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computational neuroscience phd opportunities with Dan Goodman, Imperial College
by Dan Goodman Sept. 15, 2020

Sept. 15, 2020

One or more PhD positions in theoretical and computational neuroscience are available in the group of Dan Goodman at Imperial College London. I am interested in supervising students with a strong mathematical, computational or neuroscience background. There is no deadline, and applications will be considered as they arrive, but earlier applications typically have a higher chance of getting a funded place, and EU applicants in particular should apply immediately (see note below). At the moment, the main research direction in the group is in applying methods from machine learning to models with a more biological flavour than the artificial neural networks typically studied in machine learning. This could include neurons with temporal dynamics, spiking neurons, etc. The aim is to use machine learning methods to find biologically relevant insights. To get a feel for this sort of work, you might be interested in seeing some of the recorded talks <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SrEycIbfRE&list=PL09WqqDbQWHFvM9DFYkM_Gfnr…> from a recent workshop I organised. However, our group has a fairly diverse range of interests and I am very happy to receive applications on a wider variety of topics than this (including theory of neural processing, auditory and other sensory systems, and simulation and data analysis). If you are interested in applying, please see the detailed instructions on my website: http://neural-reckoning.org/openings.html <http://neural-reckoning.org/openings.html> *Note on Brexit.* EU students starting a PhD in 2020-21 will still have the right to study in the UK, and be eligible for UK fee status and for financial support for the full duration of their course. However, the last opportunity for a funded place starting in the 2020-21 academic year will be a funding panel to take place in late October 2020, so EU candidates should get applications in as soon as possible, and please include a note in your email to me to make clear you are an EU candidate. Dan Goodman

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Post-doctoral position at the University of Manchester
by Riccardo Storchi Sept. 15, 2020

Sept. 15, 2020

We seek a passionate, self-motivated scientist to undertake the project “Action in Vision” aimed at understanding how motor actions affect visual processing. The successful candidate will have an established track record in computational biology, up-to-date programming skills and a strong passion for system neuroscience. Previous experiences in performing and/or analysing electrophysiological and behavioural data or in computer vision are desirable. The successful candidate will work with high density electrophysiological data from freely moving mice [1] and three-dimensional reconstruction of their natural behaviours [2]. The successful candidate will also be involved in the designing of the experiments. The post offers a great opportunity to work in an exciting field of neuroscience aimed at understanding sensory processing in natural unrestricted conditions. At the University of Manchester, the successful candidates will find themselves immersed in a collaborative, friendly and multidisciplinary environment with several labs working on fundamental research on sensory processing (vision, touch), memory and behaviour. The post, starting in January 2021, is for 2 years and potentially renewable for up to a total of 5 years. Informal enquiries can be made to Riccardo Storchi Tel: 0161 275 5050 Email *riccardo.storchi(a)manchester.ac.uk <riccardo.storchi(a)manchester.ac.uk>* *References: * [1] Storchi et al (2017) Neuron, 93(2):299-307. PMID: 28103478 [2] Storchi et al (2020) Current Biology, *in press*. See pre-print at: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.24.961565v3

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Ph.D. student position in computational neuroscience
by Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen Sept. 15, 2020

