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2 Postdoc Positions in the Frohlich Lab (UNC - Chapel Hill)
by Frohlich, Flavio March 28, 2015

March 28, 2015

Position 1: We are seeking to fill one postdoctoral position in slice electrophysiology in the Frohlich Lab (www.frohlichlab.org<http://www.frohlichlab.org>) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We are a rapidly growing lab that aims to understand how cellular and synaptic mechanisms give rise to cortical network dynamics and how these dynamics can be modulated with brain stimulation. We have received grant funding to further grow our slice electrophysiology team in the lab. In particular, we are interested in understanding the role of propagation delays in network synchronization, the study of mesoscale network events by combining optogenetic stimulation and electrophysiology, and elucidating how temporally patterned brain stimulation alters network dynamics. The successful applicant will study such synaptic and intrinsic mechanisms of cortical network dynamics with cutting-edge in vitro slice electrophysiology strategies that combine 120 channel multielectrode array (MEA) electrophysiology, dual patch-clamp, optogenetic stimulation, and real-time closed loop hybrid systems. Requirements: The successful candidate has a PhD in neuroscience or related discipline and a track record of first class science demonstrated by first-author, peer-reviewed scientific articles in the area of in vitro neurophysiology. Documented skills in whole-cell patch clamp recordings are a prerequisite; programming and data analysis skills are essential. Please send your CV and a brief statement of research interest to flavio_frohlich(a)med.unc.edu. Also, please have two letters of recommendation directly submitted to the same email address. Position 2: We are seeking to fill one postdoctoral position in human electrophysiology in the Frohlich Lab (www.frohlichlab.org<http://www.frohlichlab.org>) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We are a rapidly growing lab that aims to understand how cortical network dynamics emerge and how these dynamics can be modulated with brain stimulation. We have received grant funding to further grow our human electrophysiology team in the lab. In particular, we are interested in understanding how (feedback) non-invasive brain stimulation alters cortical network dynamics that mediate cognition. The successful applicant will employ tDCS/tACS, EEG, TMS, and cognitive testing for elucidating the functional role of cortical oscillations in cognition and for the development of novel strategies to enhance brain function and treat cognitive deficits in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Requirements: The successful candidate has a PhD in neuroscience or related discipline and a track record of first class science demonstrated by first-author, peer-reviewed scientific articles in the area of human neurophysiology. Documented skills in EEG and cognitive assays are a prerequisite; programming and data analysis skills are essential. We will provide training in non-invasive brain stimulation methods. Please send your CV and a brief statement of research interest to flavio_frohlich(a)med.unc.edu. Also, please have two letters of recommendation directly submitted to the same email address. -- Flavio Frohlich PhD Assistant Professor Departments of Psychiatry, Cell Biology and Physiology, and Biomedical Engineering Neuroscience Center School of Medicine University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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2015 ACT-R Summer School
by db30＠andrew.cmu.edu March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

2015 ACT-R Summer School and Master Class Carnegie Mellon University July 13-16, 2015 ACT-R is a cognitive architecture, and it is realized in a software system which can be used to develop cognitive models. It has been used for modeling tasks that range from experimental tasks like simple reaction time and list learning, to real world tasks like driving a car and air traffic control. The 2015 ACT-R Summer School will take place from July 13-16, just before the 22nd annual ACT-R Workshop which will also be held at Carnegie Mellon University. The Summer School will train researchers in the use of ACT-R for cognitive modeling using the ACT-R tutorial. The tutorial consists of eight units, six of which will be covered during the four days of the Summer School. Each day will consist of a morning theory lecture covering one or two tutorial units, an afternoon discussion session on the topics of the day, and modeling assignments which participants are expected to complete during the day and evening. The Master Class is organized in parallel with the Summer School. The Master Class offers the opportunity for ACT-R modelers to work on their own projects with guidance from experienced ACT-R researchers. There is no curriculum for the Master Class, but Master Class students are welcome to attend the Summer School lectures and discussion sessions. To provide an optimal learning environment, admission to the Summer School and Master Class will be limited. To apply for the Summer School, please email a curriculum vitae and a statement of purpose to db30(a)andrew.cmu.edu. Demonstrated experience with a modeling formalism similar to ACT-R will strengthen a Summer School application. To apply for the Master Class please email a curriculum vitae along with some information about your level of experience with ACT-R and some details on the project you expect to work on during the Master Class. Applications are due by April 13th and applicants will be notified of admission by April 30. Admission to the Summer School and Master Class is free. In addition, the registration fee for the ACT-R Workshop will be waived for Summer School Students, but not for students of the Master Class. Housing will be available in the CMU dormitories for approximately $60/day (single) or $40/day (shared), and will be available through the end of the workshop. More information about ACT-R, including papers published by the ACT-R community, can be found on the ACT-R web site: <http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/>. For more information on the Summer School and Master Class you can email Dan Bothell at db30(a)andrew.cmu.edu.

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call for papers - 2015 IEEE International Workshop on Machine Learning, for Signal Processing (MLSP)
by 2015 IEEE International Workshop on Machine Learning fo Signal Processing March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

call for papers - 2015 IEEE International Workshop on Machine Learning for Signal Processing (MLSP) September 17-20, 2015 Boston, Massachusetts, USA http://mlsp2015.conwiz.dk CALL FOR PAPERS The 25th MLSP workshop in the series of workshops organized by the IEEE Signal Processing Society MLSP Technical Committee will present the most recent and exciting advances in machine learning for signal processing through keynote talks, tutorials, as well as special and regular single-track sessions. Prospective authors are invited to submit papers on relevant algorithms and applications including, but not limited to: - Learning theory and techniques - Graphical models and kernel methods - Data-driven adaptive systems and models - Pattern recognition and classification - Distributed, Bayesian, subspace/manifold/sparsity-aware learning - Multiset data analysis and multimodal data fusion - Perceptual signal processing in audio, image and video - Cognitive information processing - Multichannel adaptive and nonlinear signal processing - Applications, including: speech & audio, image & video, music, biomedical signals & images, communications, bioinformatics, biometrics, computational intelligence, genomic signals & sequences, social networks, games, smart grid, security & privacy DATA ANALYSIS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING COMPETITION The competition is organized in conjunction with the workshop. The goal of the competition is to advance the current state-of-the-art in theoretical and practical aspects of signal processing domains. SPECIAL SESSIONS MLSP 2015 seeks proposals for Special Sessions that will address research in emerging or interdisciplinary areas of particular interest, not covered already by traditional MLSP sessions. Please submit proposals to the Special Session Chair. BEST STUDENT AWARD The MLSP Best Student Paper Award will be granted to the best paper for which a student is the principal author and presenter. PAPER SUBMISSION Prospective authors are invited to submit a double column paper of up to six pages using the electronic submission procedure at http://mlsp2015.conwiz.dk. Accepted papers will be published on a password-protected website that will be available during the workshop. The presented papers will be published in and indexed by IEEE Xplore. IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES: Special session proposals: April 12, 2015 Paper submissions: May 17, 2015 Decision notifications: June 21, 2015 Camera-ready papers due: June 28, 2015 Advance registration: August 2, 2015 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: General Chair: Deniz Erdoğmuş, Northeastern University Program Chairs: Murat Akçakaya, University of Pittsburgh Serdar Kozat, Bilkent University Competition Chair: Vince Calhoun, University of New Mexico Special Session Chair: Catherine Huang, Intel Labs Publicity Chairs: Kostas Diamantaras, TEI of Thessaloniki Marc Van Hulle, KU Leuven Publication Chair: Jan Larsen, Technical University of Denmark

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Graduate Researcher / Postdoc position available at the SimLab Neuroscience, Juelich Research Centre
by Abigail Morrison March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

Dear colleagues, we have a position available in the SImLab Neuroscience, Juelich Research Centre, Germany, at the graduate or postdoc level. We are looking for candidates with a proven track record in developing scientific software, especially with an HPC focus, and an interest in Neuroscience. For a full description and details of how to apply, please see the announcement on our website: http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Stellenangebote/_common/dna/2015-062-EN… All the best, Abigail Morrison -- Prof. Dr. Abigail Morrison IAS-6 & INM-6 / SimLab Neuroscience Jülich Research Center http://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-6/ http://www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc/EN/Expertise/SimLab/slns/_node.html Office: +49 2461 61-9805 Fax # : +49 2461 61-9460 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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2nd Model-based Neuroscience Summer School Amsterdam June 1-5
by Jane Neumann March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

Dear colleagues, *June 1-5 2015* will see the second *Model-based Neuroscience Summer School*, hosted at the *University of Amsterdam*. The school will provide students with hands-on experience in both cognitive modeling using diffusion and accumulator models and simple neuroscience methods. In addition, the program includes a debate between the two most prominent perspectives on the model-based neuroscience of perceptual decision-making. These perspectives place a different primary focus on either behavior (Ratcliff) or neural dynamics (Logan). Consequently, they bring different insights to the combined research agenda. The summer school is aimed at PhD students and early PostDocs who wish to combine cognitive modelling with experimental and theoretical neuroscience research. Students should be familiar with general programming concepts and state in their application which programming languages and software packages they typically use. The summer school is only 100 euro, however, we ask that students make their own housing arrangements. Space is limited, therefore we ask that you provide a statement of interest. We will base selection of students based on the relevance of the summer school to their research. More information about the teachers, preliminary programme, and application can be found at www.modelbasedneuroscience.com <http://www.modelbasedneuroscience.com/> We are looking forward to welcoming you in Amsterdam! Organization: Birte Forstmann, University of Amsterdam Jane Neumann, University Medical Center Leipzig and MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Roger Ratcliff, Ohio State University Leendert van Maanen, University of Amsterdam

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Call for Abstracts: Bernstein Conference 2015
by Seeger, Simone March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

Call for Abstracts: Bernstein Conference 2015 Deadline of Abstract Submission: May 15, 2015 ************************************************************** Satellite Workshops September 14, 2015 Main Conference September 15-17, 2015 ************************************************************** The Bernstein Conference has become the largest annual Computational Neuroscience Conference in Europe and now regularly attracts more than 500 international participants. This year, the Conference is organized by the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg-Mannheim and will take place on September 15-17, 2015, in Heidelberg. In addition, there will be a series of pre-conference satellite workshops on September 14, 2015. The Bernstein Conference is a single-track conference, covering all aspects of Computational Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, and sessions for poster presentations are an integral part of the conference. We now invite the submission of abstracts for poster presentations from all relevant areas. Accepted abstracts will be published online and will be citable via Digital Object Identifiers (DOI). Additionally, a small number of abstracts will be selected for contributed talks. DETAILS FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: For abstract submission visit: http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2015/abstracts Please note that the submission of an abstract does not replace the conference registration! Conference registration starts on April 27. Abstract submission deadline: May 15, 2015 CONFERENCE DETAILS: Venue: Satellite Workshops and Main Conference, "Neue Universität", Grabengasse 3-5 ("Universitätsplatz"), 69117 Heidelberg, Germany Registration: Conference Registration starts on April 27, 2015 Early registration deadline: July 21, 2015 For more information on the conference, please visit the website: http://www.bernstein-conference.de PUBLIC PHD STUDENT EVENT: September 17-18, 2015 PUBLIC LECTURE: September 15, 2015 FOR THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: Peter Bastian We look forward to seeing you in Heidelberg in September! *** Simone Seeger, M.A. Administration Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit Postfach 12 21 20, 68072 Mannheim J5, 68159 Mannheim Telefon: 0621/1703-1326 oder 06221/54-8310 Fax: 0621/1703-2915 E-Mail: Simone.Seeger(a)zi-mannheim.de<mailto:Simone.Seeger@zi-mannheim.de> Internet: http://www.bccn-heidelberg-mannheim.de<http://www.bccn-heidelberg-mannheim.de/>

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Radboud Summer School Neural Metrics 2.0 : Connectomics & Large-Scale Methods
by Marcel van Gerven March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

Neural Metrics 2.0 : Connectomics & Large-Scale Methods Second call The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour/Radboud University is organizing a summer school on neural metrics with the aim to get participants acquainted with the quantitative analysis of neural organisation and function. In Neural Metrics 2.0 we will build on the success from the previous year, focussing on methods for understanding brain networks such as connectomics as well as large scale and Bayesian methods, with world class speakers, hands-on tutorials, student projects and an interactive debate. The topics covered range from cellular connectomics to human functional connectomics. The course is designed for PhD students and starting postdoctoral researchers working at the interface between cognitive neuroscience and the application of advanced methods. Please consult the Radboud Summer school website (http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/ <http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/>) for details on the program, social events and registration. Further details for the Neural Metrics Summer School can be found below and on the website (http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/courses/brain-behaviour/@972443/neural… <http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/courses/brain-behaviour/@972443/neural…>). Dates : Monday 10 August - Friday 14 August 2015 (1 week) Application Deadline : 15 June 2015 Course leaders : Bernhard Englitz, Marcel van Gerven, Fleur Zeldenrust, Tansu Celikel Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour & Radboud University Participant profile : This course was developed for PhD students and early postdoctoral researchers working at the interface between cellular and cognitive neuroscience requiring advanced methods of analysis. This includes research in the field of Neuroscience with an MSc in Biology, Computer Science, Psychology, Physics, Al, Mathematics, Engineering or a similar major. Admission requirements : As part of the admission procedure, we ask you to send us your CV and a brief motivation letter in which you explain your interest in our course. Course fee : 600 Euros The course fee includes the registration fee, course materials, access to library and IT facilities, coffee/tea, lunch, and a number of social activities. Accommodation is available for the course participants (additional charges apply). For details please see http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/practical-matters/housing/ <http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/practical-matters/housing/> Discounts : • 15% discount for students and PhD candidates from Radboud University and partner universities, • 10% Early bird discount deadline: 1 April 2015

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Kosice Neuroscience Workshop April 20-24
by Norbert Kopco March 26, 2015

March 26, 2015

The Second Workshop and Lecture Series on */"Cognitive neuroscience of auditory and cross-modal perception"/* 20 - 24 April 2015 Kosice, Slovakia http://pcl.upjs.sk/ *Objectives:* This workshop and lecture series will include introductory lectures and advanced research talks on a range of topics related to the */neural processes of auditory, visual and cross-modal perception/*. The talks will illustrate the */multidisciplinary character of cognitive neuroscience research/*, covering behavioral, neuroimaging, and modeling approaches, as well as applications of the research in auditory prosthetic devices. The workshop is aimed at */early-stage and advanced students and young researchers/*, and it will provide ample opportunities for direct interactions between the lecturers and the attendees. Themes Spatial hearing, vision and crossmodal perception, neural modeling, methods in cognitive neuroscience: behavioral experiments, EEG and fMRI imaging, modeling, applications: cochlear implants, hearing aids. *Format* Lectures 20 - 22 April, Consultations 23 – 24 April *Venue* Historicka aula, P. J. Safarik University, Srobarova 2, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia *Organizers* Norbert Kopco, PhD. (norbert.kopco(a)upjs.sk <mailto:norbert.kopco@upjs.sk>) Frederick Gallun, PhD. (Frederick.Gallun(a)va.gov <mailto:Frederick.Gallun@va.gov>) *Organizing team and contact* Beata Tomoriova, Lubos Hladek, Perception and Cognition Lab <http://pcl.upjs.sk>,**kogneuro(a)gmail.com <mailto:kogneuro@gmail.com> Program overview Lectures, talks, posters: Mon, Tue, Wed: 8:30 – 12:00, 13:30 – 16:05 expert lectures, 16:05 – 17:00: contributed posters & presentations Plenary lecture and panel discussion: Wed: 17:30-19:00 in Zlaty Dukat hotel Consultations: * Thu: 8:30 – 11:30 Individual consultations with experts (by appointment) and work on assignments, 12:00 – 17:00 individual work on assignments (8:30 – 11:30 alternatively, interested participants can attend the Symposium on university spin-offs and start-up companies <http://pcl.ics.upjs.sk/symposium2015/>) * Fri: 8:30 – 11:30 Individual consultations with experts (by appointment) and work on assignments Plenary lecture and panel discussion *Virginia Best, Frederick Gallun, and Norbert Kopco*“Audibility and spatial hearing” Speakers and lecture topics *Simon Carlile*(University of Sydney) Lecture 1: Active listening: Speech intelligibility in cocktail party listening. Lecture 2: Listening in motion *Pierre Divenyi*(Stanford University) Lecture 1: Toward an evolutionary theory of speech: how and why did it develop the way it did. Lecture 2: What is the cost of simultaneously listening to the “what” and the “when” in speech? ** *Christopher Stecker *(Vanderbilt University) Lecture 1: RESTART theory: discrete sampling of binaural information during envelope fluctuations is a fundamental constraint on binaural processing. Lecture 2: Neuroimaging of task-dependent spatial processing in human auditory cortex. Assignment 1: Psychophysical exploration of binaural cues synchronized to envelope fluctuations: testing the RESTART theory with synthetic and naturalistic sounds. (hackathon type assignment) Assignment 2: Analysis of an fMRI data set combining task and binaural manipulations in a factorial manner. ** *Bernhard Laback*(Austrian Academy of Sciences) Lecture 1: Sound Localization Cues and Perceptual Grouping in Electric Hearing Lecture 2: Temporal effects in the perception of interaural time differences: Data and model predictions Assignment: Acoustic simulation of cochlear implant perception with low-frequency residual hearing ** *Volker Hohmann *(University of Oldenburg) Lecture 1: Modeling Auditory Scene Analysis by multidimensional statistical filtering Lecture 2: Modeling Cocktail Party Processing in a Multitalker Mixture using Harmonicity and Binaural Features Assignment: Implementation of a statistical estimator (particle filter) that tracks a (simulated) pitch track partially masked by noise. ** *Arash Yazdanbakhsh*(Boston University) Lecture 1: Pursuit eye movements and perceived object velocity, potential clinical applications. Lecture 2: Visuospatial memory and where eyes look when the percept changes. Assignment: A simulation assignment to replicate the gain of eye pursuit in following a target. ** *Aaron Seitz*(University of California, Riverside) Lecture 1: Perceptual Learning; specificity, transfer and how learning is a distributed process Lecture 2: Brain Training; How to train cognition to yield transfer to real world contexts ** *Frederick (Erick) Gallun *(US Dept. of Veterans Affairs and Oregon Health & Science University) Lecture 1: Learning From Nature’s Experiments: What Clinical Research Can Mean for Sensory Scientists Lecture 2: Auditory Processing After mild Traumatic Brain Injury: New Findings and Next Steps Assignment: Establishing normative ranges of performance using non-linear functions ** *Istvan Winkler*(Hungarian Academy of Science) Lecture 1: Auditory processing capabilities supporting communication in preverbal infants Lecture 2: Modeling auditory stream segregation by predictive processes ** *Virginia Best*(Boston University) Lecture 1: Spatial Hearing: Effect of hearing loss and hearing aids. Assignment: MATLAB assignment: simulating the effect of hearing loss on spatial cues ** *Petr Maršálek*(Charles University in Prague) Lecture 1: Coincidence detection in the MSO – computational approaches Lecture 2: On the single neuron computation Travel, accommodation, visitor information /Travel: /The Kosice Airport <http://www.airportkosice.sk/en/>is served by Austrian Airlines <http://www.austrian.com/>and Czech Airlines <http://www.csa.cz>(via Vienna, Prague, Bratislava) and by low-cost airline Wizzair <http://wizzair.com/en-GB/Search>(London Luton Airport). Alternatively you can fly to Budapest and take a 3.5-hr shuttle bus to Kosice (for example, using the cassoviaexpres <http://cassoviaexpres.sk/en/>shuttle bus company). From Krakow you can take the 4-hr shuttle bus operated by Airtrans.sk <http://airtrans.sk/en/>. More information about how to get to Kosice (also by train or bus) can be found here <http://www.visitkosice.eu/en/to-get-there/arriving-to-the-city>.// /Accommodation:/A conference rate of 50EUR/night+(1.5e local tax) has been negotiated with the Zlaty dukat <http://www.zlatydukat.sk/index.php?lang=en>hotel. Please, make your reservation by contacting the hotel directly, either through their website or by emailing the hotel at hotel(a)hotelzlatydukat.sk and mention the “Cognitive Neuroscience Workshop” to get the rate. Otherwise, there are several hotels close to the workshop venue, for example Hotel Teledom <http://www.hotelteledom.sk>, Villa Regia <http://villaregia.sk/en/>, Doubletree by Hilton <http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/slovak-republic/doubletree-by-hilto…>, Hotel Yasmin <http://www.hotel-yasmin.sk/>, Hotel Maraton <http://www.hotelmaraton.sk/>(for more hotel options please see http://www.booking.com, http://www.hotels.com, for hostels see: http://www.hostels.com, http://www.hostelworld.com) // /Visitor information and current events:/Košice was one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2013 <http://www.visitkosice.eu/en/things-to-see-and-do/sightseeing-in-kosice/tra…>. For the list of new cultural venues and current events there, see http://k13.sk/(in Slovak). For all events and trip ideas see http://www.visitkosice.eu/, http://www.slovaktours.eu/, http://www.mickosice.sk/ <http://www.mickosice.sk/index.php?lang=eng>, http://slovakia.travel/, or http://www.slovakia.com/ // Registration The workshop is open to all interested students/scientists. Registration is free of charge but required (mostly for organizational reasons). In order to register, please send an email to kogneuro(a)gmail.com stating your name and affiliation, dates on which you are planning to attend. In case you would like to have a presentation please send us an abstract (up to 200 words) and an indication whether you prefer poster or oral presentation no later than April 10, 2015. Related event Workshop attendees might also be interested in an independent Symposium on university spin-offs and start-up companies <http://pcl.ics.upjs.sk/symposium2015/>that will take place on 23 April 2015. Last year’s website http://pcl.upjs.sk/workshop2014/ Funding This workshop / lecture series is organized within the Project implementation: SOFOS – knowledge and skill development of the academic staff and students at the University of Pavol Jozef Safarik in Kosice with emphasis on interdisciplinary competencies and integration into international research centres, ITMS: 26110230088, supported by the Research & Development Operational Programme funded by the ESF. Modern education for knowledge society / This project is being co-financed by the European Union -- doc. Norbert Kopco, Ph.D. Assoc Professor / Senior Researcher: Inst of Computer Sci, Faculty of Science, Safarik Univ, Kosice, Slovakia Adjunct: Ctr for Computational Neurosci (CompNet), Boston University & Martinos Ctr for Biomed Imaging, Harvard Med School - Mass Gen Hospital P: +16175759556 F: +14847279884, kopco(a)bu.edu, http://cns.bu.edu/~kopco

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One week left to apply for an independent postdoc at SISSA
by Alessandro Treves March 26, 2015

March 26, 2015

The Neuroscience Area of SISSA has opened a new postdoctoral position. The fellowship awardee may join any of the available research groups, see http://www.sissa.it/announcement/neuroscience-area-new-postdoc-position or may choose to work independently. Candidates with a potential to bring extra diversity are particularly encouraged to apply. Deadline April 3rd! -- Alessandro Treves http://people.sissa.it/~ale/limbo.html SISSA - Cognitive Neuroscience, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy and Master in Complex Actions http://www.mca.sissa.it/

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PhD position - Coding of retinal ganglion cells - Multi-electrode array - Oldenburg, Germany
by Jutta Kretzberg March 26, 2015

March 26, 2015

The Visual Neuroscience group at the University of Oldenburg, Germany is offering a PhD position (TV-L E13 50%) in population coding of retinal ganglion cells starting in May 2015. The position is initially funded until March 31 2018. The goal of our research is to understand how visual signals are transmitted from the retina to the brain. We study how populations of neurons encode information using large-scale multi-electrode arrays, which are able to record the responses of around a thousand neurons of various cell-types simultaneously for several hours. The visual stimulus is transduced into electrical signals by the photoreceptors of the retina, processed by many types of interneurons, and conveyed to the brain by the ganglion cells along their axons that form the optic nerve. All visual information is encoded in temporal patterns of electrical impulses of the ganglion cells. We know from morphological studies that over 20 types of ganglion cells exist. Each type carries a specialized and distinct representation of the visual environment to different targets in the brain. We do not know the response properties of many types, especially in natural viewing conditions, nor do we fully understand how the diverse information sent by the different cell types collectively determines visual perception and behavior. For more information please visit www.uni-oldenburg.de/retina. We seek a highly motivated PhD student with an academic university degree (Master or Diploma) in Biology, Physics, Informatics or related fields. Applicants should have strong computing skills, experience or training in neuroscience and interest in vision research. Electrophysiological experience is an advantage. The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increasing the percentage of women in science. Therefore, equally qualified female candidates will be given preference. Applicants with disabilities will be preferentially considered in case of equal qualification. Please submit your application (in English or German) including a motivation letter with a description of your scientific interest, a CV, degree certificates, and contact information of two references to Prof. Dr. Martin Greschner (martin.greschner(a)uni-oldenburg.de) preferably by email, as a single pdf-file or by mail to the Universität Oldenburg, Fakultät VI, Visual Neuroscience, 26111 Oldenburg. Applications will be considered until April 20th.

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BIH @ Imprial College London: Bring the HUMAN BRAIN PROJETCS OF THE WORLD TO ONE PLACE
by Caroline Li March 26, 2015

March 26, 2015

Co-Chaired by Prof Karl Friston & Prof Yike Guo @ Imperial College London (Aug 31 - Sep2, 2015), BIH'15 crosses the disciplines of neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, signal processing, and neuroimaging. It also draws special attention to informatics for brain science, human behaviour and health. It involves leaders from three of the biggest brain initiatives in the world. BIH'15 accepts full paper submission or abstract only submission. Please allow me to send call for paper here: Keynote Speakers * Allan Jones, CEO, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA; * Henry Markram, Director, Blue Brain Project; Coordinator, Human Brain Project, EPFL, Switzerland; * David Van Essen, PI, Human Connectome Project, Washington University School of Medicine, USA; Feature Speakers * Giorgio Ascoli, (Founding Director, Center for Neural Informatics, George Mason University, USA); * Henry Kennedy, (Director of Research, Stem-cell and Brain Research Institute, France); * Barbara Sahakian, (University of Cambridge, UK); * Nelson Spruston, (Scientific Program Director, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), USA); * Paul Verschure, (Director, the Lab of SPECS at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Spain); ===================================================== General Chairs: * Karl Friston, (Scientific Director, Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, UK); * Yike Guo, (Director of Data Science Institute, Imperial College London, UK); Program Chairs: * Aldo Faisal, Imperial College London & MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, UK, * Sean Hill, EPFL, Switzerland, * Hanchuan Peng, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA; Workshop/Special-Session Chairs: * Andreas Holzinger, Medical University Graz & Graz University of Technology, Austria; Zhisheng Huang, Vrije University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, David Powers, Flinders University of South Australia, Australia; Publicity Chairs: * Jessica Turner, Georgia State University, USA; Juan D. Velasquez, University of Chile, Chile; Yi Zeng, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Local Organizing Chairs: * Thomas Henis, Imperial College London, UK; Kai Sun, Imperial College London, UK; Chao Wu, Imperial College London, UK; Exhibition/Sponsorship Chair: * Caroline Li, University Kent, UK; Steering Committee Co-Chairs: * Ning Zhong, Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan; Jiming Liu, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong. ***************** Conference Theme: Brain informatics has emerged as a distinct field of research. It crosses the disciplines of neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, signal processing, and neuroimaging technologies. The data driven nature of brain research made brain informatics an important field of data science. Following the success of past conferences in this series, BIH'15 will take place at Imperial College London, in UK. For the first time, BIH gathers the researchers from major international brain research projects to form a forum for reviewing the progress of brain informatics research and its applications to human health and building up international collaboration. The conference will also organise an exhibition from industrial and research community. BIH'15 draws special attention to informatics for brain science, human behaviour and health. BIH'15 will address informatics approaches to both the brain and behaviour research with a strong emphasis on emerging trends of big data analysis and management technology for brain research, behaviour learning, and real-world applications of brain science in human health and wellbeing. BIH'15 welcomes paper submissions (full paper), abstract only submissions. Both research and application papers are solicited. All submitted papers will be reviewed on the basis of technical quality, relevance, significance and clarity. Accepted full papers will be included in the proceedings by Springer LNCS/LNAI. Tutorial, Satellite symposium (workshop) and Special-Session proposals and Industry/Demo-Track papers are also welcome. ***************** IMPORTANT DATES: ***************** Satellite symposium proposal submission: March 15, 2015/ Notification of satellite symposium acceptance: March 30, 2015/ Submission of full papers: April 19, 2015/ Submission of abstracts: May 20, 2015/ Submission of satellite symposium papers: May 20, 2015/ Notification of full paper acceptance: May 25, 2015/ Notification of abstract acceptance: June 10, 2015/ Notification of satellite symposium paper acceptance: June 10, 2015/ Tutorial proposal submission: May 15, 2015/ Satellite symposiums: August 30, 2015/ ================================= PAPER SUBMISSIONS & PUBLICATIONS: TYPE-I (Full Paper Submissions; Submission Deadline: April 5, 2015): We accept full paper submissions with a maximum paper length of up to 10 pages, in Springer LNCS format: http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-6-793341-0. All full length papers accepted (and all special sessions' full length papers) will be published by Springer as a volume of the series of LNCS/LNAI. TYPE-II (Abstract Submissions; Submission Deadline: May 20, 2015): Each abstract is limited to 500 words. Experimental research is particularly welcome. Accepted abstract submissions will be included in the conference program, and will be published as a single, collective proceedings volume. Title: Include in the title of the abstract all words critical for a subject index. Write your title in sentence case (first letter is capitalized; remaining letters are lower case). Do not bold or italicize your full title. Author: List all authors who contributed to the work discussed in the abstract. The presenting author must be listed in the first author slot of the list. Be prepared to submit contact information as well as conflict of interest information for each author listed. Abstract: Enter the body of the abstract and attach any applicable graphic files or tables here. Do not re-enter the title, author, support, or other information that is collected in other steps of the submission form. Presentation Preference: Authors may select from three presentation formats when submitting an abstract: "poster only,", "talk preferred" or "no preference." The "talk preferred" selection indicates that you would like to give a talk, but will accept a poster format if necessary. Marking "poster only" indicates that you would not like to be considered for an oral-presentation session. Selecting "no preference" indicates the author's willingness to be placed in the best format for the program. Each paper or abstract requires one sponsoring attendee (i.e. someone who registered and is attending the conference). A single attendee can not sponsor more than two abstracts or papers. Oral presentations will be selected from both full length papers and abstracts. *** Post-Conference Journal Publication *** The BIH conferences have the formal ties with Brain Informatics journal (Springer, http://www.springer.com/40708) Accepted papers from the conference, including their Best Paper Award papers, will be expended and revised for possible inclusion in the Brain Informatics journal each year. It is fully sponsored and no any article-processing fee charged for BIH authors. Selected submissions will be considered for publication in special issues of international journals after their papers are extended to a full-length paper and pass a review process. More information can be found at http://www.bih-amt.com/publications/ *** Topics and Areas *** Please find the topics and areas of interest of the 2015 International Conference on Brain Informatics and Health (BIH'15) at http://www.bih-amt.com/call-for-papers/topics/ *** AMT'15 Session *** The advance of wearable sensor technology makes the monitoring of human behavior and life style becomes feasible. This development gives the active media technology a new dimension which is more closely related to the healthcare and cognitive studies. Following the success of past conferences in this series, AMT'15 will be jointly held with BIH'15 as a special session. *** Contact Information *** Chao Wu, Imperial College London, UK <c.wu09(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:c.wu09@imperial.ac.uk>> Aldo Faisal, Imperial College London, UK <a.faisal(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:a.faisal@imperial.ac.uk>> For sponsorship, please contact: Caroline Li (Ph.D)|Tel: +44(0)1634 202987 | E-Mail : c.li(a)kent.ac.uk<mailto:c.li@kent.ac.uk> ====================================================================================

