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[publication and call for dialog] IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, 14(1), 2017
by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer Sept. 7, 2017

Sept. 7, 2017

Dear colleagues, I am happy to announce the release of the latest issue of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (open access). This is a biannual newsletter addressing the sciences of developmental and cognitive processes in natural and artificial organisms, from humans to robots, at the crossroads of cognitive science, developmental psychology, artificial intelligence and neuroscience. It is available at: http://goo.gl/dyrg6s Featuring dialog: === "Exploring Robotic Minds by Predictive Coding Principle" == Dialog initiated by Jun Tani with responses from: Andy Clark, Doug Blank, James Marshall, Lisa Meeden, Stephane Doncieux, Giovanni Pezzulo, Martin Butz, Ezgi Kayhan, Johan Kwisthout and Karl Friston == Topic: The idea that the brain is pro-actively making predictions of the future at multiple levels of hierarchy has become a central topic to explain human intelligence and to design general artificial intelligence systems. This dialog discusses whether hierarchical predictive coding enables a paradigm shift in development robotics and AI. In particular, the dialog reviews the importance of various complementary mechanisms to predictive coding, which happen to be right now very actively researched in artificial intelligence: intrinsic motivation and curiosity, multi-goal learning, developmental stages (also called curriculum learning in machine learning), and the role of self-organization. They also underline several major challenges that need to be addressed for general artificial intelligence in autonomous robots, and that current research in deep learning fails to address: 1) the problem of the poverty of stimulus: autonomous robots, like humans, have access to only little data as they have to collect it themselves with severe time and space constraints; 2) the problem of information sampling: which experiments/observations to make to improve one’s world model. Finally, they also discuss the issue of how these mechanisms arise in infants and participate to their development. Call for new dialog: === "One Developmental Cognitive Architecture to Rule Them All?" == Dialog initiated by Matthias Rolf, Lorijn Zaadnoordijk, Johan Kwisthout == This new dialog asks whether and how it would be useful both epistemologically and in practice to aim towards the development of a “standard integrated cognitive architecture”, akin to “standard models” in physics. In par- ticular, they ask this question in the context of understanding development in infants, and of building developmental architectures, thus addressing the issue of architectures that not only learn, but that are adaptive themselves. Those of you interested in reacting to this dialog initiation are welcome to sub- mit a response by November 30th, 2017. The length of each response must be between 600 and 800 words including references (contact pierre-yves.oudeyer(a)inria.fr) Let me remind you that all issues of the newsletter are all open-access and available at: http://icdl-epirob.org/cdsnl I wish you a stimulating reading! Best regards, Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, Editor of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems Chair of the IEEE CIS AMD Technical Committee on Cognitive and Developmental Systems Research director, Inria Head of Flowers project-team Inria and Ensta ParisTech, France http://www.pyoudeyer.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/pyoudeyer and Fabien Benureau Assistant Editor Inria Mnemosyne team http://fabien.benureau.com

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workshop on high performance computing in neuroscience
by Ted Carnevale Sept. 5, 2017

Sept. 5, 2017

This year the workshop on the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 AM to noon in downtown Washington DC near the convention center, as a satellite to the Society for Neuroscience meeting. This workshop will show you how to use this NSF-supported resource in your computationally- intensive modeling and data analysis projects. It will also feature presentations from neuroscientists on how they are using high performance computing (HPC) resources in their own research. The NSG has a simple, convenient browser-based interface for running simulations and data analysis tasks on HPC hardware, and provides free CPU time. It also has a RESTful interface for programmatic access. Currently installed software includes BluePyOpt, Brian, CARLsim, Freesurfer, GENESIS, MATLAB, MOOSE, NEST, NEURON, PyNN, and the Virtual Personalized Multimodal Connectome Pipeline. The registration deadline for this workshop is Friday Oct. 27, but you should register soon because space is limited. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2017/nsg2017.html for more information and a link to the registration form. --Ted

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workshop announcement - Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Cortical Dynamics - Rovereto Italy
by Stefano Panzeri Sept. 5, 2017

Sept. 5, 2017

The HBP Partnering Project SloW Dyn <https://www.flagera.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/FLAG-ERA_JTC2015_Project_…>, a FLAG-ERA <https://www.flagera.eu>Project, in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia <http://cncs.iit.it/> and in collaboration with the EITN <https://www.eitn.org/> (European Institute of Theoretical Neuroscience, Human Brain Project) are organizing a one day workshop on: *Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Cortical Dynamics* Location: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, Rovereto, Italy Date and time: Friday September 22nd, 2017, from 9am to 6pm *Abstract:* Brain function is hypothesized to emerge from the concerted context-dependent dynamics of its networks. This workshop explores theoretical and experimental approaches for the analysis of brain dynamics at multiple spatial and temporal scales. *Confirmed speakers*: Ruth Benavides-Piccione, Cajal Institute, Madrid Maurizio Corbetta, University of Padova Egidio D'Angelo, University of Pavia Alain Destexhe CNRS, Paris Tommaso Fellin IIT, Genoa Mathieu Galtier, Rhythm, Paris Alessandro Gozzi, IIT, Rovereto Maurizio Mattia ISS, Rome Ruben Moreno-Bote, UPF, Barcelona Stefano Panzeri IIT, Rovereto Mavi Sanchez-Vives, IDIBAPS, Barcelona Davide Zoccolan, SISSA, Trieste Hosts: Stefano Panzeri and Tommaso Fellin Attendance is free, but prior registration is needed. For registration and more information, please email slowdynconference(a)gmail.com regards Stefano Panzeri

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REMINDER: Computational Neuroscience Job at the Krembil Research Institute
by Frances Skinner Sept. 5, 2017

Sept. 5, 2017

Hello all, Just a reminder about the following Faculty position in Computational Neuroscience (see below). *To ensure consideration, please submit your application by September 11th for the latest.* Thank you. --------- https://www.recruitingsite.com/csbsites/uhncareers/JobDescri ption.asp?SiteID=10031&JobNumber=805761 Job Posting #8045761 Position: Computational Neuroscience Research Scientist Site: Krembil Research Institute/Toronto Western Hospital Department: Research Reports to: Director Status: Permanent Full-time The Krembil Research Institute at the University Health Network in Toronto Canada invites applicants to apply for a Scientist position in the area of Computational Neuroscience. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a relevant field, research expertise and experience in mathematical and computational modeling, and research interests that complement those of the Institute in neurobiology and neurodegeneration. Candidates whose research interests encompasses cellular, micro/macro circuits and/or large scale brain models, and who have collaborative experimental experience are especially encouraged. The successful candidate will have the ability to establish an independent, well-funded program and will be eligible for appointment at the appropriate level within the University of Toronto. The Krembil is one the principal research institutes of the University Health Network of academic teaching hospitals associated with the University of Toronto; the Krembil is also one of the largest research institutes in Canada focusing on human neurological disease from both a basic science and clinical research perspective. The University Health Network (UHN) is Canada's largest academic medical centre, comprising four major teaching hospitals. Qualified applicants must attach their letter of interest, research plan, resume PDF format to the online application and complete some initial screening questions. The search committee will begin to review applications in September with a potential start date in Winter 2018. Posted Date: June 22, 2017 Closing Date: Until filled UHN thanks all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. UHN is a respectful, caring, and inclusive workplace. We are committed to championing accessibility, diversity and equal opportunity. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process providing the applicant has met the Bona-fide requirements for the open position. Applicants need to make their requirements known when contacted. -- Frances Skinner, PhD Krembil Research Institute/UHN and Univ Toronto www.skinnerlab.org

