- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Postdoc for theoretician to collaborate with experimentalists on hippocampal oscillations
by Canavier, Carmen C. Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

A postdoctoral position is available in the lab of Carmen Canavier at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. This is an exciting opportunity to participate as a theoretician in a synergistic loop with John White's experimental group at Boston University on gamma oscillations in excitatory and inhibitory neural networks. The successful candidate must be creative and able to work as part of a team. Both network level and single cell modeling using NEURON will be utilized in concert with nonlinear dynamics and other analytical methods to develop and test neural signatures of different oscillatory mechanisms. Quantitative training in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or a related field is required, as well as some programming expertise. Some knowledge of neuroscience and familiarity with Linux is preferred. Please contact Dr. Canavier at ccanav(a)lsuhsc.edu if you are interested. The position is available immediately, but we are also interested in strong candidates who will graduate in the spring or summer.

1 0

IMRF 2020 | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | Deadline March 01, 2020
by Marc Ernst Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

**** IMRF 2020 | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | Deadline March 01, 2020 **** IMRF - the International Multisensory Research Forum - is now accepting abstracts to be considered for poster and talk presentations at the IMRF 2020 Meeting. The IMRF 2020 is taking place in Ulm, Germany June 22-25, 2020. The IMRF hosts around 300 contributions from all over the world on topics of multisensory perception, ranging from neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, computer science, behavioral biology and its applications. With this it is the major conference in this field. Abstracts should be submitted through the IMRF 2020 web-page <https://cops.ifp.uni-ulm.de/imrf2020/index.php/imrf-2020/registration-submi…>. They should be no more than 300 words. Each individual may present only one contribution. Presenters should be first author. An author can be co-author on more than one contribution. Submission Deadline: March 1, 2020 Decisions will be made by end of March. Registration will open shortly. For more information see the IMRF 2020 web-page <https://cops.ifp.uni-ulm.de/imrf2020/index.php> You can submit your abstracts here <https://cops.ifp.uni-ulm.de/imrf2020/index.php/imrf-2020/registration-submi…>. Looking forward to see you in Ulm later this year, On behalf of the IMRF 2020 organizing team --------------------------------------------------------- Prof. Dr. Marc Ernst Appl. Cognitive Psychology Faculty for Computer Science, Engineering, and Psychology Ulm University Albert-Einstein-Allee 43 89081 Ulm room: 43.3.103 phone: +49-731-50 320 50 sekr: +49-731-50 320 51 fax: +49-731-50 320 59 mobile: +49-152-22 543 156 marc.ernst(a)uni-ulm.de <mailto:marc.ernst@uni-ulm.de>

1 0

NeuroBridges 2020 School announcement
by Ahmed El Hady Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

*/NeuroBridges 2020 Summer school , Cluny, France/* */( September 6th - September 17th, 2020)/* *//* I would like to bring to your attention the NeuroBridges 2020 Summer School <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2020.html> <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2020.html> NeuroBridges <https://www.facebook.com/NeuroBridges/>is a one-of-a-kind series of scientific meetings in brain research, which brings together Mediterranean and Middle Eastern scientists, in order to promote international scientific cooperation in system and computational neuroscience. A major goal of this school is to serve as a bridge between experimental and theoretical neuroscientists, addressing system-level questions. This year the school will primarily focus on the neural basis and computational principles underlying decision making. *The forthcoming NeuroBridges 2020*will be a ten-day summer school. Students will attend lectures delivered by a group of leading neuroscientists, experimentalists as well as theoreticians, which will address the fundamental questions in the field of decision making. In addition to the lectures, the students will work in groups on small research projects. The school is intended for graduate students and postdocs, primarily (but not only) from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region either working in their home countries or abroad. We will consider applicants with some background in related fields in neuroscience or cognitive psychology. Through the online application system, you will be asked to provide personal details, academic background, a motivation letter that should include a paragraph about your quantitative skills and a CV. In addition, we request two recommendation letters. The school will take place between *September 6 and September 17, 2020* in Le Centre de Conferences Internationales de Cluny (CCIC) <http://www.ccic.eu/index.html>. Cluny is a small medieval town in Burgundy, France, located about 400km southeast of Paris (accessible by fast train, TGV). All costs of registration and accommodation will be covered by the organizers. A limited number of travel grants will also be available. *NeuroBridges* is co-organized by Ahmed El Hady <http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home> (Princeton Neuroscience Institute, USA), Yonatan Loewenstein <http://elsc.huji.ac.il/loewenstein/home>(Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) and David Hansel <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/david-hansel/> (CNRS, Paris, France). Review of applications will end in May 2020. *2020 Faculty:* Carlos Brody (Princeton) <https://pni.princeton.edu/faculty/carlos-brody> Ahmed El Hady (Princeton) <http://scholar.princeton.edu/ahmedelhady/home> David Hansel (CNRS) <https://neurophys.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/members/david-hansel/> Ifat Levy (Yale) <https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/ifat_levy> Yonatan Loewenstein (Hebrew U.) <https://elsc.huji.ac.il/faculty-staff/yonatan-loewenstein> Najib Majaj (NYU) <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Najib_Majaj> Mike Shadlen (Columbia U.) <https://neuroscience.columbia.edu/profile/michaelshadlen> Eyal Winter (Hebrew U.) <http://www.ma.huji.ac.il/%7Emseyal/> Yoram Yovell (Hadassah Hebrew U. Medical Center) <http://yovell.co.il/en/> The deadline for application is *April 1st, 2020 *and the following is the website including the link for the online application: http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2020.html <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2019.html> <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2019.html> For more information, please contact neurobridges2020(a)gmail.com <mailto:neurobridges2018@gmail.com>.

