- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Postdoc positions in computational cognitive science at Max Planck Institute in Tübingen

by Eric Schulz

Our lab (PI: Eric Schulz) at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, is looking to hire 2 fully-funded postdocs. For the first position (which will be jointly with Georg Martius at the MPI for Intelligent Systems), we are looking for someone to work on computational theories of curiosity at the intersection between cognitive science and robotics: https://bit.ly/38s2p0S The second position is an open topic position, and we would like to hire someone to work on the cognitive science aspects of learning, decision making, and generalization. Knowledge of behavioral (or neuroscientific) experiments, advanced statistical analysis skills, and experience with supervising students would be a strong plus: https://bit.ly/3q2w5ry * Key Requirements * - hold (or expect to hold by start of position) a PhD in CogSci, Psych, Neuroscience, Machine Learning, CS or related disciplines - record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals is highly beneficial * Details * - Deadline: Feb 28th 2021 - Position will last for a minimum of 2 years (extension possible) - Start: April 2021 (negotiable) * Application * - please email a cover letter, CV and 1-2 representative publications, as well as the names and email addresses of 3 referees to Eric Schulz * Questions? * - check our lab website to learn more about us: cpilab.org - email Eric at eric DOT schulz AT tue.mpg.de * Links * - Position 1: https://bit.ly/38s2p0S - Position 2: https://bit.ly/3q2w5ry

Jan. 12, 2021

Feb 8/9 Virtual Symposium: Surprise, Curiosity and Reward: from Neuroscience to AI

by Wulfram Gerstner

You are all kindly invited to the EPFL Neuro Symposium on Surprise, Curiosity and Reward: from Neuroscience to AI <https://memento.epfl.ch/event/epfl-neuro-symposium-surprise-curiosity-and-r…> which will take place on _February 8 and February 9 2021 as a Webinar, _ _both days from 14h00 - 19h00 Lausanne Time (8am-3pm US East Coast) _ The Symposium will feature talks from 10 speakers performing research at the intersection of Neuroscience and AI. They will provide in-depth insights into the state of the art of surprise and curiosity as drives of learning in human, animals, and robots. Registration is open <https://memento.epfl.ch/event/epfl-neuro-symposium-surprise-curiosity-and-r…>! (mandatory - no fee) After each talk there will be time for questions so as to get, despite the virtual format, into a real discussion with the speakers. Speakers: A. Barto, M.G. Bellemare, J. Gottlieb, T. Griffiths, E. Koechlin, A. Modirshanechi, D. Ostwald, D. Pathak, E. Vassena --- the program will be available soon, best regards M. Herzog and W. Gerstner https://memento.epfl.ch/event/epfl-neuro-symposium-surprise-curiosity-and-r…

Jan. 12, 2021

GEM 2021 - Registration deadline update

by Vinita Samarasinghe

*GEM 2021 - Generative Episodic Memory: Interdisciplinary perspectives from psychology, neuroscience and philosophy* https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021 <https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021> 16-18 February 2021 This workshop will take place in virtual space and is free of charge. The program is available at https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021program <https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021program> *The deadline for registration has been extended to 31.01.2021*. Please visit our website <https://for2812.rub.de/gem2021> to register. *Abstract:* Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary workshop therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory. FOR 2812 “Constructing scenarios of the past: A new framework in episodic memory” consists of 9 projects. Seven from the Ruhr University Bochum and two from the University of Münster. The consortium adopts an interdisciplinary approach and investigates generative episodic memory from a conceptual, modeling, and experimental perspective using a common conceptual framework: scenario construction. Keynote Speakers: Karl-Heinz Bäuml - University Regensburg, Germany Dorthe Berntsen - Aarhus University, Denmark Amy Criss - Syracuse University, USA Dorothea Debus - University of Konstanz, Germany David Huber - University of Massachusetts, USA Sarah Robins - University of Kansas, USA All questions regarding the workshop should be emailed to for2812(a)rub.de <mailto:for2812@rub.de> Coordinator - Vinita Samarasinghe Secretary - Christiane Dahl -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/26 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de

Jan. 12, 2021

Re: [Comp-neuro] Special Issue on Deep Learning Approaches for Brain-Computer Interfaces (Signals - MDPI)

by Panagiotis Petrantonakis

Call For Papers for a Special issue on: *Deep Learning Approaches for Brain-Computer Interfaces* https://www.mdpi.com/journal/signals/special_issues/Brain_Computer_Interfac… *Special Issue Information* Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) decipher and translate brain signals into commands for the surrounding environment. Different types of brain signals, e.g., EEG and fMRI, have been used as a means to decode intended user commands, and various machine learning approaches have been tested in such a task. With the advent of the deep learning (DL) era, new studies have emerged that exploit the advantages of the deep network architectures for BCI systems and depict more efficient and reliable brain signal decoding systems. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a collection of forefront works investigating the deployment of various deep network types in different BCI applications using a variety of brain signals either of unimodal or multimodal signal processing framework. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following: - Deep network architectures for BCIs; - Transfer learning in BCIs; - Big data for DL-based BCIs; - Fusion of multiple brain signals for BCIs using DL methods. *Guest Editor* Panagiotis Petrantonakis (ppetrant(a)iti.gr) Please do not hesitate to contact me for additional questions. Kind regards, Panagiotis

