- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

TEX2022: Bringing together Predictive Processes and Statistical Learning

by Yamil Vidal

Dear all, The registration for “TEX2022: Bringing together Predictive Processes and Statistical Learning” is now open. After our online meeting last year, this summer we want to welcome you for an in-person meeting in Trieste, Italy. The event will consist of morning lectures by the invited speakers and talks/posters by the attendees. There will also be plenty of time for social activities and informal discussions. While all presentations will be delivered in person, it will also be possible to attend online. You can find more information at the event’s website: *https://indico.sissa.it/e/TEX2022* <https://indico.sissa.it/e/TEX2022> If you are active on Twitter, please consider retweeting the event’s announcement: *https://twitter.com/CrepaldiLab/status/1512412553942601740* <https://twitter.com/CrepaldiLab/status/1512412553942601740> We look forward to welcoming you to Trieste this summer! With best regards, Yamil Vidal and Davide Crepaldi Dr. Yamil Vidal Predictive Brain Lab Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging - Donders Institute Nijmegen the Netherlands

April 8, 2022

Final reminder: EMBO Practical Course - Barcelona summer school for Advanced Modelling of Behavior (BAMB!)

by Alexandre Hyafil

The Barcelona summer school for Advanced Modelling of Behavior (BAMB! <http://www.bambschool.org>) teaches advanced techniques in model-based analysis of behavior (humans and other species) to cognitive and computational neuroscientists at PhD and early career levels. This will be achieved through structured lectures, talks, hands-on tutorials and group projects aimed at making knowledge obtained directly applicable to the participants' own research. We want the trainees to acquire both the conceptual bases and the technical skills that will enable them to pursue a full modelling approach on their own when they come back to their lab. The course is intended for PhD students and postdocs in cognitive and computational neuroscience with a solid background in computational/quantitative analysis to benefit maximally from the advanced training offered by the course. Proficiency in either Python or Matlab is also required. We seek a nice blend of experimentalists (cognitive psychology / neuroscience) and theoreticians (with or without experience in cognitive modeling). Scientists from underrepresented groups and countries are especially encouraged to apply. The school is an EMBO Practical Course <https://www.embo.org/conferences-training/> and is organized by the Centre de Recerca Matemática <http://www.crm.cat>. A limited number of travel grants <https://www.embo.org/funding/lecture-travel-and-childcare-grants/travel-gra…> will be available from EMBO. Organizers: Chris Summerfield (Oxford / Deepmind) Klaus Wimmer (CRM, Barcelona) Alex Hyafil (CRM, Barcelona) Confirmed Faculty: Jean Daunizeau (ICM, Paris) Alex Hyafil (CRM, Barcelona) Máté Lengyel (Cambridge) Zhaoping Li (Tübingen) Alfonso Renart (Champalimaud) Marion Rouault (ENS Paris) Kim Stachenfeld (Deepmind) Chris Summerfield (Oxford / Deepmind) MH Tessler (Deepmind) Klaus Wimmer (CRM, Barcelona) Dates and location: September 1-8, downtown Barcelona, Spain Applications are open until April 13. Please see the course website for further details: www.bambschool.org.

April 8, 2022

INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022: Registration and abstract submission are now open!

by INCF

INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022: Registration and abstract submission are now open! We're happy to announce that the INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022 <https://neuroinformatics.incf.org/> is scheduled to take place virtually on September 12-16! The Assembly is a unique venue where neuroscience standards developers, infrastructure providers, and software developers have the opportunity to interact with the research community to share the latest advancements in neuroinformatics. INCF Assembly 2022 will be hosted on the Gather platform. Who should attend? If you fit into either of the categories below you don't want to miss the INCF Assembly! - Neuroscience and/or neuroinformatics researchers interested in learning how to implement FAIR data management and sharing practices in their research, tools, and infrastructures. - Standards developers, infrastructure providers, and software developers interested in learning about the latest advancements in the state of the art, increasing community adoption of their infrastructures and software, improving their craft, and those dedicated to working collaboratively with the community to develop solutions that support open, FAIR neuroscience. This year we are covering the following topics: - FAIR data & workflows - Computational neuroscience - Digital brain atlasing - EEG - Neuroimaging - Diversity & inclusion in neuroinformatics Find all session descriptions here <https://neuroinformatics.incf.org/2022/sessions> Important dates: - Registration opens: April 8 - Abstract submission opens: April 8 - Abstract submission closes: May 9 - Assembly: September 12-16: This year's Assembly will include keynotes, workshops, tools and infrastructure demonstrations, investigator presentations from selected abstracts, and poster presentations. New this year is a new platform for a type of “speed dating” for neuroscientists and neuroinformaticians, we have partnered with Zoohuddle to improve the virtual poster presentation experience. Via Zoohuddle, participants will be able to submit abstracts, review other abstracts, and rank other abstracts based on who they would most like to meet. Each abstract submitter will then receive a schedule of 1-1 “huddles.” We hope to see you at the INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2022 <https://neuroinformatics.incf.org/>! <https://neuroinformatics.incf.org/> /the INCF Team

April 8, 2022

Funded PhD in large-scale brain modelling

by Goodfellow, Marc

Dear Colleagues, We are offering a funded PhD studentship at the University of Exeter, aiming to advance methods for modelling and understanding large-scale brain dynamics. The successful candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team, based across the Living Systems Institute, the department of Mathematics, as well as Psychology. They will be part of a vibrant community of researchers focussed on the development of mathematical methods to improve our understanding of the brain in health and disease. I would be very grateful if you could forward the advert below to anyone who may be interested: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=4335 Best wishes Dr. Marc Goodfellow, University of Exeter http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/mathematics/staff/mg401

