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DEADLINE EXTENSION - 12th April - Conference on Artificial Life (ALIFE 2026)

by Stavros Anagnou [Student-PECS]

Dear colleagues, We warmly invite you to submit your work to the annual Conference on Artificial Life (ALIFE 2026), taking place in Waterloo, Canada, and online from 17–21 August 2026. Full Papers & Summaries submission deadline: 30 March 12th April 2026 (EXTENDED) This year’s theme, “Living and Lifelike Complex Adaptive Systems”, welcomes contributions exploring the simulation and synthesis of life, complex adaptive systems, and life as it could be in other media or environments, and we encourage submissions across the full spectrum of Artificial Life research, including embodied intelligence, synthetic biology, artificial chemistry, evolutionary systems, robotics, sustainability, ethics, and more. Full Papers (3–8 pages) will be peer reviewed and published open access in the official ALIFE 2026 Proceedings by MIT Press. Summaries (max. 2 pages) should report on previously published, peer-reviewed work. Accepted summaries will be presented at the conference but will not be included in the MIT Press proceedings. All submission types, formatting templates (Overleaf, LaTeX, MS Word), and detailed guidelines are available at:https://2026.alife.org/call-for-papers<https://2026.alife.org/call-for-papers> We kindly ask you to share this call within your networks and institutions. You can also support the conference by following, sharing, and engaging with ALIFE 2026 updates on social media. We look forward to your submissions and to welcoming you to ALIFE 2026. Sincerely, The ALIFE 2026 Organizing Committee https://2026.alife.org<https://2026.alife.org> ----------------------------------------------------- Follow us on social media for conference updates, and don’t forget to like and share. Help us spread the word and reach as many colleagues as possible — feel free to share within your networks and communities. https://www.linkedin.com/company/alifeconf<https://www.linkedin.com/company/alifeconf> https://bsky.app/profile/alifeconf.bsky.social<https://bsky.app/profile/alifeconf.bsky.social> https://www.facebook.com/ALIFEconf<https://www.facebook.com/ALIFEconf> https://x.com/ALifeConf<https://x.com/ALifeConf>

April 1, 2026

Call for applications: 2026 School on Analytical Connectionism

by I-Chun Lin

Topical focus: Language Acquisition August 17–28 2026; Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg https://www.analytical-connectionism.net/school/2026/ Apply by 17 April 2026 We are delighted to announce the 4th edition of the School on Analytical Connectionism. This 2-week course will focus on analytical theories of cognition, bringing together ideas from connectionism, cognitive science, and modern theories of machine learning. This course is appropriate for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty in fields from psychology and neuroscience, to physics, computer science, and mathematics. This year we will discuss questions like: - How can structured linguistic knowledge emerge from learning? - What theoretical principles govern generalisation, compositionality, and representation in neural systems? - How can we move beyond empirical demonstrations toward mechanistic, mathematically grounded explanations of cognitive phenomena like language acquisition? The course will bring together neuroscience, psychology, and machine-learning communities, introducing participants to connectionist theories of higher-level cognition and psychology as well as analytical methods for neural-network analysis. Participants will work in teams, mentored by course lecturers and organisers, to develop novel research projects on topics related to analytical connectionism. Participants will present the research proposals in Week 1 and interim results at the end of the course. Confirmed Faculty: - Michael Biehl (University of Groningen) - Caroline Rowland (Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics) - Paul Smolensky (Microsoft Research & Johns Hopkins) - Marco Baroni (ICREA & Pompeu Fabra University) - Francesco Cagnetta (SISSA) - Alex Cristia (ENS & CNRS) - Bruno Loureiro (ENS & CNRS) - Kanishka Misra (UT Austin) - Isabel Papadimitriou (University of British Columbia) - Luca Saglietti (Bocconi University) - Asad Sayeed (Gothenburg University) - Larissa Samuelson (University of East Anglia) - Kenny Smith (University of Edinburgh) - Chris Summerfield (Oxford University) Organisers: SueYeon Chung, Erin Grant, Flavio Nicoletti, Stefano Sarao Mannelli, Andrew Saxe

April 1, 2026

Research Position in Optical Quantum Neural Networks: OIST Neural Computation Unit

by Kenji Doya

Neural Computation Unit at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (Prof. Kenji Doya) has research positions open for developing learning algorithms and use cases for the optical quantum neural networks developed by the Moonshot R&D Project in optical quantum computers (lead by Prof. Akira Furusawa): https://optical-quantum-computers.jp/en/ While most quantum computers today resort to error correction of qubits, which is highly costly, this project aims to achieve efficient system-level computation despite noisy elements, like the brain appears to be doing. The specification of the current machine is described in this preprint (https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.16147) and the software development kit is open in GitHub (https://github.com/HidehiroYonezawa/mqc3) The machine is being upgraded to allow nonlinear (non-Gaussian) operations. Applicants should have strong background in mathematics, computer science, and/or machine learning. Experiences in quantum physics and/or computational neuroscience are welcome. If you are interested, please send your CV, publication list, research statement, and referees (up to three names with e-mail) using the application form from our web page: https://www.oist.jp/ncu ---- Kenji Doya <doya(a)oist.jp> Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan Phone: +81-98-966-8594; Fax: +81-98-966-2891 https://www.oist.jp/ncu

April 1, 2026

Junior Theoretical Neuroscientists Workshop at the Flatiron institute (July 21-24)

by pef246＠nyu.edu

Applications are open for the Junior Theoretical Neuroscientists Workshop at the Flatiron institute Participants will: • Present 20-minute research talks • Lead in-depth blackboard tutorials • Engage in small-group discussions • Connect with a community of peers When: July 21–24, 2026 Where: Flatiron Institute, NYC Who: junior theorists Apply by: April 15, 2026 Cost: Travel, lodging, and meals will be covered for accepted participants. Learn more: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/event/jrworkshop2026/ Apply here: https://simonsfoundation.formstack.com/forms/26_junior_theoretical_neurosci… Organizers: Mitya Chklovskii, Agnish Kumar Behera, Philip Kidd, and Pierre-Etienne Fiquet Please feel free to share with anyone who might be interested! Best regards, Pierre-Etienne Fiquet Flatiron Research Fellow Center for Computational Neuroscience Flatiron Institute

