challenges that face both the robotics and artificial intelligence communities are how the necessary intelligence for such new environments can be created as well as how to make artificial agents capable of not only solving tasks at hand but also considering social environments around them during interaction with human users so as to behave appropriately. Within the school, we plan to address the tension created by the balance between task-specific artificial intelligence and the demands of sociability required to function effectively in human-centered environments. ** *This spring school is a Technical Education Program (TEP) endorsed and supported by IEEE-RAS*. ** *The school aims at bridging the gap between social and cognitive Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Autonomous Vehicles (AV) through high-level talks and hands-on workshops (the program will be announced soon).* *II. Keynote Speakers (More Speakers in HRI, AI, and Autonomous Vehicles will join the list soon): * 1. * Jun Tani *– Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Japan 2. *Daniele Magazzeni *– King's College London, UK 3. * Yukie Nagai *– National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan 4. * Tetsuya Ogata* – Waseda University, Japan 5. *Maya Cakmak *– University of Washington, USA 6. *Mohamed Chetouani *– University of Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC), France 7. *Agnieszka Wykowska *– Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Italy 8. *Tetsunari Inamura *– National Institute of Informatics (NII), Japan 9. *Amit Kumar Pandey *– SoftBank (Aldebaran) Robotics, France 10. *Francesco Maurelli *– Jacobs University, Germany (*A special talk about preparing funding proposals*) *III. Submission * The applications must include the following files (combined into one file). No other documents would be necessary (More information is available on the school's webpage). 1. *Curriculum vitae*: A two pages or less of CV detailing relevant aspects of the candidate's academic career that demonstrates her/his relevance to the school theme. 2. *Research abstract*: A 200 word research abstract that the candidate intends to present during the school. 3. *Letter of recommendation*: A short letter from the academic advisor or the employer of the candidate supporting her/his application. *Application submission*: Please use the following EasyChair web link:* Application Submission <https://easychair.org/account/signin.cgi?timeout=1;key=79456763.59XbW247MFR…>.* *IV. Important Dates * 1. Application submission: *20-December, 2018 * 2. Notification of acceptance: *28-December, 2018 * 3. Spring School: *17-24 March, 2019* *V. Organizers * 1. *Amir Aly *– Ritsumeikan University – Japan 2. *Franziska Kirstein *– Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark 3. * Shashank Pathak *– Visteon Corporation, Germany --------------------- *Amir Aly, Ph.D.* Senior Researcher Emergent Systems Laboratory College of Information Science and Engineering Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 Japan

Oct. 25, 2018

Workshop application deadline extended: "Neuronal circuits in motor behavior" - OIST, Okinawa

by Marylka Yoe Uusisaari

Dear all, It is our pleasure to announce the workshop "Neuronal Circuits in Motor Behavior" (NCMB) that will take place at OIST, Okinawa, February 18 - 20th, 2019. Among the numerous functions performed by the brain, creating precise, efficient movements is the most fundamental one without which no behavior could be expressed. The importance of motor control is accentuated by the fact that multiple distinct brain systems are involved in it, and thus understanding the neuronal codes leading to the skilled animal or human movements critically depends on researching the systems in a synergistic manner. The workshop brings together established scientists and rising leaders from computational, systemic neuroscience and behavioural fields, to explore and portray the various aspects and constraints of animal movement and the neuronal circuits underlying their execution. The three days will comprise of talks, poster presentations as well as more free-form discussion sessions aiming to foster collaboration. We encourage applications from students, post docs and faculty across any related fields, and *will cover travel and accommodation *for 30 accepted attendees, based on the background and motivation statements. More information, including application webform, can be found at https://groups.oist.jp/ncmb. *Note:* application deadline has been extended to November 15th, 2019. Best wishes, Marylka Yoe Uusisaari & NCMB organizers

Oct. 24, 2018

Faculty position in neuroscience

by Keller, Asaf

The Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology<http://neurobiology.umaryland.edu/> is recruiting tenured/tenure-track faculty, at all ranks. We are interested in candidates with quantitative skills whose research complements existing strengths in the Department. Although we will consider all relevant research areas, we are particularly interested in research focusing on pain, neural circuits of motivated behaviors & addiction, sensory perception or neurodegeneration. Rank and tenure status is dependent on candidate’s qualifications. Candidates should have a strong record of scholarly activity. Highest priority will be given to candidates with an independent, funded research program. We offer an outstanding intellectual and collaborative environment with highly competitive salary and recruitment packages. All department faculty are members of the Graduate Program in Life Sciences<http://lifesciences.umaryland.edu/> interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience<http://lifesciences.umaryland.edu/neuroscience>. Candidates should submit, as a single PDF to ANfacsearch(a)som.umaryland.edu<mailto:ANfacsearch@som.umaryland.edu>: curriculum vitae, brief statement of research interests and vision, and contact information for three references. Candidates should submit their application to the attention of Asaf Keller, Chairs of Faculty Search Committee.

Oct. 23, 2018

workshop “Cortical models for visual perception and imaging applications” at the Institut de mathématiques de Jussieu - Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG)

by Benedetta Franceschiello

Dear all, It is our pleasure to invite you to attend the workshop “Cortical models for visual perception and imaging applications” (https://liftme.sciencesconf.org/) that we are organising at the Institut de mathématiques de Jussieu - Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG)(room 15-16-413) on November 22nd, in partnership with the workshop “Géométrie et représentation de la couleur” (link: http://www.gdr-isis.fr/index.php?page=reunion&idreunion=359) organised on November 21st by Edoardo Provenzi. The aim of the workshop is to gather people working in the field of mathematical and neurophysiological modelling of human brain, from a theoretical and applied point of view, with particular emphasis on imaging methods based on visual perception. An updated schedule will be provided at this page: https://liftme.sciencesconf.org/program The registration is free, but mandatory for organisation purposes, *by November 16*. To register you should log-in to the website with your HAL credentials (on the top right corner of the page https://liftme.sciencesconf.org/) If you encounter any problem in the registration process, please send an e-mail to liftme(a)sciencesconf.org Best wishes, The organisers Luca Calatroni, Valentina Franceschi, Benedetta Franceschiello, Dario Prandi, Mario Sigalotti

Oct. 23, 2018

[journals] CfP : Special Issue on Continual Unsupervised Sensorimotor Learning

by Nguyen, Sao Mai

Dear Colleagues, IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems is currently running a Special Issue entitled " Continual Unsupervised Sensorimotor Learning" : http://projects.au.dk/socialrobotics/news-events/show/artikel/special-issue… We would like to invite you to prepare a research article or a comprehensive review to be published in this special issue. AIM AND SCOPE Although machine learning algorithms continue to improve at a rapid pace enabling technologies and products such as autonomous driving cars and sophisticated image and speech recognition, it is often forgotten that these applications represent tailored solutions to specific tasks. Thus it is not clear if or how these autonomous systems can pave the road to general purpose machines envisioned by many. The pursuit for higher levels of autonomy and versatility in robotics is arguably lead by two main factors. Firstly, as we push robots out of the labs and productions lines, it becomes increasingly difficult to design for all possible scenarios that a particular robot might encounter. Secondly, the cost of designing, manufacturing, and maintaining such systems becomes prohibitive. As the algorithms for learning single tasks in restricted environments are improving, new challenges have gained relevance in order to get more autonomous artificial systems. These challenges include multi-task learning, multimodal sensorimotor learning and lifelong adaptation to injury, growth and ageing. Addressing these challenges promise higher levels of autonomy and versatility of future robots. This special issue on Continual Unsupervised Sensorimotor Learning is primarily concerned with the developmental processes involved in unsupervised sensorimotor learning in a life-long perspective, and in particular the emergence of representations of action and perception in humans and artificial agents in continual learning. These processes include action-perception cycle, active perception, continual sensory-motor learning, environmental-driven scaffolding, and intrinsic motivation. The special issue will highlight behavioural and neural data, and cognitive and developmental approaches to research in the areas of robotics, computer science, psychology, neuroscience, etc. Contributions might focus on mathematical and computational models to improve robot performance and/or attempt to unveil the underlying mechanisms that lead to continual adaptation to changing environment or embodiment and continual learning in open-ended environments. Contributions from multiple disciplines including cognitive systems, cognitive robotics, developmental and epigenetic robotics, autonomous and evolutionary robotics, social structures, multi-agent and artificial life systems, computational neuroscience, and developmental psychology, on theoretical, computational, application-oriented, and experimental studies as well as reviews in these areas are welcome. THEMES This special issue aims to report state-of-the-art approaches and recent advances on Continual Unsupervised Sensorimotor Learning with a cross-disciplinary perspective. Topics relevant to this special issue include but are not limited to: Emergence of representations via continual interaction Continual sensory-motor learning Action-perception cycle Active perception Environmental-driven scaffolding Intrinsic motivation Neural substrates, neural circuits and neural plasticity Human and animal behaviour experiments and models Reinforcement learning and deep reinforcement learning for life-long learning Multisensory robot learning Multimodal sensorimotor learning Affordance learning Prediction learning SUBMISSION Manuscripts should be prepared according to the “Information for Authors” of the journal found at http://cis.ieee.org/component/content/article/7/131-ieee-transactions-on-au…. Submissions must be done through the IEEE TCDS Manuscript center: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tcds-ieee. During the submission process, please select the category “SI: Continual Unsupervised Sensorimotor Learning”. IMPORTANT DATES 6th January 2019 – Paper submission deadline 15th March 2019 – Notification for authors 31st May 2019 – Deadline revised papers submission 30th June 2019 – Final notification for authors 31st July 2019 – Deadline for camera-ready versions September 2019 – Expected publication date More information on Continual Unsupervised Sensorimotor Learning http://projects.au.dk/socialrobotics/news-events/show/artikel/special-issue… GUEST EDITORS Nicolás Navarro-Gerrero Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark nng(a)eng.au.dk Sao Mai Nguyen IMT Atlantique, Francenguyensmai(a)gmail.com Erhan Öztop Özyeğin University, Turkeyerhan.oztop(a)ozyegin.edu.tr Junpei Zhong National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japanjoni.zhong(a)aist.go.jp ---- Nguyen Sao Mai nguyensmai(a)gmail.com Researcher in Cognitive Developmental Robotics http://nguyensmai.free.fr

