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Postdoc in Computational Neuroscience and/or Machine Learning at the University of Calgary, Canada

by Joern Davidsen

Dear colleagues, We are recruiting a postdoctoral researcher in Computational Neuroscience and/or Machine Learning to study network neural dynamics of brain function and psychedelics to participate in a cutting-edge International Network for Brain-Inspired Computation<https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2019976&HistoricalAwards=f…> (AcelNet) that includes nodes in Montreal, Paris, and the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada (e.g. University of Washington, Allen Brain Institute). The project is at the intersection of mathematics, physics, and neuroscience in the general area of complex network dynamics and representations that drive biological computation. The objective is to understand how the brain develops generative cognitive models to organize perception and behaviour, and the effects of psychedelic drugs. This project involves both analysis of large-scale ensemble neural data collected in our labs, and computational and/or analytical work to develop theories of core function. Please forward to anyone who you think might be interested. For more info (review of applications will begin on May 1st), please see below or https://www.ucalgary.ca/complexity/positions or reach out to Dr. Jörn Davidsen (davidsen(a)phas.ucalgary.ca<mailto:davidsen@phas.ucalgary.ca>) and Dr. Aaron Gruber (aaron.gruber(a)uleth.ca<mailto:aaron.gruber@uleth.ca>). Best wishes, Joern. --- Dr. Jörn Davidsen Professor of Physics & Humboldt Research Fellow University of Calgary www.ucalgary.ca/davidsen<http://www.ucalgary.ca/davidsen> ************************************************************************************ Postdoc in Computational Neuroscience and/or Machine Learning at the University of Calgary, Canada We are recruiting a talented postdoctoral researcher in Computational Neuroscience and/or Machine Learning to study network neural dynamics of brain function and psychedelics to participate in a cutting-edge International Network for Brain-Inspired Computation<https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2019976&HistoricalAwards=f…> (AcelNet) that includes nodes in Montreal, Paris, and the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada (e.g. University of Washington, Allen Brain Institute). The project is at the intersection of mathematics, physics, and neuroscience in the general area of complex network dynamics and representations that drive biological computation. The objective is to understand how the brain develops generative cognitive models to organize perception and behaviour, and the effects of psychedelic drugs. This project involves both analysis of large-scale ensemble neural data collected in our labs, and computational and/or analytical work to develop theories of core function. The ideal candidate will have a quantitative background (e.g. PhD in mathematics, physics, computer science) along with experience in applying this background to neuroscience. Specifically, we are looking for a postdoctoral candidates interested in what mathematical principles predict (1) how the connectivity structure of neural networks – their connectomes – combine with the dynamics of nodes and edges to control the dynamics and statistics of the network, (2) how the brain learns these connectomes to produce generative models predictive of their environment, and (3) how such models are affected by psychedelic drugs. The overarching aim of the project is to understand how mental models become corrupted in depression/anxiety, and how psychedelics appear to reverse the corruption. A variety of world-class data sets on the structure and function of the brain are available to guide theoretical advances in the understanding of underlying brain computation, particularly in learning, perception, and decision making. The position is open immediately with a primary location in Calgary. It is partially funded by the Pacific Institute for Mathematical Sciences<https://www.pims.math.ca/> and is aimed to strengthen the link between the computational neuroscience community at the University of Calgary (Complexity Science Group<https://www.ucalgary.ca/complexity/>, Hotchkiss Brain Institute<https://hbi.ucalgary.ca/>) and the University of Lethbridge (Canadian Center for Behavioural Neuroscience<https://www.uleth.ca/artsci/neuroscience/about>) with the other network members including the Computational Neuroscience Center<https://cneuro-web01.s.uw.edu/> at the University of Washington, and centers in Montreal and Paris. The specific start date has to be within five years of being awarded a PhD degree. The position is funded for at least two years and includes an annual stipend in the range of CAD$42,000 – $50,000 plus benefits. Opportunities for brief residences in partner nodes (Montreal, Seattle, or Paris) are also available. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, brief statement of research interests and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Jörn Davidsen (davidsen(a)phas.ucalgary.ca<mailto:davidsen@phas.ucalgary.ca>) and Dr. Aaron Gruber (aaron.gruber(a)uleth.ca<mailto:aaron.gruber@uleth.ca>). Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin May 1st, 2022, and continue until the position is filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Davidsen or Dr. Gruber. We strive for a diverse and inclusive environment, and encourage applications from members of any identity. --- Dr. Jörn Davidsen Professor of Physics & Humboldt Research Fellow University of Calgary www.ucalgary.ca/davidsen<http://www.ucalgary.ca/davidsen>

March 26, 2022

PostDoc positions on neuromorphic sensing for condition monitoring

by Fredrik Sandin

The Embedded Intelligent Systems Lab (EISLAB) at the Luleå University of Technology in Sweden is inviting applications for two 2-year PostDoc positions focusing on neuromorphic sensing for condition monitoring. The scholarships are intended for research that aims to develop knowledge about neuromorphic and event-driven sensor systems for advanced condition monitoring, e.g. investigating filterbanks, charge amplifier designs, event-based sampling, and machine learning based signal processing methods suitable for implementation with spiking neural networks and neuromorphic processors. The project is a collaboration between EISLAB and the division of Machine Elements and is funded by The Kempe Foundations. By taking part in this collaboration you will work in an international, creative resourceful environment with an extensive international contact network. Further information about the positions, requirements and how to apply is available here: - https://www.ltu.se/ltu/stipendier-priser/postdoc-stipendier?l=en - https://web103.reachmee.com/ext/I003/583/main?site=14&validator=47967adc563… ========================= Professor Fredrik Sandin EISLAB, Machine Learning Luleå University of Technology 971 87 Luleå, Sweden www.ltu.se/staff/f/fresan-1.10646?l=en