March 31, 2026

🧠 [Meetings] [CFP *Deadline Extension*] IEEE SMC 2026 Workshop - NeuroWearX for Empowered Co-Intelligence: Advancing Human–Machine Interfaces by Integrating Biological, Physical, and Spatial Intelligence with Generative AI

by NeuroWearX

Call for Papers (Deadline Extended to: April 19) 2026 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC 2026) https://www.ieeesmc2026.org/ IEEE SMC Workshop: NeuroWearX for Empowered Co-Intelligence: Advancing Human–Machine Interfaces by Integrating Biological, Physical, and Spatial Intelligence with Generative AI https://www.ieeesmc2026.org/Content/3015153.html Overview Wearables, assistive robots, and smart IoT systems are rapidly becoming part of everyday life. However, many of today’s wearable computing and human–machine interfaces still feel “smart, yet not quite helpful.” They are often fragmented, difficult to personalize, and frequently struggle to transform rich but noisy multimodal signals, such as physiology (e.g., heart rate, neural/muscle activity), body movement, and environmental context, into reliable, meaningful real-world support. At the same time, generative AI and foundation/world models are reshaping the landscape, shifting the paradigm beyond isolated sensors and single-purpose algorithms toward integrated, adaptive, context-aware Human–AI–Machine systems. To make the use of these technologies feel like a natural extension of ourselves, this workshop brings together researchers and practitioners across biosensing and measurement, neuroscience, AI, robotics, ubiquitous computing, and human-centered design to define the next frontier of Empowered Co-Intelligence: wearable interfaces that fuse three complementary “intelligences”—(1) biological intelligence, to infer human state and intent by modeling how people naturally think and behave; (2) physical/embodied intelligence, which understands body dynamics and real-world physics so interaction and assistance remain safe and effective; and (3) spatial intelligence, to leverage nearby sensors, IoT devices and smart environments for continuous situational awareness. These capabilities are further amplified by generative AI—models trained on large-scale data that can integrate heterogeneous signals to predict, reason, and adapt—enabling systems to become more personalized and context-aware. Together, these capabilities can overcome the limits of noisy on-body sensing and constrained wearable computing by turning fragmented measurements into coherent, actionable assistance. Our vision is an AI that operates quietly in the background, like an invisible layer of artificial cortex, running in parallel with our own cerebral cortex and coordinating across different lobes: not simply following rules, but learning your patterns, anticipating your needs, and adjusting in real time. The result is 24/7 support for thinking, decision-making, and physical action that feels intuitive, seamless, and requires minimal cognitive effort. Beyond new algorithms, we also emphasize human-centered evaluation, trust, accessibility, and inclusive augmentation, with the goal of accelerating research that advances wearable computing into reliable, scalable, and equitable systems—technologies that truly co-evolve with users over time. Topics of Interest We welcome research papers, short/WiP papers, and position/vision papers on (but not limited to) the following areas aligned with multimodal perception–decision–action cycles, shared autonomy, personalization, safety, and real-world robustness on wearable technologies. (A) Biological intelligence: sensing human state & intent ● Multimodal biosensing: EEG/EMG/ECG/EDA/PPG/respiration, inertial + physiological fusion ● Robust biosignal decoding in-the-wild: drift handling, motion artifacts, missing data, calibration-free methods ● Intent recognition and user-state estimation (fatigue, stress, attention, readiness, motor intent) ● Personalized adaptation across users: domain adaptation, continual learning, few-shot personalization ● Privacy-preserving on-body learning and secure biosignal pipelines (B) Physical intelligence: embodied assistance & safe action ● Embodied AI for wearable augmentation: biomechanics, dynamics, control, and safe shared autonomy ● Wearable robotics and human–robot physical interaction (exoskeletons, prostheses, assistive devices) ● Safety, stability, and fail-safe design in closed-loop wearable control ● Human factors and ergonomics for physical assistance; workload-aware support ● Verification/validation of embodied policies for assistive wearable systems (C) Spatial intelligence: context from environments, robots & smart IoT ● Context-aware wearable computing using smart environments, robots, and IoT integration ● Scene understanding for assistance: activity context, objects, layout, hazards, and social context ● Multi-device sensing orchestration (wearable + phone + AR + ambient sensors) ● Real-world robustness and interoperability across heterogeneous devices (D) Generative AI & foundation/world models for wearables ● Generative AI / foundation models for wearable time-series, biosignal representation learning, multimodal fusion ● World models for prediction, planning, and co-adaptation in human-centered wearable interaction ● Edge/on-body inference: efficiency, compression, distillation, and low-power deployment ● Uncertainty-aware assistance, reliable decision-making, and “AI-in-the-background” support (E) Human-centered NeuroDesign, evaluation & impact ● Human-centered interface design: intuitive/subconscious interaction, trust, transparency, explainability ● UX evaluation in real-world settings: accessibility, equity, inclusive augmentation ● Ethical, privacy, and governance considerations for always-on wearable intelligence ● Application domains: assistive augmentation, rehabilitation, health monitoring, everyday support Submission Instructions ● Submission Deadline (EXTENDED): April 19, 2026 ● Submission site at 2026 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (Papercept): https://conf.papercept.net/conferences/scripts/start.pl ● Submission code: dt3i1 (Use the submission code "dt3i1" during the Papercept submission process to route your paper to this workshop.) ● Please follow the IEEE SMC 2026 submission guidelines and formatting requirements. IEEE SMC 2026 submission guidelines: https://www.ieeesmc2026.org/call-for-papers Best regards, Organizing Committee 🧠 NeuroWearX Workshop @ IEEE SMC 2026 Website: https://www.ieeesmc2026.org/Content/3015153.html Email: info.neurowearx(a)gmail.com

March 31, 2026

Call for applications: School on Computational approaches in systems neurophysiology (Rome, Italy – June 16-18, 2026)