Oct. 23, 2018

Computational Neuroscience Software Developer / Research Associate Position

by Stephanie Jones

Conducting interviews at SFN for a Brown University Computational Neuroscience Position Applications are invited for a research software developer / research associate position in the lab of Dr. Stephanie Jones at Brown University in Providence, RI. The level of the hire depends on experience. Our group combines human electrophysiological recordings and computational neural modeling techniques to study the mechanisms and meaning of brain dynamics in health and disease. We collaborate extensively with animal electrophysiologists and clinicians to develop data constrained models that are translationally relevant. The software developer / research associate will work with a team of researchers at Brown, Mass General Hospital, and Yale, to help develop a new software tool for circuit level investigation of human magneto- and electro-encephalography (MEG/EEG) signals: Human Neocortical Neurosolver, HNN (https://hnn.brown.edu) <https://hnn.brown.edu)>. The goal of this software is to provide the community with a user friendly tool to develop and test hypotheses on the circuit origin of their data. The hired candidate will help support and expand HNN’s capabilities, including software development and working with researchers to apply HNN to specific neuroscience questions. Duties will also include development of tutorials, online resources, and participation in workshops aimed at training the community in the use and applicability of HNN. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in computer science, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, and/or related field. Strong Python programming skills are required, and experience with neural modeling, particularly NEURON, is preferred. Familiarity with MEG/EEG analysis methods and/or non-invasive brain stimulation is also beneficial. Candidates should be able to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and fun work environment. Interested candidates should send a cv and a brief description of qualifications and research interests to the Jones lab manager Dylan_S_Daniels(a)brown.edu <mailto:Dylan_S_Daniels@brown.edu>. ******************************************* Stephanie R. Jones, PhD Associate Professor Brown University Department of Neuroscience Stephanie_Jones(a)Brown.edu https://blogs.brown.edu/joneslab/ <https://blogs.brown.edu/joneslab/> Human Neocortical Neurosolver https://hnn.brown.edu <https://hnn.brown.edu/>

Oct. 22, 2018

Postdoctoral researchers - computational modeling, EEG, TMS

by Stephanie Jones

Conducting interviews at SFN for a Brown University Human Imaging & Computational Neuroscience Position Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position in the lab of Dr. Stephanie Jones at Brown University. Our group combines human electrophysiological recordings and computational neural modeling techniques to study the mechanisms and meaning of brain dynamics in health in disease. We collaborate extensively with animal electrophysiologists and clinicians to develop data constrained models that are translationally relevant. We are expanding our research efforts to including non-invasive brain stimulation. A postdoctoral position is available to integrate simultaneous human EEG and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in humans, with computational neural modeling developments. The postdoctoral researcher will help expand our new software tool Human Neocortical Neurosolver (https://hnn.brown.edu) <https://hnn.brown.edu)> for circuit level interpretation of EEG/MEG signals to include TMS studies. She/he will also help with the design, implementation and analysis of our TMS/EEG experiments. Candidates should have a PhD in neuroscience, computational neuroscience, computer science, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, and/or related field. Strong quantitative and programming skills are required. The ideal candidate would have experience in computational neuroscience methods applied to human EEG and brain stimulation data. However, experience in all areas is not required. Candidates should be able to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary and fun work environment. Interested candidates should send a cv and a brief description of qualifications and research interests to the Jones lab manager Dylan_S_Daniels(a)brown.edu <mailto:Dylan_S_Daniels@brown.edu>. ******************************************* Stephanie R. Jones, PhD Associate Professor Brown University Department of Neuroscience Stephanie_Jones(a)Brown.edu https://blogs.brown.edu/joneslab/ <https://blogs.brown.edu/joneslab/> Human Neocortical Neurosolver https://hnn.brown.edu <https://hnn.brown.edu/>

Oct. 22, 2018

Postdoc at Harvard in computational neuroscience

by Blum, Kenneth I.

The Swartz Program at Harvard University has an opening for a postdoctoral fellow in theoretical and computational neuroscience. Based on a grant from the Swartz Foundation<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.theswartzfoundation…>, Harvard University established the Swartz Program in Theoretical Neuroscience. The Swartz Program supports a program in computational neuroscience, to foster research collaborations between theorists and experimentalists. Fellowships last for two years, and cover a stipend and support for travel to the annual Swartz meeting on computational neuroscience. Postdocs join a vibrant group of experimental and theoretical neuroscientists at Harvard's Center for Brain Science. Harvard's Swartz Program is led by its Director, Haim Sompolinsky. The Center for Brain Science includes junior and senior faculty doing research on a wide variety of topics, including neural mechanisms of rodent learning, decision-making, and sex-specific and social behaviors; human motor control; behavioral and fMRI studies of human cognition; circuit mechanisms of learning and behavior in worms, larval flies, and larval zebrafish; circuit mechanisms of individual differences in flies and humans; rodent and fly olfaction; inhibitory circuit development; retinal circuits; and large-scale reconstruction of detailed brain circuitry. Interested applicants should send a CV, statement of research interests, and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Haim Sompolinsky (haim(a)fiz.huji.ac.il<mailto:haim@fiz.huji.ac.il>), Kenneth Blum (kenneth_blum(a)harvard.edu<mailto:kenneth_blum@harvard.edu>), or our newest faculty member, Cengiz Pehlevan (cpehlevan(a)seas.harvard.edu<mailto:cpehlevan@seas.harvard.edu>; https://pehlevan.seas.harvard.edu/) Applications should have “Swartz Fellowship” in the subject line. Harvard University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Oct. 22, 2018

Postdoctoral position in machine learning, event-based computer vision and spiking neural networks

by sio

The Vision and Natural Computation group from the Vision Institute, Paris, France, (http://www.institut-vision.org/en/) seeks experienced and outstanding applicants for a post-doctoral researcher in the fields of machine learning, event-based computer vision and spiking neural networks. The position is funded by the European Commission in the context of the European project ULPEC. The applicant will join the Vision and Natural Computation group, led by Pr R. Benosman. The team is the leading group in neuromorphic event based computation and active member of the international neuromorphic engineering community. It develops biology-inspired sensing and event-based technologies. The selected candidat will be working on designing the architecture and topology of spiking neural networks for pattern learning and recognition tasks, using the spike-based visual information provided by a neuromorphic camera. Spiking Timing Dependent Plasticity and Reservoir Computing based models will be in particular implemented, taking into account of their hardware feasibility (according to the performance and characteristics of ferroelectric memristors). The position will open in January 2019. Interested applicants should submit a detailed curriculum vitae with brief paragraphs of research interests, career goals and why you feel you are a good fit for the lab to " ryad.benosman at upmc.fr " and " sio-hoi.ieng at upmc.fr ". Please do also mention in the email earliest date at which you can join. S.H. ieng, PhD Vision and natural computation group, Vision institute. University Paris Sorbonnes,

Oct. 22, 2018

PhD opportunities at the MCEN group at the Basque Center of Applied Mathematics (Bilbao, Spain)

by Maurizio De Pitta

Please share with your colleagues and anyone who could be interested. The Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience (MCEN; http://www.bcamath.org/en/research/lines/MCEN/description) at the Basque Center of Applied Mathematics (BCAM; http://www.bcamath.org/en/) in Bilbao (Spain) is seeking outstanding PhD students to work on several projects at the intersection of computational neuroscience, mathematical topology, biophysics and translational science. PhD projects currently available include (but are not limited to) : (Track A) 1. Control and tracking stability boundaries of neurons in real time via closed-loop computer- controlled electrophysiology. This will lead to intelligent machine brain interfaces, such as deep brain stimulators that can determine unstable states that lead to pathological oscillations (like in epilepsy); 2. Multiscale modeling of the biomolecular machinery that controls the various modes of neurotransmitter release for efficient synaptic communication. This includes feedback processes, such as the endocannabinoid system, that control the speed and frequency by which synaptic neurotransmitters are released. This critical process is thought to control pathological brain states; (Track B) 3. Mathematical modeling and development of analytical tools to study neuron-glial interactions (NGIs), from subcellular to network levels. Focus is both on mechanisms of learning at synaptic level and how NGIs could shape dynamics of cortical circuits in the healthy and diseased brain (More info: https://goo.gl/pJXEYJ) 4. Study of early cellular pathological markers for Alzheimer’s disease, with emphasis on neuron-glial interactions. The project is part of a strategic collaboration between BCAM/MCEN and Achucarro – the Basque Center for Neuroscience – and envisages a close collaboration with Dr. Carlos Matute’s group to test predictions from theoretical models in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (see also: https://goo.gl/Uifv2J) A fully-funded PhD scholarship of 4+1 years may be offered on competitive basis for ANY of the above projects (deadline : **Oct 29th, 2018**; 15:00 CET ; Info/Application : https://goo.gl/7CzNQr) A fully-funded PhD scholarship of 3 years is currently available for Project 4 ONLY (deadline : **Nov 6th, 2018**; 14:00 CET ; Info : https://goo.gl/Uifv2J; Application website : https://goo.gl/z72RzC) Candidates that are interested in any of the above topics, or would like to pursue a PhD in mathematical neuroscience are welcome to contact Drs. Serafim Rodrigues (Track A ; Webpage : https://goo.gl/tP9PBt; contact : srodrigues(a)bcamath.org) and Maurizio De Pittà (Track B ; Webpage : https://goo.gl/pJXEYJ; contact: mdepitta(a)bcamath.org) ----- Maurizio De Pitta' Research Fellow MCEN -- Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience BCAM -- Basque Center of Applied Mathematics https://sites.google.com/site/mauriziodepitta/home