April 8, 2022

NEST Conference 2022 - call for contributions is open

by Hans Ekkehard Plesser

Dear Colleagues, The NEST Initiative is excited to invite everyone interested in Neural Simulation Technology and the NEST Simulator to the NEST Conference 2022. The NEST Conference provides an opportunity for the NEST Community to meet, exchange success stories, swap advice, learn about current developments in and around NEST spiking network simulation and its application. We explicitly encourage young scientists to participate in the conference! This year's conference will again take place as a virtual conference on Thursday/Friday 23/24 June 2022. Submission of contributions is now open! We are inviting contributions to the conference, including talks, "posters" and workshops on specific topics. Please register and submit your contribution(s) via the conference website https://nest-simulator.org/conference. Important dates 30 April 2022 - Deadline for NEST Initiative membership applications eligible for fee reduction 11 May 2022 - Deadline for submission of contributions 03 June 2022 - Notification of acceptance 17 June 2022 - Registration deadline 23 June 2022 - NEST Conference 2022 starts We are looking forward to seeing you all in June! Hans Ekkehard Plesser and the conference organizing committee -- Prof. Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Head, Department of Data Science Faculty of Science and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway Phone +47 6723 1560 Email hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no<mailto:hans.ekkehard.plesser@nmbu.no> Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

April 7, 2022

PhD and postdoc positions in distributed lifelong learning / RL

by Andrea Soltoggio

Dear All, I would like to advertise a Ph.D. and a postdoc position in my research group at Loughborough University to work on distributed lifelong learning / reinforcement learning, with a particular focus on neuro-modulatory approaches. If interested, please email me. Best regards, Andrea Soltoggio Further additional links to our latest news and papers: https://www.azorobotics.com/News.aspx?newsID=12518 https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-022-00452-0.epdf https://openreview.net/forum?id=BJge3TNKwH https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.10371 Details. This new field of AI seeks to create machines that learn during a lifetime similarly to biological brains. This research continues and advances recent progress from the DARPA projects Lifelong Learning Machines (L2M) and Shared Experience Lifelong Learning (ShELL). The researchers will join a growing research group of Ph.D. students and postdocs working in the same area, and have access to the latest computational devices such as Nvidia A100 cards. Collaboration opportunities with world-leading AI laboratories will be encouraged and supported. Loughborough University Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014). In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Graduate School, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career. -- Dr. Andrea Soltoggio (he/him or they/them) Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Artificial Intelligence Department of Computer Science, School of Science & Intelligent Automation Centre https://www.intelligent-automation.org.uk/about-us/centre-staff & Centre for Information Management https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sbe/cim/ Haslegrave Building, N.2.03 Loughborough University LE11 3TU, UK Email: a.soltoggio(a)lboro.ac.uk<mailto:a.soltoggio@lboro.ac.uk> Web: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/compsci/staff/dr-andrea-soltoggio.html

April 7, 2022

Assistant Professor / Postdoc Researcher in computational neuroscience and/or developmental robotics at the University of Tokyo

by nagai.yukie＠mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Dear colleagues, The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN) at the University of Tokyo is looking for highly motivated full-time Assistant Professor / Postdoc researchers in the field of computational neuroscience and/or developmental robotics. The selected candidates will join Cognitive Developmental Robotics Laboratory head by Prof. Yukie Nagai and investigate the underlying mechanisms of human cognitive development and disorders by means of computational approaches. We design computational neural networks inspired by the human brain and examine what enables the networks to acquire human-like intelligence. Please send the required documents if you are interested in being considered. Assistant Professor / Postdoc Researcher at IRCN, the University of Tokyo https://ircn.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20211220_IRCN_Nagai_lab_2EN.pdf Cognitive Developmental Robotics Laboratory (Nagai Lab) http://developmental-robotics.jp ---------- 1. Job title / Number of positions Project Research Associate or Project Researcher (Postdoctoral Fellow) / One or two 2. Employment period Starting Date: Negotiable Contract duration: until March 31, 2022 3. Renewable The contract is renewable on a fiscal year basis (from April 1 to March 31; every year) according to research budget, research activity, and research achievements. Contract duration is until March 31, 2026. 4. Place of work International Research Center for Neurointelligence, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo, 113-0033 JAPAN 5. Description Successful applicants will work in the fields of computational neuroscience, cognitive developmental robotics, machine learning, and relevant topics. They will investigate the principle of human cognitive development and disorders by modeling computational neural networks inspired by the human brain and/or analyzing human cognitive behaviors. Please see the lab homepage (https://developmental-robotics.jp/en/) for more details. 6. Salary and benefits Salary: To be determined in accordance with the University of Tokyo Regulations Commuter allowance: JPY55,000 per month at maximum No retirement benefits or bonuses 7. Qualifications - PhD in engineering, computer science, cognitive science, neuroscience, or relevant fields - Communication skills in English - Programming skills - Experiences in computational neuroscience and/or cognitive developmental robotics are preferred 8. Application documents (1) Cover letter (A4 1 page) (2) Curriculum vita (3) Publication list (4) Research plan (A4 2-3 pages) (5) Name, affiliation, and email address of two references, one of which should be a previous employer or supervisor 9. Submission Please send the application documents (PDF) to yukie(a)ircn.jp 10. Application deadline / Selection process When the position is filled All applications will be screened, and only those qualified will be scheduled for an interview (on-site or online). 11. Inquiries Please contact Prof. Yukie Nagai at IRCN, the University of Tokyo yukie(a)ircn.jp — Yukie Nagai, Ph.D. Project Professor, The University of Tokyo nagai.yukie(a)mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp | https://developmental-robotics.jp CREST Cognitive Mirroring: https://cognitive-mirroring.org CREST Cognitive Feeling: https://cognitive-feeling.jp

