- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

tDCS workshop with Frank Padberg and Andre Brunoni
by Martijn Arns July 7, 2017

July 7, 2017

Dear colleagues, we are happy to announce a special 2-day tDCS workshop with Frank Padberg and Andre Brunoni to be held in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. This workshop is particularly suited to researcher, psychologists and psychiatrists interested in applying the technique of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), looking for a unique opportunity to learn and discuss its clinical application with highly regarded experts in the field. Professor Dr. Frank Padberg (Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich) will offer expert insight into how tDCS can be applied in a range of psychiatrist disorders, followed by the state-of-the-art application of tDCS in Depression with Dr. Andre Brunoni (University of São Paulo, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich). Working closely with our guest presenters, participants wil gain an understanding of basic applications of tDCS to build up to advanced methods. Also see following link for more information and sign-up information: http://www.neurocaregroup.com/brunoni-padberg-tdcs-workshop-october-2017.ht… Kind regards, Martijn Arns, PhD Director / Researcher Research Institute Brainclinics Chief Scientific Officer neuroCare Group Twitter: @brainclinics / @neuroclinics Bijleveldsingel 34 6524 AD Nijmegen The Netherlands Tel: +31 24-7503505 GSM: +31 6-48177919 Fax: +31 24-8901447 E-mail: martijn(a)brainclinics.com<mailto:martijn@brainclinics.com> URL: www.brainclinics.com<http://www.brainclinics.com/>

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Computational Neuroscience Job at the Krembil Research Institute
by Frances Skinner July 6, 2017

July 6, 2017

https://www.recruitingsite.com/csbsites/uhncareers/JobDescription.asp?SiteI… <https://www.recruitingsite.com/csbsites/uhncareers/JobDescription.asp?SiteI…> 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.

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Summer school on Advanced Computational Neuroscience, Germany
by Alexander Schmidt July 6, 2017

July 6, 2017

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Advanced COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE Summer School in Göttingen, Germany “Neural circuit theories for primate cognition” September 02nd - 10th, 2017 *REGISTRATION **DEADLINE *Ju**ly**2**3**, 201**7**** %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Please, feel free to distribute this email to students and postdocs potentially interested in the school. The aCNS school within the Advanced Computational Neuroscience School in the Emotion-Cognition-Link-Series is a *9**-day intensive course* in *mathematical and computational neuroscience*. It offers an intensive pedagogy of advanced mathematical and computational tools to students working in computational neuroscience and already familiar with its interdisciplinary nature and is designed to qualify young researchers to push the frontiers of the field. The following researchers are in charge of the 4 two-day theoretical blocks and 4 evening lectures: * Nicolas Brunel <https://galton.uchicago.edu/%7Enbrunel/>, /University of Chicago/, Chicago, USA * Alexander Gail <https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/57950.html>, /German Primate Center/, Göttingen, Germany * Raoul Memmesheimer <https://memmesheimer.net/>, /University of Bonn/, Bonn, Germany * John Beggs <http://www.indiana.edu/%7Eiubphys/faculty/jmbeggs.shtml>, /University of //Indiana/, Bloomington, USA * Julia Fischer <http://www.dpz.eu/en/unit/cognitive-ethology/about-us.html>, /German Primate Center/, Göttingen, Germany * Eckart Altenmüller <https://www.immm.hmtm-hannover.de/en/institute/people/eckart-altenmueller/>, /University for Music and Theater/, Hanover, Germany * Annekathrin Schacht <http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/356202.html>, /University of Göttingen/, Göttingen, Germany * Georg Martius <https://is.tuebingen.mpg.de/person/gmartius>, /M//PI//for Intelligent Systems/, Tübingen, Germany The consecutive two day thematic blocks are dedicated to mathematical approaches to circuit dynamics. Each lecturer will give a self-contained introduction to a particular set of theoretical tools in a block of two morning lectures. In the afternoon, participants will work on problem sets designed to develop proficiency in both the mathematical and computational tools learned earlier that day. An additional set of evening ‘easy’ lectures will give the opportunity to discuss significant advances in the field. The course takes place at the Department of Nonlinear Dynamics of the Max-Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen. Registration fee is 200 €. Course language is English. Housing is provided by the school. Travel grants can be applied for. *Only 15 participants will accepted. We invite applicants to apply by filling out the application form at:* *www.bccn-goettingen.de* <http://www.bccn-goettingen.de/events/cns-course> *and have their reference letters submitted by *July 23, 2017*.* Best regards and looking forward to seeing you in Göttingen, B. Feulner, D. Regel, A. Schmidt and J. Wilting (local committee, PhD students) on behalf of the course directors Prof. F. Wolf and Prof. A. Schacht

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New Book: The Rewiring Brain
by Arjen van Ooyen July 6, 2017

