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Call for abstracts, symposia and registration for CNS 2017 in Antwerp, Belgium
by Daniele Marinazzo 24 Jan '17

24 Jan '17

Dear all it's our pleasure to inform you that the site for the 26th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting is now up and running for submissions of papers and symposia proposals, and for registration. Please visit http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017 for all the info on the conference. We also have a twitter account https://twitter.com/CNS2017Antwerp Looking forward to seeing you in beautiful Antwerp from July 15th to 20th, for what will be a great meeting! On behalf of all the organizers Daniele -- Daniele Marinazzo -- Department of Data Analysis Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences, Ghent University Henri Dunantlaan 1, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium +32 (0) 9 264 6375 <http://www.da.ugent.be/>http://users.ugent.be/~dmarinaz/ https://twitter.com/dan_marinazzo http://helpdesk.ugent.be/e-maildisclaimer.php

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Sense 2 Synapse 2017 Conference, Saturday April 8th, The Rockefeller University, New York City, Registration Open
by Christoph Kirst 24 Jan '17

24 Jan '17

Dear Neuroscience Community, we like to invite you to join us for this year's *Sense 2 Synapse *which will be held on Saturday, *April 8th, 2017* in the Carson Family Auditorium at *The Rockefeller University, New York City *! The conference is an annual event for scientists working on the biology of sensory transduction, subsequent neural processing and perception. With *Larry Abbott *(Columbia University), *Nicole Rust* (University of Pennsylvania),****Sarah Woolley**(Columbia University) and*Gaby Maimon* (The Rockefeller University) we have a great list of key-note speakers, which will be complemented by talks selected from abstract submissions and a poster session. More information found on our website: *http://sense2synapse.com/ <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__sense2synapse.com_&d=Dw…> * and you can register here: *http://www.sense2synapse.com/registrationForm <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.sense2synapse.com_r…>* Join us for a great day of science, discussions and nice food ! The organizing team Christoph Kirst Florian Berger Jeremie Barral Gonzalo Otazu Nicolas Renier -- Christoph Kirst Fellow for Physics and Biology Center for Theoretical Studies and Kavli Physics Fellow Kavli Neural Systems Institute The Rockefeller University 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 USA +1 212 327 7561 :: ckirst(a)rockefeller.edu

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LM2017 - Second Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors (7 weeks until submission deadline)
by INFO CSNETWORK, Bústia Compartida 22 Jan '17

22 Jan '17

**Apologies for crossposting** 2nd Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors Living Machines VI: The 6th International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems 25 – 28 July 2017 http://livingmachinesconference.eu/ <http://livingmachinesconference.eu/2017> Living Machines Conference | Home livingmachinesconference.eu Stanford will host Living Machines 2017! The 6th International Conference on Biomimetics and Biohybrid Systems will be hosted at Stanford University, California, US. To be hosted at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA Accepted papers will be published in Springer Lecturer Notes in Artificial Intelligence Submission deadline: March 10th, 2017 ______________________________________________________________ ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqPOCDh1FNw YouTube www.youtube.com and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems. Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering. Biohybrid systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity. The theme of the conference also encompasses biomimetic methods for manufacture, repair and recycling inspired by natural processes such as reproduction, digestion, morphogenesis and metamorphosis. The following are some examples of “Living Machines” as featured at past conferences: • Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments. • Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behaviour. • Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair. • Nature-inspired designs and manufacturing processes. • Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants. • Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses. • Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems. ACTIVITIES The main conference will take the form of a three-day single-track oral and poster presentation programme, 26th to 28th July 2017, hosted at Stanford University, California, USA. 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. The full conference will be preceded by up to two days of Satellite Events hosted at Stanford University. SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2017 We invite both full papers and extended abstracts in areas related to the conference themes. All contributions will be refereed and accepted papers will appear in the Living Machines Proceedings, published in the Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence. Full papers (minimum 8 pages, up to 12 pages) are invited from researchers at any stage in their career and should present significant findings and advances in biomimetic or biohybrid research. More preliminary work is better suited for short paper submission (minimum 4 pages, with a maximum of ten references and no more than three self-citations). Full papers will be accepted for either oral presentation (single track) or poster presentation with a short podium preview. Extended abstracts will be accepted for poster 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 the Taylor & Francis journal Connection Science. Satellite events Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to propose topics for full or half-day tutorials, symposia or workshops on related themes to be held on the 25th July at Stanford University. Attendance at satellite events will attract a small fee intended to cover the costs of the meeting. There is 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 10th, 2017 Paper submission deadline April 28th, 2017 Notification of acceptance May 15th, 2017 Camera ready copy July 25th - 28th 2017 Conference SPONSORSHIP Organisations wishing to sponsor the conference in any way and gain the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves and their products through conference publications, conference events, and conference publicity are encouraged to contact the organisers to discuss the terms of sponsorship and necessary arrangements. We offer a number of attractive options to potential sponsors: http://livingmachinesconference.eu/about/ VENUE Living Machines 2017 will be hosted at Stanford University a world leading research University that this year celebrates its 125th anniversary. Stanford is located in California's Bay Area, one of the most intellectually dynamic and culturally diverse areas of the US. Organising Committee: Mark Cutkosky, Stanford University (Local Organizing Chair) Paul Verschure, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Co-Chair) Tony Prescott, University of Sheffield (Co-chair) Michael Mangan, University of Lincoln (Programme Chair) Marc Desmulliez, Heriott Watt University, Scotland (Steering Committee) Anna Mura, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Web and Communications) Nathan Lepora, University of Bristol (Communications)

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New JETCAS Special Issue: Low-Power, Adaptive Neuromorphic Systems: Devices, Circuit, Architectures and Algorithms
by Arindam Basu 21 Jan '17

21 Jan '17

Dear all ** Apologies for cross-posting Would like to draw your attention to a new Special issue in JETCAS on "Low-Power, Adaptive Neuromorphic Systems: Devices, Circuit, Architectures and Algorithms" that I am co-editing with colleagues. Manuscript submission deadline is on April 30, 2017. Look forward to receiving your contributions. IEEE JOURNAL ON EMERGING AND SELECTED TOPICS IN CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS CALL for PAPERS Low-Power, Adaptive Neuromorphic Systems: Devices, Circuit, Architectures and Algorithms Guest Editors Full name Email Affiliation Arindam Basu* arindam.basu(a)ntu.edu.sg Nanyang Technological University Tanay Karnik tanay.karnik(a)intel.com Intel Hai Li hai.li(a)duke.edu Duke University Elisabetta Chicca chicca(a)cit-ec.uni-bielefeld.de Bielefeld University Meng-Fan Chang mfchang(a)mx.nthu.edu.tw National Tsing Hua University Jae-sun Seo jaesun.seo(a)asu.edu Arizona State University (* Corresponding) Scope and Purpose The recent success of “Deep neural networks” (DNN) has renewed interest in bio-inspired machine learning algorithms. DNN refers to neural networks with multiple layers (typically two or more) where the neurons are interconnected using tunable weights. Though these architectures are not new, availability of lots of data, huge computing power and new training techniques (such as unsupervised initialization, use of rectified linear units as the neuronal nonlinearity, regularization using dropout or sparsity, etc.) to prevent the networks from over-fitting have led to its great success in recent times. DNN has been applied to a variety of fields such as object or face recognition in images, word recognition in speech or even natural language processing and the success stories of DNN keep on increasing every day. However, the common training method in deep learning, such as back propagation, tunes the weights of neural networks based on the gradient of the error function, which requires a known output value for every input. It would be difficult to use such supervised learning methods to train and adapt to real-time sensory input data that are mostly unlabeled. In addition, training and classification phases of deep neural networks are typically separated, such that training occurs in the cloud or high-end graphics processing units, while their weights or synapses are fixed during deployment for classification. However, this makes it difficult for the neural network to continuously adapt to input or environment changes in real-world applications. By adopting unsupervised and semi-supervised learning rules found in biological nervous systems, we anticipate to enable adaptive neuromorphic systems for many real-time applications with a large amount of unlabeled data, similar to how humans analyze and associate sensory input data. Energy-efficient hardware implementation of these adaptive neuromorphic systems is particularly challenging due to intensive computation, memory, and communication that are necessary for online, real-time learning and classification. Cross-layer innovations on algorithms, architectures, circuits, and devices are required to enable adaptive intelligence especially on embedded systems with severe power and area constraints. Topics of Interest This special issue invites submissions relating to all aspects of adaptive neuromorphic systems across algorithms, devices, circuits, and architectures. Possible scalability to human brain-scale computing level with energy-efficient online learning is desired. Submissions are welcome in the following topics or other related topics: · Spin mode adaptive neuromorphics with devices such as spin transfer nano-oscillator, domain wall memory, tunneling magnetic resistance, inverse spin hall effect, etc. · Memristive technology based learning synapse and neurons · Neuromorphic implementations of synaptic plasticity, short-term adaptation and homeostatic mechanisms · Self-learning synapses (STDP and variants) and self-adaptive neuromorphic systems · High fan-in scalable interconnect fabric technologies mimicking brain-scale networks · Circuits and systems for efficient interfacing with post-CMOS memory based learning synapses · Design methodology and design tools for adaptive neuromorphic systems with post-CMOS devices · Algorithm, device, circuit, and architecture co-design for energy-efficient adaptive neuromorphic hardware Important Dates 1. Manuscript submissions due: April 30, 2017 2. First decision: July 15, 2017 3. Revised manuscripts due: August 15, 2017 4. Final Decision: October 15, 2017 5. Final manuscripts due: November 15, 2017 Request for Information Arindam Basu (arindam.basu(a)ntu.edu.sg<mailto:arindam.basu@ntu.edu.sg>) https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jetcas Best regards, Arindam ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY: This email is intended solely for the person(s) named and may be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it, notify us and do not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Towards a sustainable earth: Print only when necessary. Thank you.

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ICMNS 2017: *Reminder, Abstracts Due Jan 31, 2017*
by Zachary Kilpatrick 20 Jan '17

20 Jan '17

This is a reminder that Abstract Submissions are due January 31, 2017 for the 3rd International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience (ICMNS 2017), to be held at the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado from May 30 to June 2, 2017. https://www.math.uh.edu/~zpkilpat/icmns2017/index.html <https://www.math.uh.edu/~zpkilpat/icmns2017/index.html> Meeting registration will open soon. Early Registration (Until March 31) will be $250 for students/postdocs, $350 for faculty, and $50 for tutorials. The International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience will provide a forum for researchers to discuss current mathematical innovations emerging in neuroscience. A major aim of the conference is to attract and train young researchers on current methods in mathematical neuroscience. Abstract Submission: We encourage abstract submission by researchers from all areas of mathematical neuroscience. One page abstracts will be reviewed by a Program Committee and divided into three parallel talk sessions and a poster session. Details are given here: https://www.math.uh.edu/~zpkilpat/icmns2017/submissions.html <https://www.math.uh.edu/~zpkilpat/icmns2017/submissions.html> Student Travel Awards: This year, we will offer student travel awards, due to the generous support from NSF, SIAM, Burroughs Wellcome, and the University of Colorado. To apply, students must submit an abstract and include a current CV as part of their submitted document in Easychair. Confirmed Speakers Danielle Bassett (University of Pennsylvania) Paul Bressloff (University of Utah) Nicolas Brunel (University of Chicago) Sophie Deneve (École Normale Supérieure) Brent Doiron (University of Pittsburgh) Marla Feller (University of California, Berkeley) Ila Fiete (University of Texas) Stefano Fusi (Columbia University) Peter Thomas (Case Western Reserve University) Taro Toyoizumi (Riken Brain Science Institute) Tutorial Speakers: Paul Bressloff, Sophie Deneve, Brent Doiron, Stefano Fusi, Joel Zylberberg (University of Colorado, School of Medicine) Program Committee https://www.math.uh.edu/~zpkilpat/icmns2017/committees.html <https://www.math.uh.edu/~zpkilpat/icmns2017/committees.html> We hope to see you in Boulder this May! All the best Zachary Kilpatrick (University of Colorado) Julijana Gjorgjieva (Max Planck Institute for Brain Research) Robert Rosenbaum (University of Notre Dame)

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Fruit Fly Brain Hackathon 2017
by Yiyin Zhou 19 Jan '17

19 Jan '17

Fruit Fly Brain Hackathon 2017 FFBH 2017 <http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/hackathons/ffbh/2017>March 12, 2017Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 We are pleased to announce the 2nd Fruit Fly Brain Hackathon (FFBO 2017). This hackathon will feature the Fruit Fly Brain Observatory (FFBO) and its key components NeuroNLP and NeuroGFX. The former allows for exploring fruit fly brain data using plain English queries, and the latter facilitates the modeling and execution of such brain circuits. Brief tutorials will be given on the usage of the FFBO as well as developing new tools/features in FFBO. The hackathon is aimed at three main groups of participants: neurobiologists, modelers and software engineers. The goal of the hackathon is to bring together these three groups of participants to create new ideas to develop, use and improve the FFBO platform towards developing executable model of the fruit fly brain. The Fruit Fly Brain Hackathon is organized in conjunction with the Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuit, Memory and Computation on March 13-14, 2017. Participants of the hackathon are welcome to attend the workshop. Registration is free but all participants have to register <https://ffbo17.eventbrite.com/> (*https://ffbo17.eventbrite.com/ <https://ffbo17.eventbrite.com/>*). Organizers: Paul Richmond, Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield Adam Tomkins, Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield Nikul Ukani, Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University Chung-Heng Yeh, Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University Yiyin Zhou, Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University More information can be found on the hackathon website: http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/hackathons/ffbh/2017 ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------ Best Regards, Yiyin Zhou, on behalf of the organizers

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Postdoc in Medical Data Science
by Philipp Berens 19 Jan '17

19 Jan '17

The lab of Philipp Berens (www.berenslab.org) at the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (www.eye-tuebingen.de) at the Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen is offering a position as Postdoctoral Researcher in _Medical Data Science for Ophthalmology_ to be filled as soon as possible, with funding for up to 4 years. The successful candidate will perform research at the interface of data science and medicine with the goal to advance statistical methods for predicting disease onset or identifying risk factors by combining classical epidemiological approaches with recent developments in deep learning. The work will be done in close collaboration with the lab of Marius Ueffing and the ZEISS Vision Lab at the Institute for Ophthalmic Research and will contribute to a better understanding of ophthalmic diseases such as diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. The Berens lab conducts research in computational neuroscience, data science and biostatistics with a focus on developing tools to integrate various data sources. We have recently developed a framework based on deep neural networks for detecting diabetic retinopathy from fundus images modeling the decision uncertainty of the classifier (https://doi.org/10.1101/084210) Tübingen is home to a vibrant machine learning community with ample opportunity for interaction with researchers at both the University as well as the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. The Institute of Ophthalmic Research is part of the Center of Ophthalmology, covering various aspects of ophthalmic research from basic retinal neuroscience to the development of gene therapy and neuroprosthetics. We offer employment with a salary and social benefits based on the collective agreement for public service employees in the academic and science sector, TV-L. The Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen promotes gender equality and therefore particularly encourages female scientists to apply. Preferential status will be given to handicapped persons, if equally qualified. Requirements: • PhD in machine learning, statistics or related fields • Experience with medical data • Programming experience in Python and R • Strong publication record and scientific independence Interested applicants should contact Dr. Philipp Berens (philipp.berens(a)uni-tuebingen.de) providing a curriculum vitae, a one-page description of past research experience & future research interests, a one-page description of the motivation for applying to this position and names of at least two people that could provide letters of reference. Please compile your application in one single PDF-file and add [Data Science Postdoc] to the subject line. -- University of Tübingen Institute for Ophthalmic Research http://www.berenslab.org NEW PHONE NUMBER: +49-7071-2988833

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3 years funded PhD in oscillatory behaviour in Alzheimer’s disease to establish biomarkers, Deadline 31st of January
by Eirini Mavritsaki 19 Jan '17

19 Jan '17

Dear all, We are advertising a 3 year funded PhD project in "Investigating oscillatory behaviour in Alzheimer’s disease to establish biomarkers: an EEG and computational modelling programme of PhD study" Successful applicants for our funded PhD studentships will receive a tax-free research stipend that tracks UK Research Council rates (currently £14,296) and a fee waiver to the value of Home / EU student PhD fees (currently £4,120). Closing date for applications Tuesday 31 January 2017 at 23:59. This is a transdisciplinary STEAM Project This proposed PhD work follows high profile research by the University of Birmingham team (Prof. Kim Shapiro, Prof. Howard Bowman and Mr Ali Mazaheri). The project is collaborative work between Birmingham City University (Dr Eirini Mavritsak) and University of Birmingham (Prof. Kim Shapiro and Prof. Howard Bowman). The University of Birmingham team has access to ERP data of a semantic anomaly and word repetition task (Olichney et al, 2002). In the original analysis of the data Olichney and colleagues, the N400 component was analysed, which is related to semantic manipulation. Olichney and colleagues found evidence of N400 abnormalities in mild cognitive impairment patients, which predicted later progression to Alzhemier’s. We plan to simulate this data and the changes observed in this data by developing a computational model that is based on the sSoTS (Mavritsaki, Heinke, Humphreys and Deco, 2011) model. The synaptic currents that sSoTS contains will allow us to extract the ERP profile and simulate the above described experiment. In addition to that sSoTS model has already successfully simulated visual search outcomes for patients with Alzheimer’s (Mavritsaki and Humphreys, 2013). The project is separated into two phases: in phase 1, we plan to develop the computational model to simulate controls and mild cognitive impairment patients and in phase 2 we are planning to extend the model to allow us to predict the development of the disease based on identified biomarkers. The successful applicant will join the Centre for Applied Psychological Research (CAP Research) within the Department of Psychology at Birmingham City University. CAP Research is part of a vibrant and rapidly expanding research community, which offers applicants with an excellent opportunity to develop their research career. The applicant has the opportunity to have teaching experience, to participate in research seminars and to co-supervise undergraduate projects. The successful candidate will also be expected to attend the weekly meetings of the University of Birmingham research team. You can find further details on studying for a PhD and details of how to apply on the following link http://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/social-sciences Candidate Qualification and Specifications: Essential Ø The applicant should hold a good undergraduate honours degree (First or 2:1) in psychology or related area. Ø The applicant should have experience of computational modelling, evidenced by previous work or masters degree. Ø A demonstrated understanding of research methods is essential (as evidenced by degree transcript grades for research methods and dissertation modules). Ø Experience in C++ and Matlab. Desirable Ø A Masters’ degree in research methods, psychology or computational modelling Ø Experience in EEG analysis Contact: Eirini Mavritsaki, Ph.D., CPsychol Email: eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> Best regards, Eirini Mavritsaki ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eirini Mavritsaki, PhD, CPsychol Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology Director of Research in the School of Social Sciences Department of Psychology Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences Birmingham City University The Curzon Building 4 Cardigan Street Birmingham B4 7BD eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> 0121 331 6361 Special Issue in Frontiers 'Neuropsychology through the lenses of computational modelling' http://fron.tiers.in/go/r2e3M4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Postdoctoral fellowship in computational neuroscience at Harvard
by Jan Drugowitsch 18 Jan '17

18 Jan '17

Dear all, Jan Drugowitsch (Department of Neurobiology, Harvard) and Sam Gershman (Department of Psychology, Harvard) are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on a project combining computational modeling, psychophysics, and clinical studies. The project focuses on the neural basis of visual structure discovery, using motion perception as a model system. Our goal is to understand how neural circuits represent and reason about complex combinatorial structures, and how these neural circuits break down in autism. The postdoctoral fellow's main focus is the computational modeling component of the project. The Drugowitsch and Gershman labs are located in the Longwood medical area and Harvard’s Cambridge campus, respectively. Harvard, and the Boston area in general, has an excellent neuroscience community and programs in engineering, statistics, and related fields. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in a quantitative discipline and strong background in Bayesian modeling and computational neuroscience. Experience with visual psychophysics experiments is desirable but not essential. Applicants should send a CV and statement of research interests to Jan Drugowitsch (Jan_Drugowitsch(a)hms.harvard.edu) The initial appointment is for one year with the expectation of extension given satisfactory performance. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. Jan Drugowitsch will be attending the the Computational and Systems Neuroscience meeting on February 23-28 to interview potential candidates. Best regards, Jan Drugowitsch Assistant Professor in Neurobiology Harvard Medical School

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Excellence workshop ''Dynamical Network States, Criticality and Cortical Function'' (March 25-28, 2017 in Germany)
by David Rotermund 18 Jan '17

18 Jan '17

We would like to invite you to participate in our excellence workshop “Dynamical Network States, Criticality and Cortical Function”. It will take place March 25-28, 2017 at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg in Delmenhorst (near Bremen, Germany). Please feel free to forward the following information to anyone who you think may be interested in attending our workshop. Confirmed Speakers John Beggs, Matthias Bethge, Stefan Bornholdt, Mauro Copelli, Lucilla de Arcangelis, Thilo Gross, Michael Herrmann, Anna Levina, Klaus Linkenkaer-Hansen, Paolo Massobrio, Ruben Moreno-Bote, Eilif Benjamin Müller, Dietmar Plenz, Viola Priesemann, Silvia Scarpetta, Woodrow Shew, Oren Shriki, Thilo Womelsdorf. Workshop description ==================== Current information on the workshop can be found on the website http://www.h-w-k.de/index.php?id=2240 Soon we will update this web-page with the program . Cortical information processing relies heavily on the collective dynamics of neurons and networks distributed over many brain areas. A key concept for understanding this process is the idea that networks operate near a critical state, which offers several potential benefits for computation and information processing. However, there is still a large gap between research on criticality and understanding brain function: For example, * biological cortical networks are not homogeneous but highly structured, * they are not in a state of spontaneous activation but strongly driven by changing external stimuli, and * they process information with respect to a concrete behavioral goal. Moreover, critical states are just one side of the medal, since there are other concepts of how collective dynamics enables, shapes, and controls information processing; i.e. actively provide an operating point for cortical computation: To name just a few, there are * balance between excitation and inhibition, * temporal coordination and multiplexing, and * task-dependent computation and signal routing (selective attention). Understanding cortical function will only be possible by putting these conceptual ideas into a unifying framework and critically test them against experimental evidence. In this workshop we will bring together experts representing different approaches for understanding the collective dynamics of cortical networks and their implications for information processing. Hereby we will focus on work with a concrete link to cortical physiology, structure or dynamics observed in experiments. Our goals are to establish novel links between communities, concepts and methods and to identify key problems that have to be addressed by future theoretical and experimental work. Registration ============ The general costs of the workshop will be subsidized by the 'Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Study' (www.h-w-k.de) and by the BMBF (Bernstein Award Udo Ernst). However, in order to cover all costs, we ask for a registration fee in the amount of € 50,00 for PhD students and € 100,00 for postdocs/professors. Unfortunately, we cannot cover your costs for accommodation and travelling. Participation in the workshop will be limited to about 60 attendees (20 main speakers, 40 postdocs + PhD students). In case you are interested in participating, we would ask you to send your reply to Agnes Janssen ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de. We can also arrange hotel reservations for you. Poster session ============== Besides the talks of the main speakers and plenty of time for discussions, there will be a poster session. You are invited to present a poster, in which case please send the title and abstract to Agnes Janssen. Again, we would greatly appreciate having you at our workshop. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Yours sincerely Udo Ernst and Nergis Tömen

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Post-Doc position at UCL Ear Institute: How the brain detects patterns in sound sequences
by Marcus Pearce 18 Jan '17

18 Jan '17

Dear All (with apologies for cross-posting), *A postdoctoral research associate position*is available at the UCL Ear Institute’s ‘Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Lab’ to work on a project entitled "How the brain detects patterns in sound sequences". The project will be supervised by Dr Maria Chait and conducted in collaboration with Dr. Marcus Pearce (Queen Mary University, London) and colleagues at the UCL Wellcome Trust centre for neuroimaging. The post is funded for 34 months in the first instance and involves a combination of behavioural, computational, eye tracking, and functional brain imaging (EEG, MEG, fMRI) experiments in humans. For more information about the post please see the lab website: *http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/research/chaitlab/vacancies* The Ear Institute is a leading interdisciplinary centre for hearing research in Europe, situated within one of the strongest neuroscience communities in the world at University College London *Key Requirements* The successful applicant will have a PhD in neuroscience or a neuroscience-related discipline and proven ability to conduct high-quality original research and prepare results for publication. Essential skills include excellent time-management and organizational ability; proficiency in computer programming and good interpersonal, oral and written communication skills. Previous experience with functional brain imaging, neural data analysis, psychophysical assessment, and/or auditory science or acoustics would be desirable. *Further Details* You should apply for this post (Ref #: 1618836) through UCL's online recruitment website, www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs <http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs>, where you can download a job description and person specifications. *Closing Date for applications is: *1 Feb 2017 *For an informal discussion please contact Dr. Maria Chait (m.chait(a)ucl.ac.uk).* Maria Chait PhD m.chait(a)ucl.ac.uk <mailto:m.chait@ucl.ac.uk> Reader in Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Lab site: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/research/chaitlab/ UCL Ear Institute 332 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8EE

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Faculty position in Computational Neuroscience - open rank
by Jorn Diedrichsen 18 Jan '17

18 Jan '17

Western University (Ontario, Canada) is inviting applications from exceptional investigators at all career levels for a probationary (tenure-track) position at the rank of Assistant or Associate or a tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate or Professor in Computational Neuroscience. This appointment is in association with BrainsCAN (http://www.uwo.ca/brainscan) a $66M initiative funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund at Western University, and will be the first of two new positions in this area. For further particulars, please see: http://www.uwo.ca/bmi/media/CompNeuroScienceJan2017.pdf Jörn Diedrichsen Western Research Chair Brain Mind Institute Department of Computer Science Department of Statistics Email: jdiedric(a)uwo.ca<mailto:jdiedric@uwo.ca> Tel: 1-519-661-2111 x86994

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Funded PhD/postdoc position "Neural basis for motivation and perseverence in behavior"
by Gjorgjieva, Julijana 17 Jan '17

17 Jan '17

A funded PhD position "Neural basis for motivation and perseverence in behavior” is available in the group of Julijana Gjorgjieva, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research (Frankfurt, Germany) and the Technical University of Munich (Munich, Germany). We will also consider strong postdoctoral applicants. Recommended application deadline: February 15, 2017. Applicants will be considered until the position is filled. The project is a collaboration with the experimental lab of Ilona Grunwald Kadow (Technical University of Munich) who studies the neural circuits underlying sensory processing and decision making in Drosophila. We are two young and highly-driven labs with many interesting ideas and synergistic interactions. Have you ever wondered how you came to like the taste of coffee? If you don’t like blue cheese, would you still consider eating some if you were very hungry? We want to understand how behavior changes in response to different sensory experiences and how they are imprinted as memories. The project aims to uncover circuit principles and behavioral readouts of motivation and persistence in the presence of diverse stimuli of different valences (appetitive of aversive) and as a function of internal state (e.g. hunger). To achieve this, we use a combination of theory, computational modeling and cutting-edge experiments. Applicants should have strong quantitative background (in mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science, or related fields), some experience in programming and data analysis, and a desire to develop cutting-edge experimental techniques. Previous background in behavioral analysis is a plus! The position offers the possibility to live in two of the most exciting cities in Germany and Europe. It will be based at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, with frequent visits to the Technical University of Munich in Munich. The position also offers the possibility of behavioral analysis and in vivo multiphoton imaging experiments to be performed in the collaborating Grunwald Kadow lab: http://www.neuro.wzw.tum.de To apply, please email the following: 1. A curriculum vitae 2. A motivation letter (if a PhD student) or a description of research interests (if a postdoc). Please explain your scientific interests, what are you strengths when working on a problem, why us? 3. Contact details for 2-3 referees 4. A written sample of scientific research, e.g. a manuscript, thesis, or code Please feel free to contact us with informal enquiries: gjorgjieva(a)brain.mpg.de http://www.cns.wzw.tum.de ----------------------------------------- Julijana Gjorgjieva, PhD Research Group Leader Max Planck Institute for Brain Research Max-von-Laue-Str. 4, Frankfurt Assistant Professor of Computational Neuroscience Technical University of Munich, WZW Freising office: +49 69 850033 3600 http://cns.wzw.tum.de

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Post-doc position in Computational Neuroscience available at University of Sussex
by Thomas Nowotny 17 Jan '17

17 Jan '17

Dear all, A post-doc position in Computational Neuroscience is available at the University of Sussex for 20 months to be filled as soon as possible. You will be joining the Odor Objects project (http://www.odor-objects.org/) in which we are investigating how animals interpret the complex odor plumes of chemicals in the air to identify sources of odors and distinguish them. Odor Objects is supported by the Human Frontiers Science Program (www.hfsp.org/<http://www.hfsp.org/>) and combines 4 international groups in Konstanz, Germany (physiology), Tempe, Arizona (behavior), Tokyo, Japan (robotics) and Brighton, UK (computational models). If you are joining us at Sussex your work will involve computational modelling of brain networks and data analysis of related data from the experimental partners. Models will then be used to design bio-mimetic controllers which will be tested by our partners in Japan. We are looking for a talented post-doc with an interest in computational work. Applicants from all science disciplines are welcome but essential skills are the ability to program, mathematical skills, e.g. to be able to apply dynamical systems analysis, and creative scientific thinking. The bulk of the work will be carried out on the beautiful Falmer campus of the University of Sussex at the outskirts of the lively South Coast town of Brighton. As part of the project you will travel to the project partners worldwide. There are many opportunities for further interactions at Sussex beyond the project, e.g. with the Brains on Board project (BrainsOnBoard<http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/P006094/1)>), and a wide variety of Neuroscience research in Sussex Neuroscience (www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexneuroscience/<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexneuroscience/>). For more details and to apply, please go to http://www.sussex.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/1626 . There is an initial closing date of 1 February 2017 but we will continue searching until the position is filled. Best regards, Thomas -- Prof Thomas Nowotny Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange School of Engineering and Informatics University of Sussex Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ, UK Phone: +441273678593 FAX: +441273877873

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3-year fully-funded PhD in motor learning and control
by Joseph Galea (School of Psychology) (ID=*****11) 17 Jan '17

17 Jan '17

Dear all, The Galea lab (josephgalea.weebly.com<http://josephgalea.weebly.com/>) in the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham (UK) has a fully-funded (for UK/EU nationals) 3-year PhD position beginning October, 2017 funded by the ERC starting grant: MotMotLearn. Motor learning (the ability of the brain to learn and update how an action is executed) is a fundamental process which influences many aspects of our lives such as learning to walk during childhood; the day-to-day behavioural adjustments required as an adult or in healthy ageing; and the rehabilitation process following an illness or injury. Despite the impact to society, it has proved extremely difficult to develop interventions that significantly enhance human motor learning. Therefore, devising protocols which optimise motor learning is a state-of-the-art research question that promises to deliver scientific, clinical and societal impact. Seeking reward and avoiding punishment are powerful factors in motivating humans to alter behaviour during cognition-based learning (selecting which action to perform), with sensitivity to reward and punishment being biased by the availability of dopamine in the brain. Intriguingly, reward and punishment are also known to affect generic motor learning (deciding how an action is executed) tasks which involve multiple underlying mechanisms. However to establish their potential for optimizing motor learning, we must understand how explicit reward- and punishment-based motivational feedback impact motor learning systems with unique computational and anatomical features. Using a combination of behavioural analysis, computational modelling, genetics and brain imaging, this PhD project will contribute to the first systems-based account of how reward, punishment and dopamine influence motor learning. Specifically, the successful candidate will investigate how motor memories are consolidated across multiple days and the influence reward has on this process. It will further examine whether memory retention can be enhanced through reward-based implicit cues and if this process can be captured with EEG. Dr Galea is seeking an intelligent and enthusiastic student with experience either in motor control/learning, computational neuroscience and/or EEG. The ideal candidate will have experience with programming in matlab, collecting data (from participants) on behavioural tasks and some understanding of statistics. A masters and/or research assistant experience would be ideal but not compulsory. Psychology at the University of Birmingham www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/psychology/research/index.aspx<http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/psychology/research/index.aspx> If interested please email your CV to: j.galea(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:j.galea@bham.ac.uk>

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Connectomics
by Francesca Martini/NSAS 16 Jan '17

16 Jan '17

I would like to post in the mailing list about the following Workshop: Advanced Course: Connectomics. April 22-26, 2017. Neuroscience School of Advanced Studies Siena, Italy. Coordinator: Sean Hill (Switzerland) This Advanced Course will focus on multi-scale aspects of the connectome and will cover the cellular basis of connectivity; large-scale data gathering and data analysis of whole brain connectivity across scales; data integration of multimodal connectome data; data-driven computational modeling and simulation at different scales of brain circuitry; the development of the connectome and its link to behavior and neurological disorders; predicting whole brain dynamics from the connectome; the relationship between the connectome and the diversity of brain states and experiences. Further information: <http://www.nsas.it/courses-workshops/advanced-courses/connectomics/> http://www.nsas.it/courses-workshops/advanced-courses/connectomics/ Kind regards, Francesca The Course Secretariat Neuroscience School of Advanced Studies Certosa di Pontignano Via di Pontignano 5, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Siena. Italy Tel. +39.0577.146.0003

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2 postdoc positions open in Champalimaud, Lisbon
by Cristina Chavarrías 13 Jan '17

13 Jan '17

*Call for Post-Doctoral Fellows in the Neuroplasticity & Neural Activity MRI-Lab * Two fully-funded post-doc positions are available immediately in the Neuroplasticity & Neural Activity MRI-Lab <http://neuro.fchampalimaud.org/en/research/investigators/research-groups/gr…> at the Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme (CNP), Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal. We are looking for top-tier, highly-motivated Post-Doctoral Fellows who have a strong interest in understanding how underlying neural activity is related with fMRI signals. The focus is on performing high-end BOLD and nonBOLD fMRI with simultaneous calcium recordings and/or electrophysiology in rodents, using optogenetics for pretargeting specific populations of neurons. In particular, we aim to hire one person with extensive experience in* in vivo* calcium recordings / imaging and/or electrophysiology and one person with extensive experience in fMRI analyses. An excellent, well-documented track-record is imperative. To apply, please send the following items to noam.shemesh(a)neuro.fchampalimaud.org: 1. Cover Letter stating your interests 2. A full CV, including list of publications 3. Names and email addresses of at least 3 references. Successful applicants will receive full funding and a private/national health insurance. Call deadline: *Feb 28th 2017*. ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------- The Shemesh Lab in Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme (CNP) <http://neuro.fchampalimaud.org/en/research/investigators/research-groups/gr…> investigates neural activity, neuroplasticity, and how they elicit behavioral changes *in vivo*. These questions are interrogated in the context of normal processes (development, learning…), as well as in neuropsychiatric and neurodegeneration animal models of disease. Our approach involves a plethora of advanced methods, mainly revolving around state-of-the-art preclinical MRI/MRS, augmented by simultaneous ancillary techniques (optogenetics, calcium recordings, advanced behavioral testing). One of the main goals in the Lab is to develop nonBOLD fMRI methods, which will report on neural activity much more directly compared to conventional fMRI. This ERC-funded Lab benefits from a cutting-edge, ultrahigh field 16.4T scanner, as well as a 9.4T scanner equipped with two 4-element array cryoprobes (for mice and rats, respectively), another 1T scanner for basic scanning and testing in more biomedical settings, and lasers for optogenetics / calcium recordings; the Lab also has a fully equipped surgery room, space for performing extensive behavioural studies and access to one of Europe’s largest vivaria and ancillary platforms for histology, microscopy, transgenics and viruses, among others. CNP is situated within the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown <http://www.fchampalimaud.org/en/>, a private, non-profit foundation residing on Lisbon’s waterfront, right where the River Tejo meets the Atlantic Ocean. CCU provides a stunning and productive working environment, harboring a Neuroscience department for basic research, and a clinical centre for treating cancer patients with pioneering methods. This unique blend of basic research and clinical practice under the same roof, which actively encourages collaborations and exchange of ideas, results in a highly interdisciplinary and stimulating atmosphere. Post-Doctoral salaries are very competitive vis-à-vis Lisbon costs of living, and post-docs further benefit from health insurance.

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Towards solving the Hard Problem of Consciousness
by Stephen Grossberg 12 Jan '17

12 Jan '17

Dear Colleagues, I am writing to call your attention to my article about the Hard Problem of Consciousness. The results have enabled me to explain lots of psychological and neurobiological data about normal subjects and clinical patients for which I can find no other explanations, let alone explanations as part of an emerging unified theory. The article is published Open Access so anyone can read it. Grossberg, S. (2017). Towards solving the Hard Problem of Consciousness: The varieties of brain resonances and the conscious experiences that they support Neural Networks 87, 38–95 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0893608016301800 <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0893608016301800> Best, Steve Stephen Grossberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Grossberg <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Grossberg> http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3BIV70wAAAAJ&hl=en <http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3BIV70wAAAAJ&hl=en>https://youtu.be/9n5AnvFur7I <https://youtu.be/9n5AnvFur7I> Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, Psychological & Brain Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering Director, Center for Adaptive Systems http://cns.bu.edu/~steve <http://cns.bu.edu/~steve> steve(a)bu.edu <mailto:steve@bu.edu>

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Fancy a change in 2017? Faculty posts in the UK...
by John Spencer (PSY) 12 Jan '17

12 Jan '17

Greetings Colleagues, The School of Psychology at the University of East Anglia (https://www.uea.ac.uk/psychology) has 5 faculty positions available at the Lecturer (Assistant Prof) / Senior Lecturer/Reader (Associate Prof) / and Professor levels. This is part of a major expansion of the School; as such, we welcome interest from research teams who might offer concentrated strength in a single area. The School of Psychology is the newest school at UEA, and the first new School of Psychology to be formed in a research-intensive university in the UK for many years. These posts signal UEA's commitment to investment in world-class research, forming part of an ambitious expansion plan to create a world-leading faculty bridging disciplines to yield deep understanding of the processes that underlie and organise human behaviour. We are currently building a strength in the area of systems neuroscience, including a variety of imaging approaches as well as computational neuroscience. UEA has fantastic research facilities (fNIRS, fMRI, TMS, EEG, eye-tracking, virtual reality), a lovely campus, and it is situated in Norwich, UK - a wonderful place to live, with a castle, cathedrals, restaurants, and pubs. If you have any questions about the posts, do let me know. Details can be found at: https://www.uea.ac.uk/hr/vacancies/academic/-/asset_publisher/h0n2rDvu3ug8/… Cheers, John Spencer John P. Spencer, PhD Professor School of Psychology, Room 0.09 Lawrence Stenhouse Building, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ United Kingdom Email: j.spencer(a)uea.ac.uk<mailto:j.spencer@uea.ac.uk> School website: http://www.uea.ac.uk/psy Telephone 01603 593968 [cid:image001.png@01D09851.EF67E200] UK Top 15 (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017) UK Top 5 for Student Satisfaction (National Student Survey, 2005-2016) World Top 1% (Times Higher Education World Rankings 2016-17) World Top 100 for Research Excellence (Leiden Ranking 2016)

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Open postdoctoral position in fMRI data analysis at the California Institute of Technology
by Ueli Rutishauser 12 Jan '17

12 Jan '17

*Post-doctoral position for fMRI data analysis at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech)* We invite applicants with strong expertise in machine learning and functional connectivity analysis of resting-state fMRI data to apply for a post-doctoral position in Caltech’s NIH Conte Center for the Neurobiology of Social Decision-Making (conte.caltech.edu) The research will be in a highly collaborative environment and include exploration of multimodal data encompassing rs-fMRI, structural MRI, psychological assessments, eyetracking data, as well as lesion data and intracranial electrophysiology, with the overall aim to investigate the neural underpinnings of individual differences. Candidates should have a recent PhD in systems, cognitive, or computational neuroscience with a track-record of first-author publications. Strong programming skills (using Matlab or Python), data handling skills, statistical literacy and fMRI software expertise (Freesurfer, AFNI/FSL/SPM, Connectome Workbench) are essential. Caltech is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants should submit a CV, including a list of publications, a brief description of research interests and analysis skills, and a list of three references to Ralph Adolphs, radolphs(a)caltech.edu.

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3 neuroinformatics positions in the Vogels Group at Oxford University
by timvogels＠gmail.com 12 Jan '17

12 Jan '17

Dear all, We are opening three positions (2 postdocs and a technician) in my lab to continue the work on icg.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk <http://icg.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk/>. Our first paper is still in revision, but its pretty close to out now, so if we’re lucky, at some point it will make it out into the world. You can find a preprint at http://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/06/16/058685 <http://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/06/16/058685>. If you are interested (or you know someone who would be interested) in any of the open positions, please find the first two ads with information on how to apply here: bit.ly/2i8zKQU <http://bit.ly/2i8zKQU> and here: bit.ly/2jkz4cn <http://bit.ly/2jkz4cn> Deadline is the 10th of February 2017 but we will keep looking until we find suitable applicants. The starting date is negotiable. We are looking for people who can code up a storm, love neurobiology and neuroinformatics and work well in a team environment. Successful candidates will work with the other members of the @icgenalogy project within the Vogels lab, http://www.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk/~timv <http://www.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk/~timv> at the cncb.ox.ac.uk <http://cncb.ox.ac.uk/> at the University of Oxford. We will collaborate with https://senselab.med.yale.edu/ModelDB/ <https://senselab.med.yale.edu/ModelDB/> and hope to integrate also with http://www.opensourcebrain.org/ <http://www.opensourcebrain.org/>, http://www.treestoolbox.org/index.html <http://www.treestoolbox.org/index.html>, and any other open source brain simulation databases that wants to coordinate their efforts. Below, please find additional information for the posts, but do feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions. Applications from women and minority groups are encouraged. All the best, Tim Vogels ------------------ Prof Tim Vogels Sir Henry Dale Research Fellow, Associate Professor Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour and Oriel College Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics University of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford, OX1 3SR http://cncb.ox.ac.uk <http://cncb.ox.ac.uk/> http://www.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk/~timv <http://www.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk/~timv> Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Computational Neuroscience Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford Grade 7.1 £31,076 p.a. We are seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to support and expand ongoing neuroinformatics research (https://icg.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk) undertaken in the Vogels Group at the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour. The candidate will contribute to the development of approaches for the quantitative analysis, comparison and categorisation of published neuroscientific models and experimental data, aiding in field-wide standardization of experimentally-constrained modelling. The researcher will be expected to carry out simulations of morphologically detailed neuron models and neuronal networks in the NEURON simulation environment, and should be familiar with, and able to implement, standard models of ion channel function. Additionally, he/she will develop neuroinformatics infrastructure for the storage, classification and visualisation of experimental and simulated data. The successful candidate will also perform general laboratory duties to include keeping accurate records of work carried out, maintaining adequate levels of general laboratory consumables, to take part in and make regular reports at laboratory meetings and to share responsibility for general data management of the lab. The candidate will also be expected to guide and support the progress of the Graduate students in the lab. Some ad hoc teaching may also be required. The successful candidate must have a demonstrable academic interest in both computer science and the neurosciences with a PhD in neuroscience, computer science or a related discipline. They will have experience with object oriented programming, be familiar with Git and team-based software development and have laboratory experience in computational neuroscience, neuroinformatics and computer science. They should have good written and oral communication skills and be able to work as part of team and to collaborate with other colleagues on a wide range of projects. The successful candidate will be based at the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA. This is a full-time, fixed-term post until March 2020 funded by the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council). The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 10 February 2017. Lab Technician Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford Grade 5: £24,565 p.a. We are seeking to appoint a Research Technician to support and expand ongoing neuroinformatics research (https://icg.neurotheory.ox.ac.uk) undertaken in the Vogels Group at the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour. The candidate will contribute to the development of approaches for the quantitative analysis, comparison and categorisation of published neuroscientific models and experimental data, aiding in field-wide standardisation of experimentally-constrained modelling. The technician will be responsible for the curation and maintenance of a large database of published neuroscientific models and simulation data. For the expansion of the database, he/she will be expected to extract and annotate data from publications, as well as manipulate code for neuroscientific models to comply to standardized specifications. This includes the conversion of existing code between common neuronal simulator frameworks (e.g. Neuron, Moose, and Genesis). The research technician will preferably have extensive experience in neuroscience and/or computer science, or a related discipline such as maths, physics or biophysics. The post has high potential for training in neuroscience and would be an excellent starting point for a career in computational neuroscience or neuroinformatics. The candidate will be expected to work in close collaboration with all team members. The successful candidate will also perform general laboratory duties to include keeping accurate records of work carried out, maintaining adequate levels of general laboratory consumables, to take part in and make regular reports at laboratory meetings and to share responsibility for general data management of the lab. This post is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for a fixed-term of 3 years. The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 10th February 2017.

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TMBMC - Shannon Centennial Special Issue Part 1
by Dimitrov, Alex 11 Jan '17

11 Jan '17

Please, take a look at the TMBMC issue that we edited. A second volume is coming up soon… View this email in your browser<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__us12.campaign-2Darchive…> [https://gallery.mailchimp.com/660c2fc8403470cea02de0f18/images/6690283a-215…]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications is proud to announce that our Special Issue on Biological Applications of Information Theory in Honor of Claude Shannon’s Centennial—Part 1 is now live on IEEE Xplore<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…>. Within the issue, you'll find the following 8 papers: * Mechanisms of information filtering in neural systems (Invited Paper; Linder) * Noise Filtering and Prediction in Biological Signaling Networks (Invited Paper; Hathcock, Sheehy, Weisenberger, Ilker, and Hinczewski) * The Use of Rate Distortion Theory to Evaluate Biological Signaling Pathways (Invited Paper; Iglesias) * Nonlinear Stochastic Dynamics of Complex Systems, III: Noneqilibrium Thermodynamics of Self-Replication Kinetics (Saakian and Qian) * Inferring Biological Networks by Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics (Mangan, Brunton, Proctor and Kutz) * Info-Clustering: A Mathematical Theory for Data Clustering (Chan, Al-Bashabsheh, Kaced, Zhou and Liu) * Fundamental Bounds for Sequence Reconstruction from Nanopore Sequencers (Magner, Duda, Szpankowski and Grama) * Inference of Causal Information Flow in Collective Animal Behavior (Lord, Sun, Ouellette and Bollt) Special Issue Guest Editors Prof. Alexander G. Dimitrov Department of Mathematics and Statistics Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA Prof. Faramarz Fekri Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Prof. Aurel Lazar Department of Electrical Engineering Columbia University, New York, New York, USA Prof. Stefan M. Moser Signal and Information Processing Lab (ISI) ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), Hsinchu, Taiwan Prof. Peter J. Thomas* Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department of Biology Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA *corresponding guest editor The Special Issue on Biological Applications of Information Theory in Honor of Claude Shannon’s Centennial—Part 2 is forthcoming. Sincerely, Christina Tang-Bernas Editorial Assistant IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications Copyright © 2017 IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have attended a TMBMC-related event, are affiliated with TMBMC and/or their editors, published in TMBMC, or opted in at the TMBMC website. Our mailing address is: IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications 3737 Watt Way PHE 506 Los Angeles, CA 90089 Add us to your address book<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> or unsubscribe from this list<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> This email was sent to alex.dimitrov(a)vancouver.wsu.edu<mailto:alex.dimitrov@vancouver.wsu.edu> why did I get this?<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> unsubscribe from this list<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> update subscription preferences<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mbmc.us12.list-2Dmanage…> IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications · 3737 Watt Way · PHE 506 · Los Angeles, CA 90089 · USA [mail Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.mailchimp.com_monke…>

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PhD position Warwick University - neuroimaging genetics for economic and strategic choice
by Massaro, Sebastiano 11 Jan '17

11 Jan '17

[Apologies for cross-postings. Please feel free to circulate the post to your network. Thanks] PhD Position at Warwick University Neuroimaging genetics for economic and strategic choice [Competitive funding for UK/EU candidates only] Applications are invited for a full-time PhD position at Warwick University on "neuroimaging genetics for economic and strategic choice" commencing in October 2017. The project will be developed under the supervision of Prof. Feng (Warwick and Fudan) and Dr. Massaro (Warwick), at the Department of Computer Science and Warwick Business School, respectively. This project is part of an ongoing research endeavour developed with Prof. Rustichini at the University of Minnesota, Economics, and may involve other Departments and scholars at Warwick. The candidate will be based at Warwick University; due to the nature of project may be required to occasionally travel to Minneapolis and/or Shanghai. The project This PhD project undertakes a multidisciplinary approach to advance the current understanding of the biological basis of human economic and strategic decision making. The overarching question of this PhD project is: How do genes, brain activity, and behaviour relate to one another to explain the underpinnings of economic and strategic choice? Behavioral, physiological, structural and functional brain imaging, as well as genetic data will be analyzed in an integrated way to identify the biological origins and pathways expressed in brain activity and associated to specific economic and strategic tasks. Depending on their background, the candidate will join this project by contributing to the development of the genetic (GWAS), statistical (classic and Bayesian), neuroimaging (fMRI), and/or computational aspects of the project. Candidate specification We seek to recruit a highly motivated student with very strong numeracy and/or experimental skills. The ideal candidate will have a first class (or equivalent) BSc or preferably MSc degree (awarded/expected) from a reputed University in a discipline relevant to the project (i.e., mathematics, physics, computer science, cognitive sciences, genetics, neuroscience, bioinformatics, economics). Interest in the study of strategic decision-making and neuroeconomics, and former experience with genetic analyses, fMRI data analysis, and/or computational neuroscience methods are desirable. Proficiency in oral and written English is required according to the University Regulations (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/english/<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=70842&type=184&DID=22…>). How to apply Candidates interested in this project shall initially contact Dr. Massaro via email (sebastiano.massaro(a)wbs.ac.uk) including a copy of their CVs (with the name of 2 referees), and specifying if self-funded or seeking a scholarship, by the 7th of February 2017. Following this, shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an informal interview. Pending a positive outcome, if seeking funding, the candidate will then be endorsed for application to the highly-competitive Bridges Programme (see below). This does not guarantee funding/placement in the Bridges Programme. Funding Shortlisted candidates seeking funding will be endorsed for application to the Bridges Programme at the University of Warwick. The Bridges Programme aims to provide PhD students with deep knowledge of contemporary research questions in the social sciences, and rigorous training in the mathematical and computational approaches needed to answer them. The Trust has a particular interest in supporting UK or EU students. More information can be found here (View Website<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=70842&type=184&DID=22…>) Other UK/EU scholarships may be available at the University of Warwick for 2017/18 intake (View Website<https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=70842&type=184&DID=22…>). Applications from self-funded candidates are also welcome.

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[EAIS 2017] Paper Submission deadline is on Sunday, 15th January 2017 2359 UTC-12hr
by Teng Teck Hou 11 Jan '17

11 Jan '17

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## CALL FOR PAPERS IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2017) May 31- June 2, 2017, Ljubljana, Slovenia http://msc.fe.uni-lj.si/eais2017/ ################################################## The 2017 IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2017) will be held in Ljubljana (Slovenia), a beautiful medieval town. Ljubljana lies halfway between Vienna and Venice, at the crossroads of different cultures, geographical regions, and historical developments. Compared to other capitals, Ljubljana is very small, very green, and very walking-friendly town, which makes it a great place to explore on foot. It is in the center of Slovenia and enables exploring some of the most popular tourist sights of Slovenia in one day. Visit enchanting Bled, with its medieval castle perched upon the lake, explore mysterious Predjama castle and end the trip by visiting Postojna cave, Slovenia's number 1 attraction. EAIS 2017 will provide a working and friendly atmosphere and will be a leading international forum focusing on the discussion of recent advances, the exchange of recent innovations and the outline of open important future challenges in the area of Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems. Over the past decade, this area has emerged to play an important role on a broad international level in today's real-world applications, especially those ones with high complexity and dynamics change. Its embedded modelling and learning methodologies are able to cope with real-time demands, changing operation conditions, varying environmental influences, human behaviors, knowledge expansion scenarios and drifts in online data streams. EAIS 2017 is organized by the IEEE Technical Committee on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems, SMC Society. The conference series has a history starting in 2006 in Lake District (England). It was held after that in Witten-Bommerholz (Germany), Nashville (USA), Leicester (England), Paris (France), Madrid (Spain), Singapore, Linz (Austria), Douai (France), and Natal (Brasil). Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit extended versions for possible inclusion in a special issue of the Journal Evolving Systems (Springer). ##############################Important Dates############################## * Paper Submission January 15, 2017 * Paper Decision Notification February 24, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission March 24, 2017 * Authors registration March 24, 2017 * Conference May 31 - June 2, 2017 ########################################################################### ##########################Keynote Speakers########################## * Plamen Angelov, Professor, Lancaster University, United Kingdom * Fernando Gomide, Professor, University of Campinas, Brazil * Nikola Kasabov, Professor of Computer Sience, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand #################################################################### ##########################Accepted Special Sessions########################## 1. Computational Intelligence in Control of Power Generating Systems, Transmission and Load Management, Session proposer: Horst Schulte, HTW Berlin Email: Horst.Schulte(a)HTW-Berlin.de ############################################################################ # ############Paper Submission and Publication############ * Papers for EAIS 2017 should be submitted electronically through the Conference website at http://msc.fe.uni-lj.si/eais2017. * Submitted papers will be refereed by experts in the fields and ranked based on the criteria of originality, significance, quality and clarity. ######################################################## ######################################################## IEEE Autonomous Learning Machines Competition ALMA Competition is organized by IEEE SMC Society. The goal of this competition is to increase the level of autonomy of the learning algorithms. Competition Tracks: 1. New data sets and streams that are suitable demonstrators for the topic of the competition. 2. New methods and algorithms for Autonomous Machine Learning in: . Clustering . Classification . Control . Prediction Awards: Track 1 - $1000 Track 2 - $1000 in each category ($4000). Important Dates: 31 January, 2017. Deadline for submitting the algorithms in open source GNU license format. The proposed methods and algorithms must be described in form of papers and submitted to the ALS Competition track of EAIS 2017 and presented at the conference (which will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia). May 31- June 2, 2017. Results will be announced during the conference EAIS 2017. ######################################################## ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: * Basic Methologies Evolving Soft Computing Techniques Evolving Fuzzy Systems Evolving Rule-Based Classifiers Evolving Neuro-Fuzzy Systems Adaptive Evolving Neural Networks Adaptive Evolving Fuzzy Systems Online Genetic and Evolutionary Algorithms Data Stream Mining Incremental and Evolving Clustering Approaches Adaptive Control Adaptive Pattern Recognition Computational Intelligence in Control and Estimation Incremental and Evolving ML Classifiers Adaptive Statistical Techniques Evolving Decision Systems Big Data Advanced Concepts * Problems and Methodologies in Data Streams Stability, Robustness, Convergence in Evolving Systems Online Feature Selection and Dimension Reduction Online Active and Semi-supervised Learning Online Complexity Reduction Computational Aspects Interpretability Issues Incremental Adaptive Ensemble Methods Online Bagging and Boosting Self-monitoring Evolving Systems Human-Machine Interaction Issues Hybrid Modeling Transfer Learning Reservoir Computing Real-world Applications * EIS for On-Line Modeling, System Identification, and Control EIS for Time Series Prediction EIS for Data Stream Mining and Adaptive Knowledge Discovery EIS in Robotics, Intelligent Transport and Advanced Manufacturing EIS in Advanced Communications and Multi-Media Applications EIS in Bioinformatics and Medicine EIS in Online Quality Control and Fault Diagnosis EIS in Condition Monitoring Systems EIS in Adaptive Evolving Controller Design EIS in User Activities Recognition EIS in Huge Database and Web Mining EIS in Visual Inspection and Image Classification EIS in Image Processing EIS in Cloud Computing EIS in Multiple Sensor Networks EIS in Query Systems and Social Networks EIS in Alternative Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## * Honorary Chairs Plamen Angelov, UK Dimitar Filev, USA Nikola Kasabov, New Zealand * Conference Chair Igor Škrjanc, chair, Slovenia Sašo Blažic, co-chair, Slovenia * Publication Chairs Edwin Lughofer, Austria Sašo Blažic, Slovenia * Local Arrangement Chairs Dejan Dovžan, Slovenia Milan Simcic, Slovenia * Web & Publicity Chair José A. Iglesias, Spain Teck-Hou Teng, Singapore * Special Session Chair: Radu-Emil Precup, Romania * Program Committee Chair: Igor Škrjanc, Slovenia * International Program Committe Cesare Alippi, Italy Plamen Angelov, UK Rosangela Ballini, Brazil Rashmi Dutta Baruah, India Abdelhamid Bouchachia, UK Jorge Cassillas, Spain Bruno Costa, Brazil Dejan Dovžan, Slovenia Alain Droniou, France Dimitar Filev, USA Nadine Gaertner, Germany Joao Gama, Portugal Fernando Gomide, Brazil Jose Antonio Iglesias Martínez, Spain Lazaros Iliadis, Greece Nik Kasabov, New Zealand Juš Kocijan, Slovenia Ana Kosareva, Germany Rudolf Kruse, Germany Agapito Ledezma, Spain Daniel Furtado Leite, Brazil Andre Lemos, Brazil Chin Teng Lin, Taiwan Edwin Lughofer, Austria Yannis Manolopoulos, Greece Trevor Martin, UK Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh, France Veronika Nesheva, UK Seiichi Ozawa, Japan Witold Pedrycz, Canada Radu-Emil Precup, Romania Jose de Jesus Rubio, Mexico Araceli Sanchis de Miguel, Spain Horst Schulte, Germany Olga Senyukova, Russia Teck Hou Teng, Singapore Marley Vellasco, Brazil Di Wang, UAE Wilson Wang, Canada Ronald Yager, USA ####################################################################### #########################Sponsoring Organizations######################### * IEEE * Laboratory of Modeling, Simulation and Control, University of Ljubljana * Laboratory of Autonomous Mobile Systems, University of Ljubljana ##########################################################################

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PhD position available at ETH Zürich
by Felix Franke 10 Jan '17

10 Jan '17

We are looking for a talented student with a proactive and self-driven nature who will map functional characteristics of retinal ganglion cells across the entire retina. The successful candidate will perform experiments with ex-vivo retinae and state-of-the-art microelectrode array technology in an interdisciplinary research project and will collaborate with scientists in electrical engineering, neurobiology, computational neuroscience and ophthalmic research. The PhD project is set in an interdisciplinary research group providing an exciting scientific environment and linked with several ongoing projects. It will pave the way to a better functional understanding of the organization of retina, including the optics of the eye and the statistics of natural stimuli. In particular, we want to understand if functional properties of retinal ganglion cells follow a spatial organization across the entire retina. The ideal candidate will have strong programming skills (e.g., Matlab, Python, C++), knowledge of statistics and data analysis methods, and a background in Systems Neuroscience, Electrophysiology, Computational Neuroscience, Signal Processing, Optics or related fields. Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Felix Franke (felix.franke(a)ethz.ch) The position is with the Bio Engineering Laboratory of ETH Zurich in Basel in the group of Prof. Andreas Hierlemann (https://www.bsse.ethz.ch/bel) and begins in March 2017 although the starting date is flexible. The position is fully funded for 4 years. Please apply under https://apply.refline.ch/845721/5083/pub/1/index.html including a CV, short statement of motivation and research interests, and two letters of reference. -- Felix Franke, PhD ETH Zürich, D-BSSE Bio Engineering Laboratory (BEL) http://www.bsse.ethz.ch/bel

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Save the Date: 3rd Int. Workshop on Machine learning, Optimization & big Data - MOD 2017 Call for Papers - Paper submission deadline: February 28, 2017
by Giuseppe Nicosia 09 Jan '17