March 26, 2022

MBL Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course - Deadline March 30

by Stephen A. Baccus

Applications are open for the Methods in Computational Neuroscience course at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. The course will run from July 28 to August 24, 2022, and the online application form can be found at: https://www.mbl.edu/education/advanced-research-training-courses/course-off… The course application deadline is *March 30*. The course covers a range of topics in computational neuroscience including neuronal biophysics, neural coding & information processing, circuit dynamics, learning & memory, motor control, and cognitive processing & disease. In addition, numerous tutorials and problem sets will cover a broad range of computational and mathematical modeling methods. The course strongly emphasizes the collaboration between theory and experiment in solving neuroscience problems, and lectures will be given by a mixture of theorists and experimentalists. The final weeks of the course are primarily reserved for work on projects that students design in collaboration with the resident faculty. Further information can be found on the MCN website: http://www.mbl.edu/mcn/ 2022 Course Directors: Stephen Baccus, Stanford University Xiao Jing Wang, New York University 2022 Faculty: Larry Abbott, Columbia University Tim Behrens, Univ. College London Emery Brown, MIT Randy Buckner, Harvard University Anne Churchland, UCLA Claudia Clopath, Imp. College London Albert Compte, IDIBAPS Shaul Druckmann, Stanford University Uri Eden, Boston University Bard Ermentrout, U. of Pittsburgh Adrienne Fairhall, U. of Washington Michale Fee, MIT James Fitzgerald, Janelia Res., HHMI Loren Frank, UCSF Stefano Fusi, Columbia University Surya Ganguli, Stanford University Paul Glimcher, New York University Mark Goldman, UC Davis Nancy Kopell, Boston University Eve Marder, Brandeis University Yiota Poirazi, IMBB-FORTH David Redish, U. Minnesota Terry Sejnowski, Salk Institute Reza Shadmehr, Johns Hopkins Univ. Sara Solla, Northwestern University Haim Sompolinsky, Hebrew University Nelson Spruston, Janelia Res., HHMI Josh Tenenbaum, MIT Nao Uchida, Harvard University Greg Wayne, DeepMind

March 25, 2022

Final Call For Papers: RaPID4@LREC-2022 and PSST Challenge ...

by Dim X

Final Call for Papers: The 4th workshop on: "Resources and ProcessIng of linguistic, para-linguistic and extra-linguistic Data from people with various forms of cognitive/psychiatric/developmental impairments" Full-day workshop: co-located with LREC 2022 | Marseille, France | June 25th, 2022 Submission deadline: Sat., 9th of April, 2022 (extended) Paper submission: https://www.softconf.com/lrec2022/RaPID-4/ Website and more details: https://spraakbanken.gu.se/en/rapid-2022 Contact: Dimitrios Kokkinakis (dimitrios.kokkinakis(a)gu.se) RaPID-4 Organizing committee: Kathleen C. Fraser, National Research Council, Canada; Dimitrios Kokkinakis, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Kristina Lundholm Fors, Lund University, Sweden; Johan Skoog, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Charalambos K. Themistocleous, Johns Hopkins University, USA; Athanasios Tsanas, The University of Edinburgh, UK ************************************************************************************ Collocated shared task: for papers related to the Post-Stroke Speech Transcription, PSST Challenge: https://psst.study/ Paper submission: https://www.softconf.com/lrec2022/RaPID-4/ PSST Contacts: Steven Bedrick (bedricks(a)ohsu.edu) or Gerasimos Fergadiotis ( gfergadiotis(a)pdx.edu) PSST Organizing committee: Steven Bedrick, Oregon Health and Science University, USA Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Portland State University, USA Robert Gale, Oregon Health and Science University, USA Mikala Fleegle, Portland State University, USA ************************************************************************************ RaPID-4 and the PSST ask for full papers, 4 to 8 pages, plus more pages for references if needed, which must strictly follow the LREC stylesheet: https://lrec2022.lrec-conf.org/en/submission2022/authors-kit/ ************************************************************************************ Description: RaPID-4 aims to be an interdisciplinary forum for researchers to share information, findings, methods, models and experience on the collection and processing of data produced by people with various forms of mental, cognitive, neuropsychiatric, or neurodegenerative impairments, such as aphasia, dementia, autism, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease or schizophrenia. Particularly, the workshop's focus is on creation, processing and application of data resources from individuals at various stages of these impairments and with varying degrees of severity. Creation of resources includes e.g. the annotation, description, analysis and interpretation of linguistic, paralinguistic and extra-linguistic aspects of such data (i.e. spontaneous spoken language, transcripts, eye tracking, wearable and sensor measurements, digital biomarkers, etc.). Processing of such data can be used to identify, extract, correlate, evaluate and disseminate various linguistic or multimodal phenotypes and measurements, which then can be applied to aid diagnosis, monitor the progression or predict individuals at risk. A central aim is to facilitate the study of the relationships among various levels of linguistic, paralinguistic and extra-linguistic observations. Submission of papers are invited in all of the aforementioned areas, particularly emphasizing multidisciplinary aspects of processing such data and the interplay between clinical/nursing/medical sciences, language technology, computational linguistics, natural language processing (NLP) and computer science. The workshop will act as a stimulus for the discussion of several ongoing research questions driving current and future research by bringing together researchers from various research communities. ************************************************************************************

March 25, 2022

2 Postdoctoral Research Positions at Imperial College London

by Schultz, Simon R

These two posts form part of an interdisciplinary collaborative research project, “Statistical Physics of Cognition” funded by the UKRI and Wellcome. The aim of the project is to understand how neuronal avalanches relate to cognition. The postholders will be part of an interdisciplinary team including theorists, experimental neuroscientists and optical physicists aiming to solve this problem. The approach taken will be to perform large-scale neuronal imaging experiments to record the activity of thousands of neurons in the brains of mice performing cognitive tasks, to use advanced methods to analyse how distance from criticality is task-dependent, to develop models describing the role of avalanche dynamics in cognition, and to use graph theory, information theory and complexity theory to advance our understanding how large-scale network dynamics affect cognitive performance. As well as advancing our understanding of the way the brain operates, this may lead to new insights into how neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease cause degradation in cognitive function, and aid in the development of future treatments. Based in the Neural Coding and Neurodegenerative Disorders Laboratory led by Prof Simon Schultz, we are seeking two postdoctoral fellows to carry out neuroscience experiments involving mesoscopic two-photon imaging of neural activity from thousands of neurons in behaving mice. Applicants should have research experience in either systems neuroscience or in biomedical optics. A PhD in neuroscience, physics, or a cognate discipline is essential. Post 1 – Multiphoton optical microscopy. You will have expertise in biomedical optics, including the construction, maintenance and use of advanced optical apparatus for fluorescence imaging of neural activity, and an interest in neuroscience. Post 2 – Optical neurophysiology. You will have expertise in systems neuroscience, including experience in performing in vivo neurophysiology experiments, and expertise in processing and analysis of neurophysiological data. You will be based in the Neural Coding and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory led by Prof Simon Schultz and Dr Amanda Foust, in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London. As well as members of the group, you will work closely with colleagues in the Department of Mathematics, including Prof Mauricio Barahona and Prof Henrik Jensen, as well as two theoretical postdoctoral fellows working as part of the collaborative project. You will also work together with external collaborators, including particularly Dr Fernando Rosas (University of Sussex) and Prof Lucilla De Arcangelis (University of Campania). The link to the official job advertisement and application portal can be found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/description/ENG02064/postdoctoral-research-… I am happy to discuss the positions via email. (Please email me directly rather than replying to this email, as I have mailing list emails filtered). The closing date is 5th April 2022 (but is likely to be extended). Please note that there will be a further two postdoctoral positions advertised shortly, focused on theoretical elements of the project. ---------- Simon R. Schultz DPhil FIET FRSB Professor of Neurotechnology Director, Imperial College Centre for Neurotechnology Dept of Bioengineering, Imperial College London Email: s.schultz(a)imperial.ac.uk http://www.schultzlab.org http://www.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology Centre contact: Dr Kate Hobson, 0207 594 5101, k.hobson(a)imperial.ac.uk