Oct. 22, 2018

PhD Studentship at the University of Exeter: Building a model of the HypothalamicPituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis

by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira

Building a model of the HypothalamicPituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis, BBSRC SWBio, PhD in Mathematics studentship (Funded) Ref: 3285 About the award Supervisors Lead Supervisor Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasov<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298>a, Department of Mathematics, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter Additional Supervisors Professor Craig McArdle<http://www.bristol.ac.uk/clinical-sciences/people/craig-a-mcardle/index.html>, University of Bristol Dr Margaritis Voliotis<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/mv286>, University of Exeter Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4QJ The SWBio DTP<http://www.bris.ac.uk/swbio/> is one of the 12 Doctoral Training Partnerships funded by the BBSRC to provide PhD training in areas of their strategic relevance. The SWBio DTP is a consortium comprising the Universities of Bristol (lead), Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, and Rothamsted Research. Together, these institutions present a distinctive cadre of bioscience research staff and students with established international, national and regional networks and widely recognised research excellence. The award: There are over 30 (including up to 5 CASE studentships) fully-funded 4 year studentships* available to start in September 2019 across a wide range of biosicence academic disciplines. This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP)<http://www.bristol.ac.uk/swbio/>. Up to 6 fully-funded studentships are being offered to start in September 2019 at the University of Exeter. Project Description: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is secreted from hypothalamic neurones to control secretion of the gonadotropin hormones LH and FSH form the anterior pituitary, and thereby mediates central control of reproduction. It secretes in pulses and its effects are dependent on pulse characteristics (particularly pulse frequency). One of the most important recent discoveries in the field of reproduction is that of the KNDy system. This is a peptidergic neuronal oscillator that drives pulsatile GnRH secretion. It also mediates feedback effects of gonadal steroid hormones that are essential for key reproductive processes such as the timing of puberty and seasonal breeding (i.e. in farm animals) and the fine-tuning of gonadotropin secretion across the ovarian cycle. All of these components (hypothalamic pulse generator/pituitary pulse decoder/gonads) are absolutely essential for human reproduction so it is perhaps not surprising that all three are sites for therapeutic intervention, just as perturbation of any of them can cause infertility in disease states. We are convinced that mathematical and statistical approaches are required to fully understand such a complex system. To this end we have already generated a sophisticated mathematical model of the neuronal oscillator that we have trained on wetlab. data and are now using to explore possible mechanisms for modulation by gonadal steroids. Similarly, we have developed a mathematical model for the decoding of pulse dynamics by pituitary gonadotropes and have used this to explore cell-cell variability in responses to GnRH and its impact on information transfer. We now plan to take a similar approach to modelling effects of gonadotropin hormones on gonadal function, where we will have to introduce population dynamics as an additional feature (i.e. growth of granulosa cells before ovulation and formation of luteal cells thereafter). We then plan to simplify these sub-system models so that the components can be assembled into a meaningful model of the entire hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal system. In this project the student will learn: • Mathematical modelling of the hypothalamic pulse generator, the pituitary pulse decoder and the effects of LH and FSH on gonadal cells. • Numerical optimisation by performing parameter fitting and sensitivity analysis using combination of available experimental data sets to parametrise and validate model components. • Simplification of the sub-system models (as informed by sensitivity analysis) and again, training on system wet-lab data. • Computational methods that allow the generation of testable model predictions regarding the reproductive system and its components across the lifespan. Eligibility To be eligible for a fully-funded studentship, you must meet both the academic and residence criteria. For UK/EU nationals who meet the residency requirements outlined by the BBSRC, the studentship will cover funding for 4 years (48 months) as follows. These awards might be available to part-time students, but only in exceptional circumstances. It is recommended you speak to the lead supervisor prior to submitting an application. • a stipend at the standard Research Council UK rate; currently £14,777 per annum for 2018-2019 • research and training costs • tuition fees (at the standard Research Councils UK rate) • additional funds to support fieldwork, conferences and a 3-month internship Please refer to the regulations<http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/779/pdfs/uksi_20070779_en.pdf> or Annex 1 of the Research Council Training Grant Guide<https://www.ukri.org/files/legacy/publications/rcuk-training-grant-guide-pd…> to confirm that you meet the residence criteria for a fully-funded studentship. Any further queries in relation to residency must be directed to the institution that you are applying to. Entry requirements Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Masters degree or have significant relevant non-academic experience. In addition, due to the strong mathematical component of the taught course in the first year and the quantitative emphasis in our projects, a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths or an equivalent qualification or experience is required. If English is not your first language you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS and no less than 6.5 in any section by the start of the project. Alternative tests may be acceptable, please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/. Students from EU countries who do not meet the residency requirements may still be eligible for a fees-only award but no stipend. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Please refer to the regulations<http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/779/pdfs/uksi_20070779_en.pdf> or Annex 1 of the Research Council Training Grant Guide<https://www.ukri.org/files/legacy/publications/rcuk-training-grant-guide-pd…> to confirm that you meet the residence criteria for a fully-funded studentship. The four universities have a very limited number of fully-funded 4 year studentships that EU nationals who do not meet the residency requirements would be eligible for. Please contact us for for more information. How to apply Apply now Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: * CV * Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. Please indicate your preferred project choice if applying for multiple BBSRC SWBio DTP projects. * Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. * Two academic referees - see information below about references. * If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English (see entry requirements above) The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday, 3 December 2018. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter on 7 and 8 of February 2019. Reference information You will be asked to name 2 referees as part of the application process, however we will not expect receipt of references until the shortlisting stage. Your referees should not be from the prospective supervisory team. If you are shortlisted for interview, please ensure that you two academic referees email their references to the pgrenquiries(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:pgrenquiries@exeter.ac.uk>, 7 days prior to the interview dates. Please note that we will not be contacting referees to request references, you must arrange for them to be submitted to us by the deadline. References should be submitted by your referees to us directly in the form of a letter. Referees must email their references to us from their institutional email accounts. We cannot accept references from personal/private email accounts, unless it is a scanned document on institutional headed paper and signed by the referee. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email pgrenquiries(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:pgrenquiries@exeter.ac.uk>. Project-specific queries should be directed to the primary supervisor. Selection process: Please note, the studentship selection process will take place in two stages: 1. The project supervisors will consider your application and may invite you to visit for an informal interview. You can apply for more than one BBSRC SWBio DTP project, although supervisors may take into account your interest and commitment to their particular project. If you apply for multiple projects, please indicate your preferred project choice in your letter of application. Each application for an individual project will be considered separately by the project supervisors. 2. After closure of applications, each supervisory team will then nominate their preferred applicant. A shortlist will be selected from these nominations and shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview on a selection day at the University of Bristol. Please note that nomination by a project supervisor therefore does not guarantee the award of a studentship. Data Protection During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: * the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; * administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Summary Application deadline: 3rd December 2018 Value: Tuition fees and an annual stipend allowance at Research Council rates, currently £14,777 per year for 2018-19 Duration of award: per year Contact: PGR Recruitment Office pgrenquiries(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:pgrenquiries@exeter.ac.uk>

Oct. 22, 2018

Open Master, PhD and Postdoc positions at the "Theory of Neural Dynamics" at the MPI for Brain Research

by Tatjana Tchumatchenko

Dear friends and colleagues, I would appreciate if you could spread the word among your Students and Postdocs. My group "Theory of Neural Dynamics" at the MPI for Brain Research is looking for Master Students, PhD Students and Postdocs Master Students, PhD Students or Postdocs interested in understanding how neuronal networks work, how they respond to stimuli and what role connectivity and single neuron dynamics play for the activity of the brain. Though the focus of my research is on the theory side, my lab has close ties to experimentally oriented labs and Master projects could include both theory and experiments. We are looking for bright and hard-working students with a life-science or quantitative background (physics, math, biology etc). When applying please attach CV (with a publication record) and a current copy of academic transcripts. For more information, please contact Dr. Tatjana Tchumatchenko via email tatjana.tchumatchenko(a)brain.mpg.de https://brain.mpg.de/research/theory-of-neural-dynamics-group.html www.tchumatchenko.de

Oct. 20, 2018

Tenure Track Job at Emory University in Neural Circuit Mechanisms of Behavior

by Jaeger, Dieter

The Department of Biology in the Emory College of Arts and Science in Atlanta, GA, USA, is seeking applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the assistant or associate professor level in experimental and computational neuroscience. A strong computational neuroscience group at Emory is anchored in the Department of Biology (http://www.biology.emory.edu) and is grounded in experimental preparations and neurobiological questions about the mechanisms underlying behavior and learning. We anticipate a hire focused on innovative approaches to understanding the function of brain circuits in a behavioral context. Such approaches may include optogenetics, cellular imaging, high-density electrophysiology, network simulations, or other cutting-edge neuroscientific methods. The ability to link theory and data analysis to experimental design in order to develop more predictive models of neural activity and behavior is critical. The successful candidate is anticipated to have a PhD in a relevant science or engineering field and postdoctoral experience in neuroscience-related research, and is expected to contribute to the Biology Department's teaching mission in the context of programs in quantitative theory and methods (http://quantitative.emory.edu) and neuroscience and behavioral biology (http://www.nbb.emory.edu) Interactions with experimentalists and theorists within Emory's rich, collaborative neuroscience community are encouraged. Emory has more than 100 laboratories participating in graduate programs in Neuroscience (http://biomed.emory.edu/PROGRAM_SITES/NS/) and Biomedical Engineering (http://www.bme.emory.edu) and spanning Emory College (Biology, Psychology, Physics, Anthropology), School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Georgia Institute of Technology. Emory College's Theory and Modeling of Living Systems initiative (http://livingtheory.emory.edu/) provides a broader community for interaction with theorists in the life science. Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a research statement, a teaching statement and three reference letters. In a separate statement or in the cover letter, we also ask candidates to reflect on their efforts in mentoring and teaching students from diverse backgrounds. Applications and reference letters must be electronically uploaded through Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/53691. Review of applications will begin Dec. 1, 2018. Applications received up to 30 days after, or until the positions are filled, will be given consideration. Emory University is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Also - one or more members of the search committee will be available for brief (10-minute) informational meetings with potential candidates during the SfN conference in San Diego in November. Please contact Sam Sober at ssober(a)emory.edu<mailto:ssober@emory.edu>. Potential candidates do not need to have submitted an application to have one of these meetings, which are intended to help applicants learn about the position, department, and neuro community at Emory. Dieter Jaeger, PhD Professor Department of Biology, Emory University 1510 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322 404 727 8139, e-mail: djaeger(a)emory.edu<mailto:djaeger@emory.edu> http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Jaeger ________________________________ This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments).