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Postdoctoral Researcher Position
by Avrama Blackwell Sept. 5, 2017

Sept. 5, 2017

The Computational and Experimental Neuroplasticity laboratory (http://krasnow1.gmu.edu/CENlab/avrama.html) of Kim “Avrama” Blackwell at George Mason University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research position / software engineer beginning Sept 1, 2017. The successful candidate will contribute to ongoing cutting-edge research in computational systems biology & neuroscience by further development of our stochastic reaction-diffusion software, NeuroRD and further development of parameter optimization software. The position involves design and implementation of new features for both softwares, providing technical support to lab members developing NeuroRD models and investigating the role of calcium dynamics and cell signaling pathways in learning and plasticity, and writing journal articles and giving presentations on the new software features. CENlab is an interdisciplinary, dynamic and creative research group at Mason’s Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, located in northern Virginia (15 miles west of Washington, D.C.). Requirements: Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g. computer science, physics, bioinformatics, engineering) and at least one publication in reputable journal. Experience in software development (scientific software, python and C++ or JAVA preferred). Expertise with Unix operating systems. Knowledge of stochastic processes. To apply, please send curriculum vitae and cover letter to kblackw1(a)gmu.edu. Position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found. The successful applicant will have office space, a unix computer workstation, and a post-doctoral level salary supplemented by excellent state employee benefits. More information: * NeuroRD website: https://github.com/neurord * Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study: http://krasnow1.gmu.edu * George Mason University: http://www.gmu.edu George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. Enrollment is 30,000, with students studying in over 150 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William. George Mason University is an equal opportunity employer encouraging diversity.

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Open position: Research scientist in the field of data analysis
by Orth, Boris Sept. 5, 2017

Sept. 5, 2017

The Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) operates one of the most powerful supercomputing infrastructures in Europe and makes it available to researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich, in Germany and throughout Europe. The JSC’s “Federated Systems and Data” division develops software for data analysis, data management and access to distributed storage and computing systems. The “Simulation Laboratory Neuroscience” in the “High Performance Computing in Neuroscience” division of JSC provides community-specific support for neuroscientists with respect to complex simulations and data analyses on supercomputers, as well as their methods. Both divisions closely collaborate within the “Helmholtz Analytics Framework”. We are looking to recruit a Research scientist in the field of data analysis Your Job: In many scientific disciplines, the analysis of large data sets plays a crucial role. As part of a team in JSC, you will be working interdisciplinary with scientists from other institutes of Forschungszentrum Jülich, as well as from other Helmholtz Centres, in the areas of Earth System Modelling, Structural Biology, Aerospace, Medical Imaging and Neuroscience. In particular, you will analyse, develop and optimize analysis methods and workflows applied in neuroimaging. On this basis, you will support research groups in sharing their methods and tools, and in deriving generic methods and tools. Your Profile: * A university degree in computer science, mathematics, or a related subject * Profound knowledge and experience in algorithm development * Experience in software development and programming with languages such as Python, C++, R * Knowledge and experience with methods like multivariate statistics, error analysis, machine learning, inference approaches * Interest to collaborate closely with developers and users from academia and industry * Strong proactivity * Good command of spoken and written English and ideally German Ideally, good knowledge of * Scripting languages common in the Unix environment (Bash) * Parallel programming (MPI, OpenMP) * Common programming tools and software distribution systems (e.g., Docker, Easybuild) * Analysis of large neuroimaging datasets as well as the relevant software packages (e.g., FSL, FreeSurfer, MRtrix) Our Offer: * Excellent research and computing infrastructure of one of the largest research centres in Europe, ideally situated between the cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Aachen * A comprehensive further training programme, including English language courses * Flexible working hours and various opportunities to reconcile work and family life * Limited for 3 years with possible longer-term prospects * Full-time position with the option of slightly reduced working hours * Salary and social benefits in conformity with the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service (TVöD). Forschungszentrum Jülich aims to employ more women in this area and therefore particulary welcomes applications from women. We also welcome applications from disabled persons. We look forward to receiving your application, preferably online<https://www.hrecruiting.de/obf2/bewerbermanagement.php?kunden_nr=t5ChjatkIf…> via our online recruitment system on our career site, quoting the reference number 2017-194. Contact Human Resource Development and Recruiting Judith Dresen Tel.:+49 2461 61 9700 -- Dr. Boris Orth HPC in Neuroscience Jülich Supercomputing Centre Institute for Advanced Simulation Tel +49 2461 61-9123 Fax +49 2461 61-6656 www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc<http://www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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ANDA 2018 - G-Node Advanced Neural Data Analysis Course, March 5 - 22, 2018, Jülich, Germany
by Frings, Maren Sept. 5, 2017

Sept. 5, 2017

ANDA 2018 - G-Node Advanced Neural Data Analysis Course March 5 - 22, 2018 Haus Overbach, Juelich-Barmen, Germany Techniques to record neuronal data from populations of neurons are rapidly improving. Simultaneous recordings from hundreds of channels are possible while animals perform complex behavioral tasks. The analysis of such massive and complex data becomes increasingly challenging. This advanced course aims at providing deeper training in state-of-the-art analysis approaches in systems neuroscience. The course is addressed to excellent master and PhD students and young researchers who are interested in learning advanced techniques in data analytics and in getting hands-on experience in the analysis of electrophysiological data. Internationally renowned researchers will give lectures on statistical data analysis and data mining methods with accompanying exercises. Students will define and perform their own analyses on provided data to solve a challenge. Participants are required to have a strong interest in data analysis, a background in a mathematical or related field, knowledge of algebra, matrix operations, and statistics, and need to have solid programming experience (preferably in Python). Date and Venue March 5 - 22, 2018 Haus Overbach, Juelich-Barmen, Germany Faculty · Moshe Abeles, Bar-Ilan Univ, Israel · Michael Denker, Juelich Research Center and RWTH Aachen Univ, Germany · Alain Destexhe, CNRS, Gif sur Yvette, France · Sonja Grün, Juelich Research Center and RWTH Aachen Univ, Germany · Björn Kampa, RWTH Aachen, Germany · Christian Machens, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Portugal · Martin Nawrot, University of Cologne, Germany · Yifat Prut, Hebrew Univ Jerusalem, Israel · Alexa Riehle, CNRS, Marseille, France · Jonathan Victor, Weill Cornell Medical College, USA · Thomas Wachtler, G-Node, LMU Munich, Germany Topics covered Single neuron properties and statistics · Stochastic processes · Surrogate methods · Detection of spatio-temporal patterns · Unitary Events · Statistical analysis of massively parallel spike data · Higher-order correlation analyses · Spike-LFP relationship · Population coding · State space analysis · Machine learning · Data mining · Data management, reproducibility, data sharing · Elephant toolbox Requirements Applicants should be familiar with linear algebra, probability, differential and integral calculus and experienced using Python or Matlab. Preparatory reading material will be provided. Students should bring their own laptops and should be able to install software on their system. Students that do not have a suitable laptop should indicate this immediately after acceptance to the course. We will be able to provide a small number of laptops for the time of the course. Course Fee A course fee of 800 Euros will be charged to accepted students. The course fee contributes to covering accommodation and meals, including coffee breaks. A few stipends will be available to support students with documented need of funding. Housing Accommodation in 2-bed rooms for students will be provided at the course site. How to apply The application should include · a letter of motivation (max 1 page) · curriculum vitae (please indicate the relevant courses you have taken) · description of programming experience · a letter of recommendation. Please send all documents as a single PDF file to <advanced-course(a)g-node.org<mailto:advanced-course@g-node.org>>. Deadlines Applications must be received by October 15, 2017. Early application is encouraged because number of participants is limited. For further information see https://portal.g-node.org/advanced-course-2018/ Organizers · Sonja Grün, Juelich Research Center and RWTH Aachen Univ, Germany · Martin Nawrot, University of Cologne, Germany · Thomas Wachtler, G-Node, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany Dr. Maren Frings Scientific Coordinator Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) Computational and Systems Neuroscience & Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Theoretical Neuroscience Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and JARA 52425 Jülich, Germany Building 15.22 Room 4004 Phone +49 2461 61-9468 Fax +49 2461 61-9460 m.frings(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:m.frings@fz-juelich.de> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Bernstein 2017 Workshop, "The Neural Code: Universal Grammar or Area-Specific Mechanisms?"
by Hazem Toutounji Sept. 4, 2017