09 Jan '17

[Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this announcement] [Please kindly help forward it to potentially interested attendees] 3rd International Workshop on Machine learning, Optimization and big Data - MOD 2017 An Interdisciplinary Workshop: Machine Learning, Optimization and Data Science without Borders - SIAF Learning Village - Volterra (Pisa) Tuscany, September 14-17, 2017 http://www.taosciences.it/mod/ modworkshop2017(a)gmail.com ************************* CALL FOR PAPERS ************************* Paper submission deadline: February 28, 2017 http://www.taosciences.it/mod/call-for-papers/ https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=mod2017 The MOD 2017 workshop will consist of four days of workshop sessions and special sessions. We invite submissions of papers, abstracts and posters on all topics related to Machine learning, Optimization and Big Data including real-world applications for the workshop proceedings: http://www.taosciences.it/mod/call-for-papers/ https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=mod2017 Please prepare your paper in English using the Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) template, which is available http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-6-793341-0 Papers must be submitted in PDF. MOD 2017 Types of Submissions When submitting a paper to MOD 2017, authors are required to select one of the following four types of papers: + Long paper: original novel and unpublished work (max. 12 pages in Springer LNCS format); + Short paper: an extended abstract of novel work (max. 4 pages); + Work for oral presentation only (no page restriction; any format). For example, work already published elsewhere, which is relevant and which may solicit fruitful discussion at the workshop; + Work for poster presentation only. The poster format for the presentation is A0 (118.9 cm high and 84.1 cm wide, respectively 46.8 x 33.1 inch). For research work which is relevant and which may solicit fruitful discussion at the workshop. MOD 2017 Post-Proceedings All accepted long papers will be published in a volume of the series 'Lecture Notes in Computer Science' from Springer *after* the Workshop. Instructions for preparing and submitting the final versions (camera-ready papers) of all accepted papers will be available later on. All the other papers (short papers, abstract of the oral presentations, poster presentations) will be published on the MOD 2017 web site. MOD 2017 Submission System All papers must be submitted using EasyChair: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=mod2017 The deadline is February 28, 2017 MOD 2017 Important Dates + Paper Submission Deadline: February 28, 2017 + Decision Notification to Authors: May 1st, 2017 + Camera Ready Submission Deadline: June 1st, 2017 + Deadline for early Registration as Presenting Author: June 1st, 2017 + Late registration: June 2 – September 17, 2017 + On-Site registration: September 14-17, 2017 + MOD 2017 Workshop: September 14-17, 2017 We look forward to seeing you in Tuscany! Giuseppe Nicosia & Panos Pardalos - MOD 2017 Chairs. — http://www.taosciences.it/mod/ modworkshop2017(a)gmail.com MOD 2016 Keynote Speakers: Nello Cristianini, University of Bristol, UK George Michailidis, University of Florida, USA Stephen Muggleton, Imperial College London, UK Panos Pardalos, University of Florida, USA http://www.taosciences.it/mod-2016/keynote-speakers/ MOD 2015 Keynote Speakers: Vipin Kumar, University of Minnesota, USA Panos Pardalos, University of Florida, USA Tomaso Poggio, MIT, USA http://www.taosciences.it/mod-2015/MOD 2015 -- Giuseppe Nicosia, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Computer Science Dept of Mathematics & Computer Science University of Catania Viale A. Doria, 6 - 95125 Catania, Italy P +39 095 7383048 nicosia(a)dmi.unict.it http://www.dmi.unict.it/nicosia ================================================================== 4th International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School - SSBSS 2017 * Biology meets Computer Science & Engineering * July 17-21, 2017 - University of Cambridge, Robinson College, UK http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/ Contact Email: ssbss.school(a)gmail.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/ssbss.school/ SSBSS - Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/238417586492061/ Computational Synthetic Biology Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1014624245288596/ ================================================================== 3rd International Workshop on Machine learning, Optimization & big Data - MOD 2017 September 14-17, 2017 - Volterra (Pisa), Tuscany, Italy modworkshop2017(a)gmail.com http://www.taosciences.it/mod/ ==================================================================

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Master position in computational neuroscience at INRIA
by Bruno Cessac 09 Jan '17

09 Jan '17

Master position in computational neuroscience at INRIA We are seeking an undergraduate student interested in doing a Master thesis, possibly followed by a funded Ph.D. in our group Biovision at INRIA Sophia Antipolis <http://www.inria.fr/en/centre/sophia> lead by Dr. Bruno Cessac. The detailed proposition can be found here https://team.inria.fr/biovision/files/2016/12/M2_Intership_Proposal.pdf In collaboration with experimentalists our group studies how the visual system encodes information about external word. We propose biophysical models, we develop methods coming from theoretical physics and mathematics to analyse them, and we design software inspired from the visual system to mimic its behaviour and to analyse experimental data. Successful applicants should have a strong background in computer science. Physics, mathematics or life science majors with strong skills in computer science (especially C/C++), interested in quantitative modeling work are also encouraged to apply, particularly if they would like to combine experiments and theory in their Master or Ph.D. thesis work. In order to make teamwork in our group enjoyable and fun, the ideal candidate should have a strong work ethic and have demonstrated consistent self-motivation skills. Unfortunately our source of fundings only covers members of the European Community. Prospective students should apply by sending an email to which includes * a letter of motivation, * CV, * and a copy of the current academic transcripts to be sent to bruno.cessac(a)inria.fr Looking forward to your applications! Bruno Cessac

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several full-time job openings at HRL Laboratories in Malibu, CA
by Pilly, Praveen K 08 Jan '17

08 Jan '17

(1) POST DOC RESEARCH STAFF, Machine Learning and Brain-Inspired Computing (2) RESEARCH STAFF, Machine Learning and Brain-Inspired Computing EDUCATION DESIRED: Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, Neuroscience, Machine Learning, or related fields. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION: To develop, implement, and evaluate novel large-scale brain-inspired computational architectures, including spiking neuromorphic models, to solve complex problems such as resilient sensorimotor control; one-shot learning; visual scene segmentation, recognition, and tracking; spatiotemporal pattern discovery; big data prognostics and diagnostics; grammar learning; etc. Additional job functions include writing invention disclosures, publishing papers, making presentations, and assisting in marketing HRL expertise. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE DESIRED: Programming proficiency in C++, Python, or Matlab is required. Knowledge and/or research experience in the development, implementation, and evaluation of various neural networks including spiking neuromorphic models, deep learning models, hierarchical temporal memory models, recurrent neural networks, long short-term memory models, deep reinforcement models. Knowledge of expectation maximization theory, Bayesian inference on graphical models, reinforcement learning theory, control systems, nonlinear optimization, and episodic, semantic, and procedural memory systems is preferred. Any experience with high-performance computing using clusters, GPUs, or FPGAs will be a plus. ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: Good communication (verbal and written) skills, and active participation in R&D team activities are required. Able and willing to occasionally travel. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: U.S. person status required. (3) POST DOC RESEARCH STAFF, Machine Learning and EEG Processing EDUCATION DESIRED: Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, Neuroscience, Machine Learning, Bio-Statistics, or related fields ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION: To develop, implement, and validate real-time pattern recognition algorithms for decoding high-density EEG signals to predict future behavioral performance and inform non-invasive brain stimulation for behavioral enhancement in realistic tasks. Additional job functions include writing invention disclosures, publishing papers, making presentations, and assisting in marketing HRL expertise. EXPERIENCE DESIRED: Research experience in one or more of the following areas: high-density EEG decoding, pattern recognition applied to brain/body signals, machine learning with very limited training data, brain-machine interfaces, neural statistical modeling, closed-loop brain stimulation, and computational neuroscience. Deep understanding of machine learning algorithms applied to EEG is highly desirable. Experience developing innovative solutions based upon the application of relevant research results from a wide variety of sources. Individuals with a keen interest in translating basic neuroscience research into real-world applications are especially encouraged to apply. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE DESIRED: Background in one or more of the following areas: machine learning, pattern recognition, statistical data analysis, neural statistical modeling, neurophysiology, peripheral physiology, neuroscience, and sleep/wake states. Programming proficiency in Matlab and/or C++ is required. ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: Good communication (verbal and written) skills and active participation in R&D team activities are required. Able and willing to occasionally travel. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: U.S. person status required. We are proud to be an EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability employer. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. (4) SOFTWARE ENGINEER, Cluster Implementation for Large-Scale Brain Networks EDUCATION DESIRED: Master's degree (or higher) in computer science, engineering, or related fields ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION: To implement and evaluate flexible, general-purpose large-scale brain networks on CPU and GPU clusters for real-time operation in real-world applications. Also to visualize large-scale network activity and develop a user interface to set various parameters. Additional job functions include writing invention disclosures, publishing papers, making presentations, and assisting in marketing HRL expertise. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE DESIRED: Strong C++ and Python programming skills are required. Experience with/knowledge of brain networks and neural models is highly desired. Experience with threaded programming and MPI, and familiarity with Linux development environment is desired but not necessary. ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: Good communication (verbal and written) skills, and active participation in R&D team activities are required. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: U.S. person status required. We are proud to be an EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability employer. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. The Information and Systems Sciences Laboratory (ISSL) at HRL Laboratories conducts groundbreaking research in three thrust areas: Complex Networks, Secure and Resilient Systems, Autonomy Computing, and Human-Machine Cognition. We create new and innovative capabilities for diverse applications such as cyber-security, unmanned autonomous systems, human performance augmentation, big data analytics, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. The goal of our research in Human-Machine Cognition is to understand how humans process information and effectively interact with the environment to develop smarter autonomous systems, enhance human performance, and develop novel processing systems. Our research starts with the development of large-scale, neurobiologically and behaviorally faithful brain region models. We apply these models along with real-time measurements of brain activity (EEG, fMRI, fNIRS) to create advanced brain-computer interfaces, human decision aids, and neurostimulation-based enhanced training systems. We also use our models to develop novel brain-inspired sensor exploitation, machine learning, and control algorithms, and to develop low size, weight and power brain-based processing hardware for resilient autonomous systems, dexterous robots, and threat warning applications. HRL offers a competitive salary and benefits package, a small company atmosphere, and an ideal work location overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We also provide a collaborative technical culture committed to producing the leading R&D in the world. If interested, please send your resume via email to Dr. Praveen Pilly (pkpilly(a)hrl.com<mailto:pkpilly@hrl.com>) and put the pertinent Job Name in the subject heading. -- Praveen K. Pilly, Ph.D. Research Staff Scientist Information and Systems Sciences Laboratory HRL Laboratories Address: 3011 Malibu Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265 Tel: (310) 317-5492 Email: pkpilly(a)hrl.com

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Multiple Postdoc positions in systems neuroscience at Columbia University
by Qi Wang 06 Jan '17

06 Jan '17

Apologies for cross posting. Multiple postdoc positions funded by NIH and DARPA projects are available in the Laboratory for Neural Engineering and Control in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University (http://neclab.bme.columbia.edu/) The projects investigate the role of the locus coeruleus (LC) – norepinephrine (NE) system in modulating perception, behavior and learning, and how to accelerate perceptual learning through control of LC activity and peripheral nerve stimulation. We are seeking highly motivated individuals with excellent academic track-record, including first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals. Successful candidates should have, or be in the process of completing, a PhD (or equivalent) in Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, Electrical & Computer Engineering, or a related field. Ideal applicants should have a background on electrophysiology, behavioral training of rodents, and quantitative analytical methods. Experiences in optical imaging is a plus. Applicants should demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. Applicants should submit a CV, including a list of publications, a brief description of research interests, and a list of three references. All application materials as well as any inquiries should be sent to qi.wang(a)columbia.edu. Salary will be commensurate to the candidate qualifications. -- ====================================== Qi Wang, Assistant Professor Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Columbia University ET 351, 500 W 120th Street New York, NY 10027 Email:qi.wang@columbia.edu Associate Editor IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering http://tnsre.embs.org/

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Applications open for Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course 2017
by Erik De Schutter 06 Jan '17

06 Jan '17

OKINAWA/OIST COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE COURSE 2017 Methods, Neurons, Networks and Behaviors June 26 to July 13, 2017 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc The aim of the Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course is to provide opportunities for young researchers with theoretical backgrounds to learn the latest advances in neuroscience, and for those with experimental backgrounds to have hands-on experience in computational modeling. We invite graduate students and postgraduate researchers to participate in the course, held from June 26th through July 13th, 2017 at an oceanfront seminar house of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. Applications are through the course web page (https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc) only; January 3 - February 5, 2017. Applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance in March. Like in preceding years, OCNC will be a comprehensive three-week course covering single neurons, networks, and behaviors with ample time for student projects. The first week will focus exclusively on methods with hands-on tutorials during the afternoons, while the second and third weeks will have lectures by international experts. The course has a strong hands-on component based on student proposed modeling or data analysis projects, which are further refined with the help of a dedicated tutor. Applicants are required to propose their project at the time of application. There is no tuition fee. The sponsor will provide lodging and meals during the course and may support travel for those without funding. We hope that this course will be a good opportunity for theoretical and experimental neuroscientists to meet each other and to explore the attractive nature and culture of Okinawa, the southernmost island prefecture of Japan. Invited faculty: • Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, India) • Erik De Schutter (OIST) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Bard Ermentrout (University of Pittsburgh, USA) • Ila Fiete (University of Texas Austin, USA) • Sonja Grün (Research Centre Jülich, Germany) • Shin Ishii (Kyoto University, Japan) • Jason Kerr (MPI Bonn, Germany) • Bernd Kuhn (OIST) • Subkin Lim (NYU Shanghai, China) • Michele Migliore (Institute of Biophysics, Italy) • David Redish (University of Minnesota, USA) • Reza Shadmehr (Johns Hopkins University, USA) • Greg Stephens (OIST) • Yoko Yazaki-Sugiyama (OIST) • Charles Wilson (University of Texas San Antonio, USA)

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Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuits, Memory and Computation 2017
by Aurel A. Lazar 05 Jan '17

05 Jan '17

Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuits, Memory and Computation 2017 BCMC 2017 March 13-14, 2017 Center for Neural Engineering and Computation Columbia University, New York, NY, USA Overview The goal of the workshop is to bring together researchers interested in developing executable models of neural computation/processing of the brain of model organisms. Of interest are models of computation that consist of elementary units of processing using brain circuits and memory elements. Elementary units of computation/processing include population encoding/decoding circuits with biophysically-grounded neuron models, non-linear dendritic processors for motion detection/direction selectivity, spike processing and pattern recognition neural circuits, movement control and decision-making circuits, etc. Memory units include models of spatio-temporal memory circuits, circuit models for memory access and storage, etc. A major aim of the workshop is to explore the integration of various sensory and control circuits in higher brain centers. A Fruit Fly Brain Hackathon <http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/hackathons/ffbh/2017> is being conducted in conjunction with the workshop. Workshop participants are welcome to attend the hackathon. Organizer and Program Chair Aurel A. Lazar <http://www.ee.columbia.edu/~aurel>, Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University. Program Overview (Confirmed Speakers) Dinu Florin Albeanu <http://albeanulab.labsites.cshl.edu/people/>, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Vijay Balasubramanian <http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~vbalasub/public-html/Home.html>, Department of Physics, University of Pennsylvania. Albert Cardona <https://www.janelia.org/people/albert-cardona>, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA. Ann-Shyn Chiang <http://brc.life.nthu.edu.tw/FlyLab/html/leader.html>, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. Jonathan B. Demb <http://eyes.yale.edu/people/jonathan_demb.profile>, Yale School of Medicine. Barry J. Dickson <https://www.janelia.org/people/barry-dickson>, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA. Anmo J. Kim <http://www.rockefeller.edu/research/faculty/labmembers/GabyMaimon/>, Rockefeller University, New York. Konrad P. Kording <http://klab.smpp.northwestern.edu/wiki/index.php5/People>, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. Adam H. Marblestone <http://www.adammarblestone.org/>, Synthetic Neurobiology Group, MIT. Katherine I. Nagel <http://www.nagellab.com/people/>, NYU Medical School. Gerald M. Rubin <http://www.hhmi.org/scientists/gerald-m-rubin>, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA. Silke Sachse <https://www.ice.mpg.de/ext/index.php?id=hopa&pers=sisa3622>, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena. Marion Silies <http://www.eni-net.org/members/dr-marion-silies>, European Neuroscience Institute, Göttingen. Andreas S. Thum <https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/neuro/member/?tx_mhkleineidam_pi1%5BpId%5D=5029>, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz. Tim P. Vogels <https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/research/vogels-group>, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford. More information about BCMC 2017 can be found here <http://fruitflybrain.org/workshops.html>. Aurel http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu <http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/>

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Fwd: Ressearch Assitant McGill University
by Md. Taufiq Nasseef 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

I am already a member of this comp-neuro mailing list. Could you circulate this one please. Thanks. Best wishes, Taufiq *Please see advertisement below:* *Job Title:* Research Assistant *Hiring Unit*: Dr. Brigitte Kieffer’s laboratory *Work Location*: Douglas Hospital and Research Center - Perry Building 6875, boul. LaSalle *Hours/week*: 35 hours/week – Mon-Fri *Salary*: $27,000 -36,000 (adjusted according to experience) *Start Date:* February 1st 2017 *Description:* The selected candidate will be part of an internationally renowned team of Prof. Brigitte Kieffer (http://douglas.research. mcgill.ca/brigitte-kieffer) and will be a key actor for two team projects. These studies aim at understanding the function of Mu opioid receptors (the receptors for morphine) within brain networks and also test innovative opiates drugs. Methodological approaches include establishment of functional connectivity signatures using fMRI in live mice and also visualize/quantify receptor signaling by fluorescence microscopy. The selected candidate will be responsible for image acquisition and post-processing of the fMRI images as well as participating in the development of a pipeline to analyze multiphoton or confocal microscopy images. *Primary Duties*: Acquisition of fMRI images (Bruker 7 Tesla) Data analysis and image post-processing 3D reconstruction and volume analysis of microscopy (confocal/multiphoton) images *Requirements:* Bachelors degree in Biology/Computer Science or relevant experience. Knowledge in MRI and animal experimentation. Knowledge in coding, OS and languages (Linux, MATlab, Python) Excellent organizational and time management skills. Strong team spirit to ensure optimal interactions with all team scientists. *Comments:* The person will profit from Douglas Research Centre benefits. Applicants are invited to submit their cover letters and resumes via email to: emmanuel.darcq(a)douglas.mcgill.ca We thank all applicants. Only selected candidates will be contacted. ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------- Emmanuel Darcq, PhD Brigitte Kieffer Lab, Douglas Research Centre Dpt Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University Perry room E-3403 6875, boulevard LaSalle Montreal (Quebec) H4H 1R3 CANADA Phone :+1 514 761-6131 ext.: 4772 Avis de confidentialité: L'information contenue dans ce courriel peut être confidentielle et/ou privilégiée. Si vous n’êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez le détruire et en informer l’expéditeur. Il est interdit de copier ou de modifier ce courriel sans autorisation de l’auteur. Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal n’assume aucune responsabilité du contenu des messages personnels. Notice of confidentiality: The information contained in this email may be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please destroy it and advise the sender. It is forbidden to copy or modify this email without the author's consent. The Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal is not responsible for the content of personal messages. -- Md Taufiq Nasseef, PhD Post Doctoral Fellow Brain Imaging Center Douglas Mental Health University Institute McGill University 6875 Lasalle Blvd. Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3 Canada Tel: (514) 862-6907 <%28514%29%20557-2740>

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Master Internship + PhD at CerCo, Toulouse, France
by Timothée Masquelier 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

Beating Roger Federer: *Modeling visual learning and expertise through a bioinspired neural network embedded in an electronic device* *Goal:* Internship for student in engineering school / Master degree’s student. The project can lead to a PhD grant. *When:* 5-6 months from February to July 2017 *Topic:* How do expert tennis players, like Roger Federer for example, predict if a ball will bounce in or out the field to decide if it should be played or not? After thousands of trajectory presentations, best champions have developed extraordinary skills in such a task, but little is known on how the visual system turns selective to spatiotemporal properties of the visual stimulus (e.g., 3D position, velocity and acceleration) and learns how to make an efficient use of it. The goal of the project is to build an embedded system – based on FPGA circuits and ARM processor – an artificial neural network which would replicate – and perhaps beat – the visual and anticipatory performances of these expert players. To achieve this goal successfully, we will develop a bio-inspired neural network, based on some of the key properties of human vision: the Smart NeuroCam (GST company) will be used to reproduce the retina functioning. It triggers its message under the form of spikes, in an asynchronous way (without any concept of frame per second), responding to spatial or temporal changes in the pattern of illumination. Several kinds of pre-processing filters can be implemented in VHDL language directly in the FPGA circuits, and the output is then sent to a neural network. The artificial network will learn to use this message, applying a simple learning rule, the Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP). This rule allows each neuron to become selective to a particular property of the stimulus, completely autonomously and with no supervision. Several layers will be built to allow perceiving more and more complex properties of the visual scene. Once the network will be established, its performances will be assessed in different conditions of learning and compared to those of the best tennis players. *The project is funded by a French National Research Agency (ANR)*, involving two sites and several researchers: - Robin Baurès, Benoit Cottereau, Timothée Masquelier and Simon Thorpe, CerCo, Toulouse. - Michel Paindavoine, GST, Dijon. *Where: *The candidate will be based at CerCo, Toulouse (France), and will make the interface with the two sites, with regular trips. The computational neuroscience part will be done at Toulouse, and electronic part at Dijon. *Objectives for the engineering / Master internship:* - Matlab (or Python) based simulations of numerical filters. These filters will be applied to the image processing from which spikes are generated and then sent to feed the neural network and STDP learning mechanism. - VHDL coding to implement these numerical filters into the FPGA circuits of the cameras - C/C++ coding of the neural network and STDP mechanism that should work on an embedded ARM processor system - Experimental tests that will allow evaluating the performance of the whole system, from spikes generation to visual properties learning of the embedded system, to predict tennis ball’s trajectories *Required skills:* - Strong knowledge on electronic, and openness to computational neurosciences - Knowledge in signal-image processing, and artificial neural network - Interest for multidisciplinary research - Ability to turn smoothly autonomous, once the road has been set - Ability to be at the interface of two scientific fields and two working areas - Programming with Matlab and/or Python for simulating the neural network - Programming in VHDL language for FPGA circuits - Programming in C/C++ language for porting the algorithms on ARM microprocessors - French is not a requirement if fluent in English, but willingness to learn would be beneficial *Relevant publications for the project:* - Masquelier, T., Guyonneau, R. & Thorpe S.J. (2009). Competitive STDP-Based Spike Pattern Learning.Neural Comput, 21(5),1259-1276. - Masquelier, T. & Thorpe, S.J. (2007). Unsupervised learning of visual features through spike timing dependent plasticity. PLoS Comput Biol, 3(2):e31. - Cottereau, B.R., McKee, S.P. & Norcia, A.M. (2014). Dynamics and cortical distribution of neural responses to 2D and 3D motion in human. Journal of Neurophysiology 111(3), 533-543. - SmartNeuroCam de GST : https://gsensing.eu/fr/ category/sections/products *Contact:* *Robin Baurès, PhD* Associate Professor CerCo, Université Toulouse 3, CNRS CHU Purpan, Pavillon Baudot 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9 – France Office phone: 0033 (0)5 62 74 62 15 <05%2062%2074%2062%2015> Email : robin.baures(a)cnrs.fr *Pr Michel Paindavoine* GlobalSensing Technologies 14, rue Pierre de Coubertin 21000 Dijon email : michel.paindavoine(a)gsensing.eu

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Postdoc position at TU Berlin/BCCN Berlin
by Philipp Hoevel 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

The Hövel group (Institute of Theoretical Physics at TU Berlin and Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin) invites application for a postdoc position in the area of computational neuroscience. The successful applicant will be joining a DFG-funded project entitled "Temporal fluctuations in functional networks of the human brain - modeling brain transition between cognitive states" Detailed knowledge in the area of computational neuroscience and nonlinear dynamics is essential, experience in neuroimaging data analysis is advantageous. For further details, see official call for applications: https://tub.stellenticket.de/de/offers/31261/ Closing date for applications is January 23, 2017. -- Dr. Philipp Hövel Junior Research Group Leader Technische Universität Berlin Fakultät II - Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften Institut für Theoretische Physik, Sekr. EW 7-1 Hardenbergstr. 36 10623 Berlin, Germany Phone: +49 (0)30 314-27658 Fax: +49 (0)30 314-21130 Email: phoevel(a)physik.tu-berlin.de Web: http://www.tu-berlin.de?hoevel

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Funded PhD position on neural circuits & behaviour, University of Cambridge
by Timothy O'Leary 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

A funded PhD position "Reverse-engineering invertebrate neural circuits" is available in the group of Timothy O'Leary, University of Cambridge. Start date: October 2017, *application deadline: January 31, 2017*. Eligibility: *UK and EU students*. The project is a collaboration with a leading experimental lab (Marta Zlatic, HHMI), studying the neural circuits underlying behavioural variability in Drosophila. The project aims to uncover circuit principles of action selection using a combination of theory, computational modeling and cutting-edge experiments. Applicants should have strong skills in mathematics, programming and data analysis, and a desire to develop cutting-edge experimental techniques. *Full description and application instructions are available here*: http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/12211/ Please feel free to contact Dr O'Leary directly with informal enquiries ( tso24(a)cam.ac.uk) http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/directory/profile.php?tso24

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Systems neuroscience mailing list
by Nikolas Karalis 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

Dear all, I would like to inform you about a new mailing list targeted to researchers in the wider field of Systems Neuroscience. The aim is to create a platform for the distribution of useful information such as job and conference calls. More information about this mailing list can be found at the website: www.systemsneuroscience.eu You can directly subscribe by clicking this link <https://groups.google.com/group/systems-neuroscience/subscribe>. If you would like to advertise any job openings or events you are organizing, please feel free to post to the mailing list by sending an email to the address: systems-neuroscience(a)googlegroups.com Kind regards, Nikolas Karalis -- Nikolas Karalis - http://www.nikolaskaralis.gr <http://nikolaskaralis.gr> Doctoral Candidate in Neuroscience - Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München M.Sc. in Neuroscience (Charité, Berlin & Université de Bordeaux II) B.Sc, M.Sc in Applied Mathematics and Physics (NTUA)

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Postdoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience at IDIBAPS/UPF (Barcelona)
by JROCHAV＠clinic.cat 03 Jan '17

03 Jan '17

Postdoctoral Position on Behavioural modelling and neural analysis of flexible perceptual decision-making at IDIBAPS / UPF (Barcelona) A postdoctoral research position in computational neuroscience is available to work with Jaime de la Rocha at IDIBAPS (Barcelona) and Alexandre Hyafil at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF, Barcelona). The postdoctoral fellow will be a vital member of the interdisciplinary research team led by Jaime de la Rocha that studies perception and cognition using combined theoretical and experimental approaches. More specifically, the fellow’s work will be part of an ERC-funded project aiming to unravel the behavioural principles and the neural mechanisms underlying how recent experience shapes perception and guides decisions. The fellow will (1) characterize the behavioural influence of recent history onto perceptual choices in rats and humans performing acoustic discrimination tasks, (2) analyze population recordings from cortical neurons obtained from rats to uncover the traces of recent history decision biases and (3) build dynamical models of behaviour based on the population recordings using a variety of machine learning tools. Behavioural and neural data is currently being acquired by other researchers in the lab. The work will be co-supervised between Jaime de la Rocha, head of the Cortical Circuit Dynamics Group (http://neuro.fcrb.es/delaRochaLab/) and Alexandre Hyafil who is establishing his new laboratory in the nearby UPF, and has in the last years develop a set analysis techniques fitted for our data. Both groups are part of the vibrant computational neuroscience community of Barcelona, which promotes the interaction among groups by organizing multiple interaural activities. Applicants should have a strong background in computational neuroscience or applied mathematics and have a keen interest in interdisciplinary approaches that integrate modeling and experimental research. Programming proficiency (Matlab and/or Python) is required. Experience in machine learning methods, advanced statistics as well as nonlinear dynamical systems will be valued. Ability to collaborate in a pluridisciplinary team is essential. Initial appointment for this position is for two years. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants, please send a resume, names and contact of 3 references and a cover letter explaining your interest and research experience to jrochav(a)clinic.cat<mailto:jrochav@clinic.cat> and alexandre.hyafil(a)gmail.com<mailto:alexandre.hyafil@gmail.com>. Jaime de la Rocha Group Leader at IDIBAPS c. Rosselló 149-153 Barcelona, 08036 Spain Tel. +34 932275400 (4307)

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PhD positions available at the Bernstein Centre Freiburg, Germany
by Carsten Mehring 02 Jan '17

02 Jan '17

The Bernstein Center Freiburg (BCF) is inviting applications for fully funded PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience and Neurotechnology. The BCF concentrates research in Computational Neuroscience and Neurotechnology at the University of Freiburg, Germany. The projects are highly interdisciplinary and span across mathematical-theoretical approaches on the function and dynamics of neuronal networks, neuroanatomy, experimentally driven neurophysiology and the development of technologies for medical application. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2017. For more information, please visit our website http://www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de/jobs <http://www.bcf.uni-freiburg.de/jobs> -- Dr. Birgit Ahrens birgit.ahrens(a)bcf.uni-freiburg.de <mailto:birgit.ahrens@bcf.uni-freiburg.de> 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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NeuroBridges 2017 Summer school announcement
by ahmed el hady 02 Jan '17

02 Jan '17

*NeuroBridges 2017 Summer school , Cluny, France* *(** September 3 - September 14, 2017 )* *NeuroBridges* is an initiative that was founded to bring Mediterrenean and Middle Eastern neuroscientists in an event to discuss science and promote mutual understanding. The two first events of the series took place in Goettingen, Germany in July 2014 ( http://elsc.huji.ac.il/content/neurobridges) and in Paris, France, in September 2015 (http://elsc.huji.ac.il/content/second-neurobridges-meeting) Each of these three days events brought together twenty young speakers, Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians and Israelis, as well as several speakers from the hosting countries. Nobel Laureate Erwin Neher opened NeuroBridges in 2014. Stanislas Dehaene, professeur au College De France and member of the French Academy of Sciences gave the opening lecture in NeuroBridges 2015. *NeuroBridges 2017* ( http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html) will be a ten days summer school. Students will attend lectures delivered by a group of leading neuroscientists, experimentalists as well as theoreticians, which will address the fundamental questions of contemporary neuroscience. In addition to the lectures, the students will work in groups on small research projects. The school is intended for graduate students and postdocs, primarily from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region either working in their home countries or abroad. We will consider applicants with some background in applied mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering or physics, interested in theoretical brain and cognitive sciences. We will also consider those with biological or medical background given that they show proof of basic mathematical knowledge (i.e. linear algebra, calculus, in particular ordinary differential equation). Through the online application system (can be accessed through: http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html ) , you will be asked to provide personal details, academic background, the names of two referees , a motivation letter that should include a paragraph about your quantitative skills and a CV. The school will take place between September 3 and September 14, 2017 in Le Centre de Conférences Internationales de Cluny (CCIC) <http://www.ccic.eu/index.html>. Cluny is a small medieval town in Burgundy, France, located about 400km southeast of Paris (accessible by fast train, TGV). All costs of registration and accommodation will be covered by the organizers. A limited number of travel grants will also be available. The application deadline is March 31st 2017. *NeuroBridges* is co-organized by Ahmed El Hady <http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home>(Princeton Neuroscience Institute, USA), Yonatan Loewenstein <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/loewenstein/home> (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) and David Hansel <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/david-hansel>(CNRS, Paris, France). *2017 Confirmed Faculty (check the website regularly for updated faculty list):* Carl van Vreeswijk (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/carl-van-vreeswijk/> Gianluigi Mongillo (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/gianluigi-mongillo/> Shaul Druckmann (Janelia) <https://www.janelia.org/people/shaul-druckmann> Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/burak/home> Omri Barak (Technion) <http://neuroscience.technion.ac.il/researcher/19> Najib Majaj (NYU) <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Najib_Majaj> Farzan Nadim (NJIT) <https://biology.njit.edu/people/nadim.php> If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Ahmed El Hady (email: ahady(a)princeton.edu )

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4th International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School, July 17-21, 2017, University of Cambridge, UK
by Giuseppe Nicosia 26 Dec '16

26 Dec '16

_________________________________________ Call for Participation (apologies for multiple copies) _________________________________________ 4th International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School *Biology meets Computer Science & Engineering* July 17-21, 2017, University of Cambridge, UK W: http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/ E: ssbss.school(a)gmail.com F: https://www.facebook.com/ssbss.school/ APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 31, 2017 http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/#application-form <http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/#application-form> DESCRIPTION & GOALS: Recent advances in DNA synthesis have increased our ability to build biological systems. Synthetic Biology aims at streamlining the design and synthesis of robust and predictable biological systems using engineering design principles and advanced algorithms. Designing biological systems requires a deep understanding of how genes and proteins are organized and interact in living cells: Systems Biology aims at elucidating the cellular organization at gene, protein and network level using computational and biochemical methods. The Synthetic and Systems Biology Summer School (SSBSS) is a full-immersion five-day residential summer school at the Robinson College, University of Cambridge, UK on cutting-edge advances in systems and synthetic biology with lectures delivered by world-renowned experts. The school provides a stimulating environment for students (from Master students to PhD students), Post-Docs, early career researches, academics and industry leaders. Participants will also have the chance to present their results, and to interact with their peers, in a friendly and constructive environment. LIST OF SPEAKERS: * Antonino Cattaneo, Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Italy * Jasmin Fisher, Microsoft Research & Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, UK * Carole Goble, University of Manchester, UK * Jim Haseloff, University of Cambridge, UK * Jay Keasling, University of California, Berkeley, USA Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA Joint BioEnergy Institute, USA * Edda Klipp, Humboldt University, Germany * Natalio Krasnogor, Centre for Synthetic Biology and Bioexploitation, Newcastle University, UK * Markus Ralser, Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, University of Cambridge, UK & The Francis Crick Institute London, UK * Uwe Sauer, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland * Sarah Teichmann, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute & EMBL, European Bioinformatics Institute, UK SCHOOL DIRECTORS: * Massimo Gulisano, University of Catania, Italy * Giuseppe Nicosia, University of Catania, Italy * Steve G. Oliver, University of Cambridge, UK CALL FOR POSTERS & TALKS: The International Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School is especially aimed to provide a stimulating environment for young researchers, Post-Doc and Ph.D. Students. They will have the possibility to present the results of their research activities on the topic of the summer school, and to interact with their scientific peers, in a friendly and constructive way. Applicants may submit an abstract to present their results. The abstract should be submitted before 31 March 2017. Suitable space will be reserved to the applicants for showing their posters. The poster must be written in English. For your poster, a board will be provided which measures 90cm tall by 70cm wide. You need to print and bring with you the poster to the school. Push tacks or Velcro adhesive will be provided at the conference to mount your poster to the board. POSTER & TALK SUBMISSION: Applicant may submit a research abstract for presentation using the Application Form. School directors and the Scientific Committee will review the abstracts and will recommend for poster or short-oral presentation. Abstract should be submitted by March 31, 2017. The abstracts will be published on the electronic hands-out material of the summer school. http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/#application-form PREVIOUS EDITIONS: http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss2016/ http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss2015/ http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss2014/ MORE INFORMATION: W: http://www.taosciences.it/ssbss/ E: ssbss.school(a)gmail.com F: https://www.facebook.com/ssbss.school/ * Please help us distributing in your circles (emails, blogs, and social networks) the call for participation and call for oral talks/posters for SSBSS 2017. Together we will make SSBSS 2017 a great event! * SSBSS - Synthetic & Systems Biology Summer School Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/238417586492061/ Computational Synthetic Biology Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1014624245288596/

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CFP - 13th International Conference on Machine Learning and Data Mining in Pattern Recognition (MLDM 2017)
by Sandhya Prabhakaran 24 Dec '16

24 Dec '16

Hi, ** We apologize in advance if you receive multiple copies of this CFP ** ** Kindly help to distribute this CFP to your mailing list ** *4th Call for Papers * 13th International Conference on Machine Learning and Data Mining in Pattern Recognition (*MLDM 2017*) www.mldm.de July 15th - 21st, 2017 New York, USA Chair: Prof. Dr. Petra Perner Institute of Computer Vision and applied Computer Sciences, IBaI Leipzig/Germany Program Committee Sergey Ablameyko Belarus State University, Belarus Michelangelo Ceci Universtiy of Bari, Italy Patrick Bouthemy INRIA VISTA, France Xiaoqing Ding Tsinghua University, China Christoph F. Eick Universtiy of Houston, USA Ana Fred Technical University of Lisboa, Portugal Giorgio Giacinto University of Cagliari, Italy Makato Haraguchi Hokkaido University of Sapporo, Japan Dimitris Karras Chalkis Institute of Technology, Greece Adam Krzyzak Concordia University, Canada Thang V. Pham University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Linda Shapiro University of Washington, USA Shashank Shekhar VMware Inc., USA Tamas Sziranyi MTA-SZTAKI, Hungary Francis E.H. Tay National University of Singapore, Singapore Alexander Ulanov HP Labs, Russia Zeev Volkovich ORT Braude College of Engineering, Israel Patrick Wang Northeastern University, USA Aim of the Conference ------------------------- The MLDM´2017 conference is the tenth event in a series of Machine Learning and Data Mining meetings, initially organised as international workshops. The aim of MLDM´2017 is to bring together from all over the world researchers dealing with machine learning and data mining, in order to discuss the recent status of the research in the field and to direct its further developments. Basic research papers as well as application papers are welcome. All kinds of applications are welcome, but special preference will be given to multimedia related applications, biomedical applications, and webmining. Paper submissions should be related but not limited to any of the following topics: * association rules * case-based reasoning and learning * classification and interpretation of images, text, video * conceptional learning and clustering * Goodness measures and evaluaion (e.g. false discovery rates) * inductive learning including decision tree and rule induction learning * knowledge extraction from text, video, signals and images * mining gene data bases and biological data bases * mining images, temporal-spatial data, images from remote sensing * mining structural representations such as log files, text documents and HTML documents * mining text documents * organisational learning and evolutional learning * probabilistic information retrieval * Selection bias * Sampling methods * Selection with small samples * similarity measures and learning of similarity * statistical learning and neural net based learning * video mining * visualization and data mining * Applications of Clustering * Aspects of Data Mining * Applications in Medicine * Autoamtic Semantic Annotation of Media Content * Bayesian Models and Methods * Case-Based Reasoning and Associative Memory * Classification and Model Estimation * Content-Based Image Retrieval * Decision Trees * Deviation and Novelty Detection * Feature Grouping, Discretization, Selection and Transformation * Feature Learning * Frequent Pattern Mining * High-Content Analysis of Microscopic Images in Medicine, Biotechnology and Chemistry * Learning and adaptive control * Learning/adaption of recognition and perception * Learning for Handwriting Recognition * Learning in Image Pre-Processing and Segmentation * Learning in process automation * Learning of internal representations and models * Learning of appropriate behaviour * Learning of action patterns * Learning of Ontologies * Learning of Semantic Inferencing Rules * Learning of Visual Ontologies * Learning for robots * Mining Images in Computer Vision * Mining Images and Texture * Mining Motion from Sequence * Neural Methods * Network Analysis and Intrusion Detection * Nonlinear Function Learning and Neural Net Based Learning * Real-Time Event Learning and Detection * Retrieval Methods * Rule Induction and Grammars * Speech Analysis * Statistical and Conceptual Clustering Methods: Basics * Statistical and Evolutionary Learning * Subspace Methods * Support Vector Machines * Symbolic Learning and Neural Networks in Document Processing * Time Series and Sequential Pattern Mining * Mining Social Media * Audio Mining * Cognition and Computer Vision Important Dates ----------------- Deadline for paper submission: January 15, 2017 Notification of acceptance: March 18 , 2017 Submission of camera-ready copy: April 05, 2017 Submission guidelines ------------------------- Authors can submit their papers in long or short version: Please submit the electronic version of your camera-ready paper through the COMMENCE conference management system (http://www.mldm.de/CMS/) If you have any problems with the system please do not hesitate to contact info(a)mldm.de. Long Papers Long papers must be formatted in the Springer LNCS format. They should have at most 15 pages. Papers will be reviewed by the program committee. Accepted long papers will appear in the proceedings book "Machine Learning and Data Mining in Pattern Recognition" published by Springer Verlag in the LNAI series. Extended versions of selected papers will be published in a special issue of an international journal after the conference. Short Papers Short papers are also welcome and can be used to describe work in progress or project ideas. They should have no more than 5 pages and must be also formatted in Springer LNCS format. Accepted short papers will be presented as posters in the poster session. They will be published in a special poster proceedings book. Papers will be submitted via the online reviewing system. Best Paper Award ---------------------- The best scientific paper is distinguished with a Best Paper Award. A outstanding contribution in the field of Machine Learning and Data Mining for Pattern Recognition will be awarded with the Best Paper Award. There will be three nominations for the Best Paper Award before the conference. All nominee will receive a certificate. The final decision of the Best Paper Award will be made based on the presentation and the discussion. The Best Paper Award will be a certificate and a prize money of 500 Euro for the research team. Tutorials ----------------------------------------- Data Mining Tutorial Prof. Dr. Petra Perner, Institute of Computer Vision and Applied Computer Sciences IBaI, http://www.data-mining-forum.de/t_dm.php Case-Based Reasoning Tutorial Prof. Dr. Petra Perner, Institute of Computer Vision and Applied Computer Sciences IBaI, http://www.data-mining-forum.de/t_cbr.php Intelligent Image Interpreation and Computer Vision in Mediceine, Biotechnology, Chemistry & Food Industry Prof. Dr. Petra Perner, Institute of Computer Vision and Applied Computer Sciences IBaI, http://www.data-mining-forum.de/t_iicv.php Workshops (http://www.data-mining-forum.de/workshops.php) ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Intern. Workshop I-Business to Manufacturing and LifeScience B2ML 2017 * Intern. Workshop on Data Mining in Marketing DMM 2017 * Intern. Workshop Case-Based Reasoning CBR-MD 2017 * Intern. Workshop on Multimedia Forensic Data Analysis MFDA 2017 Exhibition ----------- 16th Industrial Exhibition on Intelligent Data and Image Analysis IEDA 2017 We like to invite you to present your company or publishing house at the Industrial Exhibition ieda 2017 (www.iedaexhibition.de) If you do not with to receive the newsletter, please press here http://ibai-institut-newsletter.de/cgi-bin/mail/manager.cgi? action=delete&email=pperner%40ibai-institut.de&group1=cbr.

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Postdoc Position in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at UT Austin
by Taillefumier, Thibaud O 23 Dec '16

23 Dec '16

The Neuroscience Department invites applications for a postdoctoral research position to work with Professors Ila Fiete (http://clm.utexas.edu/fietelab/) and Thibaud Taillefumier (https://mathneuro.cns.utexas.edu/) in the Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (CTNC) and in collaboration with a network of experimental collaborators at UT Austin. Research at CTNC broadly aims at developing new theoretical approaches to better understand how the brain computes. Candidates with a background in nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics, machine learning, or information theory are particularly welcome. Applicants should have a PhD in mathematics, physics, computational neuroscience or related computational fields. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a brief description of research interests, and should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent. All application materials as well as any inquiries should be sent to thibaud(a)utexas.edu<mailto:thibaud@utexas.edu> and ilafiete(a)mail.clm.utexas.edu<mailto:ilafiete@mail.clm.utexas.edu>. Salary starts at $47484 and will be commensurate to the candidate qualifications. UT Austin is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin. Department of Neuroscience The University of Texas at Austin 100 E 24th Street Stop C7000 Austin, TX 78712 www.neuroscience.utexas.edu<http://www.neuroscience.utexas.edu>

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Open position as an MEG physicist/engineer
by Jochem Rieger 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

The newly founded Neuroimaging Center at the European Medical School of the University of Oldenburg, Germany, offers a position for an *MEG-Physicist/Engineer (salary level E13/TV-L, initially 3 years) * The Neuroimaging Center hosts a state of the art magnetoencephalograph (Elekta Triux) and a magnetic resonance tomograph (Siemens Prisma 3T) and is embedded in an excellent interdisciplinary scientific environment (e.g. the DFG Cluster of Excellence "Hearing 3 All") with a strong research focus on neurosensory, neurocognitive, and medical research. We seek for a highly motivated candidatewith an academic university degree. The position requires a degree in physics, engineering, neuroscience, or psychology with documented research experience in magnetoencephalography methods. In addition, fluency in English is necessary. A doctoral degree is a plus. German and experience in the design of neurocognitiveexperiments are desirable. Successful candidates will be responsible for the operation and administration of the MEG-system, the infrastructure, the development and improvement of measurement and analyses techniques and user consultancy. The University of Oldenburg is rapidly growing and offers a vibrant scientific environment with strong foci on cognitive and sensory neuroscience and a new medical school. The European Medical School is a cooperation project between the Universities of Oldenburg and Groningen as well as four local hospitals. Oldenburg is an attractive city in Germany's northwest with excellent quality of life. It is close to Bremen, Hamburg, Groningen, and approx. 1 h from the North Sea. The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increasing the percentage of women in science. Therefore, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply and will be given preference in cases of equal qualification. Handicapped applicants will be given preference if equally qualified. Electronic applications (one pdf file) are preferred and can be send to: Professor Dr. Jochem Rieger: Jochem.rieger(a)uni-oldenburg.de Applications by mail should be sent to: Prof. Jochem Rieger Universität Oldenburg Kuepkersweg 74 (W30) 26129 Oldenburg Germany The application process is open until 31.1.2017. Applications should include your CV, a list of most recent publications, and a statement of interest (max. 3 pages). For inquiries contact jochem.rieger(a)uni-oldenburg.de

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PhD studentship in 2P imaging and population coding
by Matthias Hennig 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

A fully funded PhD studentship is available in the Precision Medicine DTP at Edinburgh: "Deficits and rescue of neuronal population coding in the sensory cortex of mouse models of autism spectrum disorders" This project will be jointly supervised by Nathalie Rochefort, Peter Kind (CIP, Edinburgh) and Matthias Hennig (Informatics, Edinburgh). The studentship is available to EU citizens. For more information, and to apply, go to: http://www.ed.ac.uk/usher/precision-medicine/how-to-apply/deficits-and-resc… For informal inquiries, please contact Nathalie Rochefort: n.rochefort(a)ed.ac.uk -- Matthias H Hennig http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/mhennig/ The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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Call for applications: SMART START - a joint training program in Computational Neuroscience for young researchers
by Smart Start Coordination Office 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

Call for applications Ready for a SMARTSTART into Computational Neuroscience? We invite first and second-year Master students with a background in related fields to apply to our joint training program SMARTSTART. The program aims at complementing previous studies with concepts, theories and techniques of Computational Neuroscience. SMARTSTART consists of two programs. Both of them last one year each and take place at numerous locations of the Bernstein Network and further locations throughout Germany. SMARTSTART 1 provides financial support to then second-year Master students, allowing them to attend supplementary courses and training visits at participating institutions. Students will receive an experienced faculty mentor who will advise and guide them at this educational stage. SMARTSTART 2 provides fully funded positions for pre-PhD students. At the start of the program, these students will have already obtained their Master´s degree and are in the process of selecting a PhD project. SMARTSTART 2 allows them to elaborate their own PhD proposal as a collaborative project between two labs. This comprises exchange visits as well as voluntary attendance of lectures and courses offered by participating institutions. Both SMARTSTART programs will commence the second round in the winter term 2017/18. The Deadline for application is Tuesday, February 28, 2017. More information can be found on our website: www.smartstart-compneuro.de<http://www.smartstart-compneuro.de/> Best regards, Kathrin Hebert -- Smart Start - Joint Training Program in Computational Neuroscience Coordination Office Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS) Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9A | 79104 Freiburg, Germany phone: (+49) 0761 203 9593 mail: smartstart(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.hebert@fz-juelich.de> web: http://www.smartstart-compneuro.de/ Twitter: NNCN_Germany<https://twitter.com/NNCN_Germany> YouTube: Bernstein TV<https://www.youtube.com/user/BernsteinNetwork> Facebook: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.facebook.com/BernsteinNetwork/> LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…><https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Announcing Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course 2017
by Erik De Schutter 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

OKINAWA/OIST COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE COURSE 2017 Methods, Neurons, Networks and Behaviors June 26 to July 13, 2017 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc The aim of the Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course is to provide opportunities for young researchers with theoretical backgrounds to learn the latest advances in neuroscience, and for those with experimental backgrounds to have hands-on experience in computational modeling. We invite graduate students and postgraduate researchers to participate in the course, held from June 26th through July 13th, 2017 at an oceanfront seminar house of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. Applications are through the course web page (https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc) only; January 3 - February 5, 2017. Applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance in March. Like in preceding years, OCNC will be a comprehensive three-week course covering single neurons, networks, and behaviors with ample time for student projects. The first week will focus exclusively on methods with hands-on tutorials during the afternoons, while the second and third weeks will have lectures by international experts. The course has a strong hands-on component based on student proposed modeling or data analysis projects, which are further refined with the help of a dedicated tutor. Applicants are required to propose their project at the time of application. There is no tuition fee. The sponsor will provide lodging and meals during the course and may support travel for those without funding. We hope that this course will be a good opportunity for theoretical and experimental neuroscientists to meet each other and to explore the attractive nature and culture of Okinawa, the southernmost island prefecture of Japan. Invited faculty: • Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, India) • Erik De Schutter (OIST) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Bard Ermentrout (University of Pittsburgh, USA) • Ila Fiete (University of Texas Austin, USA) • Sonja Grün (Research Centre Jülich, Germany) • Shin Ishii (Kyoto University, Japan) • Jason Kerr (MPI Bonn, Germany) • Bernd Kuhn (OIST) • Subkin Lim (NYU Shanghai, China) • Michele Migliore (Institute of Biophysics, Italy) • David Redish (University of Minnesota, USA) • Reza Shadmehr (Johns Hopkins University, USA) • Greg Stephens (OIST) • Yoko Yazaki-Sugiyama (OIST) • Charles Wilson (University of Texas San Antonio, USA)

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[ECSQARU 2017] Second Call for Papers
by Alessandro Antonucci 21 Dec '16

21 Dec '16

The Fourteenth European Conference on Symbolic and Quantitative Approaches to Reasoning with Uncertainty SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch The biennial ECSQARU conferences constitute a major forum for advances in the theory and practice of reasoning under uncertainty. Contributions come from researchers interested in advancing the scientific knowledge and from practitioners using uncertainty techniques in real-world applications. The scope of the ECSQARU conferences encompasses fundamental issues, representation, inference, learning, and decision making in qualitative and numeric uncertainty paradigms. Previous ECSQARU events have been held in Marseille (1991), Granada (1993), Fribourg (1995), Bonn (1997), London (1999), Toulouse (2001), Aalborg (2003), Barcelona (2005), Hammamet (2007), Verona (2009), Belfast (2011), Utrecht (2013), and Compiègne (2015). ECSQARU 2017 will be co-located with ISIPTA '17, the Tenth International Symposium on Imprecise Probability: Theories and Applications. The joint event will be held in Lugano (Switzerland), on July 10-14, 2017. ::: SCOPE ::: For ECSQARU 2017 we invite submissions of conference papers on topics which include but are not limited to: - Algorithms for uncertain inference - Applications of uncertain systems - Argumentation systems - Automated planning and acting under uncertainty - Belief functions - Belief revision & merging - Classification & clustering - Decision theory & decision graphs - Default reasoning - Description logics with uncertainty - Foundations of reasoning under uncertainty - Fuzzy sets & fuzzy logic - Game theory - Imprecise probabilities - Inconsistency handling - Information fusion - Learning for uncertainty formalisms - Logics for reasoning under uncertainty - Markov decision processes - Possibility theory & possibilistic logic - Preferences - Probabilistic graphical models - Probabilistic logics - Qualitative uncertainty models - Rough sets - Uncertainty & data ::: INVITED SPEAKERS ::: We are delighted of having the following invited speakers: - Leila Amgoud (IRIT, France) - Alessio Benavoli (IDSIA, Switzerland) - Jim Berger (Duke University, USA) - Didier Dubois (IRIT, France) - Eyke Hüllermeier (Paderborn University, Germany) ::: PROCEEDINGS AND SUBMISSIONS ::: In accordance with the previous conferences, the proceedings of ECSQARU 2015 will be published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence series. Authors are requested to prepare their conference papers in the LNCS/LNAI format. Submitted papers will be evaluated by peer reviews based on originality, significance, technical soundness, and clarity of exposition. Authors of accepted papers are expected to attend the conference to present their work. The instructions for submission and the author kit are available here: http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch/submissions-ecsqaru/ ::: IMPORTANT DATES ::: - Tuesday, February 21, 2017: Paper submission deadline - Tuesday, April 18, 2017: Author notification - Friday, April 28, 2017: Camera-ready copy due ::: IJAR SPECIAL ISSUE ::: Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their work to a special issue of the International Journal of Approximate Reasoning (IJAR, Elsevier). ::: SPRINGER YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD ::: We also invite applications for the Springer Young Researcher Award. The prize, granted by Springer, will be awarded to one young researcher for excellent research in fields related to the ECSQARU scope. The award is open to Master students, PhD students and young post-doc researchers who have received their PhD in 2016 (or 2017). Applicants should have submitted a paper (not necessarily as first authors) to ECSQARU 2017. Applications should be received by the paper submission deadline (February 21, 2017). _________________________________ 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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Call for Applications: ISSA Summer School 2017
by Yukie Nagai 21 Dec '16

21 Dec '16

Call for Applications: ISSA Summer School 2017 https://groups.oist.jp/issa Date: May 22nd – June 2nd, 2017 Venue: Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), Osaka, Japan https://cinet.jp/english/contact/ The Initiative for a Synthesis in Studies of Awareness, ISSA for short, is a group of scientists advocating an integrative approach to the study of consciousness and intelligence. ISSA will organize a two-week Summer School, with lectures covering a variety of topics in experimental and computational neuroscience, cognitive science, philosophy, complex systems, robotics and artificial intelligence. Following the lectures in the morning, students will engage in group disucussions and hand-on exercises in psychophysics, MRI, MEG, and robotics in the afternoon. First week: Fundamental lecturers and group discussions • Christof Koch (Allen Institute for Brain Science) • Ryota Kanai (ARAYA Brain Imaging, YHouse) • Larissa Albantakis (U Wisconsin-Madison) • Dan Zahavi (U Copenhagen) • Jun Tani (KAIST) Second week: Special topics and hands-on exercises • Kaoru Amano (CiNet) • Minoru Asada (Osaka U) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Piet Hut (Institute for Advanced Study, ELSI, YHouse) • Hiroshi Ishiguro (Osaka U, ATR) • Shinji Nishimoto (CiNet) • Mariko Osaka (CiNet) • Nao Tsuchiya (Monash U) • Noriko Yamagishi (CiNet) Application: We invite graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to participate in the summer school. Organizers will provide lodging for all accepted students and travel support for selected students. The applications will be open till December 25, 2016 from the web site (https://groups.oist.jp/issa) The result of selection, based on the research interest, educational background, and the balance of gender and geographic origins, will be notified by February 2017. Co-Sponsors • Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet) • CREST Artificial Consciousness Project (leader: Ryota Kanai) • CREST Social Neuroscience Project (leader: Masahiko Haruno) • Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology • KAKENHI Mental Time Project (leader: Shigeru Kitazawa) • KAKENHI Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science Project (leader: Kenji Doya) • Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) • YHouse (leaders: Piet Hut and Ryota Kanai) Web site: https://groups.oist.jp/issa Contact: Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology ncus (at) oist.jp — Yukie Nagai, Ph.D. Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Osaka University Visiting Researcher, Bielefeld University yukie(a)ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp http://cnr.ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/~yukie/

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The Fruit Fly Brain Observatory (FFBO)
by Aurel A. Lazar 20 Dec '16

20 Dec '16

We would like to announce that we have released a unique open source platform for investigating fruit fly brain function, in both healthy and diseased brains. Our early version of the FFBO is at: http://fruitflybrain.org <http://fruitflybrain.org/> The Fruit Fly Brain Observatory (i) integrates within a single database, genetic, anatomical, neurophysiological data with computational models. It provides location, morphology, connectivity and biophysical properties of every neuron, (ii) is equipped with powerful executable tools for circuit generation, numerical simulation and user-friendly query and visualization, (iii) automatically generates models of the fly brain that can be simulated efficiently using multiple Graphics Processing Units. There are three main features of the FFBO: NeuroNLP, NeuroGFX and NeuroAPPs. NeuroNLP is natural language user interface for querying the NeuroArch fly brain database. NeuroGFX is a programming interface that automatically translates biological and modeling data into executable code that can be run on a local or cloud-based GPU servers. NeuroAPPs host integrated healthy and diseased models applications of the fruit fly brain. Our project The Fruit Fly Brain Observatory http://fruitflybrain.org <http://fruitflybrain.org/> is one of six finalists in the Open Science Prize Competition https://www.openscienceprize.org <https://www.openscienceprize.org/>. We are a collaborative effort between Columbia University, National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, and University of Sheffield, UK. It would be great if you can let people know about the competition and get them to hopefully vote for us at http://event.capconcorp.com/wp/osp/ <http://event.capconcorp.com/wp/osp/> :-) Aurel http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu <http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu/>

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[CALL FOR PAPERS ]The 2017 International Conference on Brain Informatics (BI'17)
by 张铁林 19 Dec '16

19 Dec '16

[CALL FOR PAPERS]The 2017 International Conference on Brain Informatics (BI'17), Informatics Perspective of Investigation on the Brain and Mind Conference Data: November 16-18, 2017, Beijing, China Conference Homepage: http://bii.ia.ac.cn/bi-2017/ Homepage Mirror: http://wi-consortium.org/conferences/bi-2017/ (FULL PAPER SUBMISSION DEADLINE: April 2, 2017) ================ ***Conference Introduction *** Brain Informatics (BI) conference series provides a premier forum to bring together researchers and practitioners in the fields of neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, information communication technologies, and neuroimaging technologies. BI'17 addresses the computational, cognitive, physiological, biological, physical, ecological and social perspectives of brain informatics, as well as topics relating to mental health and well-being. It also welcomes emerging information technologies, including but not limited to Internet/Web of Things (IoT/WoT), cloud computing, big data analytics and interactive knowledge discovery related to brain research. BI'17 also encourages submissions that explore how advanced computing technologies are applied to and make a difference in various large-scale brain studies and their applications. BI'17 welcomes paper submissions (full paper and abstract 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. Workshop, Special-Session and Tutorial proposals, and Industry or Demo-Track papers are also welcome. The organizers of Workshops and Special-Sessions are invited to prepare a book proposal based on the topics of the workshop/special session for possible bookpublication in the Springer-Nature Brain Informatics & Health book series. ================ *** Topics and Areas *** Track 1: Cognitive and Computational Foundations of Brain Science Track 2: Investigations of Human Information Processing Systems Track 3: Brain Big Data Analytics, Curation and Management Track 4: Informatics Paradigms for Brain and Mental Health Track 5: Brain-Inspired Intelligence and Computing ================ *** Important Dates*** March 10, 2017: Submission for workshop/special-session proposals March 30, 2017: Notification of workshop/special-session proposal acceptance April 2, 2017: Submission deadline for full papers May 20, 2017: Submission deadline for workshop/special-session papers June 10, 2017: Notification of full paper acceptance June 20, 2017: Notification of workshop/special-session paper acceptance June 20, 2017: Submission deadline for abstracts July 10, 2017: Notification of abstract acceptance November 16, 2017: Tutorials, workshops and special-sessions November 17-18, 2017: Main conference ================ *** Post-Conference Journal Publication *** The Brain Informatics conferences have the formal ties with Brain Informatics journal (Springer-Nature, 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 authors of Brain Informatics conference. ================ *** Awards *** Best Paper awards will be conferred at the conference on the authors of (1) the best research paper and (2) the best student paper. ================ *** Organizers*** General Chairs Bo Xu (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) Hanchuan Peng (Allen Institute for Brain Sciences, USA) Qingming Luo (Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China) Program Committee Chairs Yi Zeng(Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) Yong He(Beijing Normal University, China) Jeanette Kotaleski (Karolinska Institute, Sweden) Maryann Martone (University of California, San Diego, USA) Organizing Chairs Ning Zhong (Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China Jianzhou Yan (Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China) Shengfu Lu (Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China) Workshop/Special-Session Chairs An'an Li (Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China) Sen Song (Tsinghua University, China) Tutorial Chair Wenming Zheng (South East University, China) Publicity Chairs Shouyi Wang (University of Texas at Arlington, USA) Yang Yang (Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan, and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Internet Technology, Beijing University of Technology, China) Tielin Zhang (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) Steering Committee Chairs Ning Zhong (Maebashi Institute of Technology, Japan) Hanchuan Peng (Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA) ================ *** Contact Information *** tielin.zhang(a)ia.ac.cn shouyiw(a)uta.edu yang(a)maebashi-it.org ================ (END)

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Developing gaze training for skilled upper-limb prosthetic use Ref: 2407
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira 17 Dec '16