Oct. 19, 2018

PhD fellowships in computational neuroscience at the FMI in Basel, Switzerland

by Friedemann Zenke

The FMI PhD program now welcomes applications in computational neuroscience. Submission deadline is the 16th of November 2018. The FMI PhD program offers students the opportunity to carry out cutting-edge research in a stimulating, highly international and collaborative atmosphere. Affiliated with the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research and the University of Basel in Switzerland, the FMI provides interdisciplinary training and access to state-of-the-art technology platforms and high-performance computing facilities. Several research groups at the FMI offer exciting PhD projects for students with a computational background. PhD students whose primary interest is in computational neuroscience, will be able to join a new group led by Friedemann Zenke which focuses on memory formation and information processing in biologically inspired neural network models. Students will have the opportunity to directly collaborate with experimental groups in system neuroscience at the FMI (https://www.fmi.ch/Research/Neurobiology/) A wide range of theoretical and practical courses are available at both the FMI and the University of Basel. After completion of their thesis work, students are awarded a PhD from the University of Basel. Candidates should be curious about the neural underpinnings of computation and learning, have a strong analytical and quantitative background, and hold a relevant first degree in, for instance, computer science, engineering, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, psychology, or statistics. Funding is available regardless of current residence and nationality. Applications should be submitted online via https://www.fmi.ch/training/phd/apply/ Additional information PhD program: https://www.fmi.ch/training/PhD/ Zenke group (from 2019): https://www.fmi.ch/research/groupleader/zenke.html Neurobiology groups: https://www.fmi.ch/Research/Neurobiology/ For questions, please contact Elida Keller (fmiphdprogram(a)fmi.ch) -- Friedemann Zenke, PhD Sir Henry Wellcome Fellow Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour University of Oxford Tinsley Building Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3SR United Kingdom https://fzenke.net

Oct. 19, 2018

CFP: FLAIRS 2019, Sarasota, FL, Datamining Track

by David Bisant

CALL FOR PAPERS FLAIRS 2019, Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Symposium Special Tracks on Data mining Sarasota, Florida https://sites.google.com/view/flairs-32homepage/home Paper submission deadline: November 19, 2018. Notifications: January 21, 2019. Camera ready version due: February 25, 2019. FLAIRS is an interdisciplinary artificial intelligence conference which especially encourages novel ideas and which features a double-blind review process. Data Mining Track This special track will be devoted to data mining with the aim of presenting new and important contributions in this area. Papers and contributions are encouraged for any work related to Data Mining. Topics of interest may include (but are in no way limited to): 1. Applications such as Intelligence analysis, medical and health applications, text, video, and multi-media mining, E-commerce and web data, financial data analysis, cyber security, remote sensing, earth sciences, bioinformatics, and astronomy. 2. Modeling algorithms such as hidden Markov models, decision trees, neural networks, statistical methods, or probabilistic methods; case studies in areas of application, or over different algorithms and approaches. 3. Feature extraction and selection. 4. Post-processing techniques such as visualization, summarization, or trending. 5. Preprocessing and data reduction. 6. Knowledge engineering or warehousing. Papers dealing with Cloud-based unstructured data or Cloud-based tool suites, such as Mahout, Amazon AWS, or Apache Spark, are also encouraged. Note: We invite original papers (i.e. work not previously submitted, in submission, or to be submitted to another conference during the reviewing process). Submission Guidelines Interested authors should format their papers according to AAAI formatting guidelines. Papers should not exceed 6 pages (or 4 pages for short paper, to be presented as a poster) and are due by November 19, 2018. FLAIRS reviewing is a double blind process. Author names and affiliations should be substituted X’d out on the submitted draft to provide double-blind reviewing. Papers must be submitted as PDF through the EasyChair conference system, which can be accessed through the main conference web site (https://sites.google.com/view/flairs-32homepage/home) Note: use your real name for your EasyChair login - your EasyChair account information is hidden from reviewers. Authors should indicate which special track they are submitting to. The proceedings of FLAIRS will be published by the AAAI. Authors of accepted papers will be required to sign a form transferring copyright of their contribution to AAAI. FLAIRS requires that there be at least one full author registration per paper.

Oct. 18, 2018

CFP: TAC | Special Issue on Automated Perception of Human Affect from Longitudinal Behavioral Data

by Pablo Barros

CALL FOR PAPERS IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing Special Issue on Automated Perception of Human Affect from Longitudinal Behavioral Data Website: https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/omgchallenges/tacSpecialIssue201… I. Aim and Scope Research trends within artificial intelligence and cognitive sciences are still heavily based on computational models that attempt to imitate human perception in various behavior categorization tasks. However, most of the research in the field focuses on instantaneous categorization and interpretation of human affect, such as the inference of six basic emotions from face images, and/or affective dimensions (valence-arousal), stress and engagement from multi-modal (e.g., video, audio, and autonomic physiology) data. This diverges from the developmental aspect of emotional behavior perception and learning, where human behavior and expressions of affect evolve and change over time. Moreover, these changes are present not only in the temporal domain but also within different populations and more importantly, within each individual. This calls for a new perspective when designing computational models for analysis and interpretation of human affective behaviors: the computational models that can timely and efficiently adapt to different contexts and individuals over time, and also incorporate existing neurophysiological and psychological findings (prior knowledge). Thus, the long-term goal is to create life-long personalized learning and inference systems for analysis and perception of human affective behaviors. Such systems would benefit from long-term contextual information (including demographic and social aspects) as well as individual characteristics. This, in turn, would allow building intelligent agents (such as mobile and robot technologies) capable of adapting their behavior in a continuous and on-line manner to the target contexts and individuals. This special issue aims at contributions from computational neuroscience and psychology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and affective computing, challenging and expanding current research on interpretation and estimation of human affective behavior from longitudinal behavioral data, i.e., single or multiple modalities captured over extended periods of time allowing efficient profiling of target behaviors and their inference in terms of affect and other socio-cognitive dimensions. We invite contributions focusing on both the theoretical and modeling perspective, as well as applications ranging from human-human, human-computer and human-robot interactions. II. Potential Topics Given computational models, the capability to perceive and understand emotion behavior is an important and popular research topic. That is why recent special issues on the IEEE Journal on Transactions on Affective Computing covered topics from emotion behavior analysis “in-the-wild” to personality analysis. However, most of the research published by these specific calls treat emotion behavior as an instantaneous event, relating mostly to emotion recognition, and thus neglect the development of complex emotion behavior models. Our special issue will foster the development of the field by focusing excellent research on emotion models for long-term behavior analysis. The topics of interest for this special issue include, but are not limited to: - New theories and findings on continuous emotion recognition - Multi- and Cross-modal emotion perception and interpretation - Lifelong affect analysis, perception, and interpretation - Novel neural network models for affective processing - New neuroscientific and psychological findings on continuous emotion representation - Embodied artificial agents for empathy and emotion appraisal - Machine learning for affect-driven interventions - Socially intelligent human-robot interaction - Personalized systems for human affect recognition III. Submission Prospective authors are invited to submit their manuscripts electronically, adhering to the IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing guidelines ( https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=5165369) Please submit your papers through the online system ( https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/taffc-cs) and be sure to select the special issue: Special Issue/Section on Automated Perception of Human Affect from Longitudinal Behavioral Data. IV. IMPORTANT DATES: Submissions Deadline: 15th of January 2019 Deadline for reviews and response to authors: 06th of April 2019 Camera-ready deadline: 05th of August 2019 V. Guest Editors Pablo Barros, University of Hamburg, Germany Stefan Wermter, University of Hamburg, Germany Ognjen (Oggi) Rudovic, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America Hatice Gunes, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom -------------------------- -- Dr. Pablo Barros Postdoctoral Research Associate - Crossmodal Learning Project (CML) Knowledge Technology Department of Informatics University of Hamburg Vogt-Koelln-Str. 30 22527 Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 40 42883 2535 Fax: +49 40 42883 2515 barros at informatik.uni-hamburg.dehttp://www.pablobarros.nethttps://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/people/barros.htmlhttps://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/

Oct. 18, 2018

NEURON course at SFN 2018 meeting

by Ted Carnevale

A few seats remain open for the NEURON course that we will be presenting at the SFN 2018 meeting in San Diego. However, the registration deadline is Friday, October 19--just three days from today, so you'll have to act quickly if you are interested in learning things like * why you should be using NEURON to model biological neurons and neural circuits * how to get started building models with NEURON's GUI and/or Python * advanced tips for getting the most out of using Python as NEURON's interpreter, and using NEURON's GUI for interactive modeling and debugging of models implemented with Python * using the Import3d tool to convert Neurolucida, Eutectic, and SWC morphometric data files to NEURON models * how to add new ion channels and other biophysical mechanisms to NEURON For the course description and registrion form, see https://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/sd2018/sd2018.html --Ted This message was composed in plain text and may contain plain text formatting of source code, tables, and lists. Reading it in a client that ignores "excess" whitespace characters or line breaks may destroy that formatting, making this message unreadable. Outlook does that by default; learn how to disable the "Auto Remove Line Breaks" ""feature"" at support.microsoft.com

Oct. 16, 2018

Postdoctoral position in circuit modelling at Nottingham, deadline 7th November

by Mark Humphries

A postdoctoral position is available in the lab of Prof Mark Humphries at the University of Nottingham. We seek a postdoctoral researcher to tackle the deep question of how dopamine controls the dynamics of the striatum. As the main target of dopamine in the brain, the striatum bears the brunt of dopamine loss in Parkinson’s disease. Yet how dopamine controls the output of the striatum, and how the loss of dopamine disrupts that output, is unknown. The successful candidate will be responsible for constructing and simulating models of the striatum to investigate how dopamine controls the striatum’s dynamics, and the implications this will have for Parkinson’s disease. The project will build upon the detailed models of the striatum from the Humphries group (e.g. Humphries et al 2009 Neural Networks; 2010, PLoS Computational Biology). This is also a chance to join the newly-created computational neuroscience centre at Nottingham, which includes Profs Mark van Rossum and Stephen Coombes. Find out more about the lab and its interests here: https://www.humphries-lab.org/ The post will be available for 18 months in the first instance. More details, eligibility, and application instructions here: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/SCI353818 Deadline: 7th November 2018 To discuss this or other projects, please contact Mark (mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk)