March 24, 2022

Upcoming HBP Education events

by HBP Education

Dear Sir*Madam, I hope this e-mail finds you well! I would like to raise awareness for several upcoming events by the HBP Education Programme. Please consider adding them to your list of upcoming events. Symposium: From Cortical Microcircuits to Consciousness Date: 11-13 April 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/corticon/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/corticon/> Description: The Symposium: From Cortical Microcircuits to Consciousness aims at bringing together the Human Brain Project’s neuroscientists and invited guests to present their latest achievements in understanding neurocircuit dynamics at microscales, meso- and macro-scales, including the emergence of consciousness. Theories of consciousness will be reviewed and challenged by new findings from brain circuits and behavior. The involvement of neuronal and neuroglial cells in brain functioning, memory, learning, cognition and consciousness in health and disease will be discussed from the experimental and theoretical perspective. The Symposium will offer a hands-on session on The Virtual Brain, the platform of EBRAINS for constructing and simulating personalised brain network models. EBRAINS is the European research infrastructure for gathering, processing and simulating brain data. Finally, the Symposium will address the recent advances in neuroethics and neurophilosophy in neuroscience research and society. Address: Institut Catholique de Paris, 21 Rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris, France Registration deadline: 6 April 2022 ———————————————— Young Researchers Event 2022 in Denmark Date: 16 May 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/YRE2022-Denmark/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/YRE2022-Denmark/> Description: HBP <http://humanbrainproject.eu/> and EBRAINS <http://ebrains.eu/> together with the University of Copenhagen <https://www.ku.dk/english/> invite the entire scientific community, in particular early career researchers, to join the Young Researchers Event on 16 May 2022 at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Young Researchers Events provide a setting where EBRAINS <http://ebrains.eu/> RI, the Project’s tools and results are presented to early career scientists as well as to a wider scientific community. The event will introduce participants to EBRAINS, offer opportunities to exchange information and knowledge with peers, as well as with renowned experts. Address: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Registration deadline: 9 May 2022 —————————— EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022 Training on Single Neuron Models, Brain Circuit Models, Cognition, Collaboratory, Synaptic Plasticity and Learning Date: 30 May – 3 June 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/BRAINSIM/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/BRAINSIM/> Description: The EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022 aims at introducing the participants to the latest achievements and innovations of the digital infrastructure for brain research EBRAINS <http://ebrains.eu/>, created by the Human Brain Project. The School will offer tutorials on EBRAINS Tools and eServices. The students will be presented with the overview of the EBRAINS research platform, discussed by the leaders of the Human Brain Project, and gain practical skills in using EBRAINS resources to implement cellular and network level computational models, to use EBRAINS Computing Services configure and run simulations, and to visualise/analyse the results. Through tutorials, interactive sessions and hands-on activities, attendees will learn how to interact with EBRAINS to carry out their own research, to set up and manage a data-driven collaborative project, or to use the EBRAINS platform to interact with internal and external databases. The target audience of this school are advanced master students, doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in biomedical and technology sciences, from medicine, biology, psychology, to mathematics, informatics, information technology, physics, chemistry, who would like to get an introduction to the neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience tools available in the EBRAINS Infrastructure. The event is limited to 40 participants. Address: Splendid Hotel la Torre, Via Piano di Gallo 11, 90151 Palermo, Italy Registration deadline: 30 April 2022 ——————————————— Brain Activity across Scales and Species: Analysis of Experiments and Simulations (BASSES) - EBRAINS Workshop Date: 13-15 June 2022 Website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/ebrains-workshops/basses/ <https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/ebrains-workshops/basses/> Description: The HBP and EBRAINS invite interested scientists to join the forthcoming EBRAINS Workshop on Brain Activities across Scales and Species. The study of brain rhythms and of spatio-temporal patterns of brain activation is an important test-bench for understanding connectivity and the mechanisms that determine cognitive systems in mammals. The large variety of available experimental protocols and measurement techniques enable researchers to investigate new scientific questions. In addition, the input from experimental observations is used to design theoretical models able to emulate brain dynamics and cognitive mechanisms in in-silico experiments. The goal of the BASSES Workshop (Brain Activity across Scales and Species: analysis of Experiments and Simulations) is to provide an overview of the scientific topic of brain states and complexity, state transitions, and their connection with cognitive functions, and to demonstrate the achievements in this field obtained within the Human Brain Project thanks to the functionalities provided by the EBRAINS <http://www.ebrains.eu/> research platforms. Lectures will showcase the latest advancements in analysis strategies and whole-brain modelling tools. Hands-On Sessions will allow the participants to be actively engaged and test the EBRAINS functionalities for data storage, curation, analysis, and modelling. BASSES will allow people with different expertises, from experimental and theoretical neuroscientists to computer scientists, to share results and ideas and connect into a wider community. Address: ROMA EVENTI – Fontana di Trevi, Piazza della Pilotta, 00187 Rome, Italy Registration deadline: 27 May 2022 ———————————————————————— Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you need further info. Thank you in advance Best regards, HBP Education Team

March 24, 2022

Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Summer School application open!

by Chengcheng Huang

Applications are open for the 11th Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience Summer School (CCNSS), which will be held from *June 26 to July 17, 2022*, at *Suzhou, China*. Online application: https://www.csh-asia.org/?content/1239 Application deadline: *April 30, 2022* About CCNSS: Designed to emphasize computational principles and neural circuit mechanisms of higher cognitive functions, the course aims at training talented and highly motivated students and postdoctoral fellows from Asia and around the world. We welcome both applicants with quantitative backgrounds (including Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science) and those with experimental backgrounds. The lectures will introduce the basic concepts and methods, as well as cutting-edge research on higher brain functions such as decision-making, attention, learning and memory. Modeling will be taught at multiple levels, ranging from single neuron computation and microcircuits up to large-scale brain systems and artificial intelligence and psychiatric disorders. Python-based programming labs coordinated with the lectures will provide practical training in important computational methods. More details can be found at the course website https://www.ccnss.org. Organizers: Dora Angelaki, New York University Christopher Honey, Johns Hopkins University Chengcheng Huang, University of Pittsburgh Xiao-Jing Wang, New York University Guangyu Robert Yang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Faculty: Dani Bassett, University of Pennsylvania Carlos Brody, Princeton University Bob Desimone, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Angela Langdon, National Institute of Mental Health Songting Li, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Yunzhe Liu, Chinese Institute for Brain Research Yuanyuan Mi, Chongqing University Tirin Moore, Stanford University Srdjan Ostojic, École normale supérieure Anna Schapiro, University of Pennsylvania Kim Stachenfeld, DeepMind