17 Dec '16

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. This project is part of a competition for funding. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Please note that of the 56 projects advertised we expect that up to 20 posts will be filled. Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Gavin Buckingham<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Gavin_Buckingham> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Sam Vine<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Samuel_Vine> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Greg Wood<http://www.cheshire.mmu.ac.uk/exspsci/ourstaff/profile/index.php?profile_id…> (Manchester Metropolitan University) Co-supervisor: Dr Mark Wilson<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Mark_Wilson> (University of Exeter) Project Description: Learning to use a prosthetic limb is inherently difficult and requires a huge amount of concentration. Like learning how to wield a new tool for the first time, amputees need to acquire the confidence and dexterity required for skilled action. In order to produce accurate goal-directed movements the motor system requires accurate and timely visual information making the timing and location of the person’s gaze, with relation to the movement of their limbs, critical for skilled behaviour. There is, however, no structured training protocol for use with prosthetic hands. We aim to develop a novel gaze training regime to facilitate the use of a prosthetic hand to skilfully interact with objects. In the first part of the project, the student will undertake an observational study to determine what factors lead some individuals to become skilled with a prosthesis faster than others. We will test large numbers of intact (i.e., without amputation) participants learning to use a state-of-the-art myoelectric prosthetic arm simulator, which is controlled by muscle feedback but ergonomically designed to fit over the wrist of an intact hand. Participants will move objects of different of sizes and weights from one location to another with a range of precision requirements and in the presence of a range of obstacles. Over multiple sessions we will measure hand and object kinematics, fingertip forces, and eye path with a head-mounted eye tracker. We will then develop a data-driven mathematical model of the eye tracking and biomechanical performance data. Statistical analysis of the patterns of eye movement will provide new insights into the ‘signature’ of good performance using the prosthetic arm. The second phase will use the data from Project 1 to develop a training protocol that will adopt the ‘expert signatures’ from project work 1 as a prototype for a trainee to follow. We will focus predominantly on the signature of expertise derived from the gaze behaviour measures and implement a gaze training protocol. We will then test the efficacy of this novel training with new set of intact participants using the prosthetic simulator, tracking their performance in comparison to individuals who will receive a sham training protocol. In the final stage of the project work, the gaze training protocol will be used in a sample of upper-limb-amputees as they learn how to use their new prosthesis. As this state of the project will not be limited to myoelectric prosthetic users, this will also allow us to test the generalizability of our training protocol. The students will be involved in these experiments by running model simulations and data analysis to provide quantitative information for the training protocol as well as focussing on completing the write-up of their PhD thesis. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes. If you have not resided in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship, you are not eligible for a maintenance allowance so you would need an alternative source of funding for living costs.To be eligible for fees only funding you must be ordinarily resident in a member state of the EU Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Number of awards: 1 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Controlling noise effects in models of excitable cells
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira 17 Dec '16

17 Dec '16

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Jan Sieber<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/js543> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Joël Tabak<http://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/about/profiles/index.php?web_id=Joel_Tabak-Szn…> (University of Exeter) Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Project Description: This is a project that combines biological modelling and general mathematical analysis of the influence of noise on multiple-timescale systems. It will give the student the opportunity to work on open mathematical questions and see their results applied in experiments on living cells. Many types of cells such as neurons, heart and hormone-releasing cells generate impulses of electrical activity, organized as single spikes or bursts of impulses. In cells of the pituitary gland – the master hormonal gland of the body – the features of electrical activity patterns determine how much hormone is released into the circulation. Hence, understanding how the characteristic features of electrical activity arise is crucial to understanding how these cells function, and how they may malfunction in disease. Mathematical modelling and analysis techniques have proven very successful in helping unravel fundamental mechanisms controlling the behaviour of excitable cells. Electrical activity is driven by the interactions between ion channels of the cell membrane, which produce noisy electrical currents. The mathematical models of electrical activity thus contain random and deterministic parts, which typically appear as separate terms (e.g., the deterministic drift and the Brownian-motion induced diffusion in stochastic differential equations). In experimental practice this distinction is not as clear. For example, ion channels in cells with electrical activity generate noisy signals, driving systematically the electrical and chemical activity in the cell, which operate also on several time scales. It is still unclear how this randomness influences electrical activity in real cells. This PhD project will investigate how one can use control to identify the systematic (deterministic) component of trajectories in dynamical systems with random inputs (such as ion channel noise) that operate on two or three different time scales (such as spiking or bursting cells). A first goal to separate a systematic, approximately periodic, signal without knowledge of the period using control and geometric methods in a reconstructed phase space. Preliminary investigations with noise on a single time scale interacting with a two-timescale oscillation (spiking) have shown that this is in principle possible. It is an open question how this can be generalized to periodic behaviours with a more complicated geometry (such as bursting), interacting with noise effects that occur on two time scales. Another open question is how the geometric control and noise identification is related to extended time-delayed feedback, which creates a reference signal from a geometric time series of past outputs. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes; however up to 9 fully-funded studentships across the DTP are available for EU/EEA applicants not ordinarily resident in the UK. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year. Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College: 01392 722737 doctoral.college(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:doctoral.college@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics Living Systems Institute University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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CfP: 18th Int. Conf. on Engineering Applications of Neural Networks
by Simone Scardapane 16 Dec '16

16 Dec '16

[Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this CFP] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18th Int. Conf. on Engineering Applications of Neural Networks EANN 2017 (Athens, Greece, August 25-27, 2017) Workshop submission deadline: 11th February, 2017 Paper submission deadline: 20th April, 2017 https://conferences.cwa.gr/eann2017/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Call for Papers -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Authors are invited to submit electronically original, English-language research contributions or experience reports not concurrently submitted elsewhere in ALL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOPICS! Papers should be no longer than 10 pages formatted according to the LNCS Springer style. The program committee may reject papers that exceed this length on the grounds of length alone. In the spirit of the previous EANN conferences, the paper should concentrate on the application rather than just the algorithm or the theory. Submitted papers will be refereed by at least three reviewers for quality, correctness, originality, and relevance. Notification and reviews will be communicated via email. Accepted papers will be presented at the conference and included in the proceedings, which will be published by SPRINGER CCIS “Communications in Computer and Information Science” and they will be available on site. It is important though to follow the instructions in this page to ensure that your paper will be included in the proceedings. Call for Workshops -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proposals for Workshops that examine emerging, innovative, or otherwise provocative issues within the conference area are encouraged as well. Workshop proposals should include a 1-2 page summary of the topic and the names and affiliations of 3-4 panelists who have made a commitment to participate. https://conferences.cwa.gr/eann2017/call-for-workshops/ Areas of interest: https://conferences.cwa.gr/eann2017/areas-of-interest/ Important dates -------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Tutorial and workshops proposals: February 11th, 2017 * Notification of tutorial and workshops proposals: February 12th, 2017 * Paper submission: April 20th, 2017 * Notification of paper acceptance: May 13th, 2017 * Conference Dates: 25-27 August, 2017

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Call for Workshops - Bernstein Conference 2017
by Zrinka Gattin 14 Dec '16

14 Dec '16

The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and the Bernstein Center Göttingen invite proposals for Satellite Workshops. Satellite Workshops will directly precede the Bernstein Conference 2017 in Göttingen. ************************************************************** *Important Dates:* _Workshops: _September 12 - 13, 2017 _Main Bernstein Conference:_ September 13 - 15, 2017 _Deadline for proposal submission:_ March 01, 2017 _Notification of workshop acceptance:_ March 27, 2017 ************************************************************** Since 2013, the Bernstein Conference hosts pre-conference workshops. They provide a stage to discuss topical research questions, novel scientific approaches and challenges in Computational Neuroscience and related fields. Workshops addressing controversial issues, open problems, and comparisons of competing approaches are encouraged. Workshop formats should be designed to foster debate beyond a mere series of talks. The Bernstein Conference started out as the annual meeting of the Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and has become the largest annual single-track Computational Neuroscience conference in Europe in recent years. _Workshop time frame:_ September 12, 2017, 13:00 - 18:00 September 13, 2017, 9:00 - 12:30 Workshop proposals are welcome for either half-day or full-day workshops. Workshop costs: NEW THIS YEAR – FINANCIAL SUPPORT: For all accepted workshops the registration is free of charge for organizers and speakers. Organizers will also receive a waiver for the main conference fee. New this year: From the accepted workshops a maximum of ten workshops will be selected to each receive financial support of up to 1.500,00 €. For further information about the conference, please visit the conference website http://www.bernstein-conference.de. INSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS PREPARATION Workshop proposals must contain: 1) Workshop Title 2) Concise description of workshop topic 3) List of potential speakers indicating speaker commitment Please use the Workshop Proposal Form that can be downloaded here: http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/satellite-workshops *Deadline for submission of Workshop proposals: March 01, 2017* Accommodation and Hotel Reservation: We strongly recommend early room booking. The number of available accommodation is limited due to several concurrent events. We arranged for room contingents in a variety of hotels that you may book by yourself by email or phone. Please follow the instructions at our Accommodations Web-site (http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/venue/accommodation) We would like to emphasize that these room contingents will be held open up to different expiration dates depending on the hotel (or until they are filled). The earliest expiration date is already end of May 2017 whereas the majority of offers expire at the 12th of July 2017. We strongly encourage participants to share rooms and to book rooms as a group. Groups of three or four are possible if you book a suite. The room contingent contains a set of suits and apartments. We emphasize that it will be very difficult to book accommodation beyond the expiration dates. Please find a list of the hotels at our Accommodations Web-site. CONTACT: contact(at)bccn-goettingen.de We are looking forward to seeing you in Göttingen! WORKSHOP SELECTION COMMITTEE: Florentin Wörgötter (Chair) Marion Silies (co-Chair) Christian Tetzlaff (co-Chair) Matthias Bethge Laura Busse Claudia Clopath Julia Fischer Alexander Gail Richard Hahnloser Claus Hilgetag Peter Jonas Siegrid Löwel Michael Platt Viola Priesemann Nicole Rust Fred Wolf (Conference Chair) -- Dr Zrinka Gattin Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Goettingen Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology (BFNT) Goettingen PhD Program in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Am Fassberg 17 D-37077 Goettingen Phone: +49 (0)551 5176 418 Fax: +49 (0)551 5176 14418 E-Mail: zrinka(a)nld.ds.mpg.de

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Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS) - CNS2017 Meeting in Antwerpen (Belgium) - July 15-20, 2017
by Giugliano Michele 14 Dec '16

14 Dec '16

Dear Colleagues, apologies for cross postings. I bring to your attention the announcement of the CNS<http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017>2017 <http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017> Meeting<http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2017>, organised at the University of Antwerpen, by myself and Daniele Marinazzo. Please circulate it at your convenience and/or print and stick the A4 poster (download it here<https://www.dropbox.com/s/5yclp8dyspgnmu6/CNS2017_A4Poster.jpg?dl=0>) to the door of your office, library, campus, etc. Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS), 26th Annual Meeting, Antwerpen, Belgium, July 15-20, 2017 The main meeting (July 16-18) will be preceded by a day of tutorials (July 15) and followed by two days of workshops (July 19-20). Invited Keynote Speakers: Erik De Schutter, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan Panayiota Poirazi, IMBB-Forth, Greece and chair of FENS-Kavli network of excellence Fernando Lopes Da Silva, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Anne Churchland, Cold Spring Harbour Lab, USA Registration will open on January 11, 2017. Abstract submission will open on January 12, 2017 and close on March 5. 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-2017 ---------------------------------------- OCNS is the international member-based society for computational neuroscientists. Become a member to be eligible for travel awards and more. Visit our website for more information: http://www.cnsorg.org — Michele GIUGLIANO, PhD Dept. of Biomedical Sciences University of Antwerp B-2610 Wilrijk - Belgium www.uantwerpen.be/michele-giugliano<http://www.uantwerpen.be/michele-giugliano>

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Vacancy: Three Positions in the Dutch Research Consortium "Language in Interaction".
by Verhoef, J.P. (Julia) 12 Dec '16

12 Dec '16

Three Positions in the Dutch Research Consortium 'Language in Interaction' (1,0 fte) [Logo NWO][Logo]Dutch Research Consortium 'Language in Interaction' Vacancy number: 30.10.16 Application deadline: Jan 29, 2017, 23:59 CET Responsibilities We are looking for highly motivated candidates to enrich a unique consortium of researchers that aims to unravel the neurocognitive mechanisms of language at multiple levels. The goal is to understand both the universality and the variability of the human language faculty from genes to behaviour. Currently, our consortium advertises 1 Postdoc and 2 Research Assistant positions. These positions provide the opportunity for conducting world-class research as a member of an interdisciplinary team. Each position has its own requirements and profile. Click here for more information on the advertised positions<https://www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html>. Work environment The Netherlands has an outstanding track record in the language sciences. The research consortium 'Language in Interaction', sponsored by a large grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific research (NWO), brings together many of the excellent research groups in the Netherlands with a research programme on the foundations of language. In addition to excellence in the domain of language and related relevant fields of cognition, our consortium provides state-of-the-art research facilities and a research team with ample experience in the complex research methods that will be invoked to address the scientific questions at the highest level of methodological sophistication. These include methods from genetics, neuroimaging, computational modelling, and patient-related research. This consortium realizes both quality and critical mass for studying human language at a scale not easily found anywhere else. We have identified five Big Questions (BQ) that are central to our understanding of the human language faculty. These questions are interrelated at multiple levels. Teams of researchers will collaborate to collectively address these key questions of our field. Our five Big Questions are: BQ1: The nature of the mental lexicon: How to bridge neurobiology and psycholinguistic theory by computational modelling? BQ2: What are the characteristics and consequences of internal brain organization for language? BQ3: Creating a shared cognitive space: How is language grounded in and shaped by communicative settings of interacting people? BQ4: Variability in language processing and in language learning: Why does the ability to learn language change with age? How can we characterise and map individual language skills in relation to the population distribution? BQ5: How are other cognitive systems shaped by the presence of a language system in humans? Successful candidates will be appointed at one of the consortium's home institutions, depending on the position applied for. All successful candidates will become members of our Big Question teams. The research is conducted in an international setting at all participating institutions. English is the lingua franca. What we expect from you Each position has its own requirements and profile. Detailed information on: www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html<http://www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html> General requirements for all positions are: · a degree in one of the fields indicated for the positions; · strong motivation; · excellent proficiency in written and spoken English. What we have to offer · employment: 1,0 fte; · you will be appointed at one of the consortium's home institutions, depending on the position applied for; · Terms of employment depend on the embedding institution. · Dutch universities and the institute involved have a number of regulations in place that enable employees to create a good work-life balance. Other Information The institute involved is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and as such encourages applications from women and minorities. Would you like to know more? Further information on: the Language in Interaction Consortium<https://www.languageininteraction.nl/>. Further information on: the different positions<http://www.languageininteraction.nl/bqpositions.html>, including terms of employment and contacts Are you interested? You should upload your application (attn. of Prof. dr. P. Hagoort) using the button 'Apply'. Your application should include (and be limited to) the following attachments: · a cover letter quoting at the top the number (BQ1N or BQ4RA) of the position you apply for, · your curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and the names of at least two persons who can provide references. Please apply before Jan 29, 2017, 23:59 CET. For more information on your application: +31 24 3611173. Big Question 1 Scientific summary The big question this project addresses is how to use computational modeling to link levels of description, from neurons to cognition and behavior, in understanding the language system. We focus on the mental lexicon and aim to characterize its structure in a way that is precise and meaningful in neurobiological and (psycho)linguistic terms. Our overarching goal is to devise causal/explanatory models of the mental lexicon that can explain neural and behavioral data. This will significantly deepen our understanding of the mental lexicon, lexical access, and lexical acquisition. Postdoc Position - BQ1N Neurobiologically realistic models of the mental lexicon Content description You will participate in a team effort to understand the computational neurobiology underlying language by means of recurrent networks of spiking neurons (RNN) for sentence processing. The goal is to develop an RNN model of the long-term storage and retrieval of lexical items and their associated structural and semantic properties (Mental Lexicon), encoded into high-dimensional feature vectors. Core objectives are to understand the nature of these lexical representations, how they are linked to relevant retrieval cues, and how this system is acquired based on local, unsupervised, neurobiological plasticity principles (e.g., spike-timing dependent plasticity, homeostatic plasticity, synaptic consolidation). This memory network will interface with a network for online sentence comprehension (Unification) that is currently being developed in the Neurobiology of Language Department (MPI). In this combined architecture it will be investigated to what extent structured word representations delivered by the mental lexicon are suitable for incremental, combinatorial processing and what-conversely-the influence of sentence context is on lexical retrieval. Model building will be supplemented by the development of analytic techniques to measure memory capacity and dynamic stability, and methods to discover hidden representational structure in neuronal assemblies. Requirements You should have · A PhD degree (or equivalent) on the computational modeling of language processing/acquisition with a background in mathematics, physics, computer science, or other relevant fields of study. · A strong background in psycholinguistics as well as computational neuroscience is required. This includes detailed knowledge of neuronal dynamics, synaptic plasticity, and neurobiological principles for learning. · Expertise on mathematical models of neural networks, dynamical systems, and the analysis of neuronal activity is highly valued. · Extensive experience in scientific computing, including numerical methods, large-scale simulations, and data-science approaches. Programming experience especially in languages such as Matlab and Python is required, knowledge of simulation tools like NEST is desirable. · Experience with concepts and methods for statistical analysis, and with state-of-the-art techniques for data visualization. · An active interest in brain physiology, memory research, and computability theory. · Affinity with cognitive neuroscience, machine learning, and fundamental issues in theoretical linguistics is desirable. · Experience with designing and supervising PhD projects and have a proven ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, with strong communication skills in an international work environment. · The ability to work independently, organize and lead group meetings, compose research reports regularly, and present results to a wide scientific audience. · Fluency in English, spoken and written, is a must. Knowledge of Dutch is desirable but not mandatory. Embedding and Terms of employment This position will be held at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen. * Employment: 1,0 fte; · Starting salary will be based on Tarifvertrag im Öffentlichen Dienst E13 Stufe 1 (TVöD Bund). Final scaling dependant on experience; · In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance · The Max Planck Institute involved has a number of regulations that make it possible for employees to create a good work-life balance. Contact information Dr. Karl Magnus Petersson (Karl-Magnus.Petersson(a)mpi.nl<mailto:Karl-Magnus.Petersson@mpi.nl>) and Prof. Peter Hagoort (Peter.Hagoort(a)mpi.nl<mailto:Peter.Hagoort@mpi.nl>) Big Question 4 Scientific summary We aim to characterize variation in language processing and learning skills and to determine how these variations relate to variations in the underlying biology of individual participants. The project has two strands: Strand A focuses on language processing skills in young adults, and Strand B on language learning skills in children and adults. Strand A will develop a comprehensive battery of language tasks targeting sound, meaning, and grammatical processing of words and longer utterances during speaking and listening. In addition, tasks will be selected or developed assessing general cognitive skills that are likely to affect performance in language tasks. Strand B uses variability in learning ability to investigate why second-language (L2) acquisition can become harder in adulthood. Two Research Assistant Positions - BQ4RA Content Description You will work primarily in Strand A of the project. You will be involved in the development of the tests items (e.g., generation of stimuli, adaptation of English tests for use in Dutch, preparing the presentation of the items in existing software packages), data analysis and archiving. Your main duties will, however, be to schedule and test participants in the lab in Nijmegen and in schools in various locations in the Netherlands. Requirements You should minimally have a BA degree (or equivalent) in Psychology, (Special) Education , or another relevant field of study. You must have native or near native knowledge of Dutch and good knowledge of English. Good IT skills would be highly valued. Most importantly, you should have good communicative and organizational skills and feel comfortable interacting with young persons, individually and in groups. Some experience in teaching, therapy, or tutoring would be useful. Applications from excellent candidates with a less than ideal profile will be equally considered. Embedding These positions will be held at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen. * Employment: 1,0 fte; * Starting salary will be based on Tarifvertrag im Öffentlichen Dienst E9b Stufe 1 (TVöD Bund); · In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance; · The Max Planck Institute involved has a number of regulations that make it possible for employees to create a good work-life balance. Contact information Prof. Antje S. Meyer (antje.meyer(a)mpi.nl<mailto:antje.meyer@mpi.nl>) and Prof. James McQueen (j.mcqueen(a)donders.ru.nl<mailto:j.mcqueen@donders.ru.nl>)

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vacancy for female tenure track assistant professor at University of Groningen (Artificial Intelligence)
by Marieke van Vugt RUG 10 Dec '16

10 Dec '16

There are 5 tenure track positions available for female candidates in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, of which one will be placed in the Department of Artificial Intelligence. This department has a very broad interpretation of artificial intelligence, with expertise ranging from cognitive science to robotics and machine learning. We have a particular interest in model-based neuroscience and neuromorphic computing. http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=… Rosalind Franklin Fellowships at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (216337-41 RFF) Organisation The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences is home to a kaleidoscopic range of disciplines and research strengths. Our teaching and research programmes range from nanomaterials to engineering, from pharmacy to ecology, and from computer science to astronomy. Our researchers investigate fundamental key questions while collaborating with partners from industry, the medical world and other social sectors. Frontline research groups explore new fields such as synthetic biology and sustainable energy use. The Faculty place a high priority on the international dimension of teaching and research and has a long history of stimulating, initiating and carrying out multidisciplinary and internationally oriented research. The Faculty has 40 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, 35 of which are English-taught, attracting students from all over the world. Job description The University of Groningen initiated the prestigious Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme to promote the advancement of talented international researchers at the highest levels of the institution. The ambitious programme has been running at the Groningen Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences since 2002 and at the University as a whole since 2007. The Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme is aimed at women in industry, academia or research institutes who have a PhD and would like a career as full professor in a European top research university. The Fellowship is only awarded to outstanding researchers. Successful candidates will be expected to establish an independent, largely externally funded research programme in collaboration with colleagues at our Faculty and elsewhere. They will also be expected to participate in and contribute to the development of the teaching programme of their discipline. The University of Groningen has 13 tenure track positions available in this programme, currently co-funded by the European Union. We invite ambitious female academics to apply for these positions. Under European jurisdiction it is lawful to specifically recruit underrepresented groups. Five RFF positions In the next round of Rosalind Franklin Fellowships, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has five Rosalind Franklin Fellowships to offer in the disciplines: Fundamental Computer Science (Data Management, Theory of Computing, Algorithms, Networks, Security) Fundamental Mathematics (Algebra, Geometry, Analysis), Mathematical Data Analysis, Complex Systems Mechanical Engineering (field of dynamics and vibrations, optomechatronics, or other fields relevant for advanced instrumentation) Artificial Intelligence (logic, neuromorphic computing, cognitive modelling or robotics) Bioinformatics (complex biological systems, genome analyses, metagenomics and microbiology, host-microbe biology, new computational algorithms and methods). Qualifications • PhD degree for at least 3 years on reference date 1 February 2017 • exemplary research record demonstrated by publications in international top journals and/or in peer-reviewed books • proof of independence and international recognition • experience in various working environments in different countries • successful in acquiring external funding for research projects • teaching experience or proven inclination for teaching demonstrated by tutoring/mentoring of individuals or small groups • demonstrable organizational qualities and communication skills • a well-founded and motivated application with an innovative research plan for the first five years and a challenging outlook for the future which takes into account the international research landscape in their field of specialization • must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date of 1 February 2017. Please check whether you are eligible to apply by doing the eligibility check: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/ <http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/> Additional requirements In addition to the University’s general requirements for the fellowships, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has the following additional requirements: • at least two years of postdoctoral experience, preferably in various research institutions (Dutch applicants should have at least two years of postdoctoral experience outside The Netherlands) • experience in supervising research projects • the candidate must have the potential to develop into a leader who guides and inspires • the proposed research should be complementary and of added value to the research areas currently represented within the Faculty. Conditions of employment The University of Groningen offers a starting salary for the Rosalind Franklin Fellow/assistant professor, dependent on qualifications and relevant work experience, of a minimum of € 3,427 gross per month (salary scale 11 Dutch Universities) up to a maximum of € 5,330 gross per month (salary scale 12) for a fulltime position. The salaries include an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus and participation in an employee pension scheme. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for the University of Groningen. The appointment of a Rosalind Franklin Fellow/assistant professor will be on a temporary basis for a maximum of 6 years. After 5 years of employment, there will be an assessment of performance based on established criteria including research and teaching qualifications. If the outcome of the assessment is positive, the assistant professor will be promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure. At the end of a further 4-7 year period, there will be another assessment aimed at promotion to full professor. Please visit our webpage for more information about conditions of employment: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/condi… <http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/rff/requirements-application/condit…> Application You may apply for this position until 31 January / before 1 February 2017 Dutch local time by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website). Applicants should submit: 1. A full curriculum vitae including a complete list of publications (file 1) 2. A letter of motivation (file 2) 3. A 3-5 page statement of research accomplishments and future research goals (file 3) 4. A list of five selected ‘best papers’ (preferably including copies) (file 4) 5. the names and contact information (including email address) of 3 referees (file 5). The application files should be sent electronically in PDF format. Applications with missing credentials will not be taken into consideration. http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=… -------------------------------------------------------------------- Marieke van Vugt, PhD Assistant Professor, Cognitive Modelling Group University of Groningen Bernoulliborg, room 326 Nijenborgh 9 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands phone: +31-6-5195-4984 (cell) +31-50-363-9487 (office) http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt <http://www.ai.rug.nl/~mkvanvugt> twitter: @mvugt m.k.van.vugt(a)rug.nl <mailto:m.k.van.vugt@rug.nl> / mkvanvugt(a)gmail.com

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Postdoctoral Scholar - Sensorimotor Integration and Sensorimotor Learning for Speech Production
by Emre Neftci 08 Dec '16

08 Dec '16

A Postdoctoral Scholar position in the areas of sensorimotor integration and sensorimotor learning for speech production is available in the Auditory & Language Neuroscience Lab (PI Greg Hickok; http://sites.uci.edu/alns/) and the Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence Lab (PI Emre Neftci; http://nmi-lab.org/) in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Description of Duties: The research involves developing neurally feasible computational models of speech production that is integrated with and informed by ongoing work on speech production using a wide range of methods including functional imaging, lesion, and intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) and stimulation mapping. Salary and benefits: This position is full-time and includes benefits. Salary is commensurate with experience. Qualifications: The successful candidate must possess a Ph.D. (by the start of the appointment) in Cognitive Sciences, Physics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, or Engineering, and must have expertise in computational neuroscience and/or machine learning. The position is anticipated to begin in late 2016 or early 2017 for one year with an additional one-year reappointment possible contingent upon satisfactory performance and productivity. We seek a candidate with excellent verbal and written communication skills who is strongly motivated and has substantial computer programming experience – the labs rely heavily on MATLAB, R, Psyscope/Psychtoolbox and Python. Working knowledge of artificial and spiking neural networks is a plus. Application Procedure: Interested candidates should submit a cover letter (describing their research experiences, interests, and goals,), a CV, and the names and contact information of three references at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF03744 For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Greg Hickok (greg.hickok(a)uci.edu) or Dr. Emre Neftci (eneftci(a)uci.edu) The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy. -- Emre Neftci, PhD (ETH Zurich), Assistant Professor, Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence Lab (http://nmi-lab.org/) Department of Cognitive Sciences, 2308 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway Building, UC Irvine 92697-5100

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Postdoc position in systems neuroscience
by Shuzo Sakata 06 Dec '16

06 Dec '16

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research associate position in the group of Dr Shuzo Sakata in Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. This position is funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Mission of our research team is to understand state-dependent information processing in the brain at the level of neural circuits. This project particularly concerns the function of dream sleep. Taking multidisciplinary approaches, we will investigate the function of sub-second brain waves during REM sleep in rodents. Candidates should have a PhD or EngD in the field of neuroscience or related disciplines, including engineering and physics. Experience in at least one of the following areas is desirable: behavioural neuroscience, in vivo neurophysiology and computational neuroscience. Experience with quantitative skills for neurophysiological data analysis would be advantageous. Applicants should send (1) a CV and (2) a summary of their specific interests in our research programs to Dr. Shuzo Sakata, email: shuzo.sakata(a)strath.ac.uk. -- Shuzo Sakata, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer in Circuit Neurophysiology Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences University of Strathclyde 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK tel: +44-(0)141-548-2156, fax: +44-(0)141-552-2562 email: shuzo.sakata(a)strath.ac.uk The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263

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Post-doctoral Fellow in Human Intracranial Physiology at NIH
by Zaghloul, Kareem (NIH/NINDS) [E] 05 Dec '16

05 Dec '16

Hi, I would like to post following ad for a post-doctoral fellow on the comp-neuro list serv. Thank you, Kareem A. Zaghloul, MD, PhD Surgical Neurology Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH Bldg 10, Rm. 3D20 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892-1414 O: 301-594-8114 F: 301-402-0380 A full-time post-doctoral position focused on understanding the neural correlates of human cognitive function is available in the Surgical Neurology Branch of 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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Postdoctoral Fellowship in Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience
by Paul Miller 02 Dec '16

02 Dec '16

Brandeis University invited applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in theoretical/computational neuroscience. The successful applicant will be expected to work on a project related to the current research interests of faculty associated with the Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at Brandeis (see http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/sloan/ and http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/faculty/list_programNeuro.html) Example research areas include: Decision making; Short-term memory; Robustness and stability of small circuits; Cellular mechanisms of homeostasis; Attractor-state computing; Plasticity and development of cortical circuits. Candidates should have a Ph. D. in one of the Physical Sciences or Neuroscience, a demonstrated ability in scientific computation, a solid foundation in calculus and differential equations, and a strong interest in neuroscience. Prior training and experience in neuroscience is desirable, though we accept those candidates new to the field who are willing to commit to the intense and extensive training available here. Brandeis has a small, but strong neuroscience program (4 National Academy members) with significant expertise in systems neuroscience. Brandeis is located in Eastern Massachusetts, about 8 miles from Boston/Cambridge. All interested candidates should send a C.V., with the name and contact details of three or more references, and a paragraph indicating their career plans and research interests, by email to: pmiller(a)brandeis.edu. Please include in the subject line the phrase "Postdoc Application".

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Postdoctoral Positions available in Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience
by Jonathan Nicholas 01 Dec '16

01 Dec '16

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Computational Modeling of Brain Networks The Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships in brain network modeling and analysis. We seek candidates with strong research backgrounds in one or more of the following areas: resting-state fMRI, DTI, functional and structural brain connectivity analysis, and network modeling. This is an exciting opportunity to work on NIH- and NSF-funded projects using computational, network modeling and multimodal (fMRI, DTI, EEG) brain imaging techniques. The successful candidate will develop a vigorous research program that contributes to, and complements, ongoing research studies. The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art brain imaging and computational facilities. Strong programming skills and previous experience with DTI analysis are desirable. Please email a CV, statement of research interests and relevant background, and names of three referees to Drs. Vinod Menon and Aarthi Padmanabhan at scsnl.stanford+postdoc(a)gmail.com<mailto:scsnl.stanford@gmail.com> Postdoctoral Fellowship in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience The Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships in developmental cognitive neuroscience. We seek candidates with strong research backgrounds in one or more of the following areas: typical and atypical neurocognitive development, learning disabilities (dyscalculia and dyslexia), autism, numerical cognition, cognitive training, and brain network development. This is an exciting opportunity to work on NIH-funded projects using behavioral, computational, and multimodal (fMRI, MRI, DTI) brain imaging techniques. The successful candidate will develop a vigorous research program that contributes to, and complements, ongoing research studies. The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art brain imaging facilities and computational resources. Candidates must have a PhD and relevant research experience in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology or related fields. Strong expertise in fMRI data analysis and computational skills are highly desirable. Please email a CV, statement of research interests and relevant background, and names of three referees to Drs. Vinod Menon and Teresa Iuculano at scsnl.stanford+postdoc(a)gmail.com<mailto:scsnl.stanford+postdoc@gmail.com>.

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Postdoctoral Position in Machine Learning and Neuromodulation
by Babak Mahmoudi 01 Dec '16

01 Dec '16

A Postdoctoral position is available at Emory University School of Medicine on developing novel neuromodulation therapies for epilepsy and memory. The research and training is focused on developing Big Data analytic tools and machine learning algorithms for the optimization of neuromodulation therapies. The successful candidate will collaborate with scientists and clinicians in the Departments of Biomedical Informatics, Neurosurgery, Neurology and Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Tech, Grenoble University at France, and medical device industry partners. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Neuroscience or related fields with a strong background in machine learning, optimization theory, multivariate analysis and signal processing. Programming skill sets in Matlab and other languages (e.g., C++ and python) would be key to a successful candidate. Inquiries should be addressed to Babak Mahmoudi (b.mahmoudi(a)emory.edu) The position begins in January 1st but the start date is negotiable. The initial appointment is for one year, renewal expected if progress is satisfactory and funds are available. Please send applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three references to b.mahmoudi(a)emory.edu

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Researcher position at ATR Brain Labs (Kyoto, Japan)
by Haruo HOSOYA 01 Dec '16

01 Dec '16

Dear all, ATR Brain Labs in Kyoto, Japan has two open positions in computational visual neuroscience. I would appreciate if you forward the following message to anyone who might be interested. Best regards, Haruo Hosoya, Senior Researcher Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging ATR Brain Labs, Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories Open researcher positions at ATR Brain Labs., Kyoto, Japan ============================================ Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan, has open positions for researchers in computational visual neuroscience. Our institute has a long tradition in computational neuroscience and has recently been promoting theoretical studies of hierarchical vision models based on statistical learning theory (a.k.a. deep learning), with the emphasis on the bidirectional (feedforward and feedback) computation in the visual cortex. We seek for autonomous and motivated applicants who are interested in working on this research theme in collaboration with our research group. Haruo Hosoya, Ph.D. Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan 2016, December Project outline --------------------- It is well known that, in the visual cortex, a number of visual areas form a hierarchy with low-level to high-level feature representations, and perform bidirectional interactions through the feedforward and feedback circuitry. Such bidirectional computation has conventionally been considered to play roles in visual perception, imagery, information completion, selective attention, etc. However, our research group is considering that bidirectional computation may be far more essential in the visual system than previously thought. For example, we have recently released a theoretical model that proposes a potential role of bidirectional computation in visual representations of objects and facts in the higher visual cortex (http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/086637) We will continue to pursue other roles of the bidirectionality in various visual functions of the brain through developing new computational models based on learning theory and evaluating their visual processing capability, performance, and explainability of neuroscientific data. Furthermore, we are also interested in building a larger-scale hierarchical visual model that integrates various computational models developed in our group as well as pursuing its applicability in realistic problems. More on the project can be seen here: http://www.cns.atr.jp/~hosoya/project_outline.pdf. What's ATR? ------------------ ATR is a private company specialized to basic science founded in 1986. It is renowned for its long and unique tradition of computational neuroscience since the foundation, emphasizing the importance of mathematical understanding of computation in the brain for the technological innovation. Research in ATR is highly international and involves a number of scientists from all over the world for collaboration. The institute is located in Keihanna scientific city surrounded by the second largest city of Japan, Osaka, and two beautiful old capitals of Japan, Kyoto and Nara. Requirements for Researchers ----------------------------------------- Applicants must have a Ph.D. or be expected to get one before starting the job. The applicants are required to show expertise in a mathematical area, as well as strong interest in neuroscience and good programming experience. In particular, expertise in machine learning will be considered important. Additional knowledge in computation vision and computational neuroscience will also be welcome. Number of openings --------------------------- Two Employment conditions -------------------------------- Position : Full-time Researcher Tenure : Single year based contract, renewable based on evaluation Treatment: Based on individual performance Work Location: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan Application materials ---------------------------- Please submit the following five materials to the contact address below, either in a printed or in an electronic form: • 1 CV • 2 List of publications • 3 Reprints of 1-3 major publications of past projects • 4 Essay (up to two pages in A4 or letter size) describing summary of your previous research, interest in our project, and other skills and experiences potentially useful for research. • 5 Recommendation letters from two or more researchers * If submitted in printed form, original documents will not be returned. Judging system --------------------- After documentary examination, we ask for presentation and interview if needed. Starting date -------------------- Soon (negotiable) Deadline for application --------------------------------- Opens until positions are filled. Contact ----------- Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging ATR Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan Email: dbi-tvn at atr.jp at=@ Use of personal data ---------------------------- All personal data received will be properly managed and only be used for the purpose of recruitment.

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Engineer/Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience
by Irene Yujnovsky 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

*Engineer/Post-doc in Computational Neuroscience*** *Institute of System Neuroscience (INS**), UMR1106 AMU-Inserm, Marseille, FRANCE*** ** An engineer/post-doctoral position**is open in the Theoretical Neuroscience Group (TNG) <http://ins.univ-amu.fr/research-teams/theoretical-neurosciences-group/>directed by Viktor JIRSA at the Institute of System Neuroscience (INS) for an experienced computational neuroscientist to work in modeling brain networks with the aim of creating individual Virtual Patient epilepsy models using The Virtual Brain platform as framework (see http://www.thevirtualbrain.org) *Qualification* Candidates must be highly motivated to work on an interdisciplinary project and collaborate with the various members of the group and with clinicians. They should have a degree in computational neuroscience, engineering or equivalent level of knowledge. A strong background in computational neuroscience (networks, dynamic system theory) and/or data fitting (Bayesian approaches, Dynamical Causal Modeling (DCM), Monte Carlo techniques) will be highly appreciated. Candidates must be comfortable working in computational environmentsand possess excellent programming skills. Experience using The Virtual Brain platform and development of clinical databases would be considered an advantage. *The Theoretical Neuroscience group* We are a multi-national team interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying the spatiotemporal organization of large-scale brain networks. Our work comprises mathematical and computational modeling of large-scale network dynamics and human brain imaging data, the development of neuroinformatics tools for studying large-scale brain networks applied to concrete functions, dysfunctions (epilepsy, dementia) and aging. *Terms of salary and employment* A 12-month renewable contract will be established. Salary will depend on the diploma and experience. Operating language in the laboratory is English. Applications including a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names of two referees should be sent by December 31^st 2016 to: *Dr. Irene Yujnovsky* at irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr More information about the INS and the Theoretical Neurosciences Group can be found at: http://bit.ly/29kub1k -- --------------------------------------------------- Irene Yujnovsky, PhD Chef de projet EPINEXT Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes Inserm UMR1106 Université Aix-Marseille Faculté de Médecine, 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin 13005 Marseille, France Phone: +33 (0)491324239 email: irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr Website: http://epinext.org/

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Postdoctoral Position: Modeling of aging cortical networks
by Christina M. Weaver 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

Postdoctoral Position: Modeling of aging cortical networks A postdoctoral research fellowship in computational neuroscience is available to work with Christina Weaver (Dept. of Mathematics, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA). The postdoctoral fellow will be a vital member of the interdisciplinary research team led jointly by Dr. Weaver, Dr. Jennifer Luebke (Dept of Anatomy & Physiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA), and Dr. Patrick Hof (Dept. of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY). The research will explore structural and functional abnormalities of cortical neurons in middle-aged rhesus monkeys, and the extent to which intervention with a powerful antioxidant affects age-related dysfunction. The new postdoctoral fellow will build computational models of small cortical networks, constrained by our recent computational results and empirical studies in the Luebke and Hof laboratories. Our joint publications include: Amatrudo et al., J. Neurosci.(2012), PMID 23035077; Luebke et al., Cerebral Cortex (2015), PMID 24323499 and Rumbell et al., J. Comput. Neuro. (2016), PMID 27106692. The postdoc will travel occasionally to Boston and/or New York City as part of this collaboration. The postdoc will also have funds to support conference travel, professional development, and full access to campus services including F&M's Faculty Center. Applicants should have a strong background or interest in computational neuroscience and have a keen interest in interdisciplinary approaches that integrate modeling, imaging, and physiological experiments in neuroscience research. Initial appointment for this position is for one year, and may be extended contingent upon funding. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Requirements: - PhD or equivalent in computational neuroscience, applied mathematics, or a related field from an accredited institution is required. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. - Experience with differential equations-based mathematical models or automated parameter optimization is required. - Experience with conductance-based modeling of single neurons, or small networks, and/or NEURON compartmental modeling software is preferred. An extended job posting and link to apply is available at https://fandm.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=79194

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Research Fellow Position in Neuroinformatics
by Leon French 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

The Computational Neurobiology Laboratory at CAMH seeks a postdoctoral fellow to join our efforts to understand brain disease. We focus on mining datasets of connectivity, gene expression and epigenetics across the genome and the brain. We employ multifaceted approaches that gain information by using data that crosses scales, modalities, and species. We seek one postdoctoral fellow interested in bioinformatics and neuroscience. The primary project will be to create, explore, and test methods for mapping many genes across neuroanatomy and brain development. Given the polygenic complexity of mental illness, there are many exciting applications for these methods. Our current applications use genes associated with Parkinson’s disease, aging (collaboration with Dr. Etienne Sibille) and intellectual disability (with Dr. John B. Vincent). In addition to this project, there would be opportunities to pursue other research interests. Some of our frequently used keywords give a good description of our work: neuroinformatics, molecular neuroanatomy, genetics, epigenomics, population neuroscience, transcriptomics, machine learning, text mining, neuroimaging, software development, and connectomics. The ideal candidate should have a PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science or related field with extensive knowledge in genome-wide data integration. Significant interest in neuroscience and experience working with large datasets are requested. Writing manuscripts and applying for independent grants and fellowships will be strongly encouraged. Highly motivated individuals (Ph.D. and/or M.D.) should submit a curriculum vitae, names of 3 references and a cover letter explaining their interest, and a brief description of research experience. Send information to Leon French at leonfrench+recruit(a)gmail.com You will support a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork and complies with all applicable and regulatory requirements. This position will be located at 250 College Street, Toronto.

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Poostdoctoral Position - Jorge Riera on Behalf of Dr. Zachary Danziger) (Applied Neural Interfaces)
by Jorge Riera Diaz 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITION A postdoctoral research position is available to develop validation systems and decoding algorithms for brain-computer interface applications. Investigations will take place at the Applied Neural Interfaces Laboratory in Florida International University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, which is housed in the College of Engineering and Computing. The position entails software development, conducting human behavioral studies, and algorithm design with the goal of advancing the frontiers of brain-computer interface research and understanding the relationship between human users and adaptive controllers. The postdoctoral scholar will be expected to lead experiment design and data analysis efforts as well as participate in guiding the overall intellectual direction of the project. The position will allow the postdoctoral researcher the opportunity to creatively develop new solutions to challenging problems related to the neuroscience of braincomputer interfaces using state-of-the-art algorithms, advanced computing equipment, and virtual reality hardware. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, or a related field and have experience with MATLAB. For information about related projects see: https://anil.fiu.edu/ Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 512642 at facultycareers.fiu.edu or directly to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Zachary Danziger (Zachary.Danziger(a)fiu.edu) with a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for at least 3 references. To receive full consideration, applications and required materials should be received by December 30th. Review will continue until position is filled. FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Florida International University is classified by Carnegie as a R1: Doctoral Universities - Highest Research Activity and recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers 196 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, computer science, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes almost $9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded more than 220,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU's Medina Aquarius Program houses the Aquarius Reef Base, a unique underwater research facility in the Florida Keys. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has more than 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/. Jorge Riera, PhD Associate Professor Dept. Biomedical Engineering Florida International University Miami, FL 33174 Tel. 305 348 4948 Email. jrieradi(a)fiu.edu<mailto:jrieradi@fiu.edu>

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Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses
by Alberto Mazzoni 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

Dear all, the workshop on tactile coding taking place in the The Biorobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in the next two days (see below) will be available for streaming on the Facebook page of the Institute https://www.facebook.com/istitutobioroticascuolasuperioresantanna/ the full program is now available in .pdf form here sssa.bioroboticsinstitute.it/events/TFN2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses * *December 1-2 2016, Pontedera (Pisa) - Italy * *@ The Biorobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna* *ABSTRACT* Neurophysiology of touch and development of artificial tactile sensation are two fields of research with an ever-increasing interchange. Advanced neuroprostheses are progressively focusing on reproducing the naturalistic processing of tactile sensations in the peripheral and central nervous system. In turn, biomimetic tactile sensors and behavioral studies on patient implanted with tactile neuroprostheses can contribute to the understanding of tactile coding. This workshop aims at fostering the integration of neurophysiological, computational and robotics studies on touch with contribution of leading experts in the different fields. *WORKSHOP SESSIONS* *Neurophysiology of touch *- keynote speaker *Roland S Johannson* (Umea University, Sweden) *Touch perception and tactile coding *- keynote speaker *Vincent Hayward* (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, Paris, France) *Touch restoration, neuroprostheses and biorobotics *- keynote speaker *Sliman Bensmaia* (University of Chicago, USA) *DETAILS* The workshop takes place on the premises of The Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, viale Rinaldo Piaggio 24, in Pontedera (15 mins by train from Pisa, 50 mins from Florence). The event is free, but registration is compulsory. *To register, please write to local organizer Alberto Mazzoni (a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it <a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it>)* *ORGANIZERS* Silvestro Micera (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy / École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland) Henrik Jorntell (Lund University, Sweden) Calogero Oddo (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) Alberto Mazzoni (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) *ACKNOWLEDGMENTS* Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Directorate General for Country Promotion (Economy, Culture and Science)—Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, via the Italy-Sweden bilateral research project on "Brain network mechanisms for integration of natural tactile input patterns", NEBIAS European project (EUFP7-ICT-611687) and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna fund IEXERC14AM.

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Job Opening: Computational Neuroscience Research Assistant
by Jonathan Nicholas 29 Nov '16

29 Nov '16

Hello all, Please see the following ad for a full-time computational neuroscience RA: Computational Neuroscience Research Assistant Position at Stanford University: Stanford University has an opening for a talented research assistant with strong computational and programming skills. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary research team (http://scsnl.stanford.edu) on a wide range of studies of human brain function and dysfunction. The successful candidate will assist lab members with neuroimaging data analysis and data organization and management. He/She will have opportunities to develop and apply novel multimodal data analysis techniques and to co-author research publications. Experience with Matlab, Python, R, signal and image processing, machine learning, statistics, databases, Linux, and shell scripting is required. Experience in neuroimaging/neural data analysis is desired. Excellent organizational and interpersonal communication skills are required. We are seeking talented and enthusiastic candidates with a strong background in biomedical engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics, computational neuroscience, quantitative psychology, or related subjects. Stanford offers a highly competitive salary with excellent health and retirement benefits. A two-year commitment is required. Please email a CV, a statement of research interests and career goals, and contact information for three references to scsnl.stanford+quantitative(a)gmail.com Thanks, Jonathan

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Fully-funded four-year PhD studentship in Computational Neuroscience at Imperial College London
by Reichenbach, Johann D T 28 Nov '16

28 Nov '16

An exciting PhD project in Computational Neuroscience is available for UK/EU candidates in the group of Tobias Reichenbach (http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/index.html) at Imperial College London. The student will develop state-of-the art neuronal network models to investigate the effects of complex spatio-temporal neurostimulation on speech processing. The model development and results will be linked with ongoing experiments, and will pave the way to a novel rehabilitation from neural impairments with speech comprehension. The PhD position is part of the Center for Neurotechnology (http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology/cdt) at Imperial College London. The successful candidate will join an international cohort of PhD students working on cutting-edge topics of computational and experimental neuroscience and engineering. To apply please visit the Centre's project page (http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology/cdt/projects/) access the tab "Projects available for Oct 2017" and select the project "Developing a novel type of neurostimulation to foster speech processing and rehabilitation from aphasia". Deadline is the 31st of January 2017. ------------------------------------------- Tobias Reichenbach Lecturer, Biophysics of Hearing Editor, Heliyon Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London South Kensington Campus SW7 2AZ London, UK http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach/

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Graduate assistantships in Computational Science at FSU
by Gordon Erlebacher 28 Nov '16

28 Nov '16

Florida State University Graduate student assistantships available for Ph.D. and M.S. degree programs in Computational Science The Department of Scientific Computing at Florida State University offers innovative M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in Computational Science. Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available for qualified, motivated students who are interested in receiving cross-disciplinary training in computational science. Many, if not most interdisciplinary degree programs and schools, including those in computational science, are jointly administered by several departments. Florida State University has created an independent department, the Department of Scientific Computing, that offers truly cross-disciplinary graduate degree programs in computational science. All faculty, postdoctoral associates, and students associated with the Department of Scientific Computing have offices in the same building, leading to a supportive, synergetic, environment in which the varied aspects of research and education in computational science are not only supported, but is a way of life. For more information about the Department of Scientific Computing and its graduate degree programs, please go to http://www.sc.fsu.edu. Over the last few decades, computations have joined theory and experimentation to form the three pillars of scientific discovery and technological design. Computational science can be viewed as residing at the intersection of traditional disciplines such as mathematics, computer science, statistics, engineering, and the sciences. Thus, computational science draws from but is not a subset of any of these disciplines. Due to the cross-disciplinary nature of computational science, it is essential that a computational scientist be trained in a setting that incorporates all the components that make up computational science. The Department of Scientific Computing is uniquely positioned to offer such training because it composed of truly cross-disciplinary faculty with strong computational backgrounds in the fields of biology, computer science, engineering, geophysical science, mathematics, material science, physics, and statistics, with an even broader spectrum of disciplines through collaborations within and outside Florida State. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Computational Science can choose several areas of specialization. In addition to the major track, which trains students interested in the mathematical and computer science aspects of computational algorithms that can be applied to a wide range of disciplines, we offer tracks in atmospheric science, biochemistry, biological science, geological science, materials science, and physics. Soon, we will add a track in computational intelligence. Students following these tracks gain expertise in computational issues specifically related to the chosen field. All students, however, will be involved in truly cross-disciplinary training and research. The Department of Scientific Computing maintains a large and diverse computing infrastructure in support of research and education. Available computing resources include supercomputers, a number of clusters and computational servers, and multi-core workstations with advanced graphics cards available, and other specialized hardware. Florida State University is a national graduate research university which has built a reputation as a strong center for research in the sciences. It is located in Tallahassee, FL which is situated in the Florida panhandle and is near some of the most beautiful, uncrowded beaches in the United States as well as other scenic wonders. Applications are being accepted now for Fall 2017. Assistantships are available for qualified individuals. Minorities and women are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants should hold, by the time of entry into the graduate program, a baccalaureate degree in a natural science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, or statistics. Interested applicants should go to http://www.sc.fsu.edu/graduate/application, where detailed instructions about how to apply are given. Requests for more information and questions about the graduate programs or about the Department of Scientific Computing should be addressed to Dr. Sachin Shanbhag (Graduate Coordinator) at sshanbhag(a)fsu.edu or Gordon Erlebacher (Chair) at gerlebacher(a)fsu.edu. -- Gordon Erlebacher Chair, Department of Scientific Computing

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Postdoc opening in perceptual/cognitive neuroscience
by Simon Kelly 25 Nov '16

25 Nov '16

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research post in the Cognitive Neural systems lab (https://cogneusys.com/) led by Simon Kelly, to study computational and neural mechanisms of value-biased sensorimotor decision making under time pressure. This position is part of a project funded by Science Foundation Ireland, which involves a combination of psychophysics, computational modelling, non-invasive electrophysiology of human brain and muscle, and analyses of existing single-cell neurophysiological data. Though involvement is expected in all of these aspects, the most critical role of the postdoctoral researcher will be in computational modelling. Candidates must thus have strong analytic and programming skills, and specific experience in the computational modelling of cognitive processes. Candidates must also be highly motivated and have excellent communication skills. Dr. Kelly's electrophysiology/psychophysics lab is situated within the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in University College Dublin, Ireland, and has strong collaborative links to cognitive and clinical neuroscience research groups both locally (e.g. Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience) and internationally (e.g. City College and Columbia University in New York). The successful applicant will have ample opportunities for wider collaborations and the learning of new skills. Interested candidates should submit a brief research statement and CV including publications through the UCD job vacancies site ( http://www.ucd.ie/hr/jobvacancies/ - search for keyword 'kelly', or job ref 008870). Informal enquiries can be directed to Simon (simon.kelly(a)ucd.edu) Candidates should explain in their statement how their own research interests fit with those of the Kelly lab. The deadline for submitting applications is Jan 8th 2017, and shortlisting and interviews will take place shortly after that. ----------------------------------------------------------- Simon Kelly, Ph.D. Associate Professor School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering University College Dublin t: +353 (1) 716 1803 e: simon.kelly(a)ucd.ie -----------------------------------------------------------

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Developing gaze training for skilled upper-limb prosthetic use Ref: 2407
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira 19 Nov '16

19 Nov '16

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. This project is part of a competition for funding. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Please note that of the 56 projects advertised we expect that up to 20 posts will be filled. Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Gavin Buckingham<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Gavin_Buckingham> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Sam Vine<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Samuel_Vine> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Greg Wood<http://www.cheshire.mmu.ac.uk/exspsci/ourstaff/profile/index.php?profile_id…> (Manchester Metropolitan University) Co-supervisor: Dr Mark Wilson<http://sshs.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Mark_Wilson> (University of Exeter) Project Description: Learning to use a prosthetic limb is inherently difficult and requires a huge amount of concentration. Like learning how to wield a new tool for the first time, amputees need to acquire the confidence and dexterity required for skilled action. In order to produce accurate goal-directed movements the motor system requires accurate and timely visual information making the timing and location of the person’s gaze, with relation to the movement of their limbs, critical for skilled behaviour. There is, however, no structured training protocol for use with prosthetic hands. We aim to develop a novel gaze training regime to facilitate the use of a prosthetic hand to skilfully interact with objects. In the first part of the project, the student will undertake an observational study to determine what factors lead some individuals to become skilled with a prosthesis faster than others. We will test large numbers of intact (i.e., without amputation) participants learning to use a state-of-the-art myoelectric prosthetic arm simulator, which is controlled by muscle feedback but ergonomically designed to fit over the wrist of an intact hand. Participants will move objects of different of sizes and weights from one location to another with a range of precision requirements and in the presence of a range of obstacles. Over multiple sessions we will measure hand and object kinematics, fingertip forces, and eye path with a head-mounted eye tracker. We will then develop a data-driven mathematical model of the eye tracking and biomechanical performance data. Statistical analysis of the patterns of eye movement will provide new insights into the ‘signature’ of good performance using the prosthetic arm. The second phase will use the data from Project 1 to develop a training protocol that will adopt the ‘expert signatures’ from project work 1 as a prototype for a trainee to follow. We will focus predominantly on the signature of expertise derived from the gaze behaviour measures and implement a gaze training protocol. We will then test the efficacy of this novel training with new set of intact participants using the prosthetic simulator, tracking their performance in comparison to individuals who will receive a sham training protocol. In the final stage of the project work, the gaze training protocol will be used in a sample of upper-limb-amputees as they learn how to use their new prosthesis. As this state of the project will not be limited to myoelectric prosthetic users, this will also allow us to test the generalizability of our training protocol. The students will be involved in these experiments by running model simulations and data analysis to provide quantitative information for the training protocol as well as focussing on completing the write-up of their PhD thesis. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes. If you have not resided in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship, you are not eligible for a maintenance allowance so you would need an alternative source of funding for living costs.To be eligible for fees only funding you must be ordinarily resident in a member state of the EU Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Number of awards: 1 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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PhD positions at the University of Exeter: Controlling noise effects in models of excitable cells
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira 19 Nov '16

19 Nov '16

About the award This project is one of a number which are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership to commence in September 2017. The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which, is currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students. Supervisors: Main supervisor: Prof Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Jan Sieber<http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/js543> (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Joël Tabak<http://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/about/profiles/index.php?web_id=Joel_Tabak-Szn…> (University of Exeter) Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter, Devon Project Description: This is a project that combines biological modelling and general mathematical analysis of the influence of noise on multiple-timescale systems. It will give the student the opportunity to work on open mathematical questions and see their results applied in experiments on living cells. Many types of cells such as neurons, heart and hormone-releasing cells generate impulses of electrical activity, organized as single spikes or bursts of impulses. In cells of the pituitary gland – the master hormonal gland of the body – the features of electrical activity patterns determine how much hormone is released into the circulation. Hence, understanding how the characteristic features of electrical activity arise is crucial to understanding how these cells function, and how they may malfunction in disease. Mathematical modelling and analysis techniques have proven very successful in helping unravel fundamental mechanisms controlling the behaviour of excitable cells. Electrical activity is driven by the interactions between ion channels of the cell membrane, which produce noisy electrical currents. The mathematical models of electrical activity thus contain random and deterministic parts, which typically appear as separate terms (e.g., the deterministic drift and the Brownian-motion induced diffusion in stochastic differential equations). In experimental practice this distinction is not as clear. For example, ion channels in cells with electrical activity generate noisy signals, driving systematically the electrical and chemical activity in the cell, which operate also on several time scales. It is still unclear how this randomness influences electrical activity in real cells. This PhD project will investigate how one can use control to identify the systematic (deterministic) component of trajectories in dynamical systems with random inputs (such as ion channel noise) that operate on two or three different time scales (such as spiking or bursting cells). A first goal to separate a systematic, approximately periodic, signal without knowledge of the period using control and geometric methods in a reconstructed phase space. Preliminary investigations with noise on a single time scale interacting with a two-timescale oscillation (spiking) have shown that this is in principle possible. It is an open question how this can be generalized to periodic behaviours with a more complicated geometry (such as bursting), interacting with noise effects that occur on two time scales. Another open question is how the geometric control and noise identification is related to extended time-delayed feedback, which creates a reference signal from a geometric time series of past outputs. Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Master’s degree. Applicants with a minimum of Upper Second Class degree and significant relevant non-academic experience are encouraged to apply. All applicants would need to meet our English language requirements by the start of the project http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The majority of the studentships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK and are classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes; however up to 9 fully-funded studentships across the DTP are available for EU/EEA applicants not ordinarily resident in the UK. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Summary Application deadline: 11th January 2017 Value: 3.5 year studentship: UK/EU tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at current Research Council rate. Current rate of £14,296 per year. Duration of award: per year Contact: Doctoral College: 01392 722737 doctoral.college(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:doctoral.college@exeter.ac.uk> How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding/application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your current proficiency in English. For further details of the University’s English language requirements please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/english/. The closing date for applications is midnight on 11 January 2017. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter between 13 February and 17 February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email Doctoral.College(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:Doctoral.College@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 722311. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. During the application process, the University may need to make certain disclosures of your personal data to third parties to be able to administer your application, carry out interviews and select candidates. These are not limited to, but may include disclosures to: • the selection panel and/or management board or equivalent of the relevant programme, which is likely to include staff from one or more other HEIs; • administrative staff at one or more other HEIs participating in the relevant programme. Such disclosures will always be kept to the minimum amount of personal data required for the specific purpose. Your sensitive personal data (relating to disability and race/ethnicity) will not be disclosed without your explicit consent. Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare Department of Mathematics College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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PhD Position: Modelling spine calcium dynamics and cross talk: implications for synaptic plasticity and ischaemia
by Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira 19 Nov '16