Jan. 12, 2021

Special session: Bio-inspired circuits, systems and algorithms for multimedia - CBMI-2021 (Lille)

by Teresa Serrano

*Special session: Bio-inspired circuits, systems and algorithms for multimedia in conjunction with CBMI-2021 (June 28-30)* CBMI aims at bringing together the various communities involved in all aspects of content-based multimedia indexing for retrieval, browsing, management, visualization and analytics. The Special Session on bio-inspired circuits, systems and algorithms will be a mini-venue, focusing on the state-of-the-art and research direction of the emerging field of bio-inspired circuits, systems and algorithms and in the envisioned applications and breakthrough that the application of this bioinspired technology and algorithms can bring to the content-based multimedia indexing field development. Special session papers, which can be invited or submitted, will supplement the regular research papers and be included in the proceedings of CBMI 2021. The special session would include four to five papers, which can be invited, or regular submissions. In order to ensure the high quality of all conference papers, all papers submitted to the special session will be peer-reviewed through the standard review process, including invited papers. If the special session has many high-quality submissions, some of the submissions may potentially be moved to some regular sessions. Authors are encouraged to submit previously unpublished research papers including bioinspired circuits, systems and algorithms that address the use of the bioinspired technology and algorithms in the areas of search and retrieval, multimedia content management, user interaction, large-scale search, learning in retrieval, social media indexing and retrieval, surveillance and security. Other applications areas of interest to the CBMI community not listed above maybe considered. *Organizer *: Teresa Serrano Gotarredona, IMSE-CNM —terese(a)imse-cnm.csic.es andcbmi2021-organisation(a)univ-lille.fr Submissions of papers for special sessions are open on EasyChair:https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=cbmi2021. Please select the special session you apply to in the submission form. *STUDENT PARTICIPATION:* We strongly encourage students to participate in CBMI-21 event and submit their research. We strongly believe in their power, and they are the future of the research in content-based multimedia indexing. For these reasons and for the first time in the history of the conference, the 2021 edition of CBMI with support of ACM SIGMM (www.sigmm.org) will sponsor several students, authors of papers submitted and accepted by CBMI-21, and being corresponding author of a paper. The student status will be recognized only to PhDs and master students. Certain students will be totally sponsored, including registration fees, accommodations and travel expenses. Other students will be partly sponsored, including substantial reduction in the registration fees, no cut-backs to the students’ conference experience, and budget accommodation options and arrangement for room sharing. Furthermore, in this edition, prizes will be awarded to the best student poster presentations of CBMI2021. All the participants registered to CBMI2021 as student will be automatically admitted to the selection for the awards. All the papers accepted as poster presentation by the Technical Program Committee (TPC), from students will be considered for the awards, given that a full-paper manuscript has been submitted. The student poster awards committee will evaluate the nominated contributions during the poster sessions of CBMI2021. The evaluation criteria will be independently established by the Committee before the conference and will take into account the scientific content as well as the technical quality of the posters. The Student Poster Awards will be announced during the Gala Dinner, on June 29th. *Instructions to authors:* Special sessions papers will be included in the CBMI proceedings like regular papers. The CBMI proceedings are traditionally indexed and distributed by IEEE Xplore and ACM DL. In addition, authors of certain best papers of the conference will be invited to submit extended versions of their contributions to a special issue of a leading journal in the field (e.g. MTAP - Springer), and other best papers will be invited to submit extended versions of their contributions in a book (ISTE/WILEY publisher). -- Teresa Serrano Gotarredona Investigadora Científica / Research Scientist Imagen Logo IMSE-CNM C/ Américo Vespucio, 28 Parque Científico y Tecnológico Cartuja 41092 Sevilla. SPAIN Ph.: +34 954 466 666 • Fax: +34 954 466 600

Jan. 11, 2021

PhD fellowship on dolphin communication and AI

by German Sumbre

Jan. 11, 2021

PhD position in computational neuroscience at the European Neuroscience Institute

by Jan Clemens

The Clemens lab the European Neuroscience Institute in Göttingen (Germany) is recruiting a PhD student. The position is part of a DFG funded joint project with Matthias Hennig (Berlin) in the priority program “Evolutionary Optimization of Neuronal Processing” (SPP 2205). The project will investigate how pattern recognition networks support the evolution of behavioral diversity, using acoustic communication in crickets as a model system. Building upon existing behavioral and circuit models, we will characterize the nonlinear mapping from circuit parameters to behavior using machine learning. We will combine large behavioral data sets from more than 20 different species, phylogenetic information, and computational modelling to investigate the evolutionary process that shaped the behavior in this species group. Hypotheses produced in the modelling approach will be tested with experimental collaborators in Berlin. Your profile - MSc in computational neuroscience, computational biology, physics, engineering, computer science or equivalent. - Strong quantitative and programming skills are required. - Experience with modelling, statistics, and machine learning. Our offer The position is for 4 years. The successful candidate will join one of the many excellent graduate schools on the Göttingen Campus. In addition, the candidate will be embedded in the diverse community formed by the members of SPP 2205. Application deadline: 15.2.2021 Start date: Spring/Summer 2021 How to apply? Please send your application as a single pdf to Jan Clemens ( clemensjan(a)gmail.com) including a CV as well as names and contact details of two references. Please include a short statement of why this project interests you and how you think you could contribute, based on your scientific background. Jan Clemens European Neuroscience Institute Neural Computation and Behavior group Grisebachstr. 5 37077 Göttingen, Germany janclemenslab.org

Jan. 11, 2021

[2nd BCI-UC] Submit an abstract before the start of the voting period on January 13th

by Moritz Grosse-Wentrup

Dear all, This is a friendly reminder that voting on abstracts submitted to the 2nd Brain-Computer Interface Un-Conference begins on January 13th. To maximize your chances to present your work, please submit your abstract before the start of the voting period: https://bciunconference.univie.ac.at/2nd-bci-uc/ The BCI-UC committee: Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Anja Meunier Philipp Raggam Jiachen Xu -- Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Research Group Neuroinformatics Faculty of Computer Science University of Vienna Hörlgasse 6, A-1090 Wien, Austria moritz.grosse-wentrup(a)univie.ac.at +43-1-4277-79610 http://neural.engineering/