by Andrea d'Avella

Applications will open on April 8 for the XXVIII *School of Physiology and Biophysics <https://www.fisiologiaitaliana.org/scuola_fisiologia.php>* on *Computational approaches in systems neurophysiology* organized by the *Italian Physiological Society *(SIF), which will be held from *June 16 to June 18, 2025*, in *Rome, Italy*. Here you can find the announcement <https://www.fisiologiaitaliana.org/_docs/260330_SIF_SchoolofPhysiologyandBi…> and th program <https://www.fisiologiaitaliana.org/_docs/260330_SIF_SchoolofPhysiologyandBi…>. Enquires: sif.sfb.2026(a)gmail.com Application deadline: *May 4, 2026* The school is organized by a team of neurophysiologists from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, coordinated by Francesco Lacquaniti. The program includes an opening lecture introducing the rationale for computational approaches in systems neurophysiology, followed by a series of eight thematic lectures covering topics such as computational analysis of human locomotion, muscular and kinematic synergies, vestibular system computation, eye-movement analysis, structural and functional MRI, psychophysical modeling, and quantitative neuromodulation. These lectures are complemented by four keynote lectures addressing neural coding of joint action, multiscale brain modeling and digital twins, machine-learning approaches to spinal pattern generators, and multimodal quantitative neurophysiology applied to neurostimulation. Most lectures are accompanied by hands-on tutorials, during which participants will analyze real experimental datasets using MATLAB and R, with sample datasets and analysis scripts provided. Throughout the course, tutors will be available to support participants, encourage discussion, and facilitate scientific interaction with the lecturers. Best regards, Andrea d’Avella and the Organizing Committee -- Andrea d'Avella, Ph.D. Professor of Physiology Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy Team leader Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy -- <http://www.hsantalucia.it/5x1000-sostieni-la-nostra-ricerca> Le informazioni contenute in questo messaggio e negli eventuali allegati sono riservate e confidenziali. Il loro utilizzo è consentito esclusivamente al destinatario del messaggio, per le finalità indicate nel messaggio stesso. Qualora Lei non fosse la persona a cui il presente messaggio destinato, La invitiamo ad eliminarlo dal Suo sistema ed a distruggere le varie copie o stampe, dandocene gentilmente comunicazione. Ogni utilizzo improprio e'contrario ai principi del D.Lgs. 196/2003 e del Regolamento UE 2016/679. The information contained in this message as well as the attached file(s) is confidential/privileged and is only intended for the person to whom it is addressed. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, or you have received this communication in error, please be aware that any dissemination, distribution or duplication is strictly prohibited, and can be illegal. Please notify us immediately and delete all copies from your mailbox and other archives. *Rispetta l'ambiente: se non ti è necessario, non stampare questo messaggio - Please consider the environment before printing this email.*

March 30, 2026

Deadline approaching: Workshop of Ideas in Neuroscience - What is a neuron?

by Mateusz Kostecki

Hello! We would like to remind you that the deadline to apply for our workshop - What is a neuron? - is due tomorrow, April 2nd! The goal of this series is to take a fresh look at the basic assumptions held in our field. In the first workshop, we will ask the most fundamental question: *What is a neuron? *What properties should a cell have to be defined as such? An answer to this question may seem obvious at first: it has to be a cell that uses electrical signals, is connected to other neurons by synapses, and has extended processes—axons and dendrites. But the deeper we dig, the more challenging counterexamples we encounter: clearly non-neural cells using action potentials; neurons without axons or dendrites; or whole nerve nets in jellyfish that form a syncytium. And what defines a neuron during development, and how do its developmental pathways differ from those of other cells? Can we draw clear boundaries between neural and non-neural states? Things are no easier in an artificial neural network: what exactly is a processing unit in an ANN? How does it correspond to a biological neuron, and what can we learn from these models? The aim of this workshop is to look closely at different ways of defining a biological or artificial neuron and try to have a fresh look at our basic assumptions. This workshop will be held in the spirit of our Schools of Ideas—with an informal atmosphere, open exchange of thoughts and perspectives, in-depth talks, and plenty of space for discussion. Speakers: Clarisse Brunet (Institut Curie) Thibaut Brunet (Institut Pasteur) Bassem Hassan (Paris Brain Institute) Fred Keijzer (University of Groningen) Aneta Koseska (Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior) Ines Samengo ( Instituto Balseiro) The workshop will be held Jun 3-5th 2026 in Paris. Please find more info and the application form here - https://nenckiopenlab.org/neuron/ With best wishes, Mateusz Kostecki -- --- Mateusz Kostecki PhD Student Knapska Laboratory Nencki Institute 02-093 Warsaw, Pasteura 3, Poland https://twitter.com/mtkostecki https://evolvingbehavior.blog/

March 30, 2026

ICNCE 2026 - Abstract submission closes April 3rd!

by Abigail Morrison

Dear Colleagues, Here is a reminder about the second International Conference on Neuromorphic Computing and Engineering (ICNCE 2026). ICNCE 2026 will be held in Aachen, Germany, from June 28–July 2, 2026 (https://icnce-2026.de<https://icnce-2026.de/>). Note that the conference was extended one day (June 28) for tutorials! The call for abstracts is *still open for poster or oral contributions and closes on April 3 (AoE)*. Please submit a one-page PDF of your abstract according to the submission guidelines. You will be notified about the acceptance and the type of your contribution (poster or oral) by April 30. The submission guidelines can be found on the conference website. ICNCE brings together a community of researchers—from students and postdocs to leading experts in academia, startups, and industry—to advance the understanding and engineering of brain-inspired computing technologies. It will span the fields of electrical engineering, neuroscience, information technology, materials science, physics, artificial intelligence, philosophy, and ethics. The first ICNCE (2024) was a highly successful event that gathered over 500 participants across academia and industry. The location is the Eurogress Aachen, in the heart of the historic city of Aachen, with close connections to RWTH Aachen University and nearby Forschungszentrum Jülich. Submission details can be found here: https://iffindico.fz-juelich.de/event/28/abstracts/#submit-abstract You can also find this link and further information on our website (https://icnce-2026.de<https://icnce-2026.de/>). For any other questions, please write to info(a)icnce-2026.de<mailto:info@icnce-2026.de>. We look forward to welcoming you to Aachen! Abigail Morrison, on behalf of the Organizing Committee of ICNCE 2026 (Regina Dittmann, Bastian Leibe, Max Lemme, Abigail Morrison, Emre Neftci, John Paul Strachan) -- Prof. Dr. Abigail Morrison Computation in Neural Circuits Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Jülich Research Center & Software Engineering Faculty of Computer Science RWTH Aachen http://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-6 http://www.se-rwth.de Office: +49 2428 8097504 Fax # : +49 2461 61-9460 Pronouns: she/her ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Jülich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Düren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Stefan Müller Geschäftsführung: Prof. Dr. Astrid Lambrecht (Vorsitzende), Dr. Stephanie Bauer (stellv. Vorsitzende), Prof. Dr. Ir. Pieter Jansens, Prof. Dr. Laurens Kuipers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 30, 2026

Deadline Extended – Full In-Person Advanced Neural Data Analysis and Neuroinformatics School (ANDA‑NI)

by Michael Denker

Deadline Extended – Full Advanced Neural Data Analysis and Neuroinformatics School (ANDA‑NI) still has availability (with In‑Person Retreat) Online: June 19-26, 2026 and June 22-26, 2026 In-person: July 27-31, 2026 FullSchool Application Deadline (new): April 12, 2026 We have a few spaces remaining for the *in‑person retreat*of the 2026 Advanced Neural Data Analysis and Neuroinformatics School (ANDA‑NI), a program designed for students and researchers in neuroscience who want to deepen their expertise in data analysis and neuroinformatics at the cellular and network levels (spiking activity, local field potentials). This *full ANDA‑NI program* includes both online modules ("ANDA" and "NI") and the in‑person retreat. *Why attend? *- Gain hands-on experience in analyzing and managing electrophysiological datasets that you bring to the school. - Master neuroinformatics techniques to facilitate reproducible, high-impact research. - Work closely with experts in the field. * Program Structure **of **ANDA-NI 2026:* *ANDA: Advanced Neural Data Analysis* (June 15–19, 2026) /Online/ – Dive into advanced topics in neural data analysis, including correlation analysis, population analysis, spectral methods, cortical variability and more. *NI: Neuroinformatics* (June 22–26, 2026) /Online/ – Focus on best practices for data management, sharing, and reproducibility. *ANDA-NI Retreat* (July 27–31, 2026) /In-person/ – Deepen your skills and collaborate intensively on your datasets (requires completion of ANDA & NI modules).* * *Who is this school for?:* Graduate students, postdocs, and researchers in neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and related fields. 🔗 *Apply now:* _https://andani.info_ /Limited spaces available/ We’d love to have you join us.