Sept. 4, 2017

Dear Colleagues, We would like to draw your attention to the upcoming workshop *The Neural Code: Universal Grammar or Area-Specific Mechanisms?* at the *Bernstein Conference 2017*, which will take place preceding the conference on *September 12-13* in *Göttingen, Germany*. *Abstract:* The brain responds to sensory stimuli with complex, yet structured, patterns of action potentials, which in turn gives rise to perception, action, remembrance and other facets of the organism's mental life. Finding order in the complexity of neural activity, and the quest for the neural code, occupied much of both experimental and theoretical neuroscience in the last decades. Several general theories of how the brain might encode and transfer information have been suggested, partly backed by experimental evidence. Attractor dynamics, binding by synchrony, brain oscillations acting at multiple temporal scales and Bayesian coding are some of the more prominent proposals into this direction. The debate whether these strategies are different facets of a fundamental neural grammar, or are local codes within functionally distinct brain regions, is far from settled. The aim of the workshop is to bring together experts in the field of neural coding, in order to discuss basic mechanisms of information encoding and the deeper question of whether there is a unifying grammar of neural representations. Schedule: Tue, Sept 12, 2017 13:00 Damian Battaglia, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France *Do oscillations modulate information processing? From routing states to computing modes* 13:45 Mattia Rigotti, Physical Sciences Department, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY *Functional role of the dimensionality of neural responses* 14:30 General discussion 15:00 Coffee Break 15:30 Máté Lengyel, University of Cambridge, UK *A sampling-based neural code of uncertainty in V1 (and I bet elsewhere, too)* 16:15 Nicolas Brunel, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA *Statistics of connectivity in networks optimizing information storage: fixed point attractors vs sequences* 17:00 Misha Tsodyks, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel *Population spikes codes for processing and working memory* 17:45 General discussion Wed, Sept 13, 2017 9:00 Stefano Panzeri, Neural Computation Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy *The relationship between cross-cell coupling and the timescales of population coding across cortex* 9:45 Thilo Womelsdorf, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA *Neural coding and inter-areal integration of goal-relevant information using spike bursts* 10:30 *Coffee break* 11:00 Pascal Fries, Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt am Main, Germany *Rhythms for Cognition: Communication through Coherence* 11:45 Genaral discussion Kind regards, Eleonora Russo and Hazem Toutounji -- Dr. rer. nat. Hazem Toutounji Postdoctoral Researcher in Theoretical Neuroscience Central Institute of Mental Health Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University Square J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany office: +49-621-1703-2366

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PhD Opportunities in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine
by Jeff Krichmar Sept. 4, 2017

Sept. 4, 2017

Dear colleagues, The Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine is seeking graduate students for admission in Fall 2018. We invite exceptional and highly motivated candidates to apply for full-time PhD research in computational neuroscience, machine learning, computational vision, neural networks, and neurorobotics. Students will have the opportunity to work in the Cognitive Anteater Robotics laboratory (PI: Jeff Krichmar), the Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence laboratory (PI: Emre Neftci), and the newly established Visual Perception laboratory (PI: Zyg Pizlo) at UC Irvine. For more information about ongoing research see: · http://www3.psych.purdue.edu/~zpizlo/ · http://nmi-lab.org/ · http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma/CARL/ Projects include: · Cognitive robotics for decision-making, planning, perception, and memory. · Efficient coding in the brain. · Models of neuromodulation. · Neurobiologically inspired vision models. · Models of human problem solving. · Neuromorphic engineering and machine learning · Spike-based computation Applicants should have strong mathematical and computer programming skills, as well as good communication skills. Successful applicants will receive funding toward their Ph.D. for at least 5 years. Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more information about the Cognitive Sciences graduate program, please see: http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/graduate/index.php Jeff Krichmar Professor Department of Cognitive Sciences University of California, Irvine Email: jkrichma(a)uci.edu Website: http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma Emre Neftci, PhD (ETH Zurich) Assistant Professor Neuromorphic Machine Intelligence Lab (http://nmi-lab.org/) Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine Email: eneftci(a)uci.edu Zygmunt Pizlo Professor Falmagne Endowed Chair in Mathematical Psychology Department of Cognitive Sciences University of California, Irvine Email: zpizlo(a)uci.edu

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[Extended Deadline-CFP] - HAI 2017 Workshop: Representation Learning for Human and Robot Cognition
by Amir Aly Sept. 4, 2017