1 0

[jobs] several positions in embodied computational models of body representations @CTU Prague
by Matej Hoffmann Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

** *Dear colleagues, * * there are several positions open in the humanoid, cognitive, neuro-, and collaborative robotics group coordinated by Dr. Matej Hoffmann (https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/) at the Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague. The positions include PhD, post-doc, and tenure-track. Group webpage: https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/research/groups-teams/humanoids/ The topics are in the context of the newly starting 5-year project entitled “Whole-body awareness for safe and natural interaction: from brains to collaborative robots” for excellence in fundamental research from the Czech Science Foundation (see https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/news/new-gacr-expro-project <https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/news/new-gacr-expro-project/>for more information) and include: * Employing humanoid robots with artificial skin to construct embodied computational models of body and peripersonal space representations * Neural network models of multisensory integration and peripersonal space * Physical human-robot interaction with special focus on tactile and proximity sensing * Social human-robot interaction focusing on touch and interpersonal distance Open positions: PhD student. The topic will be co-defined with the student depending on his skills and interests. The standard duration of the PhD study is 4 years. The funding corresponds to a gross salary of CZK 40 000 per month (approx. 1600 EUR), plus direct bonuses for scientific achievements such as top-tier publications. Postdoc. The postdoc will independently conduct research and will also be involved in shaping the research of the group and supervising students. The gross salary will be in the range of CZK 50 000-70 000 per month (approx. 2000-2700 EUR) depending on qualification, plus direct bonuses for scientific achievements such as top-tier publications. Tenure-track. This position is open in the humanoids group or in the broader context of Vision for Robotics and Autonomous Systems group (https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/research/groups-teams/vras/) and the Research Center For Informatics (http://rci.cvut.cz/) Robots and infrastructure The humanoids group has at its disposal several humanoid robots (iCub - procurement being finalized, 2 Naos - 1 with whole-body sensitive skin) and collaborative or lightweight manipulators (KUKA LBR iiwa, UR10e with Airskin, Kinova Gen3). Additional infrastructure includes several robot hands (Barrett Hand BH8-282, QB Soft Hand) and grippers, a 3D Motion Capture System, Impact measuring devices (GTE), and integrated devices for collaborative robots (http://smartrobots.it/) The group has also access to the facilities of the Research Center for Informatics such as a high-performance computational cluster. International collaborations There is a large group of international experts who have agreed to act as collaborators/advisors on the project. These include experts in - developmental psychology: Dr. Kevin O’Regan (CNRS, Paris), Prof. Jeffrey J. Lockman (Tulane University, New Orleans) - cognitive psychology and neuroscience: Prof. Matthew Longo (Birkbeck University, London), Prof. Tobias Heed (Bielefeld), Prof. Andrea Serino (University of Lausanne), Dr. Jean-Paul Noel (Center for Neural Science at New York University), Drs. M.Gori and Giulia Cappagli (Italian Institute of Technology, Dr. S. Signorini (IRCSS Fondazione Mondino Pavia) - physical human-robot interaction: Prof. Sami Haddadin (TU Munich), Dr. Arash Ajoudani (Italian Institute of Technology), Dr. Michael Zillich (Blue Danube Robotics – manufacturer of Airskin) - social human-robot interaction: Dr. Alessandra Sciutti (Italian Institute of Technology), Dr. Hagen Lehmann (University of Macerata) How to apply. The application should include: ** -**Motivation letter (max. 1 page) ** - *CV (including 2 reference persons)* ** -***1 Letter of recommendation (can be from 1 of the reference persons above)*** Please send the applications or inquiries to matej.hoffmann(a)fel.cvut.cz <mailto:matej.hoffmann@fel.cvut.cz>with (“[PhD / Postdoc / tenure-track] application” in the subject). The positions are open until filled. Best regards, Matej Hoffmann * -- Matej Hoffmann, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Cybernetics Faculty of Electrical Engineering Czech Technical University in Prague https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/home +420 224 357 387

1 0

PhD and MSc Opportunities in Computational Neuroscience and Neuroimaging at the University of Toronto
by John Griffiths Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

The Whole Brain Modelling Group (PI Dr. John Griffiths; www.grifflab.com) at the CAMH Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics ( www.krembilneuroinformatics.ca) and University of Toronto is looking for PhD and MSc students with a strong background in computational neuroscience and/or neuroimaging. The focus of the Group’s work is computational models of large-scale brain activity, with particular emphases on neural dynamics as measured by M/EEG and fMRI, oscillations, brain stimulation (TMS, TDCS), neural plasticity, and macro-connectomics. The student shall conduct research in one or more of these areas. They will have the opportunity to shape the details of the project based on their specific interests, as well as to contribute to other ongoing projects on a range of topics, including: neuroinformatics of whole-brain modelling, mapping and modelling anatomical connectivity and microstructure with DWI in relation to ageing and stroke, and multi-scale modelling of the thalamocortical system in relation to sleep, pharmacological neuromodulation, and neuropsychiatric disease. The successful candidate should have, minimally, an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, engineering, physics, mathematics, psychology, or related area, and a demonstrable track record of research experience and interest in computational neuroscience and/or neuroimaging. Expertise in one or more modern scientific computing programming language (Python, Matlab, Julia, R, C++) is essential. The candidate should also have familiarity with one or both of: i) neuroimaging data analysis (s/d/fMRI and/or M/EEG), and ii) computational modelling using numerical simulations (particularly modelling of neural population activity with mean-field/neural mass/neural field techniques, either with custom implementations or with tools such as The Virtual Brain Platform or Dynamic Causal Modelling). Full details of the position and application instructions can be found at www.grifflab.com/positions/ For informal inquiries, please email Dr. John Griffiths at john.griffiths(a)camh.ca with the title “PhD in Whole Brain Modelling” in the subject line ( Note: students interested in a September 2020 start at the University of Toronto should get in touch immediately to leave time for approaching application deadlines ) -- Dr. John D. Griffiths Independent Scientist @ Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, CAMH, Toronto Assistant Professor @ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto www.grifflab.com