July 6, 2017

Dear colleagues, We would like to draw your attention to our recently published book: *The Rewiring Brain: A Computational Approach to Structural Plasticity in the Adult Brain*, van Ooyen, A, and Butz-Ostendorf, M, eds, Academic Press, June 2017. For more information (preview) and to order the book, go to https://www.elsevier.com/books/the-rewiring-brain/van- ooyen/978-0-12-803784-3 Also see https://anvooyen.home.xs4all.nl/papers/TheRewiringBrain.html *Description* The adult brain is not as hard-wired as traditionally thought. By modifying their small- or large-scale morphology, neurons can make new synaptic connections or break existing ones (structural plasticity). Structural changes accompany memory formation and learning, and are induced by neurogenesis, neurodegeneration and brain injury such as stroke. Exploring the role of structural plasticity in the brain can be greatly assisted by mathematical and computational models, as they enable us to bridge the gap between system-level dynamics and lower level cellular and molecular processes. However, most traditional neural network models have fixed neuronal morphologies and a static connectivity pattern, with plasticity merely arising from changes in the strength of existing synapses (synaptic plasticity). In *The Rewiring Brain*, the editors bring together, for the first time, contemporary modeling studies that investigate the implications of structural plasticity for brain function and pathology. Starting with an experimental background on structural plasticity in the adult brain, the book covers computational studies on homeostatic structural plasticity, the impact of structural plasticity on cognition and cortical connectivity, the interaction between synaptic and structural plasticity, neurogenesis-related structural plasticity, and structural plasticity in neurological disorders. Structural plasticity adds a whole new dimension to brain plasticity, and *The Rewiring Brain* shows how computational approaches may help to gain a better understanding of the full adaptive potential of the adult brain. The book is written for both computational and experimental neuroscientists. Key features: · Reviews the current state of knowledge of structural plasticity in the adult brain. · Gives a comprehensive overview of computational studies on structural plasticity · Provides insights into the potential driving forces of structural plasticity and the functional implications of structural plasticity for learning and memory · Serves as inspiration for developing novel treatment strategies for stimulating functional repair after brain damage *Book Contents* Editorial *Arjen van Ooyen and Markus Butz-Ostendorf* Section I. Experimental background 1. Structural plasticity and cortical connectivity *Vassilis Kehayas and Anthony Holtmaat* 2. Structural plasticity induced by adult neurogenesis *Gregory W. Kirschen, Kurt A. Sailor, and Shaoyu Ge* 3. Structural neural plasticity during stroke recovery *Kimberly Gerrow and Craig E. Brown* 4. Is lesion-induced synaptic rewiring driven by activity homeostasis? *Markus Butz-Ostendorf and Arjen van Ooyen* Section II. Homeostatic structural plasticity 5. Network formation through activity-dependent neurite outgrowth: a review of a simple model of homeostatic structural plasticity *Arjen van Ooyen* 6. Clustered arrangement of inhibitory neurons can lead to oscillatory dynamics in a model of activity-dependent structural plasticity *Rosanna C. Barnard, Istvan Z. Kiss, Simon F. Farmer, and Luc Berthouze* 7. A detailed model of homeostatic structural plasticity based on dendritic spine and axonal bouton dynamic *s**Markus Butz-Ostendorf and Arjen van Ooyen* 8. Critical periods emerge from homeostatic structural plasticity in a full-scale model of the developing cortical column *Sebastian Rinke, Mikael Naveau, Felix Wolf and Markus Butz-Ostendorf* 9. Lesion-induced dendritic remodeling as a new mechanism of homeostatic structural plasticity in the adult brain *Steffen Platschek, Hermann Cuntz, Thomas Deller, and Peter Jedlicka* Section III. Structural plasticity and connectivity 10. The role of structural plasticity in producing nonrandom neural connectivity *Paul Miller* 11. Structural plasticity and the generation of bidirectional connectivity *Daniel Miner, Felix Z. Hoffmann, Florence Kleberg, and Jochen Triesch* 12. Spike timing-dependent structural plasticity of multicontact synaptic connections *Moritz Deger* 13. Selection of synaptic connections by wiring plasticity for robust learning by synaptic weight plasticity *Naoki Hiratani and Tomoki Fukai* Section IV. Structural plasticity and learning and memory 14. Within a spine's reach *Will DeBello and Karen Zito* 15. Impact of structural plasticity on memory capacity *Panagiotis Bozelos and Panayiota Poirazi* 16. Long-term information storage by the interaction of synaptic and structural plasticity *Michael Fauth, Florentin Wörgötter, and Christian Tetzlaff* 17. Impact of structural plasticity on memory formation and decline *Andreas Knoblauch* Section V. Neurogenesis-related structural plasticity 18. Adult neurogenesis and synaptic rewiring in the hippocampal dentate gyrus *Arjen van Ooyen, Gertraud Teuchert-Noodt, Keren Grafen, and Markus Butz-Ostendorf* 19. Modifications in network structure and excitability may drive differential activity dependent integration of granule cells into dentate gyrus circuits during normal and pathological adult neurogenesis *Quinton Skilling, James Roach, Alison L. Althaus, Geoffrey G. Murphy, Leonard Sander, and Michal Zochowski* 20. Computational perspectives on adult neurogenesis *Kristofor D. Carlson, Fredrick Rothganger, and James B. Aimone* 21. Restricted boltzmann machine models of hippocampal coding and neurogenesis *Rory Finnegan, Mark Shaw, and Suzanna Becker* Section VI. Structural plasticity and pathology 22. Modeling the impact of lesions in the brain *Sol Lim, Frances Hutchings, and Marcus Kaiser* 23. Network models of epilepsy-related pathological structural and functional alterations in the dentate gyrus *Ivan Raikov, Mark Plitt, and Ivan Soltesz* 24. Computational models of stroke recovery *Vittorio Sanguineti* 25. Neural plasticity in human brain connectivity: the effects of deep brain stimulation *Tim J. van Hartevelt, Henrique M. Fernandes, Angus B. A. Stevner, Gustavo Deco, and Morten L. Kringelbach*