Sept. 15, 2020

We are looking for a highly motivated and talented Ph.D. student to work on biophysically and biochemically detailed neuron modelling. The position is fully funded, starting Jan 1st 2021 or as mutually agreed and lasting 3-4 years. Please send your application by 25th October. *Job description* The Ph.D. student is expected to work on computational modelling of mental disorder-linked disease phenotypes and their genetic mechanisms. The student will use and extend existing biophysically and biochemically detailed neuron models to study the disease mechanisms of schizophrenia. A specific aim of the Ph.D. project is to further the mechanistic understanding of schizophrenia-associated phenotypes such as deficits in prepulse inhibition and mismatch negativity and the contribution of genes identified by psychiatric genome-wide association studies to these phenotypes. The student will be supervised by Dr. Mäki-Marttunen at Tampere University, and will be employed in the Computational Neuroscience group led by Prof. Linne. The student is expected to be involved in our collaborative research with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and University of Oslo (Prof. Gaute Einevoll and Prof. Ole Andreassen). *Requirements* We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in scientific computing and dynamical systems, and a deep interest in molecular and cellular-level neuroscience. The candidate should hold an M.Sc. degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, or a related field and have good verbal and written communication skills in English. The candidate should be deeply motivated in obtaining a Ph.D. degree in the field of computational neuroscience. Specific skills we are looking for: -Experience in numerical solution of ordinary and partial differential equations -Python programming and other programming skills -Previous experience in neuroscience and parallel computing is a plus *We offer* The position will be filled for a fixed-term period of three (3) to four (4) years. *The starting date is 1 December 2020 or as mutually agreed. **A trial period of six (6) months applies to all our new employees.* The salary will be based on both the job requirements and the employee’s personal performance in accordance with the salary system of Finnish universities. According to the criteria applied to teaching and research staff, the position of a Doctoral Researcher is placed on level 2—4 of the job requirements scale. A typical starting salary for Doctoral Researchers is approximately 2350 - 2450 EUR/month. We offer a vibrant, English-speaking academic environment in Tampere, Finland. Tampere University is the second largest university in Finland. The project will employ local and national supercomputers needed for the simulations. The university offers a range of staff benefits, including occupational health care, flexible working hours, sports facilities, and several restaurants and cafés on campus with staff discounts. Read more about living and working in Tampere, Finland: https://www.tuni.fi/careers. For more information on Tampere, please visit https://visittampere.fi/en/. <https://visittampere.fi/en/> *How* *to* *apply* Please submit your application through our online recruitment system: https://tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/?o=A_A&jid=694. *The closing date for applications is 25 October 2020 (23:59 EEST (GMT+3)).* *Please write your application and all the accompanying documentation in English and attach them in PDF format.* Please attach only the following documents to your application: * A letter of motivation and description of your research interests (max. 1 A4 page) * Curriculum vitae (see, e.g., the TENK template <https://www.tenk.fi/en/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae>), including the contact details of two referees). * Transcript of records (master's degree studies). See https://tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/?o=A_A&jid=694 for details. *For further information, please contact:* Academy Research Fellow Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen tuomo.maki-marttunen(a)tuni.fi <mailto:tuomo.maki-marttunen@tuni.fi> Tampere University Finland

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Open 3-year postdoctoral position in the Machine Learning Group at UiT The Arctic University of Norway
by Michael Kampffmeyer Sept. 14, 2020

Sept. 14, 2020

Open 3-year postdoctoral position in the Machine Learning Group at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. We are seeking a postdoctoral research fellow to take an active role in the group’s research on advancing machine learning methodology. Special emphasis will be given to candidates who have experience working with modern machine learning, deep learning and data-driven health. Experience working with unsupervised or semi-supervised methods is desired. The overarching basic research idea is to develop unsupervised and semi-supervised approaches for machine learning and deep learning. The candidate will seek to develop novel methodology for use within the applied fields of the group. This includes data-driven health (close collaboration with the University Hospital of North Norway), as well as image analysis research together with collaborating partners, in addition to industrial research. The candidate is expected to master tools such as e.g. TensorFlow and/or Pytorch. For details, please see: https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/190781/postdoctoral-research… The successful candidate will join the UiT Machine Learning Group, a vibrant group at the "north pole", with excellent national and international connections. Please contact Michael Kampffmeyer (michael.c.kampffmeyer(a)uit.no) or Robert Jenssen (Robert.jenssen(a)uit.no) for more info. Best, Michael

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Call for Abstracts - Workshop on Affective Shared Perception (WASP) - ICDL-EPIROB 2020
by Pablo Vinicius Alves De Barros Sept. 14, 2020