Jan. 11, 2021

PhD position in Machine learning with dynamic models

by Kerstin Bunte

Dear colleagues, The Computer Science department at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands has a PhD position for interested candidates on "Machine Learning with dynamic models". We are accepting applications until March 1 2021. More information can be found under the following link: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… Kind regards, Kerstin Bunte -- Kerstin Bunte, Assistant Professor | Rosalind Franklin Fellow Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Faculty of Science and Engineering University of Groningen P.O. Box 407, 9700 AK Groningen The Netherlands Email: k.bunte(a)rug.nl Phone: +31 (0)50 363 3966 web: http://www.cs.rug.nl/~kbunte/

Jan. 10, 2021

Neural Networks Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science: deadline extended to Feb 1st

by Kenji Doya

Given multiple requests, we are extending the submission deadline for this special issue to Monday February 1st. We welcome your contributions in brain-inspired AI and AI applications to neuroscience and neurotechnology. ******** Building on the big success of the International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science (AIBS 2020) http://www.brain-ai.jp/symposium2020/ we are organizing a Neural Networks Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neural-networks/call-for-papers/special-i… This special issue features perspective articles based on the discussions at AIBS 2020 and aims to capture recent advances in the crossing forefront of AI and neuroscience. We call for submissions of papers aiming at fruitful fusion of AI and brain science. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: • Brain-inspired Artificial Intelligence • Deep Learning • Reinforcement Learning • World Model Learning and Inference • Metacognition and Metalearning • AI for Neuroscience • Neuromorphic Technologies • Social Impact and Ethics of Neuro-AI Technologies Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts online at https://www.editorialmanager.com/NEUNET/default.aspx • Manuscript submission due: February 1, 2021 • First review completed: April 15, 2021 • Revised manuscript due: June 15, 2021 • Final decisions to authors: July 15, 2021 Guest Editors: Kenji Doya, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (ncus(a)oist.jp) Karl Friston, University College London Masashi Sugiyama, RIKEN AIP and The University of Tokyo IRCN Josh Tenenbaum, Massachusetts Institute of Technology ---- 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://groups.oist.jp/ncu

Jan. 9, 2021

Post Doc on AI and Behavior in London

by Dimitris Pinotsis

Post Doc on AI and Behavior in London The Computational Neuroscience and Psychiatry Lab (www.pinotsislab.com) at University of London—City is looking for a Post Doc with a strong background in AI/ Machine Learning and Behavioral Science. The Lab focuses on developing new algorithms for the analysis of behavioral data and human and animal brain imaging data. These are based on computational models of neural dynamics and state of the art machine learning techniques. Particular emphasis is put on applications in Computational Neuroscience and Psychiatry and developing models of human behavior and brain pathology. Also, the Lab develops brain theories that can explain brain function, using theoretical tools from deep neural networks and Bayesian brain theories. The lab also performs EEG recordings. The Post Doc shall conduct research at the intersection of human behavior and machine learning. She or he will build computational tools using state of the art machine learning algorithms. The position has an initial duration of 6 months. The successful candidate should have a PhD in machine learning, psychology, computational neuroscience, engineering or a related field. Expertise in one or more modern scientific computing programming language (Python, Matlab or R) is essential. Experience with large databases, SQL methods for data storage, web architectures and API development is an advantage. For informal inquiries, please email Dr. Dimitris Pinotsis at pinotsis(a)mit.edu

Jan. 8, 2021

PhD Studentships, University of Sussex, be.AI programme in Biomimetic Embodied AI

by Miguel Maravall

Dear colleagues The University of Sussex is offering 6 PhD studentships within its new Doctoral Scholarship Programme funded by the Leverhulme Trust. This programme in Biomimetic Embodied AI investigates how intelligence arises from the interaction of the brain with the body and the environment. It includes multiple projects that link between AI and Neuroscience: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/ccnr/be_ai/proposals. Please see below for the announcement (*deadline is 31st Jan 2021*). The University of Sussex invites applications for PhD studentships within the be.AI Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme (www.sussex.ac.uk/ccnr/be_ai<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/ccnr/be_ai>) which will bring together researchers from the humanities, life sciences and computing to pursue artificial intelligence (AI) in its original definition of understanding natural intelligence by emulating it in artificial systems. In our unique interdisciplinary centre, we will advance understanding of how the interaction between brain, body and environment gives rise to intelligence and how this insight can be used to build novel artificial intelligence. As a be.AI Scholar you will: * Be funded for 3.5 years with a tax free living allowance at the standard Research Council rate - currently £15,009 per year- and UK fees * Be eligible for generous financial support of up to £4,000 per year for training and research expenses, such as conference trips and experimental costs * Be eligible to apply for one of three 12 month postdoctoral research fellowships, available only to completing Leverhulme be.AI scholars * Benefit from supervision by world-leading researchers in many different aspects of AI * Benefit from taught courses in topics, such as ethics and data science. The Programme will fund three intakes of 6 students per year, starting in September 2021 (application deadline 31st January 2021). You will be registered within one of the participating schools (Life Sciences, Engineering and Informatics, Psychology, Philosophy, Media Film & Music) but will be encouraged to perform cross-disciplinary research with academics across Schools. In be.AI, you will work in a community of like-minded students and researchers supported by your own research seminars, invited lectures by world leading speakers, as well as student-led conferences and cohort building events. We are passionate about creating an interdisciplinary cohort of researchers, so we expect successful applicants to see beyond their disciplinary boundaries and embrace the opportunity to work at the intersection of multiple fields. For further details, including how to apply, see http://www.sussex.ac.uk/ccnr/be_ai Thanks! Miguel Prof Miguel Maravall (he/him) Director, Sussex Neuroscience Academic lead, Athena SWAN & gender equality, University of Sussex School of Life Sciences University of Sussex Falmer Brighton BN1 9QG United Kingdom http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/maravalllab/