1 0

[publication and call for dialog] IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems
by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

Dear colleagues, we are happy to announce the release of the latest issue of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (open access). This is a biannual newsletter addressing the sciences of developmental and cognitive processes in natural and artificial organisms, from humans to robots, at the crossroads of cognitive science, developmental psychology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and neuroscience. It is available at: https://goo.gl/NAwBfD Featuring dialog: === "Curiosity as Driver of Extreme Specialization in Humans" == Dialog initiated by Celeste Kidd with responses from: Elizabeth Bonawitz, Maya Zhe Wang, Brian Sweis, Benjamin Hayden, Susan Engel, Abigail Hsiung, Shabnam Hakimi, Alison Adcock, Moritz Daum, Arjun Shankar, Tobias Hauser, Goren Gordon and Perry Zurn == Topic: Curiosity-driven learning is probably one of the most fundamental mechanisms in human learning, and yet it is also probably one of the least understood. Broadly construed as spontaneous exploration and engagement with activities or material without any extrinsic goal (as opposed to searching for information useful for an extrinsic goal), many mysteries remain to be uncovered. What are the causal links between curiosity and learning? How does prior knowledge about a topic or an activity relates to curiosity about this topic? What is the role of curiosity in life-span development? Can human curiosity explain the apparently unique tendency of humans for extreme specialization? Reversely, how do different forms of curiosity (diversive or specific) evolve as children grow up and become adults? While early computational models of curiosity propose theoretical approaches to understand their cognitive mechanisms, how can we understand the affective/ emotional dimensions of curiosity? And how has the linguistic concept of “curiosity” evolved in occidental culture? Call for new dialog: === « Leveraging Adaptive Games to Learn How to Help Children Learn Effectively" == Dialog initiated by George Kachergis == Topic: How can one achieve efficiently “translational educational sciences” and get these principles used in real-world large-scale educational technologies? In this dialog, Georges Kachergis highlights challenges related to collaborations between cognitive scientists and game developers, how to deploy real world experiments, and how to enable scientific understanding when many variables cannot easily be controlled? Those of you interested in reacting to this dialog initiation are welcome to submit a response by December 15th, 2018. The length of each response must be between 600 and 800 words including references (contact pierre-yves.oudeyer(a)inria.fr) Let us remind you that all issues of the newsletter are all open-access and available at: https://goo.gl/ZjjZNz I wish you a stimulating reading! Best regards, Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, Editor of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems Research director, Inria Head of Flowers project-team Inria and Ensta ParisTech, France http://www.pyoudeyer.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/pyoudeyer and Fabien Benureau, Editorial Assistant Cognitive NeuroRobotics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa Japan Email: fabien.benureau [at] oist [dot] jp

1 1

UK PhD opportunities in Computational/Mathematical Biology or Neuroscience (EPSRC funded, 3.5 yrs, Sept 2020 start)
by James Rankin Jan. 23, 2020

Jan. 23, 2020

*PhD in Computational/Mathematical Biology or Neuroscience (EPSRC funded, 3.5 yrs, Sept 2020 start) * There are a number projects proposed in Computational and Mathematical Biology or Neuroscience in the following call (follow Research Theme link to Mathematical biology and medicine). General information & apply (funding is primarily targeted at currently UK-based students): http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/index.php?id=3830 Deadline is soon: 30th January. Contact: j.a.rankin(a)exeter.ac.uk or m.goodfellow(a)exeter.ac.uk

1 0

postdoc position in reinforcement learning and decision making
by Gershman, Samuel Joseph Jan. 22, 2020

Jan. 22, 2020

The Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at Harvard University (Director: Sam Gershman) is seeking 1-2 postdoctoral fellows to work in the area of reinforcement learning and decision making. The start date is on or after October 1, 2020. The position is for 3 years. Requirements for this position are: (1) Experience with fMRI and/or human behavioral experiments. (2) A strong technical background in Bayesian and reinforcement learning models. Interested applicants should e-mail gershman(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:gershman@fas.harvard.edu> with a CV, statement of interest (not to exceed 2 pages), and a link to a publications page. For more information on the lab's research, please visit http://gershmanlab.webfactional.com/ Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

1 0

Phd position in perceptual decision making @ TU Darmstadt
by Jäkel, Frank Jan. 22, 2020

Jan. 22, 2020

The Models of Higher Cognition group (PI: Frank Jaekel) at the TU Darmstadt Centre for Cognitive Science is looking for a PhD student in the area of perceptual decision making. In a joint DFG-project with the Neurophysiology group at the University of Mainz (PI: Maik Stuettgen) we are investigating neural and cognitive processes underlying criterion learning. We are looking for candidates who are interested in theory and modeling (signal detection theory, probabilistic models, reinforcement learning, neural networks) as well as psychophysical experiments in humans. Informal inquiries can be sent to jaekel(a)psychologie.tu-darmstadt.de<mailto:jaekel@psychologie.tu-darmstadt.de>. More information on the Models of Higher Cognition group can be found here: https://www.psychologie.tu-darmstadt.de/mhc and the full job ad is here: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/universitaet/karriere_an_der_tu/stellenangebote…