Oct. 16, 2018

Fully-funded PhD in computational neuroscience at Nottingham, deadline 31st October

by Mark Humphries

A fully funded PhD position in Computational Neuroscience is available with Prof. Mark Humphries at the School of Psychology, University of Nottingham. Deadline: October 31st Full details and to apply: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/psychology/news/funded-phd-opportunity-prof-ma… The Humphries’ lab interrogates how the joint activity of many neurons encodes the past, present, and future, in order to guide behaviour. We combine simulations of neural circuits with “neural data science” – the development and use of machine-learning approaches to systems neuroscience data. We are particularly interested in PhD projects on the following research questions: * “Mapping the wires from neural activity”. How to use the next generation of imaging techniques that directly record neuron voltages to accurately infer the wiring between neurons. * “How to write activity into neurons". What features of neural activity should we change with optogenetics in order to test hypotheses about population activity? * “Dynamic control of the striatum in health and disease”. How the influence of the striatal interneurons is controlled by dopamine, and how that influence goes haywire when dopamine is lost in Parkinson’s disease. For a primer on our research, and our recent publications, visit our lab website: /https://www.humphries-lab.org/ To discuss these or other projects, please contact Prof Mark Humphries (mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk)

Oct. 16, 2018

Master-PhD studentship:Studying the physiological synergy of different ion channels in neurons

by luiza filipis

M2 stage (April – July 2019) and possibility to continue with a 3-years PhD, starting in October 2019, with scholarship already granted Studying the physiological synergy of different ion channels in neurons Following the recent award of a competitive National grant, we are looking for a brilliant and motivated undergraduate student, with biological and/or physical background, to perform a final stage at the last University level (Master-2 or equivalent), starting April 1st 2019 or earlier if possible and ending in July 2019. The student will receive a stipend of ~500€/month for the entire duration of the stage. The objective of the project is to combine advanced imaging techniques applied to neurons in brain slices, novel photoactivable toxins to target individual ion channels and advanced computational techniques to extract the precise activity of multiple ion channels underlying neuronal signals. The student will learn patch clamp and imaging techniques and apply those to test novel photoactivable toxins targeting calcium channels. At the end of the stage, if positively evaluated, a 3-year PhD with an already available scholarship from the labex consortium ICST (http://www.labex-icst.fr/en) will be offered to start on October 1st 2019. The criteria for selecting the students will include (in order of importance) - The academic record of the student (notes) with respect to the disciplines associated with the project. (For students coming from French Universities, an average note of >13/20 in the M1 and in the first semester of M2 is compulsory to be considered). - Motivation to carry on a career in scientific research as the following PhD opens the gate to further postdoctoral experiences outside France. - Personal attitude to laboratory life including relationships with colleagues. Applications, addressed to Dr Marco Canepari ( marco.canepari(a)univ-grenoble-alpes.fr) should contain: 1. a CV based on the academic record including notes (at least the most relevant and recent); 2. a motivation letter; 3. (optional) one or two supporting letters by academic staff or name(s) and email address(es) of one or two referees who know the candidate. Applications are open until November 10th 2018 and the selected student will be decided by December 1st 2018. More information on the project and on the research activity of our group is available at: -- Luiza Filipis,PhD Student Equipe MOTIV Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique (LIPhy), Université Grenoble Alpes et CNRS UMR 5588, Bat. E45, 140 avenue de la physique, Domaine univ., 38402 St Martin d'Hères cedex, FRANCE 33(0)476514731, Fax +33(0)476635495. luiza.filipis(a)univ-grenoble-alpes.fr http://marco-canepari.wix.com/neuron-imaging-team

Oct. 16, 2018

Funded Mathematics PhD at the University of Exeter - Designing the dynamics of coupled oscillators

by Purcell, Sarah

Designing the dynamics of coupled oscillators<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/?id=3301> Mathematics PhD (funded) University of Exeter Supervisors: Dr Christian Bick<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/cb618> - University of Exeter Dr Kyle Wedgwood<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kcaw201> - University of Exeter The University of Exeter's College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences is inviting applications for a fully-funded PhD studentship to commence in January 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter. For eligible students the studentship will cover tuition fees (UK/EU/International) in full plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £14,777 for 3.5 years full-time, or pro rata for part-time study. The student would be based in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences in Exeter. Networks of interacting oscillatory units are abundant in nature and technology. Their function and dynamics governs crucial aspects of our lives, ranging from the stability of power grids to the dynamics of the human brain. The dynamics of oscillator networks depends on (1) which oscillators interact with which other oscillator and (2) how oscillators interact with one another. This project will contribute to the question how the interplay between these two factors shape the network dynamics. The main aim of this PhD project is to develop theoretical and numerical approaches how oscillator networks can be designed to have specific interactions. This will allow to generate networks that exhibit a range of synchronized and locally synchronized dynamics. Moreover, the supervisor is currently collaborating with the experimental group of Istvan Z Kiss in St Louis (USA) who are working on electrochemical oscillators. Hence, there may be an opportunity to help implement the theoretical results in real-world experimental systems. Entry requirements Applicants for this studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology. If English is not your first language you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS and no less than 6.0 in any section by the start of the project. Alternative tests may be acceptable (see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/)<http://see%20http:/www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/)> For more information, please contact Dr. Christian Bick (C.Bick(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:C.Bick@exeter.ac.uk>) or Dr. Kyle Wedgwood (K.C.A.Wedgwood(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:K.C.A.Wedgwood@exeter.ac.uk>) or see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/?id=3301

Oct. 16, 2018

Interviews at SfN 2018 for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Neural Decoding and Data Analytics Lab - Center for Bioelectronic Medicine

by Zanos, Theodoros

Attending Neuroscience 2018 in San Diego? Apply to be considered for an interview during the conference by sending your CV to tzanos(a)northwell.edu The Neural Decoding and Data Analytics Lab at the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine, headed by Assistant Professor Theo Zanos PhD, focuses on neural recordings and data analysis methods to gain insights into decoding and encoding mechanisms of the brain and peripheral nerves to and from stimuli, actions and other physiological functions. The lab utilizes a variety of techniques from signal processing, machine learning, optimization, neurophysiology and bioelectronic systems for closed-loop neural recording and stimulation, both in health and in disease models. The ultimate goal is to develop neuromodulation therapies that will observe the state of the organism and the organ system that is targeted, to deliver individualized treatment of diseases in real-time. The successful candidate will develop or deploy computational tools, will take part in neurophysiology experiments and collect data, organize and analyze data, collaborate with 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. The position comes with considerably competitive compensation. Job Responsibilities Include: Develops computational tools for neuroscience research. Run neurophysiology experiments. Performs bioelectronic medicine research. Collaborates with other research staff. Responsible for the planning, collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of research data related to one or more projects Doctorate degree in Engineering, Computer Science or Statistics (Ph.D) required Authored/co-authored research papers and/or scientific abstracts, required Experience with various signal processing and machine learning methods, required Strong programming skills of Matlab, required, Python, C++, preferred Research experience in neurophysiology/neuroscience/animal surgery, preferred 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.

Oct. 16, 2018

Research Scientist Position at Samsung

by Daniel Kepple

Samsung is recruiting computational neuroscientists for a new AI Research lab in New York City that will conduct fundamental research at the intersection of AI, robotics, and neuroscience. The position requires motivation to advance fundamental science and create revolutionary technological prototypes. Team members will have the intellectual freedom to cultivate their research roots by partnering with universities and publishing in leading scientific conferences and journals. Research Scientists in Machine Learning tackle unsolved problems in neural network architectures, learning algorithms, reinforcement learning, computer vision, natural language, and multimodal sensory processing. We will be at SfN, so if you are interested in learning more or applying, please send an email with your CV to d.kepple(a)samsung.com<mailto:d.kepple@samsung.com> See the following link for more details: https://samsungresearchamerica.applytojob.com/apply/IgDHsUiaPI/Research-Sci… Thanks, Daniel Kepple Research Scientist at Samsung AI Center, NY

Oct. 15, 2018

Funded PhD position in Statistical Analysis of Neural Data at UConn

by Ian Stevenson

The Statistical Neuroscience Lab at the University of Connecticut is recruiting PhD students to start Fall 2019. These are fully-funded positions, and candidates will be working in close collaboration with experimental collaborators to develop methods for modeling neural dynamics, interactions, and plasticity from large-scale spike train data. Qualifications: Our work is highly interdisciplinary, and applicants must have strong quantitative skills. Previous experience with neuroscience is helpful but not necessary. Candidates with backgrounds in physics, statistics, computer science, engineering, and related areas are welcome to apply. Applying: Interested students should apply through the UConn Neuroscience (*https://grad.psych.uconn.edu/prospective/phd/application-deadlines/ <https://grad.psych.uconn.edu/prospective/phd/application-deadlines/>*) or Biomedical Engineering (*http://www.bme.uconn.edu/academics/graduate-program/about-the-graduate-program-in-biomedical-engineering <http://www.bme.uconn.edu/academics/graduate-program/about-the-graduate-prog…>*) PhD programs. Deadlines are Feb 1 for Neuroscience and Jan 1 for BME. Contact ian.stevenson(a)uconn.edu for more information Thanks, Ian Stevenson Assistant Professor University of Connecticut Department of Psychological Sciences stevenson.lab.uconn.edu