Sept. 4, 2017

CALL FOR PAPERS **Apologies for cross posting ** The full day workshop: "*Representation Learning for Human and Robot Cognition*" In conjunction with the *5th International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction* *- Bielefeld - Germany - October * *17th, 2017* *Webpage: **http://cognitive-mirroring.org/en/events/hai2017_workshop/* <http://cognitive-mirroring.org/en/events/hai2017_workshop/> *I. Aim and Scope *Creating intelligent and interactive robots has been subject to extensive research studies. They are rapidly moving to the center of human environment so that they collaborate with human users in different applications, which requires high-level cognitive functions so as to allow them to understand and learn from human behavior. To this end, an important challenge that attracts much attention in cognitive science and artificial intelligence, is the “Symbol Emergence” problem, which investigates the bottom-up development of symbols through social interaction. This research line employs representation learning based models for understanding language and action in a developmentally plausible manner so as to make robots able to behave appropriately on their own. This could open the door to robots to understand syntactic formalisms and semantic references of human speech, and to associate language knowledge to perceptual knowledge so as to successfully collaborate with human users in space. Another interesting approach to study representation learning is “Cognitive Mirroring”, which refers to artificial systems that could make cognitive processes observable, such as the models that could learn concepts of objects, actions, and/or emotions from humans through interaction. A key idea of this approach is that robots learn individual characteristics of human cognition rather than acquiring a general representation of cognition. In this way, the characteristics of human cognition become observable and can be measured as modifications in model parameters, which is difficult to verify through neuroscience studies only. In this workshop, we invite researchers in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, cognitive robotics, and neuroscience to share their knowledge and research findings on representation learning, and to engage in cutting-edge discussions with other experienced researchers so as to help promoting this research line in the Human-Agent Interaction (HAI) community. *II. Keynote Speakers * 1. *Beata Joanna Grzyb *– Radboud University – The Netherlands 2. *Thomas Hermann*– Bielefeld University – Germany 3. *Tetsuya Ogata *– Waseda University – Japan 4. *Erhan Oztop *– Ozyegin Universiy – Turkey 5. * Stefan Wermter *– University of Hamburg – Germany *III. Submission * 1. For paper submission, use the following EasyChair web link: *Paper Submission <https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=rlhrc2017>*. 2. Use the ACM SIGCHI format: *ACM SIGCHI Templates <http://www.sigchi.org/publications/chipubform>*. 3. Submitted papers should be limited to 2-4 pages maximum. The primary list of topics covers the following points (but not limited to): - Computational model for high-level cognitive capabilities - Predictive learning from sensorimotor information - Multimodal interaction and concept formulation - Human-robot communication and collaboration based on machine learning - Learning supported by external trainers by demonstration and imitation - Bayesian modeling - Learning with hierarchical and deep architectures - Interactive reinforcement learning * IV. Important Dates * 1. Paper submission: *15-September-2017* 2. Notification of acceptance: *25-September-2017* 3. Camera-ready version: *5-**October-2017* 4. Workshop: *17-October-2017* *V. Organizers * 1. *Takato Horii *– Osaka University – Japan 2. *Amir Aly *– Ritsumeikan University – Japan 3. *Yukie Nagai *– National Institute of Information and Communications Technology – Japan 4. * Takayuki Nagai *– The University of Electro-Communications – Japan -- *Amir Aly, Ph.D.* Senior Researcher Emergent Systems Laboratory College of Information Science and Engineering Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 Japan

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Bernstein 2017 workshop: "Information transmission and communication in brain circuits"
by alireza valizadeh Sept. 4, 2017

Sept. 4, 2017

Dear All, We would like to draw your attention to the half day workshop *"Information transmission and communication in brain circuits"* at Bernstein Conference 2017, Sep 13, Göttingen, Germany. *Abstract:* The question of how the brain integrates the mutiplicity of local processes dispersed through its entire anatomy is a fundamental question in neuroscience. Any single cognitive function may involve several specialized areas whose association is mediated by the functional integration among them. Such integration is mediated by information exchange between brain areas through the routes which can change in fast timescales over which the structure is fixed, providing a flexible effective connectivity despite the rigidity of the infrastructure over fast timescales. The flexibility of the information routing and dynamic effective connectivity are a consequence of the multistability of the collective dynamics of the brain networks. In other words, a single structural connectivity can support plenty of degenerate dynamical states for each of which a special pattern of information transfer between the nodes is observed. Neuronal collective oscillations are hypothesized to provide such a basis for the dynamics communication between brain regions. Several lines of experimental evidences and theoretical arguments indicate that the phase relations between the oscillations of different brain regions can alter effective connectivity by modulating the gain of mutual influence between them. In this workshop the notion of information transfer in brain circuits and the role of brain rhythms in providing a dynamic effective communication network will be reviewed and the latest theoretical and experimental achievements will be presented. *Speakers:* - Wolf Singer (Max Planck Institute), - Mark Timme (Max Planck Institute) - Demian Battaglia (Aix-Marseille University) - Christoph Kirst (The Rockefeller University) - Santiago Canals (Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante) - Raul Vicente (University of Tartu) - Leonardo Gollo (QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute) - Alireza Valizadeh (Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences) *Website:* http://www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-conference/2017/satellite-workshops/informa… Best regards, Alireza Valizadeh, Claudio Mirasso ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alireza Valizadeh Associate professor Neurophysics lab, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) School of cognitive sciences, Institute for research in fundamental sciences (IPM) Iran Tel:(+98) 24 3315 2120 Fax:(+98) 24 3315 2104 valizade(a)iasbs.ac.ir Web: http://www.iasbs.ac.ir/~valizade/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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CfPs Journal of Integrative Neuroscience: Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology
by Reinoud Maex Sept. 2, 2017

Sept. 2, 2017

Call for Papers Special issue of the Journal of Integrative Neuroscience on Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology Guest Editors: R.J. Martis, H. Lin, E. Barakova and Y. Zeng BRAIN-INSPIRED INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY Brain-inspired intelligence technology aims to showcase the principles and mechanisms of human intelligence through development of brain-inspired intelligent systems. It is an effort to extract, integrate and analyse these principles and mechanisms across scale from quantum neuroscience to cognitive science research in pioneering the next wave of sentient technologies. The special issue is unprecedented, showcasing brain-inspired technology beyond 2020. Deadline for submission:25 November 2017 How to Submit: Authors are requested to submit their manuscript via the submission system available at http://msTracker.com/submit1.php?jc=jin In the “Cover Letter” box please indicate you are submitting your paper to the special issue on Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology Topics of relevance include: * Biophysical neural networks * Brain-inspired cognitive models * Wetware design * Neurophotonics * Elemental conscious constructs * Quantum entanglement in agents * Cognitive technology supporting brain-inspired intelligence * Brain connectome based on optical nanoscopy technology * Observer-independent intelligence * Pico-scale resolution patch-clamping * Brain-inspired super and general artificial intelligence * New deep neural networks for brain-inspired learning * Brain-inspired intelligent hardware infrastructures * Cognitive neurorobotics For more information contact: Yi Zeng, Ph.D Deputy Director Research Center for Brain-inspired Intelligence Institute of Automation Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China, 100190 Email: yi.zeng(a)ia.ac.cn see also http://www.iospress.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CfP_Brain-Inspired_Intell…

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APA Technology, Mind, & Society Conference - Submissions due Oct 20
by Jeff Krichmar Sept. 2, 2017