1 0

Two fully-funded PhD positions on infant neuroimaging and computational modelling at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
by Lorijn Zaadnoordijk Jan. 22, 2020

Jan. 22, 2020

Join us! Two PhD fully-funded scholarships are available to study the foundations of cognition using infant neuroimaging and computational modelling. Apply before Jan 31 for China Scholarship Council funding, or before Mar 1 for funding from our ERC FOUNDCOG project. How does the human mind develop? The FOUNDCOG team will address this question using neuroimaging of infants, in their critical first year after birth, to capture the development of the brain and its functions. We will interpret the results by comparing them to computational models of learning from artificial intelligence. In addition to characterising the development of the human mind, we aim to understand how it is disrupted by brain injury and to produce new diagnostic tools for neonatologists. 1) PhD Scholarship in Infant Neuroimaging, to start in September 2020 2) PhD Scholarship in Computational Modelling, to start in September 2020 · Includes fees, stipend and travel for 4 years, with funding from the ERC FOUNDCOG project · Excellent candidates from outside of the EU will also be considered · Selection will begin in March 2020, and the position will remain open until filled For more information, see: http://cusacklab.org/vacancies.html

1 0

study abroad programs in Budapest
by Balazs Ujfalussy Jan. 22, 2020

Jan. 22, 2020

Dear All: BSCS-US announces its two programs in Budapest for 2020. 1. Our regular program: BSCS - BUDAPEST SEMESTER IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE: FROM PHILOSOPHY TO NEUROSCIENCE will be held in the Fall of 2020, see http://www.bscs-us.org/ <http://www.bscs-us.org/>. Program start/end dates August 31 - December 4, 2020. Inquiry: bscs(a)bscs-us.org <mailto:bscs@bscs-us.org> 2. We have also a summer program Systems Neuroscience: a study abroad summer program http://www.sysneuro-semester.org/ <http://www.sysneuro-semester.org/> Program start/end dates June 15 - Aug 7, 2020 The BSCS Systems Neuroscience Program takes place at and academically supervised by the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest Inquiry: Péter Érdi (SysNeuro Director; BSCS Co-Director) perdi(a)kzoo.edu <mailto:perdi@kzoo.edu> bscs(a)bscs-us.org <mailto:bscs@bscs-us.org>

1 0

Save the date! UK Neural Computation 2020 June 22nd-24th in Sheffield
by Hannes Saal Jan. 21, 2020

Jan. 21, 2020

Save the date! We are pleased to announce the 2nd annual UK Neural Computation conference, June 22nd-24th 2020, at the University of Sheffield This is a national meeting for the UK community working on the computational side of neuroscience, which last year attracted more than 130 researchers. Same basic format as last year, so we will have modelling, maths, data science, theory, machine-learning, and all combinations thereof. Schedule: June 22nd: Tutorials and seminars for early career researchers June 23rd-24th: Main meeting Confirmed speakers for the main meeting: Rui Ponte Costa (Bristol) Dan Goodman (Imperial) Marc de Kamps (Leeds) Leah Krubitzer (UC Davis) Peggy Series (Edinburgh) Huiling Tan (Oxford) Yulia Timofeeva (Warwick) Mark Van Rossum (Nottingham) Keynote: David Willshaw (Edinburgh) For further details, see the website: http://neuralcomputation.uk/ Please look out for the abstract submission and registration announcement, coming soon. Hope to see you there! Hannes Saal (Sheffield) Robert Schmidt (Sheffield) Stuart Wilson (Sheffield) Mark Humphries (Nottingham)

1 0

Industrial Ph.D. on Machine Learning in cognitive rehabilitation (La Rioja, Spain). Deadline January 31, 2020
by Asier Erramuzpe Aliaga Jan. 21, 2020

Jan. 21, 2020

[Apologies for cross-posting] Industrial Ph.D. position on Machine Learning in cognitive rehabilitation (La Rioja, Spain) Neuronup is a leading company for cognitive rehabilitation working with several thousands of patients worldwide. More information at https://app.neuronup.com/assets/pdf/info/info_en_US.pdf and https://www.neuronup.com/en/ The Neuronup headquarters are located in Logroño, the capital of the region La Rioja, Spain. Logroño is a Northen city in Spain which is only 1.30h far from Bilbao-Basque Country, 1.50h from San Sebastian-Basque Country, 1h from Pamplona-Navarre Duration of the contract: 3 years, 40 h a week Gross salary: 24K EUR Cost of living in Logroño <https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Logro%C3%B1o-Logrono-Spain> Requisites (all the applicants must have): R1. Degree in Computer Science or Telecommunications Engineering R2. MSc in Computer Science or Telecommunications Engineering. R3. Average marks of first degree of 7.5/10 or higher. R4. Experience in Python and R R5. Have a permanent residence in Europe R6. C1 English Level The applicant will finalize an Industrial Ph.D. in Machine Learning in Health, funded by the CDTI-project "Digital solutions for rehabilitation and cognitive stimulation in neuropsychology" Tasks to perform during the Ph.D.: T1. Development of prediction models. T2. Classification and categorization of patients. T3. Model validation. T4. Multi-dimension data visualization T5. Integration of developed tools into the Neuronup database and search engine. *Interested applicants send an updated CV and two reference letters to neuronup(a)neuronup.com <neuronup(a)neuronup.com> before January 31, 2020*

1 0

Deadline extension: Special Entropy Issue "Information Theory in Computational Neuroscience"
by Dimitrije Markovic Jan. 20, 2020