Oct. 15, 2018

tenure track faculty searches at Georgia Tech

by Rozell, Christopher J

There are a number of tenure track faculty searches at Georgia Tech that may be of interest to this community. While only some are targeting neuro specifically, many have neuro as an area of specific interest. The ads are aggregated here: http://neuro.gatech.edu/career For this community, I would draw your attention to the searches in computationally-oriented departments such as Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), Math, and Computational Science and Engineering (CSE). Georgia Tech's campus is in the heart of midtown Atlanta, which is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas (and entrepreneurial communities) in the United States. Atlanta boasts a wide range of opportunities for recreation, culture, and easy access to domestic and international transportation. The neuroscience community is strong and rapidly growing both at Georgia Tech and at our local partners Emory (including Emory Medical School) and Georgia State University. In particular, there is a specific current and historical strength in computational neuroscience in the local area, with a strong and collegial community. More info about our local community can be found here: http://neuro.gatech.edu/ Please contact me if you have questions. regards, chris rozell

Oct. 15, 2018

Multiple Postdoctoral Positions in Computational Neuroscience Available at Boston University, and beyond.

by Mark Kramer

Multiple Postdoctoral Positions in Computational Neuroscience Available at Boston University, and beyond. Three, NIH-supported postdoctoral positions in computational neuroscience are available immediately at Boston University in the labs of Uri Eden and Mark Kramer. The positions center on two projects: * Project: Measure, model, and modulate cross-frequency coupling. - Team: An interdisciplinary team of researchers at BU (Mark Kramer and Uri Eden) and the University of Minnesota (Alik Widge). - Goals: (i) Develop new statistical modeling methods to assess cross-frequency coupling (CFC) in real-time, and deploy these tools in in vivo animal experiments. (ii) Develop simple, biophysical models to identify candidate mechanisms of CFC. * Project: Assess human seizure dynamics across spatial and temporal scales. - Team: An interdisciplinary team of researchers at BU (Mark Kramer and Uri Eden) Harvard/MGH (Sydney Cash), and Columbia University (Catherine Schevon). - Goals: (i) Analyze human seizure activity in a unique data set, consisting of invasive brain voltage recordings across spatial scales - from single units to large brain areas, and temporal scales - from high-frequency oscillations to slow brain rhythms. (ii) Build biophysical models to probe how human seizures start, propagate, and stop. For either project, the successful candidate will have a strong background in statistics and computer programming; experience in interdisciplinary neuroscience research and biophysical modeling is preferred, although not essential. The positions are based at Boston University in the labs of Uri Eden and Mark Kramer. Both projects are highly interdisciplinary and will involve frequent and extensive interactions with neuroscientists at UMN (Alik Widge), or clinicians at Harvard/MGH (Sydney Cash) and Columbia University (Catherine Schevon). To apply, or for more information about the position, please send an email to Mark Kramer (mak(a)math.bu.edu) Please include an updated CV, names and contact information of three references, and a brief statement of your interest in the position and relevant qualifications. Boston University offers a vibrant community of statistical, mathematical, and neuroscience faculty and students, and many opportunities for collaboration within and outside the University.

Oct. 14, 2018

Faculty Position: Applied Mathematics Northwestern University

by Hermann Riecke

Northwestern University invites applications for a full-time, *tenure-track faculty position in**Applied Mathematics* to begin in September 2019 in the Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics (http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/applied-math/) Hiring will be focused on the assistant professor level, although exceptional applicants at all levels will be considered. Candidates in *all fields of applied mathematics, science, and engineering* with a demonstrated ability to conduct *high-impact interdisciplinary research* *in applied mathematics* are encouraged to apply. Northwestern University offers a stimulating environment, encouraging collaborations across departments and schools. Collaborations of our current faculty span multiple departments in the McCormick School of Engineering, the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and the Feinberg School of Medicine in areas including materials science, earth sciences, fluid dynamics, complex systems, microbiology, neuroscience, and social systems, to highlight a few. Our faculty actively participate in interdisciplinary centers such as the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, the Center for Synthetic Biology, the Center for Hierarchical Materials Design, the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, and the Center for Water Research, among others. The recently funded NSF-Simons Center for Quantitative Biology is a joint initiative primarily between the Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics and the Department of Molecular Biosciences. We are seeking candidates whose research has strong connections to applications and who can strengthen and/or broaden the research activities of the department. Requirements include a PhD. Duties involve research and teaching. Submit applications electronically at https://facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu/apply/MzE2.The application package should include a curriculum vita, a statement of research accomplishments and interests, a statement of teaching experience and philosophy, and 3-4 selected publications. In addition, the applicant should arrange for at least three, but no more than four letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters will be automatically solicited from the letter writers by email after their names are entered in the online application system. Questions may be sent to esam-facultysearch(a)northwestern.edu (Subject line: 2019 Faculty Search). Review of applications will begin November 15, 2018 and will continue until the position is filled.

Oct. 13, 2018

Opportunities to collaborate with the EPSRC Centre for Predictive Modelling in Healthcare

by Purcell, Sarah

Dear Colleagues, I would like to highlight the following opportunities for collaboration with the EPSRC Centre for Predictive Modelling in Healthcare at the University of Exeter, UK: The EPSRC Centre for Predictive Modelling in Healthcare<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/research/pmh/> brings together a world-leading team of mathematicians, statisticians and clinicians with a range of industrial partners, people with lived experience of chronic health conditions and other stakeholders to focus on the development of new methods for managing and treating noncommunciable disorders using predictive mathematical and statistical models. Our focus is on 'dynamic' health conditions such as autoimmune disease, cardiac arrhythmias, diabetes and epilepsy. We aim to revolutionise the clinical management of these disorders through better understanding the fundamental mechanisms of these disorders, as well as the development of mathematically-underpinned decision support systems. Visitor programme The Centre runs a lively visitor programme where both short term seminar speakers and longer term visitors can interact with the team. Whether you are an academic, a student, a healthcare professional or involved in healthcare technologies, if you are interested to visit or work with us, please get in touch by completing our visitor contact form<https://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/research/pmh/visitors/>. Visiting fellowship We have some funding available to support the visits of interested parties who will contribute to the work of the Centre. Please use the contact form<https://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/research/pmh/visitors/> to tell us more about your plans, the problem you would like to solve and who you would like to work with. Requests for funding will be dealt with on an individual basis. For further information or any queries, you can also contact Sarah Purcell<mailto:s.purcell@exeter.ac.uk> (Centre Manager). Best wishes, Sarah Purcell Centre Manager EPSRC Centre for Predictive Modelling in Healthcare University of Exeter Tel: 01392 726447 Web: www.exeter.ac.uk/pmh <http://www.exeter.ac.uk/pmh> Twitter: twitter.com/CPMH_UoE

Oct. 12, 2018

PhD position in statistical methods in neuroscience

by Benjamin Dunn

A PhD position is available in statistical methods in neuroscience at the department of Mathematical Sciences, NTNU, and in collaboration with Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience / Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU (Norway). The project will focus on parameter estimation, hypothesis testing and model selection in large population neural data with detailed 3D tracking of animal behavior. Additional details are available at https://www.jobbnorge.no/ledige-stillinger/stilling/156881/phd-fellowship-i… or contact us at: Mette Langaas, Mette.Langaas(a)ntnu.no Benjamin Dunn, Benjamin.Dunn(a)ntnu.no The deadline for applying is October 15th.

Oct. 11, 2018

Multiple open-rank tenure-track positions open at the AI Institute of Stony Brook University

by Memming Park

The departments of computer science and biomedical informatics at the Stony Brook University are recruiting tenure track faculties. Stony Brook University is located on Long island, east of New York city. The senior-level position come with the title of Empire Innovation Professor, and enhanced salary and research support. Exceptionally qualified senior and junior candidates in *all areas of Artificial Intelligence* are invited to apply, particularly in the following areas but not limited to: *Machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing or data science*. See the following links for details: https://www.cs.stonybrook .edu/about-us/career/Multiple-Positions-all-levels-Empire-Innovation-Professor-AI-Institute- Stony-Brook-University Official Job Title: Assistant, Associate or Full Professor REF#: F-9924-18-08 *The position will be open until filled.* Sincerely, Memming Park -- Assistant Professor Department of Neurobiology and Behavior Stony Brook University http://catniplab.github.io/

Oct. 11, 2018

Faculty position in computational neuroscience at University of Illinois

by Sutton, Brad

The Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) seeks a full-time Bioengineering faculty member for a tenure-track or tenured position in the broad area of computational bioengineering: including computational neuroscience or other related areas. See: https://go.illinois.edu/BIOE_Fac_2018 for more information.

Oct. 10, 2018

Advanced Research Fellowships - Artificial Intelligence

by Peter Andras

Industrial Strategy Advanced Research Fellowships Special area of interest: Artificial Intelligence and industrial / medical applications. Keele University Closes: 30th October 2018 Job Ref: KU00000892 Salary: Grade 8 £42,036-£50,132/Grade 9 £51,630-£59,828 Were Keele and were different. Founded over 60 years ago to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, our mission today is as relevant as it was then. A key part of our mission is the delivery of research with the highest impact. The University and its Science & Innovation Park play a critical economic anchor role across and beyond the Midlands area of the UK. In the last 2 years we have invested over £40 million in building our capacity to work collaboratively with business, industry and a wider set of partners. As part of our future plans for continued investment, we are now seeking to recruit two Industrial Strategy Advanced Research Fellows to the University. Applications are welcomed from individuals with a track record in any discipline, which aligns with the aims and objectives of the UK Governments Industrial Strategy and the UKRI Funding Councils delivering the strategy (e.g. artificial intelligence). We particularly welcome applications which will further build the Universitys reputation for internationally-excellent, world-leading and high impact research in one or more grand challenge areas within the Industrial Strategy. The fellowships are principally research focused positions until July 2021, after which role-holders will transition into substantive academic roles which will include both teaching and research responsibilities. Appointments will be considered at grade 8 (Lecturer scale) or grade 9 (Senior Lecturer scale). The level will be determined by the experience and track-record of individual candidates. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an established or emerging track record of high quality collaborative research with business, industry and other non-academic partners across the UK, aligned to areas of existing research endeavour at Keele University. An ability to demonstrate a track-record and future desire to collaborate with a wide range of commercial partners, large and small, will be welcomed. Initial applications are invited with a deadline of 30 October 2018, with interviews taking place 3-7 December 2018. Applications will be selected against the person specification for the role, which will include consideration of how the proposed candidate will complement established and emerging areas of research in regard to our interdisciplinary research themes of: sustainable futures, social inclusion and global health. Applicants interested in applying for these jobs in the area of Artificial Intelligence and its industrial / medical applications may contact Professor Peter Andras (p.andras(a)keele.ac.uk <mailto:p.andras@keele.ac.uk> ) for further information about these jobs. Keele University values equality and diversity across our workforce and to ensuring our staff community is reflective of the diversity of our student population. In support of these commitments the University welcomes applications from individuals of Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds for all roles. For full post details please visit: <http://www.keele.ac.uk/vacancies> www.keele.ac.uk/vacancies Keele University employees wishing to apply should login to Employee Self Service and click on the 'View current vacancies' link. Closing date for applications: 30th October 2018 Promoting Equality, Valuing Diversity. --- Professor Peter Andras Head of School School of Computing and Mathematics Keele University Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK Tel. +44-1782-733412 Fax. +44-1782-734268 E-mail: <mailto:p.andras@keele.ac.uk> p.andras(a)keele.ac.uk Web: <http://www.scm.keele.ac.uk/staff/p_andras/> www.scm.keele.ac.uk/staff/p_andras/