19 Nov '16

PhD Position: Modelling Spine Calcium Dynamics, University of Exeter Project Description: Nerve cells (neurones) in the brain communicate with one another at connect ions called synapses. A chemical (neurotransmitter) is released from a neuron and travels across the synapse to activate receptors in the adjacent neuron. Synapses can change their strength (known as “synaptic plasticity”) by altering the number of receptors found on the surface of the neuron in the synapse. This process is thought to underlie learning and memory, because the memory is likely to be stored in a circuit of interconnected neurons. The critical trigger for synaptic plasticity is the influx of calcium ions into very small compartments of neurones called spines, tiny structures approximately 1 millionth of a metre in diameter. However, this influx of calcium ions can also trigger cell death after ischaemic injury that occurs during stroke so it must be tightly regulated. Plasticity of excitatory synapses is a key mechanism by which we alter the flow of information in the brain and encode memories. Individual synapses occur at thousands of postsynaptic dendritic spines separated from the dendrite by a thin neck making each spine a semi-autonomous entity. It is thought that this is what underpins synapse specific plasticity enabling high capacity memory. However, recently it has become clear that cross talk between coactive spines is the basis for many forms of synaptic plasticity, but the mechanism, requirements and biological function for this spine-spine communication remain unknown. Similarly, the precise calcium signals that differentiate plasticity from cell death processes are also unknown. This project aims to address these questions using a combination of mathematical modelling and high-resolution imaging data collected with high-powered laser microscope. In order to capture the complex geometry of the system we will employ advanced mathematical techniques for spatio-temporal modelling and analysis such as finite element methods. This work is important because it will lead to a wealth of new information about synaptic plasticity and cell death processes, and hence the mechanisms underlying learning and memory and ischaemic brain damage. Furthermore, dysfunction in the ability to undergo synaptic plasticity is thought to underlie the altered neuronal activity in several brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and autism. Therefore, the mechanisms that we will study in this research will add to our knowledge about these debilitating diseases, and may contribute to developing therapies. Academic Supervisors: Main Supervisor: Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova (University of Exeter) Co-supervisor: Dr Jack Mellor (University of Bristol) Summary Application deadline: 5th December 2016 Value: £14,296 per annum for 2016-17 How to apply Click here to apply<http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/money/funding//application/> Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents: • CV • Letter of application outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project. Please indicate your preferred project choice if applying for multiple BBSRC SWBio DTP projects. • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are still studying. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English (see entry requirements above) You will be asked to name 2 referees as part of the application process however we will not contact these people until the shortlisting stage. Your referees should not be from the prospective supervisory team. The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday, 5 December 2016. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter in early February 2017. If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email cles-pgr-support(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:cles-pgr-support@exeter.ac.uk> or phone +44 (0)1392 725150 / 723706. Project-specific queries should be directed to the supervisor. ----------------------------------------------------------- BBSRC SWBio DTP PhD studentship: Modelling spine calcium dynamics and cross talk: implications for synaptic plasticity and ischaemia About the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership: The South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP) is a BBSRC-funded PhD training programme in the biosciences, delivered by a consortium comprising the Universities of Bristol (lead), Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, and Rothamsted Research. Together, these institutions present a distinctive cadre of bioscience research staff and students with established international, national and regional networks and widely recognised research excellence. The partnership has a strong track record in advancing knowledge through high quality research and teaching in partnership with industry and government. The aim of the SWBio DTP is to produce highly motivated and excellently trained postgraduates in the BBSRC priority areas of Agriculture & Food Security (AFS) and World-Class Underpinning Bioscience (WCUB). These are growth areas of the biosciences and for which there will be considerable future demand. About the award: This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP). Up to 4 fully-funded studentships are being offered to start in September 2017 at the University of Exeter. For UK/EU nationals who meet the residency requirements outlined by the BBSRC, the studentship will cover funding for 4 years (48 months) as follows. These awards might be available to part-time students, but only in exceptional circumstances, in which case the funding will be paid on a pro-rata basis. • a stipend at the standard Research Council UK rate; currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017 • research and training costs • tuition fees (at the standard Research Councils UK rate • additional funds to support fieldwork, conferences and a 3-month internship Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter Entry requirements: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Masters degree or have significant relevant non-academic experience. In addition, due to the strong mathematical component of the taught course in the first year and the quantitative emphasis in our projects, a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths or an equivalent qualification or experience is required. If English is not your first language you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS and no less than 6.5 in any section by the start of the project. Alternative tests may be acceptable, please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/. Students from EU countries who do not meet the residency requirements may still be eligible for a fees-only award but no stipend. Applicants who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not eligible for funding. Further information about eligibility can be found in the following document: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/documents/studentship-eligibility-pdf/ Selection process: Please note, the studentship selection process will take place in two stages: 1. The project supervisors will consider your application and may invite you to visit for an informal interview. You can apply for more than one BBSRC SWBio DTP project, although supervisors may take into account your interest and commitment to their particular project. If you apply for multiple projects, please indicate your preferred project choice in your letter of application. Each application for an individual project will be considered separately by the project supervisors. 2. After closure of applications, each supervisory team will then nominate their preferred applicant. A shortlist will be selected from these nominations and shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview on a selection day at the University of Exeter. Please note that nomination by a project supervisor therefore does not guarantee the award of a studentship. ----------------------------------------------------------- Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QF, UK tel: +44 (0) 1392 723615 email: k.tsaneva-atanasova(a)exeter.ac.uk<mailto:k.tsaneva-atanasova@exeter.ac.uk> web: http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/kt298

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Call for Registration: Computational Neurology 2017. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
by roman bauer 19 Nov '16

19 Nov '16

Dear all, We are pleased to announce that the registration for the Computational Neurology Conference in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK has opened. *Please register here:* https://conferences.ncl.ac.uk/compneurology/registration/ - Registration is free and includes lunch/coffee breaks on both days - Speakers are not required to register *Registration deadline:* February 5, 2017 *List of confirmed speakers:* - Javier Escudero - Edinburgh - Marc Goodfellow - Exeter - Andrew Jackson - Newcastle - Viktor Jirsa – Marseille - Marcus Kaiser - Newcastle - Dimitri Kullmann – University College London - Marco Manca - CERN - Florian Mormann - Bonn - Matthew Nolan – Edinburgh - Gregory Scott - Imperial College London - Evelyne Sernagor - Newcastle - Peter Uhlhaas – Glasgow Additionally, there will be multiple mini-talks from selected poster presenters. More information on the conference can be found at the dedicated website: https://conferences.ncl.ac.uk/compneurology/ Thanks and we look forward to seeing you in Newcastle upon Tyne! On behalf of the organizers: Roman Bauer, Anupam Hazra, Luis Peraza Rodriguez, Peter Taylor, Yujiang Wang -- Roman Bauer, Ph.D. MRC Research Fellow Institute of Neuroscience Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK tel: +44 (0) 191 208 8933 <+44%20(0)%20191%20208%208933>

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Funded PhD places at Royal Holloway
by Durant, Szonya 18 Nov '16

18 Nov '16

Applications are open for funded PhD places starting 2017 in the Dept. of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London. Further details: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/psychology/prospectivestudents/postgraduate… The following projects may be of interest to the readers of this list (linked the project descriptions below), please contact the primary supervisor for more information. ? The perceived duration of actions (Primary Supervisor: Dr Durant<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/szonya-durant_64105598-7…>; Second Supervisor: Dr Lingnau<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/angelika-lingnau%283be38…>) ? Semantic information transfer from audition to vision (Primary Supervisor: Dr Vetter<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/petra-vetter(cdfd308c-1e…>; Second Supervisor: Dr Auer) ? Perceptual and physiological correlates of aesthetic preferences (Primary supervisor: Prof Zanker<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/johannes-zanker_350450c5…>; Second Supervisor: Dr Durant<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/szonya-durant_64105598-7…>) ? The neuroscience of facial attractiveness choices (Primary Supervisor: Dr Furl<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/nicholas-furl(ea2a352b-6…> ; Second Supervisor: Dr McKay<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/ryan-mckay_cda72457-6d2a…>) ? Detection of emotion and trustworthiness across the lifespan (Primary Supervisor : Dr Watling<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/dawn-watling_70194d88-af…>; Second Supervisor : Dr Durant<https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/szonya-durant_64105598-7…> ) Szonya Durant, RHUL Angelika Lingnau, RHUL The perceived duration of actions Project Summary The perception of duration is often cited as being crucial for action. Overlapping neural areas have been found to be involved in motor planning and duration perception. However, dissociations have been found in time judgement for action and perception. Our ability to judge the duration of our own and others' actions has been little investigated. Additionally, predictability affects duration perception and neural signal change - do expected actions differ from unexpected ones in their perceived duration? This project combines psychophysical, EEG and fMRI techniques, providing the PhD candidate with a broad training in neuroscientific techniques. The behavioural experiments compare the perceived duration of action to matched non-action visual stimuli. We test if judging our own actions cued by a visual stimulus improves accuracy or shifts means compared to action or non-action visual stimuli alone. We will also manipulate predictability of actions, both by probability of occurrence or expectation in terms of object affordance. The fMRI studies will contrast judging the duration of another person's actions versus one's own as well as non-action visual stimuli. We will examine which brain areas are modulated by perceived duration and by predictability. Moreover, we will use MVPA to examine predictability effects on the ability to categorize actions. The EEG experiments will use the visual mismatch negativity signal as a measure of what is considered a predictable action when attention is not directed towards it and relate this to the psychophysical results. Petra Vetter, RHUL Tibor Auer, RHUL Semantic information transfer from audition to vision Project summary: Our brain integrates a multitude of sensory information into one coherent percept so that we can interact with the world. Previous research typically focussed on how multisensory information is integrated across space and time, but so far little research has attempted to determine the semantic meaning of the communicated information across the senses. However, knowing the semantic content of cross-modally transmitted information is crucial to optimise multimedia environments and sensory substitution devices for the blind. The goal of this project is to characterise the semantic information content that is transferred from audition to vision in the human brain, and to identify the neural pathways of this information transfer. The predominant methods will be functional MRI in combination with multivariate brain decoding techniques and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The project will address two main questions: 1. Which semantic categories of auditory information are distinguished in visual cortex and to which level of abstraction? Here we will decode natural sounds of several semantic categories (e.g. animals versus humans, female versus male, tools versus instruments) from fMRI activity patterns in early visual cortex in the absence of visual stimulation. 2. Where in the brain are these semantic categories distinguished? Here the brain pathways of audio-visual information transfer will be identified by connectivity and whole brain decoding analyses, as well as by stimulating multi-sensory brain areas with TMS prior to MRI scanning. The latter allows to identify the brain areas that are causally involved in mediating semantic information transfer from audition to vision. Johannes Zanker, RHUL Szonya Durant, RHUL Perceptual and physiological correlates of aesthetic preferences Project summary Arts history has plenty of 'theoretical' concepts on offer to explain what human spectators regard as beautiful (Gombrich 1977), which often closer to believe systems than being based on evidence. With the advent of psychophysics, investigating the relationship between the physical world and its mental representation, aesthetic judgement became accessible to empirical study (Fechner 1860), soon to be aided by some physiological and behavioural methods (Yarbus 1967, Berlyne 1971). The proposed project is planned to extend previous work that established (a) quantitative methods to measure aesthetic attributes - such as complexity, regularity, liking - that were applied to both to synthetic stimuli and samples of artwork, and (b) an analysis method for preferential eye movements for the same stimulus material, and complement it with (c) recordings of cortical activity recorded with the EEG system. The combination of methods offers the opportunity to directly link the perceptual tasks, recordings of eye movement signals (which are also picked up by the EEG system) and neural responses and align preference data sets from a single experiment. The goal of this project is to explore whether features such as style aspect, particular composition schemes, geometric properties such as perspective or symmetry, and mathematical properties such as the complexity of a piece of art, are reflected in the activity of the early visual system, and to what extent such cortical activity in the early visual system can contribute to for what participants perceive as pleasing, and describe as 'beautiful'. Dawn Watling, RHUL Szonya Durant, RHUL Detection of emotion and trustworthiness across the lifespan Project Summary Emotion recognition is a key social skill which we use on a daily basis to navigate successfully through social interactions. Individuals use facial expressions to infer and make judgments about the attitude and/or feelings of another (Cunningham & Odom, 1986) and the judgments that one makes are often used to guide future behaviour within the interaction (Gao & Maurer, 2009). Children recognize from 6-years-old that facial expressions of emotion do not always match true feelings. This PhD will address: first, what factors influence one's ability to detect a genuine (or faked) facial expression of emotion, how does this relate to judgements of trustworthiness; second, are their age related changes in detection and judgements across the lifespan? Throughout this PhD a series of studies will be designed to address these questions using static and dynamic images, and live interactions. The proposed cross-sectional design will include participant groups from early childhood to late adulthood. Participants will visit the Oculomotor lab and be asked to make judgements on genuineness of emotional expressions and how trustworthy an individual is. Participants' eye movements and gaze fixations will be recorded and analysed in terms of scan paths, gaze duration at targeted areas, and related to the perceived genuineness of the individual. There are important implications for the understanding of how a child may respond to an approaching strangers or how an elderly individual may respond to a stranger who makes a request (e.g., for money, to enter their home). Nicholas Furl, RHUL Ryan McKay, RHUL Bruno Averbeck, NIMH/NIH Davide Rivolta, University of East London The neuroscience of facial attractiveness choices Project summary Users of modern dating applications (e.g., Tinder) face a classic decision problem. This "best choice" or "marriage" problem requires participants to view a series of options one at a time (e.g., a series of used cars) and to decide whether to accept or reject each option. A participant's task is to find a high-ranking option in the series (e.g., a car with low mileage), with the restriction that declined options cannot be returned to. The problem is known as the "marriage" problem after the decision process adopted by astronomer Johannes Kepler when searching for a wife; after considering several candidates, Kepler returned to a previous candidate and was duly rejected. Our research team has shown that humans confronted by a similar mate choice task make suboptimal decisions, compared to computational "ideal observer" models. Further, parietal cortex activity may contribute to these decisions. Our Ph.D. project will use brain imaging to assess how suboptimal searches for the most attractive face arise from interactions between brain activity involved in decision making (parietal cortex) and social perception. Our student will also test whether brain stimulation (e.g., to parietal cortex) changes participants' ability to "wait for the right person". Our Ph.D. student will lead a project with potential for broad scientific and social impact and will receive training in brain imaging, brain stimulation and behavioural and computational methods. Szonya Durant Department of Psychology Royal Holloway, University of London Egham TW20 0EX 01784 276522

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Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses - Pontedera (Pisa), Italy - Dec 1-2 2016
by Alberto Mazzoni 18 Nov '16

18 Nov '16

Workshop announcement (apologies for cross-postings) *Workshop on Tactile coding and neuroprostheses * *December 1-2 2016, Pontedera (Pisa) - Italy * *@ The Biorobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna* *ABSTRACT* Neurophysiology of touch and development of artificial tactile sensation are two fields of research with an ever-increasing interchange. Advanced neuroprostheses are progressively focusing on reproducing the naturalistic processing of tactile sensations in the peripheral and central nervous system. In turn, biomimetic tactile sensors and behavioral studies on patient implanted with tactile neuroprostheses can contribute to the understanding of tactile coding. This workshop aims at fostering the integration of neurophysiological, computational and robotics studies on touch with contribution of leading experts in the different fields. *WORKSHOP SESSIONS* *Neurophysiology of touch *- keynote speaker *Roland S Johannson* (Umea University, Sweden) *Touch perception and tactile coding *- keynote speaker *Vincent Hayward* (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, Paris, France) *Touch restoration, neuroprostheses and biorobotics *- keynote speaker *Sliman Bensmaia* (University of Chicago, USA) *DETAILS* The workshop takes place on the premises of The Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, viale Rinaldo Piaggio 24, in Pontedera (15 mins by train from Pisa, 50 mins from Florence). The event is free, but registration is compulsory. *To register, please write to local organizer Alberto Mazzoni (a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it <a.mazzoni(a)sssup.it>)* *ORGANIZERS* Silvestro Micera (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy / École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland) Henrik Jorntell (Lund University, Sweden) Calogero Oddo (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) Alberto Mazzoni (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy) *ACKNOWLEDGMENTS* Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Directorate General for Country Promotion (Economy, Culture and Science)—Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, via the Italy-Sweden bilateral research project on "Brain network mechanisms for integration of natural tactile input patterns", NEBIAS European project (EUFP7-ICT-611687) and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna fund IEXERC14AM.

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Hiring Interviews at NIPS Barcelona for NEURAL DATA ANALYTICS - Post Docs, Staff Scientists, & Electrical Engineers
by Platt, Jo Ann 17 Nov '16

17 Nov '16

Bioelectronic Medicine is the new frontier of medicine - challenging and changing the way we diagnose, manage, and treat disease. Today's discoveries and devices are successfully replacing drugs. We aim to treat bleeding, cancer, diabetes, lupus, obesity, paralysis, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, and many other diseases and conditions. The Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is conducting interviews at Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) for multiple positions in the fields of machine learning, neural engineering, neural decoding and data analytics, microfabrication, bioelectronics and biosensing, and neurophysiology. Each successful candidate will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to determine the nature of neural control over molecular, cellular and organ functions of the body, the parts of the brain that regulate those nerves, and the signals that the brain receives to monitor cell and organ function. The candidates will work on projects involving development of novel signal processing and machine learning methods to gain insights into decoding and encoding mechanisms of the brain and peripheral nerves, reinforcement learning approaches used to optimize neural stimulation, techniques to directionally transmit or receive neural signals and numerical and biophysical modeling of neural circuits. Submit your resume to japlatt(a)northwell.edu<mailto:japlatt@northwell.edu> for consideration and to arrange an onsite interview. Jo Ann Platt The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Cell: (415) 265-0441<tel:(415)%20265-0441> 350 Community Drive<x-apple-data-detectors://2/1> Manhasset, NY 11030<x-apple-data-detectors://2/1> The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

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[ECSQARU 2017] First Call for Papers
by Alessandro Antonucci 17 Nov '16

17 Nov '16

The Fourteenth European Conference on Symbolic and Quantitative Approaches to Reasoning with Uncertainty FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch The biennial ECSQARU conferences constitute a major forum for advances in the theory and practice of reasoning under uncertainty. Contributions come from researchers interested in advancing the scientific knowledge and from practitioners using uncertainty techniques in real-world applications. The scope of the ECSQARU conferences encompasses fundamental issues, representation, inference, learning, and decision making in qualitative and numeric uncertainty paradigms. Previous ECSQARU events have been held in Marseille (1991), Granada (1993), Fribourg (1995), Bonn (1997), London (1999), Toulouse (2001), Aalborg (2003), Barcelona (2005), Hammamet (2007), Verona (2009), Belfast (2011), Utrecht (2013), and Compiègne (2015). ECSQARU 2017 will be co-located with ISIPTA '17, the Tenth International Symposium on Imprecise Probability: Theories and Applications. The joint event will be held in Lugano (Switzerland), on July 10-14, 2017. ::: SCOPE ::: For ECSQARU 2017 we invite submissions of conference papers on topics which include but are not limited to: - Algorithms for uncertain inference - Applications of uncertain systems - Argumentation systems - Automated planning and acting under uncertainty - Belief functions - Belief revision & merging - Classification & clustering - Decision theory & decision graphs - Default reasoning - Description logics with uncertainty - Foundations of reasoning under uncertainty - Fuzzy sets & fuzzy logic - Game theory - Imprecise probabilities - Inconsistency handling - Information fusion - Learning for uncertainty formalisms - Logics for reasoning under uncertainty - Markov decision processes - Possibility theory & possibilistic logic - Preferences - Probabilistic graphical models - Probabilistic logics - Qualitative uncertainty models - Rough sets - Uncertainty & data ::: INVITED SPEAKERS ::: We are delighted of having the following invited speakers: - Leila Amgoud (IRIT, France) - Alessio Benavoli (IDSIA, Switzerland) - Jim Berger (Duke University, USA) - Didier Dubois (IRIT, France) - Eyke Hüllermeier (Paderborn University, Germany) ::: PROCEEDINGS AND SUBMISSIONS ::: In accordance with the previous conferences, the proceedings of ECSQARU 2015 will be published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence series. Authors are requested to prepare their conference papers in the LNCS/LNAI format. Submitted papers will be evaluated by peer reviews based on originality, significance, technical soundness, and clarity of exposition. Authors of accepted papers are expected to attend the conference to present their work. The instructions for submission and the author kit are available here: http://ecsqaru.idsia.ch/submissions-ecsqaru/ ::: IMPORTANT DATES ::: - Tuesday, February 21, 2017: Paper submission deadline - Tuesday, April 18, 2017: Author notification - Friday, April 28, 2017: Camera-ready copy due ::: IJAR SPECIAL ISSUE ::: Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their work to a special issue of the International Journal of Approximate Reasoning (IJAR, Elsevier). ::: SPRINGER YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD ::: We also invite applications for the Springer Young Researcher Award. The prize, granted by Springer, will be awarded to one young researcher for excellent research in fields related to the ECSQARU scope. The award is open to Master students, PhD students and young post-doc researchers who have received their PhD in 2016 (or 2017). Applicants should have submitted a paper (not necessarily as first authors) to ECSQARU 2017. Applications should be received by the paper submission deadline (February 21, 2017). _________________________________ 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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[ICANN 2017] Preliminary announcement, 26th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy
by ENNS Secretary 17 Nov '16

17 Nov '16

Preliminary Announcement [Apologies for cross-postings] =========================================================== www.icann2017.org <http://www.icann2017.org/> ICANN 2017 26th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks Alghero/Sassari, Sardinia, Italy 11th - 15th September 2017 =========================================================== The International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) is the annual flagship conference of the European Neural Network Society (ENNS). In 2017, the 26th ICANN will be organised from the 11th to the 15th of September 2017 in Alghero/Sassari, Sardinia, Italy. Conference proceedings will be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. IMPORTANT DATES Special session / workshop proposals: 15 January 2017 Proposals for competitions and tutorials: 31 January 2017 Submission of demonstration proposals: 1 March 2017 Submission of abstracts and papers: 19 March 2017 Notification of acceptance: 30 April 2017 Camera-ready paper and registration: 15 May 2017 Conference dates: 11 - 15 September 2017 CONFERENCE TOPICS ICANN 2017 will feature the main tracks Brain Inspired computing and Machine Learning research, with strong cross-disciplinary interactions and applications. All research fields dealing with Neural Networks will be present at the conference. A non-exhaustive list of topics includes: • Brain Inspired Computing: Cognitive models, Computational Neuroscience, Self-organization, Reinforcement Learning, Neural Control and Planning, Hybrid Neural-Symbolic Architectures, Neural Dynamics, Recurrent Networks, Deep Learning. • Machine Learning: Neural Network Theory, Neural Network Models, Graphical Models, Bayesian Networks, Kernel Methods, Generative Models, Information Theoretic Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Relational Learning, Dynamical Models. • Neural Applications for: Intelligent Robotics, Neurorobotics, Language Processing, Image Processing, Sensor Fusion, Pattern Recognition, Data Mining, Neural Agents, Brain-Computer Interaction, Neural Hardware, Evolutionary Neural Networks. CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES - To bring together researchers from two worlds: Information Sciences and Neurosciences - To keep a wide scope, ranging from Machine Learning Algorithms to models of real nervous systems - To facilitate discussions and interactions in the effort towards developing more intelligent computational systems and increasing our understanding of neural and cognitive processes in the brain. - To help researchers to meet, mingle and network with colleagues from all over the world. - To be the meeting point between research and business. - To be a global interdisciplinary meeting encompassing Machine Learning and Neural Computation. BENEFITS OF ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE - A solid cutting-edge scientific programme including talks from the world experts in the field of artificial neural networks. - A conference schedule tailored to encourage interaction between the attendees, with time for networking and discussion. - The publication of all accepted contributions in the peer-reviewed book of conference proceedings, in the Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. - The opportunity to vote and to be considered for the best paper awards, presented during the final ceremony of ICANN. - A top-level conference in the field with a reasonable registration fee, thanks to the not-for-profit policy of the ENNS organisation. Students can apply for ENNS funded travel grants to attend. - An overly attractive conference location in the beautiful setting of the Sardinian coast, with social events to explore the area. http://www.alghero-turismo.it/en/ <http://www.alghero-turismo.it/en/> CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES Early registration fees have been kept particularly low for this kind of event because ENNS and ICANN aim at full implementation of the academic not-for-profit policy. Undergraduate students (Bachelor and Master level): 100 EUR PhD Students: 240 EUR Regular delegates: 290 EUR ENNS members have a reduction of 40 EUR Students can apply for ENNS funded travel grants to attend (see the conference website). CALL FOR CONTRIBUTED SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS All scientific communications presented at ICANN 2017 will be reviewed and scientifically evaluated by a panel of experts. The conference will feature three categories of communications: - oral communications (15'+5') - poster communications (on permanent display and 2 hours presentation) - demonstrations Authors willing to present original contributions for any category must submit a manuscript of maximum 8 pages length that will be refereed to international standards by at least three referees. Accepted papers of contributing authors will be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. Selected papers will be invited after the conference for a full journal paper submission. Authors willing to present a contribution for oral communications and posters without submitting a full manuscript must submit a 1-page abstract that will also be refereed by at least three referees. The abstracts will be published all together in a proceedings section without an author index. In case of program constraints the priority will be given to original contributions accompanied by a full paper submission. WORKSHOPS, SPECIAL SESSIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS, COMPETITION PROPOSALS and TUTORIALS ICANN 2017 invites proposals for workshops, special sessions, demonstrations, competitions and tutorials to be held during the conference. For more information, please refer to the website. BEST PAPER AWARDS ENNS will sponsor several best paper awards, in the Brain Inspired Computing track and in the Machine Learning research track. All awardees will be presented during the final ceremony. ORGANISATION General Chair: Alessandro E.P. Villa General Co-chairs: Alessandra Lintas, Věra Kůrková, Stefano Rovetta, Paul F.M.J. Verschure Local Co-chairs: Eugenio Lintas, Anna Mura Program and Workshop Committee: Cesare Alippi, Jérémie Cabessa, Barbara Hammer, Petia Koprinkova-Hristova, Jaako Peltonen, Antonio J. Pons, Yifat Prut, Stefano Rovetta, Igor V. Tetko, Paul F.M.J. Verschure, Alessandro E.P. Villa, Francisco Zamora-Martinéz Communications Chair: Paolo Masulli Organisation Università degli Studi di Sassari, Italy University of Lausanne, Switzerland Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain ENNS Secretariat, Switzerland -- Caroline Kleinheny secretary ENNS University of Lausanne Laboratoire de Neuroheuristique Internef - 137 CH - 1015 Lausanne Switzerland Tel : +41 21 692 33 88 secretary(a)e-nns.org <mailto:secretary@e-nns.org>--

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Grants for independent young scientists - Romanian Institute of Science and Technology
by R. Valentin Florian 16 Nov '16

16 Nov '16

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[IJCNN 2017] Submission deadline is extended to Thursday, 1st December 2359 hr (UTC-8 hr)
by Teng Teck Hou 16 Nov '16

16 Nov '16

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## CALL FOR PAPERS International Joint Conference on Neural Networks May 14-19, 2017, Anchorage, Alaska, USA http://www.ijcnn.org/ http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-papers ################################################## IJCNN is the premier international conference in the area of neural network theory, analysis, and applications. Co-sponsored by the International Neural Network Society (INNS) and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE-CIS), over the last three decades this conference and its predecessors has hosted [past, present, and future] leaders of neural network research. IJCNN 2017 will feature invited plenary talks by world-renowned speakers in the areas of neural network theory and applications, computational neuroscience, robotics, and distributed intelligence. In addition to regular technical sessions with oral and poster presentations, the conference program will include special sessions, competitions, tutorials and workshops on topics of current interest. The 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017) will be held at the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 14-19, 2017. "... Only in Anchorage can you meet a moose, walk on a glacier and explore a vast, natural park all in a single day. Between mountains and an inlet, surrounded by national parks and filled with Alaska wildlife, Anchorage combines the best of Alaska in a city that has the comforts of home and the hospitality of the Last Frontier. ..." For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook (https://fb.me/ijcnn2017/) and Twitter (@ijcnn2017). ##############################Important Dates############################## * Paper Submission December 1, 2016 * Paper Decision Notification January 20, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission February 20, 2017 ########################################################################### ##########################Plenary Speakers########################## * Alex Graves, Research Scientist, Google DeepMind * Stephen Grossberg, Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems, Boston University, USA * Odest Chadwicke Jenkins, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan * Christof Koch, President and Chief Scientific Officer, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA * Jose C. Principle, Distinguished Professor, University of Florida, USA * Hava Siegelmann, Program Manager, DARPA * Paul Werbos, Program Director (retired), National Science Foundation #################################################################### ##########################Accepted Special Sessions########################## 1 Advanced Data Analytics for Large-scale Complex Data Environment Jia, Wu (University of Technology Sydney); Shirui, Pan; Xiangnan, Kong; Ivor W., Tsang 2 Advances in Computational Intelligence for applied Time Series Forecasting (ACIATSF) Rodriguez Rivero (Universidad Nacional de Crdoba, Argentina), Cristian; Leonardo, Franco; Julian, Pucheta; Juarez, Gustavo 3 Artificial Neural Network Solutions in Power Plant Safety and Security Alamaniotis, Miltos (Purdue University, USA); Tambouratzis, Tatiana 4 Artificial Neural Network-Based Methodologies for Environmental Sustainability Development: Theory and Practice Souliou, Dora (National Technical University of Athens, Greece);Tambouratzis, Tatiana 5 Biologically Inspired Computational Vision Iftekharuddin, Khan (Old Dominion Univ., USA) 6 Biologically-inspired Neural Networks and Learning Systems for Robotics Luo, Chaomin (Univ. of Detroit City, USA) 7 Cognition and Development Alessandro Di Nuovo (Sheffield Hallam Univ., UK); Pierre-Yves Oudeyer; Angelo Cangelosi 8 Computational Intelligence Algorithms for Digital Audio Applications Principi, Emanuele (Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Italy); Uncini, Aurelio; Schuller, Björn; Squartini, Stefano 9 Concept Drift, Domain Adaptation & Learning in Dynamic Environments Giacomo, Boracchi (Politecnico de Milano, Italy); Robi, Polikar; Manuel, Roveri; regory Ditzler 10 Cybersecurity Analytics Catherine Huang (Intel) 11 Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery in Cyber-Physical Systems Bo, Tang (Hofstra Univ. USA); Ozawa, Seiichi; Alippi, Cerase; He, Haibo 12 Data stream mining in industry Xu, Rui (General Electric); Xu, YunWen; Yan, Weizhong 13 Deep and Reinforcement Learning (DRL) Altahhan, Abdulrahman (Coventry Univ., UK); Palade, Vasile; Razavi-Far, Roozbeh; 14 Explainability of Learning Machines Guyon, Isabelle (Universit Paris-Saclay, France); Escalante, Hugo Jair; Escalera, Sergio; Viegas, Evelyne 15 Extreme Learning Machines (ELM) Huang, Guang-Bin (Nanyang Technological Univ., Singapore); Cambria, Erik; Weizhong, Yan; Wunsch II, Donald C. 16 Incremental Machine Learning: Methods and Applications Nicoleta Rogovschi (Paris Descartes Univ., France); Seiichi Ozawa (Kobe University, Japan) 17 Intelligent Vehicle and Transportation Systems Murphey, Yi (Univ. of Michigan-Dearborn, USA); Abou-Nasr, Mahmoud; Sethi, Ishwar K; Robert, Karlsen; Ahmadi , Majid; Luo, Chaomin; Dauwels, Justin; Kocchar, Dev; 18 Interpretable Models in Machine Learning for Advanced Data Analysis Biehl, Michael (Univ. of Groningen, Netherlands); Villmann, Thomas 19 Large Datasets and Big Data Analytics: Theory, Methods, and Applications Oneto, Luca (University of Genoa, Italy); Navarin, Nicolo?; Donini, Michele; Aiolli, Fabio; Anguita Davide 20 Machine Learning for Business Analytics Sung, Chul (IBM); Higgins, Chunhui; Zhang Bo; Park, Chanjin 21 Machine Learning for Enhancing Biomedical Data Analysis Martin-Guerrero, Jose D. (Univ. of Valencia, Spain); Lisboa, Paulo J. G.; Vellido, Alfredo; Taktak, Azzam F. G.; Peterson, Leif E. 22 Machine Learning Methods Applied to Medicine Bolon-Canedo, Veronica (Univ. of A Corua, Spain); Remeseiro, Beatriz; Alonso-Betanzos, Amparo; Campilho, Aurelio 23 Machine Learning Methods applied to Vision and Robotics (MLMVR) Garcia-Rodriguez, Jose (Univ. of Alicante, Spain); Escalera, Sergio; Psarrou, Alexandra;Guyo, Isabel; Lewis, Andrew; Leitner, Juxi; Dominguez, Enrique 24 Machine Learning Techniques for Data-Driven Cyber Security Hongmei He (Cranfield Univ., UK) 25 Mind, Brain, and Cognitive Algorithms Perlovsky, Leonid (Northeastern Univ., USA); Fontanari, Jose F.; Roy, Asim; Cangelosi, Angelo; Levine, Daniel 26 Nature-Inspired Neural Network Optimization Bosman (Rakitianskaia), Anna (Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa); Engelbrecht, Andries 27 Neuro-Inspired Computing with Nanoelectronic Devices Saibal Mukhopadhyay (Georgia Tech, USA); Kaushik Roy 28 Neural Network Transfer Learning for the Recognition of Human Behavior and Affect Schwenker, Friedhelm (Univ. of Ulm, Germany); Scherer, Stefan; 29 Online Real-Time Strategies for Data Stream Mining Mahardhika Pratama (La Trobe University, Australia), Plamen P. Angelov, Meng Joo Er, Edwin Lughofer 30 Optimizing Neural Networks via Evolutionary Computation and Swarm Intelligence Wei-Chang Yeh (National Tsing Hua Univ. Taiwan), Yew-Soon Ong 31 Probabilistic Models and Kernel Methods Sun, Shiliang (East China Normal Univ. China); Ding, Shifei; Liu, Huawen; Wang, Wenjian; Yang, Xiaowei; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Jing 32 Reservoir Computing in Hardware Merkel, Cory (Airforce Research Laboratory, USA); McDonald, Nathan; Thiem, Clare; Wysocki, Bryant 33 Smart Educational Techniques in Big Data Age Guandong Xu (Univ. Technology Sydney, Australia), Gang Li, and Wu He ############################################################################ # ############Paper Submission and Publication############ * Regular paper can have up to 8 pages in double-column IEEE Conference format * All papers are to be prepared using IEEE-compliant Latex or Word templates on paper of U.S. letter size. * All submitted papers will be checked for plagiarism through the IEEE CrossCheck system. * Papers with significant overlap with the authors own papers or other papers will be rejected without review. ######################################################## ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: NEURAL NETWORK MODELS * Feedforward neural networks * Recurrent neural networks * Self-organizing maps * Radial basis function networks * Attractor neural networks and associative memory * Modular networks * Fuzzy neural networks * Spiking neural networks * Reservoir networks (echo-state networks, liquid-state machines, etc.) * Large-scale neural networks * Other topics in artificial neural networks MACHINE LEARNING * Supervised learning * Unsupervised learning and clustering, (including PCA, and ICA) * Reinforcement learning * Probabilistic and information-theoretic methods * Support vector machines and kernel methods * EM algorithms * Mixture models, ensemble learning, and other meta-learning or committee algorithms * Bayesian, belief, causal, and semantic networks * Statistical and pattern recognition algorithms * Visualization of data * Feature selection, extraction, and aggregation * Evolutionary learning * Hybrid learning methods * Computational power of neural networks * Deep learning * Other topics in machine learning NEURODYNAMICS * Dynamical models of spiking neurons * Synchronization and temporal correlation in neural networks * Dynamics of neural systems * Chaotic neural networks * Dynamics of analog networks * Neural oscillators and oscillator networks * Dynamics of attractor networks * Other topics in neurodynamics COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE * Connectomics * Models of large-scale networks in the nervous system * Models of neurons and local circuits * Models of synaptic learning and synaptic dynamics * Models of neuromodulation * Brain imaging * Analysis of neurophysiological and neuroanatomical data * Cognitive neuroscience * Models of neural development * Models of neurochemical processes * Neuroinformatics * Other topics in computational neuroscience NEURAL MODELS OF PERCEPTION, COGNITION AND ACTION * Neurocognitive networks * Cognitive architectures * Models of conditioning, reward and behavior * Cognitive models of decision-making * Embodied cognition * Cognitive agents * Multi-agent models of group cognition * Developmental and evolutionary models of cognition * Visual system * Auditory system * Olfactory system * Other sensory systems * Attention * Learning and memory * Spatial cognition, representation and navigation * Semantic cognition and language * Neural models of symbolic processing * Reasoning and problem-solving * Working memory and cognitive control * Emotion and motivation * Motor control and action * Dynamical models of coordination and behavior * Consciousness and awareness * Models of sleep and diurnal rhythms * Mental disorders * Other topics in neural models of perception, cognition and action NEUROENGINEERING * Brain-machine interfaces * Neural prostheses * Neuromorphic hardware * Embedded neural systems * Other topics in neuroengineering BIO-INSPIRED AND BIOMORPHIC SYSTEMS * Brain-inspired cognitive architectures * Embodied robotics * Evolutionary robotics * Developmental robotics * Computational models of development * Collective intelligence * Swarms * Autonomous complex systems * Self-configuring systems * Self-healing systems * Self-aware systems * Emotional computation * Artificial life * Other topics in bio-inspired and biomorphic systems APPLICATIONS * Bioinformatics * Biomedical engineering * Data analysis and pattern recognition * Speech recognition and speech production * Robotics * Neurocontrol * Approximate dynamic programming, adaptive critics, and Markov decision processes * Neural network approaches to optimization * Signal processing, image processing, and multi-media * Temporal data analysis, prediction, and forecasting; time series analysis * Communications and computer networks * Data mining and knowledge discovery * Power system applications * Financial engineering applications * Applications in multi-agent systems and social computing * Manufacturing and industrial applications * Expert systems * Clinical applications * Big data applications * Smart grid applications * Other applications CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TOPICS * Hybrid intelligent systems * Swarm intelligence * Sensor networks * Quantum computation * Computational biology * Molecular and DNA computation * Computation in tissues and cells * Artificial immune systems * Other cross-disciplinary topics ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## General Chair * Yoonsuck Choe, Texas A and M University, USA Program Chair * Christina Jayne, Robert Gordon University, UK Technical Co-Chairs * Irwin King, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China * Barbara Hammer, University of Bielefeld, Germany Plenary Chair * Cesare Alippi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy Special Session Co-Chairs * Derong Liu, University of Chicago, USA * Tatiana Tambouriatzis, University of Piraeus, Greece Tutorial Chair * Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA Workshop Chair * Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Poster Session Chair * Richard Duro, Universidad Coruna, Spain Competition Chair * Juyang (John) Weng, Michigan State University, USA Panels Chair * Robert Kozma, University of Memphis, USA Awards Chair * Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, Australia Web Reviews Chair * Tomasz Cholewo, Lexmark International Inc., USA Sponsors & Exhibits Chair * Lipo Wang, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Publication Chair * Bill Howell, Natural Resources Canada (retired), Canada International Liaison * Teresa Ludermir, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil European Liaison * Danilo P. Mandic, Imperial College, UK Asia-Pacific Liaison * Minho Lee, Kyungpook National University, Korea Neuroscience Liaison * Péter Érdi, Kalamazoo College, USA Robotics Liaison * Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, INRIA, France Industry Liaison * Sven F. Crone, Lancaster University, UK Publicity Co-Chairs * Giacomo Boracchi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy * Simone Scardapane, Sapienza University, Italy * Teck-Hou Teng, Singapore Management University, Singapore Local Arrangements Co-Chairs * Frank W. Moore, University of Alaska, USA * Kenrick Mock, University of Alaska, USA Registration Chair * Jaerock Kwon, Kettering University, USA Webmaster * Jaewook Yoo, Texas A & M University, USA ####################################################################### ##################Sponsoring Organizations################## * INNS - International Neural Network Society * IEEE - Computational Intelligence Society * BSCS - Budapest Semester in Cognitive Science * BMI - Brain-Mind Institute ############################################################

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PhD student openings in auditory neuroscience at Purdue University
by Bharadwaj, Hari M 15 Nov '16

15 Nov '16

[Apologies for cross posting] Two PhD student positions are available at the Systems Neuroscience of Auditory Perception<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab> Lab at Purdue University. We study the neural mechanisms of auditory perception in complex multi-source environments (e.g., crowded restaurants or busy streets) using a combination of human neuroimaging techniques (EEG, MRI, otoacoustic emissions), behavioral listening experiments, and computational modeling. In addition we are interested in the effects of overexposure to loud sounds and early aging on the auditory system, and how that affects perception. A notable capability of the lab is the ability to non-invasively measure, and to model physiological responses at different levels of the auditory pathway from the cochlea to the cortex. Please visit https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab for more information about the lab, the facilities, and the vibrant intellectual environment at Purdue with a large community of hearing researchers<https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/slhs/events/seminars_in_hearing_research.html> and neuroscientists<https://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/pillars/integrative-neuroscience-cente…>. Applications can be submitted through the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering<https://engineering.purdue.edu/BME/Academics/Graduate/Admissions>, or the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences<http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/slhs/graduate/index.html> as described here<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab/research/prospective.html>. Informal enquiries about the positions can be directed to Hari Bharadwaj (hbharadwaj(a)purdue.edu) Preference will be given to applications received by December 15, 2016. -- Hari M. Bharadwaj, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Lyles-Porter Hall Purdue University 715 Clinic Drive, Room 3162 West Lafayette, IN 47907 (765) 496-2249 hbharadwaj(a)purdue.edu<mailto:hbharadwaj@purdue.edu> http://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab<https://engineering.purdue.edu/SNAPLab>

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3-year PostDoc position in Aberdeen
by Andersen, Soren 15 Nov '16

15 Nov '16

Hello, a 3-year PostDoc position in my lab in Aberdeen in Scotland is currently open. It is in a BBSRC funded project to do quantitative modelling of EEG and behavioural data, combining steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) and drift diffusion modelling. Candidates should have very solid technical skills (esp. Matlab) and ideally know something about attention and EEG. The position is still open until the 20th of November and applications must be submitted through the University's online application portal. For further information see: https://www.abdnjobs.co.uk/vacancy/research-fellow-281767.html Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this position. Best regards, Søren Andersen ------------------------------ Søren K. Andersen, Ph.D. School of Psychology William Guild Building Room T5 Kings College Old Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK Phone: +44 (0)1224 274240 Email: skandersen(a)abdn.ac.uk http://www.abdn.ac.uk/staffpages/skandersen The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683. Tha Oilthigh Obar Dheathain na charthannas clàraichte ann an Alba, Àir. SC013683.

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2017 Neural Inspired Computational Elements Workshop - San Jose CA 3/6/17-3/8/17
by Aimone, James Bradley 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

Dear Colleagues, The registration and abstract submissions are open for NICE 2017, which is going to be held at IBM Almaden Research Center, March 6-8, 2017. https://www.src.org/calendar/e006125/ With ever increasing interest and activity in AI and next generation computing systems, this event is again bringing together a unique and very strong cross section of experts across neuroscience, theory, algorithms, hardware and applications. We expect to have a larger number of attendees this year. Registration slots are limited due to venue logistics - we encourage you to register early to reserve your spot. Looking forward to seeing you in Almaden in March. Murat Murat Okandan, Ph.D. NICE Workshop Foundation mokandan(a)niceworkshop.org<mailto:mokandan@niceworkshop.org> http://niceworkshop.org -------------------------- James Bradley Aimone, Ph.D. Principal Member of Technical Staff Data-driven and Neural Computing Department Center for Computing Research Sandia National Laboratories Phone: (505) 284-3147 Fax: (505) 844-4728 http://neuroscience.sandia.gov

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[EAIS 2017] Call for Papers
by Teng Teck Hou 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## CALL FOR PAPERS IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2017) May 31- June 2, 2017, Ljubljana, Slovenia http://msc.fe.uni-lj.si/eais2017/ ################################################## The 2017 IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2017) will be held in Ljubljana (Slovenia), a beautiful medieval town. Ljubljana lies halfway between Vienna and Venice, at the crossroads of different cultures, geographical regions, and historical developments. Compared to other capitals, Ljubljana is very small, very green, and very walking-friendly town, which makes it a great place to explore on foot. It is in the center of Slovenia and enables exploring some of the most popular tourist sights of Slovenia in one day. Visit enchanting Bled, with its medieval castle perched upon the lake, explore mysterious Predjama castle and end the trip by visiting Postojna cave, Slovenia's number 1 attraction. EAIS 2017 will provide a working and friendly atmosphere and will be a leading international forum focusing on the discussion of recent advances, the exchange of recent innovations and the outline of open important future challenges in the area of Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems. Over the past decade, this area has emerged to play an important role on a broad international level in today's real-world applications, especially those ones with high complexity and dynamics change. Its embedded modelling and learning methodologies are able to cope with real-time demands, changing operation conditions, varying environmental influences, human behaviors, knowledge expansion scenarios and drifts in online data streams. EAIS 2017 is organized by the IEEE Technical Committee on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems, SMC Society. The conference series has a history starting in 2006 in Lake District (England). It was held after that in Witten-Bommerholz (Germany), Nashville (USA), Leicester (England), Paris (France), Madrid (Spain), Singapore, Linz (Austria), Douai (France), and Natal (Brasil). Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit extended versions for possible inclusion in a special issue of the Journal Evolving Systems (Springer). During EAIS 2017 the results of the new IEEE SMC Society sponsored competition on Autonomous Learning Machines (ALMA) will be announced. ##############################Important Dates############################## * Paper Submission December 24, 2016 * Paper Decision Notification February 24, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission March 24, 2017 * Authors registration March 24, 2017 * Conference May 31 - June 2, 2017 ########################################################################### ##########################Keynote Speakers########################## * Plamen Angelov, Professor, Lancaster University, United Kingdom * Fernando Gomide, Professor, University of Campinas, Brazil * Nikola Kasabov, Professor of Computer Sience, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand #################################################################### ##########################Accepted Special Sessions########################## 1. Computational Intelligence in Control of Power Generating Systems, Transmission and Load Management, Session proposer: Horst Schulte, HTW Berlin Email: Horst.Schulte(a)HTW-Berlin.de ############################################################################ # ############Paper Submission and Publication############ * Papers for EAIS 2017 should be submitted electronically through the Conference website at http://msc.fe.uni-lj.si/eais2017. * Submitted papers will be refereed by experts in the fields and ranked based on the criteria of originality, significance, quality and clarity. ######################################################## ######################################################## IEEE Autonomous Learning Machines Competition ALMA Competition is organized by IEEE SMC Society. The goal of this competition is to increase the level of autonomy of the learning algorithms. Competition Tracks: 1. New data sets and streams that are suitable demonstrators for the topic of the competition. 2. New methods and algorithms for Autonomous Machine Learning in: . Clustering . Classification . Control . Prediction Awards: Track 1 - $1000 Track 2 - $1000 in each category ($4000). Important Dates: 31 January, 2017. Deadline for submitting the algorithms in open source GNU license format. The proposed methods and algorithms must be described in form of papers and submitted to the ALS Competition track of EAIS 2017 and presented at the conference (which will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia). May 31- June 2, 2017. Results will be announced during the conference EAIS 2017. ######################################################## ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: * Basic Methologies Evolving Soft Computing Techniques Evolving Fuzzy Systems Evolving Rule-Based Classifiers Evolving Neuro-Fuzzy Systems Adaptive Evolving Neural Networks Adaptive Evolving Fuzzy Systems Online Genetic and Evolutionary Algorithms Data Stream Mining Incremental and Evolving Clustering Approaches Adaptive Control Adaptive Pattern Recognition Computational Intelligence in Control and Estimation Incremental and Evolving ML Classifiers Adaptive Statistical Techniques Evolving Decision Systems Big Data Advanced Concepts * Problems and Methodologies in Data Streams Stability, Robustness, Convergence in Evolving Systems Online Feature Selection and Dimension Reduction Online Active and Semi-supervised Learning Online Complexity Reduction Computational Aspects Interpretability Issues Incremental Adaptive Ensemble Methods Online Bagging and Boosting Self-monitoring Evolving Systems Human-Machine Interaction Issues Hybrid Modeling Transfer Learning Reservoir Computing Real-world Applications * EIS for On-Line Modeling, System Identification, and Control EIS for Time Series Prediction EIS for Data Stream Mining and Adaptive Knowledge Discovery EIS in Robotics, Intelligent Transport and Advanced Manufacturing EIS in Advanced Communications and Multi-Media Applications EIS in Bioinformatics and Medicine EIS in Online Quality Control and Fault Diagnosis EIS in Condition Monitoring Systems EIS in Adaptive Evolving Controller Design EIS in User Activities Recognition EIS in Huge Database and Web Mining EIS in Visual Inspection and Image Classification EIS in Image Processing EIS in Cloud Computing EIS in Multiple Sensor Networks EIS in Query Systems and Social Networks EIS in Alternative Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## * Honorary Chairs Plamen Angelov, UK Dimitar Filev, USA Nikola Kasabov, New Zealand * Conference Chair Igor Škrjanc, chair, Slovenia Sašo Blažic, co-chair, Slovenia * Publication Chairs Edwin Lughofer, Austria Sašo Blažic, Slovenia * Local Arrangement Chairs Dejan Dovžan, Slovenia Milan Simcic, Slovenia * Web & Publicity Chair José A. Iglesias, Spain Teck-Hou Teng, Singapore * Special Session Chair: Radu-Emil Precup, Romania * Program Committee Chair: Igor Škrjanc, Slovenia * International Program Committe Cesare Alippi, Italy Plamen Angelov, UK Rosangela Ballini, Brazil Rashmi Dutta Baruah, India Abdelhamid Bouchachia, UK Jorge Cassillas, Spain Bruno Costa, Brazil Dejan Dovžan, Slovenia Alain Droniou, France Dimitar Filev, USA Nadine Gaertner, Germany Joao Gama, Portugal Fernando Gomide, Brazil Jose Antonio Iglesias Martínez, Spain Lazaros Iliadis, Greece Nik Kasabov, New Zealand Juš Kocijan, Slovenia Ana Kosareva, Germany Rudolf Kruse, Germany Agapito Ledezma, Spain Daniel Furtado Leite, Brazil Andre Lemos, Brazil Chin Teng Lin, Taiwan Edwin Lughofer, Austria Yannis Manolopoulos, Greece Trevor Martin, UK Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh, France Veronika Nesheva, UK Seiichi Ozawa, Japan Witold Pedrycz, Canada Radu-Emil Precup, Romania Jose de Jesus Rubio, Mexico Araceli Sanchis de Miguel, Spain Horst Schulte, Germany Olga Senyukova, Russia Teck Hou Teng, Singapore Marley Vellasco, Brazil Di Wang, UAE Wilson Wang, Canada Ronald Yager, USA ####################################################################### #########################Sponsoring Organizations######################### * IEEE * Laboratory of Modeling, Simulation and Control, University of Ljubljana * Laboratory of Autonomous Mobile Systems, University of Ljubljana ##########################################################################

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Workshop on Brain dynamics on multiple scales -- 19-23 June 2017, Dresden
by Thomas Wennekers 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

Call for participation Workshop on Brain dynamics on multiple scales – paradigms, their relations, and integrated approaches MSBDy 2017, 19-23 June, Dresden, Germany WORKSHOP WEBSITE: http://www.pks.mpg.de/msbdy17/ APPLICATION DEADLINE: 28 Feb 2017 ABSTRACT Previous research paradigms in the brain sciences have often focused on one spatial or temporal scale only, for instance defined by the experimental technique of choice or a specific set of cognitive phenomena. This workshop aims at exploring paradigms and concepts such as complexity, information, or dynamical systems that provide bridges, links, relations, or connections between two, three or more "elements of brain science" and link them to recent developments in mathematics, physics, and neurobiological experimental techniques. Workshop sessions 1. The Brain as a complex system complex networks, dynamics and criticality, understanding the interplay between structure, dynamics, and function. 2. Information Processing and Coding : what is the current state in using information-theoretic principles like infomax, complexity measures, evidence, or surprise as tools to understand the brain? 3. Brain Oscillations, Waves and Synchronisation : what are their functional roles? 4. Multiple scales and levels: what are proper "building blocks" of the brain or a brain theory? 5. Large scale cognitive brain systems: what are the best approaches to an understanding of high level cognitive and brain functions including consciousness? DETAILS The workshop takes place on the premises of the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex systems in Dresden. Thanks to a generous grant by the MPIPKS participation in the event is free, with the exception of a modest fee of Euro 120 for social dinners, excursions and coffee breaks. The grant otherwise covers food and subsistence in the guest house of the MPIPKS for accepted participants. Posters can be hung for the duration of the meeting. To apply, please follow: http://www.pks.mpg.de/msbdy17/ IMPORTANT DATES: - Application Deadline: 28 Feb 2017 - Notification of acceptance: 31 Mar 2017 - Workshop Date: 19 Jun - 23 Jun 2017 SPEAKERS Nicolas Brunel (Univ Chicago, USA) Bruno Cessac (INRIA, Sophia Antipolis, France) Gustavo Deco (UPF Barcelona, Spain) Stanislas Dehaene (INSERM-CEA, College de France) Alain Destexhe (UNIC, CNRS, France) Markus Diesmann (Jülich Research Centre, Germany) Ole Jensen (Donders Institute, Nijmegen, NL) Mark A Kramer (Boston University, USA) Anders Lansner (Stockholm University and KTH, Sweden) Christoph Michel (Université de Genéve, Switzerland) Juergen Jost (MPI for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany) Guenther Palm (University of Ulm, Germany) Simon Schulz (Imperial College London, UK) Elad Schneidman (Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel) Marc Timme (MPI für Dynamik und Selbstorganisation, Göttingen, Germany) Giulio Tononi (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, to be confirmed) Vlad Vyazovskiy (University of Oxford, UK) ORGANIZERS Peter Achermann (University of Zurich, Switzerland) Eckehard Olbrich (MPI for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany) Thomas Wennekers (University of Plymouth, UK) ACKNOWLEDGMENT: This workshop is supported by the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems. ________________________________ [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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Postdoc position in Amsterdam - http://herseninstituut.nl/en/about-us/vacancies/postdoctoral-researcher/
by Ingo Willuhn 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

A postdoctoral position in the Willuhn/Denys lab at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN) in Amsterdam is available immediately. I am looking for somebody that comes from a computational angle and is analysis-savvy. The candidate should be interested in studying cortico-basal ganglia function (reward learning; behavioral flexibility; compulsivity due to dysfunction) with cutting-edge tools in behaving rats. Our team has a lot to offer and can teach the basic neuroscience-related skills to candidates inexperienced in that area: The pre-clinical group headed by Ingo Willuhn studies both the neurobiology of compulsive behavior and basic behavioral functions contributing to automation of behavior (http://herseninstituut.nl/en/research/researchgroups/denyswilluhn-group/) The team has close ties to clinical researchers studying such behaviors at the Department of Psychiatry of the Academic Medical Center (AMC; chaired by Damiaan Denys), providing optimal conditions for a translational, multidisciplinary approach. Current research in the lab includes rodent models of obsessive-compulsive disorder and drug addiction, but also aims at understanding basic behavioral function of cortico-basal ganglia circuits. Behavioral assays testing cognitive flexibility, emotion, and decision making in mice and rats are combined with simultaneous methods for neurostimulation (DBS, optogenetics, pharmacogenetics), neurochemical measurements (microdialysis, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry), electrophysiological recordings (single units, local field potentials), and fMRI. The latest addition to this tool set is in vivo calcium imaging in freely-moving animals. The primary focus of the successful applicant will be to investigate real-time neurobiological signals in the basal ganglia during operant behavior using in vivo fast-scan cyclic voltammetry and in vivo calcium imaging in freely-behaving transgenic rats. The goal of these studies is to better characterize neuronal mechanisms of cognitive flexibility and habit formation, and eventually compulsive behavior. The ideal candidate has a strong background in the analysis and modeling of complex data and is an expert in using Matlab and/or similar software packages (necessary). Experience in neuroeconomics, calcium imaging, or rodent behavioral testing in neuroscience is a bonus, but not necessary. Candidates should be enthusiastic, have excellent oral and written communication skills in English, and should be motivated to integrate well into a fun, creative, and collaborative team of international scientists that offers opportunities to cooperate with some of the best groups in the field worldwide. The fully funded position is for a period of four years (1 + 3 years), including competitive salary and excellent benefits. Highly motivated candidates are encouraged to contact Ingo Willuhn (i.willuhn(a)nin.knaw.nl<mailto:i.willuhn@nin.knaw.nl>). Your email should contain a CV, brief descriptions of past research experience, future research goals, and contact info for at least two people that could provide letters of reference. The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN) is a not-for-profit subsidiary of the prestigious Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), located in the South of beautiful Amsterdam, just a short train ride from the inner city. The institute’s operating language is English, as it is for many Amsterdam organizations. The NIN collaborates with the AMC Department of Psychiatry, part of the University of Amsterdam, conducting neurobiological and patient-centered research on compulsivity, anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addiction. The department aims at developing a better understanding of neuropsychopathology and at improving treatment options. Best, Ingo ----- Ingo Willuhn, PhD Group Leader & Associate Professor Team 'Neuromodulation and Behavior' Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN), Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) & Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center (AMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA) Meibergdreef 47 1105BA Amsterdam The Netherlands i.willuhn(a)nin.knaw.nl<mailto:i.willuhn@nin.knaw.nl> tel (31) 20 5665491 www.herseninstituut.nl/en/research/researchgroups/denyswilluhn-group/<http://www.herseninstituut.nl/en/research/researchgroups/denyswilluhn-group/> www.amc.nl/web/Research/Who-is-Who-in-Research/Who-is-Who-in-Research.htm?p…<http://www.amc.nl/web/Research/Who-is-Who-in-Research/Who-is-Who-in-Researc…>

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PhD position in computational neuroscience / neuro-robotics
by Claudius Gros 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

I would like to bring your attention to our PhD-program in Computational Neurosciences / Neuro-Robotics / Dynamical Systems At the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Goethe University Frankfurt Field(s): complex systems theory, computational neurosciences neural models and networks, dynamical systems Application deadline: January 7, 2017 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Claudius Gros E-mail: cgr(a)itp.uni-frankfurt.de Address: Institute for Theoretical Physics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Project description: Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD position at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Frankfurt University. We are developing new models and generative principles for the brain using a range of toolsets from dynamical systems theory and computational neurosciences. Examples are new objective functions and generating functionals, attractor metadynamics, transient state dynamics and self-limiting Hebbian plasticity rules. Several subjects are available for the announced PhD thesis including studies of the autonomous brain dynamics and/or studies of new synaptic plasticity rules, like trace formulations of STDP and the interplay between short term synaptic plasticity and neural dynamics. The work will include analytical investigations and numerical simulations of neural models and neural networks, using the toolset of dynamical systems theory. The candidates should have a Diploma/Master in physics with an excellent academic track record and good computational skills. Experience or strong interest in the fields of complex systems, computational neurosciences, dynamical systems theory and/or artificial or biological cognitive systems is expected. The degree of scientific research experience is expected to be on the level of a German Diploma/Master. The appointments will start early 2017, for up to three years. Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications and arrange for two letters of reference to be sent to the address below. Prof. Dr. C. Gros Institute for Theoretical Physics Goethe University Frankfurt Max-von-Laue-Str. 1 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany cgr(a)itp.uni-frankfurt.de http://itp.uni-frankfurt.de/~gros -------------------------------------- General information on the University of Frankfurt and its employment policy. With its around 46000 students and 4600 employees, the Goethe University in Frankfurt is the largest university in the state of Hessen and an internationally renowned, important regional employer. Numerous quality and performance oriented internal reforms have been initiated in the recent years. The reorganized campuses for natural sciences and humanities offer an ideal environment for research and education. Since 2008, the Goethe University is a foundation under public law and enjoys full administrative autonomy. The fixed-term employment of the academic staff is subject to the provisions of the Temporary Science Employment Law (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz) and the Hessian Higher Education Act (Hessisches Hochschulgesetz). The University advocates gender equality and therefore strongly encourages women to apply. People with disabilities are given preference if equally qualified. ***************************************** *** Prof. Dr. Claudius Gros *** *** +49 (0)69 798 47818 *** *** http://itp.uni-frankfurt.de/~gros *** ***************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------- --- Complex and Adaptive Dynamical Systems, A Primer --- --- A graduate-level textbook, Springer (2008/10/13/15) --- -----------------------------------------------------------

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PhD position, Neurocomputational Linguistics, Uni Bham / Google Research London
by Uta Noppeney 13 Nov '16

13 Nov '16

*PhD position in Neurocomputational Linguistics* *University of Birmingham in collaboration with Google Research London* Language comprehension is critical for effective interactions in our social world. In order to understand ‘who does what to whom’ in natural language processing, the brain needs to assign a syntactic structure to every sentence – a process coined ‘syntactic parsing’. This interdisciplinary project will combine expertise from human neuroscience (University of Birmingham) and computational linguistics (Google Research London) to determine the neural mechanisms underlying sentence comprehension in the human brain and advance parsing algorithms in machines. To study natural language processing and the underlying neural mechanisms in humans, we will measure eye movements, behavioural (psychophysics) and electrophysiological responses (EEG/fMRI) in participants reading natural sentences from syntactically annotated corpora. We will employ advanced machine learning algorithms to characterize the computational operations and neural mechanisms underlying syntactic processing in the human brain. Conversely, the insights obtained from human neuroimaging (EEG/fMRI) and eye tracking will provide critical constraints on the parameters and algorithms used in machine. The PhD position is designed to involve a 3 month internship at Google Research London. The Computational Cognitive Neuroimaging Group (Uta Noppeney) in collaboration with Google Research London (Bernd Bohnet, Ryan McDonald) is seeking an enthusiastic PhD candidate with strong analytical and quantitative abilities. Applicants should have a background in computational linguistics, neuroscience, computer science, psychology, physics or related areas. Prior experience in statistical analysis and/or machine learning would be an advantage. The Computational Cognitive Neuroimaging Lab is based at the Department of Psychology and the Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Robotics Centre of the University of Birmingham, UK. The centre provides an excellent multidisciplinary, interactive and collaborative research environment combining expertise in cognitive neuroimaging, psychophysics and computational neuroscience. The psychology department was rated 5th in the UK research assessment exercise. http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/psychology/research/labs/comp-cog-neuro… http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/cncr/index.aspx Applications will be considered until 8th January 2017. The starting date is Sept/Oct 2017. iCASE students must fulfil the MIBTP entry requirements and will join the MIBTP cohort for the taught modules and masterclasses during the first term. They will remain as an integral part of the MIBTP cohort and take part in the core networking activities and transferable skills training. For further information, please contact u.noppeney(a)bham.ac.uk <mailto:u.noppeney@bham.ac.uk>. Check eligibility and apply here: https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mibtp/pgstudy/phd_opportunities/ap… <https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=79324&type=184&DID=14…>

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Postdoctoral Position in Clinical Neuroengineering at University of Geneva, Switzerland
by Tomislav Milekovic 12 Nov '16

12 Nov '16

Postdoctoral Position in Clinical Neuroengineering at University of Geneva, Switzerland The lab of Prof. Christoph Michel at the University of Geneva is offering a postdoctoral position financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation for up to three years to work on clinical neuroengineering projects aimed at: 1. Restoring communication and independence of people with tetraplegia and locked-in syndrome. 2. Advance the analysis of scalp and intracranial EEG signals with functional connectivity tools and implement them in brain-computer interfaces. The position will be equally shared between Dr. Tomislav Milekovic and Prof. Christoph Michel. With Dr. Milekovic, the postdoc will work to develop and advance brain-computer interfaces based on electroencephalography (EEG) and intracortical microelectrode array recordings. These brain-computer interfaces will utilize adaptive decoders in order restore independence of people with locked-in syndrome. With Prof. Michel, the postdoc will use invasive and non-invasive brain recordings to study functional connectivity between brain areas in healthy volunteers and people with a range of neurological disorders. He will use the gained knowledge to improve brain-computer interfaces and closed-loop neurofeedback systems. The ideal candidate will have: 1. Background in computational/theoretical neuroscience, physics or mathematics 2. Experience in the analysis of electrophysiological signals (EEG, ECoG, LFP, spikes) 3. Experience in quantitative neural data analysis and Matlab 4. Experience in C/C++ software development 5. Experience in developing and using neural decoders The qualified candidate will benefit from joining a very dynamic and multidisciplinary group working at the interface of neuroscience, engineering and prosthetics. He will collaborate with several labs of the newly founded Campus Biotech in Geneva, and be strongly supported by the Wyss center for Bio and Neuroengineering led by Prof. John Donoghue. University of Geneva provides state-of-the-art facilities is one of the leading technical universities worldwide. In addition, University of Geneva offers competitive postdoctoral salaries ranking amongst the highest in the world. Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of two referees should be sent to tomislav.milekovic(a)epfl.ch.