March 24, 2022

Support for Ukrainian doctoral students in computer science at the University of Vienna

by Moritz Grosse-Wentrup

Dear all, The Doctoral School for Computer Science (DoCS) at the University of Vienna (https://docs.univie.ac.at/) supports Ukrainian doctoral students in computer science (who are currently enrolled in a Ukrainian university) with 6-month stipends to continue their doctoral studies in Vienna. If you would like to apply for such a stipend, please send an email to uadocs2022(a)univie.ac.at including a CV and a brief description of your dissertation topic. We will then contact you asap regarding further details. We ask for your understanding though that our funds may not cover stipends for all applicants. For other initiatives, please also see https://scienceforukraine.eu/ On behalf of the DoCS and the Faculty of Computer Science, Moritz Grosse-Wentrup -- Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Research Group Neuroinformatics Faculty of Computer Science University of Vienna Kolingasse 14-16, Room 02.49 A-1090 Wien, Austria moritz.grosse-wentrup(a)univie.ac.at +43-1-4277-79610 http://neural.engineering/

March 23, 2022

3 Postdoctoral Positions at the University of Calgary

by Wilten Nicola

We are currently looking for 3 postdoctoral positions in the Nicola Computational Neuroscience Lab ( http://www.nicolacomputationalneurosciencelab.com) at the University of Calgary, in Alberta Canada: *Postdoctoral Position 1* We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher for a 2-year position investigating the interplay between hippocampal and cortical dynamics in memory consolidation. The project will involve both simulating spiking neural networks, and analyzing real spiking data. The ideal postdoctoral researcher will have a PhD in mathematics, physics, or engineering, and will have a proven track-record in working with spiking neural networks. A knowledge of neuroscience is beneficial, but not strictly necessary. Familiarity with multi-unit recordings is also beneficial, but not strictly necessary. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Wilten Nicola. Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Nicola. ------------------------------ *Postdoctoral Position 2* We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher for a 2 year position investigating how networks of neurons can learn to create abstraction and semantic definitions from a few stimuli. In short, how do networks of neurons learn and know how to generalize in a meaningful way? The ideal postdoctoral researcher will have a PhD in mathematics, physics or engineering and will have extensive experience in working with feedforward or recurrent neural networks, either artificial or spiking. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Wilten Nicola. Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Nicola. ------------------------------ *Postdoctoral Position 3 * We are currently looking for a postdoctoral research for a 2 year position in commercializing spiking neural network technologies. This is a joint postdoc with Dr. Aaron Gruber, as part of an ongoing initiative on commercializing spiking neural networks for both edge computing, and big-data applications. The ideal postdoctoral researcher will have a strong background in hardware and software engineering, specifically with Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other neuromorphic-like platforms capable of spiking network emulation. Interested candidates should submit their application package including a cover letter, their CV with a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and their possible start dates in PDF format to Dr. Wilten Nicola. Applicants should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent as well. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. For additional information and informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Nicola. The University of Calgary is a global intellectual hub located in Canada’s most enterprising city. In our spirited, high-quality learning environment, students thrive in programs made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. Our strategy drives us to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, engaging the communities we both serve and lead. This strategy is called Eyes High, inspired by the university's Gaelic motto, which translates as 'I will lift up my eyes.' For more information, visit ucalgary.ca/eyeshigh.

March 22, 2022

Cajal Computational Neuroscience Course, Application deadline 28 March, 2022

by Gjorgjieva, Julijana

Dear Students and Postdocs, There is still time to apply to the Cajal Computational Neuroscience course 2022! Application deadline: 28 March 2022 Apply here: http://cajal-training.org/on-site/ccn2022/ Stipends are available. Date and Location: 17 July - 6 August 2022 Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Portugal Course directors: Brent Doiron, University of Chicago, US Maria Geffen, University of Pennsylvania, US Julijana Gjorgjieva, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Joe Paton, Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal About the Cajal Computational Neuroscience Course The course teaches the central ideas, methods, and practices of modern computational neuroscience through a combination of lectures and hands-on project work. During the course’s mornings, distinguished international faculty deliver lectures on topics across the entire breadth of experimental and computational neuroscience. For the remainder of the time, students work on research projects in teams of 2 to 3 people under close supervision of expert tutors and faculty. Research projects are proposed by faculty before the course and include the modeling of neurons, neural systems, and behavior, the analysis of state-of-the-art neural data (behavioral data, multi-electrode recordings, calcium imaging data, connectomics data, etc.), and the development of theories to explain experimental observations. Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Megan Carey – Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal Alex Cayco-Gajic – École Normale Supérieure, France John Krakauer – Johns Hopkins University, USA Gilles Laurent – Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Máté Lengyel – Cambridge University, UK Ashok Litwin-Kumar – Columbia University, USA Christian Machens – Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal Olivier Marre – Vision Institute, France Ken Miller – Columbia University, USA Srdjan Ostojic – École Normale Supérieure, France Anne-Marie Oswald – University of Pittsburgh, USA Alfonso Renart – Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal Tim Vogels – IST Austria, Austria And others! CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme is funded by FENS, IBRO and The Gatsby Foundation. For more information on the CAJAL programme: www.cajal-training.org<http://www.cajal-training.org> ----------------------------------------- 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 office: +49 69 850033 3600 https://www1.ls.tum.de/compneuro