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Postdoctoral position in Paris
by Thomas Watson March 25, 2015

March 25, 2015

A full-time post-doctoral position is available in the Cerebellum, Navigation and Memory Team at the UPMC in Paris under the direction of Dr Laure Rondi-Reig. *http://www.ibps.upmc.fr/en/research/neuroscience/cezame <http://www.ibps.upmc.fr/en/research/neuroscience/cezame>* We investigate interactions between the cerebellum (the largest sensorimotor structure in the brain) and hippocampus (a well described navigation structure). Convergent evidence points towards an anatomo-functional link between these two structures in different species, including rodents and humans. However, the physiological substrate of this communication remains unknown. In our quest to identify this missing link, we employ a range of in vivo electrophysiological (single cell and local field potential) recording, anatomical tracing, optogenetic and behavioural experiments to decipher how these two disparate brain structures communicate during navigation tasks. In particular, we are currently comparing interaction dynamics between the two regions during virtual reality and similar real-world experiments in wild type and cerebellar mutant mice utilizing advanced dual-recording electrophysiology techniques. These experiments generate vast quantities of behavioral and physiological data. Therefore, we are seeking a highly motivated post-doctoral researcher with a strong background in signal processing to join us on this exciting project. Candidates must be willing to work as part of a team to help developing both analysis and experimental methods. For further information please contact Dr Laure Rondi-Reig ( laure.rondi-reig(a)upmc.fr) *Job Information:* Contract length:1 year-possibility to renew Institution:CNRS-UPMC Department:Neurosciences Paris Seine *Contact Information:* Laure Rondi-Reig Institut Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS) Neurosiences Paris Seine (CNRS-Inserm-UPMC) UPMC 9 quai saint Bernard Paris

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Brain Connectivity Workshop 2015 - San Diego
by Jorge Riera Diaz March 24, 2015

March 24, 2015

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14th International Workshop on Brain Connectivity The International Workshop on Brain Connectivity (WBC), to be held at the University of California San Diego (June 10-12, 2015), will focus for the first time primarily on the role of electrophysiological data in understanding the fine temporal scale underlying brain network dynamics as well as the mechanisms by which emergent dynamics originate from multi-scale interactions between brain areas, brain activity frequencies and timescales, and between brain activity and behavior. The first day will be dedicated to Educational Course lectures, followed by two days of half-day workshop sessions. The WBC will bring together leading investigators in the fields of neuroimaging, cognitive and computational neuroscience to discuss current and forthcoming challenges for brain connectivity research based on electrophysiological data. Its goals are to stimulate research students and scientists from diverse backgrounds for research in topics related to electrophysiology and brain connectivity, to promote larger international collaborations in these fields, and to inform the neuroscience community about emerging methods, and comprehensive theory and models for brain connectivity analysis, in particular from electrophysiological recordings. For more information and registration, visit http://sccn.ucsd.edu/BrainConnectivityWorkshop2015<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__sccn.ucsd.edu_BrainConn…> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Symposium on computational approaches to vocal communication in Atlanta on May 20, 2015
by Liu, Robert C March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015

Please excuse multiple postings. We would like to draw your attention to the following symposium in Atlanta, GA on May 20, 2015. LEARNING ABOUT THE VOCAL WORLD: Deciphering the Statistics of Communication MAY 20, 2015 Emory Conference Center Hotel Register in advance for limited seating at this free conference! Abstracts for the poster session should be submitted by April 27, 2015 for consideration. Complete event details are available at http://quantitative.emory.edu/events/ This interdsciplinary symposium will bring together Emory faculty and internationally-recognized scholars from around the country, spanning fields as diverse as psychology, neuroscience, physics, and medicine, to share with post-doctoral fellows and students how they are making use of computational and quantitative methods to study the production and perception of vocal communication signals. The day's schedule will consist of the main conference discussions followed by lunch time round-tables and conclude with a poster session. The all-day event will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta, GA. Speakers include: Morten Christiansen (Cornell) Ofer Tchernichovski (CUNY) Eugene Buder (University of Memphis) Sam Sober (Emory) Edward Chang (UCSF) Sarah M. N. Woolley (Columbia) Maria Geffen (University of Pennsylvania) Katrin Schenk (Randolph College) Jeff Wenstrup (Northeast Ohio Medical University) The event is sponsored by Emory Conference Subvention Fund, the Institute for Quantitative Theory and Methods, and the Center for Mind, Brain and Culture. Co-organizers for this event are Samuel Sober and Robert Liu. Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1yrUG6EvibBfFI8AFa_2SLlUFHY5tFoP446lqbSj8Ps… Robert C. Liu, PhD Associate Professor Winship Distinguished Research Professor Emory University Department of Biology Rollins Research Center 1510 Clifton Road NE, Room 2131 Atlanta, GA 30322 Phone: (404) 727-5274 Fax: (404) 727-2880 Email: robert.liu at emory.edu Website: http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Liu/html/index.php 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).

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NeuroHAM conference, Boston University, June 10-12, 2015
by Ritt, Jason T March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015

Announcing NeuroHAM 2015 A conference exploring neural processing in humans, animals, and machines, from basic science to emerging neural technologies. June 10th - 12th, 2015 Boston University Boston, MA, USA http://neuroham.bu.edu/ (please note: Abstracts for poster presentations due by Friday, March 27) The NeuroHAM conference will be held June 10–12, 2015 at Boston University as a celebration of the Center of Excellence for Learning in Education, Science, and Technology (CELEST), a National Science Foundation Science of Learning Center. The conference will be co-sponsored by CELEST and the Boston University Center for Computational Neuroscience and Neural Technology (CompNet). We anticipate 100–150 attendees. NeuroHAM will run from midday on June 10 through midday on June 12. The conference will explore different aspects of neural processing in humans, animals, and machines from basic science to emerging neural technologies. The event will be organized into seven scientific sessions, each consisting of talks from three preeminent scientists. For a complete list of confirmed speakers, please see the meeting schedule at: http://neuroham.bu.edu/schedule/. A poster session / cocktail reception will be held on the evening of June 10. Call for Abstracts: We are soliciting presentations for a poster session on the evening of Wednesday, June 10. Abstracts for poster presentations must be received by Friday, March 27, 2015. Email notification of acceptance will be provided by Friday, April 17. All abstracts must be submitted through the conference website and must not exceed the 250 word limit. A meeting registration fee must accompany each abstract submission. The fee will be refunded if the abstract is not accepted for presentation. Please see: http://neuroham.bu.edu/call-for-abstracts/ for complete abstract submission instructions. Call for Registrations: All attendees must register, and online registration in advance of the conference is strongly encouraged. To register, please visit: http://neuroham.bu.edu/register/. The conference registration fee is $150. (CELEST and CompNet members: Please note the web page information addressing partial reimbursement of your registration fee after the conference has concluded.) List of Confirmed Speakers: Dennis Barbour, Washington University in St. Louis Vince Calhoun, University of New Mexico Marisa Carrasco, New York University Adam Cohen, Harvard University Tracy Cui, University of Pittsburgh Eugenio Culurciello, Purdue University Maysam Ghovanloo, Georgia Institute of Technology Jennifer Hasler, Georgia Institute of Technology Lori Holt, Carnegie Mellon University Kate Jeffery, University College London Sabine Kastner, Princeton University Peter Kochunov, University of Maryland Nikolaus Kriegeskorte, MRC, Cambridge Anthony Lewis, Qualcomm Inc. Mayank Mehta, University of California Los Angeles Lee Miller, Northwestern University Cynthia Moss, Johns Hopkins University Marc Pomplun, University of Massachusetts Boston Tony Prescott, The University of Sheffield Josh Tenenbaum, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Walter Voit, University of Texas at Dallas Meeting Organizers: Chair: Barbara Shinn-Cunningham Co-Chair: Heather Ames Program Committee: Jason Bohland, Tim Gardner, Anatoly Gorshechnikov, Jason Ritt, Cara Stepp, Max Versace, Arash Yazdanbakhsh, and Vasileios Zikopoulos Meeting Administrator: Carol Jefferson Contacts: Please see http://neuroham.bu.edu/contacts/.

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Brown University Computational Neuroscience Postdoctoral Opportunity
by Stephanie Jones March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015

Brown University: Computational Neuroscience Post-Doctoral Opportunity A NIH funded post-doctoral position is available to work with Dr. Stephanie Jones at Brown University and Dr. Matti Hamalainen at Mass. General Hospital on developing and analyzing biophysically principled computational neural models to study human MEG/EEG measured brain activity in health and disease. The post-doc hired will work among a team of researcher at Brown University, Mass. General Hospital in Boston, and Rhode Island Hospital who are advancing methods to image and interpret non-invasively measured human brain activity. Our group is integrating computational modeling, MEG/EEG, and invasive intra-operative recordings in humans to advancing methods to image and interpret non-invasively measured human brain activity in the context of sensorimotor function. Areas of study in our group include attention, perception, motor function, Parkinson’s Disease and Essential Tremor. Interested candidates should have experience in computational modeling methods and a strong quantitative and coding background. Please send a CV, statement of research interests, and three letters of recommendation to Stephanie_Jones(a)Brown.edu.

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Postdoctoral position in network modeling
by Erik De Schutter March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015

A postdoctoral researcher position to model (cerebellar) networks is available in the Computational Neuroscience Unit (https://groups.oist.jp/cnu) of Prof. Erik De Schutter at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. Depending on previous experience research emphasis can be on analyzing population activity in network models of the olivocerebellum or on further development of XML-based methods for network model description and simulation, or a combination of both. Candidates should have experience in network modeling, preferentially using the parallel NEURON environment or NEST. Prior knowledge of cerebellar anatomy and physiology is a plus but not required. The postdoc will interact with other researchers and students in the lab who are working on cerebellar modeling projects or analyzing cerebellar recordings. We offer attractive financial and working conditions in an English language graduate university that emphasizes interdisciplinary research, located on the beautiful subtropical island Okinawa. Send curriculum vitae, a summary of research interests and experience, and the names of three referees to Prof. Erik De Schutter at erik(a)oist.jp

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15 PhD Fellowships - “Complex Oscillatory Systems: Modeling and Analysis (COSMOS)”
by Thomas Kreuz March 22, 2015

March 22, 2015

European Joint Doctorates Programme “Complex Oscillatory Systems: Modeling and Analysis(COSMOS) <http://www.cosmos-itn.org>” announces 15 PhD Fellowships. COSMOS is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Innovative Training Network (MSCA-ITN-2014-EJD 642563) aiming at an understanding of the general properties of collective dynamics and synchronization of complex systems composed of oscillatory elements. It includes both theoretical projects where such systems are studied with the methods of nonlinear dynamics and statistical physics, as well as applied ones related to the analysis of experimental multivariate time series, such as physiological and neural data. The COSMOS network is highly interdisciplinary, and fellows will benefit from interactions with world-leading researchers in a broad range of disciplines. ESR positions are available at following universities: University of Potsdam, University of Aberdeen, Lancaster University, University of Florence, University Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona), VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Information studies in Novo Mesto (Slovenia), and Medical University of Graz. All fellows will be jointly supervised by two partner universities and will receive a PhD degree from each of them. Most of the fellows are expected to be hired in July 2015, but later starting dates can potentially be accepted. Marie Skłodowska-Curie 36-months PhD fellowships offer an attractive remuneration package including salary, mobility, and family allowances, and are subject to eligibility and mobility conditions. For further information, an overview of the projects, and a detailed description of open positions visit www.cosmos-itn.org Positions will be filled starting May 1st, 2015. Applications prior to April 15 will be given full consideration. -- Thomas Kreuz 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/

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Second announcement of Net-works 2015
by jtorres March 22, 2015

March 22, 2015

Dear Colleagues This is the second announcement for participation in the 7th International conference on Complex Networks and their Interdisciplinary Applications, Net-works 2015, which will be held in Granada (Spain) from September 16th to September 18th 2015 (Please follow the link below for further information, including travel grants, call for contributions, hotel reservation and conference registration) http://ergodic.ugr.es/networks2015/ As in previous editions, this conference is devoted to present and exchange the latest results concerning the theory and application of complex networks in different aspects of nature, society and technology. As organizers of Net-works 2015 international conference, we are welcome to receive research contributions to the conference from different fields and, in particular from the computational neuroscience community, where during the last years there was an increasing interest in the study of the features of the complex networks underlying the structure of actual neural systems, and how these features influence their emergent behavior. The program of Net-Works 2015 includes plenary talks from the key-note speakers: Ginestra Bianconi School of Mathematics. Queen Mary University of London, UK Stefano Boccaletti Institute for Complex Systems, CNR, Italy Shlomo Havlin Bar-Ilan University, Israel Jurgen Kurths Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany Miguel A. Munoz Institute "Carlos I" for Theoretical and Computational Physics, U. Granada, Spain a number to be determined of talks selected from the received abstracts and one or two poster sessions. Important dates for abstract submission and registration follows: Abstract submission: May 22th 2015 Contribution acceptance: June 15th 2015 Early registration (with a reduction of the registration fee): before September 15th, 2015. Abstracts (with a maximum of 250 words) must be submitted to the e-mail address below: abstracts(a)eurocongres.es If you are planning to attend and participate in Net-works 2015, please book your hotel in Granada well in advance because the conference will take place during the Granada peak tourist season. We look forward to seeing you in Granada! Joaquin J. Torres General Chair Net-Works 2015 International Conference

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Special Issue in Journal of Physics A on Modeling and Inference of Dynamics
by Yasser Roudi March 21, 2015

March 21, 2015

We invite contributions to Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical dedicated, special issue on "Modelling and inference in the dynamics of complex interaction networks: advance approximation techniques" Guest Editors: Manfred Opper, Yasser Roudi and Peter Sollich There is a close relationship between statistical inference and the statistical physics of “disordered systems”, which can be characterized as large systems of simple units linked by a complex network of interactions. While this relationship is by now well established, there has in the past few years been significant new work on the development of methods for statistical inference using concepts and approximations that have their roots in statistical mechanics. One of the main reasons for this wave of interest lies in the recent and ongoing developments in many areas of experimental biology, finance and other areas, where very large data sets are becoming available but there is a shortage of modern theoretical techniques for analysing them. In the past, as well as the initial years of the current wave, the main interaction between statistical physics and statistical inference has been in the area of developing equilibrium tools and analysing data sets in an equilibrium framework. This means coming up with efficient methods for building stationary and equilibrium probability distributions over the state of the system under investigation, on the basis of recorded experimental or other empirical data, and to analyse such distributions for gaining insight into the system. However, more recently, the interest in the community has shifted more towards dynamic models. The purpose of the proposed special issue is to gather original research articles as well as pedagogical review articles both on the theoretical aspects of the interface between statistical inference and the physics of non-equilibrium disordered and complex systems, and on applications to real data. Editorial Policy All contributions will be refereed and processed according to the usual procedures of the journal. Guidelines for preparation of contributions The issue will be open for submissions from 1st March 2015 to 1st September 2015 and articles will appear in regular issues of the journal and in an online collection. There is no strict regulation on article size, but as a guide the preferable size is 15–30 pages for contributed papers and 40–60 pages for reviews. Further advice on publishing your work in Journal of Physics A may be found at iopscience.iop.org/jphysa <http://iopscience.iop.org/jphysa>. Contributions to the special issue should be submitted by web upload via ScholarOne Manuscripts https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/jphysa-iop <https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/jphysa-iop> as manuscript type ‘special issue article’ for the issue ‘Modelling and inference in the dynamics of complex interaction networks’. Please see the website for further information on electronic submissions.

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Postdoctoral Researcher Positions @ IBM Research
by James R Kozloski March 20, 2015

March 20, 2015

Please see the IBM recruitment cloud posting here: https://jobs3.netmedia1.com/cp/faces/job_summary?job_id=RES-0724564 _________________________________________________________ James Kozloski, PhD Research Staff Member T.J. Watson Research Office 914 945 3982 Center Mobile 203 231 6187 Computational Biology ibm.co/kozloski 1101 Kitchawan Rd., 13-132E Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

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Open PhD / Postdoc position at Ulm University
by Dr. Schwenker March 20, 2015

March 20, 2015

In the *Institute of Neural Information Processing at Ulm University, Germany,* we can offer a *PhD-student or postdoc position* from June or July 2015 until the end of 2016 with some potential of prolongation. We are working on artificial neural networks and learning systems for pattern recognition, in particular on the use of affective information in human-computer-interaction and companion systems. The particular research focus of this position is on the combination of methods and observations from sensor-based pattern recognition with methods and information from relational knowledge representation and/or the handling of uncertainty in this kind of neuro-symbolic integration. The research topic is part of a collaborative interdisciplinary research project (SFB-TR 62) on “A companion technology for cognitive technical systems”, see http://www.uni-ulm.de/en/in/sfb-transregio-62.html?no_cache=1 If you are interested and already have some experience in some of these areas, please send us your CV, a statement of your current research interest and a list of your publications. For further information, please contact me by email or phone (see below). --------------------- Prof. Dr. Guenther Palm Director of the Institute of Neural Information Processing University of Ulm 89069 Ulm Germany phone: ++49 731 50 24150 fax: ++49 731 50 24156 email: guenther.palm(a)uni-ulm.de

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CfP : Barcelona Cognition, Brain and Technology Summer School 2015
by BCBT, Bústia Compartida March 20, 2015

March 20, 2015

*Barcelona Cognition, Brain and Technology Summer School (BCBT2015)* University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. August 31st to September 11th, 2015 http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt15 <http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt15/home> Join us for the annual *"Barcelona Cognition, Brain and Technology summer school - BCBT2015 *" (see* http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt15/home <http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt15/home>*) to be held from August 31st to September 11th, 2015 in Barcelona Spain. The BCBT summer school is part of a series of events organized by the Convergent Science Network of Biomimetics and Neurotechnology ( http://csnetwork.eu/) and is positioned at the interface between biology and future and emerging technologies with an emphasis on the principles underlying brains and their translation to avant-garde technologies. BCBT promotes a shared systems-level understanding of the functional architecture of the brain and its possible emulation in artificial systems. This is the 8th year of BCBT, which has ran with great success in previous years thanks to an excellent line-up of outstanding speakers (see bcbt.upf.edu for previous editions of the school). BCBT lectures are available online (see http://csnetwork.eu/) as well as the CSN *Podcast interviews *with many of the BCBT speakers. BCBT caters to students and researchers involved in projects that are in the ambit of “BIO-ICT convergence”, "Brain Inspired ICT", “Cognitive systems-robotics”. BCBT will offer up to 30 student slots for the practical workshops while as many researchers can register to attend the presentations and discussion sessions, as they are interested. The atmosphere of the BCBT summer school is informal with the goal to stimulate in-depth discussion. There are presentations in the morning, usually 2, with the afternoons reserved for tutorials and projects for student participants and road-mapping workshops or further discussion for senior scientists. For the 2015 edition we plan a *1st week* of the school addressing *Evolutionary and Developmental aspects of nervous systems and behavior *while the *2nd week* will include presentations aimed at the investigation of *Decision making*. Friday 11 is reserved for the presentation of the student projects to which everybody is invited. *Application deadline: July 27th, 2015* For more information on to apply, please go to http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt15/participate <http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt14/home>BCBT2015 is supported by the Convergent Science Network of Biomimetics and Neurotechnology (http://csnetwork.eu/) and is co-organized by Paul Verschure (BCBT Chair), ICREA and University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, ES Tony Prescott (BCBT Co-Chair) University of Sheffield, UK Anna Mura (BCBT Co-Chair), University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, ES In collaboration with Leah Krubizer (BCBT Co-Chair) UC Davis, CA, USA Gustavo Deco (BCBT Co-Chair), ICREA and University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, ES

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available grants: Systems Neuroscience - a study abroad summer program in Budapest
by Érdi Péter March 20, 2015

March 20, 2015

BSCS grants are available for our Systems Neuroscience: a study abroad summer program in Budapest. For students with European passports we are proud to announce a limited number of grants by Eötvös University is available! The tuition fee AND accommodation is a dramatically reduced 1000 euro. Program start/end dates June 8th- Aug 7th, 2015 The BSCS Systems Neuroscience Program takes place at and academically supervised by the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest **************************************** Applications should be sent to ALL of these addresses by April 15th. However, they will be reviewed on rolling base! Péter Érdi (SysNeuro Director; BSCS Co-Director), perdi(a)kzoo.edu László Négyessy SysNeuro Co-Director <negyessy(a)gmail.com> bscs(a)bscs-us.org

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postdoc in Neuroscience / Neural Engineering position available
by Sergiy Yakovenko March 19, 2015

March 19, 2015

POSTDOC: We have funding from NIH to support a Postdoctoral Fellow position in Neuroscience / Neural Engineering The West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) seeks to hire a Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience/Neural Engineering in the Department of Human Performance at West Virginia University. This position will support the research of corticospinal reorganization after CNS injury using micro-electrode array technology for the interaction with the disrupted CNS, and will work on the development of neuroprosthetics with animal models of neurological conditions. A PhD in physiology, neuroscience, or highly-related areas, experience in Matlab, and a demonstrated record of strong scientific publications in the field of neuroscience, particularly on the topic of systems motor control are required. A PhD in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, neurophysiology, or highly-related fields is preferred. Competitive salary and benefits package offered. For a complete job description and to apply for this position, please visit http://hr.research.wvu.edu <http://hr.research.wvu.edu/> and click on the “WVURC Employment Opportunities” link. AA/EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability/E-verify compliant employer DETAILS: West Virginia University Research Corporation Postdoctoral Fellow Position Description Working Title Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience/Neural Engineering (EXERPH 15-0027) Department HSC/Exercise Physiology Minimum Salary Requirements FY 2015 Postdoctoral Fellow NIH range: 0 years of experience – $42,840/year 1 year of experience – $44,556/year 2 years of experience – $46,344/year 3 years of experience – $48,192/year Position Location Morgantown/Monongalia County Position Terms Full-time (40hpw), benefits eligible FLSA Status Exempt WVURC Position Type Specialist/Lead WVURC Functional Group Technology & Engineering EEO Reporting Category Professionals Standard Occupation Code 17-2031 SR WC Code/Rate 4511/.58 Prepared By Carla Davis Prepared Date February 25, 2015 Approved By Dr. Sergiy Yakovenko Posting Date March 13, 2015 Purpose This position supports the research of corticospinal reorganization after CNS injury using micro-electrode array technology for the interaction with the disrupted CNS. It works on the development of neuroprosthetics with animal models of neurological conditions. The incumbent serves as a resource contact relative to the research project. Depth skills, knowledge, and interpretive abilities, as well as some creativity, are required to successfully perform duties. Independently uses professional concepts and organizational policies to solve a wide range of moderate to complex problems in imaginative and practical ways. Work effort often addresses non-routine matters within established protocol, guidelines, and/or policies. Work effort has significant impact on client services and operations, producing moderate to major organizational, legal and financial results and/or liabilities. Position duties require oversight of projects. Duties & Responsibilities Responsibilities are functional in nature, and performed under limited supervision. Specific tasks include, but are not limited to: Perform the leadership role in rodent surgeries, stimulation – recording sessions, dataset analysis, and paper publication, with support from faculty investigators and a laboratory technician. Attend research conferences and read scientific literature to keep abreast of technological advances and current research findings. Identify and assist with acquisition of funding from public, private, and governmental sources. Assist with development of novel research proposals for sponsor submission. Write proposals, papers, and abstracts to attract research funds. Search scientific literature to select and modify methods and procedures most appropriate for research goals. Perform laboratory and field experiment activities according to protocol. Independent experimental data analysis. Maintain detailed logs of work related activities, including accurate laboratory records and data on research methods, procedures, and results. Oversee research facilities and personnel Assure compliance with research protocols and safety requirements. Oversee and direct undergraduate and graduate researchers in the completion of experiments. Maintain lab equipment; keep accurate inventory of lab assets; monitor and assure proper use and conditions of lab equipment. Write and present research/study status reports for review and use of the Principal Investigator. Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation to colleagues and the sponsor; at professional/technical conferences; and/or, for publication in scientific journals, as directed. Supervisory/Lead Role This position reports to the Principal Investigator. It normally receives no instructions on routine work, but will receive instructions/advice when starting a new project or when a difficulty arises in the current project. Typically determines methods or procedures and consults with the supervisor on new assignments. General sharing of knowledge and team participation is expected in the role. Guidance or supervision of others may be required. Physical Demands Requires physical abilities to perform laboratory research, including manual dexterity and abilities to see, hear, walk, talk, and feel. Individual is required to lift and carry items of 25 lbs or less or transport such items by cart. Walking and stair climbing occur on a daily basis. Work Environment Work will be performed in a standard laboratory environment, using computers and laboratory equipment with electrical connections. The incumbent must comply with all laboratory safety procedures and clothing/equipment requirements. There will be exposure to laboratory chemicals, electrical supplies, but protective measures will be provided. Requisite Qualifications Education and/or Experience PhD in physiology, neuroscience, or highly-related areas; Experience in Matlab, and a demonstrated record of strong scientific publications in the field of neuroscience, particularly on the topic of systems motor control. Skills, Knowledge, Abilities Skilled at communicating effectively, both orally, and in writing, in English. Skilled at using scientific rules and methods to solve problems. Skilled at identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Ability to document and present the results of research. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format as well as use original or innovative techniques or style due to the nature of the scientific content of the material being presented. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to technical and non-technical audiences Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Ability to deal with nonverbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, etc.). Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Ability to meet deadlines, as well as prepare, present and report results effectively. Ability to collaborate effectively with a multidisciplinary team of co-investigators from diverse disciplines, orientations, and organizations. Ability to do strategic planning for program development. Behavioral Competencies Technical skills – Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; pursues training and development opportunities; assess strengths, weaknesses, and shares expertise with others. Problem solving – Gathers and analyzes information, identifies problems, develops alternatives, uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics and works well in groups and resolves matters timely. Interpersonal Interactions in the Workplace – Manages difficult or emotional matters with objectivity and openness; responds promptly to needs and requests for service and assistance; meets commitments and dates, notifies others if change occurs; provides, solicits and applies feedback; and builds goodwill through balanced contributions, positive approach, respect and support of others. Communications – Demonstrates group presentation skills, participates in meetings, listens and gets clarification, is responsive and speaks clearly and persuasively in positive and negative situations. Writes and edits clearly and informatively, varies style to meet needs, presents numerical data effectively, and able to read and interpret written information. Organizational Support – Aligns work and develops strategies to meet organizational goals; seeks to improve and promote quality; demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; and upholds organizational expectations and values. Self-Management – Responds to management direction; resourcefully adapts to changes in work environment and circumstances; responds well under pressure and manages competing demands; takes calculated risks, asks for and offers help when needed; exercise discretion and sound judgment; is tactful and responsible for own actions. Adheres to work schedule and complies with leave management responsibilities. Preferred Qualifications & Credentials Education and/or Experience PhD in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, neurophysiology, or highly-related fields. Cheers, Sergiy -- Sergiy Yakovenko, Ph.D. Assistant Professor WVU Neural Engineering Laboratory http://sites.google.com/site/sergiyyakovenko/ <http://sites.google.com/site/sergiyyakovenko/>

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registration for RLDM2015 is now open (early registration deadline: April 21st)
by Yael Niv March 19, 2015

March 19, 2015

The 2nd Multidisciplinary Conference on Reinforcement Learning and Decision Making (RLDM2015) www.rldm.org June 7-10, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada ====================================================== Registration for RLDM2015 is now open at http://rldm.org/rldm2015/registration/ Early registration fees for the meeting and tutorials are $250 CAD for predoc/postdoc, $480 CAD for regular registration, and $590 CAD for industry. Main meeting only is somewhat cheaper, but you miss out on the wonderful tutorials (http://rldm.org/rldm2015/tutorials/) Registration fees include three light breakfasts, all coffee breaks, two lunches, and one banquet dinner. ** Early registration ends April 21st ** We are excited to announce that RLDM2015 attracted 127 submissions. Accept/reject notifications will be sent by March 28. The list of invites speakers is already available at http://rldm.org/rldm2015/invited-speakers2015/ We look forward to seeing you in Alberta! The RLDM2015 organizing committee -------- To ensure that you receive future announcements about RLDM2015 please join our mailing list at http://tinyurl.com/RLDMlist (you must log in to google to see the "join list" button, and choose 'all emails' in the options).

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Post-doc in MEG- EEG based neuroimaging and/or real-tierm EEG
by Alex Ossadtchi March 18, 2015

March 18, 2015

Higher School of Economics is pleased to announce new CAS-funded post-doctoral posts at the Neuroimaging and BCI Group <http://www.hse.ru/en/cdm-centre/Methods>. Research topics include: novel methods for solving EEG and MEG inverse problem, source space analysis of synchrony, techniques for improvement of neurofeedback efficacy and motor imagery BCI. The laboratory is a structural part of the HSE’s Centre for Cognition & Decision Making <http://www.hse.ru/en/cdm-centre> with ample collaboration opportunities within the Centre as well as with other research groups at HSE, within Russia, and internationally. Research facilities include multi-channel EEG, navigated TMS-EEG, behavioral, and eye-tracking equipment. The Center also provides access to MEG, fMRI and a range of neurological populations. This new international group collaborates with a number of leading researchers around the world including Richard Leahy(University of Southern California), Sylvain Baillet, Karim Jerbi (McGill University), Judson Brewer (University of Massachusetts at Amherst), Mark Pflieger (Cortech Solutions, USA), Dirk de Ridder (University of Otago). The post holders will have an advantage of being able to further define and expand the group’s research programme. Further to working on the group's current research strands, the successful candidates will also be encouraged to pursue their own research program. The job involves: - working under the direct supervision of Prof. Alexei Ossadtchi <http://www.hse.ru/en/org/persons/96086377> - participants are encouraged to pursue their own research in source analysis using EEG and MEG measurements, source space analysis of synchrony, developing techniques for improvement of neurofeedback efficacy and motor imagery BCI. - writing research papers for international peer-reviewed journals in co-authorship with the members of the Lab - some teaching as well as public presentations of candidate’s own research are also encouraged - participation in organization of the events and other contribution to the Lab’s development Requirements: - Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or related discipline - Demonstrated skills in signal processing and analysis of multidimensional real life data - Familiarity with Matlab and Ptython - Fluent English (knowledge of Russian is not required) - Demonstrated ability and high motivation to conduct high-quality research publishable in quality international peer-reviewed journals General conditions for Post-Doctoral Research positions can be found here <http://cas.hse.ru/general_postdoc>. Appointments will be normally made for one year. Please apply via online application form <http://cas.hse.ru/en/expresspolls/poll/144697605.html> and attach you CV and research statement. Two letters of recommendations should be sent directly to fellowship(a)hse.ru <https://mail2.hse.ru/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=rCOCfgIWdO7CcYm5xF0qVx2XV9ZQ4EG2j8…> by April 1, 2015. The HSE <http://hse.ru/en> is a young, dynamic, fast-growing Russian research university providing unique research opportunities.