March 26, 2026

Research assistant post: neural computations of foraging decisions. University of Nottingham (UK)

by Mark Humphries (staff)

Mark Humphries’ lab<https://www.humphries-lab.org> at the University of Nottingham is seeking a research assistant to join a project on the neural computations of foraging decisions, in collaboration with the groups of Matthew Apps (Birmingham) and Nathan Lepora (Bristol). Whether choosing to leave one shop for another, switching TV programs, or seeking berries to eat, humans and other animals make endless stay-or-leave decisions, but how we make them is not well understood. The goal of this project is to find out if there is a common decision algorithm for leaving across species and what that algorithm is. You will create predictions for how foragers should vary in their stay-of-leave decisions for different types of decision algorithm, and test them using data from humans and rodents tackling foraging tasks. You will have some experience in computational modelling of behaviour, such as decision-making models or reinforcement learning, and good programming skills. The post is for up to 7 months, and would suit predoctoral candidates seeking research experience. Unsure if you're a good fit for the post? Got any questions? Then contact Mark for a chat: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:.humphries@nottingham.ac.uk>. For full details of the role and how to apply https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=SCI492126 Closing date: April 21st 2026 This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

March 26, 2026

Registration is open for participants, Deadline 15. April – Curiosity Summer School 2026 (20–24 July, Göttingen)

by Cremer, Maren Monika

Registration is now open ! We are delighted to announce that the Curiosity Summer School 2026, organized by the RTG 2906 Curiosity<https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/681631.html>, will take place from 20–24 July 2026 at the University of Göttingen, Germany. Please feel free to share this announcement within your networks, including matching mailing lists. Applications will be open until April 15th 2026 here https://events.gwdg.de/e/CSS The Summer School aims to provide doctoral researchers with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective on the topic of curiosity, while also creating a platform for active exchange and collaboration between junior and senior scientists. This year, we will welcome an outstanding group of scientists who will contribute both lectures and hands-on workshops, including George Loewenstein, Mehdi Khamassi, Kou Murayama, Alejandro Sánchez-Amaro, Sebastian Haesler, and others. Applications will be open until April 15th 2026. We encourage you to visit https://events.gwdg.de/e/CSS for the most up-to-date and official information regarding the program, speakers, application process, and schedule. You can also follow us on LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-training-group-2906-curiosity/> and Bluesky<https://bsky.app/profile/rtg2906-curiosity.bsky.social> for further updates. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at curiosity-school(a)uni-goettingen.de<mailto:curiosity-school@uni-goettingen.de>. We look forward to welcoming you to Göttingen in July. Best wishes, On behalf of the Curiosity Summer School 2026 Organizing Team University of Göttingen - Research Training Group 2906 Curiosity Links Applications here https://events.gwdg.de/e/CSS RTG2906 Curiosity https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/681631.html LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-training-group-2906-curiosity/ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/rtg2906-curiosity.bsky.social

March 26, 2026

Postdoctoral Position in Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience

by rmgr＠bu.edu

Postdoctoral Position in Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience: Flexible, Theory-Driven Research Program on Human Perception and Cognition We invite applications for a postdoctoral research position in our lab at Boston University, directed by Rob Reinhart (website: https://reinhartlab.org/) Our work focuses on the computational and neural mechanisms of human perception and cognition. This position is supported by fully flexible research resources, offering an unusually high degree of freedom to co-develop a research program that most excites the postdoc and draws deeply on their expertise, in close intellectual partnership with the PI. The lab is fundamentally a basic science training environment, oriented toward building representational computational accounts of cognition. Our central goal is not merely to describe behavior and its correlates, but to identify and test the internal representations and operations that constitute the cognitive phenotype, and to articulate the causal mechanisms by which these representations are implemented in neural systems. Research Approach Our work aims to integrate: (1) Causal perturbation of neural systems, including high-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-tACS) and temporal interference (TI) stimulation, to directly test mechanistic hypotheses. (2) Computational modeling across levels, including: Electric field models, Formal and normative models, Cognitive models, Neural spiking models and neural mass models. (3) Rich, theory-driven experimental design, using behavioral measures (e.g., psychophysics, eye movements) that feed directly into computational models, with behavior serving as a window into latent representational structure rather than an endpoint of interest. (4) Human neuroscience methods, including EEG and fMRI, integrated with perturbation and modeling. (5) Advanced machine learning and multivariate analysis, including representational similarity analysis (RSA), multivariate decoding and encoding models, pattern component modeling (PCM), cross-validated model comparison, dimensionality-reduction and manifold-learning methods, regularized and probabilistic models, and related techniques for interrogating representational geometry and latent structure in neural and behavioral data. Intellectual Environment The lab values theoretical clarity, mechanistic explanation, and close coupling between experiment and model. We are especially interested in candidates who think carefully about: (1) What representations are being computed? (2) What operations transform them? (3) How these computations are implemented neurally. (4) How causal perturbation constrains theory. The postdoc will have substantial latitude to shape the direction of their research, develop new paradigms or modeling approaches, and pursue questions that cut across cognition, computation, and neuroscience. Qualifications We welcome applicants from a broad range of academic backgrounds relevant to the study of cognition, including cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology, and linguistics. Applicants with strong theoretical and computational training from related fields such as physics, applied mathematics, or computer science who are motivated to translate this expertise to questions in cognitive neuroscience are also encouraged to apply. Ideal candidates will have: (1) a strong interest in computational and mechanistic explanations of cognition; (2) experience with at least one of the following: computational modeling, EEG/fMRI, brain stimulation, advanced data analysis, or experimental design; and (3) a desire for deep, theory-driven training. Training and Career Development This position is designed as a launchpad for independent academic research careers, with the goal of preparing scholars for tenure-track faculty positions at R01 universities. Training emphasizes intellectual ownership, methodological breadth, and rigorous theoretical foundations, with close mentorship paired with strong encouragement to develop a distinctive research identity. The Reinhart Laboratory is embedded within a highly interdisciplinary research environment at Boston University, with connections spanning human neuroscience, electrophysiology, and computational neuroscience across Psychology, Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics. Dr. Reinhart holds a secondary appointment in Biomedical Engineering and is an active member of multiple interdisciplinary research centers that support cross-field collaboration and independent research development. The lab is affiliated with the Center for Research in Sensory Communication and Emerging Neural Technology (CReSCNT) and the Center for Systems Neuroscience (CSN), which together foster collaborative, theory-driven research linking neural mechanisms to behavior, computational modeling, and technological innovation. Through these centers, trainees have access to a broad intellectual community at Boston University and across the greater Boston-area research ecosystem. Applicants should send a short cover letter, CV, and names of three references to rmgr(a)bu.edu.