March 22, 2022

Call for Symposia - NEURONUS 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum (15-17 October 2022, Krakow, Poland)

by Michał Zaręba

*On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to invite you to **submit symposia proposals for NEURONUS 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum, **which takes place on 15-17 October 2022 in Krakow, Poland. We await your proposals until 1 April 2022. More information can be found here: https://neuronusforum.pl/page/40,call-for-symposia <https://neuronusforum.pl/page/40,call-for-symposia>**.* With prominent speakers and unique atmosphere of one of the oldest and most beautiful Polish cities, NEURONUS IBRO Neuroscience Forums have established themselves in the European calendar of scientific events as a platform for communication between scientists from different fields of neuroscience. The program of the conference consists of numerous sessions on biological, cognitive, computational and medical aspects of neuroscience, creating a dynamic environment for sharing knowledge. The schedule of the meeting is further complemented with lectures by invited guests, and we invest a lot of effort to attract as influential neuroscientists as possible. This year we will host 6 keynote speakers including Lauri Nummenmaa (University of Turku, Finland), Florian Engert (Harvard University, Cambridge, USA) and Marina Bedny (Johns Hopkins University, USA). The remaining names will be announced soon. During the upcoming 12th edition of the conference, we will continue to put* emphasis on development of early-career researchers*. The main purpose of this event is to provide means for both young and experienced neuroscientists to share the latest discoveries, knowledge and experience in neuroscience, as well as make valuable contacts with scientists representing various fields of neurobiology. We actively promote young scientists through preferentially allocating oral presentations of their experimental results. To help us achieve this goal, we have opened the *call for symposia*. A symposium should last approximately 90 minutes and be composed of a talk by the Invited Speaker (of post-doc status or higher) and 3-4 talks given by early-career researchers. Early-career speakers may be proposed by the Symposium Organizer. At least two of the early-career speakers must be at pre-doctoral level. The general focus of the symposium should fall within the scope of biological and cognitive neuroscience. Please contact us if more information is needed. We strongly encourage you to join this special initiative and hope to see you in the beautiful scenery of Krakow! On behalf of my colleagues, Michal Zareba Organizing Committee Neuronus 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum

March 21, 2022

Postdoctoral position in "Multiphysics Brain Aging Modeling" at Stevens Institute of Technology, New York City, USA

by Johannes Weickenmeier

Dear all. A postdoctoral position in “Multiphysics Brain Aging Modeling” is available in the group of Prof. Johannes Weickenmeier (www.weickenmeierlab.com<http://www.weickenmeierlab.com>). The Matter Biomechanics Lab combines experimental methods to biomechanically characterize brain tissue properties and various computational modeling techniques (e.g. finite element analysis, multiphysics modeling, medical image analysis) with the ultimate goal to better understand healthy brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Our constitutive aging and Alzheimer’s disease models couple neurobiology and mechanics (i.e. morphological shape changes and tissue loading) in order to identify abnormal aging patterns and brain regions at risk of developing secondary damage, such as white matter hyperintensities, hypoperfusion, traumatic injury, and vascular degeneration. We validate our models against longitudinal imaging data from databases such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). We are looking for applications with prior experience in advanced medical image analysis, data analysis, and modeling. Knowledge in the biology of aging is a significant advantage. The research will be performed at the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology right outside of New York. The position is funded through a grant from the NIH. The position is available now until filled. To apply, please send a motivation letter, CV, and contact information for 2-3 references to Prof. Johannes Weickenmeier (johannes.weickenmeier (at) stevens.edu) Stay well, Johannes Weickenmeier _______________________________________ Johannes Weickenmeier, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Neuromechanics Stevens Institute of Technology | Department of Mechanical Engineering |phone: 201-216-5527 | pronouns: he/him/his | Soft Matter Biomechanics: www.weickenmeierlab.com<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.weicke…>

March 21, 2022

New INCF endorsement standard: MBF file format

by INCF

We are pleased to inform you that on January 25 2022, the INCF Standards and Best Practices (SBP) committee <https://incf.org/about/governance/SBP-subcommittee> endorsed the MBF file format as a standard, with the standard number INCFSN-22-01 <https://www.incf.org/mbf-file-format-v-40>. All INCF standards undergo re-review every two years. MBF Bioscience and INCF will work together to further improve the FAIRness of the standard until the next review, including implementation of the governance policy and modification of the standard’s license from the CC-BY-ND-NC to a CC-BY-ND. The committee is pleased to see an open format from a commercial entity go through the endorsement process, and applaud MBF Bioscience for taking this very important step in support of open and FAIR neuroscience. See the community review <https://f1000research.com/documents/10-712> Read the endorsement statement <https://f1000research.com/documents/11-336> *Why endorse community standards? * INCF (incf.org) has implemented a formal procedure for evaluating and endorsing community standards and best practices in support of the FAIR principles. Our mission is to make neuroscience more open and FAIR, to ensure that research funds and efforts are well invested, and that neuroscientific findings are robust and replicable. Open community review is a very important step in the process. Quality community standards are necessary to make FAIR resources and processes work, but too many neuroscience communities lack robust standards or have competing incompatible standards. The rapid development of new techniques also means that there is a continuous need for new and updated standards, and that old standards need an active developer and user community keeping them up to date. By endorsing standards, INCF wants to: - Make it easy to find the best, most reliable standard appropriate for your research - Ensure recognition for community members investing their time and effort in standards Similar to other standards, the review criteria <https://incf.org/incf-standards-review-criteria-v20> include: - Openness - FAIRness - Design, testing, and implementation - Governance - Adoption and use - Stability and support - Extensibility - Comparison (similarity to other standards)

March 21, 2022

2022 Neuro-Inspired Computational Elements Conference -- Final Agenda -- March 29-April 1 Virtual!

by Aimone, James Bradley

Dear colleagues, The final agenda for NICE 2022 has been published here https://flagship.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/jss/HBPm?mI=235&m=showAgenda This is the 9th annual NICE meeting, and we will be virtual again this year due to global travel considerations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. NICE covers the neuromorphic computing field with parallel considerations of the neuroscience inspiration and application drivers of brain-inspired computing technologies. Keynote talks Stefano Fusi (Columbia University) Jeff Clune (University of British Columbia) Please join us! Brad Aimone 2022 NICE Organizing Committee -------------------------- James Bradley Aimone, Ph.D. Cognitive and Emerging Computing Department Center for Computing Research Sandia National Laboratories Phone: (505) 284-3147 Fax: (505) 844-4728 http://neuroscience.sandia.gov