Sept. 2, 2017

Dear Colleagues, This upcoming APA conference on Technology, Mind, & Society may be of interest to many of you. Visit: http://www.apascience.org/conference/index.html The American Psychological Association will hold an interdisciplinary conference on Technology, Mind, and Society in Washington, D.C., on April 5-7, 2018. Scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and students from around the world are invited to participate in the event. The conference will provide a venue for reporting and assessing current efforts to understand and shape the interactions of human beings and technology, for identifying priorities for future work, and for promoting exchange and collaboration among participants. The conference will feature four keynote speakers: Cynthia Breazeal (MIT), Justine Cassell (Carnegie Mellon), Eric Horvitz (Microsoft Research), and Sandy Pentland (MIT). APA invites you and your colleagues and students to submit papers, symposia, and posters for this conference, which will be organized around the following broad themes: • Basic research: How humans understand and use technology, impacts of technology on human experience and behavior, human-technology interactions as mutually adaptive systems, role of technology in advancing other areas of scientific research, and related topics. • Foundations of technology design: Development of technologies informed by psychological, behavioral, and social science research. • Applications: Development, use, and impact of specific technologies in domains such as aging, education, mental and physical health, recreation, and the workplace. • Broader implications: Ethical and policy questions concerning the opportunities and challenges arising from human-technology interactions. The deadline for submissions is October 20, 2017. Submissions can be made here: https://www.openconf.org/APAScience2018TMS/openconf.php The conference is open to researchers, professionals, and students in all relevant areas, including psychology and other behavioral and social sciences, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, design, health research, education research, city and regional planning, public policy, history of science and technology, and philosophy. The conference aims to address the full range of contemporary and emerging technologies. These include but are not limited to artificial intelligence, robotics, mobile devices, social media, virtual/augmented reality, gaming, geographic information systems, autonomous vehicles, and biomedical technologies (e.g., brain-machine interfaces, genetic engineering). APA is sponsoring the conference in cooperation with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Association for Computing Machinery — Special Interest Group for Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI). We look forward to seeing you at the Technology, Mind, and Society Conference! For additional information, see the conference website. If you have any questions, please contact the APA Science Directorate (science(a)apa.org) Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma

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Scientist I/II - Computational Neuroscience at Allen Institute for Brain Science
by Stefan Mihalas Sept. 1, 2017

Sept. 1, 2017

POSITION SUMMARY We are seeking to fill a position at the level of Scientist to work on coarse-grained models of cortical networks aiming to understand how the observed structure and activity gives relate to cortical computations necessary for visual processing (e.g. figure ground segregation, integration of context). We use mouse vision as a model system and this position will focus on using population statistics (http://alleninstitute.github.io/dipde/) and filter neuron model simulation tools. More specifically, the scientist will work on (i) fitting network models with simple neurons which network structures are consistent with the observed mesoscopic connectivity and in vivo cellular activity, (ii) simulate the activity of such networks at neuronal an population levels and (iii) analyzing the relation between observed network structure and that predicted from different models of cortical computations. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES * Participate in team efforts to find network parameters which are consistent with activity (http://observatory.brain-map.org/visualcoding/) and connectivity (http://connectivity.brain-map.org/) data. * Simulate cortical networks parameterized from experimental data using population and simplified neuron model simulation tools. * Analyze how computations in vision (e.g. figure/ground segregation, integration of context) result from networks similar to those simulated. * Interact with groups performing simulations at other levels of resolution and with experimental groups. * Maintain clear and accurate communication with supervisor and team members. * Publish/present findings in peer-reviewed journals/scientific conferences. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS SCIENTIST I * PhD degree in computational neuroscience, physics, mathematics, applied mathematics or related field. * Strong background in scientific computing is required. * Experience in computational neuroscience is preferred. SCIENTIST II * PhD degree in computational neuroscience, physics, mathematics, applied mathematics or related field. * 4+ years of postdoctoral experience in computational science * Preferred Computational neuroscience * Strong background in scientific computing is required. * Strong publication record. Preferred Qualifications: * Ability to meet aggressive timelines and deliverables in a collaborative environment. * Proven independent thinking and flexibility. * Strong written and verbal communication skills * Experience in pursuing research projects in collaborative fashion. Our mission at the Allen Institute for Brain Science is to accelerate the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease. By implementing a team science approach on a large scale, we strive to generate useful public resources, drive technological innovations and discover fundamental brain properties through integration of experiments, modeling and theory. To apply please visit https://www.alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/careers/job-search/. Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis. Apologies for coss-posting, Stefan Mihalas Assistant Investigator Allen Institute for Brain Science www.alleninstitute.org<http://www.alleninstitute.org/> Affiliate Assistant Professor Department of Applied Mathematics University of Washington

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5th Baltic-Nordic School on Neuroinformatics (BNNI 2017)
by Marja-Leena Linne Sept. 1, 2017

Sept. 1, 2017

5th Baltic-Nordic School on Neuroinformatics BNNI 2017 Theoretical modelling of brain functions in neurological and psychiatric disorders: Advancing future neuroscience and medicine through Neuroinformatics methods Place: Neuroscience Institute Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Eiveniu str.4, Kaunas Lithuania Time: 6-7 October 2017 More information and applications at: web.lsmuni.lt/bnni/en Important dates: 10 September 2017: Application deadline 12 September 2017: Acceptance notification 6-7 October 2017: School We invite advanced master students, doctoral students, and postdoctoral researchers to participate in the BNNI 2017 to be held at the Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania. The course is interdisciplinary and covers modeling at different levels of organization of the brain, focusing on neurological and psychiatric disorders. The course combines lectures, tutorials and computer exercises. This school is the fifth in the series of the Baltic-Nordic Courses on Neuroinformatics (BNNI 2013 in Kaunas, Lithuania; BNNI 2014 in Tampere, Finland; BNNI 2015 in Tartu, Estonia; BNNI in Warsaw 2016, Poland). The target audience of the course will be advanced master students, doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in biomedical and technology sciences, from medicine, biology, psychology, to mathematics, informatics, information technology, physics, chemistry, who would like to get an introduction to neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience. Some experience with programming and quantitative reasoning as well as strong interest in computational and mathematical modeling of the brain will be desirable but not necessary to benefit from the school. Last year we had participants from 14 countries all over the world! Faculty includes: Marja-Leena Linne, Tampere University of Technology, Finland; The Human Brain Project Bruce Graham, University of Stirling, UK Daniel Wojcik, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland Arnd Roth, University College London, UK Peter Jedlicka, NeuroScience Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen, Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway Inga Griskova-Bulanova, Institute of Bioscience, Vilnius University, Lithuania Rima Naginiene, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania Andrius Radziunas, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Academy, and Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania Ausra Saudargiene, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania and others. Venue: The lectures will be held at the Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių str. 4, Kaunas, Lithuania Practical arrangements: There is a small tuition fee of 50 euros. The organizers will provide teaching materials, meals and coffee during the course. The participants are expected to cover their travel and health insurance expenses as well as lodging. The course is supported by the Research Council of Lithuania and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. We are looking forward to welcoming you at the BNNI 2017 in Kaunas, Lithuania!