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postdoc position available
by Dick Aslin March 18, 2015

March 18, 2015

POSTDOC: Harvard/Rochester project on cognitive neuroscience (EEG and fNIRS) in human infants Funding from NSF is expected for a 1.5-year postdoc to collect and analyze datasets gathered from human infants while they view visual stimuli or listen to language stimuli. This is a joint project between the Rochester Babylab (Richard Aslin, PI) and the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience lab at Harvard (Charles Nelson, PI). Rochester lab: http://babylab.bcs.rochester.edu/ Boston lab: http://www.childrenshospital.org/research-and-innovation/research/labs/nels… The goal of the project is to gather EEG and fNIRS data from 3- to 12-month-olds and merge these datasets, within-subjects at each age, using multivariate pattern classification and representational similarity analysis methods. The successful candidate could reside either in Rochester, NY or Boston, MA, with some travel expected between both sites. The preferred skill set consists of one or more of the following: experience with the testing of human infants, collection and analysis of EEG data, collection and analysis of fNIRS or fMRI data, use of machine learning techniques such as MVPA, fluency in Matlab. A machine learning consultant on the grant (Radislaw Cichy) will provide guidance for many of the analyses. Candidate must have a PhD (or firm plans to defend their dissertation no later than August of 2015). Preferred start date is July 1, 2015. Interested applicants should forward a cover letter, CV, and the names of three references to Richard Aslin: aslin(a)mail.cvs.rochester.edu. Review of application materials will begin on May 1 and continue until a candidate has been chosen. -- NOTE: new email address is aslin(a)mail.cvs.rochester.edu Richard N. Aslin William R. Kenan Professor Brain and Cognitive Sciences University of Rochester http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/people/faculty/aslin_richard/

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on behalf of Boris Gutkin - postdoc position Moscow
by Reinoud Maex March 18, 2015

March 18, 2015

Please reply to boris.gutkin(a)gmail.com. Theoretical Neuroscience Group Postdoctoral research positions. Deadline: April 1, 2015 Theoretical Neuroscience — computational and mathematical approaches to understanding neural function and cognition. Research interests of the Theoretical Neuroscience Group at the Centre for Cognition and Decision Making are wide ranging, carried out in collaboration with the experimental labs at the research center and the faculty of applied mathematics. Research themes include models of social decision-making, computational neuroeconomics, information processing in neurons and circuits as well as computational approaches to drug addiction and role of oscillations in cognition. The group is linked with the Group for Neural Theory at the Ecole Normale Superior in Paris, where research internships and visiting positions can be made available. We are seeking highly qualified and motivated candidate with backgrounds in quantitative disciplines: applied mathematics, physics, computer science or engineering. Programming skills and ability to carry put interdisciplinary projects are required. Ability to work with data is recommended. Candidates will be trained in model building, analysis and will be offered advanced training in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Candidates will be expected to develop independent research projects and collaborations under the direction of the group leading scientists. Publications in international peers reviewed venues are expected as tangible out outcomes of the research. Group leader — Boris Gutkin. General conditions for Post-Doctoral Research positions can be found here. Appointments will be normally made for one year. Please apply via online application form and attach you CV and research statement. Two letters of recommendations should be sent directly to fellowship(a)hse.ru by April 1, 2015. The HSE is a young, dynamic, fast-growing Russian research university providing unique research opportunities.

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Workshop on Nonlinear Dynamics in Computational Neuroscience: from Physics and Biology to ICT
by Alessandro Torcini March 18, 2015

March 18, 2015

Here is the First Announcement of the 10th SICC International Tutorial Workshop on "Topics in nonlinear dynamics" <<Nonlinear Dynamics in Computational Neuroscience: from Physics and Biology to ICT>> to be held on September 07-09, 2015 in Turin, Italy Organizers: Fernando Corinto (Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy) Alessandro Torcini (ISC-CNR, Florence, Italy) This workshop "Nonlinear Dynamics in Computational Neuroscience: from Physics and Biology to ICT” offers an unique opportunity to meet researchers working across (and between) disciplines linked to Computational Neuroscience. In particular, computational neuroscients, neurophysiologists and neural engineers will have the opportunity to present their most recent results to a young audience, constituted mainly by PhD students, and to interact directly among them. The program ranges from nonlinear dynamical approaches to the understanding of neural computation to physiology, from the simulations of brain circuits to the development of engineering devices and platforms for neuromorphic computation. The speakers will be specifically advised to perform didactic presentations of their results in order to allow the active participation to the discussion of young PhD students from different disciplines as well as to researchers interested in the field of Computational Neuroscience. Specific poster sessions will be organized with the purpose on one side to allow the young participants to present their latest results and on the other side to increase the opportunity of networking among the participants and renowed experts of the discipline. This workshop represents the 10th of a series of tutorial workshops annually organized by the Italian Society of Chaos and Complexity (SICC) to explore the emergence of new research fields, where nonlinear dynamics and control theory can play a relevant role. These workshops have been traditionally devoted to an audience mainly constituted by PhD students or young researchers working in complex systems. A poster session will be running during all the event and aimed to let all the participants to present their recent results. More information on the workshop can be found in the web page: http://www.neuro-eng-comp.polito.it/workshop/ Confirmed invited speakers include Cristina Becchio (University of Turin, Italy) Ruben Moreno Bote (CIBERSAM - Barcelona, Spain) George Bourianov (Intel/University of Texas at Austin, USA) Emilio Carbone (University of Turin, Italy) Stephen Coombes (University of Nottingham, UK) Steve Furber (The University of Manchester, UK) Julius Georgiou (University of Cyprus, Cyprus) Viktor Jirsa (INSERM - Marseille, France) Luke P. Lee (UC Berkeley, USA) Stefano Luccioli (ISC CNR - Florence, Italy) Maurizio Mattia (ISS - Roma, Italy) Benedetto Sacchetti (University of Turin, Italy) Maria Sanchez-Vives (IDIBAPS - Barcelona, Spain) Ronald Tetzlaff (TU Dresden, Germany) The workshop is kindly supported by the: SICC - Italian Society for Chaos and Complexity, IEEE Circuits and Systems Society - CASS Surplus Funds CRT Foundation, Marie Curie Initial Training project NETT - Neural Engineering Transformative Technologies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy)

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joint experiment & theory postdoc position
by Mark Goldman March 17, 2015

March 17, 2015

A postdoctoral position that combines experimental & theoretical investigation of neural networks (see position description below) is available jointly between the laboratories of Drs. Mark Goldman and Kim McAllister at the University of California at Davis. UC Davis is a top-ten public research university (US News & World Report) located 1 hour east from the San Francisco Bay Area and 20 minutes from the state capital of Sacramento. Candidates are expected to have training in both performing experiments and background in an analytically rigorous discipline such as computational neuroscience, physics, mathematics, computer science, or engineering. Interested candidates should send a CV, brief statement of previous research and future research interests, and contact information for three references to: Mark Goldman, msgoldman(a)ucdavis.edu and Kim McAllister, kmcallister(a)ucdavis.edu. * Development, dynamics, and plasticity of neural networks: *We are seeking to understand the learning rules underlying development and learning in neural networks. We will use cutting-edge technology in patterned substrates, optogenetics, and uncaging in a novel long-term imaging assay for synapse dynamics that allows recording and single synapse or single cell manipulation of neuronal and network activity. These cultured networks will be used to directly test central tenets of Hebbian, spike-timing dependent, and homeostatic learning. The applicant will perform these imaging experiments as well as apply theoretical models to better understand and predict experimental findings.

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Postdoctoral positions available in group for neural theory, Paris
by Sophie Deneve March 17, 2015

March 17, 2015

Two postdoctoral positions are available in the group of Sophie Deneve, Ecole Normale supérieure, Paris. Positions are for two years, and comes with competitive salary and generous equipment and travel funds. The team is part of the “Group for neural theory” ( http://iec-lnc.ens.fr/group-for-neural-theory/) and surrounded by top-level theoretical and experimental labs. Candidates are expected to have a solid training in the field of computational neuroscience, proven quantitative and programming skills and a strong interest in integrative neuroscience. Starting dates are flexible, but should preferentially occur before September 2015. Candidates should send their application to sophie.deneve(a)ens.fr by *March 31, 2015*. Please mention “postdoctoral candidate” in the subject of the email. Application should take the form of a single PDF file, containing a CV, motivation letter, names and email addresses of 2 to 3 referees. No official letter of recommendations are required, as the referees will be contacted directly. Main research directions in the lab are: Efficient coding in spiking networks (theory and data analyses). Probabilistic approaches to sensory processing (theory and data analyses). Hierarchical inference and learning in neural networks, application to schizophrenia (psychophysics experiment and theory) Candidates should send their application to sophie.deneve(a)ens.fr by *March 31, 2015*. Please mention “postdoctoral candidate” in the subject of the email. Application should take the form of a single PDF file, containing a CV, motivation letter, names and email addresses of 2 to 3 referees. No official letter of recommendations are required, as the referee will be contacted directly. -- Dr Sophie Deneve Group for Neural Theory Laboratoire de Neurosciences cognitives ENS-INSERM 29, rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France Tel. (+33) (0)1 44 32 26 35

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BCF/NWG Course "Analysis and Models in Neurophysiology" 2015 at the Bernstein Center Freiburg, Germany
by Birgit Ahrens March 17, 2015

March 17, 2015

*BCF/NWG Course*** *"Analysis and Models in Neurophysiology"*** /Sunday, October 4 - Friday, October 9, 2015 / /Bernstein Center Freiburg, Hansastraße 9a, 79104 Freiburg, Germany/ *Aim of the course:* The course is intended to provide advanced Diploma/Masters and PhD students, as well as young researchers from the neurosciences with approaches for the analysis of electrophysiological data and the theoretical concepts behind them. *The course includes various topics such as*: * Neuron Models and Point Processes (Prof. Stefan Rotter) * Local field potentials (Prof. Ulrich Egert) * Neural Coding (Dr. Robert Schmidt) * Neural Decoding (Prof. Carsten Mehring) The course will consist of lectures in the morning and matching exercises using Matlab and Mathematica in the afternoon. The participants should have a basic understanding of scientific programming. This course is designated especially for advanced diploma/master students and PhD students (preferentially in their first year). *Application:* Please apply by sending *one pdf document* containing your CV and a meaningful letter of motivation to nwg-course(a)bcf.uni-freiburg.de <mailto:nwg-course@bcf.uni-freiburg.de>. The letter of motivation should refer to the following points: * Reasons for wanting to take this course * Background in mathematics * Background in scientific programming * Experience in using Matlab and Mathematica * Background in neuroscience The course is limited to 20 participants. *Course fees:*NWG members - 50€, others - 125€ *Application deadline: *June 30, 2015 *More information: *http://www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de/events/conferences-workshops/20151004-nwgcourse <http://www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de/events/conferences-workshops/20141005-nwgcou…> *-- Dr. Birgit Ahrens --* Teaching & Training Coordinator Bernstein Center Freiburg University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9a D - 79104 Freiburg Germany Phone: +49 (0) 761 203-9575 Fax: +49 (0) 761 203-9559

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Postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience at University of Pennsylvania
by Maria Geffen March 16, 2015

March 16, 2015

A postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience is available at the Laboratory of Auditory Coding at the University of Pennsylvania under direction of Dr. Maria Neimark Geffen. We are looking for a talented, energetic, ambitious and creative scientist to join our team in studying the neuronal mechanisms of auditory perception and learning. For more details, go to http://www.med.upenn.edu/hearing <http://www.med.upenn.edu/hearing> Requirements: A doctoral degree in quantitative science (physics/chemistry/computational biology/neuroscience etc.), math/applied math or computer science (can be expected); proficiency in computer programming; excellent mathematical skills. Recommended: Coursework or experience in systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and/or linguistics. To apply, please email a short paragraph with your research interests, a CV and copies of your publications or pre-prints to mgeffen(a)med.upenn.edu _________________________________ Maria Neimark Geffen, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Department of Neuroscience Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania 5 Ravdin 3400 Spruce St. Philadelphia PA 19104 Tel.: 215.898.0782 Fax: 215.898.9994 mgeffen(a)med.upenn.edu http://www.med.upenn.edu/hearing

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Deadline Approaching: 2015 Telluride Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering Workshop- Call For Applicants
by Ralph Etienne-Cummings March 16, 2015

March 16, 2015

> > > *-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > **Telluride Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering Workshop* > > > > *2015 Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering Workshop* > > *Telluride, Colorado, June 28th - July 18th, 2015* > > > > CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Deadline is April 2nd, 2015 > > NEUROMORPHIC COGNITION ENGINEERING WORKSHOP > > www.ine-web.org > > > > Sunday June 28th - Saturday July 18th, 2015, Telluride, Colorado > > > > ine-web.org/workshops/workshops-overview/index.html and the workshop wiki > is at https://neuromorphs.net/ > > > > GOALS: > > Neuromorphic engineers design and fabricate artificial neural systems > whose organizing principles are based on those of biological nervous > systems. Over the past 18 years, this research community has focused on the > understanding of low-level sensory processing and systems infrastructure; > efforts are now expanding to apply this knowledge and infrastructure to > addressing higher-level problems in perception, cognition, and learning. In > this 3-week intensive workshop and through the Institute for Neuromorphic > Engineering (INE), the mission is to promote interaction between senior and > junior researchers; to educate new members of the community; to introduce > new enabling fields and applications to the community; to promote on-going > collaborative activities emerging from the Workshop, and to promote a > self-sustaining research field. > > > > FORMAT: > > The three week summer workshop will include background lectures on systems > and cognitive neuroscience (in particular sensory processing, learning and > memory, motor systems and attention), practical tutorials on emerging > hardware design, mobile robots, hands-on projects, and special interest > groups. Participants are required to take part and possibly complete at > least one of the projects proposed. They are furthermore encouraged to > become involved in as many of the other activities proposed as interest and > time allow. There will be two lectures in the morning that cover issues > that are important to the community in general. Because of the diverse > range of backgrounds among the participants, some of these lectures will be > tutorials, rather than detailed reports of current research. These lectures > will be given by invited speakers. Projects and interest groups meet in the > late afternoons, and after dinner. In the early afternoon there will be > tutorials on a wide spectrum of topics, including analog VLSI, mobile > robotics, vision and auditory systems, central-pattern-generators, > selective attention mechanisms, cognitive systems, etc. > > > > *2015 TOPIC AREAS:* > > > > *Human Auditory Cognition: Communicating with EEG and Virtual Reality > Links (The Matrix)*: Shihab Shamma (UM-College Park), Malcolm Slaney > (Microsoft), Edward Lalor (Trinity College, Dublin), and Alain de Cheveigne > (UPMC, France) > > > > *Manipulation Actions: Movements, Forces and Affordances: *Cornelia > Fermüller (UMCP), Michael Pfeiffer (INI-UZH), Ryad Benosman (UPMC, Paris), > and Andreas Andreou (JHU) > > > > *Neuromorphic Natural Language Processing:* John Harris (UFL, > Gainesville) and Chris Huyck (Middlesex University) > > > > *Spike-Based Cognitive Computing: Seeing, Hearing, and Thinking with > Spikes: *Arindam Basu (NTU, Singapore) and John Arthur (IBM Research > Almaden) > > > > *Computational Neuroscience (invitational mini-workshop)* : Terry > Sejnowski (Salk Institute) > > > > LOCATION AND ARRANGEMENTS: > > The summer school will take place in the small town of Telluride, 9000 > feet high in southwest Colorado, about 6 hours drive away from Denver (350 > miles). Great Lakes Aviation and America West Express airlines provide > daily flights directly into Telluride. All facilities within the > beautifully renovated public school building are fully accessible to > participants with disabilities. Participants will be housed in ski > condominiums, within walking distance of the school. Participants are > expected to share condominiums. > > > > The workshop is intended to be very informal and hands-on. Participants > are not required to have had previous experience in analog VLSI circuit > design, computational or machine vision, systems level neurophysiology or > modeling the brain at the systems level. However, we strongly encourage > active researchers with relevant backgrounds from academia, industry and > national laboratories to apply, in particular if they are prepared to work > on specific projects, talk about their own work or bring demonstrations to > Telluride (e.g. robots, chips, software). Wireless internet access will be > provided. Technical staff present throughout the workshops will assist with > software and hardware issues. We will have a network of PCs running LINUX > and Microsoft Windows for the workshop projects. We encourage participants > to bring along their personal laptop. > > > > No cars are required. Given the small size of the town, we recommend that > you do not rent a car. Bring hiking boots, warm clothes, rain gear, and a > backpack, since Telluride is surrounded by beautiful mountains. > > > > Unless otherwise arranged with one of the organizers, we expect > participants to stay for the entire duration of this three week workshop. > > > > FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: > > Notification of acceptances will be mailed out around the April 15th, > 2015. The Workshop covers all your accommodations and facilities costs for > the 3 weeks duration. You are responsible for your own travel to the > Workshop, however, sponsored fellowships will be available as described > below to further subsidize your cost. > > > > Registration Fees: For expenses not covered by federal funds, a Workshop > registration fee is required. The fee is TBD per participant for the 3-week > Workshop. This is expected from all participants at the time of acceptance. > > Accommodations: The cost of a shared condominium, typically a bedroom in a > shared condo for senior participants or a shared room for students, will be > covered for all academic participants. Upgrades to a private rooms or > condos will cost extra. Participants from National Laboratories and > Industry are expected to pay for these condominiums. > > > > Fellowships: This year we will offer one Fellowship program to subsidize > your costs: > > The EU-CSNII Fellowship (http://csnetwork.eu/) which is funded by the 7th > Research Framework Program FP7-ICT-CSNII-601167. The top 8 EU applicants > will be reimbursed for their registration fees ($1250), subsistence/travel > subsidy (up to Euro 2000) and accommodations cost ($1500). The registration > and accommodation costs will go directly to the INE (the INE will reimburse > them). > > > > We invite applications for a three-week summer workshop that will be held > in Telluride, Colorado. Sunday June 28th - Saturday July 18th, 2015. The > application deadline is Wednesday, April 2nd and application instructions > are described at the bottom of this document. > > > > The 2015 Workshop and Summer School on Neuromorphic Engineering is > sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Institute of Neuromorphic > Engineering, DARPA, Office of Naval Research, The EU-Collaborative > Convergent Science Network (CNS-II), University of Maryland - College Park, > Institute for Neuroinformatics – University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, > Georgia Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Boston > University, University of Western Sydney and the Salk Institute. > > > > Directors: > > Cornelia Fermuller, University of Maryland, College Park > > Ralph Etienne-Cummings, Johns Hopkins University > > Shih-Chii Liu, Institute of Neuroinformatics, UNI/ETH Zurich, Switzerland > > Timothy Horiuchi, University of Maryland, College Park > > > > Workshop Advisory Board: > > Andreas Andreou, Johns Hopkins University > > Andre van Schaik, University Western Sydney, Australia > > Avis Cohen, University of Maryland > > Barbara Shinn-Cunningham, Boston University > > Giacomo Indiveri, Institute of Neuroinformatics, Uni/Eth Zurich, > Switzerland > > Jonathan Tapson, University Western Sydney, Australia > > Malcolm Slaney, Microsoft Research > > Jennifer Hasler, Georgia Institute of Technology > > Rodney Douglas, Institute of Neuroinformatics, Uni/Eth Zurich, Switzerland > > Shihab Shamma, University of Maryland > > Tobi Delbruck, Institute of Neuroinformatics, Uni/Eth Zurich, Switzerland > > > > Previous year workshop can be found at: > <http://ine-web.org/workshops/workshops-overview/index.html> participant’s > registration fees after receipt from CSNII), while the subsistence/travel > reimbursement will be provided directly to the participants by the CSNII at > the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. > > HOW TO APPLY: > > Applicants should be at the level of graduate students or above (i.e. > postdoctoral fellows, faculty, research and engineering staff and the > equivalent positions in industry and national laboratories). We actively > encourage women and minority candidates to apply. > > > > Anyone interested in proposing or discussing specific projects should > contact the appropriate topic leaders directly. > > > > The application website is (after February 23rd, 2015): > > ine-web.org/telluride-conference-2015/apply-info > > > > Application information needed: > > Contact email address. > > First name, Last name, Affiliation, valid e-mail address. > > Curriculum Vitae (a short version, please). > > One page summary of background and interests relevant to the workshop, > including possible ideas for workshop projects. Please indicate which topic > areas you would most likely join. > > Two letters of recommendation (uploaded directly by references). > > Applicants will be notified by e-mail. > > 23rd February, 2015 - Applications accepted on website > > 2nd April, 2015 - Applications Due > > 15th April, 2015 - Notification of Acceptance > > > > -- > Ralph Etienne-Cummings, PhD, FIEEE > Professor and Chairman > Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering > Computational Sensor Motor Systems Lab > Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics > The Johns Hopkins University > Baltimore, MD > [image: cid:image001.png@01CFC064.B58B46A0] > > -- Ralph Etienne-Cummings, PhD, FIEEE Professor and Chairman Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Computational Sensor Motor Systems Lab Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD [image: cid:image001.png@01CFC064.B58B46A0]

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RTXI-2015 - real-time electrophysiology
by Butera, Robert J March 13, 2015

March 13, 2015

Dear Colleagues: I am writing to invite you to attend RTXI-2015, May 7-8, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. This two-day meeting focuses on the application of real-time computing methods to scientific and clinical applications in neuroscience and other application areas. While targeting users of our RTXI software (http://www.rtxi.org) participation by anyone working in the topic areas is welcome. For those of you who recall the “GTReal” meeting in 2005 and "BUReal" meeting in 2006, this is a successor to that meeting. What has changed in 10 years? In short, our ability to sense and measure with newer modalities, and applications moving from the scale of intracellular studies (e.g., dynamic clamp) to multichannel scientific and clinical applications with closed loop devices. Invited speakers: Chuck Dorval, University of Utah: Closed-loop neuromodulation - exposing pitfall and promises of preclinical trials via RTXI Scott Stanslinski, Medtronic: Challenges in clinical neuromodulation: transitioning from open-loop to active-sensing and closed-loop methods Flavio Frolich, University of North Carolina: Rational design of non-invasive (feedback) brain stimulation Astrid Prinz, Emory University: Synaptic feedback strategies that minimize neuronal oscillator variability Dieter Jaeger, Emory University: Real-time interactions with the mouse motor thalamus in vitro and in vivo Topics include: - Dynamic clamp and similar methods - Closed-loop neural stimulation - Cardiac dynamics and control - Applications to neurological disease (Parkinson's, epilepsy, etc.) - Open-source software development The meeting is in small setting (max. 200 attendees) with a single talk track, workshops for those new and experienced using RTXI, and posters. Registration is $75 for students and $125 for all others, and includes breakfast and lunch on both days. Fee waivers are also available. The venue is the Georgia Academy of Medicine, located 2 blocks south of the Midtown MARTA station. See http://rtxi.org/conference for more information about the meeting, invited speakers, and registration information. Supported by NIH via the RTXI project and the Neural Engineering Center at Georgia Tech. -- Robert Butera, PhD, PE Professor, School of ECE and Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of BME Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA ph: 404-894-2935 FAX: 404-385-5044 admin: 404-894-1359

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CFP 3rd International Congress on Neurotechnology, Electronics and Informatics - NEUROTECHNIX 2015
by Calendar Sites March 13, 2015

March 13, 2015

CALL FOR PAPERS 3rd International Congress on Neurotechnology, Electronics and Informatics NEUROTECHNIX 2015 Website: http://www.neurotechnix.org November 16 17, 2015 Lisbon, Portugal Complete Papers Paper Submission: June 30, 2015 Authors Notification: September 1, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: September 14, 2015 Extended Abstracts Paper Submission: September 2, 2015 Authors Notification: October 6, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: October 13, 2015 Sponsored by: INSTICC-Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication In Cooperation with: APEEGNC Associação Portugues de EEG e Neurofisiologia Clínica NN Neurotech Network INNS The International Neural Network Society NNN Nansen Neuroscience Network WFNR World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation Logistics Partner: SCITEVENTS Science and Technology Events The first research works on neurotechnology can be dated back nearly half a century, but it is in the XXI century that most significant advances are being witnessed. Neurotechnology shows a very high potential of enhancing human activities, involving technologies such as neural rehabilitation, neural prosthesis, neuromodulation, neurosensing and diagnosis, and other combinations of neurological and biomedical knowledge with engineering technologies. PUBLICATIONS All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings, under an ISBN reference, on paper and on CD-ROM support. SCITEPRESS is member of CrossRef ( <http://www.crossref.org/> http://www.crossref.org/) All papers presented at the conference venue will be available at the <http://www.scitepress.org/DigitalLibrary/Default.aspx> SCITEPRESS Digital Library. The proceedings will be submitted for indexation by Thomson Reuters Conference Proceedings Citation Index (ISI), INSPEC, DBLP, EI (Elsevier Index) and Scopus. AWARDS The awards will be announced and bestowed at the conference closing session. CONGRESS AREAS Each of these topic areas is expanded below but the sub-topics list is not exhaustive. Papers may address one or more of the listed sub-topics, although authors should not feel limited by them. Unlisted but related sub-topics are also acceptable, provided they fit in one of the following main topic areas: 1. NEURAL REHABILITATION 2. NEUROSENSING AND DIAGNOSIS 3. NEUROCOMPUTING 4. NEUROMODULATION AND NEURAL PROSTHESIS AREA 1: NEURAL REHABILITATION * Brain/Neural Computer Interfaces * Virtual Reality Tools * Stimulation Systems * Robotic Assisted Therapy * Biofeedback Therapy * Assistive Technologies * Mobile Technologies * Telerehabilitation * Applications to Complex Communication Needs * Augmentative and Alternative Communication * Clinical and Social Impact of Neurotechnology * Privacy, Security and Neuroethics * Outcome Measures * Users Perception and Experience on Technologies * Case Studies AREA 2: NEUROSENSING AND DIAGNOSIS * Neural Signal Processing * Real Time Monitoringof Neuromuscular and Neural Activity * EEG and EMG Signal Processing and Applications * Brain imaging * Magnetic Resonance Imaging * Electrical and Magnetic Recordings * Positron Emission Tomography * Optical Imaging Techniques * Neuroimaging * Mobile and Embedded Devices * Monitoring Systems and Techniques * Remote Neurosensing * Diagnostic Sensors * Sleep Analysis * Intelligent Diagnosis Systems AREA 3: NEUROCOMPUTING * (Artificial) Neural Networks * Brain Models and Functions * Learning Systems and Memory * Self-organization and Evolution * Pattern Recognition * Reverse Engineering the Brain * Information Processing * Simulation Models * Neurobiology * Artificial Life * Cognitive Science and Psychology AREA 4: NEUROMODULATION AND NEURAL PROSTHESIS * Electrical Stimulation * Deep Brain Stimulation * Optogenetics * Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation * Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) * Biochips and Nanotechnology * Biotechnology * Neuro-interface Prosthetic Devices * Cochlear implants * Bionic Vision * Cybernetics KEYNOTE LECTURE Thomas Stieglitz, University of Freiburg, Germany CONGRESS CHAIR Aldo Faisal, Imperial College London, United Kingdom PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS Hermano Igo Krebs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States Antonio Pedotti, Politecnico di Milano, Italy PROGRAM COMMITTEE <http://www.neurotechnix.org/ProgramCommittee.aspx> http://www.neurotechnix.org/ProgramCommittee.aspx NEUROTECHNIX SECRETARIAT Address: Av. D. Manuel I, 27A, 2º esq. 2910-595 Setúbal Portugal Tel.: +351 265 100 033 Fax: +44 203 014 8813 e-mail: <mailto:neurotec.secretariat@insticc.org> neurotechnix.secretariat(a)insticc.org Please check further details at the conference website ( <http://www.neurotechnix.org> http://www.neurotechnix.org) --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com

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Bernstein Conference: Call for Workshops ends on Sunday!
by Seeger, Simone March 13, 2015

March 13, 2015

The National Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience invites proposals for Satellite Workshops directly preceding the Bernstein Conference 2015 in Heidelberg ********************************************************************************** Call for Workshop proposals: Workshops: September 14, 2015 (Main Bernstein Conference: September 15-17, 2015) Deadline of proposal submission: March 15, 2015 Notification of acceptance: April 20, 2015 Conference Registration starts: April 27, 2015 Early Registration Deadline: July 21, 2015 ********************************************************************************** The Bernstein Conference started out as the annual meeting of the National Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and has become the largest single-track Computational Neuroscience conference in Europe in recent years. Since 2013, the Bernstein Conference hosts pre-conference workshops, which have developed swiftly into a well-attended event. They supply a stage to debate topical research questions and challenges in Computational Neuroscience and related fields, different points of view and scientific approaches in an informal setting. Workshops addressing controversial issues, open problems, and comparisons of competing approaches are encouraged. SCHEDULE: September 14, 2015, 9:00 – 18:30. You may apply for either half-day or full-day workshops. Workshop costs: The Bernstein Conference does not provide financial support, but workshop organizers and speakers are offered free workshop registration and reduced fees for the main conference. For further information about the conference, please visit the conference website<http://www.bernstein-conference.de>. DETAILS FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS: The Workshop Proposal form can be downloaded here<http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2015/satellite-workshops/worksho…>. Deadline for submission of Workshop Proposals: March 15, 2015 We are looking forward to meeting you in Heidelberg! THE WORKSHOP PROGRAM COMMITTEE Matthias Bethge (Bernstein Center Tübingen) Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, Bangalore) Carlos Brody (Princeton University) Gustavo Deco (University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona) Andreas Draguhn (Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim) Daniel Durstewitz (Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim) Gaute Einevoll (Norvegian University of Life Sciences, Aas) Andreas Herz (Bernstein Center Munich) Peter Kirsch (Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim) Sara Solla (Northwestern University, Evanston)

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Swinburne Brain Imaging Symposium 2015: Principles and Applications of Magnetoencephalography
by David Liley March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015

Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, is hosting a workshop to promote the unique capabilities of magnetoencephalography for basic and clinical research and clinical decision making. Running over two days from 29 to 30 July 2015 it will feature invited talks from some of the fields most important research leaders and a MEG data analysis hands-on computer workshop. Invited Speakers: Mark Woolrich (Oxford) Krish Singh (Cardiff) Vladimir Litvak (UCL) Suresh Muthukumaraswamy (Auckland) Blake Johnson (Macquarie) In addition to the keynote speakers and computer workshop there will also be an open poster session for registrants to present their work in any of the following or related thematic areas: magnetoencephalography, electroencephalography, clinical monitoring, neuroimaging, TMS, tDCS, tACS or brain-computer interfaces Poster abstract submission deadline: 15th May 2015. Notification of acceptance: 29th May 2015. Invited Symposia & Cocktail Poster Session – 29-30 July 2015: Early bird registration: full: AU$300; Student/Post-docs: AU$80. Early bird registration deadline: 26th June 2015. Standard registration: full: AU$450; Student/Early Career Researcher: AU$120. Hands-on MEG Data analysis workshop (spaces limited to 30) – 30 July afternoon: Early bird registration: full: AU$100; Student/Post-docs: AU$40. Early bird registration deadline: 26th June 2015. Standard registration: full: AU$150; Student/Early Career Researcher: AU$60. For further information on the invited speakers as well as the preliminary workshop program, and how to submit abstracts and register visit: http://www.research.swinburne.edu.au/our-research/events/neuroimaging-sympo… We’d also like to draw your attention to the meeting “IWSP7: Epilepsy Mechanisms, Models, Prediction & Control” which will be held in Melbourne Australia from August 3-6 2015. For details visit http://www.iwsp7.org<http://www.iwsp7.org/> Please forward this notice to anyone that you think might be interested. On behalf of the organizing committee David Liley, MBChB, PhD Brian Cornwell, PhD Email: megsymposium(a)swin.edu.au<mailto:megsymposium@swin.edu.au>

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Brain, Minds and Machines Summer Course 2015 (Deadline = March 16th)
by Kreiman, Gabriel March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015

Brains, Minds and Machines Summer Course 2015 http://www.mbl.edu/education/special-topics-courses/brains-minds-and-machin… When: August 13 – September 3, 2015 Where: Woods Hole, Massachusetts (MBL) Directors: Gabriel Kreiman, Tomaso Poggio (L. Mahadevan, honorary director) Application deadline: March 16, 2015 This intensive three-week course will give advanced students a “deep end” introduction to the problem of intelligence – how the brain produces intelligent behavior and how we may be able to replicate intelligence in machines. Today’s AI technologies, such as Watson and Siri and Deep Learning, are impressive, but their domain specificity and reliance on vast numbers of labeled examples are obvious limitations; few view this as brain-like or human intelligence. The synergistic combination of cognitive science, neurobiology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science holds the promise to build much more robust and sophisticated algorithms implemented in intelligent machines *and* to begin understanding how the brain produces the mind. The goal of this course is to help produce a community of leaders that is equally knowledgeable in neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science. The first half of the course will focus on the intersection between biological and computational aspects of learning and vision. The second half will focus on high-level social cognition and artificial intelligence, as well as audition, speech and language processing. Throughout the course, students will participate in tutorials to gain hands on experience with these topics. The course will include presentations by world leaders in the field, discussions with relevant industrial companies interested in AI, hands-on tutorials, evening debates and discussions. Additionally, students will be working on cutting-edge research projects directly guided and mentored by the faculty. This course is organized by the Center for Minds, Brains and Machines: https://cbmm.mit.edu/ Course instructors will include: Tomaso Poggio Gabriel Kreiman Nancy Kanwisher Winrich Freiwald Matt Wilson Josh Tenenbaum Liz Spelke Boris Katz L Mahadevan Jim DiCarlo Aude Oliva Josh McDermott Projects will be cross-disciplinary and include access to the iCub humanoid robot and Google Glass. We will also be hosting an Evening Lecture Series, including speakers from both industry and academia, in the fields of neuroscience, computer science, and cognitive science. Speakers include: Larry Abbott Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Dorin Comaniciu, Siemens Corporate Technology Ammon Shashua, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mobileye, OrCam Eero Simoncelli, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University Gabriel Kreiman klab.tch.harvard.edu Use "9265358979" anywhere in the message body to ensure that your message navigates through anti spam filters

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3 Research Assistants at the Institute of Cognitive Scinece
by Peter König March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015

The Neurobiopsychology Research Group (Prof. Dr. Peter König) of the Institute of Cognitive Science invites applications for *3 Research Assistants *** *(Salary level E 13 TV-L, 50 %)* ** to be filled as soon as possible for a period of 3 years. *Description of Responsibilities:* The positions involve participation in the research activities within the European Community funded research project /Socialising Sensori-Motor Contingencies./ This project investigates processing multimodal information and sensorimotor integration under natural conditions and utilizes a variety of methods. They include behavioral studies, psychophysical methods, physiological measurements (EEG, MEG, TMS), methods of sensory augmentation, mathematical modelling, computer simulations and brain-computer interfaces. *Required Qualifications:* Applicants are expected to have an excellent academic degree (Master, Diploma or PhD), experience in several of the domains listed above, a good record in statistical methods including multivariate analyses and Bayesian technics, good programming skills as well as a good command of the English language. As a certified family-friendly institution, Osnabrück University is committed to furthering the compatibility between work/studies and family life. As an employer, Osnabrück University is particularly concerned with creating equality opportunities for women and men. Woman with relevant qualifications are therefore strongly encouraged to apply for the positions. Preference will be given to women with equal qualifications. Qualified applicants with disabilities will be favored. Applications with the usual documentation should be submitted by e-mail in a *_single_* PDF-file to Prof. Dr. Peter König (pkoenig(a)uni-osnabrueck.de <mailto:pkoenig@uni-osnabrueck.de>) with a cc to office(a)ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de <mailto:office@ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de>no later than *March 31, 2015*. Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr. Peter König (pkoenig(a)uni-osnabrueck.de) -- *http://www.facebook.com/CognitiveScienceOsnabruck* Prof. Dr. Peter König Institute of Cognitive Science University Osnabrück Albrechtstr. 28 49076 Osnabrück +49 541 969 2399 http://cogsci.uni-osnabrueck.de/~NBP/

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One Postdoc and one PhD position in computational neuroimaging/neuroscience
by s.ghebreab＠uva.nl March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015

One Postdoc position available in Computational neuroimaging with deep learning and one PhD position in Visual computational neuroscience. Both positions are part of research that bridges state-of-the-art vision technology of the Intelligent Systems Lab Amsterdam (ISLA, Science Faculty), with the state-of-the-art in brain imaging offered by the Cognitive Neuroscience Group Amsterdam (CNGA, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences). Both groups are part of the University of Amsterdam and enjoy a world-class reputation, ISLA for computer vision and search engine technology (discovering concepts in images and video) and CNGA for the neural basis of visual perception.. For position and application details see: - Postdoc Position 1: http://www.uva.nl/over-de-uva/werken-bij-de-uva/vacatures/item/15-050.html - PhD Position 2: http://www.uva.nl/over-de-uva/werken-bij-de-uva/vacatures/item/15-077.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Dr. Sennay Ghebreab Head of Studies Social Sciences, Amsterdam University College Associate professor (adjunct), Brain & Cognition, University of Amsterdam Tel: +31-20-5258844, Email: s.ghebreab(a)uva.nl, http://www.sennay.net <http://www.sennay.net/> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

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NEST User and Developer Workshop, 20-22 April 2015, Geneva
by Hans Ekkehard Plesser March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015

Dear Colleagues! The NEST simulator is used by a growing number of neuroscientist. To strengthen the growing NEST community and foster the dialog between NEST users across a broad spectrum of modelling approaches, as well as between users and developers, we would like to invite you to the First NEST User Workshop, Monday 20 April (evening) til Wednesday 22 April (late afternoon) at Campus Biotech in Geneva, Switzerland. The workshop is primarily intended for users and developers of NEST and you will benefit most if you already have practical experience with NEST. However, if you are interested in using NEST in the future, this workshop will also be useful for you. We will present the new NEST Git Repository and Code Review Platform as part of the workshop. For a limited number of participants, we offer the possibility to present your scientific work done with NEST. If you are interested in presenting, please contact the workshop organizers Hans Ekkehard Plesser (hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no) Marc-Oliver Gewaltig (marc-oliver.gewaltig(a)epfl.ch) For more information and registration, please go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nest-user-workshop-tickets-15974979594 Registration is free, but limited. Registration deadline: 11 April 2015 We can offer (very) limited travel support to younger participants, kindly provided by the HBP Education Program. This workshop is organized in collaboration between the NEST Initiative and the HBP Education Program. We are looking forward to seeing you in Geneva! Hans E Plesser Marc-Oliver Gewaltig http://www.nest-initiative.org http://humanbrainproject.eu — Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser, Associate Professor Acting section Head Dept. of Mathematical Sciences and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway Phone +47 6723 1560 Email hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no Home http://arken.umb.no/~plesser

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Students: spend the summer improving brain research software tools in Google Summer of Code
by Malin Sandström March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015

Hi all, (apologies for cross-posting) are you a student interested in brain research and software development? Or do you know one? This year again, INCF is participating as mentoring organization in the Google Summer of Code, a global program that offers students stipends to spend the summer writing code for open source projects. INCF has 27 project proposals offered by mentors from the international research community, many of them with a computational neuroscience slant. All projects deal with development and/or improvement of open source tools that are used in the neuroscience community. You can see our full list of projects here: https://incf.org/gsoc/2015/proposals To be eligible, students must fulfill the Google definition of 'student': an individual enrolled in or accepted into an accredited institution including (but not necessarily limited to) colleges, universities, masters programs, PhD programs and undergraduate programs. Student applications open on *Monday, March 16.* <https://incf.org/gsoc/2015/proposals> Please forward to anyone you think might be interested! Best regards, Malin Sandström (INCF org admin for GSoC) GSoC questions welcome to: gsoc(a)incf.org -- Malin Sandström, PhD Community Engagement Officer malin.sandstrom(a)incf.org International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility Karolinska Institutet Nobels väg 15 A SE-171 77 Stockholm Sweden http://www.incf.org

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[meetings] Living Machines IV: Final Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors
by Nathan F Lepora March 11, 2015

March 11, 2015

______________________________________________________________ Final Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors Living Machines IV: The 4th International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems 28th to 31st July 2015 http://csnetwork.eu/livingmachines To be hosted at the La Pedrera Barcelona, Spain In association with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra Accepted papers will be published in Springer Lecturer Notes in Artificial Intelligence Submission deadline March 16th, 2015 ______________________________________________________________ ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2015 The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems. Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering. Biohybrid systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity. The following are some examples: • Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments. • Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair. • Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behaviour. • Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants. • Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses. • Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems. ACTIVITIES The main conference will take the form of a three-day single-track oral and poster presentation programme, 29th to 31st July 2015, hosted at the La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain. The conference programme will include five plenary lectures from leading international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems, and the demonstrations of state-of-the-art living machine technologies. Agreed speakers are: Roger Quinn, Robots Insect Locomotion (Case Western Reserve University) Ryad Benosman, Neuromorphic. Event-based time oriented vision (Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, France) Barbara Mazzolai, Biomimetic Robots (IIT@SSSA, Italy) Robert Richardson, Exploration Robotics (Leeds University, UK) Jose Halloy, Collective intelligence in natural and artificial systems (Université Paris Diderot LIED) Also a special talk on Biomimetics in Design Nimish Biloria, Bio-inspired performative design (TU Delf University of Technology, The Netherlands) The full conference will be preceded by a day of Satellite Events hosted by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2015 We invite both full papers and short papers in areas related to the conference themes. All contributions will be refereed and accepted papers will appear in the Living Machines 2015 proceedings which we expect to be published in the Springer-Verlag LNAI Series. Full papers (minimum 8 and up to 12 pages) are invited from researchers at any stage in their career but should present significant findings and advances in biomimetic or biohybid research; more preliminary work would be better suited to shorter paper submission (minimum 4 pages with a maximum of eight references and no more than two self-citations) Further details of submission formats will be circulated in an updated CfP and will be posted on the conference web-site. http://csnetwork.eu/livingmachines/conf2015/submission Full papers will be accepted for either oral presentation (single track) or poster presentation. Extended abstracts will be accepted for poster presentation only. Authors of the best full papers will be invited to submitted extended versions of their paper for publication in a special issue of Bioinspiration and Biomimetics. Satellite events Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to propose topics for 1-day tutorials, symposia or workshops on related themes to be held 27-28th July at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Attendance at satellite events will attract a small fee intended to cover the costs of the meeting. There is a lot of flexibility about the content, organisation, and budgeting for these events. Please contact us if you are interested in organising a satellite event! EXPECTED DEADLINES March 16th, 2015 Paper submission deadline May 1st, 2015 Notification of acceptance May 22nd, 2015 Camera ready copy July 28th-31st 2015 Conference SPONSORSHIP Living Machines 2015 is sponsored by the Convergent Science Network (CSN) for Biomimetics and Neurotechnology. CSN is an EU FP7 Future Emerging Technologies Co-ordination Activity that also organises two highly successful workshop series: the Barcelona Summer School on Brain, Technology and Cognition (http://bcbt.upf.edu and the Capocaccia Neuromorphic Cognitive Engineering Workshop. The 2015 Living Machines conference will also be hosted and sponsored by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Call for Sponsors. Other organisations wishing to sponsor the conference in any way and gain the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves and their products to through conference publications, the conference web-site, and conference publicity are encouraged to contact the conference organisers to discuss the terms of sponsorship and necessary arrangements. We offer a number of attractive and good-value packages to potential sponsors. ABOUT THE VENUE Living Machines 2015 returns to the venue of our first conference at the beautiful biomimetic building La Pedrera (Casa Mila) (https://www.lapedrera.com/en/home) designed by renowned modernist architect Antoni Gaudi. Attendees at the conference will get a free ticket to visit this historic building in the centre the Barcelona. Workshops will be held at the Poblenou Campus of Universitat Pompeu Fabra, close to hotel and restaurant area of the Diagonal and Ramblas de Poblenou and a short walk from Barcelona’s famous beaches. Organising Committee: Paul Verschure, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Co-chair) Tony Prescott, University of Sheffield (Co-chair) Stuart Wilson, University of Sheffield (Program Chair) Anna Mura, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Communications, Local Organiser) Nathan Lepora, University of Bristol (Communications) Living Machines 2015 Program Committee: Andrew Adamatzky, Robert Allen, Joseph Ayers, Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Lucia Beccai, Frédéric Boyer, Federico Carpi, Hillel Chiel, Anders Christensen, Danilo De Rossi, Angel del Pobil, Stéphane Doncieux, Marco Dorigo, Armin Duff, Volker Dürr Wolfgang Eberle, Benoît Girard, Roderich Gross, José Halloy, Koh Hosoda, Ioannis Ieropoulos, Auke Ijspeert, Holger Krapp, Cecilia Laschi, Nathan Lepora, Ben Mitchinson, Keisuke Morishima, Anna Mura, Jiro Okada, Enrico Pagello, Martin Pearson, Andrew Philippides, Tony Pipe, Tony Prescott, Roger Quinn, Sylvain Saighi, Thomas Schmickl, Reiko Tanaka, Eleni Vasilaki, Stefano Vassanelli, Paul Verschure, Stuart Wilson (Chair), Hartmut Witte

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Postdoctoral Position in Human Intracranial Physiology at the National Institutes of Health
by Zaghloul, Kareem (NIH/NINDS) [E] March 11, 2015

March 11, 2015

A full-time post-doctoral position focused on understanding the neural correlates of human cognitive function is available in the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the NIH. This position involves studies focused on analyzing and manipulating human intracranial electrophysiological signals, including single-unit activity, local field potentials, and electro corticography (ECoG), captured from patients with medically refractory epilepsy and from patients receiving deep brain stimulation surgery. Post-doctoral fellows will join a laboratory aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie human memory and decision making and at developing novel and innovative techniques to directly communicate with those circuits. We are seeking candidates that are highly creative, motivated, and independent with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or a related field. Candidates must have a strong research background, with a record of relevant publications. Candidates will be encouraged and expected to participate in independent laboratory research, and will be expected to write scholarly manuscripts. Candidates must be able to lead and work well in a team. Candidates should have strong computational, quantitative, and/or engineering skills, with proficiency in developing custom code (Matlab, Python, etc.) for data analysis preferred. Past medical research is not required, but candidates must be willing to perform experiments in a clinical setting. Candidates will interact with clinical staff, graduate students, research fellows, and must have excellent spoken and written English skills. Applicants should submit a brief statement of research activities and interests, a current CV, and names and contact information of at least three references. Salary will be commensurate with experience and accomplishments. To arrange a meeting with the PI and to send materials required for consideration for this appointment please contact Dr. Zaghloul at: zaghloulka(a)mail.nih.gov<mailto:zaghloulka@mail.nih.gov> NIH, an agency of DHHS, is an equal opportunity employer.

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ECMLPKDD 2015 : Nectar Track
by ECMLPKDD 2015 March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

The European Conference on Machine Learning and Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (ECMLPKDD 2015) will take place on September 7 of 2015, in Porto Portugal ( <http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/> http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/) and includes a Nectar Track that offers conference attendees a compact overview of recent scientific advances at the frontier of machine learning and data mining with other disciplines, as published in related conferences and journals. We invite senior and junior researchers to submit summaries of their own work published in neighboring fields, such as (but not limited to) artificial intelligence, data analytics, bioinformatics, games, computational linguistics, computer vision, geoinformatics, health informatics, database theory, human computer interaction, information and knowledge management, robotics, pattern recognition, statistics, social network analysis, theoretical computer science, uncertainty in AI, network science, complex systems science, and computationally oriented sociology, economy, statistics and biology. Particularly welcome is work that illustrates the pervasiveness of data-driven exploration and modelling in science and technology, as well as innovative applications. Accepted NECTAR contributions will be presented as talks or posters and included in the conference proceedings. Important dates Submission deadline: May 4, 2015 Notifications of acceptance: June 1, 2015 Submission of camera ready copies: June 15, 2015 Detailed information about the Nectar Track is available on: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/call-nectar-track-contributions For further information please contact the ECMLPKDD 2015 Nectar Track Chairs: Ricard Gavaldà (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) Dino Pedreschi (Università di Pisa) Hope to see you all soon in Porto, Portugal!!! The publicity chairs of the ECMLPKDD 2015, Carlos Abreu Ferreira Ricardo Campos --- Este e-mail foi verificado em termos de vírus pelo software antivírus Avast. http://www.avast.com

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Two postdoctoral positions in Systems/Computational Neuroscience, UPenn
by Nicole Rust March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

Two postdoctoral positions - one purely computational and another combined experimental and computational - are currently available in the laboratory of Nicole Rust at the University of Pennsylvania. Both positions are focused on understanding object-related processing at higher stages of the primate visual system. Of particular interest are the neural mechanisms responsible for our ability to remember the enormous numbers of objects that we have encountered before, and how the same neural populations can both encode visual memories after a single experience and support perceptually stable object representations. Our research group uses a variety of methods, including awake primate neurophysiology, population decoding, and computational modeling, to arrive at descriptions of the transformations that occur as object-related signals propagate through the brain. More information about the lab can be found here: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/psych/rust-lab. The Rust lab is part of a substantive Systems, Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience community at UPenn and is part of the newly established Penn Computational Neuroscience Initiative: http://cni.upenn.edu/. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field prior to starting. Essential qualifications include strong quantitative skills. To inquire about this position, please contact Nicole Rust nrust(a)psych.upenn.edu.

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Re: [Comp-neuro] CFP 7th International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications - ECTA 2015
by Calendar Sites March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

CALL FOR PAPERS 7th International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications ECTA 2015 Website: http://www.ecta.ijcci.org/ November 12 14, 2015 Lisbon, Portugal Regular Papers Paper Submission: June 2, 2015 Authors Notification: September 1, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: September 30, 2015 Position Papers Paper Submission: July 14, 2015 Authors Notification: September 16, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: September 30, 2015 Sponsored by: INSTICC-Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication INSTICC is Member of: WfMC Workflow Management Coalition OMG Object Management Group FIPA Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents In Cooperation with: AI*IA Associazione Italiana per l'Intelligenza Artificiale AAAI Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence APPIA Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial Logistics Partner: SCITEVENTS Science and Technology Events Considered a subfield of computational intelligence focused on combinatorial optimisation problems, evolutionary computation is associated with systems that use computational models of evolutionary processes as the key elements in design and implementation, i.e. computational techniques which are based to some degree on the evolution of biological life in the natural world. A number of evolutionary computational models have been proposed, including evolutionary algorithms, genetic algorithms, the evolution strategy, evolutionary programming, swarm intelligence and artificial life. This conference intends to be a major forum for scientists, engineers and practitioners interested in the study, analysis, design, modeling and implementation of evolvable systems, both theoretically and in a broad range of application fields. ECTA welcomes both theoretical research and practical applications. The conference also aims to foster hybrid approaches within evolutionary computation and also involving fuzzy computation and neural computation. IJCCI KEYNOTE LECTURES Julian Togelius, New York University, United States Yaochu Jin, University of Surrey, United Kingdom PUBLICATIONS All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings, under an ISBN reference, on paper and on CD-ROM support. SCITEPRESS is member of CrossRef ( <http://www.crossref.org/> http://www.crossref.org/) All papers presented at the conference venue will be available at the <http://www.scitepress.org/DigitalLibrary/Default.aspx> SCITEPRESS Digital Library. The proceedings will be submitted for indexation by Thomson Reuters Conference Proceedings Citation Index (ISI), INSPEC, DBLP, EI (Elsevier Index) and Scopus. AWARDS The awards will be announced and bestowed at the conference closing session. IJCCI CONFERENCE CHAIR Joaquim Filipe, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal / INSTICC, Portugal PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS Agostinho Rosa, IST, Portugal Juan Julian Merelo, University of Granada, Spain CONFERENCE TOPICS: * Genetic Algorithms * Machine Learning * Cognitive Systems * Artificial Life * Representation Techniques * Evolutionary Multiobjective Optimization * Game Theory and Applications * Evolution Strategies * Evolutionary Robotics and Intelligent Agents * Society and Cultural Aspects of Evolution * Concurrent Co-operation * Co-evolution and Collective Behavior * Biocomputing and Complex Adaptive Systems * Bio-inspired Hardware and Networks * Swarm/Collective Intelligence * Evolutionary Art and Design * Hybrid Systems * Memetic Algorithms PROGRAM COMMITTEE <http://www.ecta.ijcci.org/ProgramCommittee.aspx> http://www.ecta.ijcci.org/ProgramCommittee.aspx ECTA SECRETARIAT Address: Av. D. Manuel I, 27A, 2º esq. 2910-595 Setúbal - Portugal Tel.: +351 265 100 033 Fax: +44 203 014 8813 e-mail: ecta.secretariat(a)insticc.org Please check further details at the conference website (http://www.ecta.ijcci.org) _____ <http://www.avast.com/> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com <http://www.avast.com/> --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com

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ECMLPKDD 2015 : PhD Session
by ECMLPKDD 2015 March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

The European Conference on Machine Learning and Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (ECMLPKDD 2015) will take place on September 7 of 2015, in Porto Portugal ( <http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/> http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/) The conference includes a PhD session that provides an environment for students to exchange their ideas and experiences with peers and senior researchers in machine learning, data mining, and related areas. We invite PhD students (PhD in progress or defended not earlier than 31st December 2014) to submit papers on all aspects of machine learning, knowledge discovery and data mining, including real-world applications. Papers submitted to ECML/PKDD 2015 PhD session will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be presented in the special PhD session at ECMLPKDD 2015 and will be published in the session proceedings which will be available through the conference website. Important Dates Paper submission deadline: June 10 2015 Author notification: July 15 2015 Camera-ready: August 5 2015 Doctoral consortium session: September 7 2015 Detailed information about the PhD Session is available on: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/doctoral-consortium For further information please contact the ECMLPKDD 2015 PhD Chairs: Jaakko Hollmen (Aalto University) Panagiotis Papapetrou (Stockholm University) Hope to see you all soon in Porto, Portugal!!! The publicity chairs of the ECMLPKDD 2015, Carlos Abreu Ferreira Ricardo Campos --- Este e-mail foi verificado em termos de vírus pelo software antivírus Avast. http://www.avast.com

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PhD position in Computational neuroscience in social cognition
by Emilija Meier-Faust March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

PhD position in Computational neuroscience in social cognition, 50% Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-University Berlin A doctoral position in the area Computational neuroscience in social cognition is available from April 1st for three years at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain in the Social Cognition group. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Isabel Dziobek, Ph.D. and Prof. Timothy R. Brick, PhD (Penn State University) as well as other research group members in the collaborative consortium „From emotion model to adaptive learning: Emotion sensitive systems for training social cognition“ (BMBF InterEmotio/EMOTISK). For information on the group visit: http://www.psychology.hu-berlin.de/profship/soccog The project aims at investigating the automatic classification of socio-emotional signals multimodally (facial expressions, gaze direction, brain activation) using computer vision, automatic emotion tracking, eyetracking, and fMRI methods among others. The successful candidate will have strong programming and quantitative research skills, including computer vision, statistical modeling, and machine learning. Interest in social cognitive/computational neuroscience, fMRI, psychophysics, and/or human-machine interaction and prior experience programming on open-source projects is a plus. Requirements: BMA/MSc in e.g. computer science, statistics, cognitive (neuro-)science, psychology (or any other relevant field) Background in statistics, computer vision, or statistical modeling Expertise in Matlab, C/C++, or equivalent programming languages Excellent skills in written and spoken English Strong motivation Terms and conditions for this position: Position is to start 1 April 2015 Position is available for 3 years Salary scale TV-L HU E13 (please contact mb-manager(a)hu-berlin.de) Application: To apply, please e-mail (isabel.dziobek(a)hu-berlin.de) your cover letter and CV (in one pdf file) including names of 2-3 referees and up to 5 reprints (also in pdf format). Files should be named as follows: YOURNAME_letter_cv YOURNAME_reprint_1 YOURNAME_reprint_2 YOURNAME_reprint_3 YOURNAME_reprint_4 YOURNAME_reprint_5 Please note: The max. size for all files sent in one mailing is 6 MB! Deadline: Please check http://www.mind-and-brain.de/people/social-cognition-group/

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Postdoctoral position in Cognitive Neuroscience in Social Cognition
by Emilija Meier-Faust March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

Postdoctoral position in Cognitive Neuroscience in Social Cognition, 100% Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin A postdoctoral position in the area of Neuroimaging in Social Cognition is available from 1 April 2015 for three years at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain in the Social Cognition group. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Isabel Dziobek, Ph.D. and Prof. Timothy R. Brick, PhD (Penn State University) as well as other research group members in the collaborative consortium „From emotion model to adaptive learning: Emotion sensitive systems for training social cognition“ (BMBF InterEmotio/EMOTISK). For information on the group visit: http://www.psychology.hu-berlin.de/profship/soccog The project aims at investigating the associations between behavioral (e.g., facial expressions, eye movements) and physiological (e.g., neuronal activity, skin conductance response) parameters of social cognition and emotion processing in healthy individuals and those with autism spectrum disorder. Among others emotion induction and mimicry will be investigated using fMRI, eyetracking, and computer vision as well as automatic emotion tracking. A further focus will be on the trainability of socio-emotional processing using computer-based training programs targeting emotion recognition. The successful candidate will have strong quantitative research skills including knowledge about social cognitive/emotion neuroscience in fMRI and preferably also in psychopathology, psychophysics, and/or eyetracking. Interest in human-machine interactions, statistical modeling, and computational neuroscience is furthermore expected. Requirements PhD/doctorate in e.g. psychology, medicine, cognitive (neuro-)science, neurobiology (or any other relevant field) Solid background in statistics, experience with fMRI, psychophysics, or eyetracking Expertise in Matlab or equivalent programming languages Evidence of published peer-reviewed research Excellent skills in written and spoken English Strong motivation Terms and conditions for this position: Position is to start 1 April 2015 Position is available for 3 years Salary scale TV-L HU E13 (please contact mb-manager(a)hu-berlin.de) Application: To apply, please e-mail (isabel.dziobek(a)hu-berlin.de) your cover letter and CV (in one pdf file) including names of 2-3 referees and up to 5 reprints (also in pdf format). Files should be named as follows: YOURNAME_letter_cv YOURNAME_reprint_1 YOURNAME_reprint_2 YOURNAME_reprint_3 YOURNAME_reprint_4 YOURNAME_reprint_5 Please note: The max. size for all files sent in one mailing is 6 MB! Deadline: Please check http://www.mind-and-brain.de/people/social-cognition-group/

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CFP 7th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence - IJCCI 2015
by Calendar Sites March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015

CALL FOR PAPERS 7th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence IJCCI 2015 Website: http://www.ijcci.org/ November 12 14, 2015 Lisbon, Portugal Regular Papers Paper Submission: June 2, 2015 Authors Notification: September 1, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: September 30, 2015 <http://www.ic3k.org/Glossary.aspx#PP> Position Papers Paper Submission: July 14, 2015 Authors Notification: September 16, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: September 30, 2015 Sponsored by: INSTICC-Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication INSTICC is Member of: WfMC Workflow Management Coalition OMG Object Management Group FIPA Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents Logistics Partner: SCITEVENTS Science and Technology Events In Cooperation with: AI*IA Associazione Italiana per l'Intelligenza Artificiale INNS International Neural Network Society AAAI Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence EUSFLAT European Society for Fuzzy Logic and Technology APPIA Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial The purpose of IJCCI is to bring together researchers, engineers and practitioners on the areas of Fuzzy Computation, Evolutionary Computation and Neural Computation. IJCCI is composed of three co-located conferences, each specialized in at least one of the aforementioned main knowledge areas. ECTA 2015 - 7th International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS Agostinho Rosa, IST, Portugal Juan Julian Merelo, University of Granada, Spain CONFERENCE TOPICS * Genetic Algorithms * Machine Learning * Cognitive Systems * Artificial Life * Representation Techniques * Evolutionary Multiobjective Optimization * Game Theory and Applications * Evolution Strategies * Evolutionary Robotics and Intelligent Agents * Society and Cultural Aspects of Evolution * Concurrent Co-operation * Co-evolution and Collective Behavior * Biocomputing and Complex Adaptive Systems * Bio-inspired Hardware and Networks * Swarm/Collective Intelligence * Evolutionary Art and Design * Hybrid Systems * Memetic Algorithms FCTA 2015 - 7th International Conference on Fuzzy Computation Theory and Applications PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS António Dourado, University of Coimbra, Portugal José M. Cadenas, University of Murcia, Spain CONFERENCE TOPICS * Fuzzy Hardware, Fuzzy Architectures * Soft Computing and Intelligent Agents * Mathematical Foundations: Fuzzy Set Theory and Fuzzy Logic * Approximate Reasoning and Fuzzy Inference * System Identification and Fault Detection * Fuzzy Information Retrieval and Data Mining * Fuzzy Information Processing, Fusion, Text Mining * Learning and Adaptive Fuzzy Systems * Complex Fuzzy Systems * Pattern Recognition: Fuzzy Clustering and Classifiers * Fuzzy Image, Speech and Signal Processing, Vision and Multimedia * Industrial, Financial and Medical Applications * Type-2 Fuzzy Logic * Neuro-fuzzy Systems * Fuzzy Systems Design, Modeling and Control * Real-time Learning of Fuzzy and Neuro-fuzzy Systems * Fuzzy Control * Fuzzy Systems in Robotics: Sensors, Navigation and Coordination * Software for Fuzzy Systems and Control NCTA 2015 - 7th International Conference on Neural Computation Theory and Applications PROGRAM CHAIR Kurosh Madani, University of Paris-EST Créteil (UPEC), France CONFERENCE TOPICS * Pattern Recognition * Industrial, Financial and Medical Applications * Computational Neuroscience * Neural Network Software and Applications * Neuroinformatics and Bioinformatics * Learning Paradigms and Algorithms * Supervised and Unsupervised Learning * Adaptive Architectures and Mechanisms * Support Vector Machines and Applications * Complex Artificial Neural Network Based Systems and Dynamics * Higher Level Artificial Neural Network Based Intelligent Systems * Bio-inspired and Humanoid Robotics * Image Processing and Artificial Vision Applications * Intelligent Artificial Perception and Neural Sensors * Modular Implementation of Artificial Neural Networks * Neural based Data Mining and Complex Information Processing * Neural Multi-agent Intelligent Systems and Applications * Self-organization and Emergence * Stability and Instability in Artificial Neural Networks * Neural Network Hardware Implementation and Applications * Neural Computation issues in Social Behaviour Emergence IJCCI KEYNOTE LECTURES Julian Togelius, New York University, United States Yaochu Jin, University of Surrey, United Kingdom PUBLICATIONS All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings, under an ISBN reference, on paper and on CD-ROM support. SCITEPRESS is member of CrossRef ( <http://www.crossref.org/> http://www.crossref.org/) All papers presented at the conference venue will be available at the <http://www.scitepress.org/DigitalLibrary/Default.aspx> SCITEPRESS Digital Library. The proceedings will be submitted for indexation by Thomson Reuters Conference Proceedings Citation Index (ISI), INSPEC, DBLP, EI (Elsevier Index) and Scopus. AWARDS The awards will be announced and bestowed at the conference closing session. IJCCI CONFERENCE CHAIR Joaquim Filipe, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal / INSTICC, Portugal Please check further details at the conference website ( <http://www.ijcci.org/> http://www.ijcci.org/) IJCCI SECRETARIAT Address: Av. D. Manuel I, 27A, 2º esq. 2910-595 Setúbal - Portugal Tel.: +351 265 100 033 Fax: +44 203 014 8813 e-mail: ijcci.secretariat(a)insticc.org --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com