Sept. 14, 2020

Call For Abstracts - Workshop on Affective Shared Perception (WASP) Dear all, We are delighted to invite you to submit an abstract, and to participate in our Workshop on Affective Shared Perception (WASP), hosted by the International Conference on Developmental Learning and Epigenetic Robotics (ICDL-EPIROB2020). Please find below all the information! Cheers, Pablo I. Aim and Scope Our perception of the world, in particular, the ones which are influenced by affective understanding, depends both on sensory perception and prior knowledge. Most of the current research on modeling affective behavior as computer models ground their contribution to pre-trained learning models, which are purely data-driven, or on reproducing existing human behavior. Such approaches allow for easily reproducible solutions that fail when applied to complex social scenarios. Understanding shared perception as part of the affective processing mechanisms will allow us to tackle this problem and to provide the next step towards a real-world affective computing system. The goal of this workshop is to present and discuss new findings, theories, systems, and trends in computational models of affective shared perception. The workshop will feature a multidisciplinary list of invited speakers with experience in different aspects of social interaction, which will allow a rich and diverse debate about our overarching theme of affective shared perception. The workshop is scheduled to happen on the 30th of October of 2020 virtually. It will start at 15h00 CET and it will have a total duration of 3h30min. The participation is free, and a Zoom room will be available shortly before the workshop starts. II. Registration The registration to the workshop is free, but to guarantee a place to attend the workshop, please register here: shorturl.at/ciCQX III. Potential Topics Topics include, but are not limited to: - Affective perception and learning - Affective modulation and decision making - Developmental perspectives of shared perception - Machine learning for shared perception - Bio-inspired approaches for affective shared perception - Affective processing for embodied and cognitive robots - Multisensory modeling for conflict resolution in shared perception - New psychological findings on shared perception - Assistive aspects and applications of shared affective perception IV. Invited Speakers Prof. Dr. Ginevra Castellano - Uppsala University, Sweeden Prof. Dr. Ellen Souza - Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil Prof. Dr. Yukie Nagai - The University of Tokyo, Japan V. Submission Prospective participants in the workshop are invited to submit a contribution as an abstract with a maximum of 350 words. Submission information: https://www.whisperproject.eu/wasp2020 The abstracts will be peer-reviewed by experts from all over the world. To encourage the integration with the local affective computing communities, we will allow student abstracts to be submitted in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Each accepted abstract will be presented as a 5 min video (in English!) that will be shared on the workshop's social media. During the workshop, all the videos will be streamed and the authors will have a joint live Q/A with the audience for 60minutes. Participants can also opt-in for participating in our Frontiers Research Topic on Affective Shared Perception ( https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/16086/affective-shared-percepti…) The same abstract sent to the workshop can be sent as an abstract submission to the research topic. If you want to opt-in for the research topic, only English submissions will be accepted. - Abstract submission deadline: 12th of October - Notification of acceptance: 17th of October - Frontiers Research Topic Abstract Deadline: 24th of October - Video submission: 24th of October VI. Organizers Pablo Vinicius Alves De Barros, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy Alessandra Sciutti, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy ---------------------------------------- Dr. Pablo Barros Postdoctoral Researcher - CONTACT Unit Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – Center for Human Technologies Via Enrico Melen 83, Building B 16152 Genova, Italy email: pablo.alvesdebarros(a)iit.it website: https://www.pablobarros.net<http://www.pablobarros.net><https://www.p> twitter: @PBarros_br

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Pattern Recognition in Neuroimaging Summer School Lectures
by Jozsef Arato Sept. 13, 2020

Sept. 13, 2020

Dear All, The virtual summer school on Pattern Recognition in Neuroimaging at the University of Vienna is taking place this week (Sept. 14-18th). Registration is closed, but the live lectures are available free of charge, please visit our website (https://prni2020.univie.ac.at/) for more information. Keynote Speakers Peter Dayan (MPI Biological Cybernetics/Tubingen) Katharina Dobs (MIT) Romy Lorenz (Cambridge) Teaching Faculty Sebastian Tschiatschek (Uni. Vienna) Tonio Ball (Uni. Freiburg) Mate Lengyel (Cambridge/CEU) Georg Langs (Med. Uni. Wien) Alexandre Gramfort (INRIA) Moritz Grosse-Wentrup (Uni. Vienna) Manuel Zimmer (IMP Vienna) Looking forward to see you there. Jozsef Arato, PhD Program Chair, PRNI 2020 ______________________________ Vienna Cognitive Science Hub University of Vienna Liebiggase 5 (Room HE.63) 1010, Vienna <mailto:jozsef.arato@univie.ac.at> jozsef.arato(a)univie.ac.at