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Doctoral student position - Robot-assisted modeling of spatial navigation paradigms in biological organisms - DEADLINE EXTENDED
by samarasinghe＠ini.rub.de Sept. 1, 2017

Sept. 1, 2017

Please note that the deadline for applications to the position below has been extended to *15.09.2017*. *Research **Position **at the Institute for Neural Compu**ta**ti**o**n * A position as *d**octoral student **in integrative **n**euroscience and **c**ognitive **s**cience *is available immediately in the group of Prof. Sen Cheng in the Institute for Neural Computation at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. The research will focus on robot-assisted modeling of spatial navigation paradigms in biological organisms. Robotic simulations, as well as, physical robots will be used to develop and evaluate the desired models. The position will be funded at 50% of the standard salary scale TV-L E13. It is initially limited to 1 year with the possibility of extension, depending on the availability of funding. Candidates should have an excellent degree in neuroscience, physics, mathematics, engineering, or a related field. Competence in mathematical modeling, and excellent programming skills (Python, C/C++, or Matlab) are mandatory. Candidates are further required to have a strong background in at least one of the following fields: robotics, computational neuroscience, or cognitive modeling. Experience with interdisciplinary research in integrative neuroscience and cognitive science and with collaborative research would be a further asset. The working language at the institute is English. To apply, please send a statement of your research interests, academic transcripts, and a complete CV in one PDF file to samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de <mailto:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de> by *15**.09****.2017*. Please also request from at least two academic referees that they send letters of reference directly to the same email address. Further information may be available at https://www.ini.rub.de/the_institute/jobs/. The Ruhr University Bochum provides a dynamic research environment in neuroscience and cognitive science. The Institute for Neural Computation unifies various core competencies extending from experimental and theoretical neuroscience to machine learning and robotics. The Ruhr University Bochum is committed to equal opportunity. We strongly encourage applications from qualified women and persons with disabilities. -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/26 Universitätstr. 150 D-44780 Bochum Tel: +49 (0)234 32 27316 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de Hours: Monday 9-12 & 14-16; Friday 9-12 & 14-16; Wednesday 12 - 16

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Postdoc position: computational models of visual memory, Rust lab, UPenn
by Rust, Nicole C Sept. 1, 2017

Sept. 1, 2017

A postdoctoral position focused on developing computational models of visual memory is available in the laboratory of Nicole Rust at the University of Pennsylvania. The lab is broadly interested in understanding the neural processing supporting massive-capacity, single-trial visual memories of images. This specific position involves developing classes of computational models that describe where and how visual memories are stored in the brain as well as how the percept of visual familiarity is signaled. Models include extensions of state-of-the-art descriptions of visual processing (e.g. deep neural networks) as well as more dynamic, mechanistic descriptions. To constrain these models, the researcher will interface with experimentalists in the lab who record and perturb neural signals in monkeys and tree shrews. Opportunities also exist to collaborate with the Simoncelli lab at NYU, the Yamins lab at Stanford, and with other members of the Penn Computational Neuroscience Initiative. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in Computational Neuroscience, Computer Science or a related field prior to starting. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in computational modeling as well as working with behavioral and/or neural data. To inquire about this position, please submit a CV and a brief statement of research interests to nrust(a)psych.upenn.edu<mailto:nrust@psych.upenn.edu>. Nicole Rust Associate Professor Department of Psychology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA http://www.sas.upenn.edu/psych/rust-lab/

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[EAIS 2018] Paper Submission deadline is on Saturday, 20th of January 2018 2359 UTC-12hr
by Teng Teck Hou Sept. 1, 2017

Sept. 1, 2017

[Apologies for cross-postings] ################################################## CALL FOR PAPERS IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2018) 25-27 of May 2018, Island of Rhodes, Greece http://easyconferences.eu/eais2018/ ################################################## Contributions will be selected based upon their quality as evaluated by the reviewers. An online submission system for contributions will be made available on this webpage soon. Papers must be comprised of up to 8 pages and they will be published in the IEEE Explore All contributions have to be prepared according to the IEEE conference style guidelines. To see the Topics please visit: http://easyconferences.eu/eais2018/topics.html ################################################## The 2018 IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2018) will be held in The 2018 IEEE Conference on Evolving and Adaptive Intelligent Systems (EAIS 2018) will be held in the exotic island of Rhodes (Greece) which has a beautiful medieval town built by the crusaders and it is preserved as UNESCO monument. A main characteristic of Rhodes is its long ancient history with many ancient Greek sites. Set against the historic backdrop of Rhodes island is the elegant and pisturesque lowrise architecture of Aldemar Amilia Mare Village, an all-inclusive seaside resort. Newly refurbished luxury rooms with sea or garden views are the perfect choice for all holidaymakers, f rom singles to families. Dive into crystal clear swimming pools, try a wide range of watersports at the beach, enjoy the Spa Centre with its fully equipped fitness area and sample the cosmopolitan delights of the themed restaurants. ##############################Important Dates############################## * Paper Submission January 20, 2018 * Special Session Proposals 20 December, 2017 * Paper Decision Notification January 15, 2018 * Camera-Ready Submission February 15, 2018 * Authors registration To be announced * Conference May 25 - 27 2018 ########################################################################### ########################## At least three distinguished Keynote Speakers will be invited ########################## ##################### SPECIAL ISSUES ################################### Selected papers (from the list of the accepted and presented ones) will be considered for publication and inclusion in Special Issue of the EVOLVING SYSTEMS (EVOS) Springer Journal. At least one more Special Issue will be edited ##################Topics and Areas of Interest################## This conference solicits papers addressing original works in topics and areas of interest including, but are not limited to: * Basic Methologies Evolving Soft Computing Techniques Evolving Fuzzy Systems Evolving Rule-Based Classifiers Evolving Neuro-Fuzzy Systems Adaptive Evolving Neural Networks Adaptive Evolving Fuzzy Systems Online Genetic and Evolutionary Algorithms Data Stream Mining Incremental and Evolving Clustering Approaches Adaptive Control Adaptive Pattern Recognition Computational Intelligence in Control and Estimation Incremental and Evolving ML Classifiers Adaptive Statistical Techniques Evolving Decision Systems Big Data Advanced Concepts * Problems and Methodologies in Data Streams Stability, Robustness, Convergence in Evolving Systems Online Feature Selection and Dimension Reduction Online Active and Semi-supervised Learning Online Complexity Reduction Computational Aspects Interpretability Issues Incremental Adaptive Ensemble Methods Online Bagging and Boosting Self-monitoring Evolving Systems Human-Machine Interaction Issues Hybrid Modeling Transfer Learning Reservoir Computing Real-world Applications * EIS for On-Line Modeling, System Identification, and Control EIS for Time Series Prediction EIS for Data Stream Mining and Adaptive Knowledge Discovery EIS in Robotics, Intelligent Transport and Advanced Manufacturing EIS in Advanced Communications and Multi-Media Applications EIS in Bioinformatics and Medicine EIS in Online Quality Control and Fault Diagnosis EIS in Condition Monitoring Systems EIS in Adaptive Evolving Controller Design EIS in User Activities Recognition EIS in Huge Database and Web Mining EIS in Visual Inspection and Image Classification EIS in Image Processing EIS in Cloud Computing EIS in Multiple Sensor Networks EIS in Query Systems and Social Networks EIS in Alternative Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches ################################################################ ##########################Organizing Committee########################## * General co-Chairs Plamen Angelov, Lancaster University, UK Yannis Manolopoulos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece PC co-Chairs Edwin Lughofer Johannes, Kepler University Linz, Austria Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace Honorary co-Chairs Dimitar Filev, Ford Motor Company, USA Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand Special session co-Chairs Abdelhamid Bouchachia, University of Bournemouth, UK Jose Antonio Iglesias, Carlos III University of Madrid (Leganes, Spain) Organizing Chair Apostolos Papadopoulos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Local Organizing co-Chairs Constantinos Demertzis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Antonis Papaleonidas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Workshop co-chairs M. Sayed - Mouchaweich, Universite Lille, France Andre Paim Lemos, Univerity Minas Gerais, Brazil Publicity and Publication co-Chairs Teck-Hou, Teng Singapore Management University, Singapore Antonis Papaleonidas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Web Admin Kyriakos Georgiades, Easy Conferences, Cyprus * International Program Committe Plamen Angelov, Lancaster University, UK Rosangela Ballini, University of Campinas, Brazil Jorge Cassillas, University of Granada, Spain Dejan Dovzan, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Nadine Gaertner, SAP, Germany Lazaros Iliadis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Nik Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand Spyros Likothanasis, University of Patras, Greece Daniel Furtado Leite, Federal University of Lavras, Brazil Andre Lemos, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil Edwin Lughofer, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria Yannis Manolopoulos, Aristotle University of Thessalonii, Greece Trevor Martin, University of Bristol, UK Seiichi Ozawa, Kobe University, Japan Witold Pedrycz, University of Alberta, Canada Radu-Emil Precup, University of Timisoara, Romania Olga Senyukova, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia El Mustapha Mouaddib, Universite de Picardie Jules Verne, France Jus Kocijan, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana,Slovenia ####################################################################### #########################Sponsoring Organizations######################### * IEEE * Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece * Democritus University of thrace, Greece ##########################################################################