April 7, 2022

Postdoc positions in nanoscale modeling of astrocytes, neurons or synapses

by Erik De Schutter

The Computational Neuroscience unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (https://www.oist.jp) Japan has been spearheading nanoscale stochastic modeling of astrocytes, neurons and synapses (https://groups.oist.jp/cnu) We have two postdoctoral positions open and Japan is finally issuing visa again. The selected candidates will build on previous work in modeling of cerebellar or hippocampal astrocytes, neurons and synapses using our STEPS software (http://steps.sourceforge.net) research project depending on experience and interests of the candidate. Previous experience in neural modeling required, preferentially as subject of PhD. Competences: A recent PhD in a relevant discipline such as neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics or biochemistry. Experience in programming in Python. Fluent English conversation and writing skills. Benefits / Offer: A competitive salary and relocation package are offered. This an ideal position to gain experience in a prominent computational neuroscience lab and take part in our international collaborations. Please contact Prof. Erik De Schutter (erik(a)oist.jp) for inquiries.

April 7, 2022

CAMP summer course on computational neuroscience: announcement.

by U.S.Bhalla

Dear Colleagues, We would like to announce CAMP@Bangalore 2022 from 23 July 2022 to 7 August 2022, in Bangalore, India. CAMP (Computational Approaches to Memory and Plasticity at NCBS, Bangalore) is a 16-day summer school where students will be trained in theoretical and computational modeling, pertaining to memory and plasticity in the brain, spanning different scales of space, time and complexity. This flavor of CAMP will focus on — Neuromodulation and Cell Diversity. The course will have lectures, hands-on tutorials, and project work to launch students into the exciting field of computational neuroscience. The course is supported by the Simons Foundation. Students worldwide are encouraged to apply. Accommodation and food will be free for the selected students. The NCBS Campus has pleasant grounds, sports facilities, and the weather in late July is mild with moderate rain. There is no registration fee. Students are advised to obtain independent travel grants. Please visit the course website https://camp.ncbs.res.in/ for more details about this year's course and past courses. Application deadline: 30 April 2022 Referee letters must reach by 2 May 2022 Speakers include: Arvind Kumar KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden Gilad Silberberg Karolinska Institutet, Sweden K.T. Blackwell George Mason University, USA Peter Dayan Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Germany Raffaella Tonini Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy Rishikesh Narayanan Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Sho Yagishita University of Tokyo, Japan Srikanth Ramaswamy Newcastle University, UK Upinder Bhalla National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore Vatsala Thirumalai National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore Thank you, Course Organizers CAMP 2022 Arvind Kumar Rishikesh Narayanan Upinder S. Bhalla

April 6, 2022

Available Ph.D. Position in Developmental Robotics / Human-Robot Interaction

by Amir Aly

Dear All, *Apologies for cross-posting* We are pleased to announce an opportunity for a funded Ph.D. studentship about (*Computational Modelling of Language Compositionality through Human-Robot Interaction*) at the Center for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS) at Plymouth University, UK. The closing date for applications is *12 noon on 04 May 2022* *(funding conditions for the international (non-home fees / non-UK-based) students are available in the link below)*. This exciting project tries to investigate language compositionality (*from the word to sentence levels*) through human-robot interaction with a view to making a robot able to understand human instructions. This requires *inferring the* *latent syntactic structure* of language through perceptual information (e.g., visual and/or haptic perception) and defining its mechanism of compositional development. This project will set the basis for learning the meaning of words and their syntactic categories (e.g., nouns, verbs) through perception in the surroundings, and learning language grammar - through an unsupervised approach - so as to understand phrases and sentences (*more details and research questions are available in the link below*). More details *about the topic*, *how to apply*, *eligibility criteria for home students / international students*, *and* *funding conditions* are available at: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/computational-modelling-of-language-c… <https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/computational-modelling-of-language-c…> Computational Modelling of Language Compositionality through Human-Robot Interaction at University of Plymouth on FindAPhD.com <https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/computational-modelling-of-language-c…> PhD Project - Computational Modelling of Language Compositionality through Human-Robot Interaction at University of Plymouth, listed on FindAPhD.com www.findaphd.com If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me, Regards ---------------- *Dr. Amir Aly* Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Center for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS) School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics Room B332, Portland Square, Drake Circus, PL4 8AA University of Plymouth, UK

April 5, 2022

Four lectureships available at University of Sussex

by Thomas Nowotny

Dear comp-neuro, four permanent positions at the level of lecturer (assistant professor) are available at University of Sussex due to our rapid expansion in Computer Science and AI. The lectureships are for any topics in Computer Science/Informatics, including computational neuroscience and bio-inspired AI. Please get in touch if you want to know more. The full advert is here: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/about/jobs/lecturer-com-sci-8058 Come and work with us in the beautiful city of Brighton on the South coast of England. Best regards, Thomas -- Prof. Thomas Nowotny Head of AI Research Group CCNR, Sussex Neuroscience Phone: +44-1273-678593 Engineering and Informatics, Fax: +44-1273-877873 University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny<http://sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny> [../../owa/redir.aspx?C=9e11bb0e527242938402b42d9b5498ea&URL=http%3a%2f%2fsussex.ac.uk%2finformatics%2ftnowotny] I support the University of Sussex Community Pledge, as I continue to help those around me during the pandemic. Small acts of collaboration, kindness and integrity can make a big difference. www.sussex.ac.uk/community-pledge<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/community-pledge>