Jan. 8, 2021

Postdoctoral Positions in Theoretical Neuroscience, Higher School of Economics, Moscow Russia FEB 14 DEADLINE

by boris gutkin

Post-doctoral position in Theoretical Neuroscience DEADLINE 14 February More Information: https://iri.hse.ru/theoretical_neuroscience2021 <https://iri.hse.ru/cognitive_neuroscience3> Application link: https://iri.hse.ru/polls/323647081.html <https://iri.hse.ru/polls/323647081.html> The Higher School of Economics Centre for Cognition & Decision Making <https://www.hse.ru/en/cdm-centre/> of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience in Moscow, Russia, invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in computational and mathematical approaches to understanding neural function and cognition at Theoretical Neuroscience Group (TNG). Research interests of the TNG at the Centre for Cognition and Decision Making are wide ranging, carried out in collaboration with the experimental labs at the Center. Current research topics include computational psychiatry, computational neuroeconomics, information processing in neurons and circuits, as well as role of oscillations in cognition. The candidate will have the opportunity to further define and expand the Group’s research programme. We are seeking highly qualified and motivated candidate with backgrounds in quantitative disciplines: applied mathematics, physics, computer science or engineering. Knowledge of biology, neuroscience and ability to work with data is highly desired. Candidates will be trained in model building, analysis and will be offered advanced training in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Candidates will have an opportunity to develop independent research projects and collaborations under the direction of the group leading scientists. The TNG is a structural part of the HSE’s Centre for Cognition & Decision Making <https://www.hse.ru/en/cdm-centre/> with ample collaboration opportunities within the Centre with other research groups, both within Russia and internationally. This new international group is tightly linked with the Group for Neural Theory at the Ecole Normale Superior <http://iec-lnc.ens.fr/group-for-neural-theory/?lang=en> in Paris, where research internships and visiting positions can be made available. Application Process Applications must be submitted online. Please provide a CV, a statement of research interest and a recent research paper submitted via an online application form. At least two letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship(a)hse.ru <mailto:fellowship@hse.ru> before the application deadline. Please note that direct applications to the hiring department may not be reviewed. More information can be also obtained from bgutkin(a)hse.ru <mailto:boris.gutkin@hse.ru>

Jan. 7, 2021

Fully funded doctoral position at Ecole Normale Superieure and CentraleSupelec Paris in AI/Cognitive Computational Neuroscience/Quantitative Finance from fall 2021

by boris gutkin

Fully funded doctoral position in multi-agent modelling of financial markets and cognitive computational neuroscience. Laboratory for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the Ecole Normale Superieure Paris and the Chair for Quantitative Finance at CentraleSupelec are looking for exceptional candidates to work on a doctorate as a part of a collaborative project spanning development of multi-agent models of stock markets (e.g. see Lussange et al 2020, Bavard et al 2018, da Gamma Battista 2017) and the effects of human cognitive traits and bounded rationality on the market dynamics. The candidate will be physically based at ENS. The student will be advised by Damien Challet (Chair for Quantative Finance, CentraleSupelec) and Boris Gutkin (Mathematics of Neural Circuits Team, LNC2, ENS) and collaborate closely with Stefano Palminteri (Human Reinforcement Learning Team, LNC2, ENS). The student will have an opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the project, from computational modelling to behavioral experiments to data mining. Industrial applications of the project outcomes can also be explored as well as a potential collaboration with Capital Fund Management, Paris. More information can be found at: https://psl.eu/recherche/grands-projets-de-recherche/projets-europeens/prog… <https://psl.eu/recherche/grands-projets-de-recherche/projets-europeens/prog…> https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/580403 <https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/580403> Start expected in fall 2021. Elibigibility: Master’s degree or equivalent in a quantitative discipline. There is no nationality or age criteria, but applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the deadline of the call Interested candidates should contact boris.gutkin(a)ens.fr <mailto:boris.gutkin@ens.fr> before January 30 to discuss their application to the program Bavard S, *Lebreton M, Khamassi M, Coricelli G, Palminteri S. Reference-point centering and range-adaptation enhance human reinforcement learning at the cost of irrational preferences <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs414…>. Nature Communications (2018). da Gama Batista, Joao, Domenico Massaro, Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, Damien Challet, and Cars Hommes. "Do investors trade too much? A laboratory experiment." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 140 (2017): 18-34. Lussange, J., Lazarevich, I., Bourgeois-Gironde, S., Palminteri, S., Gutkin, B. (2020) Modelling Stock Markets by Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning. Comput Econ. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10614-020-10038- <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10614-020-10038->w

Jan. 7, 2021

Workshop 'Invention of Writing' (12-15/01)

by Andrea Santamaria

Dear Sir/Madam, We are delighted to announce our Workshop on the invention of writing, organised by the INSCRIBE Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings ERC project, based at the University of Bologna. It will start next Tuesday, 12th January and will run for four consecutive afternoons, until Friday the 15th January. The workshop is articulated into four thematic sessions and crosses boundaries between archaeology, linguistics, cognitive science, and much more. To join us, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Wcibfgg_SRGkJVWJkE_NvA A single registration will allow you to access all sessions. For more information on our guest speakers and the full programme: https://www.inscribercproject.com/workshop//workshop_home.php Thank you and see you very soon! Silvia Ferrara