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CFP - HAI 2017 Workshop: Representation Learning for Human and Robot Cognition
by Amir Aly July 5, 2017

July 5, 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 environments 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: *01-September-2017* 2. Notification of acceptance: *15-September-2017* 3. Camera-ready version: *30-September-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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TECHNE AHRC Funded PhD Studentship: "Using Depth of Field to Guide Attention and Convey Narrative Structure"
by Durant, Szonya July 5, 2017

July 5, 2017

TECHNE AHRC Funded PhD Studentship: "Using Depth of Field to Guide Attention and Convey Narrative Structure" Royal Holloway, University of London - The Department of Psychology and the Department of Media Arts Qualification type: PhD Location: London, Egham Funding for: UK Students, EU Students Funding amount: £16,553 plus fees at Home/EU rate. Closes: 1st August 2017 Supervisors: Dr Szonya Durant (Dept. of Psychology) and Mr Adam Ganz (Dept. of Media Arts). Applications are invited for a National Productivity Investment Fund PhD studentship funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council starting in October 2017. The studentship includes a stipend of £16,553 (plus fees at home/EU rates) for three years. There is an additional NPIF £550 per year to facilitate engagement with the Partner, and students can apply for an additional six months stipend to engage in extended development activities such as work placements. As a TECHNE student, the person selected will have full access to the TECHNE Doctoral Training Partnership development activities and networking opportunities, joining a cohort of about 50 students per year from across seven universities in London and the south-east. See www.techne.ac.uk<http://www.techne.ac.uk/>. TECHNE students can apply for additional funding to support individual or group training and development activities. This interdisciplinary PhD project draws on the fields of sensory neuroscience, in particular, the experimental study of eye movements and film and media studies, and in particular the study of visual perception, narrative comprehension, and affective response in relation to film editing. The novelty of the proposed interdisciplinary approach promises to yield original insights that will expand the knowledge and understanding in both disciplines. It expands the new discipline of psychocinematics by looking at how audiences perceive (and thus how filmmakers can use) a new element of film grammar - the ability to vary depth of field within in a shot which has been developed by our industrial partner Cinefade. The primary PhD supervisor is based in the Department of Psychology, which has an active and expanding postgraduate research community, is well-equipped for research. It was ranked 6th out of 82 UK Psychology Departments in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), with 93% of our research classified as world-leading or internationally excellent. Research in the department spans a breadth of topics across psychological sciences and neuroscience and is supported by excellent facilities - further information on the research environment can be found here<https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/psychology/home.aspx>. The second supervisor is based in the Media Arts Department, a top 10 REF department led by award-winning world-class experts and leading industry practitioners, which provides a professional working environment for the development of media practice skills and creativity. Both departments are situated on our beautiful Egham campus close to London. Applicants should ideally hold, or be predicted to achieve, a first class undergraduate degree or equivalent in Psychology, Media Arts, or related disciplines (minimum requirement: 2.1). An MSc in a psychology- or cinematography-related subject is desirable but not essential. The ideal candidate will have strong skills in experimental design and statistical analysis, and some experience of lens-based media, film editing, computer programming, and eye tracking would be advantageous. The project will involve a 6 months placement working with CineFade Ltd which will involve trips to various UK locations to meetings with their clients. Applicants must meet the RCUK residency requirements as described in paragraphs 43-46 of the 'Conditions of Research Council Training Grants<http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/termsconditionstraininggrants-pdf/>' and comply with conditions set out in the AHRC Training Grant Funding Guide<http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/skills/phdstudents/currentawardholders/>. Informal enquiries about the project should be directed to szonya.durant(a)rhul.ac.uk<mailto:szonya.durant@rhul.ac.uk> or adam.ganz(a)rhul.ac.uk<mailto:adam.ganz@rhul.ac.uk>. Full details on how to make an application are shown on our Departmental Website<https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/psychology/prospectivestudents/postgraduate…> (select "tab 2 - Research Council UK Funded Studentships") and in the College Webpages<https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/researchdegrees/applying/applicat…>. For further details on the application process please contact Sharon Clutterbuck (psyoffice(a)rhul.ac.uk<mailto:psyoffice@rhul.ac.uk>). Closing date: 5pm on Tuesday 1st August 2017. Interview dates: 7-18 August (can be flexible around existing commitments). Szonya Durant Department of Psychology Royal Holloway, University of London Egham TW20 0EX 01784 276522