March 25, 2026

CNeuro2026 Summer School in Computational Neuroscience, Beijing, July 2026

by Taniya Channa

*CN**EURO**2026* *Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Summer School* *7 to 14 July 2026 — Beijing, China* *This year: “C**ONNECTIONS BETWEEN **N**ATURAL* *AND **A**RTIFICIAL **I* *NTELLIGENCE**”* *www.cneuro.net* <http://www.cneuro.net> *Format* The course will bring together leading scientists in the field, who will deliver both introductory and advanced lectures, and take part in small-group discussions. Other activities will include homework sessions and student presentations, as well as the now popular “Life and Science” panel series, in which faculty and students can both share their personal experiences and views on research and career. *Faculty* Nathaniel Daw (Princeton University) Michael Häusser (The University of Hong Kong) Sukbin Lim (NYU Shanghai) Aravinthan Samuel (Harvard University) Haim Sompolinsky (Harvard University) Taro Toyoizumi (RIKEN Institute) Matthieu Wyart (EPFL and Johns Hopkins University) *Organizers* Rava Azeredo da Silveira (University of Basel and Unievrsity of Zurich) Sen Song (Tsinghua University) Louis Tao (Peking University) Xiaoqin Wang (Johns Hopkins University and Tsinghua University) Quan Wen (USTC) Hang Zhang (Peking University) -- *Disclaimer: This e-mail and any attached files may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this e-mail in error), please notify the sender immediately by replying to this e-mail and immediately complete the removal/destruction of this e-mail from your system. Any unauthorised copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden.*

March 25, 2026

PhD and Postdoc Jobs in Computational Neuroscience in Bonn

by Tatjana Tchumatchenko

Dear friends and colleagues, the Tchumatchenko group at the University of Bonn has several open PhD and Postdoc positions, see ads [1] and [2] below. Please spread the word. Best, Tatjana Tatjana Tchumatchenko Professor for Computational Neuroscience of Behavior Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research Medical Faculty, University of Bonn Am Propsthof 49 53121 Bonn www.tchumatchenko.de [1] PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience are available in the Tchumatchenko group at the University of Bonn. The Tchumatchenko Group is seeking highly motivated PhD candidates to conduct research in the field of computational neuroscience. We work at the intersection between mathematics and biology and use both pen-and-paper calculations as well numerical simulations and data analysis methods. The choice of the methods is driven by the topic at hand which is often a question related to the circuit-level function of neural networks and synaptic dynamics. Our group is one of the leading computational neuroscience teams in Europe and obtained competitive prizes and third-party funding from several funding sources and has a track record of successful theses and research papers completed by mathematics/physics students that did not have prior exposure to biology. The projects you could work on could focus on a mathematical study of multiple attractors, time series analysis, numerical fitting procedures or involve tool development in python for the analysis of neural activity data. On the most applied end, machine learning applications to image segmentation (mRNA and protein) and analyses of behavioral tracking data are conducted in our group. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated, team-oriented graduate interested in either pen-and-paper calculations, numerical algorithms or machine learning applications. Candidates should be enthusiastic about working and learning in an interdisciplinary research team in which members come from diverse scientific backgrounds. Good communication skills, a strong work ethic, excellent command of the English language are essential. Please send your application with a cover letter, a CV, copies of all relevant degree certificates to tatjana.tchumatchenko(a)uni-bonn.de. All salaries according to the public German salary scale. Start date negotiable. Information about our group can be found here: www.tchumatchenko.de We are looking forward to your application! [2] Two postdoc positions (m/f/d) are available in the Tchumatchenko group. The Tchumatchenko Group is seeking to attract two highly motivated postdoc candidates to conduct research in the field of computational neuroscience. Prof. Tatjana Tchumatchenko was recently appointed a Henriette Herz scout at the Alexander von Humboldt foundation and is looking to attract two international postdocs though this funding scheme [https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/bewerben/foerderprogramme/henriette-herz…] The ideal candidate will be an international, highly motivated, scientifically curious postdoctoral fellow with a strong work ethic and a PhD degree in life sciences, Neuroscience, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering or similar disciplines who looking to answer open question in computational neuroscience. Great social skills, excellent command of the English language and enthusiasm for working in a competitive interdisciplinary research team are essential. Potential scientific projects could lie either at the boundary between behavioral analysis and circuit neuroscience or at the boundary between molecular dynamics and circuit neuroscience. How is the molecular dynamics organized across the brain and what are statistical differences across cell types? How can we relate learning at the level of synapses and circuits to behavioral changes observed in animals? Can we identify behavioral states and link them to particular circuit activity states? Please send your application together with a cover letter, a CV with contact details from one academic reference and copies of all relevant degree certificates to tatjana.tchumatchenko(a)uni-bonn.de. Please include in your subject line “AvH Application your name”. We are looking forward to your application! Duration and salary will be according to the fellowship scale of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation. Start date negotiable.

March 25, 2026

PhD position at the University of Antwerp

by Mohit Adhikari

Hello All, Daniele Bertoglio and I are looking for a motivated PhD candidate to work on an exciting new project at the Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp. The project aims to longitudinally study the beneficial effects of non-invasive multisensory stimulation at gamma frequency (40Hz) on brain function, brain clearance, and behaviour in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. The project entails the acquisition of resting-state fMRI, intravoxel incoherent motion MRI, SynVesT-1-PET, and Tau-PET data, as well as computational and statistical analyses to link the imaging and behavioral readouts of the effect of this therapeutic strategy. For more information and application, please see: <goog_471538613> https://www.uantwerpen.be/nl/jobs/vacatures/ap/?q=4284&descr=Doctoral-schol… The application deadline is midnight on April 6th, Central European Time. Kind regards, Mohit Adhikari Senior Researcher Bio-Imaging Lab University of Antwerp UC 1.17, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium. mohit.adhikari(a)uantwerpen.be