March 21, 2022

4-year postdoc in cognitive science

by Dominik Endres

The research group for Theoretical Cognitive Science of Prof. Dr. Dominik Endres at the Department of Psychology, Philipps Universität Marburg, Germany, is currently accepting applications for a *** Postdoctoral Researcher **** We expect the successful applicant to independently develop, implement and execute virtual reality experiments for the validation of (deep) learning and Bayesian models of human behavior and perception and/or to develop, implement and analyze these models. Contributions to scientific publications and regular and active participation in the CRC’s scientific program are required. More details about the project's research directions can be found in these publications: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3355401 https://jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2678770 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7829376 https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/rev0000330 The position is offered for a period of 4 years, if no former times of qualification need to be considered. The starting date is as soon as possible. The position is full-time with salary and benefits commensurate with a public service position in the state Hesse, Germany (TV-H E 13). The position is a part of the project C6 (sensorimotor primitives, collaboratively supervised by Prof. D. Endres, Prof. A. Schütz and Prof. A. Schubö) of the DFG-funded *** Collaborative Research Center CRC/TRR 135 “Cardinal Mechanisms of Perception” *** More Information on the CRC can be found at http://www.allpsych.uni-giessen.de/sfb/index_en.html. Formal requirements are a qualified degree (diploma, master or equivalent) in psychology, cognitive science, computer science, engineering or physics (Master, Diploma, or comparable), a completed or nearly completed PhD as well as demonstrable programming experience in a high-level language, e.g. Python. We expect you to be interested in the topic of the project (to be documented in a motivation letter (1 page max), in which you may refer to prior experiences, for instance, a thematically pertinent thesis, student research assistant positions, etc.), developing virtual-reality scenarios and technology for research purposes as well as quantitative modelling. Advantageous qualifications are prior exposure to machine learning, Bayesian statistics, experience with human behavioral experiments as well as willingness to acquire basic German language skills. The full job advert can be found at https://www.uni-marburg.de/de/universitaet/administration/verwaltung/dezern… Please send your application (including a project-specific motivation letter in English, relevant diplomas, curriculum vitae and contact details of two potential referees) mentioning reference no. fb04-0010-wmz-2022 only as a single PDF file to dominik.endres(a)uni-marburg.de, before 15.04.2022. Feel free to contact Prof. Dr. Dominik Endres, mailto:dominik.endres@uni-marburg.de for more information. -- Prof. Dr. Dominik Endres Theoretische Kognitionswissenschaft - Theoretical Cognitive Science FB 04 Psychologie Tel: 06421-28 23818

March 21, 2022

PhD funded opportunity

by Eirini Mavritsaki

PhD funded opportunity (computational cognitive psychology) https://www.bcu.ac.uk/social-sciences/research/phd_opportunities Title: Covid-19 effects on Cognitive Health School: School of Social Sciences The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyday life and cognitive health including sustained attention and depression (Hampshire et al., 2021; Zhou et al., 2020 (a)(b)). However, little is known about whether depression is due to COVID-19 infection, or an effect of cognitive decline caused by the COVID-19, as depression is also linked to changes in attention and memory (Fossati, 2018; Dillon & Pizzagalli, 2018). Therefore, it is imperative to understand the interaction between cognition and depression, an area of research that is poorly understood in recent work related to COVID-19 and how this is progressing over time. Here, we propose to investigate the link between COVID-19 and cognitive health - depression, cognitive flexibility, and attention. We are using an interdisciplinary approach that combines online behavioural data with computational modelling using a computational approach developed by our team. Contact information: Name: Prof. Eirini Mavritsaki E-mail: eirini.mavritsaki(a)bcu.ac.uk<mailto:eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk> Tel: 0121 331 6361 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prof. Eirini Mavritsaki, Ph.D., CPsychol , SFHEA, SEDA Recognised Supervisor Professor of Cognitive Psychology 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

March 18, 2022

Postdoctoral position in the cognitive neuroscience of aging at UC Riverside and Irvine

by Aaron Seitz

A postdoctoral position in the cognitive neuroscience of aging is available at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) to work with a research team including Professors Xiaoping Hu, Aaron Seitz, Ilana Bennett, and Weiwei Zhang at UCR, and in collaboration with Megan Peters at UC Irvine. This opportunity will involve working on a NIA-funded project to understand how individual differences in the structure and function of the locus coeruleus moderate perception and memory in an older adult population. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to take a lead role in the project, including setting up experiments, collecting and analyzing data, training and supervising graduate students and undergraduate research assistants, and disseminating results at conferences and in research publications. https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF01540 Successful candidates should have a strong background in fMRI data collection and analysis, advanced computational and statistical competencies, management skills, creativity and a high-level of conscientiousness. They should also have expertise in one or more of the following areas (and knowledge of the others): cognitive aging, brain aging, psychophysics, perception or memory processes, eye-tracking, metacognition, and the role of the locus coeruleus in cognition. Experience in programming psychophysical experiments, in either MATLAB or Python, is preferred. Researchers must possess a doctoral degree in Psychology, Education, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, or a related field. The primary appointment will be either in the UCR Psychology or Bioengineering Departments, depending upon candidate interest and primary expertise. Working with our diverse research team will provide a unique interdisciplinary research and mentoring experience. Research will be conducted at the UCR Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, which features a 3T Prisma fMRI system with state of the art eye-tracking and psychophysical systems. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, 1-2 sample publications, statement of research interests, statement of past and/or planned future contributions to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence, and the names of three to five references with phone numbers and emails. Review of applications will begin on April 7, 2022 and may continue until the position is filled. Applications received by April 7, 2022 will receive full consideration. UCR is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse student body. Its mission is explicitly linked to providing routes to educational success for underrepresented and first-generation college students. A commitment to this mission is a preferred qualification. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Best, -Aaron ************************************************** 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<mailto:aseitz@ucr.edu> Web: http://faculty.ucr.edu/~aseitz/ BGC: http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu<http://braingamecenter.ucr.edu/> **************************************************

March 18, 2022

PhD studentships at University of Hertfordshire, UK

by Nada Yousif

Applications are invited by the Centre for Future Societies Research for three fully funded PhD studentships at the University of Hertfordshire. These research studentships will be part of the University Alliance (UA) Doctoral Training Alliance in Future Societies, and include the proposed project: "Low-cost, accessible neurostimulation, experiments and simulations" to be supervised by Dr Nada Yousif and Prof Volker Steuber. The PhD project will combine experimental cerebellar stimulation and computational modelling of the cerebellum to show the feasibility of low-cost, accessible non-invasive neurostimulation for treating movement disorders. Please see the Centre for Future Societies Research web page where project details are held on https://www.herts.ac.uk/research/centres/centre-for-future-societies-resear… and the external advert on https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CND466/three-fully-funded-phd-research-studentsh…. Closing date for applications: 22nd April 2022. Interviews will start soon after the closing date. Studentship start date: September 2022. For informal enquiries contact Dr Nada Yousif (n.yousif(a)herts.ac.uk<mailto:n.yousif@herts.ac.uk>) or Prof Volker Steuber (v.steuber(a)herts.ac.uk<mailto:v.steuber@herts.ac.uk>, biocomputation.herts.ac.uk<http://biocomputation.herts.ac.uk/>). Dr Nada Yousif School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science University of Hertfordshire +44 (0)1707 284129 n.yousif(a)herts.ac.uk<mailto:n.yousif@herts.ac.uk> go.herts.ac.uk/nada_yousif https://sites.google.com/view/nada-yousif/home