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Bernstein Conference 2017 in Göttingen - early room booking strongly recommended !
by Kerstin Schwarzwaelder July 4, 2017

July 4, 2017

Dear colleagues, Please let me remind you that the number of available accommodation for the Bernstein Conference 2017 in Göttingen is very limited due to several concurrent events. Thus, we strongly recommend early room booking! Many Hotels in Göttingen are already booked out for that week! The local organizers of the Bernstein Conference arranged for room contingents in a variety of hotels that you may book by yourself by email or phone. Please follow the instructions at the Accommodations Website (www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/venue/accommodation<http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/venue/accommodation>). We would like to emphasize that these room contingents will be held open up to different expiration dates depending on the hotel (or until they are filled). Many expiration dates were already mid of June 2017. We strongly encourage participants to share rooms and to book rooms as a group. We emphasize that it will be very difficult to book accommodation beyond the expiration dates. Please find a list of the hotels at the Accommodations Website of the Bernstein Conference. Dates of the Bernstein Conference 2017: ************************************************************** Satellite Workshops September 12-13, 2017 Main Conference September 13-15, 2017 PhD Symposium September 12 & 15, 2017 ************************************************************** Venue of the Bernstein Conference 2017: ************************************************************** The Central Lecture Hall (Zentrales Hörsaal Gebäude, ZHG) Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5 37073 Göttingen, Germany ************************************************************** Website of the Bernstein Conference 2017: ************************************************************** www.bernstein-conference.de<http://www.bernstein-conference.de> ************************************************************** Best regards, Kerstin Schwarzwälder -- Dr. Kerstin Schwarzwälder Scientific Coordination / Management Officer Please note: Our email addresses have changed. Please use k.schwarzwaelder(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.schwarzwaelder@fz-juelich.de> Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS) Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9A | 79104 Freiburg, Germany phone: (+49) 0761 203 9589 mail: k.schwarzwaelder(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:k.schwarzwaelder@fz-juelich.de> web: www.nncn.de<http://www.nncn.de> Twitter: NNCN_Germany<https://twitter.com/NNCN_Germany> YouTube: Bernstein TV<https://www.youtube.com/user/BernsteinNetwork> Facebook: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.facebook.com/BernsteinNetwork/> LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernstein-network-computational-neuroscien…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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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Research positions in Neuromorphic computing in Singapore
by Yansong Chua July 4, 2017

July 4, 2017

Multiple scientist and engineer positions are open for a 4-year neuromorphic program in Singapore, at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), A*STAR. The program is a multi-disciplinary effort, that straddles across the hardware (neuromorphic chip with RRAM, on-chip learning), middleware (emulator) and software (learning algorithms), and we aim to develop a demonstrating application system at end of the program. The program hence presents an unique research opportunity for candidates hoping to build a complete neuromorphic learning system. We are now in the early stages of the program and are actively recruiting talented scientists who would be excited to work on any aspects of the program (hardware, middleware, software and system integration). Multiple top-ranked universities and research institutes in Singapore (NUS, NTU, IME, IHPC, I2R) are working on the program. The work package I am in-charge of is primarily involved in the design of better algorithms for spiking neural networks. To this end, successful candidates will conduct research in one or more of the following areas: - Neuronal encoding: how to better encode external stimuli into spike based representations to facilitate decoding with high fidelity and also better learning performance (in terms of accuracy and power efficiency). - Supervised learning: given that spiking neural networks are asynchronous and sparse in their activities, the design of supervised learning algorithms that can fully capitalize on these properties becomes critical. - Mapping of state-of-art deep learning networks to spiking networks. Neuromorphic learning algorithms are still solving fairly simple problems compared to deep learning. For this, we would like to systematically borrow from the deep learning community networks and learning algorithms that can quickly boost the capabilities of spiking neural networks. - Unsupervised learning. STDP is well suited for unsupervised learning in spiking neural networks, and we would like to further advance STDP learning in spiking neural networks (both theory and applications). Preference will be given to candidates who can document knowledge in deep learning, spiking neural networks or signal processing (with interest in spiking neural networks). Candidates must have a PhD (for scientists) or MS/BS (for engineers) in computer science, computational neuroscience or related fields. Strong programming and quantitative skills are highly desired. Candidates should be proficient in spoken and written English. The appointment will be for 3 years, and extended for another 1 year, after review. Salaries are commensurate with internationally-competitive salaries and benefits. The start date is flexible and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. Other benefits include: - Funding for international conferences and training courses - Collaboration opportunities with an excellent network of international scientists Candidates please send your curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests and three references to Dr. Yansong Chua (chuays(a)i2r.a-star.edu.sg ).