March 25, 2026

Faculty position at WashU

by Goodhill, Geoffrey

The Department of Neuroscience at WashU Medicine seeks tenure track investigators at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor with the passion to create knowledge, pursue bold visions, and challenge canonical thinking to join us in our new, state-of-the art 10-story purpose-built neurosciences research building. Applicants can be from any area of molecular, cellular, circuits, systems, cognitive, or computational and theoretical neuroscience. For more details please see https://facultyopportunities.wustl.edu/Posting/Detail/1011187 Best wishes, Geoff Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Departments of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Director, Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (ctcn.wustl.edu) Washington University School of Medicine 4370 Duncan Ave. St Louis, MO 63110 g.goodhill(a)wustl.edu https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/people/geoffrey-goodhill-phd

March 24, 2026

6th CN³ Summer School | Ulster University | 12–19 August 2026

by O'Donnell, Cian

[cn3 -white long export(a)2x.png] We are pleased to invite you to the 6th CN³ Summer School — Computational Neuroscience, Neurotechnology & Neuro-inspired AI — to be held at Ulster University, Derry~Londonderry, UK, from 12 to 19 August 2026. Now in its sixth edition, CN³ brings together students, researchers, and industry professionals for an intensive eight-day programme at the intersection of brain science and artificial intelligence. The school combines expert-led lectures with hands-on sessions, providing both a rigorous foundation and exposure to the latest developments in the field. Please note: This edition is open for in-person participation only, with places limited to 20 attendees. Online participation will be available separately from 1 July 2026. Programme Topics covered across the eight days include: * Mathematical foundations of neuroscience * Computational modelling of neural-glial systems & cognition * NeuroAI & Neuro-Inspired AI * Neural data science * Cutting-edge neurotechnology * Neuromorphic computing & intelligent self-repairing machines * Cognitive robotics * Entrepreneurship in neurotech & AI Who Should Apply CN³ welcomes applications from MSc and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, academics, and industry professionals with an interest in computational neuroscience, neurotechnology, or AI. The programme is designed to be accessible across disciplines — prior knowledge in any one of these areas is sufficient to participate fully. Application Deadlines In-person applications are now open. Given the limited number of places, early applications are encouraged. Applicants requiring a visa: 30 April 2026 All other in-person applicants: 31 May 2026 Online registration opens: 1 July 2026 (separate process — details to follow) Apply: ulster.ac.uk/conference/isrc-cn3-summer-school<https://www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/isrc-cn3-summer-school> We look forward to welcoming you to Derry~Londonderry this August. Kind regards, The CN³ 2026 Organising Committee 6th CN³ Summer School — Computational Neuroscience, Neurotechnology & Neuro-inspired AI Ulster University, Derry~Londonderry, UK ulster.ac.uk/conference/isrc-cn3-summer-school<https://www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/isrc-cn3-summer-school> This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at postmaster(a)ulster.ac.uk and delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster University. The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100% secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by 3rd parties under relevant legislation. The Ulster University was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

March 24, 2026

Final call: Tenure Track Research Positions in Complex Networks and Brain Dynamics

by Jaroslav Hlinka

Tenure Track Research Positions in Complex Networks and Brain Dynamics The Institute of Computer Sciences of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ICS CAS), Prague, Czech Republic, invites applications for tenure‐track positions in Computer Science and related areas fitting and/or expanding some of its current research areas. The Complex Networks and Brain Dynamics group (https://cobra.cs.cas.cz/ <http://cobra.cs.cas.cz/>) invites applicants with interest to develop research agenda at the border of computer science & AI with neuroscience & complex systems research. For informal inquiries write to Jaroslav Hlinka at hlinka(a)cs.cas.cz <mailto:hlinka@cs.cas.cz>. We offer a full-time position, which includes the following benefits: * Freedom and support to develop an independent research program. * Flexible working conditions, including the option to work part-time. * Initial salary matching the local price level (monthly gross salary 55-80 thousand CZK based on qualifications and experience – approximately 47-68 thousand CZK net salary including non-taxable benefits). Salary top-up based on regular evaluations and successful grant applications (20-100% / FTE on grants). * Annual bonuses based on research performance. * Social and health care insurance. * Five weeks of paid vacation on top of public holidays. * Travel package up to 100 000 CZK for conferences and research stays. * Child care facilities in the institute’s building. * Highly attractive and safe location (Prague). We encourage you to apply, if you: * Hold a Ph.D. degree, * have an excellent research record in a relevant field (relative to your career stage), * show the potential to build an independent research group and acquire research funding. Conditions of contractYou will be appointed for up to 3 years initially and your performance will be evaluated towards the end of this period. In case of a positive review, you will be eligible for an extension or a tenured appointment. Your involvement in graduate teaching programs and supervising graduate students will not be mandatory, yet welcomed by the Institute. To apply, submit your application to jobs(a)cs.cas.cz <mailto:jobs@cs.cas.cz>, mentioning the Ref. No. 2026/4 and including the following: * Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position, * curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and a description of the three most important research achievements, * description of your scientific interests and plans, including potential collaborations within and outside of the institute.Contact hlinka(a)cs.cas.cz for consulting the outline prior to submission. * 3 letters of recommendation. The referees should send their recommendations directly to jobs(a)cs.cas.cz <mailto:jobs@cs.cas.cz>. The closing date for application is 31th March 2026. About us: The Complex Networks and Brain Dynamics group (https://cobra.cs.cas.cz/ <http://cobra.cs.cas.cz/>) focuses on the development and application of methods of analysis and modelling of real-world complex networked systems, with particular interest in the structure and dynamics of human brain function. Our main research areas are: Brain networks (Neuroimaging data analysis, Brain dynamics modelling), Causal interaction inference (Causality and information flow inference, Nonlinearity and nonstationarity), Complex network analysis (Graph theory, Machine learning and multivariate statistics, Application in neuroscience, climate research, economics, …). COBRA is a part of theDepartment of Complex Systems <https://www.cs.cas.cz/complex-systems/en>of theInstitute of Computer Science <https://www.cs.cas.cz/>of theCzech Academy of Sciences <https://www.cas.cz>. The Czech Academy of Sciences is the largest organization conducting foundational research in the Czech Republic. -- Jaroslav Hlinka Head of the Department of Complex Systems Deputy Director, Institute of Computer Science Czech Academy of Sciences Pod Vodarenskou vezi 2 Prague 8, 182 00, Czech Republic Tel: (+420) 26605 3808 E-mail: hlinka(a)cs.cas.cz Web: http://www.cs.cas.cz/hlinka/ Complex Networks and Brain Dynamics Group (COBRA): http://cobra.cs.cas.cz Brain Dynamics consortium project (BRADY): https://brady.cs.cas.cz/