April 4, 2022

The interplay of complex and coherent dynamics in brain function; Cergy (France) May 18-22 2022

by bgutkin

The HYBRID workshop The interplay of complex and coherent dynamics in brain function https://complexityparisseine.wordpress.com/ <https://complexityparisseine.wordpress.com/> will take place at Cy Advanced Studies , Neuville sur Oise (France) from 18-20 May 2022. This international workshop is the final act of the ANR Project Exact Reduction of Multiscale Neural Dynamics ERMUNDY involving CY Cergy Paris Université, École Normale Supérieure in Paris and Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes in Marseille. Our aim is to bring in Neuville-sur-Oise scientists working in different disciplines ranging from applied mathematics to neuroscience, from physics to biology in order to address a topic of general interest as the emergence of complex and coherent dynamics in the brain. If you are interested to follow the workshop via ZOOM you should register here: https://univ-amu-fr.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuceypqjItE9ASdbQAOwoovh7EJc… <https://univ-amu-fr.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuceypqjItE9ASdbQAOwoovh7EJc…> In case you would like to come (even for 1 single day) and eventually present a poster, you should register here : https://complexityparisseine.wordpress.com/contact/ <https://complexityparisseine.wordpress.com/contact/> due to COVID restrictions only 20 places are left and they will be reserved in priority for those presenting a poster. The organizing committee A. Torcini, B. Gutkin, D. Battaglia, M. di Volo

April 4, 2022

Coordinator position 'Diversity Internship Programme', Tuebingen, Germany

by Susan Fischer

---- Apologies for cross-posting ---- In an exciting venture, the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics has created a new internship programme, targeting students from currently underrepresented communities. The Institute investigates information processing in the brain for which it uses experimental, theoretical and computational methods to study perception, memory, decision-making, motor performance and more, and to develop appropriate recording and imaging techniques. We now invite applications for a part-time position for a Coordinator of the Computation and Cognition Tübingen Summer Internship (CaCTüS internship) (m/f/d;). This position is limited until 31 October 2023 in the first instance. The internship aims to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in animal, human and machine intelligence research by offering paid research stays to students from currently underrepresented groups to work on projects suggested and supervised by early career researchers. By providing hands-on research experience, access to first-class research facilities and scientific networks at the start of the students’ careers, the initiative counteracts systemic disadvantages and empowers students to continue their academic career and to develop their full potential. Key Duties & Responsibilities: In your role as CaCTüS Coordinator you will be responsible for the implementation and the overall management of the internship. You will contribute to the planning, organisation, implementation and maintenance of the programme’s activities, systems and processes and serve as the point of contact for potential candidates/enrolled interns. You will also identify and assess further potential external funding opportunities and contribute to the strategic development and promotion of the initiative. Full job description and detailed information about the position can be found on our website at: https://jobs.tue.mpg.de/jobs/168 ************************************************ Susan Fischer Coordinator Alexander von Humboldt Professorship Prof Peter Dayan & Department for Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems, Prof Zhaoping Li Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen & Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics AI Research Building R 20-7/A21 Maria-von-Linden-Str. 6 72076 Tübingen Germany susan.fischer(a)tue.mpg.de ************************************************

April 4, 2022

Postdoctoral Scholar in Computational/Theoretical Neuroscience (Western University)

by Lyle Muller

The lab of Lyle Muller (http://mullerlab.ca<http://mullerlab.ca/>) at the Department of Mathematics and the Western Institute for Neuroscience (Western University, London, Ontario) has an open postdoctoral position in computational and theoretical neuroscience. This scientist will work with an international NeuroNex consortium (http://nxwm.io) studying the transcriptomic, cellular, and network basis of working memory. The project will incorporate analysis of multichannel neural data and computational models ranging from single neurons to spiking neural networks and machine learning algorithms. The researcher will work within a dynamic team and with data at multiple scales (transcriptomics, intracellular patch clamp, and extracellular spiking data). Research in this project utilizes a combination of large-scale numerical simulations, supervised/unsupervised learning, and analytical approaches. Prior experience with scientific computing languages (MATLAB, Julia, or Python) and/or low-level programming (C/C++) is preferred. Prior experience with computational modeling, signal processing, or random graph theory is also preferred. Western University offers an excellent research environment and support. Both our group and the University are deeply committed to fostering diversity in the sciences, and applications from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged. Interested candidates can write to lmuller2(a)uwo.ca<mailto:lmuller2@uwo.ca> with a CV and statement of interest. Review of applications will begin on 18 April 2022. -- Lyle Muller http://mullerlab.ca

April 4, 2022

Deadline extension - 31st International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks ICANN 2022, Sept 6-9, Bristol, UK