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Computer scientist or Scientific programmer in the Department of Neural Systems and Coding
by Friedrich Kretschmer July 3, 2017

July 3, 2017

Computer scientist or Scientific programmer The Max Planck Institute for Brain Research <https://www.mpg.de/151405/hirnforschung?section=all> in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, is an innovative and growing research facility of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science. The Department of Neural Systems and Coding <https://brain.mpg.de/research/laurent-department.html> (Prof. Dr. Dr. Gilles Laurent) is part of the interdisciplinary neuroscience campus in Frankfurt/Riedberg where the new MPI building is located. Research in the Department aims to understand the physiology of perception with an experimental focus centered on neural computation, neuronal coding and integration. To support our international team of biologists, computer scientists and physicists, we invite applications for a full time staff position as Computer scientist or Scientific programmer, starting as soon as possible, initially with a fixed-term contract for two years. Your profile & our requirements We seek a self-driven and interactive individual with the following skill set: * advanced programming skills and strong understanding of OOP concepts * strong experience working with MATLAB or Python. * proficient understanding of code versioning tools * practical knowledge of best coding practices * experience with management, storage and access of large datasets * cross platform development for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux platforms. Applicants should be familiar with a scientific environment. Knowledge of computational neuroscience and practice in other programming languages (C, C++, R), as well as computer vision, image processing, object recognition, automatic processing and control of behavioral experiments would be of advantage. Candidates are expected to hold a degree in a quantitative field involving computational work, such as computer science, physics, applied math, electrical engineering or comparable research experience. Graduate work at Masters or PhD level (science exposure) is a plus. Our offer We offer a competitive salary based on the collective wage agreement for government service wWorkers (TVöD Bund) depending on qualifications and professional experience as well as various fringe benefits in accordance with public service provisions. You can expect an interesting, responsible and varied job in a young, international and interdisciplinary team. Your application The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and is striving to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are under-represented. It therefore expressly encourages female applicants. The Max Planck Society is striving to employ more individuals with disabilities. It therefore expressly encourages applicants with disabilities. Please submit your application (in English, single PDF file) by email (HR(a)brain.mpg.de <mailto:HR@brain.mpg.de>) until *July 31, 2017* to Max Planck Institute for Brain Research -Human Resources- Max-von-Laue-Str. 4 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany

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Neuroinformatics 2017 in Kuala Lumpur!
by congress July 3, 2017

July 3, 2017

Dear all, It is high time to register for Neuroinformatics 2017, August 20-21, in Kuala Lumpur! See full program and speakers here: *http://neuroinformatics2017.org/program/* <http://neuroinformatics2017.org/program/> *Register by July 15th to get early bird registration rates: * *http://neuroinformatics2017.org/register/ <http://neuroinformatics2017.org/register/>* The annual INCF Congress provides a meeting place for researchers in all fields related to neuroinformatics. Join us for keynotes from top neuroscientists, community sessions and poster- and demo sessions. This meeting is especially useful for anyone who is developing neuroscience tools and methods, working on better ways to handle neuroscience data, and looking for cross-disciplinary collaborations. *http://neuroinformatics2017.org/* <http://neuroinformatics2017.org/> Please spread this information to anyone you feel might be interested in attending! *The International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility (INCF) is an international non-profit organization devoted to advancing the field of neuroinformatics and global collaborative brain research. Learn more about INCF www.incf.org <http://www.incf.org/>* *We look forward to seeing you in Kuala Lumpur!* Best Regards INCF Secretariat

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PhD position in Theoretical Neuroscience/Nonlinear Dynamics - Ile De France (Paris)
by A. Torcini July 2, 2017

July 2, 2017

More details here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nowtt4cb3d69xfi/project_phd.pdf?dl=0 Title of the PhD project: Exact Reduction of Multiscale Neural Dynamics Goal: PhD grant without teaching duties, 3 years, fully funded, 1400 euros/month (with teaching duties in french the salary can increase to 1600 euros/month) When: starting from 1st October 2017 Keywords: Dynamics of neural networks; Mean field analysis; Microscopic and Macroscopic statistical analysis; Linear and nonlinear instabilities; Lyapunov exponents Where: The candidate will be based at the Universite' de Cergy-Pontoise, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modélisation in Cergy-Pontoise, Ile de France (France) under the supervision of Prof Alessandro Torcini and with the co-supervision of Dr. E. Montbrió at the Center for Brain and Cognition, Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, Spain). Required titles/skills: - Master Title (M2) in Theoretical Physics or in Appled Mathematics or in related subjects - Strong knowlegde of statistical mechanics, nonlinear dynamics, applied mathematics - Strong ability to program in Fortran or in C language - Knowledge in computational neuroscience - Interest for multidisciplinary research - Ability to turn smoothly autonomous, once the road has been set - Programming with Matlab and/or Python - French is not a requirement if fluent in English, but willingness to learn would be beneficial How to apply and more details can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nowtt4cb3d69xfi/project_phd.pdf?dl=0 Funding: The project is funded by the Initiative of Excellence Paris Seine, within the programme of the French Government "Investissemensts d'Avenir "