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CoSMo 2015 - application deadline approaching fast
by Gunnar Blohm March 9, 2015

March 9, 2015

Just a quick reminder that the application deadline for the summer school on Computational Sensory-Motor Neuroscience (CoSMo 2015) is approaching fast: March 15, 2015!!! http://www.compneurosci.com/CoSMo/ Best Gunnar Blohm, Konrad Körding, Paul Schrater -- ------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Gunnar BLOHM Associate Professor in Computational Neuroscience Association for Canadian Neuroinformatics and Computational Neuroscience (CNCN) Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Departments of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics, and Psychology, School of Computing, and Canadian Action and Perception Network (CAPnet) Queen’s University 18, Stuart Street Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6 Tel: (613) 533-3385 Fax: (613) 533-6840 Email: Gunnar.Blohm(a)QueensU.ca Web: http://www.compneurosci.com/

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OCCAM 2015 Deadline Extension
by Frank Jäkel March 9, 2015

March 9, 2015

Dear Colleague, we would like to invite you to register for the 5th +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Osnabrueck Computational Cognition Alliance Meeting (OCCAM 2015) "From Simple Neurons to Large-Scale Models of Cognition" May 6-7, 2015. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ List of invited speakers: Nicolas Brunel Jochen Braun Gustavo Deco Wolfgang Einhäuser Virginia Flanagin Sonja Grün Marc-Oliver Gewaltig Herbert Jaeger Gordon Pipa Terry Stewart Paul Verschure Kai Vogeley The workshop will take place in Osnabrueck, Germany, and will be hosted by the Institute of Cognitive Science (University of Osnabrueck). Details can be found below and on the following webpage: http://www.occam-os.de The registration deadline has been extended to March 16, 2015. The registration fee is 100,- Euros. There will also be a poster session where conference participants will have the opportunity to present their work. The deadline for submitting an abstract for a poster presentation is also March 16. Best regards, Frank Jäkel, Peter König, Gordon Pipa (Organizing committee)

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ICDL-EpiRob 2015 CFP - deadline extended
by Benjamin Rosman March 9, 2015

March 9, 2015

======================================================== NOTE: DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 23 MARCH. Call for Papers, Tutorials and Thematic Workshops New Conference Feature: BABYBOT CHALLENGE IEEE ICDL-EPIROB 2015 The Fifth Joint IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning and on Epigenetic Robotics Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA August 13-16, 2015 http://www.icdl-epirob.org/ == Conference description The past decade has seen the emergence of a new scientific field that studies how intelligent biological and artificial systems develop sensorimotor, cognitive, emotional and social abilities, over extended periods of time, through dynamic interactions with their physical and social environments. This field lies at the intersection of a number of scientific and engineering disciplines including Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, Developmental Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Computational Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Robotics. Various terms have been associated with this new field such as Autonomous Mental Development, Epigenetic Robotics, Developmental Robotics, etc., and several scientific meetings have been established. The two most prominent conference series of this field, the International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL) and the International Conference on Epigenetic Robotics (EpiRob), are now joining forces for the fifth time and invite submissions for a joint conference in 2015, to explore and extend the interdisciplinary boundaries of this field. == BABYBOT CHALLENGE -- CASH PRIZES FOR THE TOP SUBMISSIONS We are excited to announce a new ICDL-EpiRob conference feature: the BABYBOT CHALLENGE. The goal of the challenge is to use the tools of developmental robotics to replicate and extend the key findings from one of three selected human-infant studies. Please visit www.icdl-epirob.org for the full announcement, including the three target studies, details on the submission process, and a description of how the winning submissions will be judged and selected. == Keynote speakers (confirmed) Prof. Dare Baldwin, Dept. of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA Prof. Kerstin Dautenhahn, School of Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, UK Prof. Asif Ghazanfar, Department of Psychology, Princeton University, USA == Call for Submissions We invite submissions for this exciting window into the future of developmental sciences. Submissions which establish novel links between brain, behavior and computation are particularly encouraged. == Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): * the development of perceptual, motor, cognitive, emotional, social, and communication skills in biological systems and robots; * embodiment; * general principles of development and learning; * interaction of nature and nurture; * sensitive/critical periods; * developmental stages; * grounding of knowledge and development of representations; * architectures for cognitive development and open-ended learning; * neural plasticity; * statistical learning; * reward and value systems; * intrinsic motivations, exploration and play; * interaction of development and evolution; * use of robots in applied settings such as autism therapy; * epistemological foundations and philosophical issues. Any of the topics above can be simultaneously studied from the neuroscience, psychology or modeling/robotic point of view. == Submissions will be accepted in several formats: 1. Full six-page paper submissions: Accepted papers will be included in the conference proceedings and will be selected for either an oral presentation or a featured poster presentation. Featured posters will have a 1 minute "teaser" presentation as part of the main conference session and will be showcased in the poster sessions. Maximum two-extra pages can be acceptable for a publication fee of $100 per page. 2. Two-page poster abstract submissions: To encourage discussion of late-breaking results or for work that is not sufficiently mature for a full paper, we will accept 2-page abstracts. These submissions will NOT be included in the conference proceedings. Accepted abstracts will be presented during poster sessions. 3. Tutorials and workshops: We invite experts in different areas to organize either a tutorial or a workshop to be held on the first day of the conference. Tutorials are meant to provide insights into specific topics as well as overviews that will inform the interdisciplinary audience about the state-of-the-art in child development, neuroscience, robotics, or any of the other disciplines represented at the conference. A workshop is an opportunity to present a topic cumulatively. Workshops can be half- or full-day in duration including oral presentations as well as posters. Submission format: two pages including title, list of speakers, concept and target audience. 4. Babybot challenge (Deadline June 15, 2015): Special submissions are invited for the Babybot challenge, which is for the first time introduced to this conference. For detailed information please visit www.icdl-epirob.org and navigate to “Babybot Challenge.” All submissions will be peer reviewed. Submission website through paperplaza at: http://ras.papercept.net == Important dates March 23, 2015, paper submission deadline May 15, 2015, author notification July 1, 2015, final version (camera ready) due August 13th-16th, 2015, conference == Program committee General Chairs: Matthew Schlesinger (Southern Illinois Univ.) Dima Amso (Brown University) Bridge Chairs: Jeffrey Krichmar (UC Irvine) Bertram Malle (Brown University) Program Chairs: Anne Warlaumont (UC Merced) Clemént Moulin-Frier (INRIA) Publications Chairs: Lisa Meeden (Swarthmore College) Publicity Chairs: Lola Cañamero (Univ. of Hertfordshire) Matthias Rolf (Osaka University) Benjamin Rosman (CSIR) Local chairs: David Sobel (Brown University) Thomas Serre (Brown University) Finance chairs: Clayton Morrison (University of Arizona) -- This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard. The full disclaimer details can be found at http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html. This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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Spatial computation workshop
by Matthew Nolan March 9, 2015

March 9, 2015

[Apologies for cross-posting] Spatial computation: from neural circuits to robot navigation The Informatics Forum, Edinburgh, April 11th, 2015. A workshop focussing on computations underlying navigation from the perspectives of neuroscience and robotics. Confirmed speakers: Kevin Allen (Heidelburg) Neil Burgess (UCL) Margarita Chli (Edinburgh) Michael Hasselmo (Boston) Kate Jeffery (UCL) Jack Mellor (Bristol) Michael Milford (Queensland) Ralph Moeller (Bielefeld) Subramanian (Ram) Ramamoorthy (Edinburgh) Lukas Solanka (Edinburgh) Barbara Webb (Edinburgh) Thomas Wolbers (Magdeburg) Further details and registration here: http://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/spatialcomputationworkshop/ <http://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/spatialcomputationworkshop/> --------------- Matt Nolan Professor of Neural Circuits and Computation Centre for Integrative Physiology University of Edinburgh Hugh Robson Building George Square Edinburgh EH8 9XD Telephone: (+44) 131 650 9874 Fax: (+44) 131 650 6527 Web: nolanlab.mvm.ed.ac.uk <http://nolanlab.mvm.ed.ac.uk/> Email: mattnolan(a)ed.ac.uk <mailto:mattnolan@ed.ac.uk> The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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Computational Vision Summer School, July 28 - Aug 4, 2015
by Judith Lam March 9, 2015

March 9, 2015

The Bernstein Center Tuebingen invites advanced PhD students and postdocs to apply for the... * ************************************************************************** Computational Vision **Summer **School, **July 28 - Aug 4, 2015* *Freudenstadt-Lauterbad, Black Forest* *Application deadline: April 7, 2015 http://www.bccn-tuebingen.de/training/cvss2015/ ***************************************************************************** The Computational Vision Summer School offers a broad perspective on biological vision with a thorough understanding of the theoretical and computational challenges involved. The school is unique in bringing together people from diverse disciplines who all share a computational view of vision. The faculty consists of renowned senior researchers in the field teaching lectures and providing hands-on tutorials on topics ranging from early vision to image understanding. * Confirmed Speakers: *Jim DiCarlo (MIT, USA) Rob Fergus (Facebook, NY, USA) Andrew Fitzgibbon (Microsoft Research, UK)  Laurence T Maloney (NYU, USA)  Anthony J Movshon (NYU, USA) Aude Oliva (MIT, USA)  Bruno Olshausen (UC Berkeley, USA) Cordelia Schmid (INRIA, France)  Eero Simoncelli (NYU, USA) Garrett Stanley (Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, USA)  Raquel Urtasun (U Toronto, Canada)  Brian A Wandell (Stanford University, USA) Andrew Zisserman (U Oxford, UK) *Program Chairs:* Matthias Bethge, Michael Black, Roland Fleming, Felix Wichmann -- Dr. Judith Lam Executive Coordinator Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Tübingen Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics http://www.bccn-tuebingen.de/about-bccn/contact.html Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen Tel: +49 7071 29 89019 Fax: +49 7071 29 25015

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Increased Impact Factor, Number of Issues & Table of Contents Alert: Cognitive Computation journal (Springer): Vol.7, No.1 / Feb 2015 Issue
by Dr Amir Hussain March 8, 2015

March 8, 2015

Dear Colleagues: (with advance apologies for any cross-postings) We are delighted to announce the publication of Volume 7, No.1 / Feb 2015 Issue, of Springer's Cognitive Computation journal - www.springer.com/12559 ================================================================ Important News: Increased Impact Factor & Six bi-monthly Journal Issues from 2015! ================================================================ As you will know, Cognitive Computation was selected for coverage in Thomson Reuter’s products and services in 2011. Beginning with V.1 (1) 2009, this publication is now indexed and abstracted in: ♦ Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch®) ♦ Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition ♦ Current Contents®/Engineering Computing and Technology ♦ Neuroscience Citation Index® Cognitive Computation received its first Impact Factor (IF) of 1.0 in 2011. The IF for 2013/2014 increased to 1.1 (with a first 5 year IF of 1.387) (Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports® 2013) Many congratulations to the editors, reviewers and authors of this exciting young journal! Want to be part of the growing success? Visit the journal homepage ( http://springer.com/12559) for instructions on submitting your research. ================================= Quarterly to Bi-monthly Issues, from 2015!! ================================= Due to continuously growing number of high quality submissions, the number of Issues has increased from four (quarterly Issues) to six (bi-monthly Issues) each year, starting Feb 2015! ======================================== The first six papers of the February 2015 Issue comprise a Special Issue on "Neural Signal Processing", Guest Edited by: Jordi Sole´-Casals, Francois-Benoit Vialatte, Justin Dauwels. The Guest Editorial titled: "Alternative Techniques of Neural Signal Processing in Neuroengineering" is available (for free download) here: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-015-9317-0 The 6 Special Issue papers are followed by 8 regular papers. The full listing of 14 published articles (Table of Contents) for this inaugural 2015 Issue can be viewed here (and also at the end of this message, followed by an overview of the previous Issues/Archive listings): http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/7/1/ <http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/3/> You may also be interested in the last Special Issue of 2014 (Vol. 6, No.4 / Dec 2014) on "Modeling emotion, behaviour and context in socially believable robots and ICT interfaces", Guest Edited by: Anna Esposito, Leopoldina Fortunati, and Giuseppe Lugano. The Guest Editorial is available (for free download) here: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9309-5 and the full listing of 24 articles can be found here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/4/page/1 <http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/2/page/1> This exciting Special Issue was the outcome of a strategic trans-disciplinary Workshop organized by EU COST (http://www.cost.eu/) on ‘‘The future concept and reality of social robotics: challenges, perception and applications. Role of social robotics in current and future society,’’ held in Brussels (Belgium). A list of the journal's most downloaded articles (which can always be read for FREE) can be found here: http://www.springer.com/biomed/neuroscience/journal/12559?hideChart=1#realt… Other 'Online First' published articles not yet in a print issue can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/121361/?Content+Status=Accepted All previous Volumes and Issues of the journal can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/volumesAndIssues/12559 ============================================ Reminder: Cognitive Computation "LinkedIn" Group: ============================================ To further strengthen the bonds amongst the interdisciplinary audience of Cognitive Computation, we have set-up a "Cognitive Computation LinkedIn group", which has nearly 800 members already! We warmly invite you to join us at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3155048 For further information on the journal and to sign up for electronic "Table of Contents alerts" please visit the Cognitive Computation homepage: http://www.springer.com/12559 or follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/CognComput for the latest On-line First Issues. For any questions with regards to LinkedIn and/or Twitter, please contact Springer's Publishing Editor: Marleen Moore: Marleen.Moore(a)springer.com Finally, we would like to invite you to submit short or regular papers describing original research or timely review of important areas - our aim is to peer review all papers within approximately six-eight weeks of receipt. We also welcome relevant high quality proposals for Special Issues - four are already planned for 2015-16 (for CFPs, see: http://www.springer.com/biomed/neuroscience/journal/12559?detailsPage=press ) With our very best wishes to all aspiring readers and authors of Cognitive Computation, Professor Amir Hussain, PhD (Editor-in-Chief: Cognitive Computation) E-mail: ahu(a)cs.stir.ac.uk (University of Stirling, Scotland, UK) Professor Igor Aleksander, PhD (Honorary Editor-in-Chief: Cognitive Computation) (Imperial College, London, UK) http://www.springer.com/12559 Also consider your work for related Book Series: SpringerBriefs on Cognitive Computation: http://www.springer.com/series/10374 NEW: Springer Series on Socio-Affective Computing: http://www.springer.com/series/13199 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents Alert -- Cognitive Computation Vol 7 No 1, Feb 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Issue on "Neural Signal Processing" Issue Editors: Jordi Sole´-Casals, Francois-Benoit Vialatte, Justin Dauwels -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alternative Techniques of Neural Signal Processing in Neuroengineering Jordi Solé-Casals , François-Benoît Vialatte and Justin Dauwels http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-015-9317-0/fulltext.html Multivariate Synchronization Analysis of Brain Electroencephalography Signals: A Review of Two Methods Mahdi Jalili http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-013-9213-4 EEG Correlates of Voice and Face Emotional Judgments in the Human Brain K. Hiyoshi-Taniguchi, M. Kawasaki, T. Yokota, H. Bakardjian, H. Fukuyama, A. Cichocki and F. B. Vialatte http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-013-9225-0/fulltext.html Biologically Motivated Model for Outdoor Scene Classification Jingjing Zhao, Chun Du, Hao Sun, Xingtong Liu, Jixiang Sun http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-013-9227-y Brain Evoked Potential Latencies Optimization for Spatial Auditory Brain–Computer Interface Zhenyu Cai, Shoji Makino, Tomasz M. Rutkowski http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-013-9228-x On Automatic Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Spontaneous Speech Analysis and Emotional Temperature K. López-de-Ipiña, J. B. Alonso, J. Solé-Casals, N. Barroso, P. Henriquez, M. Faundez-Zanuy, C. M. Travieso, M. Ecay-Torres, P. Martínez-Lage, H. Eguiraun http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-013-9229-9 Embedded Implementation of Second-Order Blind Identification (SOBI) for Real-Time Applications in Neuroscience Xun Zhang, François-Benoît Vialatte, Chen Chen, Apurva Rathi, Gérard Dreyfus http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9282-z -------REGULAR PAPERS------------------------ Model of the Reticular Formation of the Brainstem Based on Glial–Neuronal Interactions Bernhard J. Mitterauer http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9260-5 A Kernel Clustering-Based Possibilistic Fuzzy Extreme Learning Machine for Class Imbalance Learning Shi-Xiong Xia, Fan-Rong Meng, Bing Liu, Yong Zhou http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9256-1 Improved Jacobian Eigen-Analysis Scheme for Accelerating Learning in Feedforward Neural Networks N. Ampazis, S. J. Perantonis, D. Drivaliaris http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9263-2 A Cognitive Ensemble of Extreme Learning Machines for Steganalysis Based on Risk-Sensitive Hinge Loss Function Vasily Sachnev, Savitha Ramasamy,Suresh Sundaram, Hyoung Joong Kim, Hee Joon Hwang http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9268-x Agent-Based Modeling of Emotion Contagion in Groups Tibor Bosse, Rob Duell, Zulfiqar A. Memon, Jan Treur, C. Natalie van der Wal http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9277-9 Robust and Sparse Linear Programming Twin Support Vector Machines M. Tanveer http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9278-8 Classification of Uncertain Data Streams Based on Extreme Learning Machine Keyan Cao, Guoren Wang, Donghong Han, Jingwei Ning, Xin Zhang http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9279-7 A Cognitively Inspired Approach to Two-Way Cluster Extraction from One-Way Clustered Data Ahsan Abdullah, Amir Hussain http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12559-014-9281-0 --------------------------------------------------------- Previous Issues/Archive: Overview: --------------------------------------------------------- All previous Volumes and Issues can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/volumesAndIssues/12559 Alternatively, the full listing of the Inaugural Vol. 1, No. 1 / March 2009, can be viewed here (which included invited authoritative reviews by leading researchers in their areas - including keynote papers from London University's John Taylor, Igor Aleksander and Stanford University's James McClelland, and invited papers from Ron Sun, Pentti Haikonen, Geoff Underwood, Kevin Gurney, Claudius Gross, Anil Seth and Tom Ziemke): http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/1/1/ The full listing of Vol. 1, No. 2 / June 2009, can be viewed here (which included invited reviews and original research contributions from leading researchers, including Rodney Douglas, Giacomo Indiveri, Jurgen Schmidhuber, Thomas Wennekers, Pentti Kanerva and Friedemann Pulvermuller): http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/1/2/ The full listing of Vol.1, No. 3 / Sep 2009, can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/1/3/ The full listing of Vol. 1, No. 4 / Dec 2009, can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/1/4/ The full listing of Vol.2, No. 1 / March 2010, can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/2/1/ The full listing of Vol.2, No. 2 / June 2010, can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/2/2/ The full listing of Vol.2, No. 3 / Aug 2010, can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/2/3/ The full listing of Vol.2, No. 4 / Dec 2010, can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/2/4/ The full listing of Vol.3, No.1 / Mar 2011 (Special Issue on: Saliency, Attention, Active Visual Search and Picture Scanning, edited by John Taylor and Vassilis Cutsuridis), can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/3/1/ The Guest Editorial can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/hu2245056415633l/ The full listing of Vol.3, No.2 / June 2011 can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/3/2/ The full listing of Vol. 3, No. 3 / Sep 2011 (Special Issue on: Cognitive Behavioural Systems, Guest Edited by: Anna Esposito, Alessandro Vinciarelli, Simon Haykin, Amir Hussain and Marcos Faundez-Zanuy), can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/3/3/ The Guest Editorial for the special issue can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/h4718567520t2h84/ The full listing of Vol. 3, No. 4 / Dec 2011 can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/3/4/ The full listing of Vol. 4, No.1 / Mar 2012 can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/4/1/ The full listing of Vol. 4, No.2 / June 2012 can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/4/2/ The full listing of Vol. 4, No.3 / Sep 2012 (Special Issue on: Computational Creativity, Intelligence and Autonomy, Edited by: J. Mark Bishop and Yasemin J. Erden) can be viewed here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/1866-9956/4/3/ The full listing of Vol. 4, No.4 / Dec 2012 (Special Issue titled: "Cognitive & Emotional Information Processing", Edited by: Stefano Squartini, Björn Schuller and Amir Hussain, which is followed by a number of regular papers), can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/4/4/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 5, No.1 / March 2013 Special Issue titled: Computational Intelligence and Applications Guest Editors: Zhigang Zeng & Haibo He, which is followed by a number of regular papers), can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/5/1/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 5, No.2 / June 2013 Special Issue titled: Advances on Brain Inspired Computing, Guest Editors: Stefano Squartini, Sanqing Hu & Qingshan Liu, which is followed by a number of regular papers), can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/5/2/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 5, No.3 / Sep 2013 Special Issue titled: In Memory of John G Taylor: A Polymath Scholar, Guest Editors: Vassilis Cutsuridis & Amir Hussain, which is followed by a number of regular papers), can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/5/3/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 5, No.4 / Dec 2013, which includes regular papers (including an invited paper by Professor Ron Sun, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA, titled: Moral Judgment, Human Motivation, and Neural Networks), and a Special Issue titled: Advanced Cognitive Systems Based on Nonlinear Analysis. Guest Editors: Carlos M. Travieso and Jesús B. Alonso, can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/5/4/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 6, No.1 / Mar 2014, can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/1/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 6, No.2 / June 2014, can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/2/page/1 The full listing of Vol. 6, No.3 / Sep 2014, can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/3/page/1 <http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/2/page/1> The full listing of Vol. 6, No.4 / Dec 2014 (Special Issue on Modeling emotion, behaviour and context in socially believable robots and ICT interfaces, Guest Editors: Anna Esposito, Leopoldina Fortunati, and Giuseppe Lugano) can be viewed here: http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/4/page/1 <http://link.springer.com/journal/12559/6/2/page/1> -- The University of Stirling has been ranked in the top 12 of UK universities for graduate employment*. 94% of our 2012 graduates were in work and/or further study within six months of graduation. *The Telegraph The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.

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Postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience (sensory processing & decision-making)
by Ralf Haefner March 5, 2015

March 5, 2015

A postdoctoral position is available in the group of Ralf Haefner in the department for Brain & Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester (NY). The focus of our group is on understanding the neural basis of perceptual inference. Based on the assumption that the brain performs probabilistic inference using an internal model of the world, we ask questions such as: What is the nature of the internal model? How is it learnt? How are posterior beliefs represented by spiking responses of populations of neurons and what algorithm does the brain use to compute its beliefs? The position requires strong mathematical and good programming skills. The ideal candidate would also be familiar with (or quick to pick up) machine learning techniques, especially relating to probabilistic graphical models and MCMC sampling. Possible research projects range from purely theoretical to data-driven. Our collaborations with electrophysiology labs allow for the testing of theoretical models using state-of-the-art cortical population recordings in behaving animals and, if desired, the opportunity to record your own data. More information about past work is available here: http://tinyurl.com/rmhaefner and manuscripts indicating the group's research directions here http://arxiv.org/abs/1409.0257 and here: http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nn.3309 For details on current and possible future projects, and general information, please contact me directly. The successful candidate with join a highly collaborative department with a strong tradition in probabilistic modeling across a wide range from sensory processing to language learning (https://www.bcs.rochester.edu/research/index.html ). The city of Rochester is located on the shore of Lake Ontario in upstate New York and has a high quality of life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester,_New_York ). Start date and duration are flexible. Please send applications including a CV and names of 2-3 references by email. I'll be at COSYNE for both conference and workshops and available to meet there in person. Ralf Haefner Assistant Professor Brain & Cognitive Sciences University of Rochester (NY) rhaefner(a)bcs.rochester.edu

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Last Mile: DATA ANALYTICS 2015 || July 19 - 24, 2015 - Nice, France
by Cristina Pascual March 5, 2015

March 5, 2015

INVITATION: ================= The submission deadline is March 18, 2015. Please consider to contribute to and/or forward to the appropriate groups the following opportunity to submit and publish original scientific results to DATA ANALYTICS 2015. Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit extended article versions to one of the IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org ================= ============== DATA ANALYTICS 2015 | Call for Papers =============== CALL FOR PAPERS, TUTORIALS, PANELS DATA ANALYTICS 2015, The Fourth International Conference on Data Analytics July 19 - 24, 2015 - Nice, France General page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/DATAANALYTICS15.html Call for Papers: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/CfPDATAANALYTICS15.html Submission page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/SubmitDATAANALYTICS15.html Contributions: - regular papers [in the proceedings, digital library] - short papers (work in progress) [in the proceedings, digital library] - ideas: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - extended abstracts: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - presentations: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - demos: two pages [posted at www.iaria.org] - doctoral forum submissions: [in the proceedings, digital library] Proposals for: - mini-symposia: see http://www.iaria.org/symposium.html - workshops: see http://www.iaria.org/workshop.html - tutorials: [slide-deck posed on www.iaria.org] - panels: [slide-deck posed on www.iaria.org] Submission deadline: March 18, 2015 Sponsored by IARIA, www.iaria.org Extended versions of selected papers will be published in IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org Print proceedings will be available via Curran Associates, Inc.: http://www.proceedings.com/9769.html Articles will be archived in the free access ThinkMind Digital Library: http://www.thinkmind.org The topics suggested by the conference can be discussed in term of concepts, state of the art, research, standards, implementations, running experiments, applications, and industrial case studies. Authors are invited to submit complete unpublished papers, which are not under review in any other conference or journal in the following, but not limited to, topic areas. All tracks are open to both research and industry contributions, in terms of Regular papers, Posters, Work in progress, Technical/marketing/business presentations, Demos, Tutorials, and Panels. Before submission, please check and comply with the editorial rules: http://www.iaria.org/editorialrules.html DATA ANALYTICS 2015 Topics (topics and submission details: see CfP on the site) Fundamentals for data analytics Tools, frameworks and mechanisms for data analytics; Open API for data analytics; In-database analytics; Pre-built analytics (pattern, time-series, clustering, graph, statistical analysis, etc.); Analytics visualization; Multi-modal support for data analytics; Google/FaceBook/Twitter/etc. analytics; High-performance data analytics Mechanisms and features Scalable data analytics; Big data analytics; Deep data analytics; Mass data analytics; Storing, dropping and filtering data; Relevant/redundant/obsolete data analytics; Volume vs. semantics analytics; Nomad analytics; Predictive analytics; Trust in data analytics; Legal issues analytics; Failure on data analytics Sentiment/opinion analysis Architectures for generic sentiment analysis systems; Sentiment analysis techniques on social media; Document-level analysis; Sentence-level analysis; Aspect-based analysis; Comparative-sentiment analysis; Sentiment lexicon acquisition; Optimizing sentiment analysis algorithms; Applications of sentiment analysis. Application-oriented analytics Statistical applications; Simulation applications; Crawling web services; Cross-database analytics; Forecast analytics; Financial risk management; ROI analytics Target analytics Business analytics; Malware analytics; Cyber-threats analytics; Mining user logs; Reputation analytics; User choice analytics; Branding analytics; Utility proximity-search analytics; Survey-based online asset analytics; Online employment analytics; Geology analytics; Global climate analytics; Remote learning analytics; Homecare analytics; Population growth and migration analytics; Food-borne illness outbreaks analytics Big Data Foundational models for Big Data; Big Data Analytics and Metrics; Big Data processing and management; Big Data search and mining; Big Data platforms; Big Data persistence and preservation; Big Data and social networks; Big Data economics Huge data Knowledge Discovery from Huge Data; Computational Intelligence for Huge Data; Linked Huge Data; Security Intelligence with Huge Data ------------- Committee: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/ComDATAANALYTICS15.html ================================================

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IJCAI’15 Workshop on Sensitivity Analysis and Robustness in Probabilistic Graphical Models (2nd CFP)
by Alessandro Antonucci March 5, 2015