March 23, 2026

Announcement: pymdp 1.0.0 (JAX backend for active inference modeling)

by Conor Heins

Dear colleagues, I would like to announce the release of pymdp 1.0.0, an open-source Python package for building and simulating active inference agents with discrete POMDP generative models. Repository: https://github.com/infer-actively/pymdp Documentation: https://pymdp-rtd.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ Examples: https://pymdp-rtd.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials/notebooks/ Release notes: https://github.com/infer-actively/pymdp/releases/tag/v1.0.0 pymdp was originally developed as a NumPy-based library implementing core active inference routines for perception, planning, learning, and action selection. Version 1.0.0 is a substantial update that rebuilds the library around a JAX backend. Main changes in 1.0.0 include: - GPU/TPU-ready simulation of agents and environments - autodifferentiable inference, planning, learning, and action selection - JIT-compiled agent-environment loops for substantially faster execution - straightforward batching over agents and environments via vmap() - easier integration with JAX-native probabilistic programming tools such as NumPyro <https://github.com/pyro-ppl/numpyro> and pybefit <https://github.com/dimarkov/pybefit> In addition to the backend rewrite, the release includes several algorithmic and modeling improvements: - tree-search planning with sophisticated inference <https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.04120>, with compatibility with Monte Carlo Tree Search through DeepMind's mctx package - inductive inference, which augments planning with backward goal-reachability constraints and is particularly useful in long-horizon, deterministic or near-deterministic settings - exact HMM filtering and smoothing with associative scan - optimized differentiable implementations of marginal message passing and variational message passing - support for sparse dependency structure in large graphical models - more flexible many-to-many action dependencies between control factors and hidden-state factors One motivation for the JAX transition was to make active inference models easier to integrate into modern differentiable and probabilistic workflows. We expect this to be especially useful for researchers working in computational neuroscience, cognitive modeling, and computational psychiatry, where fitting decision-making models to behavior is a common goal. Feedback, bug reports, and contributions are very welcome. Best wishes, Conor Heins

March 23, 2026

Consciousness Commons (ASSC satellite): build a study in 2 days + $25,000 seed funding

by Lucia Melloni

Dear all, What if we created a space to move from ideas to concrete research on consciousness, together? Right after ASSC 2026, we are organizing Consciousness Commons: Building Collaborative Science with Open Consciousness Data, a two-day satellite workshop in Santiago, Chile (July 4–5, 2026). Consciousness Commons is designed for early-career researchers who want to move from ideas to concrete research. Working in interdisciplinary teams, participants will develop hypothesis-driven projects using openly available datasets, including those from the Cogitate consortium, with a strong focus on reproducibility and preregistration. By the end of the workshop, each team will leave with a fully specified, preregistered study. Projects will also be eligible to compete for $25,000 in seed funding to support further development. Key details: Open to PhD students, postdocs, and early-career researchers (≤10 years post-PhD) Pre-event virtual kick-off: May 18–19 (TBC) Application deadline: April 13, 2026 More information: https://consciousness-commons.github.io/cc-assc-2026 Apply here: https://forms.gle/c1xpSTk2sJ3oTzHZ6 Please share this opportunity with interested students and colleagues. Best wishes, The Consciousness Commons Team -- Lucia Melloni

March 23, 2026

Registration is now open for BrainNet 2026 workshop!

by Pascal Helson

Dear all, We are thrilled to announce the BrainNet 2026 workshop, the event's 5th edition! If you're interested in exploring multidisciplinary approaches to brain data and brain functions, we cordially invite you to attend the BrainNet 2026 in Stockholm, Sweden, from May 25th to 27th. Our interdisciplinary set of speakers will showcase state-of-the-art methods for analysing and explaining brain data, offering insights from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. This year’s theme is ”A multi-scale view of the brain". The event is hybrid, you can participate either in person or virtually. For on-site participants, you can submit an abstract for giving a contributed talk! Talk submission closes on 12th of April 2026 and on-site registration closes on 10th of May 2026. The confirmed speakers are: Cornelis Stam, VU University Medical Center Francesca Mastrogiuseppe, SISSA Alex Roxin, Centre de Recerca Matemàtica Marilyn Gatica, Northeastern London Stefano Sarao Mannelli, Chalmers and Gothenburg University Rikkert Hindriks, VU University Amsterdam Nicolas Brunel, Bocconi University Moritz Helmstaedter, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research Tomoki Fukai, OIST Sofie Ährlund-Richter, MIT Ramòn Nartallo-Kaluarachchi, University of Oxford Gilad Silberberg, KI Sarah Vandenbulcke, KTH Madeleine Skeppås, Uppsala University Paolo Medini, Umeå University This is a unique opportunity to connect with the experts and the participants, the event is structured with ample time for discussions. You can find more details, including the registration link, on the BrainNet 2026 webpage <https://brainnet26.github.io/>. We look forward to seeing you there! Please distribute the link in your networks for anyone who might be interested in attending. Best regards, The BrainNet 2026 Organising Committee: Pascal Helson, IMN University of Bordeaux Arvind Kumar, KTH Henri Riihimäki, Nordita / Stockholm University Jason Smith, Nottingham Trent University Sarah Vandenbulcke, KTH BrainNet funding: BrainNet 2026 is supported by the Strategic Research Area Neuroscience (StratNeuro) [Karolinska Institute, Umeå University and KTH], the Wallenberg Initiative on Networks and Quantum Information (WINQ) program [Nordita institute] and Digital Futures [KTH, Stockholm University and RISE].

March 23, 2026

World wide VVTNS series (6th season): Neural Manifolds in Spinal Networks that Orchestrate Movement | Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 11:00 am ET -Rune Berg, University of Copenhagen