March 17, 2022

EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022, 30 May – 3 June 2022, REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 30 April 2022

by Luca Leonardo Bologna

We are glad to announce the *EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022* to be held in Palermo, Italy, from 30 May to 3 June, 2022. The EBRAINS Brain Simulation School 2022 aims at introducing the participants to the latest achievements and innovations of the *digital infrastructure for brain research EBRAINS* (ebrains.eu), created by the Human Brain Project. The School will offer tutorials on EBRAINS Tools and eServices. The students will be presented with the overview of the EBRAINS research platform, discussed by the leaders of the Human Brain Project, and gain practical skills in using EBRAINS resources to implement cellular and network level computational models, to use *EBRAINS Computing Services* configure and run simulations, and to visualise/analyse the results. Through tutorials, interactive sessions and hands-on activities, attendees will learn how to interact with EBRAINS to *carry out their own research*, to set up and manage a data-driven collaborative project, or to use the EBRAINS platform to interact with internal and external databases. The *target audience* of this school are advanced master students, doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in biomedical and technology sciences, from medicine, biology, psychology, to mathematics, informatics, information technology, physics, chemistry, who would like to get an *introduction to the neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience tools available in the EBRAINS Infrastructure*. Registrations close on *30 April, 2022*. The event is limited to *40 participants*. Registration and Program are available on the School website: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/education/BRAINSIM/ The School Scientific Chairs & Organizers Michele Migliore, Aušra Saudargienė, Francesca Spataro, Alessia Bonafede

March 17, 2022

Postdoc at Harvard (Drugowitsch Lab) in computational neuroscience

by Jan Drugowitsch

Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA Start: summer 2022 or after We are looking for a highly creative and motivated postdoctoral fellow to work in the field of computational and systems neuroscience in the group of Jan Drugowitsch - Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School (https://drugowitschlab.hms.harvard.edu/) The group works on questions of decision-making and navigation under uncertainty, ranging from the level of neural populations to that of behavior. We have strong ties to, and frequently collaborate with, experimental labs. The postdoctoral fellow will develop state-of-the-art theories of neural computations using machine learning, neural networks, dynamical systems analysis, and reinforcement learning, and will analyze the neural data collected by experimental collaborators. The position starts in or after June 2022, and is funded for several years, with an initial one-year appointment and expectation of extension given satisfactory performance. Salary depends on experience and is at levels above the NIH scale. Expected background: Candidates should have a strong analytical background, such as in computational neuroscience, physics, mathematics, engineering, or related, and feature an interest in the role of computation in neural populations and in theoretical neuroscience in general. Experience or familiarity with related machine-learning fields is also desirable. Application: Candidates should send a single pdf file, consisting of a 1-page motivation letter, CV, and publication list to jan_drugowitsch(a)hms.harvard.edu. If they are considered suitable candidates, they will be requested to additionally organize two letters of reference. The position is open until filled. Dr. Drugowitsch will be available at the Computational and Systems Neuroscience Conference (Cosyne), to take place in Portugal, March 17-22, for questions and further information about the opening. Harvard 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, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Jan Drugowitsch Assistant Professor in Neurobiology Harvard Medical School https://drugowitschlab.hms.harvard.edu/

March 14, 2022

NeuroBridges 2022

by Ahmed El Hady

*NeuroBridges 2022* *A Mediterranean, Middle Eastern Summer School in Neuroscience* *Application opens March 15, 2022* *Website: **___http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2022.html_* ** *NeuroBridges2022* is a summer school which will take place between September 4 and September 15, 2022 in Le Centre de Conferences Internationales de Cluny, France (CCIC) <https://streaklinks.com/A90svF509Dfx1gAIfQKAz1pX/https%3A%2F%2Fcollegecluny…>. The school will provide an overview of theoretical and experimental frameworks used to study a variety of *decision making* processes. It will cover a different model systems from rodents to humans and a plethora of decision making mechanisms. Another objective of Neurobridges is to bring together *Mediterranean and Middle Eastern scientists*, in order to promote scientific cooperation between young researchers from these countries. The organizers of NeuroBridges are convinced that such scientific collaborations can lead to personal relations, which eventually may alleviate the political distress in the Middle East. The school is intended for graduate students and postdocs, primarily (but not only) from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region either working in their home countries or abroad. Applicants should have some background in related fields in neuroscience or cognitive psychology. All costs of registration and accommodation will be covered by the organizers. For more information and application, visit our website:_http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2022.html_ *NeuroBridges2022 Faculty:* Carlos Brody (Princeton), Ahmed El Hady (Princeton/Konstanz), David Hansel (CNRS), Ifat Levy (Yale), Yonatan Loewenstein (Hebrew U.), Najib Majaj (NYU), Mike Shadlen (Columbia U.), Eyal Winter (Hebrew U.) and Yoram Yovell (Hadassah Hebrew U. Medical Center) *NeuroBridges* is co-organized by Ahmed El Hady (Princeton Neuroscience Institute, USA), Yonatan Loewenstein (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) and David Hansel (CNRS, Paris, France). *NeuroBridges2022* is supported by the Simons Foundation (USA) and CNRS (France) and is in partnership with WWTNS (wwtns.online). *Contact us:*_neurobridges2022@gmail.com <mailto:neurobridges2022@gmail.com>_