March 5, 2015

IJCAI’15 Workshop on Sensitivity Analysis and Robustness in Probabilistic Graphical Models Buenos Aires, July 25-27, 2015 - http://ipg.idsia.ch/wijcai15/ SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS Probabilistic graphical models are important tools in machine learning and artificial intelligence for reasoning with uncertainty. They provide means to represent large multivariate domains compactly and to perform sophisticated learning and reasoning efficiently. Examples of probabilistic graphical models are Bayesian networks, Markov Random fields, chain and factor graphs, Gaussian graphical models, to name but a few. The quantification of these models usually requires sharp (i.e., precise) assessments of the model local potentials and might be subject to robustness issues. For instance, perturbations of some parameter values may lead to different decisions from those which would be achieved by the unperturbed model, suggesting that decisions are not reliable. Reliability might also be in question because of missing data and assumptions behind the process. The workshop invites submissions of papers on all aspects of sensitivity analysis and robustness in probabilistic graphical models. Contributions may have a theoretical focus and/or an applied focus. A non-exhaustive list of topics follows. - Local and/or global sensitivity analysis. - Parameter-based and/or decision-based sensitivity analysis. - Design of robust learning, inference and/or decision making approaches. - Robust analysis and design of robustness measurements. - Extensions of probabilistic graphical models. - Reliable qualitative learning and reasoning. - Robust treatment of missing data. - Imprecise probability and other theories related to sensitivity analysis. - Computational complexity, exact and approximate algorithms. Each submission will be reviewed by peers using a double-blind process (please use the third person in self citations and take all necessary care not to identify yourselves). Accepted papers will be published electronically in a volume of the JMLR Workshop and Conference Proceedings series. There will be no rebuttal phase, but contributions considered worth publishing and needing substantial revision might be subject to a second round of reviewing/evaluation. All accepted papers will be presented at the workshop. At least one of the paper's authors should register and attend the workshop to present the work. Submissions must be formatted according to style and template files available for the Journal of Machine Learning Research (JMLR) Workshop and Conference Proceedings - two-column version. The files are available at http://ipg.idsia.ch/wijcai15/sarpgm15.tar.gz. Papers (including figures, tables, references, etc) are expected to have between 6 and 10 pages. IMPORTANT DATES Apr 27, 2015 - Deadline for submissions of contributions May 20, 2015 - Workshop paper acceptance notification May 30, 2015 - Deadline for workshop camera-ready copy (in case of minor revision; contributions needing major revision might need additional time - this will be arranged case by case) PC MEMBERS Alessandro Antonucci*, IDSIA, Switzerland. Alessio Benavoli, IDSIA, Switzerland. Cassio P. de Campos*, Queen's University Belfast, UK. Arthur Choi, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Giorgio Corani*, IDSIA, Switzerland. Fabio Cozman, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Adnan Darwiche, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Sebastien Destercke, Univ. de Technologie de Compiegne, France. Marek Druzdzel, University of Pittsburgh, USA. Johan Kwisthout, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Agnieszka Onisko, Bialystok University of Technology, Poland. Denis Maua, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Serafin Moral, Universidad de Granada, Spain. Silja Renooij, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands. Matthias Troffaes, University of Durham, UK. (*: Workshop organizers.) More details about the submission procedure are available online. http://ipg.idsia.ch/wijcai15/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (We apologize in case you receive multiple copies of this announcement, but yet we hope to reach the greatest possible number of people. Finding a trade-off is not an easy task.) -- _________________________________ Alessandro Antonucci IDSIA Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence Via Cantonale (Galleria 2) CH-6928, Manno-Lugano, CH mail: alessandro(a)idsia.ch skype: alessandro.antonucci tel: +41 916108515 web: www.idsia.ch/~alessandro _________________________________

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Ph.D. Studentship at the University of Ulster - Data Analytics in Mental Health
by Wong-Lin, Kongfatt March 4, 2015

March 4, 2015

Applications are invited for the following DEL CAST studentship (Co-operative Awards in Science and Technology): Title: Extraction and modelling of mental health data: big data analytics approach With the increasing volume of datasets in neuroscience and mental health, data analytics and modelling will become indispensable. This project aims to use data analytics, probabilistic modelling, and high-performance computing to integrate and analyse available open but heterogeneous big data to extract patterns and predict Alzheimer’s disease. This timely, exciting and high-impact project is available in the University of Ulster’ Computer Science Research Institute (in collaboration with Asystec Ltd) and is tenable in the Faculty of Computing and Engineering at the Magee Campus. The successful PhD candidate will join an externally funded multidisciplinary research team, and will benefit from the expertise of Ulster’s computational neuroscience and intelligence, and Asystec’s big data management and analytics. The student will also have the opportunity to interact with other biomedical and translational/clinical researchers in the team. The student will gain valuable knowledge in data analytics, high-performance computing, mathematics/statistics and brain sciences, which are all essential in many areas of science, engineering and biology. This training will provide wide opportunities for finding skilled work, especially in the burgeoning field of data analytics. The student will have the opportunity to learn first-hand about advanced software development, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship with Asystec. Applicants should hold ordinary UK residence to be eligible for both fees and maintenance. Non UK residents who hold ordinary EU residence may also apply but if successful will receive fees only. All applicants should hold a first or upper second class honours (or equivalent) degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering or a related discipline. Applicants must be highly motivated and willing to pursue research and develop skills across disciplines. Successful candidates will enrol on a full-time research programme, of up to three years subject to satisfactory progress, leading to the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The studentship will comprise tuition fees and a maintenance award (subject to UK residence status) of not less than £15,057 per annum, funded by DEL (the Department for Employment & Learning in NI) and Asystec Ltd. The application process for the Ph.D. studentship is opened with a closing date for applications on the 30th April 2015, and interviews will be held in May 2015. The studentship is expected to start in September 2015. Further details can be found at: http://research.ulster.ac.uk/info/researchopp/DEL%20CAST%20Asystec.html If you wish to discuss your proposal or receive advice on the research project please contact: Dr KongFatt Wong-Lin, tel: +44 028 7167 5320, email: k.wong-lin(a)ulster.ac.uk ----------------------------- KongFatt Wong-Lin University of Ulster ________________________________ This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at postmaster(a)ulster.ac.uk and delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster University. The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100% secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by 3rd parties under relevant legislation. The University of Ulster was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

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POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
by Wilson Truccolo March 4, 2015

March 4, 2015

POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY: Applications for NIH-funded post-doctoral positions are invited for the Laboratory of Dr. Wilson Truccolo in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. The positions are for the development of data-driven stochastic and biophysical models of multiscale neural dynamics in human epilepsy. Data consist of simultaneous intracortical microelectrode array recordings of ensembles of single neurons and local field potentials, as well as ECoGs, during seizure and non-seizure states in individuals with intractable epilepsy. The project involves a collaboration between the labs of Dr. Truccolo and Dr. Sydney Cash (Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston). The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational/theoretical neuroscience and modeling of stochastic neural dynamics. Related recent publications can be found on the Truccolo lab website ( http://www.truccololab.com/ <http://dl.dropbox.com/u/983891/Truccolo_home.htm>). Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Truccolo (wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu) Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees should be sent to wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu. -- Wilson Truccolo, Ph.D. Pablo J. Salame '88 Goldman Sachs Assistant Professor of Computational Neuroscience Institute for Brain Science & Department of Neuroscience, Brown University Lab website: http://www.truccololab.com/

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Post-doc at UPenn with Johannes Burge
by Johannes Burge March 4, 2015

March 4, 2015

Postdoctoral position: Perception and neural computation with natural stimuli A postdoctoral position is available to study natural scene statistics, computational neuroscience, and behavioral measurements of performance in the laboratory of Johannes Burge at the University of Pennsylvania. In the lab, we use mathematics, computation, and psychophysics to investigate how vision works in natural conditions. We are broadly interested in how normative models of fundamental perceptual tasks and sub-tasks provide insight into behavioral performance and underlying neural mechanisms. Projects will focus on the processing of motion, stereo-disparity, motion-in-depth, defocus blur, and color in images of natural scenes. I am looking for applicants with strong experience in computational modeling, probability theory, numerical optimization, and psychophysical experimentation. The ideal applicant will also have a general interest in natural images, depth perception, and rigorous experimental work. Programming experience in Matlab, C/C++, OpenGL, and Psychtoolbox is strongly desired, as is an inclination to tinker with high-end display equipment. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work with: i) a recently collected state-of-the-art, stereo-image database with occlusion-free co-registered laser range data, ii) a high-performance computing cluster, iii) a Vpixx ProPixx stereo-projector (1920x1080 resolution at 480Hz; 240Hz per eye). UPenn has a vibrant community of research groups on the leading edge of perception and systems neuroscience research. Additionally, our lab is affiliated with the newly formed Computational Neuroscience Initiative (CNI, http://cni.upenn.edu) so possibilities for collaboration are strong. Philadelphia is a multi-cultural, diverse, affordable city. Applicants should submit a CV, a 1-page research statement, two sample papers (published or in preparation), and the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of three people qualified to recommend you and your work. The position is for one year with a strong possibility of renewal for a second and third year. To apply or ask questions please contact Johannes Burge at the University of Pennsylvania. I will be attending the upcoming COSYNE conference in Salt Lake City, UT from March 5-7. Please contact me, if you would like to set up a meeting. ======================== Johannes Burge, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Psychology Neuroscience Graduate Group University of Pennsylvania http://burgelab.psych.upenn.edu jburge(a)sas.upenn.edu (215) 573 6528

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ECMLPKDD 2015 : Call for Demos
by ECMLPKDD 2015 March 4, 2015

March 4, 2015

http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org For ECML PKDD 2015 in Porto, Portugal, we solicit submissions for demos. Submissions must describe working systems and be based on state-of-the-art machine learning and data mining technology. These systems may be innovative prototype implementations or mature systems that use machine learning techniques and knowledge discovery processes in a real setting. Systems that use basic statistics are not acceptable. Commercial software is not acceptable. The accepted papers for demos will be included in the conference proceedings, to be published by Springer Verlag in the "Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence" (LNAI) Series. The demos will be presented in a special demonstration session. At least one of the demo submitters must register for the conference, and perform the demo on site. Submission Guidelines All aspects of the submission and notification process will be handled online via the CMT conference management toolkit accessible from the conference web. Please choose the right track during the submission. Instructions concerning the submission, camera-ready formatting and copyright transfer for conference papers also hold for demo papers, unless otherwise specified. A demonstration submission must be up to 4 pages long. It must provide adequate information on the systems components and the way the system is operated, including e.g. screenshots. Submitters should keep in mind that the description of a demo has inherently different content than a research paper submitted to the main conference. A successful demonstration paper provides satisfactory answers the following questions: - What are the innovative aspects or in what way/area does it represent the state of the art? - Who are the target users and why is the system interesting/useful for them? - If there are similar/related pieces of software, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the presented one? The formatting guidelines of Springer Verlag for the LNAI series apply, and the author instructions and style files under http://www.springer.de/comp/lncs/authors.html must be used. For inquiries concerning submissions please contact the Demo Track Chairs; contact data below. Important Dates - Demo submission deadline: 30 April 2015 - Notification of acceptance: 1 June 2015 - Camera-ready paper due: 15 June 2015 (aligned to the deadline of the main conference) Contacts For further information please contact the Demo Track Chairs: - Francesco Bonchi - Jaime Cardoso, INESC TEC and Univ. Porto - Myra Spiliopoulou, Univ. Magdeburg, http://www.kmd.ovgu.de/Team/Academic+Staff/Myra+Spiliopoulou.html Hope to see you all soon in Porto, Portugal!!! The publicity chairs of the ECMLPKDD 2015, Carlos Abreu Ferreira Ricardo Campos --- Este e-mail foi verificado em termos de vírus pelo software antivírus Avast. http://www.avast.com

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Last Mile: SEMAPRO 2015 || July 19 - 24, 2015 - Nice, France
by Cristina Pascual March 4, 2015

March 4, 2015

INVITATION: ================= The submission deadline is March 18, 2015. Please consider to contribute to and/or forward to the appropriate groups the following opportunity to submit and publish original scientific results to SEMAPRO 2015. Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit extended article versions to one of the IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org ================= ============== SEMAPRO 2015 | Call for Papers =============== CALL FOR PAPERS, TUTORIALS, PANELS SEMAPRO 2015, The Ninth International Conference on Advances in Semantic Processing July 19 - 24, 2015 - Nice, France General page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/SEMAPRO15.html Call for Papers: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/CfPSEMAPRO15.html Submission page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/SubmitSEMAPRO15.html Contributions: - regular papers [in the proceedings, digital library] - short papers (work in progress) [in the proceedings, digital library] - ideas: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - extended abstracts: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - presentations: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - demos: two pages [posted at www.iaria.org] - doctoral forum submissions: [in the proceedings, digital library] Proposals for: - mini-symposia: see http://www.iaria.org/symposium.html - workshops: see http://www.iaria.org/workshop.html - tutorials: [slide-deck posed on www.iaria.org] - panels: [slide-deck posed on www.iaria.org] Submission deadline: March 18, 2015 Sponsored by IARIA, www.iaria.org Extended versions of selected papers will be published in IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org Print proceedings will be available via Curran Associates, Inc.: http://www.proceedings.com/9769.html Articles will be archived in the free access ThinkMind Digital Library: http://www.thinkmind.org The topics suggested by the conference can be discussed in term of concepts, state of the art, research, standards, implementations, running experiments, applications, and industrial case studies. Authors are invited to submit complete unpublished papers, which are not under review in any other conference or journal in the following, but not limited to, topic areas. All tracks are open to both research and industry contributions, in terms of Regular papers, Posters, Work in progress, Technical/marketing/business presentations, Demos, Tutorials, and Panels. Before submission, please check and comply with the editorial rules: http://www.iaria.org/editorialrules.html SEMAPRO 2015 Topics (topics and submission details: see CfP on the site) Basics on semantics Fundamental of semantics processing; Semantic-based techniques for feature selection; Semantic-based pruning; Semantic interoperability; Semantics uncertainty; Semantics pre-processing and post-processing; Semantics harmonization; Constraint-based semantics processing; Embedded semantics into the discovery process; Semantics in spatial and spatio-temporal models Ontology fundamentals for semantic processing Ontology learning; Ontology for semantic interoperability; Ontologies and data pre-processing; Ontology-based evaluation and semantic patterns; Global core ontologies; Progressive ontologies; Bridging semantics through ontologies; Ontology mapping and ontology visualization; Ontology in information systems; Ontology-based semantic mediation; Ontology design and maintenance for conceptual model integration; Reverse engineering of ontologies from conceptual model; Ontologies for explanation generation Semantic technologies Basics of Ontology and Semantic Web; Semantic storing, computing, representation, communications; Semantic-driven system design; Syntactic and semantic processing models; Hardware and software support for semantic processing; Microprocessors for semantic processing; Multi-model semantic systems; Semantic annotation of multimedia supports; Semantic multimedia information retrieval; Natural language semantic processing; Context-based semantic processing; Content-based semantic processing; Scalability to the Web level; Performance in semantic processing; Information security in semantic processing; Explaining semantic processing and its results Models and ontology-based design of protocols, architectures and services Fundamentals in theory; Modeling methodologies; Models and Ontology-driven Technologies (for the communications system design); Models and ontology relationships; Multi-models coherence. Models and ontology-based communications services and protocols; Semantics of services and service modeling; Protocol models and semantics; Application and quality of experience semantics; Services and protocols semantics; Models and ontology-based cross-layer services and architectures design; Models and ontology-based software frameworks; Composition of Services and Composability rules; Cross-layering services models, components and implementations Semantic Deep Web Ontology plug-in search; Information extraction from the Deep Web /e-commerce sites/; Semantic Deep Web annotation and indexing; Deep Web-based ontology; Semantic Deep Web crawlers; Semantic browsing and visualization; Semantic Deep Web data fusion; Semiautomatic ontology generation; Metrics for quality of ontology; Similarity measures for ontology alignment; Measurements for quality of search; Tools for semantic Deep Web; Experience extraction from the Web Semantic reasoning Reasoning methods; Reasoning for the Web; Ontology expressiveness; Ontology alignment, mapping and merging; Expressing formal semantics; Languages (RDF, RDF Schema, OWL, etc); Robustness of reasoning on the Web; Patterns on semantic reasoning; Querying and searching; Scalable and tolerant reasoning; Dynamic reasoning for the Semantic Web; Ontologies and problem-solving methods; Computational learning theory; Approximate reasoning/computing; Strategies for abstraction and compression of information; Cognitive semantic reasoning; Attention semantic scoping; Recency-based self-optimizing memory; Cost-benefit trade-off reasoning models; Negotiation in obtaining near-optimal reasoning results under bounded resources; Case-based reasoning Semantic content searching Methodologies for innovative information retrieval technologies; Combinatorial search; Massive search-spaces with heuristics (e.g., based on Monte Carlo simulations); Searching using metadata, semantics, and ontology; Advanced searching in digital libraries; Advanced use of RDF and OWL; Expressiveness of the content ontologies; Inherent inconsistency and incompleteness of data on the Web; Scalability of semantic processing; Specialized search engines (Hakia, Matrixware and seekda) Hypertext and hypermedia semantic Hypertext techniques and semantic applications; Hypertext and ontologies; Hypertext semantic models; Spatial semantic hypertext; Self-organized hypertext; Semantic adaptive hypertext; Web and hypertext link analysis; Hypertexts and semantic Web; Hypertext semantic applications Semantic voice-video-speech (VVS) searching Engines and methods for VVS advanced searching; Patterns in VVS searching; Contextual VVS searching; Rapid VVS searching; Accuracy in VVS searching; Noise in VVS searching; Performance in VVS searching; Metrics for VVS searching; Text and VVS searching; Applications of VVS Semantic multimedia Efficient storage of structured data that scale to a very large size; Automatic generation of multimedia presentations; Advanced process for multimedia information mining; Semantic metadata extraction; Annotation tools and methods for content semantics; Media ontology generation/learning/reasoning; Semantic multimedia streaming; Semantics enabled multimedia applications /annotation/browsing/storage/retrieval/visualization Semantic social media Community detection and evolution in social media; Recommendation and ranking systems; Search in social media; Event detection, trend identification and tracking in social media; Influence, trust and reputation in social media; Opinion/sentiment analysis, polarity identification; Feed distillation and ranking blogs; Mining microblogging and real time data; Folksonomy, tag semantics, clustering and usage; Advertising models for the social web; Indexing social media content, index freshness; Visualizing social network data; Spam detection, social network spam and profile spam Semantics for sentiment/opinion analysis Architectures for generic sentiment analysis systems; Sentiment analysis techniques on social media; Document-level analysis; Sentence-level analysis; Aspect-based analysis; Comparative-sentiment analysis; Sentiment lexicon acquisition; Optimizing sentiment analysis algorithms; Applications of sentiment analysis Semantic networking Semantic-based QoS (Quality of Service) control and scheduling; Semantic QoE (Quality of Experience) evaluation; Semantic-based Internet data streaming and delivery; Semantics enabled networking and middleware; Semantic routing; Semantic interfaces Domain-oriented semantic applications Semantics for managing pharmaceutical data; Semantic processing for biomedical knowledge; Speech, text and picture recognition; Semantic email workflow and content; Semantic blogs and wikis; Semantic email addressing; Semantic web and digital libraries; Semantic processing in e-Health; Semantic-driven tutoring systems Economics and governance of semantics technologies Organizational views; Legal; Business; Regulations; Assessment; Standards; Harmonization; Cross-nation mediation Semantic applications/platforms/tools Market for semantic technologies; Applications, services and systems based on semantic processing; User friendly semantic system integration tools; Ontology-based data transformation and data migration tools; Ontology mapping tools and languages; Ontology-enabled interoperability in e-science, life sciences, e-business, culture; Commercial cost models for semantic applications; Semantic solutions for business intelligence; Semantic processing platforms ; Supporting ontology platforms/tools (Prot�g�, etc); Semantic query languages (SPARQL, etc); Ontology-enabled search engines; Semantic Web search engines; Interoperability of data, systems, and organizations; Experiments and lessons learned; Standard activities ---------------------- Committee: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/ComSEMAPRO15.html ================================================

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Final Program of the Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuits, Memory and Computation
by Aurel A. Lazar March 4, 2015

March 4, 2015

Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuits, Memory and Computation BCMC 2015 Monday and Tuesday, March 16-17, 2015 Center for Neural Engineering and Computation Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 Monday, March 16, 09:00 AM - 05:45 PM 09:00 AM - 09:45 AM Yoshi Aso (HHMI Janelia), Mushroom Body Output Neurons Encode Valence and Guide Memory-based Action Selection 09:45 AM - 10:30 AM Barbara Webb (University of Edinburgh), A Computational Model of the Insect Mushroom Body Applied to Ant Navigation 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Co↵ee Break 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM Wolfgang Maass (Graz University of Technology), A New Perspective of Synaptic Plasticity and Network Rewiring 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM Charles Randy Gallistel (Rutgers University), The Memory Coding Problem 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM Lunch Break 02:00 PM - 02:45 PM Charles D. Gilbert (Rockefeller University), The Dynamic Brain 02:45 PM - 03:30 PM Stefan Mihalas (Allen Institute for Brain Science), Computational Properties of Cortical Columns 03:30 PM - 04:00 PM Afternoon Break 04:00 PM - 04:45 PM Gary F. Marcus (New York University), The Atoms of Neural Computation 04:45 PM - 05:45 PM Panel Discussion: What Would a Good Theory of the Brain Actually Look Like? Tuesday, March 17, 09:00 AM - 05:45 PM 09:00 AM - 09:45 AM Vivek Jayaraman (HHMI Janelia), A Donut that Means the World to the Fly 09:45 AM - 10:30 AM Daniel Coca (University of Sheffield), Fly Photoreceptors Detect Phase Congruency 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Co↵ee Break 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM Damon A. Clark (Yale University), Tuning Neural Nonlinearities for Naturalistic Visual Motion Estimation 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM Aurel A. Lazar (Columbia University), Neurokernel: Building an in Silico Fruit Fly Brain 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM Lunch Break 02:00 PM - 02:45 PM Anthony Leonardo (HHMI Janelia), Neural Circuits Underlying Internal Models in Predictive Motor Control 02:45 PM - 03:30 PM Fabrizio Gabbiani (Baylor College of Medicine), Biophysics and Neural Computations Underlying Visually-Guided Collision Avoidance Behaviors 03:30 PM - 04:00 PM Afternoon Break 04:00 PM - 04:45 PM Dmitri ”Mitya” B. Chklovskii (Simons Foundation), A Biological Neuron as an Online Matrix Factorization Device 04:45 PM - 05:45 PM Panel Discussion: A Neuroscience Esperanto: Building a Better Bridge Between Modeling and Experimental Neurobiology Registration is free but all participants have to register at: https://bcmc15.eventbrite.com/ Workshop Website: http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/workshops/bcmc/2015 Aurel http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu

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First Announcement: International Conference on System Level approaches to Neural Engineering
by Alessandro Barardi March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

--------------------------------------- FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT --------------------------------------- International Conference on System Level approaches to Neural Engineering Dates: September 21st – 23rd , 2015 Venue: Barcelona Biomedical Research Park <http://www.prbb.org/>, Barcelona, Spain Website: http://www.neural-engineering.eu/BarcelonaConference2015/index.html The aim of this interdisciplinary conference is to bring together theoretical and experimental neuroscientists and roboticists to discuss the state of the art in the field of Neural Engineering. This three day long event is part of a series of training events organized by the Marie Curie Initial Training Network NETT (Neural Engineering Transformative Technologies). It will also give young researchers an opportunity to present their work. Theme panels are: * Neural Dynamics - mathematical description of neuronal activity * Brain-on-Chip - engineering of neuronal circuits in-vitro with emphasis on microfluidics * Neural Learning and Control - motion planning, controlling and learning neuro-inspired techniques for robotics * Neural Coding - investigation of neuronal strategies for encoding information * Optical Neurotechnology - imaging and engineering techniques that allow recording of neuronal activity --------------------------------------- CONFIRMED SPEAKERS --------------------------------------- Andre Bastos - The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT, Boston, MA, USA Romain Brette - Institut de la Vision, Paris, France Sophie Deneve - Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, LNC, Paris, France Dario Farina - Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany Albert Folch - Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Amanda Foust - Imperial College London, London, UK Sami Haddadin - Institute of Automatic Control, Hannover, Germany Kenneth Harris - Institute of Neurology and the Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, UCL, London, UK Fritjof Helmchen - Brain Research Institute, Zürich, Switzerland Thibault Honegger - Laboratoire des Technologies de la Microelectronique, CNRS-CEA, Grenoble, France Eugene Izhikevich - Brain Corporation, San Diego, CA, USA Viktor Jirsa - Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France David Liley - Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia Benjamin Lindner - Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany Nikos Logothetis - Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany Yoonkey Nam - Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Adam Packer - University College London, London, UK Stefano Panzeri - Neural Computation Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy Eftychios Pnevmatikakis - Columbia University, New York, NY, USA Alexandre Pouget - CMU, Geneva, Switzerland Jan Schnupp - Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, Oxford, UK Gregor Schöner - Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany Reza Shadmehr - John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Patrick van der Smagt - BRML labs, TUM, Germany John Terry - College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, UK International Conference on System Level Approaches to Neural Engineering conference is organised by the Fellows of the Neural Engineering Transformative Technologies <http://www.neural-engineering.eu/> (NETT) consortium. On their behalf we cordially invite you to participate in this meeting that will take place in Barcelona, Spain, on September 21st – 23rd , 2015. The NETT consortium is a Marie Curie Initial Training Network involving neuroscience research laboratories from the UK, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal and industrial partners. The network is coordinated by Professor Stephen Coombes from the University of Nottingham, UK. --------------------------------------- REGISTRATION --------------------------------------- Registration can be done on our registration form <https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-conference-on-system-level-app…> . Registration opens: 1st March 2015 Registration deadline: 30th May 2015 Conference fee will be 200 euros plus 50 euros for an optional conference dinner. Details about the payment will be posted on the conference website. --- Call for posters --- Posters will be selected from half-page abstracts, which should be submitted by email to nett.barcelona.2015(a)gmail.com. Please specify in the object to which theme panel you are submitting your abstract. Abstract Submission opens: 1st of March 2015 Abstract Submission closes: 30th May 2015 Abstract Acceptance Notification: 30th June 2015 Best regards, On behalf of the NETT Fellows, Alessandro Barardi, PhD student. Neural Engineering Transformative Technologies <http://www.neural-engineering.eu/> Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Barcelona, Spain.

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postdoctoral position at Rice University/Baylor College of Medicine
by Fabrizio Gabbiani March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE/BIOPHYSICAL MODELING Computational and Applied Mathematics Rice University and Department of Neuroscience Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas ----- A postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience is available at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine, in the laboratories of Steven Cox (Rice University) and Fabrizio Gabbiani (Baylor College of Medicine). Our research focuses on understanding the biophysical mechanisms underlying the implementation of non-linear operations by neurons and neuronal circuits. The postdoctoral fellow will model the cellular and network mechanisms underlying collision avoidance behaviors using advanced mathematical techniques and computer simulations. Modeling will be supported by a large data set of experimental data gathered using electrophysiology, pharmacology, calcium imaging, high-speed video imaging and telemetry. We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong background in computational modeling of single neurons and neuronal circuits. Experience with Matlab and NEURON is required. The position is available for one year, with possibility of renewal for a second year, contingent of performance and funding availability. Salary will be commensurate with level of experience, based on an NIH scale. Applications will be accepted until May 15, 2015. Our labs are located at Rice University and in the adjacent Texas Medical Center, close to many of Houston's cultural and outdoor amenities. For further information about Rice University, the Texas Medical Center and Houston please visit http://www.explore.rice.edu/explore/General_Information.asp or https://www.bcm.edu/about-us/life-in-houston For further informal inquiries and to apply, please send CV, the names and full contact information of two to three references, as well as one to two representative publications to cox(a)rice.edu and gabbiani(a)bcm.edu. -- Fabrizio Gabbiani phone: (713) 798 1849 Department of Neuroscience fax: (713) 798 3946 Baylor College of Medicine email: gabbiani(a)bcm.edu One Baylor Plaza, web: glab.bcm.tmc.edu Houston, TX 77030 mail stop: BCM295

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IEEE SMC2015 Special Session: Cognitive Agents and Robotics for Human-Centric Systems: new models and challenges
by Alessandro Di Nuovo March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

[Apologies for multiple postings of this announcement] =========================== CALL FOR PAPERS ============================ IEEE SMC2015 Special Session Cognitive Agents and Robotics for Human-Centric Systems: new models and challenges Introduction Cognitive Agents are inspired from the human cognitive capabilities to exhibit effective behavior through perception, action, deliberation, communication, and through either individual or social interaction with the environment. These computational agents have the ability to function effectively in circumstances not explicitly planned when the system was designed. This ability makes it especially suited to control complex systems, such as robotics, which are designed to provide services and proactively interact with people and other artificial agents in composite Human-Centric environments. The special session aims to attract new developments in the area of cognitive systems, such as novel engineering principles, models and applications of cybernetic systems capable to autonomously improve their capabilities when interacting with the environment in an open-ended process. As a follow-up, authors of accepted papers will be invited to submit an extended version to a special issue in the journal IEEE Transaction on Cognitive Systems and Development (new name of IEEE Trans. on Autonomous Mental Development.) Indicative Topics/Areas The special session welcomes all the contributions in the area of Artificial Cognitive Systems applied to human-centric environments, with particular interest (but not limited to) the following topics: - Bio-inspired, developmental and Cognitive Robotics - Ambient Assisted Living via Cognitive Agents - Computational models of human cognition and interaction - Engineering applications of Cognitive Systems - Artificial Agent cognitive development - Natural language understanding - Standard tools for the design of Cognitive Systems - Medical Systems and Diagnosis - Evolutionary Cognitive Robotics - Cognitive Systems for human wellbeing Important Dates March 31, 2015: Deadline for submission of full-length papers to special sessions. June 1, 2015: Acceptance/Rejection Notification. July 31, 2015: Final camera-ready papers due in electronic form. Submission Manuscripts for a Special Session should NOT be submitted in duplication to any other regular or special sessions and should be submitted to SMC 2015 main conference online submission system on SMC 2015 conference website. All submitted papers of Special Sessions have to undergo the same review process (three completed reviews per paper). The technical reviewers for each Special Session paper will be members of the SMC 2015 Program Committee and qualified peer-reviewers to be nominated by the Special Session organizers. Special Session organizers Alessandro Di Nuovo, Plymouth University (UK) & University of Enna Kore (Italy) alessandro.dinuovo(a)plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:alessandro.dinuovo@plymouth.ac.uk> Giovanni Acampora, Nottingham Trent University (UK) giovanni.acampora(a)ntu.ac.uk<mailto:giovanni.acampora@ntu.ac.uk> ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif]<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass> This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, Plymouth University accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. Plymouth University does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form.