Jan. 20, 2020

Dear Colleagues, We cordially invite you to submit a manuscript for possible publication in a Special Issue on "Information Theory in Computational Neuroscience" to be published in the journal Entropy (ISSN 1099-4300, IF 2.419, http://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy) The aim of the Special Issue is to bring together neuronal models and neuronal plasticity mechanisms that are grounded in information theory principles, modern inference, and learning algorithms. We welcome submissions that use information theory as the basis for defining generative principles of neuronal dynamics over multiple spatio-temporal scales, which informs our understanding of information processing in the brain. You can see full details of the scope and submission details at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/Computational_Neuroscie… The new submission deadline is 31 March 2020. You may send your manuscript at any time before the deadline or a bit later. Submitted papers should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Entropy is fully open access. Open access (unlimited and free access by readers) increases publicity and promotes more frequent citations, as indicated by several studies. Please kindly note that an Article Processing Charge (APC) of CHF 1600 currently applies to all accepted papers. Fortunately, it is noticed that your institute have already had a central open access fund established in MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program, it means you do not have to pay the publication fees and your institute will cover it for you if you submit your papers to MDPI journals (see details at: <http://www.mdpi.com/about/ioap><http://www.mdpi.com/about/ioap>). You may contact your library and confirm this. Please do not hesitate to come back to us if there is anything further that we can help with. We look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Dimitrije Markovic and Claudius Gros ============================= Dr. Dimitrije Markovic Post-Doc at Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Psychology, Dresden, Germany Lab website: https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni Phone: +49-351-463-43146 Personal website: http://dimarkov.github.io/ =============================

1 0

Conference on Curiosity, Creativity, and Complexity, NYC, May 18-19
by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer Jan. 20, 2020

Jan. 20, 2020

On May 18-19 2020, Columbia University in New York will host a conference on Curiosity, Creativity, and Complexity, catalyzing interdisciplinary discussion on these topics across neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, and economics. Registration opens mid-February. Faculty, students, and postdocs are welcome to attend. Full details and updates: https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/curiosity-creativity-and-complexity… <https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/curiosity-creativity-and-complexity…>

1 0

Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course 2020: application deadline approaching
by Erik De Schutter Jan. 20, 2020

Jan. 20, 2020

OKINAWA/OIST COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE COURSE 2020 Methods, Neurons, Networks and Behaviors June 29 to July 16, 2020 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc The aim of the Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course is to provide opportunities for young researchers with theoretical backgrounds to learn the latest advances in neuroscience, and for those with experimental backgrounds to have hands-on experience in computational modeling. We invite graduate students and postgraduate researchers to participate in the course, held from June 29th through July 16th, 2020 at an oceanfront seminar house of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. Applications are through the course web page (https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc) only; January 1 - February 2, 2020. Applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance in March. Like in preceding years, the 17th OCNC will be a comprehensive three-week course covering single neurons, networks, and behaviors with ample time for student projects. The first week will focus exclusively on methods with hands-on tutorials during the afternoons, while the second and third weeks will have lectures by international experts. The course has a strong hands-on component based on student proposed modeling or data analysis projects, which are further refined with the help of a dedicated tutor. Applicants are required to propose their project at the time of application. There is no tuition fee. The sponsor will provide lodging and meals during the course and provides partial travel support. We hope that this course will be a good opportunity for theoretical and experimental neuroscientists to meet each other and to explore the attractive nature and culture of Okinawa, the southernmost island prefecture of Japan. Invited faculty: • Michael Berry II (Princeton University, USA) • Tiago Branco (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, London, UK) • Zenas C Chao (University of Kyoto, Japan) • Erik De Schutter (OIST) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Gaute Einevoll (Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway) • Tomoki Fukai (OIST) • Boris Gutkin (Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France) • Bernd Kuhn (OIST) • Devika Narain (Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands) • Alex Pouget (University of Geneva, Switzerland) • Ivan Soltesz (Stanford University, USA) • Saori C. Tanaka (ATR, Japan) • Tatjana Tchumatchenko (Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfur, Germany) • Marylka Yoe Uusisaari (OIST)

1 0

CNS*2020: Abstract Submission and Registration Open
by Martin Zapotocky Jan. 15, 2020

Jan. 15, 2020

Organization for Computational Neurosciences 2885 Sanford Ave SW #15359 Grandville, MI 49418 USA *Call for Abstracts** **29th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2020)** **Melbourne, Australia** **July 18--22, 2020* *Local Organizers:* Anthony N. Burkitt (Chair), Mark Cook, Alex Fornito, David Grayden (Treasurer), Luan Ismahil, Tatiana Kameneva, Levin Kuhlmann, Hamish Meffin The main meeting begins the evening of Saturday July 18 and runs through Tuesday July 21. It will be preceded by a day of tutorials (Saturday July 18) and followed by workshops (Tuesday July 21 mixed with the main meeting and Wednesday July 22 workshops only). *Keynote Speakers:* *Matt Botvinick*, /DeepMind Technologies/ *Zhaoping Li*, /Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics/ *Geoff Goodhill*, /The University of Queensland/ *Daniel Polani*, /University of Hertfordshire/ Registration and abstract submission are open. *Abstract submission deadline: March 4, 2020. * Note that one of the authors must register as sponsoring author for the main meeting *before abstract submission*. In case the abstract is not accepted for presentation, the registration fee will be refunded. Submitted abstracts are used for creating the program and for publication. Please follow the formatting guidelines on the submission site. Travel awards are available for student and postdoc members of OCNS. Please apply using the drop-down box on the abstract submission form and note that an extended abstract is required when applying for a travel award or oral presentation format. Registration: https://ocns.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_265… Abstract Submission for Main Meeting: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2020-abstract-submission Workshop proposals are being accepted at: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2020-call-for-workshops Tutorial proposals are being accepted at: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2020-call-for-tutorials For up-to-date conference information, please visit: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2020-quick -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OCNS is the international member-based society for computational neuroscientists. Become a member to be eligible for travel awards and more. Visit our website for more information: http://www.cnsorg.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 0