Jan. 7, 2021

Data Scientist Position in Bioinformatics and Neuroscience at Boston University

by Chen, Jerry

The Lab of Jerry Chen at Boston University is hiring a Staff-Level Data Scientist to be involved in several multi-year BRAIN Initiative related NIH and NSF funded projects. These projects focus on understanding cortical computation during behavior by combining behavior, genomics, spatial transcriptomics, anatomical reconstructions, and large-scale population recordings. This person will be involved in help to analyze experimental data, developing software tools to aid in the data analysis, and helping with data infrastructure and management. Specific Projects include: 1. Analysis of genomic data. 2. Image analysis for in situ sequencing of gene expression (ie. spatial transcriptomics) 3. Automated behavioral training and video analysis. 4. Analysis of dense electron microscope reconstructions of neuronal connectivity (ie. Connectomics). Required Skills: * BA/BS degree (MS/PhD preferred) in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Bioinformatics, Neuroscience or related technical field. * One to three years of academic or professional experience. * Programming experience in MATLAB, Python, and R is required. * Extensive background in either genomic analysis, image analysis, computer vision, or machine learning is preferred. If interested in applying, please submit a CV along with 3 references to jerry(a)chen-lab.org<https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=jerry@chen-lab.org> Jerry Chen, PhD. Assistant Professor Department of Biology Boston University jerry(a)chen-lab.org<mailto:jerry@chen-lab.org> www.chen-lab.org

Jan. 7, 2021

Permanent position in computational modeling of neurostimulation in mental disorders

by Axel Hutt

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Permanent position in computational modeling of neurostimulation in mental disorders ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The research of the INRIA-team MIMESIS in Strasbourg / France (https://mimesis.inria.fr) aims to create a synergy between clinicians and scientists to develop new healthcare technologies. The team researchers collaborate closely with clinicians and choose their research focus along the clinical applications. Major scientific objectives are the development of advanced online- and offline simulations involving new numerical techniques for real-time computation and data-driven simulation dedicated to patient-specific modelling. One application branch is embedded in neuroscience with a specific focus on general anaesthesia and neurostimulation of patients suffering from mental disorders. For instance, members of MIMESIS work in the recently funded project A/D Drugs (https://www.inria.fr/en/ad-drugs-exploratory-action-aimed-optimising-neuros…) to develop novel neurostimulation techniques in psychosis that may emerge in schizophrenia patients. The team offers the possibility to apply for a permanent position as Chargé de Recherche (CR) or Directeur de Recherche (DR) in the research field of computational neuroscience with a strong focus on linking brain network modelling with experimental data. The new colleague should have a strong expertise in neurostimulation and/or modelling of experimental data observed in mental disorders. Strong programming and mathematical skills are mandatory. INRIA is a French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (https://www.inria.fr/en) with 8 research centres in France. The team MIMESIS is located in the centre of Strasbourg on the hospital campus as part of the Research Centre Nancy Grand Est. The application deadline will be mid of February 2021, but it is recommended to contact the team (by email: axel.hutt(a)inria.fr) in advance. For more details or sending your application documents (CV including publication list), please contact Dr. Axel Hutt (email: axel.hutt(a)inria.fr) .

Jan. 6, 2021

Postdoc in machine learning at EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland)