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LAWCN 2017 - Submission Deadline Extended: July 15, 2017
by Christian Brackmann July 1, 2017

July 1, 2017

Due to new partnerships with IBRO (International Brain Research Organization), SPRINGER, IEEE-RITA, CCIS/ISI Proceedings and numerous requests, the submission deadline was extended to July 15, 2017! Apologies for cross-posting and/or duplicate posts. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR PAPERS LATIN AMERICAN WORKSHOP ON COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 2017 Paper Submission Deadline: July 15, 2017 (extended) November 22-24, 2017 Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil. http://www.inf.ufrgs.br/lawcn/ Contact: lawcn2017(a)easychair.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computational neuroscience is the study of brain function regarding the information processing properties of the structures that make up the nervous system. It is an interdisciplinary science that links the diverse fields of neuroscience, as cognitive science, medicine, psychology, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics and even philosophy. The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), located in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil, has promoted a more restricted version of this Workshop in November 2012. Since then, participants and investigators in the interdisciplinary fields related to Computational Neuroscience are claiming to resume the realization of this event. In this sense, with a broader scope aiming to encourage young researchers and graduate master and doctorate students in all Latin America, this edition will have three main topics: a) neuroscience, b) neuroengineering and c) artificial intelligence and related techniques. The Workshop will consist mainly of the following activities: 1. presentation of up to 8 key renowned international and national researchers; 2. presentation of up to 50 oral presentations; 3. presentation of poster presentations; 4. presentation of practical applications in neuroscience, both from University and from companies active in the field; and 5. practical demonstration of the A2200 Enigma machine, which belongs to the Informatics Institute, as a special tribute to the 105th Birthday Anniversary of Alan Turing, considered one of the founding fathers of Computer Science. All participants who investigate and contribute to the understanding of the properties of the brain, such as Medicine, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Philosophy and others are welcomed. Issues related to the support of Communication and Information Technology and High-Performance Computing in Neuroscience will receive particular attention. UFRGS is happy to welcome LATIN AMERICAN WORKSHOP ON COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE (LAWCN) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. GENERAL INFORMATION IMPORTANT DATES * June 30, 2017 July 15, 2017: Submission deadline for papers * September 04, 2017: Notification of acceptance * September 25, 2017: Camera-ready papers and copyrights waivers * November 13, 2017: Posters Image Files due, which will be digitally presented * November 22-24, 2017: Workshop, UFRGS - Porto Alegre, Brazil. SCOPE LAWCN 2017 covers all aspects of Computational Neuroscience. Although the interdisciplinary nature of the Conference and the stimulus to work at intersections and the frontiers of different disciplines, for the sake of clarifying the scope of the Workshop, topics will be presented on the three main axes. The interest topics include (but are not limited to): a) Neuroscience: * Sensory processing * Network dynamics * Reinforcement learning * Motivation and decision making * Statistical approaches in neuroscience * Systems Neuroscience * Learning and memory Attention * Arousal of Sensory-Motor Integration Learning in networks * Ethical and philosophical issues related to Neuroscience * Educational issues b) Neuroengineering: * Large-scale recordings * Neural signal processing * Neuromodulation * Neuroprosthetics * Robotics * Biomedical devices development * Humanoid robots * Robots for Elderly People * Sensing in Robotics * Fusion of Sensors * Hardware implementations in Neuroscience * Software implementations in Neuroscience * Brain-Computer Interfaces: design and applications * Ethical and philosophical issues related to Neuro-engineering * Educational issues c) Artificial Intelligence and related techniques: * Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Neuroscience * Bioinformatics * Clustering and Applications * Computer Vision, Cognitive and Humanoid Vision * Databases, Data Mining, Intelligent Data Analysis, Knowledge-based Systems and Linguistic Tools * Data Visualization and Applications * Deep Learning * Statistical Pattern Recognition/Document Processing and Recognition * Fuzzy and Hybrid Techniques * Geometric Algebra Application in Perception-Action * High-Performance Computing for Pattern Recognition * Image Coding, Processing, and Analysis * Kernel Machines * Mathematical Theory of Computational Neuroscience * Neural Networks * Parallel and Distributed Applications for Computational Neuroscience * Robotics and Humanoids * Shape and Texture Analysis * Signal Processing and Analysis * Spatio-temporal Analysis * Ethical and philosophical issues related to Artificial Intelligence * Educational issues KEYNOTE SPEAKERS LAWCN Organizing Committee is proud to announce the confirmation of the following invited talks: Dr. Francisco Sotres Bayón, Professor of Neurosciences at the National Autonomous University of México(UNAM ), México Title of the talk : Understanding the Brain mechanisms of learned and innate motivational conflicts Dr. Laurence Devillers,Professor of Computer Science at Paris-Sorbonne University,Paris,France Title of the talk : Affective and Social Robotics : engagement,evaluation and ethics Dr. Sen Cheng, Professor of Computational Neuroscience at the Ruhr University Bochum(RUB),Bochum, Germany Title of the talk : Intrinsic Sequences in the hippocampus for spatial navigation and memory storage Dr. Vinicius Rosa Cota, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), São João del-Rei, Brazil Title of the talk : Toward a neural prosthesis to the epileptic brain by tackling neural hyper synchronism The confirmation of other invited speakers will be done soon. REGISTRATION FEES - Until 30/06/2017 15/07/2017 Undergraduate Student: R$ 100,00 Graduate Student: R$ 150,00 Professionals: R$ 200,00 - Until 13/10/2017 Undergraduate Student: R$ 125,00 Graduate Student: R$ 175,00 Professionals: R$ 225,00 - From 14/10/2017 Undergraduate Student: R$ 150,00 Graduate Student: R$ 200,00 Professionals: R$ 250,00 Registrations can be done at: http://www2.fundacaomedica.hcpa.ufrgs.br/siafnet/hinscricoesemcursosv3.aspx… PAPER SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATIONS - Papers should be submitted exclusively through EasyChair website: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=lawcn2017 - Papers will be evaluated based on their originality, quality, and significance of the theoretical and practical contribution to Computational Neuroscience; - Only papers presented at the conference will be included in the proceedings; - All papers (Short and Full) and Digital Posters must be in PDF format and include abstract, figures, tables and references in the minimum/maximum amount of pages (according to the category desired); - Papers can be submitted in four categories (see image