Oct. 10, 2018

COSYNE 2019: Abstract submission is now open; Call for workshop proposals; Cosyne Mentoring Forum

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2019 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 28 February - 03 March 2019 Lisbon, Portugal WORKSHOPS 04 March - 05 March 2019 Cascais, Portugal www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Abstract submission is now open Workshop proposal deadline: 31 October 2018 Cosyne registration opens: 11 November 2018 Abstract submission deadline: 15 November 2018 ---------------------------------------------------- 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 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. For more information and details on submitting abstracts please visit Cosyne.org -> Abstracts. COSYNE SPEAKERS Bruno Averbeck (NIMH) Gwyneth Card (Janelia) Kathleen Cullen (John Hopkins) Kenji Doya (OIST) Ken Harris (UCL) Sonja Hofer (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre) Yann LeCun (NYU) Edvard Moser (NTNU) Yiota Poirazi (IMBB-FORTH) Maneesh Sahani (Gatsby-UCL) Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Sara Solla (Northwestern) Karel Svoboda (Janelia) Ilana Witten (Princeton) ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Linda Wilbrecht (Berkeley) and Brent Doiron (U Pittsburgh) Program Chairs: Eugenia Chiappe (Champalimaud) and Christian Machens (Champalimaud) Workshop Chairs: Catherine Hartley (NYU) and Ralf Haefner (U Rochester) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Angela Langdon (Princeton) and Robert Wilson (U Arizona) Publicity Chair: Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Development Chair: Michael Long (NYU) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org ---------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS ---------------------------------------------------- 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. Preference will be given to proposals that differ substantially in content, scope, and/or approach from workshops of recent years (examples available at Cosyne.org -> Workshops). 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. In order to foster discussion within Workshops and reduce overlap between workshops, organizers should inform invited speakers that a single person should not speak in more than one of the Workshops taking place on the same day. WORKSHOP DETAILS - 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 (08.00-11.00a) and afternoon (04.30-07.30p) sessions. - Workshops will be held at Cascais, a coastal village ~34 km west of Lisbon. Buses from the main conference will be provided. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Submission instructions for workshop proposals are available at Cosyne.org -> Workshops. Proposals should include: - Name(s) and email address(es) of the organizers (no more than 2 organizers per session, please). The first author on the list becomes the contact author for the proposal. - 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. - Names, affiliations, and expected topics of talks of potential invitees, and a list of confirmed speakers. Preference will be given to workshops with the most confirmed speakers. - A brief summary of relevant prior experiences and publications of the organizers (about half a page total). - 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. Workshop organizer responsibilities include coordinating workshop participation and content, scheduling all speakers and submitting a final schedule for the workshop program, and moderating the discussion. Organizers can be speakers but need not speak depending on scheduling constraints. SUGGESTIONS 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 fewer than 10 talks. When preparing workshop proposals, the organizers are encouraged to: - address timeliness of workshop in the proposal: what new insights have been generated (new papers, data, techniques, whatever) over the past few years that make now the right time for discussing them and for presenting them to the wider community? - directly describe how speakers address the central topic, e.g. which are the big question(s), which speakers represent different viewpoints on the same question, which experimentalist addresses the theories addressed by which theoretician (and vice versa); - address controversies and bring together speakers from different “camps” in the same field, or from different fields that---according to the organizers---should talk more to each other for whatever reason; WORKSHOP COSTS Detailed registration costs, etc., will be available at www.cosyne.org. Please note: Cosyne does NOT provide travel funding for workshop speakers. All workshop speakers 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 2019 WORKSHOP CHAIRS Catherine Hartley (NYU) and Ralf Haefner (University of Rochester) email: workshops [at] cosyne.org ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE MENTORING FORUM ---------------------------------------------------- Cosyne Mentoring Forum provides a platform for discussions among Cosyne participants, particularly for help with composing abstracts for the meeting and getting feedback before submission. The forum is intended to be a place to connect with other computational and systems neuroscientists. Forum members are encouraged to share advice on everything from writing a great Cosyne abstract to navigating a job search. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details on how to subscribe and post to the forum. ---------------------------------------------------- OTHER 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. 10, 2018

[publication and call for dialog] IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems

by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer

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

Oct. 10, 2018

PhD project in computational modeling of Alzheimer’s disease at MCEN/BCAM, Bilbao, Spain

by Maurizio De Pitta

Fully-funded PhD project: Computational modeling and data mining of early markers of Alzheimer’s disease Lab / Host institution : Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience (MCEN) at the Basque Center of Applied Mathematics (BCAM) Location : Bilbao, The Basque Country, Spain Duration : 3 years. Stipend : 18k EUR/year + mobility allowance Starting date : immediate Scientific background : Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic, age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, memory loss, personality changes, and withdrawal. The causes of AD remain poorly understood and no treatment is currently available to stop or reverse the progress of the disease nor to reduce the risk of developing it. The principal pathological hallmark of AD is the accumulation in the brain of senile plaques, primarily composed of the amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, and tangles of filaments of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. However, population-based studies show that there is a continuum of AD type pathology in the aging population, with considerable overlap in the burdens of tangle and plaque pathology in demented vs. non-demented individuals. It is therefore difficult to establish thresholds of classical lesions for the prediction of dementia and additional factors are operative to determine whether a given burden of pathology is associated with cognitive impairment. There is therefore a need to explore non-standard pathological markers. Workplan : The candidate will deploy mathematical tools to simulate biophysical processes that could underpin deposition of amyloid beta plaques and tau filaments. Emphasis will be on emerging evidence on the interaction between neurons and glial cells, to identify potential mechanisms that promote local excitation of neuronal networks at the onset of AD, before cognitive impairment takes over, or when only mild cognitive deficits are diagnosed. The project is strongly interdisciplinary, as the candidate will pursue computational research in close collaboration with experimentalists to design realistic models inspired by experiments in cell cultures and brain slices from AD mouse models. At the same time she/he will be able to design experiments based on predictions from her/his models. Working environment : The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Maurizio De Pittà in all the aspects of the project. Dr. De Pittà is a leading expert on computational modeling of neuron-glia interactions, with an experience in computational neuroscience of 10+ years. Dr. De Pittà recently joined the MCEN group at BCAM as « Junior Leader » fellow with a start-up grant supported by la Caixa Banking Foundation. The MCEN group is a rapidly growing team led by Ikerbasque Professor Serafim Rodrigues, that was established in 2016 as part of the strategic research portfolio enacted by the Basque Country to foster interdisciplinary research in Neuroscience. The candidate will collaborate with Dr. Elena Alberdi and Prof. Carlos Matute at Achucarro, the Basque Center for Neuroscience in Bilbao, at the local campus of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). BCAM is one of the Severo Ochoa’s excellence centers for scientific research in Spain providing a fertile international environment for enriching scientific collaborations. Bilbao, as the capital of the Basque Country in Spain, is a vibrant, friendly city with one of the highest standards of life quality in Spain. Requirements : -- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, or related fields -- Excellent English skills (oral and written) -- Programming skills in Matlab, Python and C/C++ -- High motivation for interdisciplinary research with strong interests for biological details with an analytic mindset -- Essential knowledge of neuroscience, cell biology and biochemistry is preferred but not required Additional notes : This is a cutting-edge project that ideally matches with outstanding and creative candidates, with a strong motivation for international collaborations, mobility, and independence. The candidate is supposed to work on the project full-time (i.e. part-time agreements are taken into consideration), and must be . To apply : Applicants should send a CV with letter of motivation (max 2 pages) to Dr. De Pittà at mdepitta(a)bcamath.org with headings : « PhD Candidacy ». Review of applicants is incumbent, and will continue until the position is filled. The earliest start date is November 2018. -- Maurizio De Pittà https://sites.google.com/site/mauriziodepitta/