by Milekovic Tomislav

Postdoc position in the lab of Prof. Gregoire Courtine at EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) Machine learning techniques to develop and enhance clinical treatments based on electrical stimulation of the spinal cord Location: The laboratory of Prof. Gregoire Courtine at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, is looking to fill a fully funded postdoc position. The qualified candidate will benefit from joining a very dynamic and multidisciplinary group working at the interface of computational neuroscience, neuroengineering, prosthetics and biology. EPFL provides state-of-the-art facilities and is one of the leading technical universities worldwide. Postdoc salaries at EPFL rank the highest in the world. Opportunity: The offered position will be based at the Defitech Center for interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore) - a research and innovation center joining EPFL’s lab of Prof. Gregoire Courtine and the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV) lab of Prof. Jocelyne Bloch. NeuroRestore conceives, develops and applies medical therapies aimed to restore neurological functions. To this end, NeuroRestore integrates implantable neurotechnologies with innovative treatments developed through rigorous preclinical and clinical studies. By working with our network of vibrant high-tech start-ups and established medical technology companies, NeuroRestore is committed to validate our medical therapy concepts. The overarching goal of NeuroRestore is to see our medical therapies used every day in hospitals and rehabilitation clinics worldwide. Description: Therapies based on epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of the spinal cord can restore the ability to walk to people paralyzed by spinal cord injury, and alleviate gait deficits of people with Parkinson’s disease. EES does this by recruiting sensory axons within dorsal spinal roots that enter the spinal cord between the vertebrae to increase the activation of the spinal motor pools that, in turn, move the muscles. Yet, the efficacy of the EES-based therapies relies on synchronizing users’ movement intentions with the spatiotemporal stimulation protocols that reliably and accurately generate paralyzed movements. Due to the large state space of all the stimulation parameters (location, amplitude, frequency, etc.) efficacy of the therapy depends on the fast and accurate initialization of the stimulation protocols. As the patients use the stimulation, small movements of the array, as well as changes in spine position due to users’ posture can reduce the usability of the stimulation. Stimulation efficacy can be enhanced by dynamically adjusting the stimulation protocols to changes to the way how to users’ spinal cord reacts to stimulation. Finally, the functional use of the stimulation largely depends on the accurate timing of stimulation delivery. Machine learning approaches that infer users’ intentions based on behavioral, physiological or neural recordings can vastly improve the synchronization between intended and therapy-supported movements and, therefore, play a critical role in achieving functional recovery of patients. While the current medical devices mostly support block-based stimulation protocols that remain constant for hundreds of milliseconds, upcoming devices will enable changes of stimulation at a millisecond resolution, thus opening a new field for machine learning approaches that exploit these capabilities. The successful candidate will work to develop, implement and apply machine learning algorithms and approaches to enhance EES-based therapies. Specifically, he will: * Design the mapping procedures for the generation of transfer functions that relate the continuously-controlled stimulation to the evoked muscle activity. * Develop algorithms that automatically adjust these transfer functions as the interaction between patients and their EES-based therapy evolves. * Implement machine learning techniques that utilize users’ behavioral, physiological and neural signals to continuously synchronize the delivery of stimulation with the users’ movement intentions. * Lead the team that develops machine learning methods to initialize and adjust block-based EES protocols. * Assist and oversee the development and implementation of machine learning methods that use inference of discrete motor events to synchronize block-based EES protocols with the users’ intentions. By integrating well-equipped and expertly staffed rodent, non-human primate and clinical research facilities, NeuroRestore provides an ideal substrate for rapidly developing, integrating and clinically validating cutting-edge machine learning concepts within medical therapies, with the capacity to push successfully proven concepts into the technology transition phase. The successful candidate will have access to these animal platforms and will work within the framework of multiple NeuroRestore clinical trials with people with spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s disease. They will benefit from the possibility of validating their concepts in animal experiments and implementing them within the therapies being tested in the clinical trials. Prerequisites: · Doctoral degree (PhD) · Proficiency in Python, Matlab and C++ · Strong background in quantitative data analysis · Experience with applying multiple machine learning techniques to behavioral, physiological, biological and/or neural datasets · Good written and verbal skills in English Contact: Applications including a CV and a cover letter describing your background and interest should be sent to tomislav.milekovic(a)epfl.ch<mailto:tomislav.milekovic@epfl.ch>. Informal inquiries are welcome.

Jan. 6, 2021

Postdoc opportunity (fully funded): Theories and Models of Behaving Brains

by Ann Kennedy

The Kennedy lab (kennedylab.org<http://kennedylab.org/>) is hiring multiple fully-funded postdoctoral researchers for neural network modeling, data analysis, or deep learning projects. Our research goal is to develop new methods for analyzing and modeling high dimensional data, which we use to understand the structure of behavior, its control by the brain, and the dependence of brain activity and behavior on context, experience, and internal state. We work in close collaboration with experimental groups, with available projects studying neural encoding of state and behavior in basal ganglia, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and cortex. We are also pursuing pure theory projects, studying computation and dynamics in heterogeneous neural networks, inspired by the remarkable cell type diversity that has been uncovered throughout the brain via single-cell RNA sequencing experiments. We are a new theoretical neuroscience laboratory at Northwestern University, in the Physiology department of Feinberg Medical School on Chicago's Miracle Mile. Northwestern's Physiology department is ranked #3 in the US, and has an incredible concentration of expertise in the motor control and reward circuitry of the basal ganglia and cortex. Interested applicants, please email ann.kennedy(a)northwestern.edu<mailto:ann.kennedy@northwestern.edu> with a CV and a comment on your research interests.

Jan. 5, 2021

Postdoc Position - Human Intracerebral Speech Perception

by Lori Holt

Interested to join a highly collaborative, vibrant research environment in Pittsburgh? We are seeking to understand how the brain flexibly maps speech input across manipulations in short-term input regularities. The postdoctoral position will be supported by a new NIH-sponsored research project, *Flexible representation of speech in the supratemporal plane*, that weds the joint expertise of Lori Holt (Carnegie Mellon University) and Taylor Abel (Pediatric Neurosurgery, University ofPittsburgh) to advance how dynamic, flexible aspects of the mapping of speech input to phonemes are represented in the intracerebral response of human cortex measured with stereoelectroencephalography. You can find more info here: https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/psychology/holtlab/PDF/cmupittpostdocad2020.pdf Please feel free to be in touch with questions for Lori (loriholt(a)cmu.edu) or Taylor (abeltj(a)upmc.edu) ______________________________________________________________ loriholt Professor, Department of Psychology | Neuroscience Institute | Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Carnegie Mellon University loriholt(a)cmu.edu | www.psy.cmu.edu/~holtlab/ pronouns: she, her, hers

Jan. 5, 2021

Digital Info Day - International Master & PhD in Computational Neuroscience @ BCCN Berlin - 27.01.21

by Graduate Programs

Dear Computational Neuroscientists, Please share the following event information with anyone who may be interested. We at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Berlin will hold a "Digital Info Day" to discuss our International Master & Doctoral Programs in Computational Neuroscience on Wednesday, January 27th, at 3pm (CET). The event will consist of talks by: * Prof. Dr. Klaus Obermayer (head of the programs) * Lisa Velenosi (teaching coordinator) * Current master and doctoral students Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet & discuss with current students and ask any questions or concerns that they may have. See our website <https://www.bccn-berlin.de/events-list/information-day-international-gradua…> for a more detailed schedule and registration link. Best regards and happy new year, Lisa Velenosi -- Lisa Velenosi Teaching Coordinator Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Philippstraße 13, Haus 6; 10115 Berlin; Germany Tel: +49 (0)30 2093 6773 Technische Universität Berlin Marchstraße 23; Raum 5.061; 10587 Berlin; Germany Tel: +49 (0)30 314 72006 SFB1315 - Network Outreach Coordinator PhD & Postdoc Cohort