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Postdoctoral Position in Neuroprosthetics at University of Geneva, Switzerland
by Tomislav Milekovic 12 Nov '16

12 Nov '16

Postdoctoral Position in Neuroprosthetics at University of Geneva, Switzerland The group of Dr. Milekovic at the University of Geneva is offering a postdoctoral position financed by the Parkinson Schweiz foundation for up to two years to take a lead role on a neuroprosthetics project aimed at alleviating gait deficits of Parkinson's disease. The postdoc will be involved in all stages of the project, including the analysis of intracortical neural signals, development of movement decoding algorithms and the development of a brain-spine interface system aimed to alleviate the Parkinson's disease motor deficits through brain-controlled spinal cord stimulation. The ideal candidate will have: 1. Background in computational/theoretical neuroscience, physics or mathematics 2. Experience in the analysis of electrophysiological signals (spikes, LFP, ECoG, EEG) 3. Experience in quantitative neural data analysis and Matlab 4. Experience in C/C++ software development 5. Experience in developing and using neural decoding algorithms 6. Experience in implanting intracortical microelectrode arrays in non-human primates 7. Experience in working with non-human primates The qualified candidate will benefit from joining a very dynamic and multidisciplinary group working at the interface of neuroscience, engineering and prosthetics. He will closely collaborate with the groups of Profs. Gregoire Courtine, Stephanie Lacour and Silvestro Micera of EPFL, and enjoy a strong support of Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) surgeons, led by Dr. Jocelyne Bloch. Furthermore, he stands to benefit from the unique working environment of the newly founded Campus Biotech in Geneva, which houses the basic and clinical neuroscientists of the University of Geneva, translational researchers of EPFL's Center for Neuroprosthetics, and the regulatory and engineering experts of the Wyss center for Bio and Neuroengineering led by Prof. John Donoghue. University of Geneva provides state-of-the-art facilities and is one of the leading technical universities worldwide. In addition, University of Geneva offers highly competitive postdoctoral salaries ranking amongst the highest in the world. Situated in Switzerland on the coast of lake Leman and surrounded by pristine mountains famous for both summer and winter sports, Geneva prides itself as a pleasant and safe living and working environment. Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and two reference letters should be sent to <mailto:tomislav.milekovic@epfl.ch> tomislav.milekovic(a)epfl.ch.

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Neuroengineering postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Washington
by Alison S. Mehravari 10 Nov '16

10 Nov '16

We invite applications for the Washington Research Foundation Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowships in Neuroengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. These fellowships are offered through the UW Institute for Neuroengineering (UWIN), which links advances in biology, computing, devices, data science, and computational neuroscience to solve some of today's greatest scientific challenges about neural system function. These highly selective fellowships fund research in computational and engineering approaches to neuroscience; joint mentoring between faculty in different disciplines is strongly encouraged. The fellowships provide two years of funding including a $65,000 annual salary and a $25,000 research stipend. Applications are due by January 16, 2017. Please see http://uwin.washington.edu/post-docs/ for more information. ------------------------- Alison Mehravari, Ph.D. Assistant Director of Operations University of Washington Institute for Neuroengineering Air Force Center of Excellence: Nature Inspired Flight Technologies and Ideas Daniel Lab, Department of Biology University of Washington Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195 amehrava(a)uw.edu<mailto:amehrava@uw.edu>, 206-543-7335

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PhD position in the Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
by Ramaswamy Srikanth 10 Nov '16

10 Nov '16

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PhD position in the Blue Brain Project - Department of In Silico Neuroscience ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Project title: Digital Reconstruction of Cholinergic Neuromodulation of Neocortical Microcircuitry Supervisors: Dr. Srikanth Ramaswamy, Prof. Henry Markram Keywords: Neocortex, microcircuits, simulation, neuromodulation, acetylcholine, dendrites, synaptic transmission, network activity Project description: Neuromodulators are chemical messengers - hormones, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters - that diffusely target neurons and synapses in specific brain regions. Distinct groups of neurons located in subcortical areas release neuromodulators such as acetylcholine (ACh), noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine, and histamine. These neuromodulators directly control information processing in neocortical microcircuits by modulating shifts between activity states such as sleep and wakefulness, or distraction and attention. Neuromodulators are also directly implicated in a spectrum of debilitating disorders such as migraine, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Yet, despite their crucial role in physiology and pathology, we lack a detailed understanding of the way they regulate the function of dendrites, synapses, neurons, and network activity in neocortical microcircuitry. The objective of the proposed PhD project will be to devise, implement and study biophysical models of ACh neuromodulation of neocortical microcircuitry. The project will leverage the Blue Brain Project’s data-driven digital reconstruction of neocortical microcircuitry1, 2, and augment it with biophysical models of the anatomy and physiology of ACh neuromodulation of somatosensory cortex. Specifically, the project will implement and constrain cellular and synaptic models of ACh neuromodulation and study its regulation of cortical activity states. The project requires active collaboration with the Laboratory of Neural Microcircuitry (LNMC), EPFL to design neurophysiological experiments in thenrodent somatosensory syetem and integrate relevant data into the digital reconstruction. Significant computing resources on a large high performance computing system will be made available for this project. 1. Markram, H.*, Muller, E.*, Ramaswamy, S.*, Reimann, M.* et al. (2015). Reconstruction and Simulation of Neocortical Microcircuitry. Cell 163:2, 456-495. * Co-first author. 2. Ramaswamy S.*, Courcol J-D.*, Abdellah M., Adaszewski S.R., Antille N. et al. (2015). The Neocortical Microcircuit Collaboration Portal: A Resource for Rat Somatosensory Cortex. Front. Neural Circuits 9:44. *Co-first author. Key collaborators: Dr. Rodrigo Perin (EPFL-LNMC), Ms. Ayah Khubieh (EPFL-LNMC), Dr. Eilif Muller (EPFL-BBP), Dr. Fabien Delalondre (EPFL-BBP), Prof. Felix Schürmann (EPFL-BBP), and Prof. Idan Segev (Hebrew University, Jerusalem). This project is offered in the context of the EPFL Doctoral School in Neuroscience (EDNE). Please visit http://phd.epfl.ch/neuroscience-openings for further details, and information on how to apply. Application Deadline: Nov 15th, 2016. For further details on the project contact: Dr. Srikanth Ramaswamy <srikanth.ramaswamy(a)epfl.ch<mailto:srikanth.ramaswamy@epfl.ch>> ------------- Dr. Srikanth Ramaswamy EPFL - Blue Brain Project Biotech Campus Chemin des Mines 9 1202 Geneva Switzerland Tel: +41 21 693 9633 Fax: +41 21 693 5350 www: https://people.epfl.ch/srikanth.ramaswamy

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Simons-Berkeley Research Fellowship - Call for Applications
by Bruno Olshausen 10 Nov '16

10 Nov '16

Simons-Berkeley Research Fellowship -- Call for applications In Spring 2018 the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing will hold a semester-long program on Brain and Computation, see https://simons.berkeley.edu/programs/brain2018 The Institute invites applications for Simons-Berkeley Research Fellowships in connection this program. Simons-Berkeley Research Fellowships are intended for exceptional young scientists (within at most six years of the award of their PhD at the start of 2017-18 academic year). Applicants who already hold junior faculty or postdoctoral positions are welcome to apply. In particular, applicants who hold, or expect to hold, postdoctoral appointments at other institutions are encouraged to apply to spend one semester as a Simons-Berkeley Fellow subject to the approval of the postdoctoral institution. The Institute expects to award about 30 Fellowships in 2017-18; the majority of these are for one semester, but several appointments for a full academic year are expected to be made. In each semester of residence each Fellow will normally participate in at least one of the ongoing programs at the Institute. The Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing is a major international venue for collaborative research in theoretical computer science and related fields. The Institute is housed on the UC Berkeley campus, and provides a vibrant and welcoming environment for visiting researchers. In each academic semester the activities of the Institute are largely focused on specific research programs, each of which attracts around sixty long-term participants ranging from senior scientists to graduate students. Salaries and benefits are competitive and assistance with visas and housing will be provided. The Institute particularly encourages applications from women and minority candidates. For more on the Simons Institute and application instructions for the Simons-Berkeley Research Fellowships, please see https://simons.berkeley.edu/fellows2017 The deadline for receipt of complete application materials (except letters) is December 15, 2016. --------------------------------------- Bruno A. Olshausen Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute & School of Optometry Director, Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience UC Berkeley 575A Evans hall, MC 3198 Berkeley, CA 94720-3198 http://redwood.berkeley.edu/bruno

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Neural Processing Letters: 2nd CFP for the Special Issue on "Off the mainstream: advances in neural networks and machine learning for pattern recognition"
by Friedhelm Schwenker 09 Nov '16

09 Nov '16

2nd Call for Papers Special issue on Off the mainstream: advances in neural networks and machine learning for pattern recognition to be published in Neural Processing Letters *** Submission deadline: January 31, 2017 *** Guest editors: Edmondo Trentin, University of Siena, Italy (trentin(a)dii.unisi.it) Friedhelm Schwenker, University of Ulm, Germany (friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de) Nemat El Gayar, Cairo University, Egypt (elgayar.neamat(a)gmail.com) Hazem M. Abbas, Ain Shams University, Egypt (hazem.abbas(a)eng.asu.edu.eg) Aims and scope of the special issue: "Mainstream science is about publishing what everyone else is publishing with very small changes. You'd better at least start off that way if you want to get tenure," the sociologist Rodney Stark said. But "big ideas don't come to those who avoid risk", as John Bohannon added. The area of artificial neural networks (ANN) and machine learning (ML) makes no exception to these ends: Mainstream topics, originally stemming from exciting breakthroughs (the "big ideas") that gradually become trends and end-up being mostly over-beaten publishing tracks, have characterized the scientific literature throughout the whole history of these research fields. A few, widely known instances of such (more or less recent) mainstream trends are: - Supervised support vector machine training (in both primal and dual) - Supervised multilayer perceptron training via regular backpropagation - Radial basis functions networks - Bayesian networks (either shallow or deep) - Deep feed-forward and convolutional neural networks - Countless applications of the aforementioned machineries - The “approximation capabilities” of such machineries Based on these premises, this special issue invites paper submissions on real novel research developments in the areas of neural networks and learning machines that (1) are rooted in (or, aimed at) pattern recognition (PR), and that, above all, (2) do not follow in the footsteps of nowadays established trends. Preference (over applications, theoretical analysis, and variants of established techniques) will thus be given to submissions that hand out fresh and innovative ideas/architectures/algorithms, even if they are in their infancy (e.g., possibly lacking of a complete investigation of their theoretical properties). A detailed list of topics of interest would contradict the very perspective of the present special issue. Nonetheless, some general, topical research directions are (to name a few): - New ANN or ML architectures - New ANN, ML, or PR algorithms - New estimation/optimization/assessment techniques for ANNs, ML, or PR - New and sound combination/hybridization of machines - Solutions to new, relevant PR-related problems - New and sound solutions to established PR-related problems If you are not sure on whether your manuscripts matches the aims and scope of this special issue or not, do not hesitate to get in touch with the guest editors at any time. The special issue will comprise (a) papers submitted in response to this call, and (b) extended versions of selected papers from the ANNPR 2016 Workshop (https://neuro.informatik.uni-ulm.de/ANNPR2016/) sponsored by the International Association for Pattern Recognition. Paper submission: Papers must be submitted online via the Neural Processing Letters website (https://www.editorialmanager.com/nepl/default.aspx) selecting the choice that indicates this special issue (identifier: S.I.:Off_mainstream). Prepare your paper following the Journal guidelines for Authors (http://www.springer.com/computer/ai/journal/11063?detailsPage=pltci_1060677) All submitted papers will undergo a regular peer-review process. Important dates: Opening of electronic submission: September 1, 2016 Submission deadline: January 31, 2017 Completion of 1st round of review process: March 31, 2017 Re-submission of revised manuscripts: May 15, 2017 Final decision: June 30, 2017 Tentative publication of the Special Issue: Fall 2017 -- PD Dr. Friedhelm Schwenker University of Ulm Institute of Neural Information Processing D-89069 Ulm, Germany phone: +49-731-50-24159 fax: +49-731-50-24156 email: friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de www: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/neuroinformatik/mitarbeiter/f-schwenker.html

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Video course on understanding higher cognition in terms of brain anatomy and physiology
by Andrew Coward 07 Nov '16

07 Nov '16

A 29 lecture video course on approaches to understanding cognitive processes in terms of brain anatomy and physiology is now available at www.understandinghighercognition.com<http://www.understandinghighercognition.com> The lectures are based on a course given to third year and graduate students in computer science, psychology and neuroscience at the Australian National University in Canberra and also at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. Topics covered include: - The nature of understanding: lessons from the computer science approach to understanding complex systems - Major cognitive phenomena: attention; different types of memory; speech and consciousness - Key topics in brain anatomy, physiology and chemistry - Practical pressures on brain architecture exerted by natural selection: resource limits, learning without interference with prior learning, etc; - Architectural forms resulting from the practical pressures - Evidence for the existence of the predicted architectural forms in the brain; how to use the forms to support understanding - Understanding attention and different types of memory: semantic, episodic, priming, working and procedural memory - Understanding specific cognitive tasks - Understanding human consciousness and self awareness. Each lecture is divided into 5 - 10 minute topic videos. Lecture format is mainly images and graphics supported by verbal explanations. Textbook for the course is "Towards a Theoretical Neuroscience: from Cell Chemistry to Cognition<http://www.springer.com/us/book/9789400771062>" <http://www.springer.com/us/book/9789400771062> published by Springer. Access to the lectures is free.

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Post-Doctoral Position to Research Mediating and Moderating Factors that Determine Transfer of Working Memory Training at UC Riverside and UC Irvine.
by Aaron Seitz 05 Nov '16

05 Nov '16

Please forward the below to anyone that you think might be interested. Thanks, -Aaron Post-Doctoral Position to Research Mediating and Moderating Factors that Determine Transfer of Working Memory Training at UC Riverside and UC Irvine. Aaron Seitz (UCR) and Susanne Jaeggi (UCI) are seeking to hire a post-doctoral researcher to work on a project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health entitled ³The Understanding Mediating and Moderating Factors that Determine Transfer of Working Memory Training² (https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/40627 <https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/40627> ). This individual is expected to take a lead role in designing and conducting experimental work investigating features of training that differentially lead to learning and transfer of learning, participant characteristics that determine predispositions for different training outcomes, and develop and implement tests that are valid towards assessing potential far transfer of working memory training to ecological settings. This project, which intends to run 31,000+ research participants (online and in lab) on working memory training, aims to generate a robust and reliable dataset on Working Memory training to settle current debates in the field and translate these findings to promote more effective methods of cognitive rehabilitation. Successful candidates should have strong technical skills, management skills, creativity and perseverance required to play a lead role in this sizeable project, and have expertise in one or more of the following areas and knowledge of the others; working memory, cognitive training, perceptual learning, and methods of assessing individual differences and effects of interventional studies. Researchers must possess a doctoral degree in Psychology, Education, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, or a related field. The University of California offers excellent benefits. Salary is based on research experience. The initial appointment is for 1 year with a possibility of extension. The post-doctoral researcher will be involved at all stages of the proposed research, including setting up experiments, collecting and analyzing data, training and supervision of graduate students and undergraduate research assistants, and dissemination of results at conferences and in research publications. The postdoc will spend equal time on the UCR and UCI campus and work closely with both Seitz and Jaeggi to insure that procedures are coordinated between the sites and that all personnel are properly trained and supervised. The primary appointment will be at the UC Riverside Brain Game Center for Mental Fitness and Well-being (http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu/ <http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu/> ). The Brain Game Center¹s mission is to research, test, and disseminate evidence-based, scientifically optimized brain fitness games that transfer benefits to real-life activities. The Center has recently moved into a 3000 square foot facility that provides an ideal environment for the proposed work with a staff of full time research coordinators, full time programmers and a team of postdocs, graduate students, and an army of research assistants that facilitates the development, testing and dissemination of brain training games and cognitive assessment tools. The Brain Game Center is the only university-based research center focused on research of brain training games, and it has a track record of making tested procedures publically available so that people can try them out for themselves. The post-doc will also spend time at the UCI Working Memory and Plasticity Lab (http://wmp.education.uci.edu <http://wmp.education.uci.edu/> ) whose mission lies in the development of working memory interventions for populations across the lifespan, with the aim to understand the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms that drive training-related changes using behavioral and neuroimaging methods, as well as transcranial electrical stimulation. The WMP lab currently employs 3 full-time research coordinators, as well as a team of undergraduate research assistants, and graduate students from both, the School of Education and the Department of Cognitive Sciences, and there is a host of ongoing national and international research collaboration providing opportunities for networking and intellectual exchange. Candidates should send a cover letter, CV, relevant publications, and the names of three references with phone numbers and email addresses to: Aaron Seitz aseitz(a)ucr.edu <mailto:aseitz@ucr.edu> ) and/or Susanne Jaeggi (susanne.jaeggi@u <mailto:susanne.jaeggi@gmail.com> ci.edu <http://ci.edu/> ). Review of materials will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. ************************************************** Aaron Seitz, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Director of UCR Brain Game Center University of California, Riverside 900 University Ave. Riverside, CA 92521 Ph: (951) 827-6422 Fax: (951) 827-3985 Email: aseitz(a)ucr.edu Web: http://faculty.ucr.edu/~aseitz/ BGC: http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu **************************************************

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2 postdoctoral positions at the University of Pennsylvania
by Maria Neimark Geffen 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

2 postdoctoral positions: Neuronal circuits for dynamic auditory perception. The Geffen Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA, USA) has two openings for a postdoctoral researcher (one experimental and one theoretical/computational) to study the neuronal circuits for dynamic auditory perception. There are a number of projects available, including: investigating intra-cortical and subcortical circuits supporting auditory adaptation; identifying neuronal circuits for hearing in the presence of noise; unraveling neuronal circuits controlling learning-driven changes in auditory acuity. We use cutting-edge experimental techniques for investigating population neuronal activity, including two-photon imaging of Calcium activity in behaving, head-fixed rodents, large-scale electrophysiological chronic and acute recordings, optogenetic, pharmacological and behavioral techniques. We are a creative, productive and collaborative group. Please see our lab website for more details on ongoing projects in the laboratory and recent publications ( http://www.med.upenn.edu/hearing <http://www.med.upenn.edu/hearing> ). The ideal candidate will be an energetic, talented, friendly, enthusiastic and creative researcher, who has recently completed (or plans on completing) their PhD and has received training in neuroscience, psychology, chemistry or biology (for the experimental position) or computational neuroscience, physics, mathematics or computer science (for the computational position). Prior experience in systems neuroscience is desired, but a highly successful applicants wishing to switch to neuroscience from other fields will also be considered. Proficiency with Matlab or other scientific computing software is expected. The campus of the University of Pennsylvania <http://www.upenn.edu/> has a wonderful collegiate feel, and the Medical School is located on the main campus, facilitating collaborations across departments. For a sample of events that almost everyone in our lab attends, consider: a weekly lab meeting, a weekly Computational Neuroscience Initiative seminar, a bi-weekly auditory journal club, a weekly interdisciplinary Mind and Brain seminar, and much more. Philadelphia is a vibrant city with a variety of cultural, gastronomical and entertainment attractions. To apply, please send your CV along with a cover letter briefly summarizing your research interests and include pdfs of your recent publications to Prof. Maria N. Geffen mgeffen(a)med.upenn.edu <mailto:mgeffen@med.upenn.edu> .

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Visit the Bernstein Network at booth #4017 at SfN 2016 for your next career step in Computational Neuroscience
by Kerstin Schwarzwaelder 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

Dear all, The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience will exhibit at the SfN Meeting 2016. Please find us at the "Neuroscience in Germany" booth #4017. The booth will present: * research fields * study and training programs * open positions * research and funding opportunities We are looking forward to welcoming you at booth #4017! Best regards, Kerstin Schwarzwälder -- Dr. Kerstin Schwarzwälder Scientific Coordination / Management Officer Please note: Our email addresses have changed. Please use k.schwarzwaelder(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.schwarzwaelder@fz-juelich.de> Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS) Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9A | 79104 Freiburg, Germany phone: (+49) 0761 203 9589 mail: k.schwarzwaelder(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.schwarzwaelder@fz-juelich.de> web: www.nncn.de<http://www.nncn.de> Twitter: NNCN_Germany<https://twitter.com/NNCN_Germany> YouTube: Bernstein TV<https://www.youtube.com/user/BernsteinNetwork> Facebook: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.facebook.com/BernsteinNetwork/> LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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3 Research fellow positions at the University of Sussex
by Thomas Nowotny 02 Nov '16

02 Nov '16

We have 3 open positions for research fellows in Computational Neuroscience, bio-inspired Robotics and Computer Science (GPU accelerated computing). The positions are part of the new Brains-on-Board project (http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/P006094/1) which is a multi-university collaboration aiming to create robotic controllers that will enable autonomous robots with the navigational and learning abilities of a honeybee. The project involves five research groups at the University of Sheffield, Queen Mary University, London, and the University of Sussex performing research whose goal is biomimetic robot control and which will combine autonomous robotics, computational neuroscience, accelerated neural network simulations on GPU architectures and insect neuroscience and behaviour. In Sussex we are seeking to employ a team of 3 research fellows for initially 2 years, with possible extension up to 5 years. We envisage the fellows to start in January 2017. RF 1 (ref 1388) in bio-inspired robotics, will develop insect-derived models of navigation and apply them to autonomous robots. The work will include refining and developing models of insect navigation and testing them on robotic platforms ranging from the Sussex Gantry robot through wheeled robots to autonomous aerial vehicles. A successful candidate will have a keen interest in the interface of computational biology and bio-inspired robotics and a proven track record in working in this area. RF 2 (ref 1389) in Computational Neuroscience, will work on models of associative learning, multimodal integration and decision making in insects. The work will include formulating neuronal network models of the mushroom bodies, central complex and motor areas of the bee brain constrained by experimental data. The models will then be employed and tested on robotic platforms, including wheeled robots and aerial vehicles. A successful candidate will have a keen interest in computational neuroscience and experience with computational modelling. RF 3 (ref 1390) in Computer Science, working on GPU accelerated simulation of brain models and brain-inspired robot controllers, building on our GeNN meta-compiler and the SpineCreator/SpineML API to GeNN. The work will include developing methods for model- and hardware-aware GPU-accelerated simulations methods that will allow us to efficiently simulate both large-scale models in Computational Neuroscience on super-computers and bio-inspired robotic controllers on embedded systems GPU accelerators. A successful candidate will have proven skills in complex software development with a focus on scientific computing. All RFs will work together on the project within Sussex and in the larger Brains-On-Board team. We encourage applicants to apply for multiple positions if they are interested and feel qualified. Please indicate any preferences when applying for multiple positions. In order to apply got to http://www.sussex.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/1388-1389-1390 where you can find further details and the application form. The closing date is 1 December 2016. For informal enquiries, please contact Prof Thomas Nowotny (t.nowotny(a)sussex.ac.uk<mailto:t.nowotny@sussex.ac.uk>) or Dr Andy Philippides (andrewop(a)sussex.ac.uk<mailto:andrewop@sussex.ac.uk>). With kind regards, Thomas -- Prof Thomas Nowotny Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange School of Engineering and Informatics University of Sussex Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ, UK Phone: +441273678593 FAX: +441273877873

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PhD position @ Blue Brain Project - Plasticity in the neocortex
by emuller 02 Nov '16

02 Nov '16

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PhD position in the Blue Brain Project - Department of In Silico Neuroscience ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Project title: Principles of biophysical structural plasticity in the neocortex Supervisors: Prof. Henry Markram, Dr. Eilif Muller Keywords: simulation, neocortex, plasticity, network reorganization, assemblies, coding, dendrites, calcium, NMDA Project description: During our lifetimes, our brains undergo continuous changes as a consequence of our experiences. Synaptic plasticity—the biological process by which brain activity leads to long-term changes in synaptic connections—is thought to be central to learning and memory. However, little is known about how this process shapes the specialization of biological neural networks, such as the neocortex. The objective of the present work will be to devise, implement and study data-driven biophysical models of synaptic and structural plasticity for the formation of functional neocortical networks. This project will leverage the Blue Brain Project data-driven reconstruction of a neocortical microcircuit [1], and augment it with data-driven biophysical calcium-based models of synaptic and structural plasticity. The specific objective of this PhD project will be to implement and constrain models of structural plasticity, and study the formation of assemblies, and emergent structure-function relationships in the presence of structured input. The prospective student will join an ongoing collaboration including international experts in biophysical modeling of plasticity and dendrites, topological analysis of network structure, and optimization of neural simulations for large supercomputers. A significant allocation of computing time on a large HPC system will be at the disposal of this project. [1] Markram, H., Muller, E., Ramaswamy, S., Reimann, M. et al. Reconstruction and Simulation of Neocortical Microcircuitry. Cell 163:2, 456-495 (2015). Key external collaborators: Dr. Michael Graupner (CNRS, Université Paris Descartes), Prof. Idan Segev (Hebrew University Jerusalem) This project is offered in the context of the EPFL Doctoral School in Neuroscience (EDNE). Please visit http://phd.epfl.ch/neuroscience-openings for further details, and information on how to apply. Application Deadline: Nov 15th, 2016. For further details on the project contact: Dr. Eilif Muller <eilif.mueller(a)epfl.ch> ------------- Dr. Eilif Muller Section Manager - In Silico Neuroscience - Experimentation EPFL - Blue Brain Project Biotech Campus Chemin des Mines 9 1202 Geneva Switzerland Tel: +41 21 693 0698 Fax: +41 21 693 5350 www: http://bluebrain.epfl.ch/page-77926-en.html www: http://neuralensemble.org/people/eilifmuller

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Fully funded postdoc position at the University of Geneva
by Jolivet, Renaud 01 Nov '16

01 Nov '16

The University of Geneva seeks one postdoc in computational neuroscience to investigate the relation between information transfer at synapses and in neural networks, and concomitant energy consumption. The starting date is May 2017. This position is fully funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation for 24 months. Initial appointment is for one year. Research will be conducted in the medical physics group of the physics section at the University of Geneva, under the supervision of Prof. Renaud Jolivet. * Summary Information transmission in the brain is energetically expensive, yet has to satisfy demands of speed and signal-to-noise reliability. We have recently shown that the strong retinogeniculate synapse relaying information from the retina to the thalamus resolves these competing constraints by maximizing energetic efficiency when transferring information. In their physiological state, these synapses are not set to transmit the maximum amount of information possible: information transmission increases when larger excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) are injected into the postsynaptic thalamic neuron. However, EPSCs that are larger or smaller than physiological EPSCs decrease the information transmitted per energy used. The physiological EPSC size therefore maximizes energy efficiency rather than pure information transfer across the synapse. In other words, the retinogeniculate synapse trades information for energy savings (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.10.063; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.08.019) These findings suggest maximization of information transmission per energy used as a design principle in the brain. However, it is unclear how broadly this principle applies. Whether energy efficiency at excitatory synapses is a special property of strong relay synapses, or a more general principle also governing synaptic inputs that contribute more weakly to determining the output of the postsynaptic cell is an open question. These findings also raise the question of what mechanisms are in effect in order to achieve energetic efficiency of information transfer at synapses. This project will address these questions using information theory and simulations of biologically validated neuron models. Applicants must imperatively be self-sufficient programmers (MATLAB preferred) and have a strong background in computational neuroscience. They should be familiar with several of the following topics: information theory, Hodgkin-Huxley models, the NEURON simulation environment, signal processing, models of synaptic plasticity, models of neural networks. Please contact renaud.jolivet(a)unige.ch<mailto:renaud.jolivet@unige.ch> for additional information. * About the University of Geneva (UNIGE) UNIGE is a generalist French-speaking university located in Geneva, Switzerland. The QS World University Rankings 2016 and Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016/17 respectively rank UNIGE as 95th and 131st worldwide. It ranks 41st worldwide for science (Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities in Natural Sciences and Mathematics 2016). It is Switzerland’s second largest university with more than 17000 students of 150 different nationalities and about 4000 researchers of 113 nationalities, who study and work in 9 different faculties. UNIGE trains a large number of PhD students and postdocs in neuroscience. The various research and teaching activities are listed at http://neurocenter.unige.ch/ and at https://www.unil.ch/ln/en/home.html. UNIGE is also developing with other institutions a new campus in Geneva (http://www.campusbiotech.ch/en/) focusing heavily on neuroscience and translational research. Geneva is at the heart of a conurbation with more than 1.25 million inhabitants. It is a global city, a financial center, and worldwide center for diplomacy and research. It has one of the highest quality of life in the world. It offers varied cultural activities and outdoor opportunities being located at one extremity of Lake Geneva, one of the largest lakes in Europe, on the western doorstep of the Alps. The University of Geneva offers competitive salaries and conditions at all levels in a young, dynamic, and multicultural environment. It is an equal opportunity employer and women are encouraged to apply. The official language of the laboratory is English. * How to apply Please send an e-mail to renaud.jolivet(a)unige.ch<mailto:renaud.jolivet@unige.ch> with your resume, list of publications, a one-page statement describing your research interests and career plan, and the names of at least three references. — Prof. Renaud Jolivet CERN, Experimental Physics Department & University of Geneva, Physics Section +41 22 767 24 70 (CERN) +41 22 379 62 75 (UNIGE) +41 79 830 21 29 (mobile) renaud.blaise.jolivet(a)cern.ch<mailto:renaud.blaise.jolivet@cern.ch> https://sites.google.com/site/renaudjolivet/

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PhD position in cognitive modeling
by Angela Yu 31 Oct '16

31 Oct '16

Applications are invited from highly motivated students to conduct PhD research in the Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, led by Angela Yu, at University of California, San Diego. Candidates must have a strong background in mathematics and/or machine learning, and be committed to applying rigorous mathematical tools to modeling cognitive and neural processes. Experience or interest in carrying out human behavioral experiments (either in person or on Amazon M-Turk) and/or collaborating with other human/animal neuroscience laboratories is also desirable. Current research in the lab ranges across cognitive control, decision-making, visual search, active learning, social cognition, and machine learning. Dr. Yu's group is situated within the Cognitive Science department of UCSD, but Dr. Yu advises students not only from the Cognitive Science, but also from Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Neurosciences PhD programs. Interested students should apply directly to one or more of the PhD programs, and indicate Dr. Yu as a potential research advisor in the research statement. They are also encouraged to email Dr. Yu directly to explain why they think their interests/background are a good fit for working with Dr. Yu. ------------------------------------- Angela J. Yu Associate Professor UCSD Cognitive Science www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ajyu <http://www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ajyu> —————————————————— ----------------------------------- Angela J. Yu Associate Professor UCSD Cognitive Science 858-822-3317 www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ajyu -----------------------------------

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Postdoc position in computational modeling
by Angela Yu 28 Oct '16

28 Oct '16

Applications are invited from highly motivated researchers for a postdoctoral position immediately available in the Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, led by Angela Yu, at University of California, San Diego. Candidates must have a strong background in mathematics and/or machine learning, and be committed to applying rigorous mathematical tools to modeling cognitive and neural processes. Experience or interest in carrying out human behavioral experiments (either in person or on Amazon M-Turk) and/or collaborating with other human/animal neuroscience laboratories is also desirable. Current research in the lab ranges across cognitive control, decision-making, visual search, active learning, social cognition, and machine learning. Accepted candidate would have great latitude in determining own research projects. Dr. Yu's lab is situated within the Cognitive Science department of UCSD, and affiliated with the Computer Science Department, Electrical Engineering Department, Neurosciences Graduate Program, and the Institute of Neural Computation. There are ample opportunities for collaborations with related groups across the UCSD main campus, the medical school, and the Salk Institute. Interested candidates should send a research statement, along with a CV including publications, to Dr. Angela Yu (ajyu(a)ucsd.edu <mailto:ajyu@ucsd.edu>). Candidates are invited to explain in detail how their own research interests dovetail that of Dr. Yu's lab. Two or more letters of references should be sent directly to Dr. Yu. Dr. Yu will be interviewing candidates at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting in San Diego, November 12-16, 2016. ------------------------------------- Angela J. Yu Associate Professor UCSD Cognitive Science www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ajyu -------------------------------------

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MIT postdoc position in AI/neuroscience/physics
by Max Tegmark 27 Oct '16

27 Oct '16

The MIT Physics Department invites applications for a postdoctoral research position to work with Professor Max Tegmark on the physics of intelligence, in partnership with Tomaso Poggio, Edward Boyden, Gabriel Kreiman and others associated with the Center for Brains, Minds & Machines (https://cbmm.mit.edu/about/people) and with a network of other collaborators. Research interests at the interface of theoretical physics, artificial intelligence and computational neuroscience are a strong plus. Candidates interested in exploring ways to test theories with state-of-the-art data and simulations are particularly welcome. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a brief description of research interests and goals and should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be uploaded to this site by December 1, 2016. A Ph.D. in physics or physics-related discipline, such as AI or computational neuroscience, is required by the start of employment. Any inquiries should be sent to tegmark(a)mit.edu. MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

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PhD position: Dimension reduction for neural networks
by Laing, Carlo 25 Oct '16

25 Oct '16

Funding is available for a PhD position in "Dimension reduction for neural networks" at Massey University (Auckland, New Zealand). Project description: An essential tool in the study of complex networks is dimension reduction, i.e. the discovery and then computational use of a small number of collective variables which completely describe the behaviour of the network to within some accuracy. Having such a reduced description can allow the drastic acceleration of computational tasks for modelling and predicting network behaviour, and provides a mechanism for discovering which details of a network are essential in determining its behaviour. This project involves the development of reduced models of networks of model neurons, in order to better understand their possible dynamics. An important aspect will involve investigating the role of heterogeneity (both in terms of a network's structure, and the intrinsic dynamics of a single neuron) in the networks' behaviour. The student should have the equivalent of an MSc in Mathematics (or other highly mathematical field such as Physics). A good knowledge of nonlinear dynamics and scientific programming is an advantage; no knowledge of neuroscience is assumed. The scholarship consists of a stipend of NZ$27,500 per year (tax free) plus applicable student fees for 3 years. Applicants must fulfil the PhD eligibility conditions of Massey University. Applicants should send a copy of their curriculum vitae, a statement of interest and the names and contact details of two (2) referees to Associate Professor Carlo Laing (E-mail: c.r.laing(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:c.r.laing@massey.ac.nz>) Webpage: http://www.massey.ac.nz/~crlaing/ -- Associate Professor Carlo Laing. INMS, Massey University, Private Bag 102-904, NSMC, Auckland, New Zealand. ph: +64-9-414-0800 x 43512. fax: +64-9-443 9790 http://www.massey.ac.nz/~crlaing/

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PhD position in 'New insights into ADHD through behavioural and modelling studies'
by Eirini Mavritsaki 25 Oct '16

25 Oct '16

Dear comp-neuro team, I was wondering if you could please forward the information below to your list about a new PhD position in our lab for February 2017 start. Kind regards, Eirini Mavritsaki PhD available for February 2017 start in 'New insights into ADHD through behavioural and modelling studies' Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship within the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences, Birmingham City University. Applicants need to demonstrate ability and commitment, including excellent communications skills in written and spoken English. Project Synopsis: There are many limitations on the behaviour of complex neural systems, but one primary constraint is to filter incoming input in order that actions can be programmed to behaviourally relevant stimuli. This is the limit of 'attention'. A major challenge for current-day researchers is to understand how (and why) these limitations arise, especially in conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) where the attentional system is dysfunctional. Our application's main aims is to access differences in visual attention between children diagnosed with ADHD and typically functioning children and the role of diet in this. This Ph.D. thesis aims to do this using a novel interdisciplinary approach, behavioural and computational modelling study together with a food diary. The Ph.D. is part of a bigger research project that is in collaboration with Dr Chrysavgi Tsakona in Russell Hall Hospital. The successful applicant will join the newly-established Centre for Applied Psychological Research (CAP Research) within the Department of Psychology at Birmingham City University. This centre is part of a vibrant and rapidly expanding research community, which offers applicants with an excellent opportunity to develop their research career. The applicant has the opportunity to have teaching experience, to participate to research seminars and to co-supervise undergraduate projects. Candidate Qualification and Specifications: Essential ? The applicant should hold a good undergraduate honours degree (First or 2:1) in psychology or a related social sciences subject. ? A demonstrated understanding of research methods is essential (as evidenced by degree transcript grades for research methods and dissertation modules). ? The applicant will be expected to undertake and pass Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. ? The applicant should enjoy working with children. ? The applicant should have experience in computational modelling. Desirable ? A Masters' degree in research methods, psychology or a related social sciences subject. ? Work experience (voluntary or paid) in schools or experience working with children. ? Experience in C++ and/or Matlab. ? Access to a car and a valid driving licence. For more information please contact Dr Eirini Mavritsaki (Eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eirini Mavritsaki, Ph.D., CPsychol Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology and Director of Research for the School of Social Sciences Department of Psychology Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences Birmingham City University The Curzon Building 4 Cardigan Street Birmingham B4 7BD eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> 0121 331 6361 Special Issue in Frontiers 'Neuropsychology through the lenses of computational modelling' http://fron.tiers.in/go/r2e3M4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Onsite interviews at SfN for Neural Data Analytics - Post Docs, Staff Scientists and Electrical Engineers
by Platt, Jo Ann 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

Join our team to revolutionize medicine. The Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is conducting interviews at the 2016 Neuroscience Meeting in San Diego for multiple positions in the fields of machine learning, neural engineering, neural decoding and data analytics, microfabrication, bioelectronics and biosensing, and neurophysiology. Each successful candidate will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to determine the nature of neural control over molecular, cellular and organ functions of the body, the parts of the brain that regulate those nerves, and the signals that the brain receives to monitor cell and organ function. The candidates will work on projects involving development of novel signal processing and machine learning methods to gain insights into decoding and encoding mechanisms of the brain and peripheral nerves, reinforcement learning approaches used to optimize neural stimulation, techniques to directionally transmit or receive neural signals and numerical and biophysical modeling of neural circuits. Submit your resume to japlatt(a)northwell.edu for consideration and to arrange an onsite interview. Jo Ann Platt The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Cell: (415) 265-0441 350 Community Drive Manhasset, NY 11030 The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

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NIH BRAIN THEORIES--POSTDOCTORAL POSITION
by Stephen Jose Hanson 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

NIH Post-doctoral Fellowship in BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain Applications for an NIH-funded post-doctoral position are invited for the Laboratory of Dr. Stephen José Hanson’s in the Department of Psychology and in RUBIC (Rutgers Brain Imaging Center) at Rutgers University, Newark, N.J. USA. The focus of research and training is in the area of computational neuroscience, and the development of brain network models based on graphical model selection using dynamical search procedures and the modeling of brain signals arising from neuroimaging data (e.g. fMRI). These projects will be performed in the lab of Dr. Hanson and in conjunction with Dr. Glymour’s (CMU) causal discovery research group. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computation, statistics, probability theory, multivariate analysis and signal processing. Programming skill sets ( e.g., C++, R, Matlab, Debian, python) would be key to a successful candidate. Additionally, having background in neuroscience, neuroimaging or brain science more generally would be important to a successful application. This is a 2 year position with a 3 rd year possible. Starting date is flexible and with earliest start by December 1. Applications will be accepted until a candidate is hired. Inquiries should be addressed to Stephen José Hanson (jose(a)rubic.rutger s.edu). Please also send applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees to jose(a)rubic.rutgers.edu. Relevant publications include: Ramsey J., Hanson S.J. Hanson C., Halchenko Y.O., Poldrack R.A., & Glymour C. (2010). Six problems for causal inference from fMRI. Neuroimage, 49, 1545-1558. Hanson, C., Hanson, S.J., Ramsey, J. & Glymour, C. (2013) Atypical effective connectivity of social brain networks in individuals with autism. J. Brain Connect. 3(6):578-89. Hanson, S. J. & Halchenko, Y. O. (2008). Brain reading using full brain support vector machines for object recognition: there is no face- identification area. Neural Computation, 20, 486-503 Poldrack, R.A., Halchenko, Y., & Hanson, S.J. (2010). Decoding the large-scale structure of brain function by classifying mental states across individuals. Psychological Science, 20, 1364-1372 Ramsey, J., Glymour, M., Sanchez-Romero, R. and Glymour, C. (in Press) A million variables and more: The fa st greedy search algorithm for learning high dimensional graphical causal models, with an application to functional magnetic resonance images. International Journal of Data Science and Analytics. Rutgers is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability.

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PhD position in Oxford
by Rafal Bogacz 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

Dear Colleagues, Applications are invited from UK or EU residents for doctoral studies in computational neuroscience, to start in October 2017. The project will be supervised by Rafal Bogacz and will be carried out within the interdisciplinary team of the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit. The research can focus on areas investigated by Rafal Bogacz's Group, including: - models of decision making in the basal ganglia - optimising deep brain stimulation - predictive coding models of the cortex Candidates must have a very strong mathematical or computational background and an excellent undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics or neuroscience). An undergraduate 1st class or upper 2nd class degree (or equivalent grade) is required for graduate entry into Oxford. The minimum standards for English apply for applicants. This PhD (DPhil) studentship is funded by the Medical Research Council. To be eligible for a full award (stipend in addition to university/college fees) a student must have settled status in the UK, and must have been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for three years prior to the start of the studentship. For further details about student eligibility requirements for full and fees-only awards, please see: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/skills-careers/studentships/studentship-guidance/stude… Formal applications must be made via the University online application system. The relevant course code is: Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Neurosciences – RD_CU1. In the covering letter, please describe the research you would like to conduct and clarify how your experience and skills would help you in that work. The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Friday 13th January 2017. Best wishes, Rafal

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Postdoctoral position in theoretical neuroscience - machine learning (RIKEN-BSI Japan)
by Andrea Benucci 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

RIKEN Brain Science Institute - Japan Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behavior www.benuccilab.net (Laboratory Head: Andrea Benucci) Research field Our laboratory studies the neural basis of sensory processing and decision-making in mice trained in behavioral tasks. We do so using a combination of computational and experimental approaches (electrophysiology, fluorescence imaging, and optogenetics). Job title and description: Postdoctoral positions The project will focus on using theoretical approaches based on machine learning (specifically on RNN) to capture key computational aspects of cortical processing in large neuronal populations. This work will be done in close collaboration with experimentalists to jointly design new experimental paradigms based on the theoretical simulations. Qualifications We seek exceptional candidates with a strong computational background, especially in the field of recurrent neural network simulations. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., Computational Neuroscience, Computer Science, Math, Physics). Proficiency in programming (e.g., MATLAB, C++) is necessary. The ideal candidate will be interested in engaging in experimental work as well. Work location The Neural Circuits and Behavior Team is located at RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan. The institute is about 15 min away from the main Tokyo metropolitan area by train. Salary and benefits This is a funded position but applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for external funds. The employment contract is renewable on a yearly basis based on performance evaluation up to seven years from the start date. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Social insurance will be applied. Free, mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai) will be provided. These and other provisions are in accordance with RIKEN regulations. RIKEN is promoting a Gender Equity Program by taking various measures to create a workplace where both men and women are able to give full rein to their talents and abilities. http://www.riken.go.jp/en/careers/working-at-riken/benefits/ Application and required documents Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates should provide (1) cover letter, (2) CV and bibliography, (3) the names and contact information of three references (including the current supervisor, if available) with a brief description of your relationship to each reference. Send application to: andrea(a)benuccilab.net Selection process Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to RIKEN-BSI for an in-person interview. --

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BrainModes conference - Brussels, Dec 1 and 2 - final call for abstracts
by Daniele Marinazzo 17 Oct '16

17 Oct '16

Dear all Just a reminder and the final call for submitting an abstract for the poster presentation which will take place during the dinner at the BrainModes conference, that this year we will organize in Brussels, at the Royal Flemish Academy of Sciences (KVAB) on* Dec 1 and 2*. BrainModes (www.brainmodes.org) is an annual conference in which methods and models to interpret brain activity, and their applications are discussed. This year the theme will be: Coordinated brain activity: foundations and applications. We are proud of the lineup of speakers this year, including top experts in the field of computational, cognitive and clinical neuroscience. There will be also a workshop organized in Ghent on November 30 on methodological issues and demonstrations. The complete program, the info on registration, abstract submission and location are here http://www.da.ugent.be/brainmodes Please spread this information within your network of students and colleagues, and looking forward to see you. -- Daniele Marinazzo -- Department of Data Analysis Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences, Ghent University Henri Dunantlaan 1, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium +32 (0) 9 264 6375 <http://www.da.ugent.be/>http://users.ugent.be/~dmarinaz/ https://twitter.com/dan_marinazzo BRAINMODES 2016 CONFERENCE http://www.da.ugent.be/brainmodes http://helpdesk.ugent.be/e-maildisclaimer.php

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Two postdoctoral positions at Kyoto U: Brain imaging and simulation
by Hidetoshi Urakubo 15 Oct '16

15 Oct '16

Dear all, Integrated Systems Biology Lab at Kyoto U (Japan) invites applications for two post-doc positions. We look forward to your applications and recommendations. The full advertisement is available below. On behalf of Prof. Shin Ishii Hidetoshi Urakubo ============================================== Shin Ishii Lab, Dep Sys Sci, Grad Sch Info, Kyoto U Yoshida-Honmachi 36-1, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan Phone: +81-75-753-4908 Fax: +81-75-753-4907 Email: urakubo-h(a)sys.i.kyoto-u.ac.jp ============================================== 1. Reconstruction and simulation of neural circuits in the brain We invite applications for a post-doc researcher in the areas of 3D image processing, computational neuroscience, and/or neurophysiology. A new collaborative project with U Tokyo has been launched for large-scale 3D imaging of neural networks and their reconstruction/simulation. Thus, the applicant will firstly analyze microscopic 3D images to identify biological neuronal networks in collaboration with Kasai-lab in U Tokyo (http://www.bm2.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp/english/index.html) The project is a part of “Synaptic optogenetics for memory structures”, which is founded by Japan Science and Technology Agency. 2. AI and brain simulation We are seeking a highly motivated post-doc researcher in artificial intelligence (including deep neural networks), brain simulation, and/or high performance computing (HPC). Join us in the "post peta-flops computing" project, a government funded project with the goal of using the K supercomputer and its successor to (1) develop HPC-based frameworks for large-scale neural image processing and to (2) build an innovative and large-scale artificial intelligence that mimics brain’s information processing. For both positions, basic qualifications include PhD in relevant fields with proven track record of peer-reviewed publications, as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and/or Japanese. You will participate in the project with our tenure track and post-doc researchers from various backgrounds including computational neuroscience, systems biology, bioinformatics, mathematical engineering, and machine learning. Our laboratory is also collaborating on daily basis with Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), University of Tokyo, Okinawa institute of science and technology (OIST), RIKEN Brain Science Institute, and other international laboratories. [Job title and Job description] Title: Full-time Researcher / Full-time Research Engineer Begin Date: 1. April 1st 2017 (negotiable) 2. November 1st 2016 (negotiable) Location: Yoshida-Honmachi 36-1, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto-city, Japan. 606-8501 Contract: Annually renewed based on evaluation. 1. Up to 5 years 2. Up to 3 years Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. Based on Kyoto University’s provision for researchers. Benefits:　Standard social insurance, Days off (weekends, public holidays, End of the year and the New Year, Kyoto University Foundation Day, summer vacation), Sick leave Other miscellaneous provisions are in accordance with Kyoto U regulations. [Application and required documents] Please send the following five materials to the address below, either in printed or electronic form: 1. Complete CV (including technical skills [programming languages, platforms, systems, etc] and corresponding achievements that are relevant to our project) 2. List of publications 3. Reprints of 1 to 3 major publications 4. Document (one or two pages in A4 or letter size) describing: - Summary of your previous research - Interests and proposal for research 5. Two letters of recommendation (including one from the current supervisor, if available) [Selection process] Selection will be made based on application screening and interviews. [Requirements] Applicants must: - have Ph.D. (or be near the completion of the degree). - have strong motivations and ambitions to participate in the research above. [Number of openings] Two [Deadline for application] December 18th 2016 (will remain open if positions are not filled) [Application] Applications and/or any questions should be sent via mail or e-mail to: Integrated Systems Biology Laboratory (Shin Ishii-lab), Graduate School of Informatics, Engineering Bldg #1, Kyoto University Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan Email: kanae [at] sys.i.kyoto-u.ac.jp http://ishiilab.jp/kyoto/en/ Phone: +81-75-753-4908 Fax: +81-75-753-4907

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Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Computer Science (Machine Learning / Biocomputation) (Closing Date 21 October)
by Steuber, Volker 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Computer Science (Machine Learning / Biocomputation) School of Computer Science University of Hertfordshire, UK Salary £32,004 to £48,327 per annum depending on qualifications and experience Full time position working 37 hours per week (1.0 FTE) Closing date 21 October 2016 Applications are invited for a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the School's teaching and curriculum development activities, and to strengthen its research activities. We are looking to recruit specifically a computer scientist with background in machine learning or data science related to biocomputation (including computational neuroscience). By Data Science we broadly mean the extraction of meaning from large quantities of data. The successful candidate will also have the flexibility to teach across mainstream topics in computer science. The School has an international reputation for teaching and research, with 58 academic staff, 20 adjunct lecturer staff, and 65 research students and postdoctoral research staff. With a history going back to 1958, the School teaches one of the largest cohorts of undergraduate students in the UK, and also delivers a thriving online computer science degree programme. The person appointed will be expected to contribute to learning and teaching relevant to core computer science topics, participate in curriculum review and development, design and develop new modules, and supervise student projects at all levels. The appointee will strengthen the research culture in the School by pursuing research as part of a larger research team, seeking external funding, publishing papers, supervising research students, and participating in commercial activity as appropriate. Preference will be given to candidates who can contribute to teaching and research as outlined above. Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, possess excellent communication skills in English and the ability to teach at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It is desirable that candidates have a track record of publication, external research funding, collaboration across disciplines, experience of different types of assessment and higher education quality assurance. They should also have the ability to play a role in the routine running of the School of Computer Science. Applications should be made through http://www.herts.ac.uk/contact-us/jobs-and-vacancies/academic-vacancies (reference 014050). Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr Volker Steuber (Head of the Biocomputation Research Group, v.steuber(a)herts.ac.uk) or Professor William Clocksin (Dean of School, w.clocksin(a)herts.ac.uk) Please note that applications sent directly to these email addresses will not be accepted. We are committed to providing a supportive environment. The university also provides an onsite childcare facility and child-centred holiday clubs. The University is required to meet UKVI visa regulations. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK will have to satisfy UKVI regulations before they can be appointed. ?

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High Performance Computing Workshop at SFN 2016
by Ted Carnevale 13 Oct '16

13 Oct '16

A few seats remain available in the workshop Using the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) for Parallel Simulations Saturday, Nov. 12 from 9 AM to noon which we are presenting in downtown San Diego as a satellite to this year's SFN meeting. This workshop will show you how to use this NSF-supported resource in your computationally-intensive modeling and data analysis projects. It will also feature presentations from several research teams about how they are using NSG in their own research. The registration fee is $25, but if you have already signed up for the NEURON course on Friday, Nov. 11, you may register for the NSG workshop for only $15. For a description of the workshop and its application form, see http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2016/nsg2016.html The registration deadline is Friday Oct. 28. --Ted

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Postdoctoral researcher to study cause-effect power of neural systems across spatiotemporal scale
by Hill Sean 13 Oct '16

13 Oct '16

Postdoctoral position in the Laboratory for the Neural Basis of Brain States Prof. Sean Hill, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland The Laboratory for the Neural Basis of Brain States (LNBBS), part of the Blue Brain Project, focuses on understanding cortical and thalamocortical structure and function and the relationship to states of the brain including wakefulness, sleep and anesthesia. LNBBS is part of the EPFL Blue Brain Project (BBP), a Swiss national brain initiative situated on the Campus Biotech in Geneva, Switzerland, applies advanced neuroinformatics, data analytics, high-performance computing infrastructure and simulation-based approaches to the challenge of understanding the structure and function of the mammalian brain in health and disease. A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Prof. Sean Hill (EPFL, http://www.hill-lab.org : http://bluebrain.epfl.ch) in collaboration with the Prof. Giulio Tononi (Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, www.integratedinformationtheory.org ) to study cause-effect power of neural systems across spatiotemporal scales. Immediate funding is available for a project using the framework of integrated information theory [1] to study foundational questions regarding causation and emergence in a detailed model of a cortical column [2]. The model is a comprehensive, multi-scale digital reconstruction of rat somatosensory microcircuitry, consisting of over 31,000 biophysically detailed multi-compartment neurons with 55 layer-specific morphological and 207 morpho-electrical neuron subtypes. Causal properties are explored at micro scales and at multiple macro scales by black-boxing the model in various ways and applying measures of integrated information to the resulting macro level systems [1, 3]. Candidates are expected to have strong training in a discipline such as theoretical biology/neuroscience, physics, mathematics, computer science, or engineering. Experience in information theory, complex systems, and neural modelling software (e.g. Neuron, NEST) are a plus. Programming experience is required (knowledge of MATLAB, Python, and/or C++ is of advantage). Appointments are for an initial 1-year renewable contract, starting as soon as possible or until the position is filled. Candidates should send a CV, brief statement of previous research and future research interests, and email addresses and phone numbers of three references to: Sean Hill, (sean.hill(a)epfl.ch) For more information, contact Sean Hill (sean.hill(a)epfl.ch) or Giulio Tononi (gtononi(a)wisc.edu) [1] Tononi G, Boly M, Massimini M, and Koch C. Integrated information theory: from consciousness to its physical substrate. Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2016). [2] Markram et al. Reconstruction and Simulation of Neocortical Microcircuitry. Cell. 2015 Oct 8;163(2):456-92. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.09.029. [3] Marshall W, Albantakis L, Tononi G (2016) Black-boxing and cause-effect power. arXiv:1608.03461 [q-bio.NC]

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Two NIH BRAIN Initiative funded computational postdoctoral positions available: Brown University and Mass. General Hospital
by Stephanie Jones 12 Oct '16

12 Oct '16

Hello, Can you please post the following ad to the compneuro mailing list? Thank you, Stephanie Two NIH BRAIN Initiative funded computational postdoctoral positions available: Brown University and Mass. General Hospital The field of neuroscience is experiencing unprecedented growth in the ability to record from and manipulate brain circuits in humans and in animal models. MEG/ EEG are the leading methods to non-invasively record human neural dynamics with millisecond temporal resolution. However, it is still extremely difficult to interpret the underlying cellular and circuit level generators of these ‘macro-scale’ signals without simultaneous invasive recordings. Supported by a BRAIN Initiative grant through NIH we have started a collaborative project between Brown University, Yale University and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to develop and a new software tool for circuit level interpretation of human brain activity measured with MEG/EEG. We are hiring two post-docs to join our team. A three-year postdoctoral position at Brown University PI: Dr. Stephanie Jones contact: Stephanie_Jones(a)brown.edu A three-year postdoctoral position at Massachusetts General Hospital PI: Dr. Matti Hämäläinen contact: msh(a)nmr.mgh.harvard.edu The post-docs hired will work among a team of researcher at Brown University, MGH, and Yale University on the design and implementation of a user-friendly, GUI-driven, open-source model of neocortical circuitry for the interpretation of non-invasively measured human brain activity. The neural model will be integrated into existing source localization software (MNE-Python) so that researchers can study the location, time course, and neural mechanisms of their human brain imaging data all in one package. Additionally, the post-docs will work with several test case groups to apply the model in a variety of tasks and clinical conditions. Interested candidates must have experience in Python programming and software engineering. The postdoc at Brown will work more on the computational modeling aspect of the software while the post doc at MGH will concentrate on the integration of MEG/EEG source modeling with computational neural modeling. Candidates with knowledge in computational modeling using NEURON and/or source localization methods will be given preference. Please send a CV, statement of research interests, and three letters of recommendation to contact addresses listed above. ******************************************* Stephanie R. Jones, PhD Associate Research Professor Brown University Department of Neuroscience Stephanie_Jones(a)Brown.edu https://www.brown.edu/research/labs/jones/

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PhD Position in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience at FIU in Miami
by Fabián Soto 10 Oct '16

10 Oct '16

The Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at FIU in Miami (PI Dr. Fabian Soto) is looking for a doctoral student to start in the Fall of 2017. The student will work in the development of new methods to test independent processing of stimulus dimensions in the brain, within a framework that combines general recognition theory (a multidimensional version of signal detection theory) and population encoding models. The developed methods will be applied to the analysis of EEG and fMRI studies on object categorization. Our lab's research focuses on understanding the interplay between learning and visual processes in object categorization. We use a combination of behavioral, computational, and brain imaging techniques. FIU is classified as an R1 (highest research activity) institution by the Carnegie Foundation. It is Florida’s fastest growing public research university, the fourth largest university in the US, and one of the nation’s largest hispanic-serving institutions. FIU has recently established a state-of-the-art neuroimaging center (the Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging Center), which hosts a research-dedicated 3T Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma MRI scanner and a fully equipped mock scanner for pre-scan and movement training. If you know of any potentially interested candidates with a broad scientific background who are interested in neuroimaging, psychology, and computational modeling, please have them contact Dr. Fabian Soto at fabian.soto(a)fiu.edu. More information about FIU’s Cognitive Neuroscience doctoral program in Psychology is available at http://cn.fiu.edu. The deadline for application is December 1st of 2016. -- Fabian A. Soto Assistant Professor Department of Psychology Florida International University Modesto A. Maidique Campus 11200 SW 8th St, AHC4 460 Miami, FL 33199 Phone: 305-348-8423 Fax: 305-348-6670 Email: fabian.soto(a)fiu.edu

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Postdoc in Warsaw - kernel-based method of electrophysiological source imaging
by Daniel Wójcik 10 Oct '16

10 Oct '16

https://neuroinflab.wordpress.com/jobs/ POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE: kESI – kernel-based method of electrophysiological source imaging The Neuroinformatics Laboratory (https://neuroinflab.wordpress.com/) at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology (http://www.nencki.gov.pl) invites applications for a postdoctoral position (36 months). The goal of the project is to develop, implement and investigate a new technique of source localization of specific events in neural activity, such as a seizure, from multimodal imaging data, including ECoG (strip and grid electrodes), depth electrophysiological recordings, and MRI data from humans. The method will be validated with ground truth model data and tested on clinical data obtained from epilepsy patients. The fellow will build on already existing tools and techniques developed in the lab, see especially Potworowski et al. 2012 and Ness et al. 2015. The ideal candidate will have a strong computational background, experience in numerical solutions of PDEs, electrodynamics, computational neuroscience, or brain imaging. We can only accept candidates 0 to 7 years after reception of PhD. To apply or ask for further information send email to d.wojcik(a)nencki.gov.pl. Applications should include a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees. We are accepting applications until the position is filled. -- Prof. Daniel K. Wojcik 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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RAHA 2016 - Invitation and late Breaking Poster Session
by Dr. Shyam Diwakar 08 Oct '16

08 Oct '16

Dear Colleagues, Apologies for cross-posting. Amrita University, India at its backwater-nestled campus in Kollam, Kerala is set for RAHA 2016 - International Conference on Robotics and automation for Humanitarian Applications to be held from December 18-20, 2016. The organizers are calling in for late-breaking posters in robotics, neurorobotics, societal and humanitarian applications and related topics. We welcome you to submit content and showcase new studies in the fields of robotics and related topics. RAHA 2016 brings together top researchers, practitioners, and experts from the field of robotics for humanitarian applications. The conference will host 6 plenary and 16 keynote speakers from top universities and industry. Poster session Details: http://raha2016.org/call-for-abstracts-late-breaking-posters Conference website: http://raha2016.org Speakers: http://raha2016.org/speakers I look forward to meeting you in December. Shyam -- Shyam Diwakar, Ph.D. Amrita University http://www.amrita.edu/compneuro Disclaimer : The information transmitted in this email, including attachments, is intended only for the person(s) or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. Any views expressed in any message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of Amrita University. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and destroy any copies of this information.