by Paolo Masulli ENNS

31st International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks ICANN 2022 https://e-nns.org/icann2022 *Submission deadline extended to: 13 April 2022* Bristol, United Kingdom - *Hybrid event* 6 - 9 September 2022 ============================================================= The International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) is the annual flagship conference of the European Neural Network Society (ENNS). In 2022 the Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies of the University of the West of England, in Bristol, United Kingdom will organise ICANN 2022. This will be held at Frenchay Campus from 6 to 9 September 2022. The conference is currently planned as a *hybrid event* with some presence and some online participation if possible. We will continuously monitor the situation in the next few months according to the overall health developments. * **CONFERENCE TOPICS* ICANN 2022 is a conference featuring tracks in Brain-inspired Computing and Machine Learning in Artificial Neural Networks, 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: *Machine Learning*: Deep Learning, Neural Network Theory, Neural Network Models, Graphical Models, Bayesian Networks, Kernel Methods, Generative Models, Information-theoretic Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Relational Learning, Dynamical Models, Recurrent Networks, Ethics of AI. *Brain-inspired Computing*: Cognitive models, Computational Neuroscience, Self-organisation, Bioinspired Learning, Neural Control and Planning, Hybrid Neural-Symbolic Architectures, Neural Dynamics, Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Informatics, Perception and Action. *Neural Applications for*: Bioinformatics, Biomedicine, Intelligent Robotics, Neurorobotics, Language Processing, Speech and Image Processing, Sensor Fusion, Pattern Recognition, Data Mining, Neural Agents, Brain-Computer Interaction, Neural Hardware, Evolutionary Neural Networks. *CALL FOR CONTRIBUTED SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS* All scientific communications presented at ICANN 2022 will be reviewed and scientifically evaluated by a panel of experts. The conference will feature two categories of communications: - oral communications (15'+5') - poster communications. *Call for Special Sessions and Workshops* ICANN 2022 organizers cordially invite internationally recognised experts to organise Special sessions and Workshops within the general scope of the conference. Proposals should be sent to ICANN2022(a)uwe.ac.uk *CALL FOR PAPERS* Authors willing to present original contributions in either the oral or poster category may submit: - A full paper of maximum 12 pages (including references) to be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series with individual DOI. - An extended abstract of maximum 4 pages to be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series, without indexing. The number of oral slots is limited. In case the number of requested oral presentations is larger than the available slots, the ICANN scientific committee will select which papers will be reassigned to a poster session. This selection will be based on the coherence of the programme and is totally independent of the category of submission. Submission of communications will be on the conference website: https://e-nns.org/icann2022/ *IMPORTANT DATES* Deadline for special session and workshop proposals: 28 Feb 2022 Opening of contribution submissions: 21 Feb 2022 Deadline for full paper and extended abstract submission: 13 Apr 2022 Notification of acceptance: 20 Jun 2022 Camera-ready paper upload: 30 June 2022 Deadline for author registration and early registration at early rate: 30 June 2022 *BEST PAPER AWARDS* ENNS will sponsor a maximum of four best paper awards. All awards will be presented during the final ceremony. *TRAVEL GRANTS* The European Neural Network Society sponsors a number of Student Travel Grants covering part of the costs for attending ICANN. Details will be provided on the conference website. *ORGANISATION* *General Chairs* Elias Pimenidis – UWE Bristol, UK Angelo Cangelosi – University of Manchester, UK *Organising Committee Chairs* Tim Brailsford – UWE Bristol, UK Larry Bull – UWE Bristol, UK *Honorary Chairs* Stefan Wermter – University of Hamburg, Germany (ENNS President) Igor Farkaš – FMPI, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia *Programme Committee Chairs* Plamen Angelov – Lancaster University, UK Mehmet Aydin – UWE Bristol, UK Chrisina Jayne – Teesside University, UK Elias Pimenidis – UWE Bristol, UK *Communication Chairs* Paolo Masulli – ENNS, Technical University of Denmark Kristína Malinovská – FMPI, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia Antonios Papaleonidas – Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

April 3, 2022

FACM-22 Conference 'New Perspectives in Math Biology' May 20-21 (2022) NJIT, Newark NJ

by Victor Matveev

On May 20 and 21, 2022, the 17th Annual Conference on Frontiers in Applied and Computational Mathematics (FACM '22) will be held at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, New Jersey. The theme of FACM '22 Conference is "New Perspectives in Mathematical Biology." https://sites.google.com/njit.edu/facm2022/home Confirmed plenary speakers are: Carina Curto (Pennsylvania State University) Anita Layton (University of Waterloo) Grzegorz Rempala (Ohio State University) Corina Tarnita (Princeton University) FACM '22 will feature 4 minisymposia that cover a wide range of topics in math biology: (1) *learning paradigms in real and artificial neuronal networks,* (2) collective behavior in biological populations, (3) stochastic modeling at different scales, and (4) biofluids: machine learning and data-driven approaches. A poster session will run concurrently over the 2 days of the meeting. Pending NSF support, funds to cover all or part of the travel costs and local accommodation costs may be available for students, postdocs, and junior faculty. Applications by members of underrepresented groups, minorities and women are particularly encouraged. A combined poster abstract submission, travel award application and registration form (due April 15, 2022) is available at the conference homepage: https://sites.google.com/njit.edu/facm2022/home There is no registration fee for this conference. NJIT campus is located in close proximity to two train stations, the Newark Liberty International airport, and is accessible by public transportation from New York City: https://www.njit.edu/about/maps-directions FACM'22 Organizing Committee: Amitabha Bose (co-Chair), Casey Diekman, Simon Garnier, Enkeleida Lushi, James MacLaurin, Victor Matveev (co-Chair), Peter Thomas, Yuan-Nan Young -- ----------------------------------------------- Victor Matveev, Professor Applied Math, Biophysics, Neuroscience Department of Mathematical Sciences Graduate Faculty, Dept of Biological Sciences New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ 07102-1982 matveev(a)njit.edu