Jan. 5, 2021

NEURAL COMPUTATION - December 1, 2020

by Terry Sejnowski

Neural Computation - Volume 32, Number 12 - December 1, 2020 available online for download now: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/toc/neco/32/12 http://cognet.mit.edu/content/neural-computation ----- Articles Resonator Networks Outperform Optimization Methods at Solving High-dimensional Vector Factorization Spencer Kent, E. Paxon Frady, Friedrich T Sommer, and Bruno A. Olshausen Resonator Networks for Factoring Distributed Representations of Data Structures E. Paxon Frady, Spencer Kent, Bruno A. Olshausen, and Friedrich T Sommer Differential Covariance: A New Method to Estimate Functional Connectivity in fMRI Tiger W. Lin, Yusi Chen, Qasim Bukhari, Giri P. Krishnan, Maxim Bazhenov, and Terrence J. Sejnowski Letters Synchrony and Complexity in State-related EEG Networks: An Application of Spectral Graph Theory Amir Hossein Ghaderi, Bianca R. Baltaretu, Masood Nemati Andevari, Vishal Bharmauria, and Fuat Balci Toward a Unified Framework for Cognitive Maps Woori Kim, Yongseok Yoo Active Learning for Level Set Estimation Under Input Uncertainty and Its Extensions Yu Inatsu, Masayuki Karasuyama, Keiichi Inoue, and Ichiro Takeuchi Redundancy-aware Pruning of Convolutional Neural Networks GuoTian Xie Analyzing and Accelerating the Bottlenecks of Training Deep SNNs With Backpropagation Ruizhi Chen, Ling Li ------------ ON-LINE -- http://www.mitpressjournals.org/neuralcomp MIT Press Journals, One Rogers Street, Cambridge, MA 02142-1209 Tel: (617) 253-2889 FAX: (617) 577-1545 journals-cs(a)mit.edu ------------

Jan. 4, 2021

WorldWideNeuRise, an online seminar series promoting early-career researchers

by William Podlaski

We are very pleased to announce the new seminar series WWNeuRise that explicitly targets PhD students and postdocs (https://neurise.github.io/) WWNeuRise aims to give early career scientists an opportunity to share their exciting work with a large audience and make connections with people interested in similar questions. The seminar series will be hosted on WWNeuro and sponsored by eLife. The first seminar block, entitled "Neuroscience at the intersection of experiment and theory", will start in January 2021 and features six exciting talks by Nicolas Meirhaeghe (Jazayeri lab, MIT) Federico Stella (Battaglia lab, Donders Institute) Soledad Gonzalo Cogno (Moser lab, NTNU) Zoe Ashwood (Pillow lab, Princeton University) Claire Hales (Robinson lab, University of Bristol) Arseny Finkelstein (Svododa lab, Janelia HHMI) For more information, please visit the WWNeuRise website ( https://neurise.github.io/) or twitter (https://twitter.com/WWNeuRise) We are looking forward to seeing you all in January! The organising committee, Ellen Boven (Apps lab, U Bristol) Christina Buetfering (Häusser lab, U College London) Lucie Descamps (Kentros lab, NTNU) Gily Ginosar (Ulanovsky lab, Weizmann Institute) Loreen Hertäg (Sprekeler lab, TU Berlin) Joram Keijser (Sprekeler lab, TU Berlin) Bill Podlaski (Machens lab, Champalimaud)

Jan. 4, 2021

Call for community project proposals and mentors for INCF's participation in GSoC 2021 - expression of interest due January 15