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Please post to the comp-neuro list
by McCormick, David 07 Oct '16

07 Oct '16

POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience The Swartz Center in Theoretical Neurobiology at Yale University invites applications for two postdoctoral positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience. We seek exceptional candidates with experience in computational and/or quantitative neuroscience to collaborate with computational/experimental biologists towards the understanding of the nervous system from the level of synapses to complex networks. The candidate may work in one or more laboratories of Jessica Cardin, Damon Clark, Michael Crair, George Dragoi, Thierry Emonet, Michael Higley, Joe Howard, Alex Kwan, Daeyeol Lee, David McCormick, John Murray, and Steven Zucker (see http://swartz-initiative.medicine.yale.edu<http://swartz-initiative.medicine.yale.edu/>). Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree. Please send a Curriculum Vitae, selected reprints, and a statement of research plans including the laboratories of interest. All application materials should be sent electronically to the following e-mail address: david.mccormick(a)yale.edu<mailto:david.mccormick@yale.edu>. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, with a target date of November 30th, 2016. Positions are available starting January 2017. Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and especially welcomes applications from women and underrepresented minorities. ----------------------------------------------------------- Thanks! David A. McCormick Professor, Neuroscience | Yale University School of Medicine Dept. Neuroscience 333 Cedar Street | New Haven, CT 06510 | 203.785.5981 www.mccormicklab.org<http://www.mccormicklab.org/> | www.neurobiology.org<http://www.neurobiology.org/>

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"Closed Loop Neuroscience" book release
by ahmed el hady 07 Oct '16

07 Oct '16

Dear All, I would like to share with you the exciting news that my edited volume "Closed Loop Neuroscience", has just been published by Academic Press. The following is the link for the book: http://store.elsevier.com/Closed-Loop-Neuroscience/Ahmed-El-Hady/isbn-97801… . This reference book gathers work from across neuroscience, which employs closed loop methodologies, under the umbrella of what can be called “Closed Loop Neuroscience”. The book is built on three axes: theoretical, experimental and philosophical. The contributors come from a myriad of disciplines from physics, mathematics, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, engineering and computer science. The following is the table of contents: Theoretical Axis 1. Adaptive Bayesian methods for closed-loop neurophysiology 2. Information geometric analysis of neurophysiological data 3. Control theory for closed loop neurophysiology 4. Testing the theory of practopoiesis using closed loops 5. Local field potential analysis for closed loop neuromodulation 6. Online event detection requirements in closed-loop neuroscience 7. Closing Dewey's Circuit 8. Stochastic optimal control of spike times in single neurons 9. Hybrid systems neuroscience 10. Computational Complexity and the Function-Structure-Environment Loop of the Brain 11. Subjective Physics 12. Contextual emergence in neuroscience Experimental Axis 13. Closed loop methodologies for cellular electrophysiology 14. Bidirectional Brain-Machine Interfaces 15. Adaptive brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease 16. Closed loop neuroprosthetics 17. Closed Loop Limbic Neurostimulation 18. Conscious brain-to-brain communication Philosophical Axis 19. Philosophical aspects of closed loop neuroscience 20. Closed Loops in Neuroscience and Computation: What It Means and Why It Matters Your feedback is very important for me so please let me know if you have any comments about it. My email is ahady(a)princeton.edu. I would really appreciate if you recommend the book to your librarian, colleagues and anyone you think might benefit from it. I hope you will enjoy the book , All the best, Ahmed El Hady Dr. Ahmed El Hady Princeton Neuroscience Institute Howard Hughes Medical Institute Washington Road | Princeton, NJ 08544 Tel: +1-609-258-7954 Fax: +1-609-258-1028 Website: http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home

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Open positions in Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt
by Gjorgjieva, Julijana 07 Oct '16

07 Oct '16

We invite applications for PhD positions and have openings for Master and Bachelor students interested in writing their thesis or doing internships in our group 'Computation in Neural Circuits' at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, Germany. Postdoctoral candidates are also encouraged to inquire for open positions. We use mathematical and computational approaches to study how neurons and the connections between them get organized into circuits that are flexible to learn, yet remain robust to external perturbations. We focus on the emergence of complex properties at the single neuron and circuit level during early development. For example, we study how synaptic plasticity, homeostasis and development of ion channel expression interact to produce functional adult circuits. We are also interested in how these specific properties emerge evolutionarily, shaped by various biophysical constraints. Our work is supported by close experimental collaborations based on different animal models, from rodent to fruit fly, giving us access to individual circuit components. Successful applicants can work on a range of projects including theoretical model development and analytical calculations, numerical simulations, data analysis, and applications to novel datasets from collaborating labs. Applicants should have a strong quantitative background (in mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science, or related fields) and interest in interdisciplinary research. Background in neuroscience is desirable but not required, and some programming experience is necessary. To apply for these positions, please submit the following to comp.neural.circuits(a)gmail.com<mailto:comp.neural.circuits@gmail.com> 1. A curriculum vitae 2. A motivation letter or a description of research interests (please explain your scientific interests, what are you strengths when working on a problem, why our group) 3. Contact details for 2-3 referees 4. A written sample of scientific research, e.g. a manuscript, thesis, or code Our institute also hosts the IMPRS graduate school in 'Neural Circuits' which has an open call for PhD applications with a deadline of December 15, 2016: http://brain.mpg.de/graduate-studies/call.html For more information or informal inquiries, please get in touch! Julijana Gjorgjieva, PhD Group Leader Max Planck Institute for Brain Research Max-von-Laue-Str. 4 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany http://brain.mpg.de/research/computation-in-neural-circuits-group.html

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Symposia on Memory, March 6-10 2017, Barcelona
by Alex Roxin 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

Dear all, I'm happy to announce that registration is open for the week-long series of Symposia on Memory at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica from 6-10 of March, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. These symposia bring together experimental and theoretical researchers in the neuroscience of memory to present and discuss work on topics such as: sleep, hippocampal function, the molecular basis of memory, synaptic plasticity, spatial learning, human memory, and more. The full list of invited speakers as well as a partial list of abstracts for the invited talks is on the website. A detailed schedule is forthcoming. As a registered participant you can submit an abstract for a contributed talk or a poster. For more information and to register see http://www.crm.cat/en/Activities/Curs_2016-2017/Pages/MATHMEM_Symposia.aspx The symposia are part of the Intensive Research Program (IRP) on the Mathematics of Memory at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica in Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain. The program kick-off is a week-long winter school on the mathematics of memory, the Memory School, from the 16th to the 20th of January, 2017. A preliminary course schedule is available on the website. As a registered participant at the school you can submit an abstract to present a poster. Registration is open! http://www.crm.cat/en/Activities/Curs_2016-2017/Pages/MATHMEM_School.aspx For more information on the IRP on Memory please visit the website below http://www.crm.cat/en/Activities/Curs_2016-2017/Pages/IRP-MATHMEM.aspx best regards, Alex (on behalf of the coordinators: Nicolas Brunel, Sandro Romani and Alex Roxin)

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Call for posters and participation: The 3rd International Symposium on Cognitive Neuroscience Robotics
by amser116 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

Call for posters and participation: (apologies for cross-posting) The following international symposium will be held in Osaka, Japan in December 2016. The theme of the symposium is Constructive Developmental Science, which aims at understanding human cognition by means of interdisciplinary approach (e.g., psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, and robotics). We will have world-leading researchers from different disciplines as invited speakers and would like to invite you to present a poster of your recent achievement. Please see the symposium homepage for more details: http://www.cnr.osaka-u.ac.jp/?p=1835&lang=en ============================================ The 3rd International Symposium on Cognitive Neuroscience Robotics: Toward Constructive Developmental Science ============================================ Date: Sunday, December 11 – Tuesday, December 13, 2016 Place: Science Hall, Senri Life Science Center, Osaka, Japan Fee: No fee except banquet Registration: Advance registration is required (see the following homepage) Program: http://www.cnr.osaka-u.ac.jp/?p=1835&lang=en Invited speakers: - Rechele Brooks, University of Washington - Helge Ritter, Bielefeld University - Giulio Sandini, Italian Institute of Technology - Shinsuke Shimojo, California Institute of Technology Sponsors: - Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University “Division of Cognitive Neuroscience Robotics” - JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Specially Promoted Research “Constructive Developmental Science Based on Understanding the Process from Neuro-Dynamics to Social Interaction” Best regards, Yukie Nagai, on behalf of the symposium organizers — Yukie Nagai, Ph.D. Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Osaka University Visiting Researcher, Bielefeld University yukie(a)ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp http://cnr.ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/~yukie/

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high performance computing with the Neuroscience Gateway Portal
by Ted Carnevale 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

Space is still available in the workshop on the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG), but if you are interested you should act soon because space is limited and the registration deadline is Friday Oct. 28. The NSG is an NSF-supported resource for neuroscientists whose research involves computationally intensive modeling and/or data analysis. It has a simple, convenient user interface for running simulations and data analysis tasks on HPC hardware, and provides free CPU time. Currently installed software includes Brian, GENESIS, MOOSE, NEST, NEURON, PyNN, Freesurfer, and the Virtual Personalized Multimodal Connectome Pipeline. The workshop will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 AM to noon, just before the start of the 2016 SFN meeting, at a downtown San Diego location near the convention center. The agenda includes instruction on how to use the NSG in your own research, a hands-on exercise, and presentations by research teams about how they are using the NSG for their own high performance computing needs. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2016/nsg2016.html for more information and a link to the registration form. --Ted

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Postdoctoral Fellowship in System Neuroscience
by Majid Mohajerani 05 Oct '16

05 Oct '16

A position as Postdoctoral Fellow is now open for an outstanding postdoctoral associate to conduct research in the field of neural network functions at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta. Our goal is to understand cellular and brain system mechanisms of memory and cognitive processing in animal models of healthy brain and memory disorders associated with aging and brain damage. Our research focusses on information coding, neural dynamics and system level neural interactions among diverse brain regions (e.g., hippocampus, prefrontal, retrosplenial, parietal and anterior cingulate cortices). This research will be supported by state-of-the-art facilities including advanced two-photon imaging, microendoscope imaging, wide-field voltage and calcium imaging, and high-density multi-unit electrophysiological recording and optogenetic techniques. The project is a collaborative effort between the research groups of Prof. Bruce McNaughton and Dr. Majid Mohajerani. Successful candidates will join the highly collaborative and interdisciplinary Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (http://www.uleth.ca/artsci/neuroscience/our-faculty) and Brain Dynamics group (http://lethbridgebraindynamics.com/) which has outstanding research strengths in the areas of learning and memory, decision making, information coding and related diseases such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, addiction and stroke. Salary scales will be competitive with NIH standards for postdoctoral researchers. The position will be initially for 1 year with possibility of renewal depending on performance review at the end of the first 9 months. QUALIFICATIONS Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative and neuroscience methodological backgrounds such as neural ensemble recording, 2-photon or other in vivo neural activity imaging or in brain mapping. Good verbal and written communication skills are a must. Experience in MATLAB will be an asset. Candidates should be prepared to learn and use cutting-edge physiological, anatomical, and computational techniques, such as virtual reality-based rodent behavioural systems, optogenetic manipulations, and statistical methods for the analysis and modelling of data. HOW TO APPLY Interested applicants should send an email to Dr. McNaughton ( <mailto:bruce.mcnaughton@uleth.ca> bruce.mcnaughton(a)uleth.ca) with cc to Dr. Mohajerani ( <mailto:mohajerani@uleth.ca> mohajerani(a)uleth.ca ) and include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a brief statement of research interests, and contact information of three references. Applications are encouraged from women and minorities.

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POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
by Wilson Truccolo 04 Oct '16

04 Oct '16

Applications for 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 models of multiscale neural dynamics. Neural data consist of recordings of single-neuron ensembles and local field potentials obtained via multiple intracortical microelectrode arrays implanted in human and non-human primates. Research topics include: (1) Role of neuronal network intrinsic dynamics in neural encoding and decoding. (2) Multiscale neocortical dynamics in human focal epilepsy: seizure transition, propagation and termination. (3) Precursor signatures of focal seizure transitions, prediction and control. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational/theoretical neuroscience and modeling of stochastic neural dynamics. Related publications can be found on the Truccolo lab website ( http://www.truccololab.com/ <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 Department of Neuroscience & Institute for Brain Science, Brown University Lab website: http://www.truccololab.com/

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Two PhD Positions for Neural Network Research Using High-density Microelectrode Arrays
by Felix Franke 04 Oct '16

04 Oct '16

*PhD Positions for Students with Neurobiology Background or Engineering/Data-analysis Background for Neural Network Research Using High-density Microelectrode Arrays* We are currently seeking PhD students with a neurobiology background, or with an engineering/data analysis background, who will conduct electrophysiological experiments with high-density microelectrode arrays. The students will investigate how information is processed by neuronal networks and by the corresponding individual neurons and subcellular units within active networks. Suitable candidates should either have a background in neurobiology/neuroscience, or interest in evaluating large-scale complex data sets and a background in engineering or computer science. The candidate should be interested in interdisciplinary collaborative work in the area of electronics/neurobiology/data processing. Programming skills (for example Matlab, Python, R, etc.) are required, and knowledge of mathematics, statistics and data analysis methods, or experience in cell culturing and sterile techniques, or - possibly - patch clamp will be an asset. For more information see: https://www.bsse.ethz.ch/bel/open-positions.html -- Felix Franke, PhD ETH Zürich, D-BSSE Bio Engineering Laboratory (BEL) http://www.bsse.ethz.ch/bel

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Deadline extended for Brains and Bits NIPS Workshop
by Konrad Kording 29 Sep '16

29 Sep '16

We just expanded the NIPS brains and bits deadline by a week: http://www.stat.ucla.edu/~akfletcher/brainsbits.html Consider joining us if you are interested in neural data science.

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Open PhD Position in Neuroscience at the University of Bremen, Germany
by David Rotermund 29 Sep '16

29 Sep '16

The Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Bremen, headed by Prof. Dr. Klaus Pawelzik, offers a PhD position in the field of Complex Adaptive Systems. Successful candidates will join an international research group that is located in the field of Complex Adaptive Systems with a specialization in Econophysics, Psychophysics and Computational Neuroscience. In the latter we work on Attention, Neuronal Dynamics, Learning and Neurotechnology. The project funded by the DFG is entitled: “Dynamic instabilities from information annihilation in neuronal networks” Many Complex Adaptive Systems, including human balancing behavior, financial markets, and neuronal networks, exhibit complex spatio-temporal activity. Interestingly, all these systems feature a dynamic balance of opposing influences. In this project we will investigate the consequences of simple but biologically realistic mechanisms that yield a balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs into neurons. In particular, we will determine the conditions where this balance does not result in simple equilibria but causes complex temporal dynamics and power-law distributed avalanches of activity in recurrent networks. This topic is part of a long term research program where we investigate whether a single general principle, by which criticality emerges from an efficient absorption of information, can account for these observations in a wide range of systems. The position is funded with a salary comparable to a 65 % TVL13 position and comes with support for 3 years and direct supervision by the principal investigator. Ideal candidates have a MSc degree in Physics or Mathematics. In any case they must have a strong background in physics and/or computational neuroscience and solid programming skills. Above all, they must have a strong motivation, a sense for responsibility, interest for detailed analysis, and a distinct desire to learn. Fluency in English is required (both written and spoken). If you are interested, please send your complete application by 23th October 2016 by e-mail (see detailed instructions below) to ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de. Severely disabled applicants and women with essentially identical and personal suitability will be preferentially selected. Detailed instructions for applicants ===================== Your application must comprise: Motivation letter -------------------- Your 1-2 page essay should reply the following questions: What is your background? In which fields have you worked before and how do you think this can be useful for the present job? What attracts you to the field of neuroscience? Which problem(s) in neuroscience are you most interested in? Which kind of person are you (e.g. creative, analytic, communicative, pragmatic, etc.) and how do you approach a research problem? What are your plans for your future career? Curriculum Vitae --------------------- Send a classical tabular CV with your contact details, your date-of-birth, a current photograph, and all stages of education and employment. List of skills, awards, publications List your skills, especially proficiency in languages (including the level of proficiency), that you think might be useful for the job. Also list awards you might have got and peer-reviewed papers, in case there are some. Contact details of two academic references -------------------------------------------------------- One of the references should be your MSc advisor. Please contact the references prior to listing their names so that they are not surprised if they get contacted. Your application can be in English or German, whatever language you are more familiar with. Please send your application to ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de by 23th October 2016! All documents must be in PDF format and must not be compressed. Combine all documents to a single PDF file or at least name the separate files appropriately. If we find your application interesting, we will let you know within two weeks and potentially ask for more documents.

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2 Available PhD Positions in Artificial Intelligence and Neuro-Cognitive Robotics, Ritsumeikan University, Japan
by Amir Aly 28 Sep '16

28 Sep '16

**Apologies for Cross Posting ** *2 Available PhD Positions in Artificial Intelligence and Neuro-Cognitive Robotics at the Emergent Systems Laboratory, Ritsumeikan University, Japan* The Emergent Systems Laboratory [Link <http://www.em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp/en>] at Ritsumeikan University in Japan (nearby Kyoto) announces 2 available PhD positions in artificial intelligence and neuro-cognitive robotics as a part of the new project: *"*Comparison and Fusion of Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science*"*. The successful PhD candidates will be involved in research about: *Understanding Neural Computation for Double Articulation Analysis Bridging Sensory-motor Information and Natural Language in Human Brain*, under the supervision of Tadahiro Taniguchi (Project Coordinator) [ Link <http://www.tanichu.com/profile>]. *I. Positions Description * Human brain can analyze a two-layer hierarchical structure embedded in speech signal called *double articulation structure* (i.e., speech signal is segmented into words and phonemes in a hierarchical manner). However, the computational process of double articulation analysis in human brain has not been revealed in neuroscience. In artificial intelligence and developmental robotics, we have not developed - yet - a robot that can automatically learn language from human-robot and sensorimotor real-world interactions in an unsupervised manner. This project aims to contribute to : - Understanding the neural mechanism supporting human and robot language acquisition involving double articulation analysis. - Developing unsupervised machine learning methods for building the next-generation communicative robots. - Developing deep learning and Bayesian probabilistic models integrating language, planning, and sensorimotor behaviors. - Investigating theories bridging between deep learning and Bayesian nonparametrics. Each PhD candidate is expected to contribute to a part of the project. *II. Candidate Profile* - Good mathematical background. - English communication skill for daily discussion and writing papers: IELTS 6 (TOEIC 740). - Programming skills in C++, Python, or Matlab for machine learning and intelligent robot. - Applicants are expected to be interested in natural language, language acquisition, and the human cognitive neural system of social behavior. *III. Application* Please send your application to (adm(a)em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp) no later than *31 October 2016*, including: - List of publications. - Copies of 2 major publications. - Outline of past research (free format). - Motivation letter (free format). - Outline of prospective research (free format). - 2 Reference letters. Further details about the available positions and admission procedures are available on: *PhD Positions in Artificial Intelligence and Neuro-Cognitive Robotics <http://www.em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp/info/call-for-phd-candidates-research-assis…>* . Ritsumeikan University is a fast growing international research environment with interdisciplinary research areas, and is the biggest private university in the west of Japan. The College of Information Science and Engineering is the biggest college in the field of Information Science in Japan, and the Graduate School is receiving a large number of KAKENHI Japanese governmental research grants. *IV. Related Papers* [1] Tadahiro Taniguchi, Shogo Nagasaka, Ryo Nakashima, Nonparametric Bayesian Double Articulation Analyzer for Direct Language Acquisition from Continuous Speech Signals, IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, Vol. PP (99) .(2016) DOI: 10.1109/TCDS.2016.2550591 [2] Tadahiro Taniguchi, Takayuki Nagai, Tomoaki Nakamura, Naoto Iwahashi, Tetsuya Ogata, and Hideki Asoh, Symbol Emergence in Robotics: A Survey, Advanced Robotics, Vol.30, (11-12) pp. 706-728 .(2016) DOI:10.1080/01691864.2016.1164622 ---------------------------------------------- Amir Aly, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Associate Emergent Systems Laboratory College of Information Science and Engineering - Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 Japan

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International Workshop on Computational Psychiatry at KAIST (Sang Wan Lee)
by Sang Wan Lee 27 Sep '16

27 Sep '16

We are pleased to host a single day workshop on computational psychiatry, entitled "Computational approaches to understanding memory, learning, decision making, and emotion processing". The brain is an immensely complex system, making it hard to account for the brain's high-level functions, such as cognitive, emotional, and social components. The impairments of these circuits often lead to mental illness. A new approach, dubbed as computational psychiatry, combines experiments with computational modelling to provide the means to prevent psychiatric disorders. This workshop discusses recent advances in applying neuroeconomics, computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence to the study decision making, learning and memory. A deeper insight into these functions is expected to permit development of model-based diagnosis of mental disorders. * List of speakers : Benedetto de Martino (University of Cambridge, UK) Robb Rutledge (University College London, UK) Shinsuke Suzuki (Tohoku University, Japan) Sukbin Lim (New York University Shanghai, China) Sang Wan Lee (KAIST, South Korea) * Date: OCT 5 Wednesday, 2016 * Venue: Dream Hall (1st floor), CHUNG Moon Soul building (E16), KAIST * Program: http://www.aibrainlab.com/cp2016/ (free registration) - Host: Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST - Organizer: Sang Wan Lee (inquiries: Hana Park, <mailto:hnpark@kaist.ac.kr> hnpark(a)kaist.ac.kr) -- Sang Wan Lee, Ph. D Assistant Professor Laboratory for Brain and Machine Intelligence Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea +82-42-350-4334 sangwan(a)kaist.ac.kr <mailto:sangwan@kaist.ac.kr> http://aibrain.kaist.ac.kr

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Two Postdoc Positions in Model-based fMRI and Machine Learning at KAIST (Sang Wan Lee)
by Sang Wan Lee 27 Sep '16

27 Sep '16

*Postdoctoral positions in model-based fMRI and machine learning at KAIST* Two postdoctoral positions, funded through Samsung future technology foundation, are immediately available in the Laboratory for Brain and Machine Intelligence, led by Sang Wan Lee, at KAIST (http://aibrain.kaist.ac.kr/openings) The laboratory is affiliated with the department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Brain and Cognitive Engineering program, and KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology (KIHST). The positions are initially appointed for one year, and may be extended for up to three years. We offer a competitive salary plus benefits. We also provide opportunities for working with our collaborators (refer to our website for more information). The project, AI-human coevolution engine, aims to develop a framework that boosts human learning and inference performance. It requires a combination of model-based neuroimaging techniques and a design of various learning algorithms. Research topics include model-based/model-free reinforcement learning, inductive/deductive/transitive inference, and one-shot learning. Details about the project is confidential, but the research proposal will be outlined during an interview. Qualifications (type1): - PhD in cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience, or physics - prior experience in (model-based) fMRI analysis is preferred. Qualifications (type2): - PhD in electrical engineering, computer science, or applied mathematics - strong quantitative background with expertise in machine learning The positions are open until filled. Interested please send a cover letter, a CV and a list of two references to sangwan(a)kaist.ac.kr. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. -- Sang Wan Lee, Ph. D Assistant Professor Laboratory for Brain and Machine Intelligence Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea +82-42-350-4334 sangwan(a)kaist.ac.kr <mailto:sangwan@kaist.ac.kr> http://aibrain.kaist.ac.kr

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Faculty Positions in Applied Mathematics at Northwestern University
by William L. Kath 26 Sep '16

26 Sep '16

The Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics at Northwestern University (http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/applied-math/) invites applications for two full-time, tenure-track faculty positions. Hiring will be focused on the assistant professor level, although exceptional applicants at a more senior level will be considered. Requirements include a Ph.D. and demonstrated ability to conduct high-impact interdisciplinary research in applied mathematics. Candidates in all areas are encouraged to apply. We are seeking candidates with strong connections to applications who can enhance the breadth of research activities of the department. Duties involve teaching and research. The application package should include a curriculum vita, a statement of research accomplishments and interests, and a statement of teaching experience and philosophy. Send applications to https://facultysearch.mccormick.northwestern.edu/apply/index/ODg In addition, the applicant should arrange for at least three, but no more than four letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters will be automatically solicited from the letter writers by email after the names are entered in the online application system. Questions may be sent to esam-facultysearch(a)northwestern.edu (Subject line: 2017 Faculty Search). Review of applications will begin November 15, 2016, and will continue until the positions are filled. For further information, see: http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/applied-math/. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States. -- William L. Kath, Professor Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-3125 Phone: 847-491-8784 Fax: 847-491-2178

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Reminder: deadline (October 1st 2016) approaching for manuscript submission to the Research Topic 'Burst coding: from cell to cognition'
by Fleur Zeldenrust 26 Sep '16

26 Sep '16

This is a reminder: The deadline for manuscript submission to the Research Topic below is on Extended Article Submission Deadline: 01 Oct 2016 . Research Topic Title: Burst coding: from cell to cognition Topic Editor(s): Wytse J. Wadman, Fleur Zeldenrust, Bernhard Englitz Hosting Field: Frontiers in Neuroscience Journal: Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience Here are quick links to: - Manuscript guidelines: http://home.frontiersin.org/about/author-guidelines - Online submission: http://frontiersin.org/Computational_Neuroscience/researchtopics/Burst_codi… - List of article types and publishing fees: http://www.frontiersin.org/about/PublishingFees With best regards, Fleur Zeldenrust Guest Associate Editor, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience Department of Neurophysiology Donders Centre for Neuroscience Faculty of Science, Radboud Universiteit Heyendaalseweg 135, postvak 33 6525 AJ Nijmegen tel +31 24 36 53195 www.frontiersin.org

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Brainhack: Anatomy edition in Paris, 24-26 October 2016
by Anastasia Osoianu 24 Sep '16

24 Sep '16

Registration is now open for Brain-anatomy-hack in Paris. Brain-anatomy-hack aims at promoting the interaction between scientists on questions concerning (1) the investigation of brain anatomy based on magnetic resonance imaging or post mortem dissection; (2) the evolution of nervous systems across species; (3) the variability of brain features across healthy participants; (4) the insurgence of brain pathologies. Program Each of the three days will begin with an “Ignite Session” in which speakers will give 15-30 minute talks that will address wide questions in neuroanatomy that would benefit from open, interdisciplinary collaborations. The “Ignite Session” will be followed by a “hack session” and a dynamic set of talks organized by attendees. During the “hack sessions”, participants will be encouraged to work together in small groups on relevant projects. The workshop will culminate on the last day, when participants will have the opportunity to present a brief overview of their project. Participants can bring their own dataset, discuss a project and recruit a team of collaborators on site. Access to free big online databases of MRI images will be also available during the three days, for new creative ideas to be tested. This workshop is also an opportunity to learn methods, develop skills and collaborate with other participants. Participants will be supervised and receive advice on methods from a team of very capable nerds including Roberto Toro, Michel Thiebaut de Schotten, Alexandros Goulas, Julien Lefèvre, Daniel Margulies and Leonardo Cerliani throughout the three days. A constant flow of food and drinks (especially coffee…) will be provided during the conference breaks. We kindly request an online preregistration (70€) in order to cover the expenses for the venue, the equipment and the food/drinks. Deadline is 16th of October 2016. For more information and preliminary schedule visit: http://neuroanatomy.github.io/events/brainhack/ To learn more about Brainhack and previous events: http://brainhack.org/

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Job Posting--Senior Data Analyst--DiCarlo Lab
by Christopher Shay 23 Sep '16

23 Sep '16

SENIOR DATA ANALYST Massachusetts Institute of Technology Brain and Cognitive Sciences McGovern Institute for Brain Research Lab of James J. DiCarlo http://dicarlolab.mit.edu/ <http://dicarlolab.mit.edu/> To develop and lead an open science framework for a small, but growing consortium of neuroscience research labs that together aim to build computational models of the brain’s visual processing system. Primary responsibilities are to (i.) develop and perform data packaging and analytics on visual neuroscience and behavioral psychophysics data, (ii.) implement existing and novel computational models of the visual system, and (iii.) build metrics and visualizations that quantitatively compare computational models to experimental data. The candidate will be based at the DiCarlo Lab at McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT. He or she will develop and implement standardized data formats, apply computational and statistical tools for data analysis, develop web-based graphical visualization interfaces to display results and present reports/results to the PIs, collaborators, and the research group. The data analyst will also oversee the lab’s local and remote computing hardware resources. REQUIRED: Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Computer Science or Software Engineering; Masters degree in (e.g.) Machine Learning, Statistics, or related field highly desirable; extensive familiarity with and high level of demonstrated competence in Python and Javascript absolutely required; working knowledge of C++ and C# languages highly desirable; minimum of five years’ experience with large-scale data-science activities, including organizing, analyzing, and synthesizing complex datasets to produce readable, informative automated web-based reports; demonstrated competence in modern data visualization tools such as Tableau, R, and D3.js; minimum of two years’ experience with large-scale database design and usage; minimum of two years' experience with building and maintaining a medium-to-large scale web-based application stack; experience with statistical languages/programming packages such as MATLAB (preferred), R, Stata, SPSS, or SAS highly desirable; experience with executing neural network feature extraction procedures on GPUs highly desirable. Demonstrated ability to partner with colleagues; ability to independently manage multiple projects/priorities while meeting changing deadlines, adapt to new technologies, and present information in a clear and cohesive manner; creative problem solving skills; ability to approach tasks with an eye toward efficiency and reproducibility; excellent written and oral communications skills; meticulous attention to detail; and proactive approach to investigative analysis. Experience in academic research, particularly computational neuroscience, is highly desirable. Christopher Shay, PhD Lab Manager DiCarlo Lab McGovern Institute Lab: (617) 452-3261 Fax:(617) 253-0104

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Software Engineer position in modeling at the Allen Institute for Brain Science
by Anton Arkhipov 23 Sep '16

23 Sep '16

A new position is open at the Allen Institute for Brain Science: http://www.alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/careers/job-search/ 2260-Modeling Analysis and Theory Software Engineer II Please apply at the link above! If you have any questions, please feel free to email antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org>. Job description. The Modeling, Analysis and Theory group is seeking a Software Engineer to contribute to one of our most crucial efforts - development of software tools for building, simulating, and analyzing models of brain cells and circuits. This individual will design and implement integrated software to enable modeling of brain activity and computations at several levels of resolution - from biophysically detailed to abstract, machine-intelligence-type models. The Software Engineer will be embedded in our Modeling team and will work closely with team members to combine the existing research code with newly designed and developed modules, in order to produce a high-quality modeling software suite for public release and continuous support. Job Responsibilities: * Design, implement, and maintain software for model building, simulation, and analysis/visualization across several modeling approaches using best software engineering practices. * In a team setting, actively participate in algorithm design and software planning and provide thoughtful solutions and alternatives. * Transform complex and high level requirement specifications into software code. * Present design solutions to peers, both within and outside of the Institute. * Manage multiple tasks, set clear priorities, and accomplish tasks with minimal supervision. Basic Qualifications: * BS, MS, or PhD in physical science, math, engineering or computer science discipline. * Strong background in scientific computing; experience in developing scientific modeling software, especially in computational neuroscience, is preferred. Experience with parallel computing is a plus. * At least 5 years of experience with python; familiarity with numpy/scipy. * Familiarity with modern version control systems, such as git. * Experience with Linux is essential; versatility in Windows and Mac platforms is desirable. * Experience in developing, shipping and maintaining robust, data-intensive applications. * Ability to meet aggressive timelines and deliverables in a collaborative environment. Desirable Qualifications: * C/C++ experience. * Graphics and/or data visualization experience. * Some experience in working with relational databases. * Familiarity with SQL. * Experience with maintaining open-source projects.

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postdoctoral position CRM, Barcelona
by Alex Roxin 22 Sep '16

22 Sep '16

Dear all, The Computational Neuroscience Group at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica in Barcelona, Spain is looking for applicants for a two-year postdoctoral position in the framework of the Collaborative Research Program funded by the Caixa Foundation, to foster collaboration between theory and experiment. Project Description: This project involves data analysis from animal experiments, computational modeling and translation of the results to a clinical setting. The candidate will study how cortical, brain stem and spinal cord circuits interact to drive motor function. This will involve analysis and modeling of high-dimensional data from experiments with stimulating electrodes in the motor cortex and spinal cord, and recording electrodes in forelimb muscles of rats, as well as experiments in which the EMG activity of muscles is recorded while the animal is engaged in a reaching and grasping task. In addition, we are initiating a collaboration with the Guttmann Institute for Neurorehabilitation to translate our results to human patients, in order to find a therapy to recover arm/hand function in patients with high spinal cord injuries. The candidate will work in close collaboration with Alex Roxin at the Group for Computational Neuroscience at the CRM and Guillermo Garcia Alias at the Neuroscience Institute at the UAB. Candiate Profile: We are looking for an enthusiastic and scientifically curious researcher with a strong technical background, ideally in mathematics, physics, engineering or related fields. A background in biology or neuroscience is not required. Application Deadline: October 24th. Decision early November. For more information and to apply go to http://www.crm.cat/en/Pages/DetallNoticia.aspx?ItemID=112 best regards, Alex

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MIT searching for tenure-track faculty at the assistant professor level
by Kate White 21 Sep '16

21 Sep '16

The Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences (BCS) (http://bcs.mit.edu<http://bcs.mit.edu/>) at MIT is looking to hire multiple tenure-track faculty at the assistant professor level. Affiliations with the Picower Institute for Learning & Memory and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research are possible. We are most excited about candidates who work in one or more of the following three areas: i. Computational approaches to neuroscience and cognition. Possible areas of focus include but are not limited to: statistical analysis of neural data and neural signal processing; computational modeling of neural circuits, of neural population representations and transformations; and/or of human cognitive processes. Candidates with the ability to build bridges across empirical domains are especially attractive. An affiliation with Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), the newly formed Statistics and Data Science Center, and Society (IDSS), or other allied departments is possible. The Department aims to make multiple hires in this area. ii. Systems neuroscience in non-human animals. The ideal candidate will be driven by the goal of reverse-engineering neural circuits underlying complex behaviors, and will employ novel technologies and computational approaches to understand the coding, dynamics, and/or anatomical underpinnings of these circuits. We will consider applicants who are working on a broad range of model organisms. iii. Cognitive neuroscience in humans and/or non-human primates. The ideal candidate would be conducting research that informs our understanding of cognition while bridging levels of analysis and using multiple methods, e.g. ECoG, fMRI, electrophysiology, MEG, computational modeling, genetics and reverse engineering approaches. Successful applicants are expected to develop and lead independent, internationally competitive research programs and to share in our commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education by teaching courses and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students. PhD must be completed by start day of employment and some postdoctoral training is preferred. Please submit application materials - cover letter, CV, statement of research and teaching interests and representative reprints - online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/8024. Please state research area in cover letter. To help direct the application, applicants should indicate which of the areas listed above is their main research area by selecting from the drop down list included in the application. In addition, please arrange to have three letters of recommendation submitted online. All application materials are due by midnight (EST) on October 31, 2016. MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer<https://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf>. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. Best regards, Kate White Human Resources Administrator MIT | Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) 77 Massachusetts Ave., Bldg 46-2005A Cambridge, MA 02139 T: 617-253-5749 | E: kowhite(a)mit.edu<mailto:kowhite@mit.edu> Visit us online at http://bcs.mit.edu<http://bcs.mit.edu/> [cid:5DC388A1-6756-4BB2-81B2-79C29D68B533] *Please note, BCS HQ is currently located in temporary office space on the 5th floor, suite 46-5065 until further notice. I am located in office 46-5065C.

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Brian 2.0 release
by Dan Goodman 21 Sep '16

21 Sep '16

We are very pleased to announce the release of version 2.0 of the Brian neural network simulator. Brian is a free, open source simulator for spiking neural networks. It is written in the Python programming language and is available on almost all platforms. We believe that a simulator should not only save the time of processors, but also the time of scientists. Brian is therefore designed to be easy to learn and use, highly flexible and easily extensible. You can learn more about Brian at our website (http://briansimulator.org) You can also try out Brian from your web browser, without having to install any software, using our interactive demo (http://mybinder.org/repo/brian-team/brian2-binder/notebooks/demo.ipynb) Major new features in 2.0 ------------------------- * Much more flexible model definitions. The behaviour of all model elements can now be defined by arbitrary equations specified in standard mathematical notation. * Code generation as standard. Behind the scenes, Brian automatically generates and compiles C++ code to simulate your model, making it much faster. * "Standalone mode". In this mode, Brian generates a complete C++ project tree that implements your model. This can be then be compiled and run entirely independently of Brian. This leads to both highly efficient code, as well as making it much easier to run simulations on non-standard computational hardware, for example on robotics platforms. * Multicompartmental modelling. * Python 2 and 3 support. That's just a small fraction of the new features in 2.0. For the full list, see http://brian2.readthedocs.io/en/stable/introduction/release_notes.html. Upgrading from Brian 1.4 ------------------------ Brian 2 is a rewrite from scratch, and introduces some backwards incompatible changes. In most cases, these should be relatively simple. We've written a detailed guide on how to update your simulations: http://brian2.readthedocs.io/en/stable/introduction/changes.html. Note that you can have both Brian 1 and Brian 2 installed simultaneously, so you can switch gradually. Thanks ------ Brian 2 was written by Marcel Stimberg, Dan Goodman and Romain Brette. Do please remember to cite Brian if you use it for your research. We would also like to thank the large number of users (over 40) who contributed code, bug reports, etc.

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MLINI 2016: NIPS Representation Learning in Artificial and Biological Neural Networks Workshop
by Leila Wehbe 20 Sep '16

20 Sep '16

NIPS Workshop on Representation Learning in Artificial and Biological Neural Networks (MLINI 2016) December 9th, 2016, Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona, Barcelona, SPAIN *Call for papers and abstracts:* Submission deadline: *Tuesday, September 27th, 2016* Notification of acceptance: Wednesday, October 5th, 2016 Submission website: *https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/MLINI2016 <https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/MLINI2016>* Workshop Website: https://sites.google.com/site/mlini2016nips We invite submissions that are related, but not limited to: - Use of neural network and other methods as models of brain function - Machine learning methods, including deep learning, to analyze brain data - Cognitively plausible learning algorithms, or in general models that take insights from human brains or behavior We invite both: - Paper submissions, to be considered for online publication in arXiv proceedings, and poster presentation. The length should not exceed 6 pages in Springer format <http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-6-793341-0> (here are the LaTeX2e style files <ftp://ftp.springer.de/pub/tex/latex/llncs/latex2e/llncs2e.zip>), excluding the references. - Abstract submission, to be considered for poster presentation. The abstract should not exceed 500 words (figures are allowed). This workshop is in conjunction with a Frontiers topic entitled: Artificial neural networks as models of human brain function http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/4817/artificial -neural-networks-as-models-of-neural-information-processing Participants are strongly encouraged to submit their work to the Frontiers special topic edition (deadline is November 1st). *About the workshop:* This one day workshop is about the interface between cognitive neuroscience and recent advances in AI fields that aim to reproduce human performance, such as natural language processing or computer vision, and specifically the deep learning approaches in these disciplines. When studying the cognitive capabilities of the brain, scientists follow a system identification approach in which they present different stimuli to the subjects and try to model the evoked brain responses. The goal is to understand the brain by trying to find the function that expresses the activity of brain areas in terms of different properties of the stimulus. Experimental stimuli are becoming increasingly complex with more and more researchers studying real life phenomena such as the perception of natural images or natural sentences. There is therefore a need for rich and adequate representations of the properties of the stimulus, that can be obtained using advances in NLP, computer vision or other relevant ML disciplines. In parallel, many new ML approaches, especially in deep learning, are inspired to a certain extent by human behavior or biological principles. Neural networks for example were originally inspired by biological neurons. More recently, processes such as attention are being used which are inspired by human behavior. However, the large bulk of these methods are independent of findings about brain function, and it is unclear whether it is at all beneficial for machine learning to try to emulate brain function in order to achieve the same tasks that humans are capable of performing. In order to shed some light on this difficult but exciting question, we plan to bring together many experts from these seemingly converging fields to discuss these problems, in a new highly interactive format consisting of two short lectures from experts in both fields, followed by a guided discussion. This workshop is a continuation of the Machine Learning and Interpretation in Neuroimaging (MLINI) series. MLINI has already had 5 iterations in which methods for analyzing and interpreting neuroimaging data were discussed in depth. In keeping with tradition, we also invite contributions from the expanding field of machine learning applied to neuroimaging data, and specifically the recent trend of utilizing neural network models to analyze brain data, which is evolving in parallel to the use of these algorithms as models of the information content in the brain. This way we will complete the loop: we will explore how neural networks and other machine learning tools contribute to neuroscience, both as a source of models for brain representations, and as a tool for brain image analysis. *Organizers:* Guillermo Cecchi (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center) Moritz Grosse-Wentrup (Max Plank Institute for Intelligent Systems) Georg Langs (Medical University of Vienna, CSAIL, MIT) Brian Murphy (Queens University, Belfast) Anwar Nunez-Elizalde (Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley) Irina Rish (IBM T.J. Watson Research Center) Marcel van Gerven (Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen) *Leila Wehbe (Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley) - main contact

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MediTec 2016: Extended Last Date of Submission is September 30, 2016
by MediTec 2016 20 Sep '16

20 Sep '16

*(Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this CFP)* ****Last date for paper submission of MediTec 2016 has been extended upto SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 upon receiving many requests from potential authors and researchers for extension.* *Dear Sir/Madam,* This letter is to formally invite you to participate and submit your research works in the “*2016 International Conference on Medical Engineering, Health Informatics and Technology (MediTec 2016)*” themed "*Smart Systems for Healthcare*" from *17-18 December 2016,* which will take place at United International University (UIU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. *MediTec 2016* is technically co-sponsored by IEEE-EMBS Bangladesh Chapter and IEEE Bangladesh Section. This conference aims to bring together researchers, engineers, doctors, medical practitioners and experts in Bio-medical engineering, Healthcare, Intelligent Systems and Knowledge Management to share their experience, ideas and future scopes. Distinguished scientists, experts from both academia and industries will deliver keynote speeches and invited talks on trends and significant advances in the emerging technologies related to the conference topics. For the list of confirmed speakers, please *click here.* <http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd/speakers/> *Major areas of interest include, but not limited to, are:* 1. Biomedical and Health Informatics 2. Biomedical Signal and Image Processing 3. Therapeutic Systems and Clinical Technologies 4. Neuro and Rehabilitation Engineering 5. Biorobotics, Bionanotechnology and Wearable Biomedical Sensors and Systems 6. Computational Biology and Bioinformatics 7. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 8. ICT, Health and Disabilities Please find the attachment for detailed *Call For Paper* or visit *here* <http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Meditech-2016_A4_Poster…> . *Important Dates:* *Extended Last Date of Submission *: * SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 * Paper Submission Deadline 30 September 2016 Acceptance Notification 15 October 2016 Camera Ready Submission 10 November 2016 Registration Early Bird: 15 November 2016 Late: Afterwards All the accepted papers will be included in Conference Proceedings and all the presented papers will be submitted to *IEEE Xplore Digital Library*. Selected papers from the conference proceedings will be invited for possible publication in special issues of some reputed international journals. Paper submission for *MediTec 2016* is now open. *Click here to Submit Your Paper. <https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=meditec2016>* For more information, please visit conference website *http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd* <http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd/>*.* Kindly promote *MediTec 2016* to interested individuals, researchers and communities in your vicinity. We look forward to meet you in the conference. Thanking you, Best Regards, Khondaker A. Mamun, *Ph.D.* Conference Chair, MediTec 2016 Email: meditec(a)uiu.ac.bd Cell: +880 1776534220 Director, AIMS Lab (www.aimsl.uiu.ac.bd) Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering ( www.cse.uiu.ac.bd) United International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh (www.uiu.ac.bd) Chair, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Bangladesh Chapter Initiator, Bangladesh Research and Awareness Initiative of Neuroscience (BRAIN) Email: k.mamun(a)ieee.org, mamun(a)cse.uiu.ac.bd, k.mamun(a)utoronto.ca, mamun79bd(a)yahoo.com URL: http://cse.uiu.ac.bd/faculty/kmamun/

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Winter School on the Mathematics of Memory in Barcelona, Spain
by Alex Roxin 20 Sep '16

20 Sep '16

Dear all, We are happy to announce a winter school on the Mathematics of Memory, the "Memory School" which will take place Jan.16-20 2017 at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica in Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain. This is a week-long intensive course on the biology and mathematics of memory, including plasticity, learning, working memory, long-term memory, hippocampal and cortical network mechanisms and more. The confirmed school instructors are Nicolas Brunel University of Chicago Shaul Druckmann Janelia Research Campus Wulfram Gerstner Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience Gianluigi Mongillo CNRS Sandro Romani Janelia Research Campus Harel Shouval University of Texas Misha Tsodyks Weizmann Institute of Science Mark van Rossum University of Edinburgh This course is appropriate for both junior and senior researchers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to present their own work in a poster session. For more information and to register please go to the website http://www.crm.cat/en/Activities/Curs_2016-2017/Pages/MATHMEM_School.aspx The Memory School is the opening event of a two-month long Intensive Research Program on the Mathematics of Memory at the CRM in Barcelona, Spain. Throughout the months of January and February there will be invited speakers, and the program will culminate in a week-long series of symposia on special topics on memory from leading experimentalists and theoreticians. For more information please go to http://www.crm.cat/en/Activities/Curs_2016-2017/Pages/IRP-MATHMEM.aspx best regards, Alex Roxin (and on behalf of the co-organizers Nicolas Brunel and Sandro Romani)

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[IJCNN 2017] Upcoming deadlines for Tutorials and Workshop Proposals
by Teng Teck Hou 19 Sep '16

19 Sep '16

[Apologies for cross-postings] ############################################################ International Joint Conference on Neural Networks May 14-19, 2017, Anchorage, Alaska, USA http://www.ijcnn.org/ ##################### Important Dates ###################### * Tutorial and Workshop Proposals October 15, 2016 * Paper Submission November 15, 2016 * Paper Decision Notification January 20, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission ebruary 20, 2017 #################### UPCOMING DEADLINES #################### CALL FOR WORKSHOPS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-workshops CALL FOR TUTORIALS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-tutorials [UPCOMING DEADLINES 23.59hr UTC-10 on Saturday, 15 OCTOBER 2016] ############################################################ The 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017) will be held at the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 14-19, 2017. The conference is organized jointly by the International Neural Network Society and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, and is the premiere international meeting for researchers and other professionals in neural networks and related areas. It will feature invited plenary talks by world-renowned speakers in the areas of neural network theory and applications, computational neuroscience, robotics, and distributed intelligence. In addition to regular technical sessions with oral and poster presentations, the conference program will include special sessions, competitions, tutorials and workshops on topics of current interest For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook (https://fb.me/ijcnn2017/) and Twitter (@ijcnn2017). #################### Paper Submission is now Open #################### http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-papers * Regular paper can have up to 8 pages in double-column IEEE Conference format * All papers are to be prepared using IEEE-compliant Latex or Word templates on paper of U.S. letter size. * All submitted papers will be checked for plagiarism through the IEEE CrossCheck system. * Papers with significant overlap with the authors own papers or other papers will be rejected without review. ##########################Call for Workshops########################## Post-conference workshops offer a unique opportunity for in-depth discussions of specific topics in neural networks and computational intelligence. The workshops should be moderated by scientists or professionals who has significant expertise and /or whose recent work has had a significant impact within their field. IJCNN 2017 will emphasize emerging and growing areas of computational intelligence. Each workshop has a duration of 3 or 6 hours. The format of each workshop will be up to the moderator, and can include interactive presentations as well as panel discussions among participants. These interactions should highlight exciting new developments and current research trends to facilitate a discussion of ideas that will drive the field forward in the coming years. Workshop organizers can prepare various materials including handouts or electronic resources that can be made available for distribution before or after the meeting. Researchers interested in organizing workshops are invited to submit a formal proposal including the following information as a single file (pdf, doc, etc.) to the workshop chair: * Title * Organizers and their short bio * Brief description of the scope and impact of the workshop * Timeliness of the topic * Confirmed and/or potential speakers * Half day (3 hours) or full day (6 hours) * Link to organizer's web page and/or workshop web site (optional) For further details, please refer http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-workshops. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Workshop Chair: Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. E-mail: liliadis(a)fmenr.duth.gr ##########################Call for Tutorials########################## IJCNN 2017 will feature pre-conference tutorials addressing fundamental and advanced topics in computational intelligence. Tutorial proposals should be emailed to the Tutorial Chair (see below). A tutorial proposal should include the * Title * Presenter/organizer name(s) and affiliations * Expected enrollment * Abstract (less than 300 words) * Additional outline if needed * Presenter/organizer biography * Links to the presenter/organizer web page or the tutorial page (optional) * The proposal should not exceed two pages in 1.5 space, Times 12 point font. The tutorial format (preliminary) is 1 hour and 45 minutes with a 10-minute break. Researchers interested in organizing workshops are invited to submit a formal proposal. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-tutorials. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Tutorials Chair: Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA. E-mail: ASIM.ROY(a)asu.edu ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: NEURAL NETWORK MODELS * Feedforward neural networks * Recurrent neural networks * Self-organizing maps * Radial basis function networks * Attractor neural networks and associative memory * Modular networks * Fuzzy neural networks * Spiking neural networks * Reservoir networks (echo-state networks, liquid-state machines, etc.) * Large-scale neural networks * Other topics in artificial neural networks MACHINE LEARNING * Supervised learning * Unsupervised learning and clustering, (including PCA, and ICA) * Reinforcement learning * Probabilistic and information-theoretic methods * Support vector machines and kernel methods * EM algorithms * Mixture models, ensemble learning, and other meta-learning or committee algorithms * Bayesian, belief, causal, and semantic networks * Statistical and pattern recognition algorithms * Visualization of data * Feature selection, extraction, and aggregation * Evolutionary learning * Hybrid learning methods * Computational power of neural networks * Deep learning * Other topics in machine learning NEURODYNAMICS * Dynamical models of spiking neurons * Synchronization and temporal correlation in neural networks * Dynamics of neural systems * Chaotic neural networks * Dynamics of analog networks * Neural oscillators and oscillator networks * Dynamics of attractor networks * Other topics in neurodynamics COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE * Connectomics * Models of large-scale networks in the nervous system * Models of neurons and local circuits * Models of synaptic learning and synaptic dynamics * Models of neuromodulation * Brain imaging * Analysis of neurophysiological and neuroanatomical data * Cognitive neuroscience * Models of neural development * Models of neurochemical processes * Neuroinformatics * Other topics in computational neuroscience NEURAL MODELS OF PERCEPTION, COGNITION AND ACTION * Neurocognitive networks * Cognitive architectures * Models of conditioning, reward and behavior * Cognitive models of decision-making * Embodied cognition * Cognitive agents * Multi-agent models of group cognition * Developmental and evolutionary models of cognition * Visual system * Auditory system * Olfactory system * Other sensory systems * Attention * Learning and memory * Spatial cognition, representation and navigation * Semantic cognition and language * Neural models of symbolic processing * Reasoning and problem-solving * Working memory and cognitive control * Emotion and motivation * Motor control and action * Dynamical models of coordination and behavior * Consciousness and awareness * Models of sleep and diurnal rhythms * Mental disorders * Other topics in neural models of perception, cognition and action NEUROENGINEERING * Brain-machine interfaces * Neural prostheses * Neuromorphic hardware * Embedded neural systems * Other topics in neuroengineering BIO-INSPIRED AND BIOMORPHIC SYSTEMS * Brain-inspired cognitive architectures * Embodied robotics * Evolutionary robotics * Developmental robotics * Computational models of development * Collective intelligence * Swarms * Autonomous complex systems * Self-configuring systems * Self-healing systems * Self-aware systems * Emotional computation * Artificial life * Other topics in bio-inspired and biomorphic systems APPLICATIONS * Bioinformatics * Biomedical engineering * Data analysis and pattern recognition * Speech recognition and speech production * Robotics * Neurocontrol * Approximate dynamic programming, adaptive critics, and Markov decision processes * Neural network approaches to optimization * Signal processing, image processing, and multi-media * Temporal data analysis, prediction, and forecasting; time series analysis * Communications and computer networks * Data mining and knowledge discovery * Power system applications * Financial engineering applications * Applications in multi-agent systems and social computing * Manufacturing and industrial applications * Expert systems * Clinical applications * Big data applications * Smart grid applications * Other applications CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TOPICS * Hybrid intelligent systems * Swarm intelligence * Sensor networks * Quantum computation * Computational biology * Molecular and DNA computation * Computation in tissues and cells * Artificial immune systems * Other cross-disciplinary topics ################## Organizing Committee ###################### The full organizing committee can be found at: http://www.ijcnn.org/organizing-committee General Chair * Yoonsuck Choe, Texas A and M University, USA Program Chair * Christina Jayne, Robert Gordon University, UK Technical Co-Chairs * Irwin King, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China * Barbara Hammer, University of Bielefeld, Germany ##################Sponsoring Organizations################## * INNS - International Neural Network Society * IEEE - Computational Intelligence Society * BSCS - Budapest Semester in Cognitive Science

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Postdoctoral fellowship in computational neuroscience at Harvard
by Jan Drugowitsch 18 Sep '16

18 Sep '16

Dear all, Jan Drugowitsch (Department of Neurobiology, Harvard) and Sam Gershman (Department of Psychology, Harvard) are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on a project combining psychophysics, computational modeling, and clinical studies. The project focuses on visual structure discovery, using motion perception as a model system. Our goal is to understand how neural circuits represent and reason about complex combinatorial structures, and how these neural circuits break down in autism. Candidates must have a strong background in Bayesian modeling and computational neuroscience. Experience with visual psychophysics experiments is desirable but not essential. Applicants should send a CV and statement of research interests to Jan Drugowitsch (Jan_Drugowitsch(a)hms.harvard.edu) Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. Best, Jan Drugowitsch Assistant Professor in Neurobiology Harvard Medical School

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JOB: Neuroimaging Data Scientist. Multi-modal MRI study of voice perception.
by Sylvain Takerkart 15 Sep '16

15 Sep '16

The 4-year project LIVES (Learning with Interacting Views), funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR), aims at developing innovative multi-view and multi-modal machine learning algorithms. As part of the LIVES consortium, our team at the Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT, http://www.int.univ-amu.fr) is in charge of acquiring a large *multi-sequence MRI* dataset that will be used to benchmark these methods. This will include *anatomical*, *diffusion-weighte*d and *functional* (both resting state and task-based) MRI data. Our goal is to characterize the inter-subject variability observed in the cortical activation patterns measured with task-based functional MRI in the auditory cortex, in a task that involves the processing of vocal information, using the other acquired modalities. *Missions*. The data scientist will set-up processing pipelines dedicated to analyze the different MR scan types (univariate and multi-voxel pattern analysis methods for task-fMRI; advanced characterization of the cortical anatomy using high-level representations such as sulci and sulcal pits; estimation of structural and functional connectomes). He/she will organize the raw and processed data in a standardized fashion in order to make it accessible to the other members of the consortium in a first stage, and to the scientific community at large in a second stage. *Profile*. This position is for a candidate who is comfortable (or proficient) with *computer programming* (*python* will be our language of choice), has knowledge in *signal and image processing* and has a personal interest for *machine learning*. It can be of interest to different types of profiles. Either you are a young graduate (BSc or MSc) in data science, electrical engineering or neuroscience and you want to be at the heart of a project where medical imaging and machine learning meet, with the possibility to continue as a PhD student. Or you already have a PhD in a relevant domain and you want to take this opportunity to fulfill the aforementioned missions while getting further involved in the research aspects of the project, in machine learning or in neuroimaging. *Working environment*. INT is one of the top French neuroscience research institutes with 150 staff members in 10 inter-disciplinary teams examining different aspects of the cerebral organization. It is located on the medical campus of Aix-Marseille University. The successful candidate will join INT’s Neuro-Computing Center, who operates a high-end computing facility and pursues research at the intersection of machine learning and neuroscience. He/she will interact with other teams working on functional imaging of voice perception, computational anatomy, machine learning and MRI data acquisition. Marseille, the second largest city in France, is a vibrant inter-cultural hub located on the Mediterranean shore, and only 2h away from the Alps mountains. The position is initially open for one year, with a possible renewal for a second year. Starting date is around December 2016. If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter before Septembre 30, 2016, to Sylvain_DOT_Takerkart_AT_univ-amu_DOT_fr and Pascal_DOT_Belin_AT_univ-amu_DOT_fr. -- Sylvain Takerkart Institut des Neurosciences de la Timone (INT) UMR 7289 CNRS-AMU Marseille, France tél: +33 (0)4 91 324 007 http://www.int.univ-amu.fr/_TAKERKART-Sylvain_?lang=en

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Tenure-Track Position in Computational Neuroscience, University of Oregon
by Yashar Ahmadian 15 Sep '16