bellow): - Short paper not related directly to Computer Science: - Length: between 3 and 8 pages - Languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese - Short paper related to Computer Science: - Length: between 6 and 8 pages - Language: English - Full paper not related directly to Computer Science: - Length: between 10 and 15 pages - Languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese - Full paper related to Computer Science: - Length: between 10 and 15 pages - Language: English - Papers that are not related directly to Computer Science will be published in the Latin-American Workshop on Computational Neuroscience Proceedings and can be submitted in English, Portuguese or Spanish. Papers that are related to Computer Science will be published in Springer-Verlag Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS) Proceedings (ISSN 1865-0929), and the best papers will be indicated to be published in Education, Technology and Culture (ISSN 1808-0588) or IEEE-RITA (ISSN 1932-8540). - Papers (Short and Full) can be selected by the Program Committee for Oral or Poster presentations, regardless its length and category. - At least one author of each accepted paper for oral or poster presentation must register at the conference. If more than one paper per author is accepted, there is an extra registration fee; - Since LAWCN has goals to foster and encourage investigation careers of young and talented researchers, the Program Committee will select the best papers to be published in indexed journals. Contacts with editors have already been made and will continue until the realization of the Workshop to stimulate Science divulgation. - One of the authors must sign and attach a disclosure form if the paper is accepted; - More details about the papers submission process can be found on the Congress web page. LAWCN AWARDS The Program Committee will select the three best oral presentations (one for each main topic of the event) during the workshop. One of the authors of these papers will be entitled to a prize that will consist of amounts up to USD 300 for registration in scientific events in areas related to the Workshop and which occur in 2018, as well as free registration for the next edition of LAWCN. These awards will depend on the amount obtained by the registrations. ORGANIZERS General Chair: Prof. Dr. Dante Augusto Couto Barone, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Deputy General Chair: Prof. Dr. Marino Bianchin, Medicine Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Organizing Committee: Christian Puhlmann Brackmann IFFAR, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil Dante Augusto Couto Barone UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Eduardo Oliveira Teles IFBA, Camaçari, BA, Brazil Heron Pereira UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Jaime Andres Riascos Salas UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Marino Muxfeldt Bianchin UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Paulo Rogério de Almeida Ribeiro UFMA, São Luís, MA, Brazil Pedro Schestatsky UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Rodrigo Alejandro Sierra UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Program Committee: Alexandre César Muniz de Oliveira, Informatics Department, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Brazil Antônio Carlos Roque, Physics and Mathematics Department, São Paulo University (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil Areolino de Almeida Neto, Informatics Department, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Brazil Christian Haag Kristensen, Psychology Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Dante Augusto Couto Barone, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Diana Adamatti, Center of Computational Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Rio Grande, Brazil Edson Prestes e Silva Junior, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Eduardo López-Larraz, Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany Eduardo Vicentini de Medeiros, Experimental Philosophy and Cognitive Studies Laboratory, Vale do Rio dos Sinos University (UNISINOS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Fabrício Lima Brasil, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences, Santos Dumont Institute (ELS IINN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Felipe Meneguzzi, Informatics Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Francisco Sotres Bayón, Celular Physiology Institute, National Autonomous University of México (UNAM), México Frederico Augusto Casarsa de Azevedo, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany Gustavo Gauer, Psychology Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Hougelle Simplício Gomes Pereira, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences, Santos Dumont Institute (ELS IINN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Jés de Jesus Fiais Cerqueira, Electrical Engineer Department, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil Jim Tørresen, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo (UiO), Oslo, Norway Juan Verdejo-Román, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain Luciana Porcher Nedel, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Luis Fernando Cardenas Parra, Psychology Department, Los Andes University, Bogotá, Colombia Marco Rocha Curado, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Marcos Yuzuru de Oliveira Camada, Electrical Engineering Graduate Course, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil Marino Muxfeldt Bianchin, Medicine Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Miguel Perez Garcia, Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain Olavo Amaral, Biochemical Medicine Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Patricio Donnelly Kehoe, Scientific and Technological Center of Rosario, National University of Rosario (UNR),Rosario, Argentina Paulo Rogério de Almeida Ribeiro, Computer Engineering Department, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Brazil Pedro Schestatsky, Medicine Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Reinhold Scherer, Institute of Neural Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria Renan Cipriano Moioli, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences, Santos Dumont Institute (ELS IINN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Risto Ilmoniemi, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering,Aalto University, Helsinki,Finland Rodrigo Alejandro Sierra, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Rukiye Uzun, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering,Bulent Ecevit University (BEU), Zonguldak, Turkey Sen Cheng, Computational Neuroscience Institute, Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), Bochum, Germany Silvio Cesar Cazella, Department of Exact and Applied Social Sciences,Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Victor Christian Paredes Cauna, Texas A&M University, Bryan/College Station, USA Vinicius Rosa Cota, Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), São João del-Rei, Brazil -- *Christian Puhlmann Brackmann* Professor at Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Farroupilha (IFFAR) Doctoral Student / Computers in Education - Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) http://lattes.cnpq.br/3440794204799048 christian(a)brackmann.com.br (Skype) cpbrackmann(a)inf.ufrgs.br +55 55 98100 1819 ** *“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”* Nelson Mandela