by Malin Sandström

Hello all, ------- Please forward this email to prospective mentors you might have in your network ---- INCF will be applying again to Google Summer of Code, for the 11th time running. Last year was a record year in the number and diversity of projects, we hope to do at least as well this year! A note on scope: we are looking for open source project ideas with some sort of *neuro connection* - fixes or extensions to big/broadly applicable or small/niche tools used by neuroscience researchers, efforts and initiatives in the broad field of computational neuroscience. If your project supports or implements *neuroscience standards or best practices*, we are especially happy (but all projects are treated equally, when it comes to slot assignments). This year, we are *also looking for mentors who come without their own projects *and are willing to take on student-proposed projects that fit their interests. As you may have seen earlier this year, Google has announced some changes to the program <https://opensource.googleblog.com/2020/10/google-summer-of-code-2021-is-bri…>. Projects will now be SHORTER (10 weeks instead of 12) and entry thresholds for students will be diversified, which will allow more varied student backgrounds. In compensation, there will be more projects. This means, if you have a running project from previous years that you want to continue, you may need to *re-scope* its contents and aims a bit, maybe even split it in two (independent) parts. With a shorter time span and a more varied student body, where not all students will be as near to full-fledged computer scientists, we will need to put a bit more effort into *introductions, support *and *confidence-building*. INCF will help with this, please refer interested students to us at an early stage so we can onboard them into our 'potential students' community. Another important change: this time (and in years forward), we aim to *keep all prospective students in the INCF community*, regardless of if they are accepted to a project or not. They may well be candidates for next year, and also, since you will be putting actual effort into project discussions, we want to make sure it is useful. Also, the usual reminder: there is no guarantee that INCF is accepted this year until we hear from Google on *March 9*. Please be clear with this in your communication with students. The* timeline <https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/how-it-works/>* is similar to the years before: Applications open near the *end of January (29th)*, they close near *mid February (19th)*. We aim to have a live project ideas list in mid January. Orgs are announced on *March 9*, and student applications are open *March 21 - April 19*. *Important*: last year we were near peak capacity in the number of project ideas on our final list, with a flurry of last-minute activity. We therefore want interested mentors to contact us (gsoc(a)incf.org or malin(a)incf.org) *early* with a declaration of interest and a short summary of the intended project, latest *January 15*. If you want to mentor but don't have a project idea, you are still welcome to join our list of potential mentors for ideas that originate with students. Actual project descriptions should ideally come by *January 22*, a week before we officially go live with the project list on *January 29*, but we will take on late requests from *previous mentors only* (including mentors of previous non-accepted projects) on a case-by-case basis if they are well described and properly scoped. Project template: Each submission should come *by email* and contain: 1) An *informative title* with relevant keywords (good-to-have: name of tool/project, name of programming language) 2) A *project description* including a brief general intro, motivation, aims, scope and skills/skill level needed. Please indicate 2-5 tech keywords (Python, C++, Java, SQL, REST, CUDA, ...) 3) Name of *lead mentor* + a *named co-mentor or backup mentor* who would be able and willing to back the main/contact mentor up in mentoring in case something unforeseen happens (can be more than one, as long as you are internally clear on who does what) 4) Any planned *longer absences* during the lead up/student interaction period (*February 1 - April 19*, especially the last week) or the project period (May 17 - *August 30*), and the plan for covering them. 5)* Format*: your choice - txt, doc, docx, pdf or a link to a webpage with the full description(s). Anything that can be copied and pasted. NB: Project ideas will be posted on *Neurostars.org* after the ideas list goes live, and prospective mentors are expected to *join the forum and be available* for questions from students during the run up to the announcement (late Jan - early March) and the student interactions period (March-April). This can be handled by email, mostly, if you prefer, once you have set your NeuroStars account up. Questions and project submissions: please email *malin(a)incf.org <malin(a)incf.org>* AND cc *gsoc(a)incf.org <gsoc(a)incf.org>*. Happy new year of coding! /Malin -- Malin Sandström, PhD Community Engagement Officer malin.sandstrom(a)incf.org International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility Karolinska Institutet Nobels väg 15 A SE-171 77 Stockholm Sweden http://www.incf.org

Jan. 4, 2021

Postdoctoral fellow – Systems Neuroscience of Alzheimer’s Disease

by Williamson, Ross S

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posting. A postdoctoral position is available in the Williamson and Thathiah laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to investigate the links between hearing loss and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The information from our senses is used throughout everyday life to guide the decisions we make and the actions that we take. For example, the sound of sirens when driving leads to a decision regarding an appropriate motor action (whether or not, and where, to pull over). The neural circuits that underlie these cognitive processes (accumulation of sensory evidence, short-term memory, perception decision-making, etc.) can be severely altered by disease. Hearing loss is prevalent in >40% of individuals older than 60 years and is considered to be the most heavily contributing modifiable risk factor to dementia. It is our hope that by identifying and studying the neural circuits involved, we will provide insight to drive subsequent therapeutic intervention strategies that may lead to the repair (or prevention) of damage. The Williamson Laboratory uses a variety of state-of-the-art tools to probe the neural circuits of awake mice, including two-photon calcium imaging and high-channel count electrophysiology (both with single-cell optogenetic perturbations), head-fixed virtual reality behaviors, and statistical approaches for neural characterization. A significant focus of the lab is to understand how sensory information is used to guide purposeful behavior in models of health and disease. Details on the research focus and approaches of the Williamson laboratory can be found here: https://www.williamsonlaboratory.com/research/ The Thathiah Laboratory uses molecular, cellular, and behavioral approaches along with optogenetic tools to investigate the mechanisms of AD pathogenesis. Recently, the Thathiah lab teamed up with the Williamson lab to investigate the putative causal relationship between hearing loss, disease pathogenesis, and cognitive impairment using our complementary research approaches in AD mouse models. Details on the research focus of the Thathiah laboratory can be found here: https://www.neurobio.pitt.edu/people/amantha-thathiah Both laboratories are embedded within the Departments of Neurobiology and Otolaryngology, are members of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute, the Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, and are affiliated with the Center for Neuroscience (CNUP) and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC). The Thathiah laboratory is a member of the Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (PIND), the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), and the Aging Institute. Postdoctoral fellows will be part of a highly supportive and diverse research environment with excellent career development opportunities. The University of Pittsburgh was ranked third in terms of total NIH funding received in 2018. The Global Livability Index (The Economist) recently ranked Pittsburgh as the second most livable city in America. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, disability unrelated to job requirements, genetic information, military service, or other protected status. Requirements: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience or a relevant field and must be eligible for employment in the US. We are looking for individuals with an excellent record of research achievements and expertise at the intersection of two or more of the following areas: electrophysiology, two-photon imaging, quantitative behavior, and computational neuroscience. Experience with molecular and biochemical techniques is preferred but not required. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, technical expertise, and scientific creativity are essential. Applications will continue until the position is filled. Contact: Interested candidates should send a brief statement of research interests, a current CV, and the names and contact information of three references to: Dr. Ross Williamson: rsw(a)pitt.edu<mailto:rsw@pitt.edu> Dr. Amantha Thathiah: amantha(a)pitt.edu<mailto:amantha@pitt.edu> Thanks, Ross ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ross S. Williamson, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor | Otolaryngology, Neurobiology Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center | Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition University of Pittsburgh | Biomedical Science Tower | W1448 www.williamsonlaboratory.com<http://www.williamsonlaboratory.com>

Dec. 29, 2020