March 13, 2022

job: machine learning research scientist at NIMH

by Francisco Pereira

## HIRING: machine learning research scientist The Machine Learning Team at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, MD, has an open position for a machine learning research scientist. The NIMH is the leading federal agency for research on mental disorders and neuroscience, and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ## About the NIMH Machine Learning Team Our mission is to help NIMH scientists use machine learning methods to address research problems in clinical and cognitive psychology and neuroscience. These range from identifying biomarkers for aiding diagnoses to creating and testing models of mental processes in healthy subjects. Our overarching goal is to use machine learning to improve every aspect of the scientific effort, from helping discover or develop theories to generating actionable results. We work with many different data types, including very large brain imaging datasets from various imaging modalities, behavioral data, and picture and text corpora. We have excellent computational resources, both of our own (tens of high-end GPUs for deep learning, several large servers) and shared within the NIH (a cluster with hundreds of thousands of CPUs, and hundreds of GPUs). As a machine learning research group, we develop new methods and publish in the main machine learning conferences (e.g. NeurIPS and ICLR), as well as in psychology and neuroscience journals. Many of our problems require devising research approaches that combine imaging and non-imaging data, and leveraging structured knowledge resources (databases, scientific literature, etc) to generate explanations and hypotheses. You can find more about our work and recent publications at https://cmn.nimh.nih.gov/mlt ## About the position We are seeking candidates who are capable of combining machine learning, statistical, and domain-specific computational tools to solve practical data analysis challenges (e.g. designing experiments, generating and testing statistical hypotheses, training and interpreting predictive models, and developing novel models and methods). Additionally, candidates should be capable of visualizing and communicating findings to a broad scientific audience, as well as explaining the details of relevant methods to researchers in a variety of domains. Required experience: - deep learning, using PyTorch or Tensorflow Desirable experience: - reinforcement learning - Bayesian statistical modelling - other types of modelling of human/animal learning and decision-making - neuroimaging data processing/ analysis (any MRI modality, MEG, or EEG) - other types of neural data (e.g. neural recording, calcium imaging) all in the context of substantial research projects, ideally having led to submitted or published articles. Finally, you should have demonstrable experience programming in languages currently used in data-intensive, scientific computing, such as Python, MATLAB or R. Experience with handling large datasets in high performance computing settings is also very valuable. Although this position requires a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline, we will consider applicants from a variety of backgrounds, as their research experience is the most important factor. Backgrounds of team members include computer science, statistics, mathematics, and biomedical engineering. This is an ideal position for someone who wants to establish a research career in method development and applications driven by scientific and clinical needs. Given our access to a variety of collaborators and large or unique datasets, there is ample opportunity to match research interests with novel research problems. We also maintain collaborations outside of the NIH, driven by our own research interests or community impact. If you would like to be considered for this position, please send francisco.pereira(a)nih.gov a CV, with your email serving as cover letter. We especially encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups in the machine learning research community. If you already have a research statement, please feel free to send that as well. There is no need for reference letters at this stage. Other inquiries are also welcome. Thank you for your attention and interest!

March 12, 2022

SCGB Virtual Postdoc/Student Meeting: Monday, March 14 by James Roach

by Laura Long

The Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) hosts postdoc/student meetings to bring together trainees interested in neural coding and dynamics to discuss ideas and data. In addition to regional meetings in New York, Boston, and the Bay Area, SCGB holds a Global virtual series to connect systems and computational neuroscientists across the world. We would love to see you at our next Global meeting! Please see event details and the Zoom link below. SCGB Global Postdoc/Student Meeting: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scgb-global-postdocstudent-meeting-tickets-277… Monday, March 14th, 1pm Eastern Time https://simonsfoundation.zoom.us/j/97652465539?pwd=YkdYaTBGOGU0c1NyUzV1d1Jr… Passcode: 188122 *James Roach*Postdoctoral Researcher, Churchland Laboratory University of California, Los Angeles *Two roles for choice selective inhibition in decision-making circuits* During perceptual decision-making, the firing rates of cortical neurons reflect upcoming choices. Recent work showed that excitatory and inhibitory neurons are equally selective for choice. However, the functional consequences of inhibitory choice selectivity in decision-making circuits are unknown. We developed a circuit model of decision-making which accounts for the specificity of inputs to and outputs from inhibitory neurons. We found that selective inhibition expands the space of circuits supporting decision-making, allowing for weaker or stronger recurrent excitation when connected in a competitive or feedback motif. The specificity of inhibitory outputs sets the trade-off between speed and accuracy of decisions by altering the attractor dynamics in the circuit. Recurrent neural networks trained to make decisions display the same dependence on inhibitory specificity and the strength of recurrent excitation. Our results reveal two concurrent roles for selective inhibition in decision-making circuits: stabilizing strongly connected excitatory populations and maximizing competition between oppositely selective populations. *Please note that this meeting is open to all neuroscience postdocs and PhD students, regardless of location or SCGB affiliation (sorry, no PIs). *After Q&A with the speaker, we will open breakout rooms for anyone interested in staying to chat, network, or further discuss the talk. In addition to these breakouts, SCGB Scientific Staff will be available for "office hours" to chat and answer questions about SCGB programs and support. Registration on EventBrite is encouraged but not required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scgb-global-postdocstudent-meeting-tickets-277… Please contact Laura Long at llong(a)simonsfoundation.org with any questions.

March 11, 2022

Multiple Postdoctoral Scholar Positions at Washington University in St. Louis

by Shuo Wang

We are looking for multiple highly motivated postdoctoral scholars to work on NSF, DoD, and NIH funded projects. Projects include but are not limited to using human single-neuron recordings to study the neural circuits underlying social attention and using fMRI to study face perception in people with autism. The research will be conducted in a highly collaborative environment using state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, and analytical methods. The postdoctoral scholars will collaborate with an established team of investigators within and outside WashU and have ample opportunity to learn new techniques and methods. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in systems, cognitive, or computational neuroscience, or in physics, electrical engineering, or computer science, with relevant research expertise in neuroscience. Applicants must also have strong programming (Matlab or similar) skills. Our lab combines multimodal and advanced measurement techniques with sophisticated computational approaches to understand the neural mechanisms and neural computations underlying social attention, face processing, emotion, memory, and decision making. Overarching questions involve how the brain figures out what is important in the environment, how socially relevant stimuli pop out and attract attention, how faces are processed and represented in general, and how memory is modulated by attention. We are particularly interested in the neural computations underlying these cognitive processes: multimodal approaches allow us to investigate these questions from the microscopic single-neuron and neural circuit level using our state-of-the-art human single-neuron recordings as well as macroscopic level using fMRI, EEG, and intracranial EEG (sEEG and ECoG). These multimodal experimental approaches are powered by sophisticated computational approaches that can deal with complex and large datasets. The Wang Neuroscience Lab is housed in the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at the Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St Louis. WUSM is a world class research intensive academic health center that is consistently ranked among the nation’s research-oriented medical schools. Additionally, it is nationally known for its attractive campus, which borders residential neighborhoods and one of the nation’s largest urban parks. St. Louis is consistently rated a Forbes most affordable city with vibrant music, food and park scene, and has one of the fastest growing start-up communities with impressive accelerator and incubator services available through the Biogenerator, Cambridge Innovation Center, and Cortex Innovation District. Shuo Wang, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Washington University in St. Louis https://sites.wustl.edu/wanglab/

March 11, 2022

Applications open for BRAINS: please forward!

by Adrienne L Fairhall

Dear colleagues, Applications are now open for an NINDS funded, national professional development program dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion in neuroscience (*BRAINS: Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience*. BRAINS uses a unique cohort-based professional development approach to explicitly address the inclusion, retention, and advancement of early career (post Ph.D. and pre-tenure) neuroscientists from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. The BRAINS experience positively impacts participants’ career trajectories, especially in academic neuroscience, and creates perpetually empowering communities. For more information about our program, visit the BRAINS website [https://advance.washington.edu/brains/] To apply, go to: https://advance.washington.edu/brains/program/application. Applications will be accepted until April 25, 2022. If you have questions, feel free to contact Sheri Mizumori (mizumori(a)uw.edu ).

March 11, 2022