April 1, 2022

INCF/OCNS Software WG session on NetPyNE (4th April: 1600 UTC)

by Ankur Sinha

Dear all, Apologies for the cross post. Please join us for the next INCF/OCNS Software working group "dev session" where Joe Graham will speak to us about NetPyNE: https://ocns.github.io/SoftwareWG/2022/04/04/dev-session-joe-graham-netpyne… - Date: April 4, 2022, 1600 UTC (Click here[1] to see your local time). - Location (Zoom): (login to Zoom required): https://ucl.zoom.us/j/99620419452?pwd=SkZlQnJmWWZVczNURkp2azVOZkhzUT09 Abstract: NetPyNE is an open-source Python package to facilitate the development, parallel simulation, analysis, and optimization of biological neuronal networks using the NEURON simulator. The NetPyNE GUI is available from a variety of resources: Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG); Open Source Brain (OSB) ; Human Brain Project (HBP) EBRAINS; and the NIH SPARC initiative. The NetPyNE source code is available on GitHub. More information is available on the NetPyNE website. During this dev session, I will give an overview of NetPyNE, go through an interactive demo using the NetPyNE GUI, describe my personal development workflow using virtual environments, and then go through two big dev projects I worked on: (1) documenting code inline and online using docstrings, Sphinx, Napoleon, and autodocsumm, and (2) separating and standardizing analysis and plotting. --------- The aim of these sessions is to stimulate discussion of the development practices and tools used by different teams to improve the software we use while also improving our knowledge of these practices and tools. We also hope to encourage more users of these tools to contribute to their development to ensure their longevity. If you develop software for neuroscience, we would love to hear about your development pipeline. Please get in touch with the Software WG on our GitHub repository[3]. The WG is a community based group that is open to everyone at all levels of their careers (academic or otherwise). Please introduce yourself to the community on our channels to get involved. [1] https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Dev+session%3A+Jo… [2] https://github.com/OCNS/SoftwareWG/issues -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) | https://ankursinha.in Research Fellow at the Silver Lab, University College London | http://silverlab.org/ Free/Open source community volunteer at the NeuroFedora project | https://neuro.fedoraproject.org Time zone: Europe/London

April 1, 2022

Postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience

by Maxim Bazhenov

Applications are invited for NIH funded post-doctoral research position in the laboratory of Dr. Maxim Bazhenov at the University of California, San Diego to study role of sleep in memory and learning using sophisticated computer models of brain dynamics. This project involves close collaboration with experimental laboratories. The ultimate goal of the work is to understand how sleep rhythms contribute to consolidation of memory for recent learning and how sensory or electrical stimulation during sleep can enhance memory consolidation (see, e.g., 10.7554/eLife.51005; 10.1093/cercor/bhaa228; 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1427-19.2019). Our lab research interests also include other topics in neuroscience (e.g., olfaction, epilepsy) and artificial intelligence (e.g., lifelong learning, generalization, adversarial robustness) and lab members are encouraged to participate in multiple projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for the design of the anatomically realistic brain network models based on experimental data. These models will be used to understand network dynamics that are involved in the processes of memory consolidation during sleep, as well as guide data analysis and produce novel experimental predictions. Qualified applicants are expected to have background and experience in neuroscience, computational neuroscience, physics/engineering and/or mathematics. Programming experience with C/C++ is required. Knowledge of PYTHON, PyTorch or MATLAB is a plus. The University of California offers excellent benefits. Salary is based on research experience. Applicants should send a brief statement of research interests, a CV and the names of three references to Maxim Bazhenov at mbazhenov(a)ucsd.edu -- Maxim Bazhenov, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD, School of Medicine http://www.bazhlab.ucsd.edu/

March 31, 2022

Google Summer of Code: model and experimental data sharing on Open Source Brain

by Padraig Gleeson

--Apologies for cross-posting-- Google Summer of Code <https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/> is a global, online program focused on bringing new contributors into open source software development. Generous stipends are provided for successful applicants to work on these projects for a number of months over the summer. The INCF <http://incf.org/> has been a GSoC mentoring organisation for the past number of years, and has helped link up students with mentors to advance various projects in the wider neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience areas. The Open Source Brain initiative <http://www.opensourcebrain.org> is encouraging students to apply to be part of this. The successful candidate(s) for our 2 proposals will take published computational models and experimental datasets and convert them into open, standardised formats (e.g. NeuroML and NWB) and share them on the OSB platform as a resource for the wider community. The two projects are: *Open source, cross simulator, large scale cortical models in NeuroML and PyNN* <https://neurostars.org/t/gsoc-2022-project-idea-9-1-open-source-cross-simul…> These can be models where code is available in simulator specific formats on ModelDB, or classic models from the literature which would benefit from curating/updating/documenting. Making models available in these formats will allow them to be used & tested across multiple simulators, make the physiological properties of the models more accessible and facilitate reuse of model components. *Conversion of public neurophysiology datasets to Neurodata Without Borders (NWB) format* <https://neurostars.org/t/gsoc-2022-project-idea-9-2-conversion-of-public-ne…> This project will involve converting a number of publicly available datasets to NWB format, adding structured metadata to ensure maximal readability and reusability of the data. The converted datasets will be made available through the new NWB Explorer on the Open Source Brain repository (http://nwbexplorer.opensourcebrain.org) which allows visualisation of the data as well as interactive analysis through an inbuilt Jupyter notebook. *This opportunity is particularly relevant for Masters & PhD students currently working in model development/data analysis in neuroscience. Many students **are already reusing/converting/updating existing models and data as part of their work and this is a great opportunity to get paid extra to do this! *** Closing date for student applications: *19 April 2022* Period of working on projects: *13 June - ***12 *September 2022* Please get in contact if you have any questions. -- ----------------------------------------------------- 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 -----------------------------------------------------