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Openings at the interface of Computational Neuroscience and AI
by sa474 Sept. 13, 2020

Sept. 13, 2020

Dear Colleagues, I would like to announce three new openings, 2 PhD candidate positions and 1 Research Assistant position, in my Lab at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in Spain, to participate in research projects related to Artificial Intelligence, Computational Cognitive Neuroscience, and their interface. Candidates for these positions are expected to have a quantitative background and strong interests in at least one of the following goals: - Apply state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms and/or neural circuit modeling to address questions in Life Sciences and Physics. - Adapt computationally efficient cognitive mechanisms into AI architectures (such as deep neural networks) aiming for more powerful learning algorithms. - Identify physiological mechanisms of brain function and dysfunction, in particular, the neural substrates of learning governing flexible, goal-directed behavior. Candidates should have a background in Computer Science, Electric Engineering, Physics, Math, Biology, or similar, and good programming skills (e.g., Python, R, Matlab, JavaScript, C++). Knowledge of dynamical systems modeling, time series analysis, machine learning and/or computational neuroscience would be an advantage. Candidates for the PhD positions should also have a Master degree, and candidates for the Research Assistant position should have a Bachelor degree, or similar. Gross salary for the PhD candidates and for the Research Assistant will be around 1400 €/month. Candidates from under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Our Lab is inclusive and committed to equity and diversity. The administrative period to apply at UPV will be from Sept 21 to Oct 2, 2020. The start date will be in November 2020. Candidates interested in these openings please contact me (Salva Ardid, E-mail: sardid at upv dot es) as soon as possible to know more about the selection process. Please provide an informal motivation letter (it can be embedded in the email body), a brief CV/resume, and the name and contact information of two referees willing to support your application with a recommendation letter. A brief note on our Lab’s location: Our group is located at the UPV campus in Gandia. Gandia is a historical, cultural, and touristic city located on the shoreline of eastern Spain, 65 km (40 mi) south of València (about 1 hour by train/car). València is the third most popular city in Spain after Barcelona and Madrid. The cost of living of València is significantly lower than that of Barcelona and Madrid (and this is even further the case for Gandia). Salva Ardid GenT Distinguished Research Group Leader Universitat Politècnica de València Paranimf 1 Edifici D, Despatx D-210 Gandia, 46730 Spain Web: https://sardid.github.io E-mail: sardid at upv dot es

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New book 'Changing Connectomes' (MIT Press)
by Marcus Kaiser Sept. 12, 2020

Sept. 12, 2020

Dear all, My book on Connectome organization and development has now been published. The book gives an up-to-date overview of the field of connectomics, introducing concepts and mechanisms underlying brain network change at different stages. >From the synopsis: “This book provides an overview of network features of the brain, how these features emerge during evolution and brain development, and how alterations ranging from normal aging to developmental and neurodegenerative disorders affect brain networks. By including an introduction to concepts of network analysis, it will also be accessible to researchers who are new to the field of connectomics. Finally, through Matlab code examples, it will allow researchers to understand and extend the shown mechanisms of connectome development.” In case you're interested, the book is on sale on with Amazon and other booksellers: Amazon USA: https://t.co/ju0gtVANOQ Amazon UK: https://t.co/Oqqiu0tG4r Amazon Germany: https://t.co/JuvIfhSNfc Other booksellers: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/changing-connectomes Best, Marcus -- Marcus Kaiser, Ph.D. FRSB @ConnectomeLab Professor of Neuroinformatics Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, UK Guanci Visiting Professor Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Rui Jin Hospital, Functional Neurosurgery Unit, China Book: Changing Connectomes https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/changing-connectomes Lab website: http://www.dynamic-connectome.org/ Neuroinformatics UK: http://www.neuroinformatics.org.uk/

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Ph.D. Position: Theoretical models of adaptive signal processing and learning mechanisms in dendritic trees
by Tetzlaff, Christian Sept. 11, 2020