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INCF Short Course on Information Processing in Neural Systems
by Frank Jäkel March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INCF Short Course on Information Processing in Neural Systems -- From Single Neurons to Large-Scale Models of Cognition -- May 2-10, 2015 @ Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück, Germany +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ One of the big challenges in neuroinformatics is bridging the gap between our biophysical understanding of single cells and of networks of neurons on the one side, and the cognitive functions that are characterized in terms of information processing on the other side. This INCF Short Course will provide lectures and hands-on tutorials ranging from dynamical systems theory to cognitive modeling. Target Audience: PhD candidates and post-docs with backgrounds in neuroinformatics, theoretical neuroscience, complex systems, machine learning, applied mathematics/statistics or cognitive modeling. Topics: Dynamical systems: attractors, bifurcations, etc. (Herbert Jaeger) Single neuron dynamics, networks, and computation (Nicolas Brunel) Mean-field theory, neurodynamics, and decision-making (Gustavo Deco) Reservoir computing in simple cognitive systems (Gordon Pipa) Learning of sensory representations in neural systems (Peter König) Distributed Adaptive Control (Paul Verschure) Neural networks, kernel methods, and categorization (Frank Jäkel) A tutorial on reservoir computing (Pipa & Jaeger) A tutorial on large-scale simulations in Nengo (Terry Stewart) A tutorial on information processing models with NEST (Marc-Oliver Gewaltig) The yearly, two-day OCCAM workshop (www.occam-os.de) is integrated into the INCF course and participants of the INCF course will also take part in the workshop. Applications will be accepted until March 7, 2015. The registration fee is 250 Euros. We can offer a limited number of travel stipends to support students. More information on the course and on application details can be found on the course webpage: http://www.incf.ni.uos.de/ _______________________________________________ Comp-neuro mailing list Comp-neuro(a)neuroinf.org http://www.neuroinf.org/mailman/listinfo/comp-neuro

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Osnabrück Computational Cognition Alliance Meeting (OCCAM 2015)
by Frank Jäkel March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

Dear Colleague, we would like to invite you to register for the 5th +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Osnabrück Computational Cognition Alliance Meeting (OCCAM 2015) "From Simple Neurons to Large-Scale Models of Cognition" May 6-7, 2015. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ List of invited speakers: Nicolas Brunel Gustavo Deco Wolfgang Einhäuser Virginia Flanagin Sonja Grün Marc-Oliver Gewaltig Herbert Jaeger Gordon Pipa Paul Verschure Kai Vogeley The workshop will take place in Osnabrück, Germany, and will be hosted by the Institute of Cognitive Science (University of Osnabrück). Details can be found below and on the following webpage: http://www.occam-os.de The registration deadline is March 7, 2015 (first come first served). The registration fee is 100,- Euros. This year the OCCAM workshop is co-located with an INCF Short Course on the same topic (http://www.incf.ni.uos.de/) The OCCAM workshop series aims at understanding the principles of information processing in the brain with a particular focus on 3 major topics: 1. Neural coding and representation in hierarchical systems 2. Self-organization in dynamical systems 3. Mechanisms for probabilistic inference There will also be a poster session where conference participants will have the opportunity to present their work. The deadline for submitting an abstract for a poster presentation is also March 7. Best regards, Frank Jäkel, Peter König, Gordon Pipa (Organizing committee)

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Reminder: Call for Workshops - Bernstein Conference 2015
by Seeger, Simone March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

The National Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience invites proposals for Satellite Workshops directly preceding the Bernstein Conference 2015 in Heidelberg ********************************************************************************** Call for Workshop proposals: Workshops: September 14, 2015 (Main Bernstein Conference: September 15-17, 2015) Deadline of proposal submission: March 15, 2015 Notification of acceptance: April 20, 2015 Conference Registration starts: April 27, 2015 Early Registration Deadline: July 21, 2015 ********************************************************************************** The Bernstein Conference started out as the annual meeting of the National Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and has become the largest single-track Computational Neuroscience conference in Europe in recent years. Since 2013, the Bernstein Conference hosts pre-conference workshops, which have developed swiftly into a well-attended event. They supply a stage to debate topical research questions and challenges in Computational Neuroscience and related fields, different points of view and scientific approaches in an informal setting. Workshops addressing controversial issues, open problems, and comparisons of competing approaches are encouraged. SCHEDULE: September 14, 2015, 9:00 - 18:30. You may apply for either half-day or full-day workshops. Workshop costs: The Bernstein Conference does not provide financial support, but workshop organizers and speakers are offered free workshop registration and reduced fees for the main conference. For further information about the conference, please visit the conference website<http://www.bernstein-conference.de>. DETAILS FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS: The Workshop Proposal form can be downloaded here<http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2015/satellite-workshops/worksho…>. Deadline for submission of Workshop Proposals: March 15, 2015 For more information or the submission of workshop proposals, please contact bc15(a)uni-heidelberg.de<mailto:bc15@uni-heidelberg.de> We are looking forward to meeting you in Heidelberg! THE WORKSHOP PROGRAM COMMITTEE Matthias Bethge (Bernstein Center Tübingen) Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, Bangalore) Carlos Brody (Princeton University) Gustavo Deco (University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona) Andreas Draguhn (Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim) Daniel Durstewitz (Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim) Gaute Einevoll (Norvegian University of Life Sciences, Aas) Andreas Herz (Bernstein Center Munich) Peter Kirsch (Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim) Sara Solla (Northwestern University, Evanston) *** Simone Seeger, M.A. Administration Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit Postfach 12 21 20, 68072 Mannheim J5, 68159 Mannheim Telefon: 0621/1703-1326 oder 06221/54-8310 Fax: 0621/1703-2915 E-Mail: Simone.Seeger(a)zi-mannheim.de<mailto:Simone.Seeger@zi-mannheim.de> Internet: http://www.bccn-heidelberg-mannheim.de<http://www.bccn-heidelberg-mannheim.de/>

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(Firm Deadline: March, 9) VISUM Summer School :: Call for Participation
by Ricardo Gamelas Sousa March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

Apologies for cross-posting. In order to allow candidates to finish their application, we have decided to extend the deadline for visum 2015 applications. More information bellow. --- Call for Participation 3^rd VISion Understanding and Machine intelligence summer school, Porto, Portugal First Computer Vision Summer School with an industrial track 2-9 July, 2015 http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/|Facebook: http://goo.gl/FbVNtq Application Information: http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/visumschool *Important Dates* Application Deadline *March 9, 2015* Decision March 8, 2015 Early Registration April 10, 2015 Late Registration May 8, 2015 Summer School July 2-9, 2015 *Topics* Randomised Decision Forests and Tree-structured Algorithms in Computer Vision Tae-Kyun Kim, Imperial College London, UK Local Features Extraction and Description Jiri Matas, Czech Technical University, CZ Document Image Analysis Alicia Fornes, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES Scene Understanding Martial Hebert, CMU, USA Automatic Facial Expression Recognition Michel Valstar, University of Nottingham, UK RGB-D Cameras Thomas Whelan, Imperial College London, UK *Applications* Point Clouds 3D* João P. Costeira, IST, PT ** *Tentative titles *Industry Track* http://asap54.com/ Daniel Heesch www.enermeter.pt/en Manuel João Ferreira www.philips.com Jacek Kustra *Venue* visum will take place in Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, European Best Destination 2012 and Lonely Planet’s top 10 for 2013. Here, you can find famous baroque style monuments, the worldwide known Port Wine cellars, always having the World Heritage Douro River as the background of this youthful, active and charming city. visum’s program includes social activities. *Accommodation*** *Tattva Design Hostel* Students will have 10% of discount. The prices include: Buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi all over the building, 4 computers in Lounge area, free linen, free locks, free City Maps, free Luggage Storage, free Portuguese Lessons, free Walking Tours, Happy Hour (exclusive prices for TattvaBar for guests). *Hotel da Música* All accepted participants will have a special price included in visum’s fees. Hotel da Música is a luxurious 4-star property set in a prime location in the centre of Porto. Local tourist attractions such as Rotunda da Boavista, Casa da Musica and Hospital Militar are not far from the hotel. Hotel da Música is equipped with free wifi. For more details please follow the link: http://www.hoteldamusica.com/and do not forget to check the special conditions at http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/ Please visit our webpage for up to date information: http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/. We are looking forward for your participation! visum organising committee Tiago Esteves, INEB, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Kelwin Fernandes, INESC TEC, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Eduardo Marques, INESC TEC, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Ana Rebelo, INESC TEC, Universidade do Porto Ricardo Sousa, INEB, Universidade do Porto Luís Teixeira, INESC TEC, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Follow us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/visum/402527539813446 Google+: https://plus.google.com/104076275960053201744/posts Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/visumschool

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Multi-timescale Modeling of Activity-Dependent Metabolic Coupling in the Neuron-Glia-Vasculature Ensemble
by Jolivet, Renaud March 3, 2015

March 3, 2015

Dear colleagues, You might be interested by our recent paper: "Multi-timescale Modeling of Activity-Dependent Metabolic Coupling in the Neuron-Glia-Vasculature Ensemble”, recently published in PLOS Computational Biology (http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004036) From the abstract: Glucose is the main energy substrate in the adult brain under normal conditions. Accumulating evidence, however, indicates that lactate produced in astrocytes (a type of glial cell) can also fuel neuronal activity. The quantitative aspects of this so-called astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle (ANLS) are still debated. To address this question, we developed a detailed biophysical model of the brain’s metabolic interactions. Our model integrates three modeling approaches, the Buxton-Wang model of vascular dynamics, the Hodgkin-Huxley formulation of neuronal membrane excitability and a biophysical model of metabolic pathways. This approach provides a template for large-scale simulations of the neuron-glia-vasculature (NGV) ensemble, and for the first time integrates the respective timescales at which energy metabolism and neuronal excitability occur. The model is constrained by relative neuronal and astrocytic oxygen and glucose utilization, by the concentration of metabolites at rest and by the temporal dynamics of NADH upon activation. These constraints produced four observations. First, a transfer of lactate from astrocytes to neurons emerged in response to activity. Second, constrained by activity-dependent NADH transients, neuronal oxidative metabolism increased first upon activation with a subsequent delayed astrocytic glycolysis increase. Third, the model correctly predicted the dynamics of extracellular lactate and oxygen as observed in vivo in rats. Fourth, the model correctly predicted the temporal dynamics of tissue lactate, of tissue glucose and oxygen consumption, and of the BOLD signal as reported in human studies. These findings not only support the ANLS hypothesis but also provide a quantitative mathematical description of the metabolic activation in neurons and glial cells, as well as of the macroscopic measurements obtained during brain imaging. Best regards, Renaud -- Renaud Jolivet, PhD Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology University College London r.jolivet(a)ucl.ac.uk<mailto:r.jolivet@ucl.ac.uk> https://sites.google.com/site/renaudjolivet/ +44 20 7679 3243

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INNS (International Neural Network Society) BigData 2015 San Francisco, Aug. 8-10, 2015 - $2000 Best Paper Award - Papers submission deadline is March 22nd.
by Asim Roy March 2, 2015

March 2, 2015

[Apologies for cross-postings] ########################################### The inaugural INNS Big Data conference 2015 August 8-10, 2015, San Francisco, USA CALL FOR PAPERS ########################################### Homepage: http://www.innsbigdata.org ########################################### The aim of the INNS BigData conference is to promote new advances and research directions in efficient and innovative algorithmic approaches to analyzing big data (e.g. deep networks, nature-inspired and brain-inspired algorithms), implementations on different computing platforms (e.g. neuromorphic, GPUs, clouds, clusters) and applications of Big Data Analytics to solve real-world problems (e.g. weather prediction, transportation, energy management). Please refer to our website for a more detailed list of topics. Being INNS' inaugural conference on the theme of big data, we are especially motivated to synthesize ideas, promote activities and generate broad interest in areas where neural networks have many unique advantages. We also have Twitter, Facebook and Google+ pages! Elsevier Best Paper Award ########################################################### * Recognizes the best paper presented at the INNS Big Data conference. Both application and theoretical papers will be considered. * It will be awarded by the Big Data Analytics Section of the International Neural Network Society and is sponsored by Elsevier. * The Award consists of a plaque and a $2000 honorarium ########################################################### Dr. Fen Zhao Talk ########################################################### * Dr. Fen Zhao is a Staff Associate at the Office of the Assistant Director (OAD) for Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) at the National Science Foundation. * She will give a talk on national big data R&D initiative and on building public-private partnerships around CISE's Big Data, next generation internet, and cybersecurity R&D portfolios. ########################################################### Plenary Speakers ########################################################### * Bin Yu, Chancellor's Professor, University of California , Berkeley * Raghu Ramakrishnan, Head of Cloud and Information Services Lab (CISL) and big data team, Microsoft * Brenda Dietrich, IBM Fellow and VP, Leads the Emerging Technologies Team for IBM Watson, IBM * Juergen Schmidhuber, Scientific Director, IDSIA ########################################################### Tutorials ########################################################### * Deep Learning - Profs. Juergen Schmidhuber (University of Lugano, and the Swiss AI Lab IDSIA) and Dong Yu (Microsoft Research) * Introduction to How Brain Deals with Big Data - Juyang Weng (Michigan State University) * Platforms and Algorithms for Big Data Analytics - Prof. Chandan K. Reddy (Wayne State University) * Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning Cognitive Algorithms and the Mind - Prof. Leonid I. Perlovsky (Northeastern University) * Spiking Neural Networks and Neuromorphic Spatio-Temporal Data Machines - Prof. Nikola Kasabov (Auckland University of Technology) * Online Learning for Big Data Analytics - Prof. Irwin King (Chinese University of Hong Kong) ########################################################### Workshops ########################################################### * Deep Learning - Profs. Juergen Schmidhuber and Dong Yu * Neuromorphic Spatio-Temporal Big Data Machines - Prof. Nikola Kasabov * Neural networks and wearable devices - Prof. Danilo Mandic * Big Data and Power Systems - Profs. Dejan Sobajic and Kumar Venayagamoorthy * Crowd Behaviour and Big Data - Profs. Chrisina Jayne and Mehmed Kantardzic ########################################################### Important Dates ########################################################### * Paper Submission March 22, 2015 * Paper Decision Notification May 22, 2015 * Camera Ready Submission of papers June 8, 2015 ########################################################### Paper Submission and Publication ########################################################### * Prospective authors should submit a full-length draft manuscript (8 pages), including figures, tables and references using the Elsevier Standard template without page numbers. * The full papers should be submitted to the INNS-BigData'2015 EasyChair online submission website: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=innsbigdata2015 * Conference proceedings will be published by Elsevier as a separate issue of Procedia Computer Science, which is an open access publication and is part of Science Direct electronic service. ########################################################### Topics and Areas include, but not limited to: * Autonomous, online, incremental learning - theory, algorithms and applications in big data * High dimensional data, feature selection, feature transformation - theory, algorithms and applications for big data * Scalable algorithms for big data * Learning algorithms for high-velocity streaming data * Kernel methods and statistical learning theory * Big data streams analytics * Deep neural network learning * Machine vision and big data * Brain-machine interfaces and big data * Cognitive modeling and big data * Embodied robotics and big data * Fuzzy systems and big data * Evolutionary systems and big data * Evolving systems for big data analytics * Neuromorphic hardware for scalable machine learning * Parallel and distributed computing for big data analytics (cloud, map-reduce, etc.) * Big data and collective intelligence/collaborative learning * Big data and hybrid systems * Big data and self-aware systems * Big Data and infrastructure * Big data analytics and healthcare/medical applications * Big data analytics and energy systems/smart grids * Big data analytics and transportation systems * Big data analytics in large sensor networks * Big data and machine learning in computational biology, bioinformatics * Recommendation systems/collaborative filtering for big data * Big data visualization * Online multimedia/ stream/ text analytics * Link and graph mining * Big data and cloud computing, large scale stream processing on the cloud Big Data Analytics Section @ INNS ########################################################### Considering the growing interest to process and analyse big data, the International Neural Network Society (INNS) has a new Section on Big Data Analytics (BDA) to help the neural network field position itself as a leading technology contributor to big data analytics. By actively promoting the use of neural networks for big data analytics, the INNS-BDA section is dedicated towards bringing the neural network field to greater heights. Anyone who is interested to know more is encouraged to visit the homepage of the INNS-BDA Section at http://www.inns.org/big-data-section. ACCOMMODATION RESERVATION ########################################################### * A dedicated website is now available for attendees to book their hotel rooms online. * Reservations can be made starting 31-Oct-2014 at this web address: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=12490679 ########################################################### Co-Sponsors * International Neural Network Society (INNS) * Elsevier Advisory Board * Walter Freeman, University of California, Berkeley, USA * Ali Minai, University of Cincinnati, USA * Danil Prokhorov, Toyota Tech Center * Bernard Widrow, Stanford University, USA * Bart Kosko, University of Southern California, USA General Chairs * Plamen Angelov, Lancaster University, UK * Asim Roy, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA PC Chairs * Adel M. Alimi, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia * Theodore Trafalis, University of Oklahoma, USA * Kumar Venayagamoorthy, Clemson University, USA Plenary Chairs * Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand * Irwin King, Chinese University of Hongkong, China Special Sessions Chairs * Bonny Banerjee, University of Memphis, USA * Alessandro Ghio, University of Genoa, Italy Tutorials/Workshops Chair * Marley Vellasco, PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil * Trevor Martin, Univ. of Bristol, UK. Poster Session Chairs * Yi Lu Murphy, University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA * Bernardete Ribeiro, University of Coimbra, Portugal Sponsors/Exhibit Chairs * James Dankert, BAE Systems, USA * Rosemary Paradis, Lockheed Martin, USA Publication Chairs * Danilo Mandic, Imperial College, London, UK * John Weng, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA * Mariette Awad, American University of Beirut, Lebanon * Amir Hussain, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK

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Community Session on reproducibility in the neurosciences - 11th Göttingen meeting of the NWG
by Andrea Huber Brösamle March 2, 2015

March 2, 2015

----------------------------------------------------------- Community Session Reproducibility in the neurosciences Novel tools and links to the Human Brain Project (HBP) platforms and the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility (INCF) ----------------------------------------------------------- We invite you to attend a Community Session on Reproducibility in the neurosciences taking place during the 11th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. Date and Time: March 19th, 2015, 14:30-16:30h Location: University of Göttingen, Main Lecture Building, Room 1.141 Snacks and beverages will be served Recently, experiments gathering neuronal data in behaving animals as well as the corresponding data analysis workflows have dramatically gained in complexity. At present, this creates a lack of reproducibility impairing the reliability and efficiency of research. In this community session, the status and approaches to address this challenge will be reviewed and discussed. *Speakers:* Sonja Grün (Jülich Researach Centre & RWTH Aachen) Thomas Wachtler (G-Node, LMU Munich) Jeff Muller (EPFL, Lausanne) We are looking forward to seeing you in Göttingen. Community Session organizer: Sonja Grün (Jülich Researach Centre & RWTH Aachen)

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3rd CFP: EXTENDED DEADLINE Special Session on Quantifying Embodiment, ECAL'15
by Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi March 2, 2015

March 2, 2015

3rd CALL FOR PAPERS *** EXTENDED DEADLINE *** 13th European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL 2015) Special Session on Quantifying Embodiment Session paper submission deadline: Monday, 16 March 2015 Notification of acceptance of papers: Friday, 24 April 2015 Paper Camera-Ready-Copy deadline: Monday, 18 May 2015 Conference convenes: 20-24 July 2015, York, United Kingdom Conference website: http://ecal2015.alife.org <http://ecal2015.alife.org/> Special Session website: http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/nature/ecal2015/embodiment.html <http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/nature/ecal2015/embodiment.html> There is a growing acknowledgement in the artificial life and artificial intelligence community that embodiment is a key for the understanding of cognitive systems. Despite the consensus about the importance of embodiment, there is no clear definition of what the agent’s embodiment actually is. We believe that a quantitative approach can help to answer this open question. This is inspired by Einstein’s answer to the question ”What is time?”, to which he replied ”Time is what clocks measure”. Although this seems to be a trivial answer, it reveals that what we mean by time depends on the way we measure it. We are interested in quantifications of embodiment from various view points and different fields. A non-exclusive list of examples is: • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on sensing • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on cognitive processes • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on acting • Quantifications of brain-body-environment separation We are open to quantifications from any formal approach. Examples are information theory and dynamical systems, but others are highly welcome too. The ideal outcome of the special session would be a good overview of different concepts and quantifications of embodiment and an understanding how they overlap and differ, thereby leading to a better understanding and a clearer picture of what embodiment actually is. Papers are submitted via the ECAL paper submission form and published in the conference proceedings. You need to select “Quantifying Embodiment” when you are submitting your paper. Special Session Chairs: Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi, Christoph Salge, Georg Martius, Daniel Polani

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PhD and Postdoc positions (eye-movements, stereo) at QMUL
by Miles Hansard March 2, 2015

March 2, 2015

PhD Studentship: Computational Analysis of Eye-Movements. School of EECS, Queen Mary, University of London. Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship, to conduct research into human eye-movements. The project will develop new computational models of visual behaviour, based on recent ideas from computer vision, spatial statistics and time-series analysis. The models will be tested in psychophysical experiments, and implemented in an open-source tool-kit. Supervised by Miles Hansard (computer vision, http://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~milesh/) and Isabelle Mareschal (experimental psychology). All nationalities are eligible to apply, for details see: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AKO352/phd-studentship-in-eye-movement-analysis/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Research Assistant: Geometric Evaluation of Stereoscopic Video. School of EECS, Queen Mary, University of London. This new project will develop a new approach to the evaluation of 3D content, based on computational models of human binocular vision. Disparity statistics will be computed from stereoscopic video, by a prototype system, for use in depth-grading and other post-production tasks. To work with Miles Hansard (http://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~milesh/) in conjunction with a high-profile graphics and visual effects company. All nationalities are eligible to apply, for details see: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ATT437/research-assistant/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- http://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~milesh/

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INCF Nodes Workshop in Warsaw, April 16-17
by Daniel Wójcik March 2, 2015

March 2, 2015

Dear Colleagues, Each Spring, the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility (INCF; http://www.incf.org) holds the INCF Nodes Workshop. This is the main event bringing representatives from each Node country together to present their activities, begin and continue collaborations, and inspire the future directions of INCF: http://incf.org/activities/workshops/node-workshops/node-workshops The next workshop will be organized by the Polish Node of INCF, and will spotlight Polish neuroinformatics research in areas from molecular neuroscience to brain-computer interfaces and supercomputing. It will be held at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (http://en.nencki.gov.pl/) in Warsaw, 16-17 April 2015, and will be the first Nodes Workshop open to the wider scientific community. Registration is free. Deadline for registration: * March 16* Workshop details: http://bit.ly/incf2015spring Looking forward to welcoming you in Warsaw, Daniel Wojcik On behalf of the Polish Node of INCF -- Daniel K. Wojcik, PhD, DSc Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Head PhD Studies, Head Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology 3 Pasteur St, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland tel: (+48 22) 5892348 fax: (+48 22) 8225342 skype: danek8317 http://dwojcik.pl/ http://neuroinflab.wordpress.com/ http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0812-9872

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Systems and Computational Neuroscience Down Under (SCiNDU)
by Geoffrey Goodhill March 1, 2015

March 1, 2015

SCiNDU: SYSTEMS AND COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE DOWN UNDER qbi.uq.edu.au/scindu<http://qbi.uq.edu.au/scindu> December 15-17th, 2015, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia This conference will bring together international leaders in understanding the computational principles underlying how neural circuits decode sensory information, make decisions, and learn from experience. Abstract submissions for poster presentation are welcome. Deadline for abstracts and early registration is Oct 16th 2015. Some abstracts will be selected for short talks. Confirmed invited speakers include: Ehsan Arabzadeh (ANU) Mark Bear (MIT) Michael Breakspear (QIMR) Allen Cheung (QBI) Yang Dan (UC Berkeley) Peter Dayan (UCL) Geoffrey Goodhill (QBI) Zach Mainen (Champalimaud) Jason Mattingley (QBI) Linda Richards (QBI) Peter Robinson (Sydney) Marcello Rosa (Monash) Pankaj Sah (QBI) Mandyam Srinivasan (QBI) Greg Stuart (ANU) Stephen Williams (QBI) Li Zhaoping (UCL) On December 15th the conference will be preceded by tutorials including: Mark Bear: Experience-dependent synaptic plasticity Peter Dayan: Neural reinforcement learning Jason Mattingley: Brain stimulation, attention and plasticity Li Zhaoping: Vision, efficient coding and salience We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Queensland Brain Institute and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function. Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Queensland Brain Institute and School of Mathematics & Physics University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Email: g.goodhill(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:g.goodhill@uq.edu.au> http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/professor-geoffrey-goodhill

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Reminder: MBL Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course 2015: applications due March 5
by Mark Goldman Feb. 28, 2015

Feb. 28, 2015

Applications are open for the Methods in Computational Neuroscience course at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. The course will run from July 29 to August 26, 2014, and the online application form can be found at: http://ws2.mbl.edu/studentapp/studentapp.asp?CourseID=MCN. The course application deadline is March 5. The course covers a range of topics in computational neuroscience including neuronal biophysics, neural coding & information processing, circuit dynamics, learning & memory, motor control, and cognitive processing & disease. In addition, numerous tutorials and problem sets will cover a broad range of computational and mathematical modeling methods. The course strongly emphasizes the collaboration between theory and experiment in solving neuroscience problems, and lectures will be given by a mixture of theorists and experimentalists. The final weeks of the course are primarily reserved for development and work on projects that students design in collaboration with the resident faculty. Further information can be found on the MCN website: http://www.mbl.edu/mcn/ 2015 Course Directors: Michale Fee, MIT Mark Goldman, UC Davis 2015 Confirmed Faculty: Larry Abbott, Columbia University Steve Baccus, Stanford University Jeff Beck, Duke University William Bialek, Princeton University Dmitri Chklovskii, HHMI Janelia Farm Peter Dayan, University College London Bard Ermentrout, University of Pittsburgh Adrienne Fairhall, University of Washington Ila Fiete, UT Austin Loren Frank, UCSF Michael Frank, Brown University Surya Ganguli, Stanford University John Huguenard, Stanford University David Kleinfeld, UC San Diego Nancy Kopell, Boston University John Lisman, Brandeis University Eve Marder, Brandeis University Bartlett Mel, University of Southern California Jonathan Pillow, Princeton University Maneesh Sahani, University College London Terry Sejnowski, Salk Institute Michael Shadlen, Columbia University Josh Shaevitz, Princeton University Sara Solla, Northwestern University Haim Sompolinsky, Hebrew University David Tank, Princeton University Josh Tenenbaum, MIT Srini Turaga, Janelia Farm Xiao-Jing Wang, NYU Daniel Wolpert, Cambridge University Ryohei Yasuda, Duke University

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a neural architecture for autonomous spatial and object attention, invariant object category learning and recognition, and Where’s Waldo search with freely moving eyes
by Stephen Grossberg Feb. 27, 2015

Feb. 27, 2015

The following series of articles progressively develop a neural architecture for autonomous spatial and object attention, invariant object category learning and recognition, and Where’s Waldo search with freely moving eyes: ARTSCAN View-invariant object category learning and recognition with freely moving eyes in a 2D scene Fazl, A., Grossberg, S., and Mingolla, E. (2009). View-invariant object category learning, recognition, and search: How spatial and object attention are coordinated using surface-based attentional shrouds. Cognitive Psychology, 58, 1-48. http://cns.bu.edu/~steve/FazGroMin2008.pdf pARTSCAN View-, position-, and size-invariant object category learning and recognition with freely moving eyes in a 2D scene Cao, Y., Grossberg, S., and Markowitz, J. (2011). How does the brain rapidly learn and reorganize view- and positionally-invariant object representations in inferior temporal cortex? Neural Networks, 24, 1050-1061. http://cns.bu.edu/~steve/NN2853.pdf dARTSCAN ARTSCAN with transient and sustained distributed attention and prefrontal priming in a 2D scene Foley, N.C., Grossberg, S. and Mingolla, E. (2012). Neural dynamics of object-based multifocal visual spatial attention and priming: Object cueing, useful-field-of-view, and crowding. Cognitive Psychology, 65, 77-117. http://cns.bu.edu/~steve/FolGroMin2012.pdf ARTSCAN SEARCH Solution of Where’s Waldo Problem: finding a valued object in a 2D scene Chang, H.-C., Grossberg, S., and Cao, Y. (2014) Where's Waldo? How perceptual cognitive, and emotional brain processes cooperate during learning to categorize and find desired objects in a cluttered scene. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, doi: 10.3389/fnint.2014.0043. http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2014.00043/full 3D ARTSCAN ARTSCAN of a 3D scene whose 3D perceptual representations remain stable as the eyes move Grossberg, S., Srinivasan, K., and Yazdanbakhsh, A. (2014). Binocular fusion and invariant category learning due to predictive remapping during scanning of a depthful scene with eye movements. Frontiers in Psychology: Perception Science, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01457. http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01457/full Stephen Grossberg Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems Professor of Mathematics, Psychology, and Biomedical Engineering Director, Center for Adaptive Systems http://www.cns.bu.edu/about/cas.html http://cns.bu.edu/~steve steve(a)bu.edu

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ECMLPKDD 2015 : Call for Papers, Tutorials and Workshops
by ECMLPKDD 2015 Feb. 27, 2015

Feb. 27, 2015

The European Conference on Machine Learning and Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (ECMLPKDD) will take place in Porto, Portugal, from September 7th to 11th, 2015 (http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org) This event is the leading European scientific event on machine learning and data mining and builds upon a very successful series of 25 ECML and 18 PKDD conferences, which have been jointly organized for the past 14 years. ECMLPKDD 2015 will host three tracks, tutorials and a set of workshops. Therefore, we invite all researchers and practitioners from different communities to submit papers and/or present tutorial and workshop proposals. ************************* CALL FOR PAPERS ************************* JOURNAL TRACK ********************* Articles for this track are submitted all year long directly to either Machine Learning or Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, and are reviewed like regular journal articles. Accepted articles appear in full in the journal and the authors are given a presentation slot at the conference. Articles deemed insufficiently mature for journal publication may be accepted for inclusion in the proceedings. Submissions to the journal track will be managed by the Guest Editorial Board. Paper Submission: Cut-off dates for the bi-weekly batches are 18 Jan, 1 Feb, 15 Fev, 1 Mar, 15 Mar, 29 Mar, 12 Apr, 26 Apr of 2015 Web Page: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/journal-track RESEARCH PROCEEDINGS TRACK ******************************************* The research proceedings track, which is organized in the traditional way. Accepted papers will be published in the Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence (LNCS/LNAI) of Springer, after reviewing by the programme committee. Abstract Submission Deadline: March 26, 2015 Paper Submission Deadline: April 2, 2015 Paper Acceptance Notification: June 1, 2015 Paper Camera Ready Submission: June 15, 2015 Web Page: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/research-proceedings-track INDUSTRIAL, GOVERNMENTAL & NON-GOVERNMENTAL PROCEEDINGS TRACK **************************************************************************** ************************** The NEW industrial, governmental & non-governmental (NGO) proceedings track is independent and distinct from the Research Track. Submissions to this track should solve real-world problems and focus on engineering systems, applications, and challenges. Accepted papers will be published in the Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence (LNCS/LNAI) of Springer, after reviewing by the programme committee. Abstract Submission Deadline: March 26, 2015 Paper Submission Deadline: April 2, 2015 Paper Acceptance Notification: June 1, 2015 Paper Camera Ready Submission: June 15, 2015 Web Page: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/industrial-proceedings-track ***************************************************************** CALL FOR TUTORIAL AND WORKSHOP PROPOSALS ***************************************************************** TUTORIALS ************** The tutorials are intended to provide a comprehensive introduction to established or emerging research topics of interest for the machine learning and the data mining community. These topics include related research fields or applications. The ideal tutorial should attract a wide audience. It should be broad enough to provide a basic introduction to the chosen research area, but it should also cover the most important topics in depth. We welcome half day workshop proposals. Proposal Deadline: March 2, 2015 Proposal Acceptance Notification: March 23, 2015 Web Page: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/call-for-tutorials WORKSHOPS **************** The workshops will be on relevant and current topics in Machine Learning and Data Mining. The scope of the proposal should be consistent with the conference themes as described in the ECMLPKDD 2015 Call for Papers (http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission) Interdisciplinary workshops that bring together researchers and practitioners from different communities are especially welcome. We encourage workshops that bridge the gap between theoretical advances and important and/or innovative applications of machine learning and data mining. We welcome both full and half day workshop proposals. Proposal Deadline: March 2, 2015 Proposal Acceptance Notification: March 23, 2015 Workshop Websites and Call for Papers Online: March 27, 2015 Workshop Proceedings (Camera-ready): August 3, 2015 Web Page: http://www.ecmlpkdd2015.org/submission/call-for-workshop-proposals Hope to see you all soon in Porto, Portugal!!! The publicity chairs of the ECMLPKDD 2015, Carlos Abreu Ferreira Ricardo Campos --- Este e-mail foi verificado em termos de vírus pelo software antivírus Avast. http://www.avast.com