15 Sep '16

*Tenure track position in Computational Neuroscience* University of Oregon Departments of Mathematics and Biology (http://math.uoregon.edu/ http://biology.uoregon.edu/) Institute of Neuroscience (http://www.neuro.uoregon.edu/) The Departments of Biology and Mathematics and the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon announce a tenure track faculty position in computational neuroscience at the rank of assistant professor with ultimate department and institute affiliations flexible. Theorists seeking synergistic interactions with experimentalists in design, analysis and interpretation of research linking gene function, neuronal activity and behavior in model organisms and humans are especially encouraged to apply. This new position is part of an integrated effort to strengthen research at the nexus of mathematics and biology at the University of Oregon. It also advances a broader “Neurons to Minds” initiative that includes multiple new positions in systems and cognitive neuroscience to accelerate discovery in the neuronal basis of behavior and cognition. Minimum qualifications for candidates are a Ph.D. in an appropriate field (e.g. neuroscience, biology, mathematics, physics, electrical engineering, statistics, computer science, etc.), commitment to excellent teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and an outstanding research record. Candidates should have the ability to work effectively within a diverse community. Applications will be received online at https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/UO/IONMATHBIO. Candidates are asked to submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae including a publication list, a statement of research accomplishments and future research plans, a description of teaching experience and philosophy, and three letters of recommendation (sent independently). Submission of 1-3 selected reprints is encouraged. To be assured of consideration, application materials should be uploaded by *November 15, 2016, but the position will remain open until filled*. Requests for information can be sent to Dr. Shawn Lockery, Chair, Computational Neuroscience Search Committee (shawn(a)uoregon.edu) *The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate **on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status.* *---------------------------------------------* *Yashar Ahmadian* *Institute of Neuroscience* Departments of Biology and Mathematics *University of Oregon* *http://uoneuro.uoregon.edu/ahmadian/index.php <http://uoneuro.uoregon.edu/ahmadian/index.php>*

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Postdoc and Research Assistant openings in cognitive neuroscience at UCSF/Stanford
by Connolly, Colm 14 Sep '16

14 Sep '16

Please respond to info(a)brainlens.org<mailto:info@brainlens.org> Research Assistant Position at UCSF in California, USA on Multilingualism The Hoeft Lab (http://brainLENS.org PI: Fumiko Hoeft MD PhD) is looking for an exceptional research assistant interested in the developmental cognitive neuroscience of multilingualism. This NIH-funded research is in collaboration with Cammie McBride PhD of Chinese Univ of Hong Kong, Ken Pugh PhD of Haskins/Yale/UConn, Linda Siegel of UBC, Manolo Carreiras PhD of BCBL, Ioulia Kovelman PhD of U Michigan, and Yuuko Uchikoshi EdD of UC Davis. The position is suited for a self-motivated, organized and independent thinker, with good interpersonal and multitasking skills, as well as proficiency in the English language and computer software. Neuroimaging, computational, statistical, programming, and neuropsych testing skills are highly desired but not necessary. Native-like proficiency in Spanish or Cantonese is a plus. A major strength of our lab is that there are plenty of opportunities to conduct independent research, to be first author on publications and to give conference presentations as a novice RA (e.g. Myers et al. Psychol Sci ’14, Myers et al. SCAN ’16, Haft et al. Curr Opin Behav Sci ’16). The position begins in January but start date can be sooner and is negotiable. Please email info(a)brainlens.org with a cover letter and your CV. Please add “[RA job]” and your full name in the Subject of the email. Qualified candidates will be asked to have 2-3 letters of reference forwarded. Joint Postdoctocal Position at UCSF and Stanford University in California, USA The Hoeft Lab (http://brainLENS.org PI: Fumiko Hoeft MD PhD) at the UCSF Dept of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences in collaboration with the Stanford Mood and Anxiety Disorders Lab in the Dept of Psychology (http://goo.gl/dc96Cx PI: Ian Gotlib PhD) is looking for an exceptional postdoc in the field of affective neuroscience, with advanced neuroimaging, psychophysiology, computational, programming and organizational skills. Training in genetics is a plus. The primary project that the postdoc will be responsible for is the examination of intergenerational neuroimaging using a ‘natural’ cross-fostering design that allows dissociation of genetic, prenatal and postnatal environment on brain networks that are transmitted across generations. Related articles from our lab can be found here - Yamagata et al. J Neurosci 2016 (http://goo.gl/vMK8iy) Ho et al. Trends in Neurosci 2016 (http://goo.gl/SyXLcK) and Scientific American (http://goo.gl/YTiH6D) There are other funded opportunities to be involved in research that examines the impact of anxiety and stereotype on psychophysiology and cognitive processes. The position can begin immediately. Please email info(a)brainlens.org with your CV, and with brief paragraphs of research interests, career goals and why you feel you are a good fit for the lab. Please add “[Postdoc job]” and your full name in the Subject of the email. Qualified candidates will be asked to have 3 letters of reference forwarded. Regards, -- Colm G. Connolly PhD Dept of Psychiatry & Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences University of California, San Francisco 401 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143

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Conference Aspects of Neuroscience [Warsaw, Poland, 25-27th November]
by Daniel Borek 13 Sep '16

13 Sep '16

Dear Friends, On behalf of the Neurobiology Scientific Student Association at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw we would like to invite you to* the 6th annual International Conference “Aspects of Neuroscience” *to be held in Warsaw, Poland, from *November 25th to 27th, 2016*. As in previous years, the Conference is divided into 4 sessions presenting different approaches to Neuroscience:*Neurobiology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience *and* Computational Neuroscience*. Each thematic session is opened by a lecture delivered by one of the guests who are specialists in a given domain. This year we will host such outstanding neuroscientists as *Prof. Eva Jablonka, Prof. Christian Lüscher, Prof. David Price, Prof. Kevin Warwick, Prof. Giovanna Mallucci *and* Dr. Daniel S. Margulies*. Participants are encouraged to give an oral presentation in one of the thematic sessions following the guest’s lecture or to present a poster during the poster session (either in the experimental or theoretical section). *Abstract submission deadline: 1st November 2016Passive registration deadline: 10th November 2016* The conference is intended for students, PhD students and research workers in neuroscience or related fields. The interdisciplinary character of the Conference is a base for integration of diverse scientific environments in order to create new quality in brain research. The language of the conference is English. *For more information about the Conference visit our new website:* http://neuroaspects.org <http://neuroaspects.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2e0466a746fafa55697…> Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspectsOfNeuroscience <http://neuroaspects.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2e0466a746fafa55697…> Yours sincerely, Organizing Committee of the International Conference Aspects of Neuroscience Neurobiology Scientific Student Association at the University of Warsaw

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Brains and Bits: Neuroscience Meets Machine Learning - NIPS Workshop: 9 & 10 December 2016
by Konrad Kording 13 Sep '16

13 Sep '16

Join us (submit papers to) for the *Brains and Bits: Neuroscience Meets Machine Learning* *NIPS Workshop: 9 & 10 December 2016 Barcelona, Spain* http://www.stat.ucla.edu/~akfletcher/brainsbits.html The goal of this workshop is to bring together researchers in deep learning, machine learning, statistics, and computational neuroscience, and facilitate discussion about a) shared approaches for analyzing biological and artificial neural systems, b) how insights and challenges from neuroscience can inspire progress in machine learning, and c) machine learning methods for interpreting the revolutionary large scale datasets produced by new experimental neuroscience techniques. We invite high-quality submissions of abstracts for posters and contributed talks though CMT. Instructions are below. OverviewExperimental methods for measuring neural activity and structure have undergone recent revolutionary advances, including in high-density recording arrays, population calcium imaging, and large-scale reconstructions of anatomical circuitry. These developments promise unprecedented insights into the collective dynamics of neural populations and thereby the underpinnings of brain-like computation. However, these next-generation methods for measuring the brain’s architecture and function produce high-dimensional, large scale, and complex datasets, raising challenges for analysis. What are the machine learning and analysis approaches that will be indispensable for analyzing these next-generation datasets? What are the computational bottlenecks and challenges that must be overcome? In parallel to experimental progress in neuroscience, the rise of deep learning methods has shown that hard computational problems can be solved by machine learning algorithms that are inspired by biological neural networks, and built by cascading many nonlinear units. In contrast to the brain, artificial neural systems are fully observable, so that experimental data-collection constraints are not relevant. Nevertheless, it has proven challenging to develop a theoretical understanding of how neural networks solve tasks, and what features are critical to their performance. Thus, while deep networks differ from biological neural networks in many ways, they provide an interesting testing ground for evaluating strategies for understanding neural processing systems. Are there synergies between analysis methods for biological and artificial neural systems? Has the resurgence of deep learning resulted in new hypotheses or strategies for trying to understand biological neural networks? Conversely, can neuroscience provide inspiration for the next generation of machine-learning algorithms? We welcome participants from a range of disciplines in statistics, applied physics, machine learning, and both theoretical and experimental neuroscience, with the goal of fostering interdisciplinary insights. We hope that active discussions among these groups can set in motion new collaborations and facilitate future breakthroughs on fundamental research problems. ------------------------------ Organizers - Eva Dyer <http://kordinglab.com/people/eva_dyer/> Northwestern University - Allie Fletcher <http://www.stat.ucla.edu/~akfletcher/> Statistics, UCLA & UCB Redwood Center for Neuroscience - Konrad Kording <http://koerding.com//> Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University - Jascha Sohl-Dickstein <http://www.sohldickstein.com/> Google Research - Joshua Vogelstein <http://jovo.me/> Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University - Jakob Macke <http://www.mackelab.org/> caesar Bonn, an Institute of the Max Planck Society Current Speakers - Christos Papadimitriou <https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~christos/> EECS, UC Berkeley - Adrienne Fairhall <https://fairhalllab.com/> Psychology and Biophysics, University of Washington - Yoshua Bengio <http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~bengioy/yoshua_en/index.html> Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal - Sophie Denève <http://iec-lnc.ens.fr/group-for-neural-theory/members/faculty-in-alphabetic…> Group for Neural Theory, LNC, DEC, ENS - Demis Hassabis <http://demishassabis.com/> Google DeepMind - Terry Sejnowski <http://www.salk.edu/scientist/terrence-sejnowski/> Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Salk Institute, UCSD - Mitya Chklovskii <https://www.simonsfoundation.org/simons-center-for-data-analysis/scda-neuro…> Simons Foundation - Anima Anandkumar <http://newport.eecs.uci.edu/anandkumar/> EECS, UC Irvine - David Cox <http://www.coxlab.org/> Molecular and Cellular Biology and Computer Science, Harvard University - Surya Ganguli <https://web.stanford.edu/dept/app-physics/cgi-bin/person/surya-gangulijanua…> Applied Physics, Stanford University - Maneesh Sahani <http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/~maneesh/> Gatsby Institute, University College, London - Emily Fox <https://www.stat.washington.edu/~ebfox/> Statistics and Computer Science, University of Washington - Jonathan Pillow <http://pillowlab.princeton.edu/> Center for Statistics and Machine Learning, Princeton University - Fred Hamprecht <https://hciweb.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de/people/fhamprec> Heidelberg Collaboratory for Image Processing (HCI), Heidelberg - Max Welling, University of Amsterdam Submission Information & Important Dates Submissions will be considered both for poster and oral presentation. See instructions on the workshop website at http://www.stat.ucla.edu/~ akfletcher/brainsbits.html Submission deadline: 29 September 2016 11:59 PM PDT (UTC -7 hours) Acceptance notification: 12 October 2016

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2 open faculty positions at U. Colorado Medical School
by Zylberberg, Joel L 12 Sep '16

12 Sep '16

Hello All, The Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Colorado Medical School currently has two open tenure-track faculty positions. Specifically, we are searching for a new computational neuroscience / physiology faculty member, and for a new systems neuroscience / physiology faculty member. The positions at our medical school are quite nice for research-focused faculty: light teaching loads, extremely competitive start-up packages, etc. Details are available via this web link: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/departments/physio… If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me. Also, please forward this advertisement to any colleagues of yours who might be interested. Thanks! __ Joel Zylberberg Assistant Professor Department of Physiology and Biophysics University of Colorado School of Medicine www.jzlab.org<http://www.jzlab.org> CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, Learning in Machines and Brains program ~the neuroscience is theoretical, but the fun is real

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Third International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience (ICMNS 2017)
by Robert Rosenbaum 12 Sep '16

12 Sep '16

We are delighted to announce the 3rd International Conference on Mathematical Neuroscience (ICMNS 2017), to be held at the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado from May 30 to June 2 (Tutorials: May 30; Main Conference: May 31 - June 2). http://www.colorado.edu/amath/international-conference-mathematical-neurosc… *Abstract submission will open in October/November for both contributed talks and posters. *Student presenters can apply for travel awards funded by NSF, Burroughs Wellcome, and SIAM. The conference provides a forum for researchers to discuss current mathematical innovations emerging in neuroscience. We hope to attract and train young researchers on current methods in mathematical neuroscience. The meeting will feature leaders in applied mathematics and neuroscience that are developing new mathematical techniques for understanding high-dimensional data sets, building models to capture activity patterns and emergent computation, and working closely with experimentalists to address targeted questions about brain function. CONFIRMED SPEAKERS Danielle Bassett (University of Pennsylvania) Paul Bressloff (University of Utah) Nicolas Brunel (University of Chicago) Sophie Deneve (École Normale Supérieure) Brent Doiron (University of Pittsburgh) Ila Fiete (University of Texas) Stefano Fusi (Columbia University) Peter Thomas (Case Western Reserve University) Taro Toyoizumi (Riken Brain Science Institute) More TBA! We hope to see you in Boulder this coming May! All the best Zack Kilpatrick (University of Colorado) Julijana Gjorgjieva (Max Planck Institute for Brain Research) Robert Rosenbaum (University of Notre Dame) (conference chairs)

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PhD position in Computational/Systems Neuroscience @ the Institute of Neuroinformatics - ETH Zurich
by Benjamin Grewe 12 Sep '16

12 Sep '16

PhD position in Computational/Systems Neuroscience @ the Institute of Neuroinformatics - ETH Zurich – in vivo imaging of neural ensemble learning in awake behaving animals – We are looking for a PhD candidate with a strong motivation to understand neuronal information processing (NIP) as well as learning induced changes in NIP at the level of large neuronal ensembles. To investigate NIP we utilize cutting edge large scale in vivo population calcium imaging techniques that allow recording ensemble activity of hundreds of neurons in freely moving and head-fixed rodents during diverse learning behaviors. Ideal candidates have some expertise in a neuroscience related field. The PhD candidate will acquire a unique skill set to utilize miniaturized and very large-scale calcium imaging technologies and work closely with the PI to perform behavior experiments and post-hoc data analysis. Applicants should hold a diploma or Masters degree in a quantitative discipline (e.g. physics, informatics, mathematics, biomedical-engineering) or neurobiology/neuroscience (e.g. systems neuroscience, neurophysiology, cell physiology). Experience in data analysis using MATLAB/Python/R or similar programming languages and basic knowledge in computational or experimental neuroscience is beneficial. Proficiency in English and a team-oriented working attitude are crucial for the applicant’s success. Candidates should be willing to perform biological in vivo experiments in rodents with an intrinsic motivation to unravel neural algorithms of information processing and learning. Please submit your complete application as one PDF via email to bgrewe(a)ethz.ch <mailto:bgrewe@ethz.ch>. The application should include the following documents: • A cover letter that includes the main motivation for doing a PhD at the INI. • Contact details of 2 references (email and phone number). • CV outlining prior education, research and publications (if available) • Academic transcripts (bachelor, master/diploma). • 1-2 page personal research statement. The research statement should cover the applicant’s future career goals and research project interests. The INI offers advanced, interdisciplinary PhD training and participation in cutting edge neuroscience and neuroinformatics research projects. The institute is home to a lively and interactive educational atmosphere with highly competitive salaries. Successful candidates will participate in the ZNZ doctoral program (http://www.neuroscience.uzh.ch/en.html <http://www.neuroscience.uzh.ch/en.html>) where they receive additional theoretical and practical training. Compensation/salary will be paid according to the guidelines of the Swiss National Science Foundation. Successful candidates will receive their PhD from ETH Zurich. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled and will be reviewed upon receipt. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich is consistently ranked the top university in continental Europe and is a leading player in research and education in Switzerland and worldwide. The INI is a joint institute of ETH and the University of Zurich with a primary research focus at the intersection of systems neuroscience and neuroinformatics. The mission of the institute is to discover key principles by which neural networks operate and process information. Comprising a diverse research portfolio (www.ini.uzh.ch <http://www.ini.uzh.ch/>) the INI is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional systems neuroscience, neurobiology, neuroinformatics and neuroengineering. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin F. Grewe Institute of Neuroinformatics @ ETH Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland Email: Bgrewe(a)ethz.ch

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Final notice - 2016 EEGLAB workshop following SFN, Nov 17-21, San Diego
by Arnaud Delorme 10 Sep '16

10 Sep '16

EEGLAB developers and advanced users will present a four day workshop on the data analysis concepts and functions of the EEGLAB electrophysiological data processing environment and associated toolboxes held at the University of California San Diego in La Jolla, November 17-21, 2016 following the Society for Neuroscience meeting. In particular, we will feature our new improved statistical framework and data management strategies based on the General Linear Model with support from the LIMO EEGLAB extension. The preliminary program, registration instructions, as well as list of accommodation are available at http://sccn.ucsd.edu/wiki/EEGLAB_2016_at_UCSD <http://sccn.ucsd.edu/wiki/EEGLAB_2016_at_UCSD> Registration costs are 350 US dollars for students and post-docs and 500 US dollars for faculty and professionals. The workshop is a non profit event and faculty are volunteering their time. Registration will be handled by Eventbrite below. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ucsd-eeglab-2016-workshop-san-diego-ticket… <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ucsd-eeglab-2016-workshop-san-diego-ticket…> For administrative questions about the location, hotel reservation, registration payments, and workshop overall organization please contact Risa at rshibata(a)ucsd.edu <mailto:antonio.cataldo2@unibo.it>. For questions about the scientific program, please contact EEGLAB organizers at eeglab(a)sccn.ucsd.edu <mailto:eeglab@sccn.ucsd.edu>. We are looking forward to see you at the workshop! A. Delorme S. Makeig

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Neural Processing Letters: CFP - Special Issue on "Off the mainstream: advances in neural networks and machine learning for pattern recognition"
by Friedhelm Schwenker 09 Sep '16

09 Sep '16

Call for Papers Special issue on Off the mainstream: advances in neural networks and machine learning for pattern recognition to be published in Neural Processing Letters *** Submission deadline: January 31, 2017 *** Guest editors: Edmondo Trentin, University of Siena, Italy (trentin(a)dii.unisi.it) Friedhelm Schwenker, University of Ulm, Germany (friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de) Nemat El Gayar, Cairo University, Egypt (elgayar.neamat(a)gmail.com) Hazem M. Abbas, Ain Shams University, Egypt (as(a)eng.asu.edu.eg) Aims and scope of the special issue: "Mainstream science is about publishing what everyone else is publishing with very small changes. You'd better at least start off that way if you want to get tenure," the sociologist Rodney Stark said. But "big ideas don't come to those who avoid risk", as John Bohannon added. The area of artificial neural networks (ANN) and machine learning (ML) makes no exception to these ends: Mainstream topics, originally stemming from exciting breakthroughs (the "big ideas") that gradually become trends and end-up being mostly over-beaten publishing tracks, have characterized the scientific literature throughout the whole history of these research fields. A few, widely known instances of such (more or less recent) mainstream trends are: - Supervised support vector machine training (in both primal and dual) - Supervised multilayer perceptron training via regular backpropagation - Radial basis functions networks - Bayesian networks (either shallow or deep) - Deep feed-forward and convolutional neural networks - Countless applications of the aforementioned machineries - The “approximation capabilities” of such machineries Based on these premises, this special issue invites paper submissions on real novel research developments in the areas of neural networks and learning machines that (1) are rooted in (or, aimed at) pattern recognition (PR), and that, above all, (2) do not follow in the footsteps of nowadays established trends. Preference (over applications, theoretical analysis, and variants of established techniques) will thus be given to submissions that hand out fresh and innovative ideas/architectures/algorithms, even if they are in their infancy (e.g., possibly lacking of a complete investigation of their theoretical properties). A detailed list of topics of interest would contradict the very perspective of the present special issue. Nonetheless, some general, topical research directions are (to name a few): - New ANN or ML architectures - New ANN, ML, or PR algorithms - New estimation/optimization/assessment techniques for ANNs, ML, or PR - New and sound combination/hybridization of machines - Solutions to new, relevant PR-related problems - New and sound solutions to established PR-related problems If you are not sure on whether your manuscripts matches the aims and scope of this special issue or not, do not hesitate to get in touch with the guest editors at any time. The special issue will comprise (a) papers submitted in response to this call, and (b) extended versions of selected papers from the ANNPR 2016 Workshop (https://neuro.informatik.uni-ulm.de/ANNPR2016/) sponsored by the International Association for Pattern Recognition. Paper submission: Papers must be submitted online via the Neural Processing Letters website (https://www.editorialmanager.com/nepl/default.aspx) selecting the choice that indicates this special issue (identifier: S.I.:Off_mainstream). Prepare your paper following the Journal guidelines for Authors (http://www.springer.com/computer/ai/journal/11063?detailsPage=pltci_1060677) All submitted papers will undergo a regular peer-review process. Important dates: Opening of electronic submission: September 1, 2016 Submission deadline: January 31, 2017 Completion of 1st round of review process: March 31, 2017 Re-submission of revised manuscripts: May 15, 2017 Final decision: June 30, 2017 Tentative publication of the Special Issue: Fall 2017 -- PD Dr. Friedhelm Schwenker University of Ulm Institute of Neural Information Processing D-89069 Ulm, Germany phone: +49-731-50-24159 fax: +49-731-50-24156 email: friedhelm.schwenker(a)uni-ulm.de www: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/neuroinformatik/mitarbeiter/f-schwenker.html

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workshop on high performance computing in neuroscience
by Ted Carnevale 09 Sep '16

09 Sep '16

This year's workshop on the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 AM to noon in downtown San Diego near the convention center, as a satellite to the 2016 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. This workshop will show you how to use this NSF-supported resource in your computationally-intensive modeling and data analysis projects. It will also feature presentations from several research teams about how they are using high performance computing (HPC) resources in their own research. The NSG has a simple, convenient user interface for running simulations and data analysis tasks on HPC hardware, and provides free CPU time. Currently installed software includes Brian, GENESIS, MOOSE, NEST, NEURON, PyNN, Freesurfer, and the Virtual Personalized Multimodal Connectome Pipeline. The registration deadline for this workshop is Friday Oct. 28, but you should register soon because space is limited. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2016/nsg2016.html for more information and a link to the registration form. --Ted

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Researcher position at ATR Brain Labs (Kyoto, Japan)
by Haruo HOSOYA 09 Sep '16

09 Sep '16

Dear all, ATR Brain Labs in Kyoto, Japan has an open position for a researcher to work on machine learning for computer vision in collaboration with computational neuroscientists in our institute. I would appreciate if you forward the following message to anyone who might be interested. Best regards, Haruo Hosoya, Senior Researcher Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging ATR Brain Labs, Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories ------------------------------------------------ ■Researcher position at ATR Brain Labs., Kyoto, Japan Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan, has an open researcher position in brain-inspired computer vision. Our institute has a long tradition in computational neuroscience and has recently been promoting research of computational modeling of primate visual systems based on hierarchical learning theory (project outline: http://www.cns.atr.jp/~hosoya/project_outline.pdf) We seek for applicants who are interested in working on brain-inspired machine learning algorithms for vision in collaboration with our computational neuroscientists for vision. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or be near completion in a relevant field. The applicants are required to show an expertise in machine learning research for visual processing as well as a strong interest in neuroscience. The successful candidate will be asked to propose and autonomously work on (1) a research topic using an original method that has a realistic applicability (e.g, image/video analysis) and a connection to primate vision, and (2) a research topic that applies, to a realistic problem (e.g., image/video analysis), computational models of primate vision developed in our institute. Haruo Hosoya, Ph.D. Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan 2016, September ■Number of openings One ■Employment conditions Position : Full-time Researcher Tenure : Single year based contract, renewable based on evaluation Treatment: Based on individual performance Work Location: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan ■Application materials Please submit the following five materials to the contact address below, either in printed or electronic form: • 1 CV • 2 List of publications • 3 Reprints of 1-3 major publications • 4 Essay (up to two pages in A4 or letter size) describing: – Summary of your previous research – Interests for research – Additional research skills not directly foreseeable from 1 or 2 • 5 Recommendation letters from more than two researchers * If submitted in printed form, original documents will not be returned. ■Judging system After documentary examination, we ask for presentation and interview if needed. ■Starting date Soon (negotiable) ■Deadline for application Opens until positions are filled. ■Contact Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging ATR Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories (Application for Researcher Position) 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan Email: dbi-tvn at atr.jp at=@ Web: http://www.cns.atr.jp/dbi/en/open-positons/ ■Use of personal data All personal data received will be properly managed and only be used for the purpose of recruitment.

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Faculty Position in Biophysics including Neurophysics
by Ralf Wessel 08 Sep '16

08 Sep '16

Biological/Biomedical Physics The Department of Physics in the School of Arts and Sciences announces a tenure-track faculty opening at the Assistant Professor level in the Biophysics sub-discipline. We are searching for an experimentalist, but applications from data-driven theorists will also be favorably considered. We are seeking a candidate who will enhance activities within the Physics Department and develop connections with other Arts and Sciences, Engineering School, and Medical School Departments. The duties of the position will include, but are not limited to, teaching and advising students, conducting original research and publishing the results, and participating in departmental and university service. A PhD in Physics or a closely related field is required, along with the ability to teach a range of traditional undergraduate physics courses in addition to specialized courses. Candidates are sought who have highly visible research achievements and who have a strong aptitude for teaching and mentoring students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The appointment will begin Fall 2017. Information on our department can be found at http://www.physics.wustl.edu. Applications should consist of the following: cover letter, current resume including publication record, statement of research interests and plans (up to 4 pages), statement of teaching interests and approach (up to 2 pages), and names and complete contact information (including email addresses) of three references. Application materials must be submitted electronically by email as a single file in editable (e.g. not password protected) PDF format to biophysicssearch(a)physics.wustl.edu. For full consideration applications should be submitted on or before November 1, 2016. http://physics.wustl.edu/faculty_openings -- **************************************************** Ralf Wessel, Professor of Physics Washington University in St. Louis http://www.physics.wustl.edu/people/wessel_ralf http://neuroscience.wustl.edu/ ****************************************************

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience (one year post), Plymouth University, UK
by Roman Borisyuk 08 Sep '16

08 Sep '16

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience (one year post) Plymouth University, UK Postdoctoral Research Fellow will study the sensory modality integration leading to initiation of locomotion in the hatchling Xenopus tadpole. This is the collaborative project with neurobiologists from Bristol and St. Andrews Universities. We investigate: how different modalities of sensory input converge on the key neuron population; how sensory integration determines the "decision" to swim; and how the tadpole selects and correctly implements the way swimming starts. Research Fellow in Plymouth is responsible for developing new mathematical and computational models of three types: 1) anatomical modelling of neural structures; 2) functional neural network models of conductance-based neurons; 3) modelling decision making in response to sensory stimulation. All models will be grounded to available experimental evidence and will be developed in a strong collaboration with neurobiologists. Therefore, experience in neuroscience data processing and statistical analysis is important. We seek exceptional candidates who must either already have a PhD in computational neuroscience (or relevant area of research) or to be near the completion of PhD studies. The candidate must have a track record of related publications. Excellent skills in programming are essential. In particular, a significant experience with C++, Python, NEURON and MATLAB is required at initial stage to work with our previously developed software. Additionally, the candidate should be able to demonstrate a good knowledge of mathematical disciplines. Candidates with expertise in large scale simulation of spiking neurons (Hodgkin-Huxley type), dynamical systems, bifurcation theory and graph/network theory will be preferred. Ideally, the candidate would also have knowledge of vertebrate brain and spinal cord, behaviour modelling, and learning theory from a computational perspective. Application closing date 18/09/2016 Contact for informal inquiries: Roman Borisyuk, Professor of Computational Neuroscience, rborisyuk(a)plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:rborisyuk@plymouth.ac.uk>, 01752 584949 ________________________________ [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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Postdoctoral position in primate neurophysiology (University of Tucson)
by Ueli Rutishauser 07 Sep '16

07 Sep '16

Please see below job ad, which I am posting on behalf of a colleague. *=====* *Postdoctoral position in primate neurophysiology.* *University of Arizona, College and Medicine,* *Department of Physiology, Tucson. * We are inviting application of postdoctoral trainees interested in working on the neural basis of natural social behaviors in non-human primates. The applicant will have access to state-of-the art equipment, facilities, and will work in a team with established expertise in behavioral neurophysiology of the amygdala. Candidates should have a PhD in neuroscience, psychology, biomedical engineering, or related field. Strong computational skill and communication skills are required. Experience in neurophysiology is preferred. The position is available immediately, with a competitive/negotiable salary commensurate with prior experience. The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer and women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Please send a CV, statement of research accomplishments and interests, copies of 2-3 representative publications and contact information for 2-3 reference letters to Katalin Gothard at kgothard(a)email.arizona.edu . Informal inquiries are welcome. Katalin M. Gothard, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience The University of Arizona College of Medicine Department of Physiology webpage: http://www.gothardlab.com/

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BrainModes 2016 - Coordinated brain activity: foundations and applications - Conference announcement and call for abstracts
by Daniele Marinazzo 07 Sep '16

07 Sep '16

It's our pleasure to announce you the BrainModes conference "Coordinated brain activity: Foundations and applications", that will be held in the heart of Brussels, at the Royal Flemish Academy of Sciences (KVAB) on* Dec 1 and 2*. BrainModes (www.brainmodes.org) is an annual conference in which methods and models to interpret brain activity, and their applications are discussed. This year the theme will be: Coordinated brain activity: foundations and applications. We are proud of the excellent lineup of speakers, including *Kia Nobre* (Oxford), *Olaf Sporns* (Indiana), *Maurizio Corbetta* (Padua and WU). There will be also a workshop organized in Ghent on nov 30 on methodological issues and demonstration. The complete program, the info on registration, abstract submission and location are here http://www.da.ugent.be/brainmodes Please spread this information within your network, and looking forward to see you in Brussels! Daniele Marinazzo, Dante Mantini and Wim Vanduffel. -- Daniele Marinazzo -- Department of Data Analysis Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences, Ghent University Henri Dunantlaan 1, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium +32 (0) 9 264 6375 <http://www.da.ugent.be/>http://users.ugent.be/~dmarinaz/ https://twitter.com/dan_marinazzo BRAINMODES 2016 CONFERENCE http://www.da.ugent.be/brainmodes http://helpdesk.ugent.be/e-maildisclaimer.php

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Opening for Microfabrication and Sensors Technician in the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine
by Platt, Jo Ann 06 Sep '16

06 Sep '16

Join our team to revolutionize medicine. The Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is recruiting for multiple positions in the fields of neurophysiology, neural engineering, microfabrication, bioelectronics and biosensing, and neural decoding and data analytics. MICROFABRICATION LAB open position: Microfabrication and Sensors Technician Duties & Responsibilities The Microfabrication and Sensors Technician will fabricate neural implants and sensor systems, assist with research, and collaborate with Institute faculty, staff, fellows and students in the areas of microfabrication and sensor development. The successful candidate will: • Provide experimental and fabrication support to projects aimed at developing chronic implants for the brain and nerves and associated sensing systems • Fabricate flexible microdevices and sensor systems • Assist with experiments, organize and analyze data, and report experimental results • Assist with maintenance and procurement of equipment and supplies relating to microdevice fabrication Basic Qualifications • College background in Bioengineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or Materials Engineering, Physical Sciences, Biomedical fields or a related field • Experimental background in at least one of the fields of microfabrication, sensors, or microfluidics • One or more years’ experience in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), biological microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) or micro- and nanofabrication or related experience desirable. Education may count towards experience. Each successful candidate will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to determine the nature of neural control over molecular, cellular and organ functions of the body, the parts of the brain that regulate those nerves, and the signals that the brain receives to monitor cell and organ function. Projects will focus on determining which nerve fibers exert control, the types of signals those fibers use, and how these signals can be manipulated to treat diseases and conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, paralysis, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and even cancer. Please forward CVs to the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at CBEM(a)northwell.edu Jo Ann Platt The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Cell: (415) 265-0441 350 Community Drive Manhasset, NY 11030 The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

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FENS Hertie Winter School 2016 - Memory mechanism in humans.
by Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo (Prof.) 06 Sep '16

06 Sep '16

***Apologies for multiple postings*** Dear all, This is to announce the FENS (Federation of European Neuroscience Societies) winter school, organised in collaboration with the Hertie Foundation, on: Memory mechanisms in humans: from physiology to behaviour and computational models http://www.fens.org/Training/FENS-Schools/FENS-Hertie-Winter-School-2016/ Through extensive interactions with leaders in the field, the school will provide a comprehensive overview of both the basic and the latest knowledge about memory functions and their underlying mechanisms in humans. The school is aimed at PhD students and postdocs, preferably working on memory or with a strong interest in this area. Date: 11-17 December 2016 Location: Universitätszentrum, Obergurgl, Austria http://www.uz-obergurgl.at/english/how-to-get-there Course Directors: Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, University of Leicester, UK Simon Thorpe, CNRS – CerCo, Toulouse University, France Faculty Members: Roberto Cabeza - Duke University – USA Christian Döller - Donders Institute - The Netherlands Yadin Dudai - Weizmann Institute - Israel Emrah Duezel - University College London - UK Howard Eichenbaum - Boston University - USA Guillen Fernandez - Donders Institute - The Netherlands Edmund Rolls - Oxford University - UK Andreas Tolias - Baylor College of Medicine, USA Alessandro Treves - International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) - Italy Sylvia Wirth - Univerisity of Lyon - France Applications: http://www.fens.org/Training/FENS-Schools/FENS-Hertie-Winter-School-2016/ Deadline: 12th September 2016. For any questions please contact: Mathilde Maughan (FENS Schools Administration) at: schools(a)fens.org Best, Rodrigo Rodrigo Quian Quiroga Centre for Systems Neuroscience University of Leicester www.le.ac.uk/csn

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Post-doctoral positions (x3) and PhD candidate (x1) positions in neuroimaging data analysis
by Marquand, A.F. (Andre) 06 Sep '16

06 Sep '16

We have vacancies for three excellent post-doctoral research associates and one PhD student in the Statistical Imaging Neurosciences group at the Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour and the Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. These positions will be supervised by Prof. Christian Beckmann and Dr. Andre Marquand and will focus on the development of novel computational and machine learning methods for the analysis of neuroimaging data. The roles are part of different but related projects which have general aims of creating advanced practical tools for multivariate statistical analysis of neuroimaging data and for predicting clinical variables from these data. The group has a strong interest in pattern recognition methods and exploratory data analysis (e.g. Independent Component Analysis) with specific applications of ICA for the investigation of functional connectivity inferred from resting-state fMRI. We aim for an interdisciplinary research approach integrating cognitive neuroimaging, pharmacology, genetics, and applications in diverse clinical disciplines with well-established international collaborations. Requirements Post-doctoral positions: Completion of doctoral degree in a numerate discipline such as statistics, computer science, engineering, cognitive neuroscience / psychology or other relevant field of study. Doctoral candidate: Completion of an undergraduate (and ideally also master's level) degree in one of these fields. Applicants should be able to demonstrate a strong academic track-record, including publications in international journals. These individual should be proficient in fMRI research and have experience with the usage of one or more of the common neuroimaging data analysis platforms (e.g. FSL, SPM, FreeSurfer or AFNI) plus programming skills using MATLAB, Python, R and/or C++. Organization The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (http://www.ru.nl/donders/) offers a unique, multidisciplinary working and learning environment with opportunities for developing expertise in a diversity of research areas and techniques. The centre is equipped with three MRI scanners (2 x 3T, 1.5T) and access to a high field (7T) MR system plus a 275-channel MEG system, an EEG-TMS laboratory, several (MR-compatible) EEG systems, and high-performance computational facilities. Website: http://www.ru.nl/donders/ Conditions of employment Employment: 1,0 FTE. Your starting salary will be commensurate with experience. In addition to the monthly gross salary, you will receive two yearly 8% bonuses (holiday and end-of-year). International applicants may qualify for significant income tax reduction under the Netherlands 30% Rule. The post-dotcoral positions are for three years in the first instance (12 months probation period) with a possible extension. The PhD studentship is for four years. Application Please send your application, including a motivation letter, statement of research interest, CV and names with addresses of three persons who can provide references to Christian Beckmann at c <dot> beckmann <at> donders.ru.nl and Andre Marquand a <dot> marquand <at> donders.ru.nl Closing date: Review of applications will continue until the positions are filled.

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[IJCNN 2017] Approaching deadline on Thursday, 15th September 2016
by Teng Teck Hou 06 Sep '16

06 Sep '16

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## COMBINED CALLS [DUE ON THURSDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER] CALL FOR COMPETITIONS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-competition CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-special-sessions CALL FOR PANELS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-panels CALL FOR WORKSHOPS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-workshops CALL FOR TUTORIALS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-tutorials CALL FOR PAPERS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-papers CALL FOR SPONSORS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-sponsors International Joint Conference on Neural Networks May 14-19, 2017, Anchorage, Alaska, USA http://www.ijcnn.org/ ################################################## IJCNN is the premier international conference in the area of neural network theory, analysis, and applications. Co-sponsored by the International Neural Network Society (INNS) and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE-CIS), over the last three decades this conference and its predecessors has hosted [past, present, and future] leaders of neural network research. IJCNN 2017 will feature invited plenary talks by world-renowned speakers in the areas of neural network theory and applications, computational neuroscience, robotics, and distributed intelligence. In addition to regular technical sessions with oral and poster presentations, the conference program will include special sessions, competitions, tutorials and workshops on topics of current interest. The 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017) will be held at the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 14-19, 2017. "... Only in Anchorage can you meet a moose, walk on a glacier and explore a vast, natural park all in a single day. Between mountains and an inlet, surrounded by national parks and filled with Alaska wildlife, Anchorage combines the best of Alaska in a city that has the comforts of home and the hospitality of the Last Frontier. ..." For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook (https://fb.me/ijcnn2017/) and Twitter (@ijcnn2017). ##############################Important Dates############################## * Special Session, Panel Sesion & Competition Proposals September 15, 2016 * Tutorial and Workshop Proposals October 15, 2016 * Paper Submission November 15, 2016 * Paper Decision Notification January 20, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission February 20, 2017 ########################################################################### ##########################Plenary Speakers########################## * Stephen Grossberg, Boston University, USA * Christof Koch, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA * Hava Siegelmann, DARPA, and University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA * Jose Principle, University of Florida, USA #################################################################### ##########################Call for Competitions########################## Competition organizers are kindly invited to submit their proposals to IJCNN2017 Competition Chair (TBA) by September 15, 2016. The notifications of acceptance of the competition proposals will be provided by TBA and will be shortly publish in the IJCNN 2017 website. Please note that each accepted competition will be published in a separate web link. The competition proposal should contain the following information (please fill out the form at the bottom of this page, or send the required information in the form as a single pdf file to the competition chair [email below]) The aims and objectives of the competition, The rules of the competition, including which data sets will be used, How the competition will serve the neural networks community/society, How to enter the competitions and how to evaluate them, and Which competition platform (or result submission and validation method) you will use (e.g. similar to Kaggle). Summary of performance results directly reported by the competition participants and not verified by the competition organizers are not acceptable. Please note that you need to select a category for your competition from the following list: * Category A: You are planning to organise an associated special session, in which the proposal must be submitted separately to the special session chairs. In addition, you require that each team must submit at least one paper to the special session. * Category B: You are planning to organise an associated special session, whose proposal must be also submitted separately to the special session chairs. However, submission of papers to the special session by competition participants is not mandatory. * Category C: You have no plan to organize an associated special session. Note: For categories B and C, please also indicate whether or not conference participation is required for each entry. Sponsorship A winning certificate and free registration will be provided to the winner of each competition who attends IJCNN 2017. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-competition. If you need any other information, please do not hesitate to contact the IJCNN2017 Competition Chair: Juyang (John) Weng, Michigan State University. E-mail: weng(a)cse.msu.edu ######################################################################### ##########################Call for Special Sessions########################## The IJCNN 2017 Program Committee solicits proposals for special sessions within the technical scopes of the conference. Special sessions, to be organized by international recognized experts, aim to bring together researchers focused in special, novel, and challenging topics. Fast-developing themes such as Deep Learning, Big Data, or applications to fields like chemistry, biology, computer games, robotics, etc. are examples. Papers submitted for special sessions are to be peer-reviewed with the same criteria used for the regular sessions. Researchers interested in organizing special sessions are invited to submit a formal proposal using the on-line form of the Special Sessions webpage. Due to large expected number of submissions, please do not directly email the information to the special session co-chairs Derong Liu, University of Chicago & Chinese Academy of Sciences. Beijing, and Tatiana Tambouratzis, University of Piraeus, Greece. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-special-sessions Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Special Session Chairs: Derong Liu, University of Chicago, USA. E-mail: derong(a)uic.edu Tatiana Tambouriatzis, University of Piraeus, Greece. E-mail: tatianatambouratzis(a)gmail.com ############################################################################ # ##########################Call for Panels########################## The IJCNN 2017 Program Committee solicits proposals for panel sessions to provide forums for lively, interactive discussions among world-leading experts in specific areas. Panel Session proposals are solicited in a broad range of areas related to NNs, including but not limited to the following: hot topics and challenges in NNS, such as Deep learning, Big Data, Brain-Computer Interfaces, new generation of AI; history of NNs, with special emphasis on the upcoming 30th birthday of INNS; government funding opportunities; outreach to industry and to sister societies, and many more. Panel proposals should include the information listed below. Please email the following information in a single file to the Panel Chair (contact information below). * Topic of the panel * Name of proposer(s) * Email of main contact person * Brief bio of proposers * Brief description of the panel and why the panel format is appropriate for the topic. * List of potential panelists Researchers interested in organizing panels are invited to submit a formal proposal. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Panel Chair: Robert Kozma, University of Memphis, USA. Email: rkozma(a)memphis.edu ##################################################################### ##########################Call for Workshops########################## Post-conference workshops offer a unique opportunity for in-depth discussions of specific topics in neural networks and computational intelligence. The workshops should be moderated by scientists or professionals who has significant expertise and /or whose recent work has had a significant impact within their field. IJCNN 2017 will emphasize emerging and growing areas of computational intelligence. Each workshop has a duration of 3 or 6 hours. The format of each workshop will be up to the moderator, and can include interactive presentations as well as panel discussions among participants. These interactions should highlight exciting new developments and current research trends to facilitate a discussion of ideas that will drive the field forward in the coming years. Workshop organizers can prepare various materials including handouts or electronic resources that can be made available for distribution before or after the meeting. Researchers interested in organizing workshops are invited to submit a formal proposal including the following information as a single file (pdf, doc, etc.) to the workshop chair: * Title * Organizers and their short bio * Brief description of the scope and impact of the workshop * Timeliness of the topic * Confirmed and/or potential speakers * Half day (3 hours) or full day (6 hours) * Link to organizer's web page and/or workshop web site (optional) For further details, please refer http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-workshops. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Workshop Chair: Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. E-mail: liliadis(a)fmenr.duth.gr ###################################################################### ##########################Call for Tutorials########################## IJCNN 2017 will feature pre-conference tutorials addressing fundamental and advanced topics in computational intelligence. Tutorial proposals should be emailed to the Tutorial Chair (see below). A tutorial proposal should include the * Title * Presenter/organizer name(s) and affiliations * Expected enrollment * Abstract (less than 300 words) * Additional outline if needed * Presenter/organizer biography * Links to the presenter/organizer web page or the tutorial page (optional) * The proposal should not exceed two pages in 1.5 space, Times 12 point font. The tutorial format (preliminary) is 1 hour and 45 minutes with a 10-minute break. Researchers interested in organizing workshops are invited to submit a formal proposal. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-tutorials. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Tutorials Chair: Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA. E-mail: ASIM.ROY(a)asu.edu ###################################################################### ##########################Call for Sponsors########################## You are invited to support the 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017), organized by the International Neural Network Society (INNS) and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE-CIS). This is an ideal way to demonstrate your organization's commitment to the field of artificial intelligence including neural networks, biomorphic systems, computational neuroscience, neuroengineering, and many other areas at the frontier of technological innovation and to publicize this support to many leaders and students in the field. Corporate support is typically used to permit a greater number of students to attend IJCNN at reduced fees without increasing the general registration, and to allow student volunteers to receive complimentary registration. Exhibits by sponsors also help inform researchers especially students and postdocs about relevant applications and opportunities. Corporate support can be targeted to a particular event or activity at the Conference. IJCNN 2017 has four sponsorship levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Your support is very important to the conference, and the conference committee ensures that these contributions are well recognized. We list the benefits and costs below. * PLATINUM (US$10,000 or greater contribution) You will get 4 free registrations to the main conference and tutorials and workshops, 4 banquet tickets, 3 exhibition tables. You will also get second choice at naming events at the conference. For example, there are generally two receptions, several lunches and coffee breaks, plus a student reception. Naming of events will be decided based on the amount of the contribution and the order received. Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in all conference announcements, on the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will specially acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will have the opportunity to include material and giveaways with the conference material for each attendee You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news * GOLD SPONSORSHIP (US$5,000 or greater contribution) You will get 3 free registrations to the main conference or tutorials and workshops, 3 banquet tickets, 2 exhibition tables. You will also get third choice at naming events at the conference (after the Platinum). For example, there are generally two receptions, several lunches and coffee breaks, plus a student reception. Naming of events will be decided based on the amount of the contribution and the order received. Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in all conference announcements, on the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will have the opportunity to include material and giveaways with the conference material for each attendee You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news * SILVER SPONSORSHIP (US$3,000 or greater contribution) You will get 2 free registrations to the main conference or tutorials and workshops, 2 banquet tickets, 1 exhibition table. We will name an event after your company, if there are events left after those named for Platinum and Gold Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news * BRONZE SPONSORSHIP (US$1,500 or greater contribution) You will get 1 free registration to the main conference or tutorials and workshops and 1 banquet ticket. Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news Sponsorships at lower levels will be considered, with benefits negotiated between the IJCNN 2017 Sponsorship Chair and the Sponsor. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-sponsors Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Sponsor Chair: Lipo Wang, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. E-mail: elpwang(a)ntu.edu.sg ###################################################################### ############Paper Submission and Publication############ * Regular paper can have up to 8 pages in double-column IEEE Conference format * All papers are to be prepared using IEEE-compliant Latex or Word templates on paper of U.S. letter size. * All submitted papers will be checked for plagiarism through the IEEE CrossCheck system. * Papers with significant overlap with the authors own papers or other papers will be rejected without review. ######################################################## ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: NEURAL NETWORK MODELS * Feedforward neural networks * Recurrent neural networks * Self-organizing maps * Radial basis function networks * Attractor neural networks and associative memory * Modular networks * Fuzzy neural networks * Spiking neural networks * Reservoir networks (echo-state networks, liquid-state machines, etc.) * Large-scale neural networks * Other topics in artificial neural networks MACHINE LEARNING * Supervised learning * Unsupervised learning and clustering, (including PCA, and ICA) * Reinforcement learning * Probabilistic and information-theoretic methods * Support vector machines and kernel methods * EM algorithms * Mixture models, ensemble learning, and other meta-learning or committee algorithms * Bayesian, belief, causal, and semantic networks * Statistical and pattern recognition algorithms * Visualization of data * Feature selection, extraction, and aggregation * Evolutionary learning * Hybrid learning methods * Computational power of neural networks * Deep learning * Other topics in machine learning NEURODYNAMICS * Dynamical models of spiking neurons * Synchronization and temporal correlation in neural networks * Dynamics of neural systems * Chaotic neural networks * Dynamics of analog networks * Neural oscillators and oscillator networks * Dynamics of attractor networks * Other topics in neurodynamics COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE * Connectomics * Models of large-scale networks in the nervous system * Models of neurons and local circuits * Models of synaptic learning and synaptic dynamics * Models of neuromodulation * Brain imaging * Analysis of neurophysiological and neuroanatomical data * Cognitive neuroscience * Models of neural development * Models of neurochemical processes * Neuroinformatics * Other topics in computational neuroscience NEURAL MODELS OF PERCEPTION, COGNITION AND ACTION * Neurocognitive networks * Cognitive architectures * Models of conditioning, reward and behavior * Cognitive models of decision-making * Embodied cognition * Cognitive agents * Multi-agent models of group cognition * Developmental and evolutionary models of cognition * Visual system * Auditory system * Olfactory system * Other sensory systems * Attention * Learning and memory * Spatial cognition, representation and navigation * Semantic cognition and language * Neural models of symbolic processing * Reasoning and problem-solving * Working memory and cognitive control * Emotion and motivation * Motor control and action * Dynamical models of coordination and behavior * Consciousness and awareness * Models of sleep and diurnal rhythms * Mental disorders * Other topics in neural models of perception, cognition and action NEUROENGINEERING * Brain-machine interfaces * Neural prostheses * Neuromorphic hardware * Embedded neural systems * Other topics in neuroengineering BIO-INSPIRED AND BIOMORPHIC SYSTEMS * Brain-inspired cognitive architectures * Embodied robotics * Evolutionary robotics * Developmental robotics * Computational models of development * Collective intelligence * Swarms * Autonomous complex systems * Self-configuring systems * Self-healing systems * Self-aware systems * Emotional computation * Artificial life * Other topics in bio-inspired and biomorphic systems APPLICATIONS * Bioinformatics * Biomedical engineering * Data analysis and pattern recognition * Speech recognition and speech production * Robotics * Neurocontrol * Approximate dynamic programming, adaptive critics, and Markov decision processes * Neural network approaches to optimization * Signal processing, image processing, and multi-media * Temporal data analysis, prediction, and forecasting; time series analysis * Communications and computer networks * Data mining and knowledge discovery * Power system applications * Financial engineering applications * Applications in multi-agent systems and social computing * Manufacturing and industrial applications * Expert systems * Clinical applications * Big data applications * Smart grid applications * Other applications CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TOPICS * Hybrid intelligent systems * Swarm intelligence * Sensor networks * Quantum computation * Computational biology * Molecular and DNA computation * Computation in tissues and cells * Artificial immune systems * Other cross-disciplinary topics ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## General Chair * Yoonsuck Choe, Texas A and M University, USA Program Chair * Christina Jayne, Robert Gordon University, UK Technical Co-Chairs * Irwin King, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China * Barbara Hammer, University of Bielefeld, Germany Plenary Chair * Cesare Alippi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy Special Session Co-Chairs * Derong Liu, University of Chicago, USA * Tatiana Tambouriatzis, University of Piraeus, Greece Tutorial Chair * Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA Workshop Chair * Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Poster Session Chair * Richard Duro, Universidad Coruna, Spain Competition Chair * Juyang (John) Weng, Michigan State University, USA Panels Chair * Robert Kozma, University of Memphis, USA Awards Chair * Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, Australia Web Reviews Chair * Tomasz Cholewo, Lexmark International Inc., USA Sponsors & Exhibits Chair * Lipo Wang, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Publication Chair * Bill Howell, Natural Resources Canada (retired), Canada International Liaison * Teresa Ludermir, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil European Liaison * Danilo P. Mandic, Imperial College, UK Asia-Pacific Liaison * Minho Lee, Kyungpook National University, Korea Neuroscience Liaison * Péter Érdi, Kalamazoo College, USA Robotics Liaison * Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, INRIA, France Industry Liaison * Sven F. Crone, Lancaster University, UK Publicity Co-Chairs * Giacomo Boracchi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy * Simone Scardapane, Sapienza University, Italy * Teck-Hou Teng, Singapore Management University, Singapore Local Arrangements Co-Chairs * Frank W. Moore, University of Alaska, USA * Kenrick Mock, University of Alaska, USA Registration Chair * Jaerock Kwon, Kettering University, USA Webmaster * Jaewook Yoo, Texas A & M University, USA ####################################################################### ##################Sponsoring Organizations################## * INNS - International Neural Network Society * IEEE - Computational Intelligence Society ############################################################

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Faculty positions open in theoretical biology, computational sciences and big data
by Erik De Schutter 06 Sep '16

06 Sep '16

Dear all, Faculty recruitment is ongoing in the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Japan in fields that are of interest members of this mailing list, including: theoretical biology (including theoretical neuroscience), computational sciences and big data analysis. Please go to https://groups.oist.jp/facultypositions for more information. Application deadline is October 24, 2016. Erik De Schutter Full advertisement: Open Faculty Positions The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (www.oist.jp) invites applications for at least 5 new faculty positions as part of its planned expansion. Targeted areas for the current search include*: Chemistry: Chemical Biology; Materials Chemistry (including Polymer Chemistry, Metal-Organic Frameworks) Life Sciences: Cell Biology; Theoretical Biology; Behavioral Learning Theory Mathematics: Discrete Mathematics; Computational Sciences; Big Data Analysis Physics: Quantum Information; Ultracold Physics; Condensed Matter; Cosmology/Gravitational Waves We are seeking applicants with excellent scholarship and creativity. Successful candidates are expected to establish an active program of research, supervise student research and teach in the graduate program. Generous research resources are provided which may be supplemented with external grants. Appointments will be Tenure-Track or Tenured. Starting date is flexible. Applications should include: a letter of intent, CV, summary of previous research, research proposal, and a teaching statement. Information and instructions for submitting applications can be accessed at https://groups.oist.jp/facultypositions *Applications from strong candidates in other fields may be considered. Application Deadline: Noon on Monday, October 24, 2016 (any time zone) The OIST Graduate University offers a world-class research environment with an international research community and opportunities for interdisciplinary research. Research and teaching is conducted in English. The campus is located in a beautiful subtropical setting in Okinawa, Japan. The OIST Graduate University is an equal opportunity educator and employer committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty, students and staff through proactive policies. We provide a family-friendly working environment, including a bilingual child development center on campus. Applications from women and other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged. See https://groups.oist.jp/ged Inquiries should be directed to Professor Gordon Arbuthnott, Dean of Faculty Affairs, faculty-recruiting(a)oist.jp

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Fellowships in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania
by Vijay Balasubramanian 05 Sep '16

05 Sep '16

Postdoctoral Fellowships in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience University of Pennsylvania The Computational Neuroscience Initiative (CNI, http://cni.upenn.edu <http://cni.upenn.edu/>) of the University of Pennsylvania seeks exceptional candidates for a CNI Postdoctoral Fellowship. Candidates with strong quantitative skills from a variety of fields including neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, physics, mathematics, and engineering will be considered. The selected Fellows will join an inter-disciplinary research environment in historic Philadelphia. CNI Fellows will be encouraged to foster collaborative research between multiple labs. The CNI supports inter-disciplinary and collaborative research at the frontier of knowledge about the brain, behavior, and the mind. We focus on systems-level approaches that integrate theory and computation with experiment. Our members include faculty, post-docs, and students from multiple programs and departments including neurobiology, cognitive science, psychology, physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, bioengineering, and computer science. Our research and training spans the three major elements of the field of Computational Neuroscience: 1) Theory – understanding the brain as an information-processing machine; 2) Experiments – providing quantitative methods to aid in the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of empirical studies that probe all levels of brain function, from molecules to behavior; and 3) Applications – including robotics, brain-machine interfaces, and new clinical tools. Applications should be submitted by email to compneuro(a)sas.upenn.edu <mailto:compneuro@sas.upenn.edu> and should consist of a CV and a cover letter stating the candidate's research experience and reasons for applying to this Fellowship. Please arrange for up two three letters of recommendation to be sent to the same email address with the candidate’s name in the subject line. Review of applications will occur on a rolling basis until the positions are filled The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds (http://jobs.hr.upenn.edu <http://jobs.hr.upenn.edu/>). Vijay Balasubramanian, Director David Brainard, Co-Director Joshua Gold, Co-Director

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The Max Planck Research Group Neural Circuits in Germany is Now Hiring!
by Zaina Batool 05 Sep '16

05 Sep '16

Dear all, The Seelig Lab (Max Planck Research Group Neural Circuits) is currently offering two open positions on neural circuits in behaving animals for highly motivated scientists/graduate students interested in studying the role of neuromodulators in neural circuit function across behavorial states in health and disease: - one full-time postdoctoral position - one Ph.D. position More here: http://www.caesar.de/jointhelab0.html Best Regards, Zaina Batool Research Assistant, Max Planck Research Group Neural Circuits Forschungszentrum caesar Tel.: 0228/9656-361 Fax: 0228/9656 E-Mail: zaina.batool(a)caesar.de<mailto:zaina.batool@caesar.de> Forschungszentrum caesar assoziiert mit der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2 53175 Bonn www.caesar.de<http://www.caesar.de/>

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NEST User Workshop 3-4 November 2016 in Karlsruhe, Germany
by Hans Ekkehard Plesser 02 Sep '16

02 Sep '16

Dear all! The NEST Initiative is excited to invite all NEST users and developers to the second annual NEST User Workshop on 3-4 November 2016 in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Workshop provides an opportunity for the NEST Community to meet, exchange success stories, swap advice, learn about current developments in and around NEST and spiking network simulation and application. This year, the workshop will focus on the use of spiking networks in Neurorobotics and will kindly be hosted by Forschungszentrum Informatik (FZI) in Karlsruhe, Germany, in collaboration with the Human Brain Project and Forschungszentrum Jülich. The workshop is supported by the Human Brain Project Education Office. Registration for the Workshop is now open at http://indico-jsc.fz-juelich.de/e/nest2016 where you also will find more information about the workshop program and ways to contribute. Deadline for contributions is 18 September, for registration 7 October. Participation is free of charge, but you will have to cover your travel costs. Space is limited, so please register soon! I am looking forward to seeing you in Karlsruhe! Hans Ekkehard Plesser President, The NEST Initiative -- Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Associate Professor 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.nmbu.no/~plesser

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Opportunity in Open Source Brain project for experienced software developer
by Padraig Gleeson 02 Sep '16

02 Sep '16

(Apologies for cross postings) The Open Source Brain initiative (http://www.opensourcebrain.org) is looking to hire an experienced software developer to work on the web infrastructure for collaborative development of models in computational neuroscience as part of our multidisciplinary group <http://silverlab.org/> at University College London: https://goo.gl/kROHnZ This would be a great opportunity for someone who has plenty of experience with Java/JavaScript development (and a good helping of Python and/or Ruby) to get a job at the leading edge of efforts to build a truly open infrastructure for modelling and understanding the brain. Previous experience in computational neuroscience is an advantage, though excellent software development skills in a web environment and a desire to make a difference in this field are essential. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to fully participate in the academic activities related to this initiative including contributing to publications and attending scientific conferences. Deadline for applications is 12th Sept 2016. For informal enquiries, please contact p.gleeson(a)ucl.ac.uk ----------------------------------------------------- Padraig Gleeson Room 321, Anatomy Building Department of Neuroscience, Physiology& Pharmacology University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom +44 207 679 3214 p.gleeson(a)ucl.ac.uk -----------------------------------------------------

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Post-doc position in computational cognitive neuroscience at UC Berkeley
by Anne Collins 01 Sep '16

01 Sep '16

Hello, I run the Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at UC Berkeley ( https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~acollins/) and am looking for a postdoc. *Post-doctoral research position at the CCN lab at UC Berkeley:* My lab investigates reinforcement learning, decision-making and executive functions. I’m looking to hire a post-doc interested in these topics. You should have (or be nearing completion of) a PhD in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, or a related field. Ideal candidates would have expertise collecting and analyzing EEG or fMRI data, experience in developmental or patient studies, or both. Experience in computational modeling is also highly desirable, and programming experience is essential. However, I welcome applications from anyone with experience and interest in RL, decision-making, or executive functions. This position can begin immediately, but the start date is flexible. To apply, please send your CV, contact information for your references, and a short letter about why you’re interested in this position to Anne Collins ( annecollins(a)berkeley.edu) -- Anne Collins Assistant Professor Tolman Hall, 3429 Department of Psychology University of California, Berkeley (510) 664-7146

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Associate professor position in Data Science (Big Data)
by Hans Ekkehard Plesser 01 Sep '16

01 Sep '16

The Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology (IMT) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) as Ås near Oslo has a permanent, full-time position available for an Associate Professor in Data Sciences (Big Data). The position is part of the University's programme for the recruitment of top researchers, which aims to recruiting an internationally leading, early-career researcher with a high potential for NMBU. The position requires research of high international quality. Big Data is relevant to several of NMBU's academic communities working within the environmental sciences and biosciences, and is especially important in fields of research and teaching in IMT. The goal is for the position to contribute to collaborations in the field across academic communities at IMT and NMBU. The person appointed to the position must therefore have excellent collaboration skills. The position will include: • one PhD Position (3 years) • NOK 0.25 million in operating funds For a detailed description of the position, our expectations and conditions, please see https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/127472/associate-professor-i… Deadline for applications is Oct 1, 2016. Best regards, Hans Ekkehard Plesser -- Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Associate Professor 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.nmbu.no/~plesser