Call for papers: ICLR workshop on Bridging Cognitive Science and AI
by Jessica Hamrick Jan. 15, 2020

Jan. 15, 2020

Dear all, Aida Nematzadeh, Kaylee Burns, Alison Gopnik, Josh Tenenbaum, Emmanuel Dupoux and I are organizing a workshop that will be held at the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) 2020. The goal of the workshop will be to showcase research in AI that is inspired by human cognition, as well as cognitive models that leverage AI to provide insight into various aspects of human learning and processing. Please see below for our call for papers. We hope to see some of you there! Cheers, Jess Call for Papers We are pleased to invite papers to our workshop at ICLR 2020, titled “Bridging AI and Cognitive Science”: https://baicsworkshop.github.io/ Cognitive science and artificial intelligence (AI) have a long-standing shared history. Indeed, even today many researchers have an interest in performing multidisciplinary research across the two fields. To this end, our workshop aims to inspire connections between AI and cognitive science across a broad set of topics, including perception, language, reinforcement learning, planning, human-robot interaction, animal cognition, child development, and reasoning. We are sourcing short, four-page papers (deadline: February 5, 2020) from cognitive science, neuroscience, and AI across two tracks: The Research track will highlight advances at the intersection of AI, cognitive science, and neuroscience. We welcome submissions on: - AI systems which draw inspiration from natural intelligence, - Computational models of natural intelligence that leverage methods from AI, - Demonstrations of failure cases of AI systems where humans or animals succeed, - Datasets or environments for AI systems which target a particular aspect of natural intelligence, or - Papers which address privacy and fairness in machine learning, using insights from the behavioral sciences, or - Works which otherwise combine AI and cognitive science. The Blue Sky Ideas track will showcase longer-term ideas or positions on ways to connect AI with cognitive science. While we will not require such ideas to be fully instantiated in a working system, we do expect them to be grounded in empirical or computational evidence. We welcome submissions on: - Aspects of cognition which are under-explored in AI, - The order in which the research community should solve cognitive tasks in AI, - How research in AI could inform research in cognitive science, - Survey papers which summarize one area of research in AI or cognitive science for researchers in the other field, or - Works which otherwise propose a longer-term idea or position about the intersection of cognitive science and AI.

1 0

Leverhulme doctoral programme: Interested in both Machine Learning and Neuroscience?
by Christopher Laurie Buckley Jan. 15, 2020

Jan. 15, 2020

Hi all, Applications for our interdisciplinary Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme at the University of Sussex, “From Sensation and Perception to Awareness”, for entry in September 2020 are now open. There are many great projects and you can propose your own but if you're interested in both Machine Learning and Neuroscience then why not come study Active Inference in brains and machines with myself and the venerable Prof Anil K. Seth. See our project description on the website below. For this project please inquire at c.l.buckley(a)sussex.ac.uk FUNDED PHD POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX The University of Sussex invites applications for PhD studentship awards within its Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme entitled “From Sensation and Perception to Awareness”, directed by Jamie Ward and Anil Seth. The prestigious Sussex Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarship Programme <https://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=3783&type=185&url=htt…> brings together doctoral researchers from different disciplines to advance our understanding of the interactions between sensing, perception, and awareness in humans, animals, and machines. The Programme will support an intake of up to NINE students starting in September 2020. PhD students will be registered within one of the participating schools (Life Sciences, Informatics, Psychology, Media Film & Music, and Brighton and Sussex Medical School). The closing date for applications is January 31st, 2020. For further details, including how to apply, see… https://www.findaphd.com/phds/program/studentships-available-from-the-unive… <https://www.findaphd.com/phds/program/studentships-available-from-the-unive…> Dr Christopher L. Buckley Senior Lecturer in Neural Computation Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems Group Sussex Neuroscience Department of Informatics and Engineering University of Sussex Falmer Brighton, UK c.l.buckley(a)sussex.ac.uk

1 0

Call for Satellite Workshop Proposals, Bernstein Conference 2020 in Berlin
by Anja Dorrn Jan. 15, 2020