March 31, 2022

Postdoc in Computer Vision / Machine Learning / Applied Mathematics

by Tony Lindeberg

Postdoc in Computer Vision / Machine Learning / Applied Mathematics Job description The Division of Computational Science and Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden is seeking a Postdoc in Computer Vision / Machine Learning / Applied Mathematics to handle scale-dependent image information in deep networks. In our research, we develop deep networks for processing image data that handle scaling transformations and other image transformations in a theoretically well-founded manner. Our research in this area comprises both theoretical modelling of the influence of image transformations on different architectures for deep networks and the experimental evaluation of such networks on benchmark datasets to explore their properties. The work also comprises the creation of new benchmark datasets, to enable characterization of properties of deep networks that are not covered by existing datasets. For examples of our previous work in this area, see https://www.kth.se/profile/tony/page/deep-networks Within the scope of this postdoc position, you are expected to work on and contribute to the research frontier regarding scale-covariant or scale-equivariant deep networks and/or deep networks parameterized in terms of Gaussian derivatives, on specific research topics that we choose together. The selected candidate will work closely together with the project leader Tony Lindeberg. Qualifications requirements * A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree, obtained within the last three years prior to the application deadline * We are seeking a candidate with a PhD in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Applied Mathematics or a related discipline dealing with automated analysis of image information. * Previous experience with experimental evaluations using deep learning architectures applied to image data is necessary, preferably PyTorch. * A theoretical background in continuous mathematics for modelling convolutions and the influence of image transformations on image data is also necessary. Preferred qualifications As a person you have excellent scientific and collaborative skills, in combination with independence, with very good ability to get into new scientific theories and conduct implementations and experimental evaluations in close collaboration with the research environment you are working in. The preferred candidates should have demonstrated expertise (through publications) in any one of the following: * Deep networks that handle image information for computer vision tasks, including experimental evaluation using modern architectures for deep networks. * Continuous models for deep networks applied to image information. * Theoretical modelling of scaling transformations or other image transformations applied to automated processing of image information. For further information and information about to how to apply, see https://www.kth.se/en/om/work-at-kth/lediga-jobb/what:job/jobID:490734/ Application deadline: May 2, 2022 The position is offered for a period of two years. [cid:FD2B374F-C472-4895-ADA7-B3CD5419FD22@csc.kth.se] Tony Lindeberg Professor of Computer Science — Computational Vision KTH Royal Institute of Technology Computational Brain Science Lab Division of Computational Science and Technology, CST SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden Phone: +46 8 790 6205 https://www.kth.se/profile/tony/

March 31, 2022

brain waves and topology

by Yuri Dabaghian

NIH-funded postdoctoral position is available in the group of Dr. Yuri Dabaghian at McGovern Medical School of the University of Texas, Houston. We are looking for scientists with research interests in neuroscience and mathematical physics, network dynamics, and topological data analyses. Some projects are based on studying electrophysiological data, some are theoretically motivated. We are specifically interested in circuit mechanisms of learning and memory and their involvement in neurological disorders, notably Alzheimer's Disease. Successful candidate will develop data-driven hippocampal neuronal network models, develop and creatively apply novel tools for the brain wave (EEG) analyses, Topological Data Analysis of spiking data, etc. Strong background in quantitative disciplines (a PhD and ongoing interest in computational neuroscience, physics or mathematics), plus willingness to do programming and to analyze experimental data is required. All appointments are renewable for at least four years given satisfactory performance. The salary is competitive. The postdoc will be integrated into the large, vibrant neuroscience community of the Texas Medical Center, participate in collaborations with groups at Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, University of Houston. To apply, please send application materials including a detailed CV, a brief statement of research interests, and contact information of 3 references to Dr. Yuri Dabaghian at [Yuri.A.Dabaghian [at] uth.tmc.edu) The position is available immediately, until filled. For Additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Dabaghian. We strive for a diverse and inclusive environment, and encourage applications from members of any identity.

March 30, 2022

IMRF abstract submission deadline extended to April 07

by Marc Ernst

Dear friends of IMRF, upon multiple request, we decided to extend the abstract submission deadline for the International Multisensory Research Forum 2022 (IMRF2022) by some days to April 07th. You can submit new abstracts for talks and posters until that date (here <https://www.conftool.net/imrf2020>). In case you submitted an abstract already previously for 2020 or 2021, please make sure to verify that your abstract and information is still up-to-date. To do so, you can log into the system (here <https://www.conftool.net/imrf2020>) and update your abstract information at any time until the deadline. In case you will not be able to make it to IMRF this year, which I would deeply regret, but you submitted an abstract earlier in the past two years, please make sure to withdraw your abstract (here <https://www.conftool.net/imrf2020>). In case you submitted an already accepted symposium in 2020, these symposia will keep their accepted status. But please as organiser of the symposium verify that all presenters of the symposia are still on board (here <https://www.conftool.net/imrf2020>). In cases where this is necessary please update the symposium information - abstracts of the symposia can be updated by the organiser of the symposium. In case you have a drop out of one or two speakers it is best to exchange them by new speakers. As for registration, I would recommend to register early (here <https://www.conftool.net/imrf2020>). At the moment it seems like the spatial restrictions may be loosened. But with this virus you never know. Also, please start looking for a hotel room early. There is the Danube Festival the same week of IMRF - a nice festival along the Danube river. We reserved some rooms but only until a month prior to the meeting. When booking, please refer to “IMRF” to get our conference rates. Looking forward to finally seeing you in Ulm in summer 2022. Best, Marc --------------------------------------------------------- Prof. Dr. Marc Ernst Applied Cognitive Psychology Faculty for Computer Science, Engineering & Psychology Ulm University Albert-Einstein-Allee 43 89081 Ulm room nr.: 43.3.103 mail: marc.ernst(a)uni-ulm.de <mailto:marc.ernst@uni-ulm.de> phone int.: +49-(0)731-50 320 50 phone ext.: +49-(0)731-50 356 27 sekr: +49-(0)731-50 320 51 mobile: +49-(0)152-22 543 156