by David Hansel

[image: VVTNS.png] https://www.wwtns.online <https://streaklinks.com/A9c7PbbpKY7PxB6PaAJWGD3-/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wwtns.on…> - on twitter: wwtns@TheoreticalWide You are cordially invited to the lecture Rune Berg University of Copenhagen on the topic of Neural Manifolds in Spinal Networks that Orchestrate Movement The lecture will be held on zoom on March 25 ,2026, at *11:00 am ET * WARNING: USA IS AT SUMMER TIME. 11am ET = 3pm GMT=4pm CET > To receive the link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page > *Abstract: *How does a cat gracefully walk and suddenly freeze when spotting a mouse? In this talk, we look at how networks in the spinal cord generate movement. In particular, we address the fundamental yet poorly understood question of motor control: How can rhythmic movements, such as walking, be generated and stopped at any point in the cycle while posture is preserved? Since conventional models of spinal motor function rely on alternation between flexor and extensor modules, which are limited to just two phases, this question exposes the essential shortcoming of the conventional understanding: How can a system with only two phases generate and stop walking in any phase? To address this question and better understand the generation and stopping of motor activity, we use Neuropixels probes in the rat spinal cord during voluntary, freely moving locomotion. We utilize optogenetic activation of a brainstem nucleus to induce stopping. During locomotion, neuronal manifold activity exhibits robust rotational patterns that are topologically invariant with respect to speed (Linden 2022). Furthermore, this trajectory converges on a stable point-attractor precisely at the moment of arrest, and it persists until the movement is resumed. Through computational modeling, we propose that the walk-to-stop represents a bifurcation from a limit cycle to a fixed point attractor. We also propose a structural network mechanism for its physical implementation (Komi 2026). The structural mechanism entails a longitudinal projectome with a skewed Mexican hat topology, i.e., primarily local recurrent excitation and longer-range inhibition. Such a network can generate motor patterns via traveling waves, with frequency and amplitude controlled independently, and rhythm induced without requiring cellular pacemaker mechanisms. Together, our experimental observations support a new theory for the mechanism behind the generation of movement by networks in the spinal cord. *About VVTNS : Launched as the World Wide Theoretical Neuroscience Seminar (WWTNS) in November 2020 and renamed in homage to Carl van Vreeswijk in Memoriam (April 20, 2022), Speakers have the occasion to talk about theoretical aspects of their work which cannot be discussed in a setting where the majority of the audience consists of experimentalists. The seminars, **held on Wednesdays at 11 am ET,** are 45-50 min long followed by a discussion. The talks are recorded with authorization of the speaker and are available to everybody on our YouTube channel.* ᐧ ᐧ

March 22, 2026

PhD position in Neurotechnology in the Reichenbach lab, Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

by Reichenbach, Tobias

The Chair for Sensory Neuroengineering at the Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering is looking for a PhD student to work on an innovative project in neurotechnology. Together with partners in the Cluster4Future SEMECO (TU Dresden, MED-EL, Fraunhofer) you will develop a Brain-Computer-Interface (BCI) for the next generation of hearing prosthetics. To this end you will develop AI methods for analyzing brain signals and for steering the processing of acoustic signals. The prototype hearing prosthetic with neurofeedback should be then be able to abadjust to the needs of their users and to adapt in real time. AI at the interface to neurobiology is a highly timely topic of immense societal relevance. We offer you the possibility to actively shape this exciting and rapidly developing field. We support your work through: - A lively scientific environment within the Department and the possibility to cooperate with excellent partners at the TU Dresden, at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg as well as with industry partners - An excellent environment to conduct leading science and to realise own scientific ideas - An excellent training in the development of AI methods for neuronal data - Development of your personal strengths, for instance through extensive courses on personal development - 26 days of holiday per year The renumeration is according to Group 13 of the German public service (TV-L). FAU is the most innovative university in Germany and ranks second among the most innovative European universities. It is located in one of the most attractive regions in Germany. Erlangen is a bicycle-friendly city with 100,000 inhabitants, former home of the Huguenots as well as a key location for industry. It is close to Nuremberg, a city with a population of half a million and a metropolitan flair. The mixture of academia, innovative companies, art and culture makes the region the perfect place for creative minds, keen athletes and nature lovers. To apply, please send a letter detailing your motivation, a CV, copies of your degrees and details of two referees. Please combine all documents into a single pdf and send them per email with subject “Application PhD student” to Prof. Dr. Tobias Reichenbach (tobias.j.reichenbach(at)fau.de). Applications will be considered until the 10th of April 2026. The preferred start date of the PhD position is the 1st of October 2026. More information is available here: https://www.neurotech.tf.fau.eu/phd-position-in-sensory-neurotechnology/ ------------------------------------------- Prof. Dr. Tobias Reichenbach Chair of Sensory Neurotechnology Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering (AIBE) Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg Nürnberger Strasse 74 91052 Erlangen https://www.neurotech.tf.fau.eu/

March 20, 2026

call for papers: Formal Models and Empirically Informed Simulations of Interpersonal Dynamics

by Peter Dayan

Dear colleagues, We would like to draw your attention to the Call for Papers for the Special Issue "Formal Models and Empirically Informed Simulations of Interpersonal Dynamics" in the journal Zeitschrift für Psychologie (a journal published in English with a German title). The submission deadline for proposals is July 15, 2026, and the submission deadline for full manuscripts is November 15, 2026. Further information can be found at: https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/2151-2604/a000619 Kind regards, Stefan Westermann and Peter Dayan --- Topic of the Special Issue: Within a dyad of two interacting individuals, each serves as the environment for the other and, in turn, experiences the other as their environment. Capturing the complex interpersonal dynamics that emerge from this interdependence is a major psychological and computational challenge. Interactions become even richer given polyadic relationships and larger groups. Mathematical and computational methods offer powerful tools for uncovering the mechanisms that shape such interact ions. The topical issue "Formal models and empirically informed simulations of interpersonal dynamics" will highlight recent advances in applying such methods to the study of interpersonal processes. We invite contributions from across psychological disciplines - including social, clinical, and personality psychology - that employ frameworks such as agent-based modeling, evolutionary game theory, Bayesian modeling, active inference, and related approaches to provide formal ways of representing, simulating, and analyzing interpersonal phenomena. Both purely theory-driven, formal models and empirically informed simulations are welcome, offering insights into the emergence, maintenance, and change of interpersonal patterns.

March 19, 2026

Computational Neuroscience Introductory School (Stream I): Training Instructors Application

by Tolulope Gbayisomore

The African Computational Neuroscience Education Initiative (ACNEI) invites applications for Training Instructors (TIs) for our *Computational Neuroscience Introductory School (Stream I) for young African scholars.* *About the Training Program* Virtual Training: 11th-22nd May 2026 (TIs participate alongside students) Training at specific regional hubs (optional for participants): 23th -27th May 2026 (Hands-on projects with open-access datasets and networking) *Training Instructor Responsibilities* Each Training Instructor will manage 5-10 undergraduate students during the virtual training, guiding them through: - Provided course resources and materials - Practical computational neuroscience exercises - Mentorship and Q&A support *Timeline * *Application Window*: *16th March - 1st April 2026* *How to Apply:* Complete your application at: https://forms.gle/FA6EPPhKsxnfx3m28 before 1st April 2026, 11:59 PM UTC. NB: If you need more information about the program modality, you can register for any of the Q&A sessions (*24th March - 28th March 2026) *before submitting the application. Register here: https://forms.gle/vrqUQD1rg3UeU79a8 For inquiries, contact contact(a)acnei.org or our Science Communications Lead at c.martina(a)acnei.org Regards, Program Development Lead, African Computational Neuroscience Education Initiative (ACNEI <www.acnei.org>)

March 19, 2026