Jan. 15, 2020

Call for Satellite Workshop Proposals, Bernstein Conference 2020 in Berlin +++ The Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience invites proposals for Satellite Workshops preceding the Bernstein Conference 2020 in Berlin at the Technical University. +++ ____ BERNSTEIN CONFERENCE The Bernstein Conference has established itself as the largest annual Computational Neuroscience conference in Europe attracting an international audience from across the world. The Satellite Workshops provide a stage to discuss topical research questions, novel scientific approaches and challenges in Computational Neuroscience and related fields. www.bernstein-conference.de<http://www.bernstein-conference.de> ____ IMPORTANT DATES - Satellite Workshops: September 29 – 30, 2020 o Tuesday, Sep 29, 2 pm – 6.30 pm o Wednesday, Sep 30, 8.30 am – 12.30 pm - Main Conference: September 30 – October 2, 2020 - Deadline for Satellite Workshop proposal submission: +++ March 31, 2020 +++ - Notification of workshop acceptance: planned in April 2020 ____ WORKSHOP PROPOSALS Workshops addressing controversial issues, open problems, and comparisons of competing approaches are encouraged. The format should be designed to foster debate, rather than a series of talks. The Workshop Selection Committee<https://www.bernstein-network.de/de/bernstein-conference/2020/conference-co…> will take scientific excellence, topical relevance and gender diversity into account as their selection criteria. Workshop proposals are welcome for either half-day or full-day workshops. Workshop Proposal Forms can be downloaded here: https://www.bernstein-network.de/en/bernstein-conference/2020/satellite-wor… Please submit the completed form to bernstein.conference(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:bernstein.conference@fz-juelich.de> +++ Deadline: March 31, 2020 – not to be extended +++ ____ FINANCIAL SUPPORT Workshop registration is free for all organizers and speakers of workshops. Workshop organizers will additionally receive a waiver for the main conference fee. From the accepted workshops up to ten workshops will be selected to receive financial support of up to 1500 € each. ____ WORKSHOP SELECTION COMMITTEE Tim Vogels (Workshop Chair) Marion Silies (Workshop Vice Chair) Danielle Bassett Matthew Botvinick Peter Dayan Alain Destexhe Julijana Gjiorgjieva (Program Vice Chair) Tim Gollisch Stephanie Palmer Nathalie Rochefort Nicole Rust Elad Schneidmann (Program Chair) Gasper Tkacik ____ For any further questions, please contact: bernstein.conference(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:bernstein.conference@fz-juelich.de> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Volker Rieke Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 0

Feb 15 Application Deadline - 2020 Nengo Summer School
by Peter Blouw Jan. 14, 2020

Jan. 14, 2020

[All details about this school can be found online at https://www.nengo.ai/summer-school] The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is excited to announce our 7th annual Nengo summer school on large-scale brain modelling and neuromorphic computing. This two-week school will teach participants to use the Nengo simulation package to build state-of-the-art cognitive and neural models to run both in simulation and on neuromorphic hardware. Summer school participants will be given on-site access to Loihi, Intel’s neuromorphic research chip [1], and will learn to run high-level applications on Loihi using Nengo! More generally, Nengo provides users with a versatile and powerful environment for designing cognitive and neural systems, and has been used to build what is currently the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun [2], which includes spiking deep learning, reinforcement learning, adaptive motor control, and cognitive control networks. For a look at last year's summer school, check out this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w0BzvNOypc We welcome applications from all interested graduate students, postdocs, professors, and industry professionals with a relevant background. [1] Davies, et al. (2018). Loihi: A neuromorphic manycore processor with on-chip learning. IEEE Micro. Vol. 38 no. 1 pp. 82-99. [ https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8259423] [2] Eliasmith, C., Stewart T. C., Choo X., Bekolay T., DeWolf T., Tang Y., Rasmussen, D. (2012). A large-scale model of the functioning brain. Science. Vol. 338 no. 6111 pp. 1202-1205. DOI: 10.1126/science.1225266. [ http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/files/publications/eliasmith.2012.pdf] ***Application Deadline: February 15, 2020*** Format: A combination of tutorials and project-based work. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on building neuromorphic applications, modeling neural or cognitive data, implementing specific behavioural functions with neurons, expanding past models, or providing a proof-of-concept of various neural mechanisms. Hands-on tutorials, work on individual or group projects, and talks from invited faculty members will make up the bulk of day-to-day activities. A project demonstration event will be held on the last day of the school, with prizes for strong projects! Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to: - interface Nengo with various kinds of neuromorphic hardware (e.g. Loihi, SpiNNaker, BrainDrop) - interface Nengo with (spiking and normal) cameras and robotic systems - integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models - implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models - build perceptual, motor, and sophisticated cognitive models using spiking neurons - model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data - use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model - and much more… Date and Location: June 7th to June 19th, 2020 at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Applications: Please visit https://www.nengo.ai/summer-school/, where you can find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an application form. We ask that you provide a short description of a possible project, and to briefly indicate how this project might make use of the tools and methods that the summer school will be covering, as listed above. If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please contact Peter Blouw (peter.blouw(a)appliedbrainresearch.com) The school is partially supported by Applied Brain Research, Inc. We look forward to hearing from you!

1 0

Postdoc positions on Consciousness Research at Monash Uni, Australia
by Naotsugu Tsuchiya Jan. 13, 2020

Jan. 13, 2020

Position A: DP180100396 (in collaboration with Masafumi Oizumi, Hiroto Kawasaki, Giulio Tononi) No report paradigm in EEG/MEG/intracranial recordings and the analysis of integrated information across sensory and prefrontal cortex Position B: DP180104128 (in collaboration with Marta Garrido, Ueli Rutishauser, Ralph Adolphs) The analysis of MEG/intracranial recordings, using Granger causality and integrated information We are looking for highly talented postdocs (application from PhD students with a prospect of getting PhD in 1 year are welcomed) for the above two ARC-funded positions. Ideal candidates in both positions would have strong publications, strong programming skills in Matlab/Python, strong background in data analysis, preferably neuroimaging data or neural spikes. The projects include 1) design of various psychophysical paradigms (*pdf <https://academic.oup.com/nc/article/doi/10.1093/nc/niw023/2970153/Are-we-un…>)*, including no-report paradigms (*pdf <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9N0ysU85rs7bEF5d1VVX3J4T3c/view>*), which can be used for subsequent EEG/MEG/intracranial recording experiments and 2) analysis of EEG/MEG/intracranial data using the approximations of integrated information (link1 <http://www.eneuro.org/content/4/5/ENEURO.0085-17.2017>, *link <https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9N0ysU85rs7NFVSQlIza215eVU> *, *link <http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/12/02/1603583113.abstract>*, *link <http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.10046…>)* ). Please send the inquiry with your CV to naotsugu.tsuchiya(a)monash.edu. Applicants with most fit background and skills will be contacted for subsequent interview over the internet. The positions will be available until they are filled. Regards Nao Tsuchiya -- -- *Nao (Naotsugu) Tsuchiya* Associate Professor *Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences* Attention and Memory Program School of Psychological Sciences Monash University 770 Blackburn Monash Brain Imaging facility, Clayton, VIC 3800 Australia T: +61 3 9905 4564 E: naotsugu.tsuchiya(a)monash.edu W: homepage: http://users.monash.edu.au/~naotsugt/Tsuchiya_Labs_Homepage http://med.monash.edu.au/psych/email-sig/miccn-email-sig.jpg <http://www.monash.edu/neuro-institute/> 2. Visiting Researcher at Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging, Advanced Telecommunications Research (ATR), Japan 3. Visiting Researcher at CiNet, Osaka University, Japan orcid.org/0000-0003-4216-8701