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Penn Psych - Faculty Search
by Rust, Nicole C Aug. 29, 2017

Aug. 29, 2017

Assistant Professor, Cognitive or Affective Science Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania The Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania intends to make multiple appointments in the areas of Cognitive Science and Affective Science over the next several years. Our primary focus is at the junior, Assistant Professor level, but in exceptional circumstances a more senior hire may be considered. We are interested in candidates with research interests in the areas, broadly defined, of cognitive science (e.g., learning and memory, perception, attention, language, or decision making) or affective science (e.g., clinical or health psychology; social, moral, or political psychology; positive psychology; or the psychology of individual differences), and who use any number of approaches, including but not limited to computational, neuroscientific (behavioral, systems, or cognitive), or developmental. Interested candidates should submit materials online at http://facultysearches.provost.upenn.edu/postings/1121 and include a curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, and the names and contact information of three referees. Candidates will contribute to the teaching mission of the university with introductory courses such as Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Brain and Behavior, Cognitive Psychology, or Abnormal Psychology, as well as advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in specific areas of interest. Referees will be contacted by the University with instructions on how to submit a recommendation letter to the website. Review of applications will begin on September 18, 2017 and continue until the position is filled. The Department of Psychology is strongly committed to Penn’s Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence and to creating a more diverse faculty (for more information, see http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v58/n02/diversityplan.html) The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Nicole Rust, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Psychology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104 http://www.sas.upenn.edu/psych/rust-lab/

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[jobs] Researcher in Cognitive Robotics
by Di Nuovo, Alessandro Aug. 29, 2017

Aug. 29, 2017

Apologies for multiple postings. A fixed-term position is available at Sheffield Hallam University (UK), within Sheffield Robotics. The post is funded by the EPSRC project EP/P030033/1 - Number Understanding Modelling in Behavioural Embodied Robotic Systems (NUMBERS). Details of the post and the link for applying can be found here: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BDR925/researcher-cognitive-robotics/ NUMBERS is a highly inter-disciplinary cutting-edge cognitive robotics research programme lead by Dr Alessandro Di Nuovo and developed in collaboration with Sheffield Robotics. The project sees the participation of Plymouth University and Stanford University (USA), and received the support of the NVIDIA Corporation (USA). It will utilise one of the most advanced child-like robotic platforms (the "iCub") to construct a novel artificial cognitive model of mathematical cognition by imitating human like learning approaches for developing number understanding. The researcher will contribute to the project by carrying out experiments with the iCub, including: Software development. Collecting and analysing data. Guaranteeing continuity of the robotic experiments. The researcher will also be an active member of the Sheffield Robotics team contributing to scientific publications and supporting exhibitions and demonstrations. Experience of working with the iCub robotic platform would be an advantage as well as the knowledge of deep learning software frameworks. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of the next generation of socially interactive robots capable of learning and mimicking advanced capabilities of human intelligence. Contact e-mail: a.dinuovo(a)shu.ac.uk

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[Extended Deadline-CFP] - HAI 2017 Workshop: Representation Learning for Human and Robot Cognition
by Amir Aly Aug. 28, 2017

Aug. 28, 2017

CALL FOR PAPERS **Apologies for cross posting ** The full day workshop: "*Representation Learning for Human and Robot Cognition*" In conjunction with the *5th International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction* *- Bielefeld - Germany - October * *17th, 2017* *Webpage: **http://cognitive-mirroring.org/en/events/hai2017_workshop/* <http://cognitive-mirroring.org/en/events/hai2017_workshop/> *I. Aim and Scope *Creating intelligent and interactive robots has been subject to extensive research studies. They are rapidly moving to the center of human environment so that they collaborate with human users in different applications, which requires high-level cognitive functions so as to allow them to understand and learn from human behavior. To this end, an important challenge that attracts much attention in cognitive science and artificial intelligence, is the “Symbol Emergence” problem, which investigates the bottom-up development of symbols through social interaction. This research line employs representation learning based models for understanding language and action in a developmentally plausible manner so as to make robots able to behave appropriately on their own. This could open the door to robots to understand syntactic formalisms and semantic references of human speech, and to associate language knowledge to perceptual knowledge so as to successfully collaborate with human users in space. Another interesting approach to study representation learning is “Cognitive Mirroring”, which refers to artificial systems that could make cognitive processes observable, such as the models that could learn concepts of objects, actions, and/or emotions from humans through interaction. A key idea of this approach is that robots learn individual characteristics of human cognition rather than acquiring a general representation of cognition. In this way, the characteristics of human cognition become observable and can be measured as modifications in model parameters, which is difficult to verify through neuroscience studies only. In this workshop, we invite researchers in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, cognitive robotics, and neuroscience to share their knowledge and research findings on representation learning, and to engage in cutting-edge discussions with other experienced researchers so as to help promoting this research line in the Human-Agent Interaction (HAI) community. *II. Keynote Speakers * 1. *Beata Joanna Grzyb *– Radboud University – The Netherlands 2. *Thomas Hermann*– Bielefeld University – Germany 3. *Tetsuya Ogata *– Waseda University – Japan 4. *Erhan Oztop *– Ozyegin Universiy – Turkey 5. * Stefan Wermter *– University of Hamburg – Germany *III. Submission * 1. For paper submission, use the following EasyChair web link: *Paper Submission <https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=rlhrc2017>*. 2. Use the ACM SIGCHI format: *ACM SIGCHI Templates <http://www.sigchi.org/publications/chipubform>*. 3. Submitted papers should be limited to 2-4 pages maximum. The primary list of topics covers the following points (but not limited to): - Computational model for high-level cognitive capabilities - Predictive learning from sensorimotor information - Multimodal interaction and concept formulation - Human-robot communication and collaboration based on machine learning - Learning supported by external trainers by demonstration and imitation - Bayesian modeling - Learning with hierarchical and deep architectures - Interactive reinforcement learning * IV. Important Dates * 1. Paper submission: *15-September-2017* 2. Notification of acceptance: *25-September-2017* 3. Camera-ready version: *5-**October-2017* 4. Workshop: *17-October-2017* *V. Organizers * 1. *Takato Horii *– Osaka University – Japan 2. *Amir Aly *– Ritsumeikan University – Japan 3. *Yukie Nagai *– National Institute of Information and Communications Technology – Japan 4. * Takayuki Nagai *– The University of Electro-Communications – Japan -- *Amir Aly, Ph.D.* Senior Researcher Emergent Systems Laboratory College of Information Science and Engineering Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 Japan