Sept. 11, 2020

Dear all, The Third Institute of Physics - Biophysics at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen invites applications for a Ph.D. position German Salary Scale TV-L E13, 66% (of 39.8 weekly hours) for 3 years. The successful candidate will be part of an international research project aiming to extend the existing theories for adaptive signal processing and learning mechanisms in dendritic trees and possible technological applications thereof. The position should be filled by 1st of November or soon thereafter. This post is designed to foster young researchers and give the successful applicant the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. The position will be affiliated with the groups of Dr. Christian Tetzlaff and Prof. Florentin Wörgötter, who are investigating the emergence of complex behavior from the interplay of diverse neuronal and synaptic processes of neuronal networks (see, e.g., Tetzlaff et al., 2015, Scientific Reports; Li et al., 2016, PLoS One). The aim of the research project is to deepen our understanding of adaptive dendritic processing and uncover methods for employing these mechanisms in technological and machine learning applications. Suitable candidates should hold a Master degree in Physics or Computer Science preferably with some additional experiences in Computational Neuroscience and Machine Learning. We expect excellent mathematical and coding skills (e.g., Python, Matlab, C++) as well as skills in scientific communication (including proficiency in English). The candidate should be curious, highly motivated, self-organized, and show a keen interest to work within the connection between two lively research teams and to perform leading-edge research. The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of neuroscience in Europe hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University and its Medical Center, the three life science Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Göttingen. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference. Please send your e-mail application, preferably in one single PDF-document, including a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae, copies of your certificates and contact information of at least two references until 4th of October to Dr. Christian Tetzlaff, e-mail: tetzlaff(a)phys.uni-goettingen.de<mailto:tetzlaff@phys.uni-goettingen.de>. Please see the job advertisement using the following link: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/305402.html?cid=15185. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Christian Tetzlaff Junior Research Group Leader Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Third Institute of Physics - Biophysics Georg-August University Friedrich-Hund Platz 1 37077 Göttingen Phone: +49 (0)551 39 26 932 E-Mail: tetzlaff(a)phys.uni-goettingen.de<mailto:tetzlaff@phys.uni-goettingen.de>

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PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience (Visual Attention Models)
by Fred Hamker Sept. 11, 2020

Sept. 11, 2020

The lab of Fred Hamker at Chemnitz University of Technology is offering a PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience (Visual Attention Models). The position is for three years, starting as soon as possible. The research position is funded by a DFG research grant and focuses on the modelling of RF dynamics during attention and eye movements. For the formal job search in german, please refer to: https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/verwaltung/personal/stellen/257030_1_EPu.php <https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/verwaltung/personal/stellen/257030_1_EPu.php> German language skills are not required, but the willingness to learn German would be useful. Applications should be sent by email (preferably in PDF format) to (fred.hamker(a)informatik.tu-chemnitz.de <mailto:fred.hamker@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de>) as soon as possible. Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the state of Saxony in Germany and close to scenic mountains. Major cities nearby are Leipzig and Dresden with a rich tradition of music and culture. Our recent prior work in this field: Bergelt J, Hamker FH. (2019) Spatial updating of attention across eye movements: A neuro-computational approach. Journal of vision, 19:10. doi:10.1167/19.7.10 Ziesche A, Bergelt J, Deubel H, Hamker FH. (2017) Pre- and post-saccadic stimulus timing in Saccadic Suppression of Displacement – a computational model. Vision Research, 138:1-11. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2017.06.007 Hartmann TS, Zirnsak M, Marquis M, Hamker FH, Moore T. (2017) Two types of receptive field dynamics in area V4 at the time of eye movements? Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 11:13. doi:10.3389/fnsys.2017.00013 Bergelt J, Hamker FH. (2016) Suppression of displacement detection in the presence and absence of eye movements: A neuro-computational perspective. Biological Cybernetics, 110:81-89. doi:10.1007/s00422-015-0677-z Beuth F, Hamker FH. (2015) A mechanistic cortical microcircuit of attention for amplification, normalization and suppression. Vision Research, 116, 241-257. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2015.04.004

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