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Postdoctoral position in Computational Neuroscience at IUPUI
by Yaroslav Molkov Feb. 27, 2015

Feb. 27, 2015

A postdoctoral/research associate position in computational neuroscience is available immediately in the NIH funded project focusing on multiscale computational modeling of interactions between respiratory central pattern generator and sympathetic nervous system as it relates to neurogenic hypertension. This collaborative project is performed by the groups of Yaroslav Molkov (Dept. of Mathematical Science, Indiana University – Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA), Ana Abdala (University of Bristol, UK) and Daniel Zoccal (Sao Paulo State University, Brazil). Excessive sympathetic activity plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of hypertension. Such autonomic dysfunction is observed in hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Chronic exposure to intermittent hypoxia (CIH) that occurs in OSA is the main factor leading to sympathetic overactivity and hypertension. A CIH-driven increase in sympathetic output is largely dependent on the emergence of active expiratory pattern. The respiratory central pattern generator (rCPG) is composed of two interacting oscillators. The first occupies Bötzinger/pre-Bötzinger complexes and generates self-sustained respiratory rhythm controlling the diaphragm to provide inspiration. The second oscillator, the parafacial respiratory group (pFRG), resides in the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN). The RTN/pFRG oscillations emerge in hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions, and drive motor output to abdominal muscles for active (forced) expiration. Interactions of these respiratory circuits with the sympathetic neurons of the rostral and caudal ventrolateral medulla evoke respiratory-related oscillations in sympathetic efferent drive. Exposure to CIH leads to alterations in excitability of RTN/pFRG neuronal population and/or modifications in synaptic connections between respiratory oscillators and sympathetic neurons which ultimately results in the elevated baseline sympathetic activity and arterial pressure. This interdisciplinary project aims to reveal the mechanisms that couple breathing and control of blood pressure in the brain in health and disease, and for the first time translate them into a realistic computational model. Such a model will have the unprecedented potential for generating effective non-pharmacological means of controlling blood pressure and breathing via implantable biofeedback devices (e.g. vagus nerve stimulation) and non-invasive devices for guided control of autonomic function (e.g. device-guided paced respiration). Furthermore, it will provide a robust scientific substrate for evaluating the usefulness and safety of alternative medicine interventions, such as controlled breathing practices, for lowering blood pressure and improving heart rate variability. Applicants must have a PhD degree in Neuroscience, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related discipline and have excellent programming skills (C++, Matlab, UNIX). Previous experience in computational neuronal modeling is a plus. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Molkov ( ymolkov(a)iupui.edu) by email. To apply, please send an email along with (1) curriculum vitae; (2) a cover letter describing previous research experience and interests; (3) the names and contact information of three references. Application processing will begin immediately and the search will remain open until the position is filled. Best Regards, Yaroslav Molkov, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis Department of Mathematical Sciences 402 N. Blackford St, LD 270, Indianapolis, IN 46202 Office: LD 224U Phone: (317) 274-6934 Fax: (317) 274-3460 Email: ymolkov(a)iupui.edu

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Postdoctoral positions available in Sophie Deneve's team, Group for Neural Theory, Ecole Normale supérieure, Paris
by Sophie Deneve Feb. 26, 2015

Feb. 26, 2015

Two postdoctoral positions are available in the group of Sophie Deneve, Ecole Normale supérieure Paris. Positions are for one year, renewable one year, and comes with competitive salary and generous equipment and travel funds. The team is part of the “Group for neural theory” ( http://iec-lnc.ens.fr/group-for-neural-theory/) and surrounded by top-level theoretical and experimental labs. Candidates are expected to have a solid training in the field of computational neuroscience, proven quantitative and programming skills and a strong interest in integrative/cognitive neuroscience. Starting dates are flexible, but should preferentially occur before September 2015. Possible projects include: Starting from the hypothesis that biological networks are optimally tuned to maximize coding efficiency and robustness, we will design new tools to analyze their dynamics and function. We will identify functionally relevant, low-dimensional structures in large neural datasets (spontaneous and stimulus-driven multi-unit activity in retina, visual cortex, and/or in Zebrafish whole brain recordings). Sensory neurons are often described in terms by their receptive fields. On the other hand, “generative models” (and more generally, efficient coding) assume that neurons collectively try to predict their stimuli. In such scenarios, prior assumptions, metabolic constrains and context deeply reshape neural selectivity. We will consider implications for learning, attentional modulation and/or hierarchical neural processing. Candidates should send their application to sophie.deneve(a)ens.fr by *March 31, 2015*. Please mention “postdoctoral candidate” in the subject of the email. Application should take the form of a single PDF file, containing a CV, motivation letter, names and email addresses of 2 to 3 referees. No official letter of recommendations are required, as the referee will be contacted directly. Best wishes, -- Dr Sophie Deneve Group for Neural Theory Laboratoire de Neurosciences cognitives ENS-INSERM 29, rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France Tel. (+33) (0)1 44 32 26 35

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New Paper on Network Dynamics of the Human Brain
by Xerxes D. Arsiwalla Feb. 26, 2015

Feb. 26, 2015

Dear Colleagues, For your interest, our paper on dynamics of the human connectome is now available open access. http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fninf.2015.00002/abstract Network Dynamics with BrainX3: A Large-Scale Simulation of the Human Brain Network with Real-Time Interaction Arsiwalla XD, Zucca R, Betella A, Martinez E, Dalmazzo D, Omedas P, Deco G and Verschure PFMJ (2015) Front. Neuroinform. 9:02. doi: 10.3389/fninf.2015.00002 Abstract BrainX3 is a large-scale simulation of human brain activity with real-time interaction, rendered in 3D in a virtual reality environment, which combines computational power with human intuition for the exploration and analysis of complex dynamical networks. We ground this simulation on structural connectivity obtained from diffusion spectrum imaging data and model it on neuronal population dynamics. Users can interact with BrainX3 in real-time by perturbing brain regions with transient stimulations to observe reverberating network activity, simulate lesion dynamics or implement network analysis functions from a library of graph theoretic measures. BrainX3 can thus be used as a novel immersive platform for exploration and analysis of dynamical activity patterns in brain networks, both at rest or in a task-related state, for discovery of signaling pathways associated to brain function and/or dysfunction and as a tool for virtual neurosurgery. Our results demonstrate these functionalities and shed insight on the dynamics of the resting-state attractor. Specifically, we found that a noisy network seems to favor a low firing attractor state. We also found that the dynamics of a noisy network is less resilient to lesions. Our simulations on TMS perturbations show that even though TMS inhibits most of the network, it also sparsely excites a few regions. This is presumably due to anti-correlations in the dynamics and suggests that even a lesioned network can show sparsely distributed increased activity compared to healthy resting-state, over specific brain areas.

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Workshop announcement: HBP Hippocamp CA1
by Szabolcs Káli Feb. 26, 2015

Feb. 26, 2015

Dear Colleagues, Registration is now open for the workshop "HBP Hippocamp CA1: Collaborative and Integrative Modeling of Hippocampal Area CA1", to be held March 31st - April 1st, 2015 at UCL School of Pharmacy in London, supported by the Human Brain Project (www.humanbrainproject.eu) In short, the aims of the workshop are two-fold. First, to engage the larger community of experimentalists and modelers working on hippocampus, and highlight existing modeling efforts and strategic datasets for modeling hippocampal area CA1. Second, to define and bootstrap an inclusive community-driven model and data-integration process to achieve open pre-competitive reference models of area CA1 (and, ultimately, the rest of the hippocampus), which are well documented, validated, and released at regular intervals (supported in part by IT infrastructure funded by HBP). Involvement from the community interested in characterization and modeling of the hippocampus is highly encouraged. To keep the meeting focused on the task, participation will be limited to ~30 people, so registration is required. Please consult the meeting website at http://neuralensemble.org/meetings/HippocampCA1/ for registration and further details. Organizing committee: Jo Falck (UCL), Szabolcs Káli (Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Sigrun Lange (UCL), Audrey Mercer (UCL), Eilif Muller (EPFL), Armando Romani (EPFL) and Alex Thomson (UCL). Best regards, Szabolcs Káli Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Research Institute of Experimental Medicine Hungarian Academy of Sciences H-1083 Budapest Szigony utca 43. Phone: +36-1-2109413 Fax: +36-1-2109412 E-mail: kali.szabolcs(a)koki.mta.hu www.koki.mta.hu

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Tenth Advanced Statistics and Data Mining Summer School (Madrid, June 29th - July 10th, 2015)
by asdm＠fi.upm.es Feb. 26, 2015

Feb. 26, 2015

Dear colleagues, The Technical University of Madrid (UPM) will once more organize the 'Advanced Statistics and Data Mining' summer school. The summer school will be held in Boadilla del Monte, near Madrid, from June 29th to July 10th. This year's edition comprises 12 week-long courses (15 lecture hours each), given during two weeks (six courses each week). Attendees may register in each course independently. No restrictions, besides those imposed by timetables, apply on the number or choice of courses. Early registration is now *OPEN*. Extended information on course programmes, price, venue, accommodation and transport is available at the school's website: http://www.dia.fi.upm.es/ASDM Please, forward this information to your colleagues, students, and whoever you think may find it interesting. Best regards, Pedro Larranaga, Concha Bielza, Bojan Mihaljevic and Laura Anton-Sanchez. -- School coordinators. *** List of courses and brief description *** * Week 1 (June 29th - July 3rd, 2015) * 1st session: 9:45-12:45 Course 1: Bayesian Networks (15 h) Basics of Bayesian networks. Inference in Bayesian networks. Learning Bayesian networks from data. Real applications. Practical demonstration: GeNIe, Weka, Bayesia, R. Course 2: Time Series(15 h) Basic concepts in time series. Descriptive methods for time series. Linear models for time series. Extensions. Practical demonstration: R. 2nd session: 13:45-16:45 Course 3: Supervised Pattern Recognition (15 h) Introduction. Assessing the performance of supervised classification algorithms. Preprocessing. Classification techniques. Combining multiple classifiers. Comparing supervised classification algorithms. Course 4: Bayesian Inference (15 h) Introduction: Bayesian basics. Conjugate models. MCMC and other simulation methods. Regression and Hierarchical models. Model selection. Practical demonstration: R and WinBugs. 3rd session: 17:00 - 20:00 Course 5: Neural Networks and Deep Learning (15 h) Introduction. Training algorithms. Learning and Optimization. MLPs in practice. Deep Networks. Course 6: Unsupervised Pattern Recognition (15 h) Introduction to clustering. Data exploration and preparation. Prototype-based clustering. Density-based clustering. Graph-based clustering. Cluster evaluation. Miscellanea. Conclusions and final advise. Practical session: R. * Week 2 (July 6th - July 10th, 2015) * 1st session: 9:45-12:45 Course 7: Statistical Inference(15 h) Introduction. Some basic statistical test. Multiple testing. Introduction to bootstrap methods. Introduction to Robust Statistics. Practical demonstration: R. Course 8: Bayesian Classifiers (15 h) Discrete predictors. Gaussian Bayesian networks-based classifiers. Other Bayesian classifiers. Bayesian classifiers for: positive and unlabeled data, semi-supervised learning, data streams, temporal data. Practical session: R. 2nd session: 13:45-16:45 Course 9: Text Mining (15 h) Introduction. Fundamentals. Language Modeling. String Processing. Text Classification. Information Extraction. Practical session: GATE (optionally, python). Course 10: Feature Subset Selection (15 h) Introduction. Filter approaches. Embedded methods. Wrapper methods. Advanced topics. Practical session: R and Weka. 3rd session: 17:00-20:00 Course 11: Support Vector Machines and Convex Optimization (15 h) Introduction. SVM models. SVM learning algorithms. Convex non differentiable optimization. Course 12: Hidden Markov Models (15 h) Introduction. Discrete Hidden Markov Models. Basic algorithms for Hidden Markov Models. Semicontinuous Hidden Markov Models. Continuous Hidden Markov Models. Unit selection and clustering. Speaker and Environment Adaptation for HMMs. Other applications of HMMs. Practical session: HTK.

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Call for Papers ( Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience): Special Issue on Neuropsychology through the lenses of Computational Modelling
by Eirini Mavritsaki Feb. 26, 2015

Feb. 26, 2015

Call for Papers Special Issue in Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience 'Neuropsychology through the lenses of Computational Modelling' Extended Deadline for Abstract Submission 16th of March Computational modelling may provide an increasingly important tool for furthering neuropsychology and understanding brain impairments – but there remain many issues: how can different types of lesion be best modelled? What are the differences between damage to grey matter and to fibre tracts? What the effects of learning within damaged systems or systems where there is an imbalance in neurotransmitters? For this reason a special issue that brings together state-of-the-art papers on the computational modelling of neuropsychological disorders, with papers covering different levels of modelling (from spiking neurons to higher-level connectionist modelling), using imaging as well as behavioural data, and addressing a number of different disorders (attention, language, memory etc.) is expended to contribute significantly to the field of Neuropsychology and Computational Neuroscience. In collaboration with Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, we are organizing a Research Topic titled "Neuropsychology through the lenses of computational modelling”, hosted by Eirini Mavritsaki, Glyn Humphreys. As host editor, I would like to encourage you to contribute to this topic. Frontiers, a Swiss open-access publisher, recently partnered with Nature Publishing Group to expand its researcher-driven Open Science platform. Frontiers articles are rigorously peer-reviewed, can be disseminated freely and are widely read by your colleagues and by the broader scientific and medical research communities. The idea behind a research topic is to create an organized, comprehensive collection of several contributions, as well as a forum for discussion and debate. Contributions can be articles describing original research, methods, hypothesis & theory, opinions, etc. We have created a homepage on the Frontiers website (Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience) where all articles will appear after peer-review and where participants in the topic will be able to hold relevant discussions: http://www.frontiersin.org/Computational_Neuroscience/researchtopics/Neurop…. Frontiers will also compile an e-book, as soon as all contributing articles are published, that can be used in classes, be sent to foundations that fund your research, to journalists and press agencies, or to any number of other organizations. As such, a manuscript accepted for publication incurs a publishing fee, which varies depending on the article type. Research Topic manuscripts receive a significant discount on publishing fees. Please take a look at this fee table: http://www.frontiersin.org/about/PublishingFees. Once published, your articles will remain free to access for all readers, and will be indexed in PubMed and other academic archives. As an author in Frontiers, you retain the copyright to your own papers and figures. I would be delighted if you considered participating in this Research Topic. Should you choose to participate, please confirm by sending me a quick email and then your abstract no later than Feb 16, 2015 using the following link: http://www.frontiersin.org/Computational_Neuroscience/researchtopics/Neurop… Please note that the deadline for manuscript submission is on: Jun 30, 2015 Since I am using the Frontiers system to manage this topic, I would really appreciate if you could also please indicate your decision by clicking on one of the links below. <<Variable for accept/decline links – do not edit!>> With best regards, Eirini Mavritsaki Guest Associate Editor, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience www.frontiersin.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eirini Mavritsaki, Ph.D., CPsychol Co-Director of the Centre for Applied Psychological Research (CAP Research) Business Development Coordinator for Social Sciences Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences Birmingham City University D 3.17 Dawson Building City North Campus Perry Bar, Birmingham B42 2SU eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> 0121 331 6361 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Master's program Cognitive sciences and technologies: from neuron to cognition
by Alex Ossadtchi Feb. 25, 2015

Feb. 25, 2015

National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow invites applications for a 2-year Master's program Cognitive sciences and technologies: from neuron to cognition” The 2-year Master’s Program “Cognitive sciences and technologies: from neuron to cognition” invites highly-motivated students to apply. The English-speaking Master's Program is designed for students interested in connecting cognition, neuroscience and computer science. The earliest applications have the higher chances to get the total tuition fee exemption. Scholarships are also available. Leading European and Russian scientists form the HSE research center of excellence teach cognitive science, neuroimaging and modeling. Program’s Web site http://psy.hse.ru/cogito Application period for non-residents: January 1, 2015 - July 15, 2015. Early applications (before March 30) are encouraged. Location: The Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia. Additional info: http://www.hse.ru/ma/cogito/announcement Email: cogito(a)hse.ru

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Job opportunity
by jose luis perez velazquez Feb. 25, 2015

Feb. 25, 2015

Please, post this job opportunity. Thanks Our group at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network in Toronto is offering a full-time research position for 2 years to work on the neurophysiological bases of hypnosis, starting around May 2015, with a stipend of $40,000/year. In this project we will investigate the neurophysical alterations that accompany hypnotic stages and simple memory tasks using intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) in individuals undergoing standard clinical assessment for their epilepsy. While several studies have advanced the view that hypnosis results in the dissociation, or “disconnection”, between frontal cortices and other brain areas, this evidence has been mainly obtained with non-invasive recordings such as functional neuroimaging. iEEG provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate with high spatial and temporal resolution changes in activity associated with alterations in cognitive states, thus overcoming typical problems that arise during source reconstruction from non-invasive recordings. The experimental procedures that the incumbent will carry out include the preparation and coding of the tasks to be presented to patients during control and mental imagery relaxation states. The incumbent will thus be taught how to administer mental imagery relaxation techniques and associated technicalities involved in such activities. Data analysis will require experience with typical digital signal processing for brain recordings such as power spectra and coherence, among others. Some scripts are already available in MATLAB and FieldTrip for signal processing, and the incumbent will have the chance, and would be encouraged to create his/her own codes, with the assistance of the members of the team. There are two *absolute requirements* for the incumbent: first, an excellent knowledge of coding in MATLAB and willingness to implement experimental tasks using Presentation, PsychoPy, or Psychtoolbox and, second, the ability to learn how to put patients at ease and coach them through the mental imagery relaxation technique that will be taught by one of the members of our team who practices this in his clinic. Specific knowledge of neurophysiology is not required but it will facilitate the project. Nevertheless, the incumbent will have plenty of opportunities to become familiar with neurophysiological techniques, concepts and analysis. The combined expertise of our team, that includes electrophysiological recordings, brain coordination dynamics and psychology, plus the several activities in our institutions, offer an excellent environment for a motivated student of the brain and behaviour. We think that this is a very interesting and innovative project and thus we are seeking a person who is not afraid of facing advanced brain recording methods and analysis of the psychophysics of altered states of consciousness. Those interested should contact and submit a CV to Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, jlpv(a)sickkids.ca, or jose-luis.perez-velazquez(a)sickkids.ca. A couple of potential references may be added to the CV.

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*** ICCM 2015 – Call for Participation ***
by ICCM 2015 Feb. 25, 2015

Feb. 25, 2015

Dear all, We would like to invite you to the 13th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling: the premier conference for research on computational models and computation-based theories of human cognition. ICCM 2015 will take place from April 9-11 in Groningen, the Netherlands, with tutorials on April 8. We are pleased to announce three world-class invited speakers: Pieter Roelfsema (Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience), Mark Steyvers (University of California, Irvine), and John Anderson (Carnegie Mellon University). In addition to these keynotes, we will have three symposia, 27 research talks, and two poster sessions. A preliminary schedule is available on www.iccm2015.org/schedule, and registration is open. More information can be found on http://www.iccm2015.org. We hope to see you in Groningen! Niels Taatgen Marieke van Vugt Jelmer Borst Katja Mehlhorn

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Masterclass, rTMS and Neurofeedback training courses
by Martijn Arns Feb. 25, 2015

Feb. 25, 2015

Masterclass Neuromodulation, Neurofeedback and rTMS View this email in your browser<http://us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7edd46d&id=c068f6a6e8…> [https://gallery.mailchimp.com/3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7edd46d/images/663f9d66-cd0…] * 2nd Masterclass Neuromodulation<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7e…> * 4-day Neurofeedback Training<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7e…> * 2-day rTMS course<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7ed…> Dear colleague, Due to a successful sold out Masterclass Neuromodulation and Personalized Medicine<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7ed…> last January, we have just planned a second edition of this Masterclass on September 25-26, 2015. So when interested in getting a full update on neuromodulation techniques such as rTMSand neurofeedback and imaging updates on QEEG, ERP's, Personalized medicine in ADHD and Depression and the default mode network: Sign-up now<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7e…>, there are only a limited number of places! Furthermore, there are still some places for the upcoming 4-day Neurofeedback in ADHD and Insomnia training course on April 21-24 and 2-day rTMS in Depression and OCD training course on June 11-12, also see our website<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7ed…>. These courses are intended for academics, researchers and clinicians who want to learn to apply these techniques in clinical practice and research settings, or who want to further specialize in these techniques or disorders. Kind regards, Martijn Arns, PhD Twitter: @Brainclinics Research Institute Brainclinics Brainclinics Education URL: www.brainclinics.com<http://brainclinics.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7ed…> [https://gallery.mailchimp.com/3bac2a7f26a60f0ffa7edd46d/images/9014488f-a41…]

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Brains, Minds and Machines Summer Course 2015 -- Deadline March 5, 2015
by Kreiman, Gabriel Feb. 23, 2015

Feb. 23, 2015

Brains, Minds and Machines Summer Course 2015 http://www.mbl.edu/education/special-topics-courses/brains-minds-and-machin… When: August 13 – September 3, 2015 Where: Woods Hole, Massachusetts (MBL) Directors: Gabriel Kreiman, Tomaso Poggio (L. Mahadevan, honorary director) Application deadline: March 5, 2015 This intensive three-week course will give advanced students a “deep end” introduction to the problem of intelligence – how the brain produces intelligent behavior and how we may be able to replicate intelligence in machines. Today’s AI technologies, such as Watson and Siri and Deep Learning, are impressive, but their domain specificity and reliance on vast numbers of labeled examples are obvious limitations; few view this as brain-like or human intelligence. The synergistic combination of cognitive science, neurobiology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science holds the promise to build much more robust and sophisticated algorithms implemented in intelligent machines *and* to begin understanding how the brain produces the mind. The goal of this course is to help produce a community of leaders that is equally knowledgeable in neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science. The first half of the course will focus on the intersection between biological and computational aspects of learning and vision. The second half will focus on high-level social cognition and artificial intelligence, as well as audition, speech and language processing. Throughout the course, students will participate in tutorials to gain hands on experience with these topics. The course will include presentations by world leaders in the field, discussions with relevant industrial companies interested in AI, hands-on tutorials, evening debates and discussions. Additionally, students will be working on cutting-edge research projects directly guided and mentored by the faculty. This course is organized by the Center for Minds, Brains and Machines: https://cbmm.mit.edu/ Course instructors will include: Tomaso Poggio Gabriel Kreiman Nancy Kanwisher Winrich Freiwald Matt Wilson Josh Tenenbaum Liz Spelke Boris Katz L Mahadevan Jim DiCarlo Aude Oliva Josh McDermott Gabriel Kreiman klab.tch.harvard.edu Use "9265358979" anywhere in the message body to ensure that your message navigates through anti spam filters

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Junior faculty position in Computational Neuroscience at GSU
by Andrey Shilnikov Feb. 23, 2015

Feb. 23, 2015

Hello, please post this information on the forum. Thank you. Junior faculty position in Computational Neuroscience at GSU The Neuroscience Institute at Georgia State University (GSU) invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor pending budgetary approval. The ideal candidate will establish a research program that synergizes with existing key strengths in the Neuroscience Institute in behavioral neuroscience, computational neuroscience, neuroendocrinology, and neuroplasticity. Preference will be given to researchers with expertise and a publication record using state-of-the art methodologies. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or M.D. in a discipline related to neuroscience and should demonstrate the ability to establish a vigorous, externally funded research program and to mentor Ph.D. graduate students. Excellence in teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels is also expected. Candidates should have an outstanding record of accomplishment and a strong desire for research collaboration. The successful candidate would become a core member of the Neuroscience Institute, which is a thriving department housed in the Petit Science Center that provides world-class facilities and an interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment (see http://neuroscience.gsu.edu) A highly competitive salary, start-up funds and laboratory space will be provided. Applications should include a full curriculum vita, names and contact information for three references, and statements of research interests and teaching philosophy. Applications can be submitted either electronically in PDF format to ni-selection-committee(a)gsu.edu<mailto:ni-selection-committee@gsu.edu> or in hard copy to: Chair of the Neuroscience Institute Faculty Search Committee, Neuroscience Institute, PO Box 5030, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302-50310. Application processing will begin immediately and the search will remain open until the positions are filled. Georgia State University, a Research University of the University System of Georgia, is an EEO/AA employer and encourages applications from women and under-represented minority groups. Offers of employment will be conditional upon background verification. With best regards, Andrey Andrey Shilnikov, PhD Professor Neuroscience Institute Department of Mathematics & Statistics Georgia State University 100 Piedmont Ave Atlanta GA 30303 tel 404.413.6423 e-mail: ashilnikov(a)gsu.edu<mailto:ashilnikov@gsu.edu> http://www.ni.gsu.edu/~ashilnikov

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2nd CFP: Special Session on Quantifying Embodiment, ECAL 2015
by Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi Feb. 22, 2015

Feb. 22, 2015

*** 2nd CALL FOR PAPERS *** 13th European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL 2015) Special Session on Quantifying Embodiment Session paper submission deadline: 2 March 2015 Notification of acceptance of papers: 17 April 2015 Paper Camera-Ready-Copy deadline: 18 May 2015 Conference convenes: 20-24 July 2015, York, United Kingdom Conference website: http://ecal2015.alife.org <http://ecal2015.alife.org/> Special Session website: http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/nature/ecal2015/embodiment.html <http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/nature/ecal2015/embodiment.html> There is a growing acknowledgement in the artificial life and artificial intelligence community that embodiment is a key for the understanding of cognitive systems. Despite the consensus about the importance of embodiment, there is no clear definition of what the agent’s embodiment actually is. We believe that a quantitative approach can help to answer this open question. This is inspired by Einstein’s answer to the question ”What is time?”, to which he replied ”Time is what clocks measure”. Although this seems to be a trivial answer, it reveals that what we mean by time depends on the way we measure it. We are interested in quantifications of embodiment from various view points and different fields. A non-exclusive list of examples is: • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on sensing • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on cognitive processes • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on acting • Quantifications of brain-body-environment separation We are open to quantifications from any formal approach. Examples are information theory and dynamical systems, but others are highly welcome too. The ideal outcome of the special session would be a good overview of different concepts and quantifications of embodiment and an understanding how they overlap and differ, thereby leading to a better understanding and a clearer picture of what embodiment actually is. Papers are submitted via the ECAL paper submission form and published in the conference proceedings. Special Session Chairs: Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi, Christoph Salge, Georg Martius, Daniel Polani

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[Call for applications] *Graduate Programs ín Computational Neuroscience* in Berlin; MSc and PhD; 7 PhD scholarships; *Three weeks until deadline*
by Robert Martin Feb. 22, 2015

Feb. 22, 2015

[Apologies for cross-posting] *Doctoral* and *Master Program* "Computational Neuroscience" at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin in Berlin, Germany Application deadline: *March 15, 2015* *THREE WEEKS TO GO* Begin of courses: October 2015 Internet: www.computational-neuroscience-berlin.de _Doctoral Program_ The Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin and the TU Berlin invite applications for *7 fellowships* of the Research Training Group "Sensory Computation in Neural Systems" (GRK 1589/2, https://www.eecs.tu-berlin.de/grk_15891/menue/sensory_computation_in_neural…) The *scientific program* of the research training group combines techniques and concepts from machine learning, computational neuroscience, and systems neurobiology in order to specifically address sensory computation. Doctoral candidates will work on interdisciplinary projects investigating the mechanisms of neural computation, address the processes underlying perception on different scales and different levels of abstraction, and develop new theories of computation hand in hand with well-controlled experiments in order to put functional hypotheses to the test. The training group offers structured supervision complemented by a teaching and training program. Each student will be supervised by two investigators with complementary expertise and will be associated with the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (https://www.bccn-berlin.de/) a leading research center dedicated to the theoretical study of neural processing. Candidates are expected to hold a Masters degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g., neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, physics, mathematics, etc.) and have the required advanced mathematical background. Candidates selected in the first application step will be invited for lab visits and an interview, expected to take place in June 2015. The *fellowships of 1468 €/month* - with additional children allowances if applicable---will be granted for up to three years. _Master's Program_ The tuition-free Master program in Computational Neuroscience offers *15 places* per year, has a duration of 2 years and is fully taught in English. The *curriculum* is subdivided into ten modules, whose content includes theoretical neuroscience, programming, machine learning, cognitive neuroscience, acquisition, modelling, and computational analysis of neural data, with a strong focus on a complementary theoretical and experimental training. Three lab rotations and a Master's thesis are accomplished in the second year. The aim of the program is to provide the students with an interdisciplinary education and an early contact to the neurocomputational research environment. *Requirements* BSc or equivalent degree in a relevant subject (typically in the natural sciences, in an engineering discipline, in cognitive science, or in mathematics), certificate of English proficiency, proof of sufficient mathematical knowledge (at least 24 ECTS credit points). ~~~ _For more information_ ... ... see: www.computational-neuroscience-berlin.de ... or e-mail: graduateprograms(a)bccn-berlin.de . Best regards, Robert Martin -- Robert Martin, PhD Teaching Coordinator Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin Philippstr. 13 House 6; 10115 Berlin; Germany Phone/Fax +49 (0)30 2093 6773/6771 http://www.computational-neuroscience-berlin.de GRK 1589/1, Sensory Computation in Neural Systems Technische Universitaet Berlin Sekretariat MAR 5-6; Marchstr. 23; 10587 Berlin Phone/Fax +49 (0)30 314 72006/73121 http://www.eecs.tu-berlin.de/grk_15891/

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CNS 2015 Abstract submission deadline extended to March 1, 2015
by Tam, Nicoladie Feb. 22, 2015

Feb. 22, 2015

CNS 2015 Abstract Submission Deadline extended to March 1, 2015. Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS) 24th Annual Meeting Prague, Czech Republic July 18-23, 2015 The main meeting (July 19-21) will be preceded by a day of tutorials (July 18) and followed by two days of workshops (July 22-23). Invited Keynote Speakers: Jack Cowan, University of Chicago, USA Gustavo Deco, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain Adrienne Fairhall, University of Washington, USA Wulfram Gerstner, EPFL, Switzerland Registration will open on January 14, 2015. Abstract submission will open on January 15, 2015 and close on extended deadline on March 1, 2015. (This will be the last extension of deadline.) Workshop proposals are now being accepted. Note that one of the authors has to register as sponsoring author for the main meeting before abstract submission is possible. In case the abstract is not accepted for presentation, the registration fee will be refunded. For up-to-date conference information, please visit http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2015-prague

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