Oct. 9, 2018

Tenure-Track Junior Professor in Computational Neuroscience at Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris France

by boris gutkin

> Junior Professor in Computational Neuroscience at Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris France > > Department of Cognitive Studies at the Ecole Normale Superieure (Paris France) seeks candidates for a tenure-track junior professor in computational neuroscience. Candidates in cognitive computational neuroscience, machine learning approaches to neuroscience and statistical neuroscience are particularly encouraged to apply. Successful candidate will join the computational neuroscience core at the Laboratory for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (LNC2, https://lnc2.dec.ens.fr/fr) > > Candidates should show a strong track record of research in computational neuroscience as well as potential for scientific independence and achievement. Candidate will be expected to develop an independent research program during their pre-tenure period In addition to research candidates will spear-head the computational neuroscience track in the Master of Cognitive Sciences at ENS (Cogmaster,www.cogmaster.net/) provide teaching in computational neuroscience at the masters and upper undergraduate level as well as supervise masters and doctoral students. > > The position offers a 5-year tenure-track contract with an evaluation at the end of the 3rd year. Upon successful evaluaton, the candidate will proceed directly to a competition for a full professorship at ENS Paris. Support for national and international grant competitions will be provided. > > The candidate will join a lively cognitive neuroscience and computational neuroscience community. Notably the computational neuroscience core of the LNC includes research groups of Boris Gutkin, Srdjan Ostojic and Sophie Deneve and counts over 20 members in total. Computational approaches to human cognitive neuroscience and neuroeconomics are also represented by groups of Etienne Koechlin, Valentin Wyart and Stefano Palminteri. Ample interactions with experimental and computational groups in the Paris area are available and encouraged. LNC2-DEC-ENS is located in the heart of Paris in the Quartier Latin. > > > Candidates should send an application package by e-mail to the application email address below. The subject line should include the words COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE ENS POSITION followed by the name of the applicant. > > APPLICATION ADDRESS: recruitment.jp-compneuro(a)ens.fr > > The application package should include: > > - a CV, including a list of publications; > > - contacts of 3 referees from whom recommendations letters can be requested; > > - ‪a statement outlining both teaching and research goals/experience (up to 3 pages); > > - a research sample consisting of 3 papers. > > > Deadline for the applications is Nov 15 2018. > > Candidate is expected to start in September 2019. > > Informal enquiries and Questions can be sent to boris.gutkin(a)ens.fr > >

Oct. 7, 2018

PhD studentship: Rapid Bacteria Colony Counting Algorithm Development

by Steuber, Volker

PhD Studentship: Rapid Bacteria Colony Counting Algorithm Development ?Biocomputation Research Group , University of Hertfordshire and Synoptics Limited, Cambridge Programme Description The University invites applications for a PhD student to join our Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange Partnership (HKEP) scheme. This four-year project requires a PhD student to undertake a collaborative research project with support from University academic supervisor(s) and company scientists. The project begins with a Knowledge Exchange year in which you are based in the company. Successful completion of the first year will require the submission of a scientific report, research proposal and an oral examination. The successful candidate will then begin a three-year PhD research project in an area of interest to the company. Start date: January 2019 Duration: Four years Company: Synoptics Limited, Cambridge Stipend: Starts at £15,220 per annum plus approved expenses. All students will also receive a maximum contribution towards their individual tuition fees that is equivalent to the Home/EU student fee in each year of registration. Project Overview: Bacterial colony counting is widely used in both industry and research laboratories in a wide range of applications; these include quality control, environmental monitoring, immunological studies and medical testing. The number of colonies on an agar plate can be used to estimate the number of viable bacteria (total viable count) present in a test sample. This can then be used as an indicator of the cleanliness of a surface, the sterility of a product or the presence of a bacterial infection. Traditionally, colony counting was performed manually or using a light box which was time-consuming and prone to human error. The advent of automated colony counters, which use sophisticated algorithms to detect and count colonies based on shape or colour, has overcome these drawbacks. The popular technologies exploited for bacteria colony counting are edge detection techniques for image processing. However, a number of challenges remain in automated colony counting: identifying and splitting touching colonies, background noise, colony density variance etc. Hence, more advanced and sophisticated techniques need to be developed to cope with these issues while taking efficiency into account. The aim of this project is to propose and implement new algorithms which are robust to noise for rapid bacterial colony detection and counting. Supervisor Information Dr Na Helian Dr Yi Sun Dr Peter Lane Mr Richard Hopwood Application Process For further information and to apply for this role please email hsp(a)herts.ac.uk. The deadline for applications is 31st October 2018. Informal enquires should be addressed to Dr. Na Helian (n.helian(a)herts.ac.uk) Please note that applications sent directly to these address will not be accepted.? https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BNE643/phd-studentship-rapid-bacteria-colony-cou…

Oct. 5, 2018

Research Assistant Professor opening for NeuroMorpho.Org IT Manager position

by Ruben Armananzas Arnedillo

Dear Colleagues, We are searching for an exceptional individual to lead the information technology infrastructure of NeuroMorpho.Org as a Research Assistant Professor in the Center for Neural Informatics and the Bioengineering Department of George Mason University (near Washington DC, USA). If you know suitable candidates with a Ph.D. in computer science, software engineering, information systems, applied mathematics, physics, data science, or related fields, please encourage them to apply at https://jobs.gmu.edu/postings/44093 Especially desired are proficiency in Java, C/C++, Python, R, Matlab, and Shell scripting; experience with Unix/Linux server administration; SQL & NoSQL database design and system operation; web technologies and API (micro) services; content management & collaborative platforms; big-data & cloud computing analytical tools; task analysis automation; knowledge in project management (PMP or similar); and understanding of neuroscience data. The successful applicant will assume responsibility of the NeuroMorpho.Org continuous maintenance, development, and management, including design of new solutions to enhance and expand existing functionality. The incumbent will work directly with the project director, will select and supervise multiple masters-level assistants, and will have unlimited access to dedicated supercomputer and server facilities, flexible working schedule, salary based on the NIH scale, and state employee benefits. Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2018; the position is available immediately. The NeuroMorpho.Org Team

Oct. 3, 2018

Assistant Professor Position in High-Dimensional Data Analysis, CU Boulder, Dept. of Applied. Math. (Deadline Oct. 16, 2018)

by Zachary Kilpatrick

The Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado at Boulder invites applications for a tenure track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level to begin August 2019. The position is in the area of high dimensional data analysis (big data), with possible areas of emphasis including nonlinear optimization, analysis in high-dimensional spaces, randomized projections, probabilistic numerics, harmonic analysis, theoretical deep learning, and related areas. However, exceptional candidates in all fields of Applied Mathematics may be considered. The candidate is expected to take an active role in undergraduate and graduate teaching, conduct a vigorous externally funded research program, advise graduate students, and participate in department and university governance. We also seek candidates who demonstrate effectiveness in teaching, mentoring, nurturing, and inspiring diverse students of all ethnicities, nationalities and genders, including first generation college undergraduates. Review of applications will begin on October 16, 2018; applications will be accepted until the position is filled. —————————————— The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder is home to five Nobel laureates, four National Medal of Science winners, eight MacArthur "Genius Award" winners, 100 Fulbright Scholars, 17 Guggenheim Fellows, 14 Packard Fellows, 24 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 23 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. CU Boulder is the only university in the Rocky Mountain region in the American Association of Universities, a group of the nation’s leading research institutions. The Department of Applied Mathematics is home to 22 tenured and tenure track faculty members whose research span computational mathematics, nonlinear mathematics including nonlinear dynamics and waves, mathematical biology, physical applied mathematics, probability, and statistics. The Department sits at the crossroads of the university's two largest colleges, being rostered in the College of Arts and Sciences while teaching students in the College of Engineering. Our faculty have won numerous awards including: four fellows of the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics, two fellows of the American mathematical Society, two Guggenheim Fellows, an American Statistical Association Fellow, and a Sloan Fellow. For more information see http://www.colorado.edu/amath. ————————————— Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in applied mathematics or a related area, a strong record of research accomplishments, and have excellent teaching and communication skills. To apply, please submit the following materials at https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/?jobId=12897 <https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/?jobId=12897> 1. Resume/CV 2. Cover Letter 3. List of references 4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy 5. Statement of Research Philosophy 6. You will need to submit 3 references for this position. These individuals will be contacted and asked to submit a letter of recommendation as part of your application materials. This information will be kept confidential and viewable only by the search committee.

Oct. 3, 2018

Open Rank Faculty Position, Department of Mathematics, City College of New York, CUNY

by Asohan Amarasingham

Dear Colleagues, The Department of Mathematics of the City College of New York is hiring invites applications for one or more positions at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor levels, to start August 31, 2019. Computational neuroscience and computational biology generally are an area of particular interest for the search, and an area of focus both in the department and more broadly at City College and CUNY (see, for example, the Initiative for Theoretical Sciences at the CUNY Graduate Center). Thus researchers who focus on applications of mathematics or statistics to neuroscience are encouraged to apply. The department has strong mathematical research activities in a broad range of areas. Instructional needs are at all levels, including undergraduate service and major courses, and graduate courses both in the CCNY graduate programs and through the CUNY Graduate Center. The full announcement is below. Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions. Best regards, Asohan Amarasingham ==================================== https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/jobs/12498 The Department of Mathematics of the City College of New York invites applications for one or more positions at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor levels, pending administrative approval, to start August 31, 2019. The department has strong research in a broad range of areas. Areas of greatest need and interest are for applicants with expertise in statistics, probability, and those areas of applied mathematics most relevant to computational biology and data science, but exceptional applicants from all areas of pure and applied mathematics will be considered. Instructional needs are at all levels, including undergraduate service and major courses, and graduate courses both in the CCNY graduate programs and through the CUNY Graduate Center. The City College of New York (CCNY) is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, with a strong tradition of excellence in science and engineering. CCNY serves a broad range of students and CUNY has an exemplary record in moving students from poverty to prosperity. CCNY serves a broad range of students and CUNY has an exemplary record in moving students from poverty to prosperity. The Department actively encourages applications from women and minority candidates. Applicants must apply electronically at http://www.mathjobs.org ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY VIA CUNYfirst FOR CONSIDERATION. Please apply by visiting this CUNY.jobs page<https://cuny.jobs/jobs/?q=19465> or by the following: Go to www.cuny.edu and click on "Employment" or visit Employment at CUNY<http://www2.cuny.edu/employment/> Click "Search job listings" Click on "More options to search for CUNY jobs" Search by Job Opening ID number 19465 Click on the "Apply Now" button and follow the instructions. The applicant must submit an application cover letter detailing interest in the position, a current CV, statements detailing research and teaching interests, a diversity statement reflecting the candidate's thoughts and experience on fostering inclusivity in the classroom and workplace, and arrange for four letters of reference to be submitted through mathjobs.org, with at least three addressing research and at least one addressing teaching qualifications. Review of applications begins October 15th, with applications considered until the position is filled. The City University of New York is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator.

Oct. 2, 2018