March 30, 2022

Workshop: The interplay of complex and coherent dynamics in brain function. May 18-20, Cergy

by boris gutkin

Interplay of complex and coherent dynamics in brain function will take place at CY Advanced Studies at Neuville-Sur-Oise from 18th to 20th May 2022 thanks to the support of CY Cognition, CYAS, Labex MME-DII. More information can be found here: https://complexityparisseine.wordpress.com/ The workshop will take place in a hybrid form, with a group of participants (at most 50) in presence at CYAS and the rest connected via Zoom. There will be the possibility to present posters of your research activity up to a maximum of 20 posters, There are no costs, but if you are interested you should register in both cases either in presence or in remote (Zoom) by April 30th. Organisers: Alessandro Torcini (CYU), Demian Battaglia (INS marseille), Boris Gutkin (ENS, Paris) and Matteo di Volo (University of Parma, Italy)

March 29, 2022

additional 2 postdoc positions (4 in total) at Imperial College

by Schultz, Simon R

Dear all, In addition to the previously advertised two experimental positions, we have two theoretical postdoc positions available: Four post-doc positions in the Statistical Physics of Cognition Two theoretical and two experimental postdoctoral positions each for a duration of up to 36 months starting as soon as possible after 1st April 2022. All four post-docs will form a collaborative team, will be affiliated with the Departments of Mathematics and Bioengineering at Imperial College London, and will work together with a core team consisting of Simon R Schultz, Henrik Jeldtoft Jensen, Fernando Rosas, Mauricio Barahona, Lucilla de Arcangelis, Ann Go and Amanda Foust. As for the two theoreticians we are looking for people familiar with statistical mechanics of complex systems, including SOC, network theory and information theory. The theory positions can be found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/description/NAT01116/research-associate-mat… The details for the experimental positions are here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/description/ENG02064/postdoctoral-research-… To discuss the theoretical positions, please contact Henrik Jensen (h.jensen(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:h.jensen@imperial.ac.uk>) To discuss the experimental positions, please contact Simon Schultz (s.schultz(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:s.schultz@imperial.ac.uk>) Best wishes Simon -- Prof Simon Schultz Dept of Bioengineering, Imperial College London http://www.schultzlab.org Director, Imperial College Centre for Neurotechnology http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology For Centre admin, email: Dr Kate Hobson, k.hobson(a)imperial.ac.uk

March 29, 2022

Atsushi IRIKI speaking on March 31 in Developing Minds global online lecture series

by Jochen Triesch

Dear colleagues, On March 31, the Developing Minds global online lecture series will feature Atsushi IRIKI, RIKEN Japan: "Self-in-the-world map evolved in the primate brain as a basis of civilized Homo sapiens“ The live event will take place via zoom at: 22:00 JST (Japan Standard Time) 15:00 CET (Central European Time) 13:00 UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) 9:00 EST (Eastern Standard Time) To participate please register here: https://sites.google.com/view/developing-minds-series/home Abstract After a specific point in history, hominin evolution accelerated to a level that could not be accounted for by natural selection alone, but an alternative mechanism has been proposed based on mutual interaction among neural, cognitive, and ecological niches in a positive feedback loop (triadic niche construction; TNC). Nevertheless, the trigger events for the cognitive revolution of Homo sapiens as well as the reasons for this event being limited to a single species remain unknown. Using a multidisciplinary approach involving psychology, neurobiology, and phenomenology, I will propose a shift in the mechanisms underlying TNC, from TNC- 1 in primates/hominids to TNC-2 in Homo sapiens, to answer these questions. As the primates and hominin brain expanded during TNC-1, latent cognitive capabilities were incubated within its neural framework to be expressed with a simple rewiring among brain areas in TNC-2, a quick and inexpensive process but one that requires a unique set of preconditions to commence. This process was bootstrapped by the advanced function of “projection,” which enabled humans to recognize the “self” in particular time and space in the world, allowing the manipulation of this world (in both physical and symbolic dimensions) again in a positive feedback loop. Based on these, a new concept of a somatocentric holistic self will be proposed, represented as a more comprehensive body-in-the-world map in the primate brain, taking into account evolutionary aspects that characterize the human cognition and its implication in the emergence of self-consciousness. Paper: Iriki A, Suzuki H, Tanaka S, Bretas R, Yamazaki Y. (2021). The sapient paradox and the great journey: Insights from cognitive psychology, neurobiology and phenomenology. Psychologia, https://doi.org/10.2117/psysoc.2021-B017. Bio Atsushi IRIKI received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 1986. He held research associate positions at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and then at The Rockefeller University (USA). He joined the faculty of Toho University Medical School as an assistant professor and then as an associate professor in Physiology (1991-1999). In 1999, he returned to Tokyo Medical and Dental University as a full professor and chairman of Cognitive Neurobiology. In 2004, Atsushi IRIKI was appointed a head of Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development at RIKEN Institute (first at its Brain Science Institute and then 2018 onward at Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research). He is currently a visiting professor of University College London (UK) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU, Singapore), an adjunct professor of Keio University, a research professor of Kyoto University, a senior fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (Canada), founding co-director of RIKEN-NTU Research Centres (Singapore & Japan). Web: https://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/bdr/symbol_cogn_dev/index.html Best regards, Jochen Triesch -- Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch Johanna Quandt Chair for Theoretical Life Sciences Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies and Goethe University Frankfurt http://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~triesch/ Tel: +49 (0)69 798-47531 Fax: +49 (0)69 798-47611

March 28, 2022