1 2

AREADNE 2020 2nd Call for Abstracts: Submission Open
by John Pezaris Jan. 13, 2020

Jan. 13, 2020

AREADNE 2020 Research in Encoding and Decoding of Neural Ensembles Nomikos Conference Centre, Santorini, Greece 16-20 June 2020 http://areadne.org info(a)areadne.org *** SECOND CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: SUBMISSION OPEN *** Dear Colleague, We are pleased to announce solicitation of abstracts for poster presentation at AREADNE 2020, 16-20 June 2020, our eighth meeting to be held at the Nomikos Conference Centre in Santorini, Greece. Continuing with the same highly successful format, AREADNE 2020 will bring scientific leaders from around the world to present their theoretical and experimental work on the functioning of neuronal ensembles. The meeting will provide an informal yet spectacular setting in which attendees can discuss their recent ideas and discoveries, with a relaxed pace that emphasizes interaction Please see the Call for Abstracts for additional details, including links for templates, at http://areadne.org/call-for-abstracts Submissions of abstracts for poster presentations are due by 24 January 2020; notifications will be provided by 21 February 2020. We strongly encourage potential attendees to submit an abstract as presenters have registration priority. For information about the conference, please refer to the main web page http://areadne.org or send email to us at info(a)areadne.org. We hope to see you at AREADNE 2020! --- John Pezaris and Nicholas Hatsopoulos AREADNE 2020 Co-Chairs

1 0

Post-Doc positions
by sio Jan. 13, 2020

Jan. 13, 2020

Postdoctoral position The Vision and Natural Computation group at the Vision Institute, Paris, France, (http://www.institut-vision.org/en/ <http://www.institut-vision.org/en/>) seeks experienced and outstanding applicants for a post-doctoral researcher in the field of neuromorphic enginering in any related field including machine learning, event-based computer vision, robotics and spiking neural networks. The applicant will join the Vision and Natural Computation group let by Profs R Benosman and S.H Ieng. The group is a pioneer of neuromorphic event based computation and among the leading teams of the international neuromorphic engineering community. We are interested in candidates willing to work on any aspects of event based computation, preference will be given to those interested in developing any aspect related to new forms of machine learning inspired by neurosciences and going beyond the current status-quo of conventional machine learning. The position will open in January 2020. Interested applicants should submit a detailed curriculum vitae with brief paragraphs of research interests, career goals and why you feel you are a good fit for the lab and perhaps a reference person to contact. Information should be sent to ryad.benosman(a)upmc.fr <mailto:ryad.benosman@upmc.fr> and sio-hoi.ieng(a)upmc.fr <mailto:sio-hoi.ieng@upmc.fr>, please also mention in the email the earliest date at which you could join. Kind regards, S. ieng

1 0

Master in Brain and Cognition being offered at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona
by Ruben Moreno Bote Jan. 13, 2020

Jan. 13, 2020

Dear Comp-neuro members, The Master in Brain and Cognition being offered at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain (http://www.upf.edu/mbc/) opens the rolling application period (final deadline is June 2020). The core of the master's programme is composed of the research groups at UPF's Center for Brain and Cognition (http://cbc.upf.edu) In this email, we emphasize the possibility of participation of outstanding candidates with strong quantitative background, such as physics, mathematics or machine learning eager to learn about computational neuroscience. Candidates with these backgrounds could perform research activity with the following experts in computational neuroscience: Gustavo Deco (http://cns.upf.edu/) Albert Compte (http://complab.fcrb.es/complab/pres) Ruben Moreno-Bote (https://www.upf.edu/web/tcn) Overall, the groups participating at the Master are directed by renowned scientists in areas such as computational neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psycholinguistics, vision, multisensory perception, human development and comparative cognition http://cbc.upf.edu/node/498 Students will be exposed to ongoing research projects at the Center for Brain and Cognition and will be integrated in one of its main research lines, where they will conduct original research for their final project. Please visit the Master’s web page or contact mbc(a)upf.edu for further information. Scientific-related questions such as fit of quantitative backgrounds can be consulted to Ruben Moreno-Bote, ruben.moreno(a)upf.edu -- Rubén Moreno Bote Serra Húnter & ICREA Academia Professor Center for Brain and Cognition & Dept. of Information and Communications Technologies University Pompeu Fabra Campus Ciutadella c\ Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27 Mercè Rodoreda building, 3th floor (room 24.331) 08005 Barcelona, Spain https://www.upf.edu/web/tcn https://twitter.com/morenobote <https://twitter.com/morenobote?lang=ca>

1 0