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Staff Scientists and Postdoctoral Researchers in Neural Data Analysis and Computational Neurosceince at the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine
by Zanos, Theodoros 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

The Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in NY (http://www.feinsteininstitute.org/) is building a multidisciplinary team to revolutionize medicine by determining the nature of neural control over molecular, cellular and organ functions of the body, the parts of the brain that regulate those nerves, and the signals that the brain receives to monitor cell and organ function. Projects will focus on determining which nerve fibers exert control, the types of signals those fibers use, and how these signals can be manipulated to treat diseases and conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, paralysis, Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, cancer and others. We are currently recruiting for Staff Scientists and Postdoctoral Researchers in the field of neural data analysis and computational neuroscience. The successful candidates will work in the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine, directed by Chad Bouton, in the Neural Decoding and Data Analytics Lab, led by Dr. Theo Zanos. The candidates will work on projects involving development of novel signal processing and machine learning methods to gain insights into: 1. Decoding and encoding mechanisms of the brain and peripheral nerves to and from stimuli, actions and other physiological functions 2. Reinforcement learning approaches used to select neural stimulation parameters and optimize outcomes 3. Beam-forming, blind source separation, and other techniques to directionally transmit or receive neural signals in peripheral nerves 4. Neural circuits through numerical modeling and biomarker profile analysis * PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics or a related field required; experience in one or more of the following areas required: - Analysis of Neural Signals - Computational Neuroscience - Machine Learning (Systems Identification & Reinforcement Learning) * Strong Matlab programming skills required, Python and C++ programming experience preferred. * For the Staff Scientist position, applicants must have a minimum of three (3) years of relevant postdoctoral experience. Please forward CV, cover letter and 2 references to CBEM(a)northwell.edu, with the subject line "Post-Doc / Research Scientist in the Neural Decoding and Data Analytics Lab". Theodoros Zanos, PhD Asst Investigator Neural Decoding and Data Analytics Lab Center for Bioelectronic Medicine The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research 350 Community Drive Manhasset, NY 11030 Tel: (516) 562-1204 Cell: (646) 943-3440 Email: tzanos(a)northwell.edu<mailto:tzanos@northwell.edu> Northwell Health Visit us at Northwell.edu<http://northwell.edu/> [cid:image001.png@01D203AA.333A0610] The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

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SfN2016 Satellite Symposium "Collaborative Neuroscience and Enabling Infrastructure"
by emuller 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

ANNOUNCEMENT Human Brain Project Satellite Symposium to SfN 2016 "Collaborative Neuroscience and Enabling Infrastructure" When: 1pm-5pm, November 11th, 2016 Where: Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Room: Cortez Hill ABC Organizers: Marc-Oliver Gewaltig, Eilif Muller, Jeff Muller, David Lester, Andrew Davison Participants are kindly asked to register using the following link (google forms): https://goo.gl/forms/0uuu4rW5yW3epgNm2 OVERVIEW The EU funded Human Brain Project is developing six research platforms in the areas of Neuroinformatics, High-Performance Computing, Brain Simulation, Medical Informatics, Neuromorphic Computing and Neurorobotics to support international research. This symposium brings together researchers and engineers from the Human Brain Project (HBP) with the larger neuroscience community to discuss how the HBP Platforms can catalyze collaborative neuroscience research by the community, and highlight selected complementary initiatives to explore synergies. We will provide an introduction to the Human Brain Project platforms, "The HBP Collaboratory", with a focus on neuroscientific use-cases available as of the initial public release of spring 2016, and first success stories. For further details see the website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/sfn-2016-satellite

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University of Surrey: Professorial appointment in the Nature Inspired Computing and Engineering Group
by a.gruning＠surrey.ac.uk 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

Dear Colleagues, the University of Surrey has a job opening for a professorship, see the details below or at http://jobs.surrey.ac.uk/060916 Best, Andre The University of Surrey is an international university with a world-class research profile and an enterprising spirit. The University has an outstanding record in student employment and teaching excellence. The Department of Computer Science embodies the ethos of “applying theory into practice” across its research and teaching activities. The Department of Computer Science within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences has an international reputation for research and teaching. Research in the department is focussed on two main areas - Nature Inspired Computing and Engineering (NICE), and Secure Systems, with Surrey hosting one of only 13 Academic Centres of Excellence recognised by GCHQ. This post offers an exciting opportunity for a Professorial appointment in the Nature Inspired Computing and Engineering group. The vision of the group is to better human life and the environment by understanding and simulating how nature works. The successful candidate will provide leadership in research in machine learning at the highest level and develop strategic partnerships. We welcome applications from both academia and industry. We are open to a variety of machine learning and cognitive systems specialisms that are related to, or complement current strengths of the group including (but not limited to): computational intelligence, computational neuroscience, with applications to data-driven engineering optimisation, self-organising and autonomous systems, health care and bioinformatics. It is expected that the post-holder will also contribute to high quality teaching at undergraduate and post-graduate level, for example in data science. The initial focus of the post is working as part of the senior team to drive forward machine learning research within the Department, across the University and internationally with academia and industry. The Department has excellent links with Honda, The Pirbright Institute and Moorfields Hospital. It offers the unique opportunity to grow interdisciplinary research within Surrey, for example with the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences involving the Surrey Sleep Research Centre and within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences which has expertise in machine learning across several of its Departments and research centres. The Department is implementing a strong growth plan which has seen its academic staff base increase by over 35% in the last year, with a focus on security. The Department has now prioritised future growth in the area of machine learning research and immediately after the appointment to this Chair the Department intends to appoint a further faculty member at Lecturer level alongside this post. For an informal discussion about the positions, please contact the Head of Department of Computer Science, Dr Helen Treharne on h.treharne(a)surrey.ac.uk or Professor Paul Krause, Director of Research, on p.krause(a)surrey.ac.uk. A search exercise is being undertaken by Society who will support the University Panel decision to identify the widest possible field of candidates and assist in their assessment. For further details, including job description, person specification and information on how to apply, please contact www.society-search.com quoting reference 0475 or to discuss the position further contact Nina Patel on +(0) 44 20 36530479 The closing date is 3rd October 2016 at 5pm (GMT). Interviews will be held in on 19th and 20th October, in Guildford. Presentations will be given on the afternoon of 19th October 2016 and the interviews will follow on the 20th October, 2016. It is expected that candidates will participate on both days. The start date is anticipated to be April 2017 (or earlier). Visits to Guildford and to the Department can be arranged for short-listed candidates, in advance of the interview date. The University is committed to building a culturally diverse organisation and strongly encourages applications from female and minority candidates. -- Dr Andre Gruning Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) Department of Computer Science University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH United Kingdom

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Workshop in Brisbane, Nov 28-30
by Leonardo Gollo 30 Aug '16

30 Aug '16

Dear all, It is a pleasure to announce the 9th Australasian Workshop on Neuro-Engineering and Computational Neuroscience that will be held in Brisbane, Australia, November 28-30. The workshop will bring together researchers at the interface between neuroscience, physics, engineering and psychiatry. Abstract submissions are closing on the 5th of September and there are limited places for the short course on Deep Learning. Topics include: - Theoretical, Mathematical & Computational Neuroscience - Computational Psychiatry - Neuroimaging - Connectomics & Networks - M/EEG & Electrophysiology - Neural Modeling & Engineering - Neuromorphic Engineering - Neuroprosthetics & Brain Machine Interfaces - Neural Information Processing - Neuroinformatics - Cognitive Neuroscience - Systems Neuroscience - Neurostimulation Keynote speakers: - Xiao-Jing Wang, New York University - Rosalyn Moran, University of Bristol - James Rowe, University of Cambridge Additional invited speakers: TBA. Abstract submission: http://conference.qimrberghofer.edu.au/page/NeuroEng/ Kind regards, Leonardo L Gollo, James Roberts, Vinh Nguyen, Michael Breakspear

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Neuroimaging engineer position
by paulo rodrigues 29 Aug '16

29 Aug '16

Hi all, We are looking for an experienced and motivated neuroimaging engineer/scientist to start asap. Please send your CV/motivation to team(a)mint-labs.com You are experienced in volumetric, diffusion, rs-fMRI studies, and are not shy about Python, bash, R or whatever tool fits the work? Do you know the plethora of tools like mrtrix, ANTs, freesurfer, dipy, nipype, ...? The challenge is to develop analysis systems for multidimensional medical datasets. Mint Labs is a cloud computing platform that focus on integrating diverse clinical, imaging, genomic, and other data to better evaluate disease progression and response to interventions. You will start a new project focusing on using these methods to answer some pertinent questions in MR. You thrive in developing pipelines to process imaging data, and integrate multiple data points into meaningful group conclusions? Objectives of the position -------------------------- The position hinges on building sophisticated processing pipelines for neuroimaging datasets. Building, improving advanced morphometrics and brain-parcellation techniques in structural MRI, dMRI, rs-fMRI. Support the interaction with several external research partners and clients to develop neuroimaging analysis. About Mint Labs -------------------------- Mint Labs is a Barcelona based startup building a neuroimaging data analytics cloud-based platform. The system employs software tools to integrate thousands of images and data from a patient and creates a specific detailed 3D map of the brain. We can quantify the effect of the treatment in the damage of the brain and characterise patients for clinical trials. The images are directly sent from the scanners to our servers, and there the data is automatically processed and analysed.

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Job offer in computational neuroscience
by Irene Yujnovsky 26 Aug '16

26 Aug '16

Hi! we currently have an open post-doctoral position for a neuroinformatician in Marseille, France. You will find the ad below, feel free to diffuse it to potentially interested candidates: *Neuro**informatician/Mathematical modeler* *TNG Team, **Institute of System**Neuroscience (INS**), Marseille, FRANCE***** A post-doctoral position is open in the Theoretical Neurosciences Group (TNG) <http://ins.univ-amu.fr/research-teams/theoretical-neurosciences-group/>directed by Viktor JIRSA at the Institute of System Neuroscience (INS) for an experienced computational neuroscientist to work in modeling brain networks with the aim of creating individual Virtual Patient dementia models using The Virtual Brain platform as framework (see http://www.thevirtualbrain.org) This research project will be conducted in the context of the Aetionomy European consortium (IMI). *Qualification* Candidates must be highly motivated to work on an interdisciplinary project and collaborate with the various members of the consortium. They should have a PhD degree in computational neuroscience, mathematical modeling or equivalent level of knowledge. A strong background in data fitting (Bayesian approaches, Dynamical Causal Modeling (DCM), Monte Carlo techniques) will be highly appreciated. Candidates must be comfortable working in computational environmentsand possess excellent programming skills. Experience with The Virtual Brain platform would be considered an advantage. *The Theoretical Neuroscience group* We are a multi-national team interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying the spatiotemporal organization of large-scale brain networks. Our work comprises mathematical and computational modeling of large-scale network dynamics and human brain imaging data, the development of neuroinformatics tools for studying large-scale brain networks applied to concrete functions, dysfunctions (epilepsy, dementia) and aging. *Terms of salary and employment* A 12-month renewable contract will be established. Salary will depend on the diploma and experience. Operating language in the laboratory is English. Applications including a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names of two referees should be sent by September 30^th 2016 to: *Dr. Irene Yujnovsky* at irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.frMore information about the INS and the Theoretical Neurosciences Group can be found at: http://bit.ly/29kub1k Thank you very much, Irene Yujnovsky -- --------------------------------------------------- Irene Yujnovsky, PhD Chef de projet EPINEXT Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes Inserm UMR1106 Université Aix-Marseille Faculté de Médecine, 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin 13005 Marseille, France Phone: +33 (0)491324239 email: irene.yujnovsky(a)univ-amu.fr Website: http://epinext.org/

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[IJCNN 2017] Combined Calls
by Teng Teck Hou 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## COMBINED CALLS CALL FOR PAPERS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-papers CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-special-sessions CALL FOR WORKSHOPS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-workshops CALL FOR TUTORIALS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-tutorials CALL FOR COMPETITIONS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-competition CALL FOR SPONSORS http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-sponsors International Joint Conference on Neural Networks May 14-19, 2017, Anchorage, Alaska, USA http://www.ijcnn.org/ ################################################## IJCNN is the premier international conference in the area of neural network theory, analysis, and applications. Co-sponsored by the International Neural Network Society (INNS) and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE-CIS), over the last three decades this conference and its predecessors has hosted [past, present, and future] leaders of neural network research. IJCNN 2017 will feature invited plenary talks by world-renowned speakers in the areas of neural network theory and applications, computational neuroscience, robotics, and distributed intelligence. In addition to regular technical sessions with oral and poster presentations, the conference program will include special sessions, competitions, tutorials and workshops on topics of current interest. The 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017) will be held at the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 14-19, 2017. "... Only in Anchorage can you meet a moose, walk on a glacier and explore a vast, natural park all in a single day. Between mountains and an inlet, surrounded by national parks and filled with Alaska wildlife, Anchorage combines the best of Alaska in a city that has the comforts of home and the hospitality of the Last Frontier. ..." For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook (https://fb.me/ijcnn2017/) and Twitter (@ijcnn2017). ##############################Important Dates############################## * Special Session, Panel Sesion & Competition Proposals September 15, 2016 * Tutorial and Workshop Proposals October 15, 2016 * Paper Submission November 15, 2016 * Paper Decision Notification January 20, 2017 * Camera-Ready Submission February 20, 2017 ########################################################################### ##########################Plenary Speakers########################## * Christof Koch, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA * Hava Siegelmann, DARPA, and University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA * Jose Principle, University of Florida, USA #################################################################### ##########################Call for Special Sessions########################## The IJCNN 2017 Program Committee solicits proposals for special sessions within the technical scopes of the conference. Special sessions, to be organized by international recognized experts, aim to bring together researchers focused in special, novel, and challenging topics. Fast-developing themes such as Deep Learning, Big Data, or applications to fields like chemistry, biology, computer games, robotics, etc. are examples. Papers submitted for special sessions are to be peer-reviewed with the same criteria used for the regular sessions. Researchers interested in organizing special sessions are invited to submit a formal proposal using the on-line form of the Special Sessions webpage. Due to large expected number of submissions, please do not directly email the information to the special session co-chairs Derong Liu, University of Chicago & Chinese Academy of Sciences. Beijing, and Tatiana Tambouratzis, University of Piraeus, Greece. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-special-sessions Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Special Session Chairs: Derong Liu, University of Chicago, USA. E-mail: derong(a)uic.edu Tatiana Tambouriatzis, University of Piraeus, Greece. E-mail: tatianatambouratzis(a)gmail.com ############################################################################ # ##########################Call for Workshops########################## Post-conference workshops offer a unique opportunity for in-depth discussions of specific topics in neural networks and computational intelligence. The workshops should be moderated by scientists or professionals who has significant expertise and /or whose recent work has had a significant impact within their field. IJCNN 2017 will emphasize emerging and growing areas of computational intelligence. Each workshop has a duration of 3 or 6 hours. The format of each workshop will be up to the moderator, and can include interactive presentations as well as panel discussions among participants. These interactions should highlight exciting new developments and current research trends to facilitate a discussion of ideas that will drive the field forward in the coming years. Workshop organizers can prepare various materials including handouts or electronic resources that can be made available for distribution before or after the meeting. Researchers interested in organizing workshops are invited to submit a formal proposal including the following information as a single file (pdf, doc, etc.) to the workshop chair: Title Organizers and their short bio Brief description of the scope and impact of the workshop Timeliness of the topic Confirmed and/or potential speakers Half day (3 hours) or full day (6 hours) Link to organizer's web page and/or workshop web site (optional) For further details, please refer http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-workshops. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Workshop Chair: Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. E-mail: liliadis(a)fmenr.duth.gr ###################################################################### ##########################Call for Tutorials########################## IJCNN 2017 will feature pre-conference tutorials addressing fundamental and advanced topics in computational intelligence. Tutorial proposals should be emailed to the Tutorial Chair (see below). A tutorial proposal should include the Title Presenter/organizer name(s) and affiliations Expected enrollment Abstract (less than 300 words) Additional outline if needed Presenter/organizer biography Links to the presenter/organizer web page or the tutorial page (optional) The proposal should not exceed two pages in 1.5 space, Times 12 point font. The tutorial format (preliminary) is 1 hour and 45 minutes with a 10-minute break. Researchers interested in organizing workshops are invited to submit a formal proposal. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-tutorials. Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Tutorials Chair: Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA. E-mail: ASIM.ROY(a)asu.edu ###################################################################### ##########################Call for Competitions########################## Competition organizers are kindly invited to submit their proposals to IJCNN2017 Competition Chair (TBA) by September 15, 2016. The notifications of acceptance of the competition proposals will be provided by TBA and will be shortly publish in the IJCNN 2017 website. Please note that each accepted competition will be published in a separate web link. The competition proposal should contain the following information (please fill out the form at the bottom of this page, or send the required information in the form as a single pdf file to the competition chair [email below]) The aims and objectives of the competition, The rules of the competition, including which data sets will be used, How the competition will serve the neural networks community/society, How to enter the competitions and how to evaluate them, and Which competition platform (or result submission and validation method) you will use (e.g. similar to Kaggle). Summary of performance results directly reported by the competition participants and not verified by the competition organizers are not acceptable. Please note that you need to select a category for your competition from the following list: Category A: You are planning to organise an associated special session, in which the proposal must be submitted separately to the special session chairs. In addition, you require that each team must submit at least one paper to the special session. Category B: You are planning to organise an associated special session, whose proposal must be also submitted separately to the special session chairs. However, submission of papers to the special session by competition participants is not mandatory. Category C: You have no plan to organize an associated special session. Note: For categories B and C, please also indicate whether or not conference participation is required for each entry. Sponsorship A winning certificate and free registration will be provided to the winner of each competition who attends IJCNN 2017. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-competition. If you need any other information, please do not hesitate to contact the IJCNN2017 Competition Chair: Juyang (John) Weng, Michigan State University. E-mail: weng(a)cse.msu.edu ######################################################################### ##########################Call for Sponsors########################## You are invited to support the 2017 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2017), organized by the International Neural Network Society (INNS) and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE-CIS). This is an ideal way to demonstrate your organization's commitment to the field of artificial intelligence including neural networks, biomorphic systems, computational neuroscience, neuroengineering, and many other areas at the frontier of technological innovation and to publicize this support to many leaders and students in the field. Corporate support is typically used to permit a greater number of students to attend IJCNN at reduced fees without increasing the general registration, and to allow student volunteers to receive complimentary registration. Exhibits by sponsors also help inform researchers especially students and postdocs about relevant applications and opportunities. Corporate support can be targeted to a particular event or activity at the Conference. IJCNN 2017 has four sponsorship levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Your support is very important to the conference, and the conference committee ensures that these contributions are well recognized. We list the benefits and costs below. PLATINUM (US$10,000 or greater contribution) You will get 4 free registrations to the main conference and tutorials and workshops, 4 banquet tickets, 3 exhibition tables. You will also get second choice at naming events at the conference. For example, there are generally two receptions, several lunches and coffee breaks, plus a student reception. Naming of events will be decided based on the amount of the contribution and the order received. Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in all conference announcements, on the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will specially acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will have the opportunity to include material and giveaways with the conference material for each attendee You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news GOLD SPONSORSHIP (US$5,000 or greater contribution) You will get 3 free registrations to the main conference or tutorials and workshops, 3 banquet tickets, 2 exhibition tables. You will also get third choice at naming events at the conference (after the Platinum). For example, there are generally two receptions, several lunches and coffee breaks, plus a student reception. Naming of events will be decided based on the amount of the contribution and the order received. Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in all conference announcements, on the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will have the opportunity to include material and giveaways with the conference material for each attendee You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news SILVER SPONSORSHIP (US$3,000 or greater contribution) You will get 2 free registrations to the main conference or tutorials and workshops, 2 banquet tickets, 1 exhibition table. We will name an event after your company, if there are events left after those named for Platinum and Gold Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news BRONZE SPONSORSHIP (US$1,500 or greater contribution) You will get 1 free registration to the main conference or tutorials and workshops and 1 banquet ticket. Your company or institution (with logo and URL) will be listed in the advance program, and on the conference web pages, at www.ijcnn.org We will acknowledge your company's contribution and offer thanks at the opening and closing sessions of the conference You will get early notification direct from the Corporate Support Chair of conference news Sponsorships at lower levels will be considered, with benefits negotiated between the IJCNN 2017 Sponsorship Chair and the Sponsor. For further details, please refer to http://www.ijcnn.org/call-for-sponsors Any questions regarding this proposal can be asked to the Sponsor Chair: Lipo Wang, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. E-mail: elpwang(a)ntu.edu.sg ###################################################################### ############Paper Submission and Publication############ * Regular paper can have up to 8 pages in double-column IEEE Conference format * All papers are to be prepared using IEEE-compliant Latex or Word templates on paper of U.S. letter size. * All submitted papers will be checked for plagiarism through the IEEE CrossCheck system. * Papers with significant overlap with the authors own papers or other papers will be rejected without review. ######################################################## ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: NEURAL NETWORK MODELS * Feedforward neural networks * Recurrent neural networks * Self-organizing maps * Radial basis function networks * Attractor neural networks and associative memory * Modular networks * Fuzzy neural networks * Spiking neural networks * Reservoir networks (echo-state networks, liquid-state machines, etc.) * Large-scale neural networks * Other topics in artificial neural networks MACHINE LEARNING * Supervised learning * Unsupervised learning and clustering, (including PCA, and ICA) * Reinforcement learning * Probabilistic and information-theoretic methods * Support vector machines and kernel methods * EM algorithms * Mixture models, ensemble learning, and other meta-learning or committee algorithms * Bayesian, belief, causal, and semantic networks * Statistical and pattern recognition algorithms * Visualization of data * Feature selection, extraction, and aggregation * Evolutionary learning * Hybrid learning methods * Computational power of neural networks * Deep learning * Other topics in machine learning NEURODYNAMICS * Dynamical models of spiking neurons * Synchronization and temporal correlation in neural networks * Dynamics of neural systems * Chaotic neural networks * Dynamics of analog networks * Neural oscillators and oscillator networks * Dynamics of attractor networks * Other topics in neurodynamics COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE * Connectomics * Models of large-scale networks in the nervous system * Models of neurons and local circuits * Models of synaptic learning and synaptic dynamics * Models of neuromodulation * Brain imaging * Analysis of neurophysiological and neuroanatomical data * Cognitive neuroscience * Models of neural development * Models of neurochemical processes * Neuroinformatics * Other topics in computational neuroscience NEURAL MODELS OF PERCEPTION, COGNITION AND ACTION * Neurocognitive networks * Cognitive architectures * Models of conditioning, reward and behavior * Cognitive models of decision-making * Embodied cognition * Cognitive agents * Multi-agent models of group cognition * Developmental and evolutionary models of cognition * Visual system * Auditory system * Olfactory system * Other sensory systems * Attention * Learning and memory * Spatial cognition, representation and navigation * Semantic cognition and language * Neural models of symbolic processing * Reasoning and problem-solving * Working memory and cognitive control * Emotion and motivation * Motor control and action * Dynamical models of coordination and behavior * Consciousness and awareness * Models of sleep and diurnal rhythms * Mental disorders * Other topics in neural models of perception, cognition and action NEUROENGINEERING * Brain-machine interfaces * Neural prostheses * Neuromorphic hardware * Embedded neural systems * Other topics in neuroengineering BIO-INSPIRED AND BIOMORPHIC SYSTEMS * Brain-inspired cognitive architectures * Embodied robotics * Evolutionary robotics * Developmental robotics * Computational models of development * Collective intelligence * Swarms * Autonomous complex systems * Self-configuring systems * Self-healing systems * Self-aware systems * Emotional computation * Artificial life * Other topics in bio-inspired and biomorphic systems APPLICATIONS * Bioinformatics * Biomedical engineering * Data analysis and pattern recognition * Speech recognition and speech production * Robotics * Neurocontrol * Approximate dynamic programming, adaptive critics, and Markov decision processes * Neural network approaches to optimization * Signal processing, image processing, and multi-media * Temporal data analysis, prediction, and forecasting; time series analysis * Communications and computer networks * Data mining and knowledge discovery * Power system applications * Financial engineering applications * Applications in multi-agent systems and social computing * Manufacturing and industrial applications * Expert systems * Clinical applications * Big data applications * Smart grid applications * Other applications CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TOPICS * Hybrid intelligent systems * Swarm intelligence * Sensor networks * Quantum computation * Computational biology * Molecular and DNA computation * Computation in tissues and cells * Artificial immune systems * Other cross-disciplinary topics ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## General Chair * Yoonsuck Choe, Texas A and M University, USA Program Chair * Christina Jayne, Robert Gordon University, UK Technical Co-Chairs * Irwin King, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China * Barbara Hammer, University of Bielefeld, Germany Plenary Chair * Cesare Alippi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy Special Session Co-Chairs * Derong Liu, University of Chicago, USA * Tatiana Tambouriatzis, University of Piraeus, Greece Tutorial Chair * Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA Workshop Chair * Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Poster Session Chair * Richard Duro, Universidad Coruna, Spain Competition Chair * Juyang (John) Weng, Michigan State University, USA Panels Chair * Robert Kozma, University of Memphis, USA Awards Chair * Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, Australia Web Reviews Chair * Tomasz Cholewo, Lexmark International Inc., USA Sponsors & Exhibits Chair * Lipo Wang, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Publication Chair * Bill Howell, Natural Resources Canada (retired), Canada International Liaison * Teresa Ludermir, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil European Liaison * Danilo P. Mandic, Imperial College, UK Asia-Pacific Liaison * Minho Lee, Kyungpook National University, Korea Neuroscience Liaison * Péter Érdi, Kalamazoo College, USA Robotics Liaison * Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, INRIA, France Industry Liaison * Sven F. Crone, Lancaster University, UK Publicity Co-Chairs * Giacomo Boracchi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy * Simone Scardapane, Sapienza University, Italy * Teck-Hou Teng, Singapore Management University, Singapore Local Arrangements Co-Chairs * Frank W. Moore, University of Alaska, USA * Kenrick Mock, University of Alaska, USA Registration Chair * Jaerock Kwon, Kettering University, USA Webmaster * Jaewook Yoo, Texas A & M University, USA ####################################################################### ##################Sponsoring Organizations################## * INNS - International Neural Network Society * IEEE - Computational Intelligence Society ############################################################

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[Big Data NLP Workshop @ IEEE Big Data 2016] Call For Papers
by Teng Teck Hou 24 Aug '16

24 Aug '16

Big Data and Natural Language Processing workshop hosted at IEEE Big Data 2016 http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/bignlp2016/ The modality of textual data has been somewhat under-represented in big data and data science research thus far. This is despite the fact that large amounts of data are stored in unstructured textual format. We intend that this workshop will address this shortcoming and bring together academic and industrial researchers to exchange cutting edge research in the emerging area of extremely large-scale natural language processing (NLP). This topic has emerged in several areas in parallel in recent years: information retrieval and search engines, text mining, machine learning, web-derived corpus/computational linguistics, digital libraries, high performance and parallel computing. Common to all these areas is some or all of the main parts of the NLP pipeline: collection, cleaning, annotation, indexing, storage, retrieval and analysis of voluminous quantities of naturally occurring language data from the web or large-scale national and international digitisation initiatives. By hosting this event at IEEE Big Data 2016, we hope to encourage the communities to come together to consider synergies between NLP and data science. In this context, numerous issues should be considered including those linked to the five Vs of big data: (a) Volume: is having more data for training and testing NLP techniques always better? (b) Variety: are all types of data available on a sufficiently large scale? (c) Velocity: how are parallel methods best applied to carry out NLP on a large scale? (d) Variability: how does inconsistent data impact on the accuracy of NLP techniques? (e) Veracity: how does the accuracy of data affect inferences that can be drawn from it? Research topics: Topics covered by the workshop include, but are not restricted to, the following: Application focused papers e.g. security informatics Crowdsourcing approaches to large-scale language analysis Use of big data to train/test methods for low resource languages where existing NLP approaches do not exist Efficient NLP for analysing large data sets Challenges of scaling the NLP pipeline Big Data Management for NLP Storage and access for large linguistic data sets Language processing via GPGPUs Parallel and distributed computing techniques for language analysis e.g. HPC, MapReduce, Hadoop, Spark and cloud based machine learning Visualisation methods for the analysis of large corpora Dates: Oct 3, 2016: Due date for full workshop papers submission Oct 25, 2016: Notification of paper acceptance to authors Nov 8, 2016: Camera-ready of accepted papers Dec 5-8, 2016: Workshops Program Chairs: Dr Paul Rayson (Lancaster University, UK) Dr Mark Stevenson (Sheffield University, UK) Dr John Mariani (Lancaster University, UK) Dr Laura Irina Rusu (IBM Research Australia) Gandhi Sivakumar (Watson CoC, IBM Australia) Program committee members: Dr Nikos Aletras (Amazon UK) Dr Enrique Alfonseca (Google Zurich) Professor Laurence Anthony (Waseda University, Japan) Dr Piotr Banski (IDS-Mannheim, Germany) Dr Alistair Baron (Lancaster University, UK) Dr Eddie Bell (Lyst, UK) Matt Coole (Lancaster University, UK) Professor John Keane (University of Manchester, UK) Dr Dawn Knight (Cardiff University, UK) Dr Marc Kupietz (IDS-Mannheim, Germany) Dr Jochen Leidner (Thomson Reuters, UK) Dr Diana Maynard (Sheffield University, UK) Dr Rao Muhammad Adeel Nawab (COMSATS, Pakistan) Dr Sebastian Riedel (UCL, UK) Dr Mahsa Salehi (IBM Research, Australia) Dr Irena Spasic (Cardiff University, UK) Dr Stephen Wattam (Lancaster University, UK)

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Three-year postdoc position at Imperial College London: Computational auditory neuroscience and neurostimulation
by Reichenbach, Johann D T 18 Aug '16

18 Aug '16

Applications are invited for a Research Associate (Postdoc) to work on an exciting 3 year project in computational auditory neuroscience and neurostimulation at Imperial College London. The successful candidate will join the group of Dr. Tobias Reichenbach (http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/reichenbach) The project is embedded in The Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies at Imperial College (http://www.imperial.ac.uk/blast-injury) The project's goal is to develop efficient complex transcranial current stimulation techniques that can aid auditory processing. Auditory processing can be impaired due to damage to the neural circuits that are responsible for analysing auditory signals. Such damage to the central nervous system can result from head injury that can, in turn, be caused by secondary and tertiary blast injuries. Recent studies have found that the majority of war veterans that were exposed to at least one blast during their deployment have such auditory processing disorder. In this project we will employ novel computational and experimental insights into the mechanisms of speech processing in the brain to develop efficient types of complex transcranial current stimulation that can aid auditory processing. Applicants should have a PhD in computational neuroscience, engineering, physics or computing with experience in signal processing as well as neurostimulation or -imaging. The salary range is £36,070 - £43,350 per annum. For an informal discussion please contact Dr Tobias Reichenbach (email: reichenbach(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:a.kedgley@imperial.ac.uk>; telephone: +44 (0)20 759 46370). Our preferred method of application is online via our website. Please click ‘apply’ below or go to https://www.imperial.ac.uk/job-applicants/ (Select “Job Search” then enter the job title or vacancy reference number into “Keywords”). Please complete and upload an application form as directed quoting reference number EN20160296FH. Further information is also available on the job description. Should you have any queries please contact Ms Mica Jones at mica.jones(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:mica.jones@imperial.ac.uk> . The closing date is the 2nd of October 2016.

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Call for Paper MediTec 2016 (International Conference on Medical Engineering, Health Informatics and Technology)
by MediTec 2016 13 Aug '16

13 Aug '16

*(Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this CFP)* *Dear Sir/Madam,* This letter is to formally invite you to participate and submit your research works in the “*2016 International Conference on Medical Engineering, Health Informatics and Technology (MediTec 2016)*” themed "*Smart Systems for Healthcare*" from *17-18 December 2016,* which will take place at United International University (UIU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. *MediTec 2016* is technically co-sponsored by IEEE-EMBS Bangladesh Chapter and IEEE Bangladesh Section. This conference aims to bring together researchers, engineers, doctors, medical practitioners and experts in Bio-medical engineering, Healthcare, Intelligent Systems and Knowledge Management to share their experience, ideas and future scopes. Distinguished scientists, experts from both academia and industries will deliver keynote speeches and invited talks on trends and significant advances in the emerging technologies related to the conference topics. For the list of confirmed speakers, please *click here.* <http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd/speakers/> *Major areas of interest include, but not limited to, are:* 1. Biomedical and Health Informatics 2. Biomedical Signal and Image Processing 3. Therapeutic Systems and Clinical Technologies 4. Neuro and Rehabilitation Engineering 5. Biorobotics, Bionanotechnology and Wearable Biomedical Sensors and Systems 6. Computational Biology and Bioinformatics 7. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 8. ICT, Health and Disabilities Please find the attachment for detailed *Call For Paper* or visit *here* <http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Meditech-2016_A4_Poster…> . *Important Dates:* Paper Submission Deadline 30 August 2016 Acceptance Notification 15 October 2016 Camera Ready Submission 10 November 2016 Registration Early Bird: 15 November 2016 Late: Afterwards All the accepted papers will be included in Conference Proceedings and all the presented papers will be submitted to *IEEE Xplore Digital Library*. Selected papers from the conference proceedings will be invited for possible publication in special issues of some reputed international journals. Paper submission for *MediTec 2016* is now open. *Click here to Submit Your Paper. <https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=meditec2016>* For more information, please visit conference website *http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd* <http://meditec.uiu.ac.bd/>*.* Kindly promote *MediTec 2016* to interested individuals, researchers and communities in your vicinity. We look forward to meet you in the conference. Thanking you, Best Regards, Khondaker A. Mamun, *Ph.D.* Conference Chair, MediTec 2016 Email: meditec(a)uiu.ac.bd Cell: +880 1776534220 Director, AIMS Lab (www.aimsl.uiu.ac.bd) Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering ( www.cse.uiu.ac.bd) United International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh (www.uiu.ac.bd) Chair, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Bangladesh Chapter Initiator, Bangladesh Research and Awareness Initiative of Neuroscience (BRAIN) Email: k.mamun(a)ieee.org, mamun(a)cse.uiu.ac.bd, k.mamun(a)utoronto.ca, mamun79bd(a)yahoo.com URL: http://cse.uiu.ac.bd/faculty/kmamun/

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programmer wanted -- neuroscience and neuroprosthetics lab
by Sliman Bensmaia 12 Aug '16

12 Aug '16

Lab at the cutting edge of neuroscience and neurotechnology looking for a programmer to keep us at the cutting edge! The lab has two general pursuits: discover the neural basis of touch and proprioception – how do patterns of activation in the nerve and in the brain mediate our ability to feel objects by touch and sense the position and movements of our limbs in space? – and to develop a somatosensory neuroprosthesis – How can we recreate the sense of touch by stimulating the nerve or the brain. See http://bensmaialab.org for additional information regarding the lab and the exciting work we are doing. Ideally, looking for a motivated, intelligent individual who works well with people, someone who might be able to make a long term commitment to the lab and help us build something special. JOB SUMMARY Responsible for interfacing the various machines in the lab (robots, sensors, data acquisition systems, etc.) with computers and with each other to run neurophysiological and behavioral experiments with human and non-human primates. EDUCATION Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field of engineering required. EXPERIENCE One year of relevant programming experience required. Experience developing, implementing, debugging and maintaining applications required. Two years of professional programming experience preferred. Experience developing applications using C++, Matlab, Python, Java, MySQL, Visual Basic, and/or any other object oriented programming language preferred. Experience building and debugging electronic systems preferred but not required. Knowledge of electromechanical systems preferred but not required. Interest in and/or knowledge of neurophysiology preferred but not required. -- Sliman Bensmaia Associate Professor Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy University of Chicago 773.834.5203

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Journal of Neural Engineering Special Issue on Open Source Tools in Systems Neuroscience
by Caleb Kemere 12 Aug '16

12 Aug '16

We would like to invite you to contribute an article to a Special Issue of the Journal of Neural Engineering on "Open Source Tools in Systems Neuroscience". The last few years have seen an increasing number of community-developed open source projects become instrumental in enabling cutting edge experiments, broadening access to ensemble neural recording techniques in a variety of animal models, and facilitating the adoption of novel technologies (such as optical recording). The goal of this issue is to catalog these projects and provide a curated resource for interested scientists. All open source hardware and software projects which enable neural data acquisition and/or systems neuroscience experiments are welcome. While we are primarily targeting original results which include detailed protocols and technology demonstration, we will also consider submissions which offer updated reviews of previously documented projects. General author guidelines can be found here (https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/jne-iop ) via the 'Instructions, forms and policies' link. At submission, authors should select the 'Special issue article' article type, and then choose the "Open Source Tools in Systems Neuroscience" special issue from the menu at the bottom of the page. The submission deadline is 16 November 2016. We also encourage authors to send a short abstract or tentative title in advance. Please forward this announcement broadly! Thanks, Caleb Kemere, Guest Editor Andrew Malloy, Editor, IOP Publishing

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Neuroscience Gateway Workshop at SFN 2016 meeting
by Ted Carnevale 10 Aug '16

10 Aug '16

Space is still open in the workshop Using the Neuroscience Gateway Portal for Parallel Simulation which will be held Saturday, Nov. 12 from 9 AM to noon as a satellite to the 2016 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. The Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) is an NSF-supported resource with a simple, convenient user interface, that provides free time on high performance computing hardware for computationally intensive tasks such as large scale simulations and data analysis. Currently installed software includes Brian, GENESIS, MOOSE, NEST, NEURON, PyNN, Freesurfer, and the Virtual Personalized Multimodal Connectome Pipeline. The registration deadline for this workshop is Friday Oct. 28, but it is advisable to sign up early because space is limited. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2016/nsg2016.html for more information and a link to the registration form. --Ted

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[journals] CFP - Special Issue on "Symbol Emergence and Developmental Systems: Social Symbol Grounding and Embodied Cognition in Humans and Robots" - IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (TCDS)
by Amir Aly 09 Aug '16

09 Aug '16

CALL FOR PAPERS **Apologies for cross posting ** *IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (TCDS)*Special Issue on "*Symbol Emergence and Developmental Systems: Social Symbol Grounding and Embodied Cognition in Humans and Robots*" *I. Aim and Scope *Exploring human cognitive development constitutes a basic step towards endowing robots with high level human-like cognitive functions. Human embodied cognition follows a seamless process of development, which includes the development of sensorimotor skills, understanding concrete ideas and events, using concepts representing physical entities to describe objects, and coordinating multiple abstractions within complex representations. Investigating these aspects that bootstrap human cognitive development – through appropriate theoretical and computational cognitive modeling – allows for making robots capable of handling objects through the cumulative learning experiences that could develop sensorimotor skills, developing social skills through social learning strategies, grounding abstract concepts in the sensorimotor system, and developing linguistic skills in order to represent situations through language within interaction. A symbol system combines a group of tokens into structures and manipulates them through explicit rules to produce new expressions. The task of assigning a meaning to each meaningless symbol in a structure defines the "Symbol Grounding" problem, which has static physical and social components. The "Physical Symbol Grounding" allows an agent to form an internal explicit representation of an external-world referent so as to interpret symbols semantically. Whereas, the "Social Symbol Grounding" allows for developing a common lexicon of symbols grounded in perception information within a population of agents, which could lead to a gradual emergence of language through social interaction. A recent approach to semantically interpreting a symbol system is "Symbol Emergence", which accounts for the dynamic and self-organized nature of symbols that constitute human cognition. These complementary representations of a symbol system are still considered as real challenges in cognitive developmental robotics, and they require more elaborate theoretical and experimental studies in order to better understand the aspects of human behavior development. *II. Themes *This special issue aims to shed light on cutting-edge research lines in cognitive developmental robotics at the intersection of human cognitive science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, language science, and robotics research. Topics relevant to this special issue include, but are not limited to: - Human symbol systems and symbol emergence in robotics. - Cognitive modeling of human behavior. - Language and action development. - Learning from demonstration. - Action sequence learning. - Conceptual spaces for cognitive robotics. - Fluid and embodied construction grammar for cognitive robotics. *III. Submission * Manuscripts should be prepared according to the journal's “Information for Authors” instructions found at http://cis.ieee.org/publications.html, and submissions should be done through the IEEE TCDS Manuscript center: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tcds-ieee (please select the category “SI: Symbol Emergence”). *IV. Important Dates*15 December 2016 – Deadline for papers submission 31 March 2017 – First notification for authors 15 May 2017 – Deadline for revised papers submission 15 June 2017 – Final notification for authors *V. Guest Editors * 1. *Amir Aly*, Ritsumeikan University, Japan ( amir.aly(a)em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp) 2. *Sascha Griffiths*, Queen Mary University of London, UK ( sascha.griffiths(a)qmul.ac.uk) 3. *Francesca Stramandinoli*, IIT, Italy (francesca.stramandinoli(a)iit.it) 4. *Tadahiro Taniguchi*, Ritsumeikan University, Japan ( taniguchi(a)em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp <taniguchi(a)em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp>) 5. *Paul Vogt*, Tilburg University, The Netherlands (p.a.vogt(a)uvt.nl) More details about the scope of this journal special issue and the guest editors are available on: IEEE_TCDS_SI_CFP.pdf <https://intelligent-robots-ws.ensta-paristech.fr/wp-content/uploads/2016/08…> . ------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Amir Aly Postdoctoral Research Associate Emergent Systems Laboratory College of Information Science and Engineering - Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 Japan

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2nd CFP (ICDL-EPIROB 2016): WS on Development of Body Representations
by Matej Hoffmann 09 Aug '16

09 Aug '16

*Call for participation: Interdisciplinary workshop on the development of body knowledge in humans and machines.* 19^th September 2016, Cergy-Pontoise / Paris http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.it <http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.it/> held in the framework of ICDL-EPIROB 2016 conference (http://icdl-epirob.org/) Following the previous workshops on the development of body representations in humans and robots at ICDL-EPIROB, we have the pleasure to announce a forthcoming workshop in Cergy-Pontoise / Paris on the 19^th September 2016. The aim of this workshop is to spark collaboration between roboticists and developmental psychologists in order to address the origins of the sensorimotor maps that underlie own body representations in both infants and robots. The development of infants’ body knowledge is a primary object of discovery starting before birth. This construction ultimately enables the infant to efficiently interact with the environment. The specific goal of the organizers is to explore the possibility of developing robotic models inspired by the development of human infant body representations. Presentations will consider body knowledge acquisition from sensorimotor, neural and computational perspectives. After the presentations, the discussion will aim at establishing an integrative framework for understanding a) the development of body knowledge in infants, b) the mechanisms that underlie body knowledge acquisition and c) how robots can be used to replicate developmental patterns and progressions that have been found in human infants. On the one hand such robots can become new modeling tools for empirical sciences – expanding the domain of computational modeling by anchoring it to the physical environment and a physical body. On the other hand, robot controllers endowed with multimodal whole-body awareness typical of humans should increase robots’ autonomy. ___________________________________________________________________________ We invite contributions concerning the development of body knowledge in humans and/or machines. Please submit a one-page abstract describing your poster by *the 20th August 2016* to the following address: *icdlbodyworkshop(a)gmail.com* Presenters of a poster will be expected to be present on the 19th of September 2016 for a teasers-session and for the poster session. During the teasers-session each presenter will introduce their poster in a 2-minute oral presentation (with 2-3 pdf slides). During the poster session they will then have the opportunity to explain their poster and to hand out any leaflets or other information materials they have available for viewers of their poster. *___________________________________________________________________________* *Important dates * Abstract submission: August 20, 2016. Notification of acceptance: August 23, 2016. Submission of 2-3 slides (pdf): September 15, 2016. Workshop day: September 19, 2016. ___________________________________________________________________________ *Speakers* * Prof. Jeffrey Lockman, PhD. Department of Psychology, Tulane University, USA. * Kevin O’Regan, PhD. Research scientist, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France. * Matej Hoffmann, PhD. Researcher, iCub Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy. * Prof. Minoru Asada, PhD. Research director, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience Robotics, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, Japan. * Andrew Bremner, PhD. Reader in psychology and head of department, Goldsmiths University, London, UK. * Gianluca Baldassare, PhD. Researcher, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Rome, Italy.** *____________________________________________ * ** *Venue* Cergy-Pontoise University: http://www.etis.ensea.fr/neurocyber/ICDL-EPIROB2016/home.php ___________________________________________________________________________ *Website* Please check the website <http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.fr/>http://bodyschemaworkshop.blogspot.fr/for updated information about the workshop! ___________________________________________________________________________ *Organizers* Eszter Somogyi, PhD Postdoc researcher, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Paris Descartes University, France Matej Hoffmann <https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home>, PhD Researcher, iCub Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy Lorenzo Jamone <http://lorejam.blogspot.pt/>, PhD Associate researcher, VisLab, Instituto de Sistemas e Robotica, Lisbon, Portugal ___________________________________________________________________________ *Contact information* Eszter Somogyi, PhD Postdoc researcher, Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Paris Descartes University, France esomogyi(a)gmail.com <mailto:esomogyi@gmail.com> -- Matej Hoffmann, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher iCub Facility Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Via Morego, 30 16163 Genoa, Italy https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home

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Postdoctoral positions in the Human Brain Project
by Andrew Davison 08 Aug '16

08 Aug '16

Two postdoctoral positions are available within the Brain Simulation Platform of the Human Brain Project, to work on systematic model validation and on standards for model representation and sharing. The postdocs will work with Dr Andrew Davison and his group in the CNRS UNIC laboratory, located in Gif-sur-Yvette, France. Both projects will involve extensive collaboration with other groups both within and external to HBP. The positions are available immediately, and are funded until 31st March 2018 with future extensions possible. Salary depends on experience, and will be on the standard French research scale. Qualifications: Applicants should have a PhD in computer science, physics, computational neuroscience, systems biology, electrical engineering, or a related discipline, or be nearing completion of PhD studies. Excellent skills in programming (preferably Python) are essential. Expertise in computational neuroscience would be helpful but is not essential, as many aspects of the projects are transversal across simulation-based science. Knowledge of French would be helpful but is not required, as English is the working language of the project. How to apply: Send your CV, a brief statement of research interests and contact information for two references to andrew.davison(a)unic.cnrs-gif.fr. Informal inquiries are also welcome. Further details: The Human Brain Project (HBP; https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/) is an EU Flagship initiative in which over 100 partner institutions are working together to build a completely new information computing technology infrastructure for neuroscience and for brain-related research in medicine and computing, catalysing a global collaborative effort to understand the human brain and its diseases and ultimately to emulate its computational capabilities. The Brain Simulation Platform is a subproject of HBP which aims to provide community-accessible infrastructure for data-driven neuroscience modelling and simulation and to support community-driven models of specific brain regions. The successful candidates will contribute to two tasks: 1. Validation framework. This task will (i) develop services and tools to facilitate validation of data-driven neuroscience models; (ii) collaborate with modelling communities both within and external to HBP to perform model validation. The brain regions currently being actively modelled within HBP include somatosensory cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and basal ganglia. 2. Model representation and standards. Performant and standardised model representations and APIs are essential both for efficient HPC simulation workflows and for effective collaboration and sharing in the context of open science. This task will work with community partners and with model developers internal to HBP to adopt and/or develop standards for representing brain models, and for sharing them. The Task will work with the High Performance Computing and Neuromorphic Computing platforms of HBP to ensure that the APIs and model representations are consistent with high performance on both traditional HPC and neuromorphic computing systems. As far as possible the task will use and/or extend existing community standards (e.g. NeuroML, NineML, PyNN). UNIC (Unité de Neurosciences, Information et Complexité; http://www.unic.cnrs-gif.fr/) is a research unit of the CNRS, located on a parkland campus in Gif-sur-Yvette, about 40 minutes from central Paris. UNIC consists of seven research groups, with a shared focus on complexity in the dynamics of neocortical networks during sensory processing and perception, and using a range of experimental, theoretical and informatics approaches.

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Post Doc / PhD position: “Algorithms of the Neocortex” in Frankfurt and Göttingen
by Michael Wibral 05 Aug '16

05 Aug '16

Dear Comp-Neuro community, we'll be happy to welcome a PhD or Post-Doc in Frankfurt and Göttingen - see below. Please spread the word. Best Regards, Michael Wibral *Post Doc / PhD position: “Algorithms of the Neocortex” in Frankfurt and Göttingen* ** The group for neural information dynamics at the lab of Prof. Michael Wibral (Goethe University, Frankfurt, and Guest scientist at the MPI for Dynamics and Self-Organisation, Göttingen) invites applications for a Post Doc / PhD position in a project on “generic information processing algorithms of the neocortex” for an initial duration of 3 years (PhD), or 2 years (Post Doc) with the possibility of an extension. The goal of the project is to understand from an information theoretic perspective how and why the three elementary operations on information – active storage, transfer and modification – are assigned to the layers and cell types of six-layered cortex. The project will tackle this question via information theoretic analyses of massively parallel electrophysiological recordings from primates and intracellular recordings of pyramidal cells. These insights will inform simulations of neural networks with information theoretic goal functions. The project is a collaborative effort with several partners: The Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation (MPIDS) in Göttingen is known for its achievements in theoretical and computational neuroscience; the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling are the source of important developments in the information theoretic understanding of neural systems; the University of Sydney is leading in the development of measures for local information dynamics. The ideal candidate should have strong mathematical and programming skills and a Master's degree or a PhD in theoretical/computational neuroscience, physics, computer science, cognitive science, or engineering. Previous experience in information theory and neural simulators (e.g. NEST) are a plus but not required. The group of Michael Wibral has been focused on information theoretic analyses of neural networks for many years and is the home of the TRENTOOL and IDTxl toolboxes. Both, Frankfurt and Göttingen offer exceptional scientific communities with leading neuroscience groups at Max Planck Institutes and Universities. At both cities, applicants at the Post Doc level will have the opportunity to teach in English in international Master programs in neuroscience. The Goethe university is an equal opportunities employer committed to increasing the share of women in science. Applicants should send their application, including a CV, all marks from their studies, 2 letters of reference, and a research statement to _wibral(a)em.uni-frankfurt.de <mailto:wibral@em.uni-frankfurt.de>_ . Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30th, 2016 or until the position is filled. Starting dates are flexible but preferably before Jan. 1^st , 2017.

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Research Fellow Position in Neuroinformatics
by Leon French 03 Aug '16

03 Aug '16

The Computational Neurobiology Laboratory at CAMH seeks a postdoctoral fellow to join our efforts to understand brain disease. We focus on mining datasets of connectivity, gene expression and epigenetics across the genome and the brain. We employ multifaceted approaches that gain information by using data that crosses scales, modalities, and species. We seek one postdoctoral fellow interested in bioinformatics and neuroscience. The primary project will be to create, explore, and test methods for mapping many genes across neuroanatomy and brain development. Given the polygenic complexity of mental illness, there are many exciting applications for these methods. Our current applications use genes associated with Parkinson’s disease, aging (collaboration with Dr. Etienne Sibille) and intellectual disability (with Dr. John B. Vincent). In addition to this project, there would be opportunities to pursue other research interests. Some of our frequently used keywords give a good description of our work: neuroinformatics, molecular neuroanatomy, genetics, epigenomics, population neuroscience, transcriptomics, machine learning, text mining, neuroimaging, software development, and connectomics. The ideal candidate should have a PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science or related field with extensive knowledge in genome-wide data integration. Significant interest in neuroscience and experience working with large datasets are requested. Writing manuscripts and applying for independent grants and fellowships will be strongly encouraged. Highly motivated individuals (Ph.D. and/or M.D.) should submit a curriculum vitae, names of 3 references and a cover letter explaining their interest, and a brief description of research experience. Send information to leonfrench+recruit(a)gmail.com You will support a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork and complies with all applicable and regulatory requirements. This position will be located at 250 College Street, Toronto.

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PhD / Postdoctoral position on Network Dynamics and Information Processing, Max Planck Institute & UMG, Germany
by Viola Priesemann 03 Aug '16

03 Aug '16

PhD / Postdoctoral position "Network Dynamics and Information Processing in Health and Disease" * The project * The project addresses the physiological underpinning of neural network dysfunction in terms of dynamics and information processing in early onset neurological diseases. The successful candidate will combine theoretical approaches with experimental in vivo recordings and with in vitro preparations derived from monogenetic neurological disorders. The study will be backed up by manipulation of classical in vitro networks. Our aim is to gain a mechanistic understanding of disease induced network dysfunction, which allows to understand disease pathophysiology and to develop treatment approaches. * The position * The position is part of an interdisciplinary project between the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, the Bernstein Center and the University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany. It is embedded in the Göttingen Campus Physics-to-Medicine initiative, which brings together about 30 research groups in the field of physics, theoretical neurosciences, neurology and cardiology with the explicit objective of promoting quantitative biomedicine with a translational perspective. * The Göttingen campus offers * · a strong focus on experimental and theoretical neuroscience, including the Max Planck Institutes for Dynamics and Self-organization, Experimental Medicine, and Biophysical Chemistry, the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the physics, biology and medical faculties of the Göttingen university. · the possibility of teaching and taking courses within the Neuroscience Graduate schools * The candidate should have * · a Master or PhD degree in theoretical or experimental Neuroscience, or related disciplines (Physics, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine, …) · a strong interest to cross disciplinary boundaries in order to gain a quantitative understanding of neurons and networks in health and disease · strong English speaking and writing skills. German speaking skills are not required. * Your application * The Max-Planck society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. The Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. Questions can be addressed to Dr. Andreas Neef (andreas(a)nld.ds.mpg.de) Dr. Viola Priesemann (viola(a)nld.ds.mpg.de) or Dr. Hendrik Rosewich (hendrik.rosewich(a)med.uni-goettingen.de) If you are interested in joining our group, please send your CV, transcript of records, contacts of two referees, and a brief statement of interest, quoting reference no. 08-2016, by email in one pdf file to viola(a)nld.ds.mpg.de. Applications received before August, 23rd, 2016 will be given full consideration. -- Dr. Viola Priesemann Bernstein Research Fellow and Group Leader www.nld.ds.mpg.de/people/priesemann

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PostDoc / PhD position: “Algorithms of the Neocortex” in Frankfurt / Göttingen
by Viola Priesemann 03 Aug '16

03 Aug '16

*Post Doc / PhD position: “Algorithms of the Neocortex” in Frankfurt / Göttingen* ** The group for neural information dynamics at the lab of Prof. Michael Wibral (Goethe University, Frankfurt, and Guest scientist at the MPI for Dynamics and Self-Organisation, Göttingen) invites applications for a Post Doc / PhD position in a project on “generic information processing algorithms of the neocortex” for an initial duration of 3 years (PhD), or 2 years (Post Doc) with the possibility of an extension. The goal of the project is to understand from an information theoretic perspective how and why the three elementary operations on information – active storage, transfer and modification – are assigned to the layers and cell types of six-layered cortex. The project will tackle this question via information theoretic analyses of massively parallel electrophysiological recordings from primates and intracellular recordings of pyramidal cells. These insights will inform simulations of neural networks with information theoretic goal functions. The project is a collaborative effort with several partners: The Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation (MPIDS) in Göttingen is known for its achievements in theoretical and computational neuroscience; the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling are the source of important developments in the information theoretic understanding of neural systems; the University of Sydney is leading in the development of measures for local information dynamics. The ideal candidate should have strong mathematical and programming skills and a Master's degree or a PhD in theoretical/computational neuroscience, physics, computer science, cognitive science, or engineering. Previous experience in information theory and neural simulators (e.g. NEST) are a plus but not required. The group of Michael Wibral has been focused on information theoretic analyses of neural networks for many years and is the home of the TRENTOOL and IDTxl toolboxes. Both, Frankfurt and Göttingen offer exceptional scientific communities with leading neuroscience groups at Max Planck Institutes and Universities. At both cities, applicants at the Post Doc level will have the opportunity to teach in English in international Master programs in neuroscience. The Goethe university is an equal opportunities employer committed to increasing the share of women in science. Applicants should send their application, including a CV, all marks from their studies, 2 letters of reference, and a research statement to _wibral(a)em.uni-frankfurt.de <mailto:wibral@em.uni-frankfurt.de>_ . Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30th, 2016 or until the position is filled. Starting dates are flexible but preferably before Jan. 1^st , 2017.

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Workshop in Copenhagen, Sept. 14-16
by Henrik Anders Lindén 02 Aug '16

02 Aug '16

Dear all, We still have a few free seats for the workshop "How does the brain work?" in Copenhagen, September 14th-16th 2016. This workshop will bring together leading experimentalists and leading theoreticians in neuroscience to openly discuss ideas for a common brain theory. Speaker list: - Dora Angelaki (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA) - Michael Brecht (Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Germany) - Gustavo Deco (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain) - Sophie Denève (Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France) - Alain Destexhe (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette, France) - Adrienne Fairhall (University of Washington, Seattle, USA) - Riitta Hari (Aalto University, Finland) - John Hertz (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) - Viktor Jirsa (Aix-Marseille Université, France) - Per Roland (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) - Ranulfo Romo (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico) - Idan Segev (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel) - Tatyana Sharpee (Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, USA) - Sara Solla (Northwestern University, Chicago, USA) - Misha Tsodyks (Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel) For more information including registration details please see the workshop homepage: http://dsin.ku.dk/calendar/brain_workshop/ Best regards, Per Roland and Henrik Lindén Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen

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Computational Neuroscience workshop Cortona (Italy), September 12-16, 2016
by thierry nieus 31 Jul '16

31 Jul '16

Dear colleagues, it is my pleasure to announce the workshop: NeuroMath, Mathematical and Computational Neuroscience: cell, network and data analysis, that will take place in Cortona (Italy), September 12-16, 2016. We have an extensive list of confirmed speakers, experts in their field. These talks will span over several branches of the Neuroscience field with a common focus on the quantitative and mathematical questions lying behind the scientific questions. The workshop will bring together mathematicians, engineers, physicists and biologists and hopefully this will foster discussions across different research fields. The list of confirmed speakers is: http://www.mat.unimi.it/users/naldi/NeuroMath/ISpeakers.html We will allocate some slots for posters (e.g. Tuesday & Friday evening) and oral communications (10-25’, along the days). The accepted abstract will appear in the Springer INdAM series (http://www.springer.com/series/10283) A financial support can be provided for the stay at the meeting upon explicit request together with the submission of an abstract. Conference details: - Registration to the workshop is free but required - Conference registration starts on September 11, 2016 - Early registration deadline: August 31, 2016 - Web page: http://www.mat.unimi.it/users/naldi/NeuroMath/ - Latest news: http://rgs.mat.unimi.it/other-events Hope to see you there! Sincerely The organizing committee: Giovanni Naldi (Dept of Mathemtics, UNIMI, Milano) Thierry Nieus (Istituto Italiano Tecnologia, Genoa) Claudio Canuto (Politecnico of Turin). -- Thierry Nieus, PhD Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Istituto Italiano Tecnologia (IIT) Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa Italy phone: +39 010 71781749 fax: +39 010 71781230 skype: thierry.nieus

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Two PhD positions in closed-loop neural information processing
by Pablo Varona 30 Jul '16

30 Jul '16

Dear colleagues, Two doctoral positions are available at the Biological Neurocomputation Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. The research will focus on novel experimental protocols in neuroscience assessing closed-loop information processing. We seek two highly motivated PhD students with a Master's degree at the time of the formalization of the contracts in one of the following (or related) disciplines: computer science, biology, physics, engineering, prosthetics, etc. The first position is available starting October 1st 2016. This position is focused to develop real-time software for neural close-loop interactions. Advanced programming skills are required for this position. Prior experience in real-time software programming will be valuable. Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research is required. The second position has a mixed experimental and modeling focus and is available starting January 1st 2017. Prior experience in the fields of /in vitro/ electrophysiological recordings, dynamic clamp, EEG, neuroimaging, or computational neuroscience will be valuable. Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research is required. How to apply: The application deadline for the two positions is September, 15h 2016. Interested candidates, please send CV and two reference letters (including contact information) to gnbuam(a)gmail.com http://www.ii.uam.es/~pvarona http://www.ii.uam.es/~gnb

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