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Postdoc position in electrophysiology/neural coding at Columbia University
by Qi Wang Aug. 28, 2017

Aug. 28, 2017

A postdoc position is available in the Laboratory for Neural Engineering and Control in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University (http://neclab.bme.columbia.edu/) The project investigates the role of the locus coeruleus – norepinephrine (LC-NE) system in modulating neural coding, perception, and learning. The successful applicant should have a background in in-vivo single-unit recording and quantitative analytical methods. Experiences in behavioral training of rodents is a plus. We are looking for highly motivated researchers with a strong technical background, ideally with a PhD or equivalent in Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, Psychology, or a related discipline. Applicants should demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. Start date is flexible. Salary will be commensurate to the candidate qualifications. Applicants should submit a CV, a brief description of research interests, and a list of three references. All application materials as well as any inquiries should be sent to qi.wang(a)columbia.edu.

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Bernstein 2017 Workshop: "Multiscale modeling and simulation"
by Salvador Dura Aug. 27, 2017

Aug. 27, 2017

Dear All, We would like to bring your attention to the* "Multiscale modeling and simulation" workshop* at the *Bernstein Conference 2017, Sept 12-13, Göttingen, Germany.* *Website: *http://www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-conference/2017/ satellite-workshops/multiscale-modeling-and-simulation-dura-bernal-lytton *Short abstract:* Understanding brain function requires characterizing the *interactions occurring across many temporal and spatial scales*. Mechanistic multiscale modeling aims to organize and explore these interactions across these scales. Multiscale models can provide insights into how changes at the molecular and cellular levels affect dynamics at local networks and brain areas. At the highest levels, they allow us to connect neural activity to theories of behavior, memory and cognition. The recent introduction of large neuroscience projects in US and EU Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) and Human Brain Project (HBP) respectively provide an opportunity to rapidly gather new and more accurate data to incorporate into the multiscale models. This workshop will present some of the* latest multiscale modeling tools and approaches in neuroscience, as well as representative examples of datadriven multiscale neural simulations*. The workshop aims to encourage both computational and experimental neuroscientists to make use of multiscale modeling in their research. *Organizers: *Salvador Dura-Bernal and Bill Lytton (SUNY Downstate) *Speakers:* *Tue, Sept 12:* - Bill Lytton (SUNY Downstate) - Jean Pierre Changeux (Pasteur Institute) - Volker Steuber (University of Hertfordshire) - Robert McDougal (Yale University) - Salvador Dura-Bernal (SUNY Downstate) - Cliff C Kerr (University of Sydney) *Wed, Sept 13:* - Szabolcs Kali (Hungarian Academy of Science/HBP) - Marianne Bezaire (Boston University) - Daniel Durstewitz (ZI Mannheim) - Kael Dali (Allen Institute for Brain Science) We look forward to seeing you there! Best Salva -- Salvador Durá-Bernal, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor State University of New York Downstate Medical Center

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PhD, Master and Postdoc positions in theoretical neuroscience at the MPI for Brain Research
by Tatjana Tchumatchenko Aug. 27, 2017

Aug. 27, 2017

PhD, Master and Postdoc positions in theoretical neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research We are looking for undergraduate students interested in writing a Master or PhD thesis and also have open positions for Postdocs to join our group "Theory of neural dynamics" at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research lead by Dr. Tatjana Tchumatchenko. Our group studies how networks of neurons encode and decode sensory stimuli and how these functions are related to computations that underlie cognitive functions and behavior. We develop models to address linear and non-linear properties of neuronal networks and have ongoing collaborations with experimental labs where we analyze in vitro as well as in vivo data and develop appropriate models to explain the observed phenomena. Successful applicants should have a strong background in a quantitative field such as physics, mathematics or computer science and should be interested in an interdisciplinary exchange with other disciplines such as biology or medicine. Life science majors interested in quantitative modeling work are also encouraged to apply, particularly if they would like to combine experiments and theory in their Master or Ph.D. thesis work. We are looking for candidates with strong English skills and prior programming experience. In order to make teamwork in our group enjoyable and fun, the ideal candidate should have a strong work ethic and have demonstrated consistent self-motivation skills. Female students are particularly encouraged to apply. Prospective students should apply by sending an email to theoryneuraldynamics(a)gmail.com which includes * a letter of motivation, * CV, * and a copy of the current academic transcripts To make your motivation letter easier to write for you and more informative for us, please check the list of questions to be answered in your motivation letter at http://www.tchumatchenko.de/Opportunities.html Looking forward to your applications! Tatjana Tchumatchenko

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Postdoctoral opportunity
by Timothy O'Leary Aug. 25, 2017

Aug. 25, 2017

Post-doctoral position in theoretical neuroscience, University of Cambridge Description We are seeking a highly creative and motivated Postdoctoral Research Assistant/Associate in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience to join the research group of Dr Timothy O’Leary in the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge (http://www.olearylab.org/) The successful applicant will undertake exciting collaborative research projects in systems neuroscience, with the opportunity to work closely with experimental laboratories in Harvard Medical School, HHMI Janelia and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The post will therefore involve significant travel. A range of projects is available, covering themes of neural representations of behaviour, neuromodulation and regulatory control in the nervous system. The successful applicant will have, or be near to obtaining, a PhD in theoretical neuroscience, applied mathematics, control engineering, physics, or theoretical biology, and will have extensive research experience demonstrated by a strong publication record. A solid grounding in neuroscience is important. The position is initially for three years with possibility of extension, with a 6 month probation period. The appointment commences December 1, 2017but start date is flexible within reason. We offer a competitive salary in line with experience and we especially encourage applications from minorities and underrepresented groups. Full application details are available here: http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/14796/ Closing date: 2017-10-02 Employment start date: 2017-12-01 Contract length: 3 years Institution: University of Cambridge *Timothy O'Leary* Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom Phone +441223746527 Email tso24(a)cam.ac.uk

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