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CFP: A Standard Model of the Mind
by Christian Lebiere June 29, 2017

June 29, 2017

Invitation to submit a position paper to the AAAI 2017 Fall Symposium on A Standard Model of the Mind The purpose of this symposium is to engage the international research community in developing a standard model of the mind, with a focus specifically on human-like minds, which include human minds but also artificial minds that are either inspired by human ones or are similar because of common functional goals. The notion of a standard model has its roots in particle physics, where it is assumed to be internally consistent, yet still have major gaps; and serves as a cumulative reference point for the field while driving efforts to both extend and revise it. A standard model of the mind could yield similar benefits while also guiding experimentation, application, extension, interpretation, evaluation, and comparison. The intent is not to develop a single implementation, model or theory that everyone would abide by and agree is correct. What is sought is a statement of the best consensus given the community's current understanding of the mind, plus a sound basis for further refinement as more is learned. A beginning was made at the 2013 AAAI Fall Symposium on Integrated Cognition, followed by an effort to capture and extend that initial consensus. Truly creating a standard model requires participation by researchers from across the community; hence this symposium. Format Working sessions will focus on the concept, framework, major components, and initial draft of a standard model; on mapping of existing architectures onto the model; and on summarizing the results and looking to the future. Each session will consist of an introduction, brief statements by 3-4 panelists on their position papers, and a moderated panel discussion. The focus will be on interactions that lead to a written summary document. Submissions Position papers (up to 6 pages) can be submitted to sm(a)ict.usc.edu by July 21, 2017. They should address fundamental issues with the concept of a standard model, outline proposals for such a model, or suggest specific contents. While contributions from all perspectives will be considered, those arising from a cognitive architecture approach — and yielding implications for the computational structure and function of the mind and its parts — are expected to be most directly relevant. Organizing Committee John Laird (University of Michigan, laird(a)umich.edu) Christian Lebiere (Carnegie Mellon University, cl(a)cmu.edu) Paul S. Rosenbloom (University of Southern California, rosenbloom(a)usc.edu) For More Information People considering writing position papers are encouraged to visit the symposium website (http://sm.ict.usc.edu) which has additional background resources. You can also contact any member of the organizing committee.

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Call for abstracts: Integrated Systems Neuroscience 2017 meeting (September 7-8, Manchester, UK)
by Mark Humphries June 27, 2017

June 27, 2017

We announce the second call for abstracts for the Integrated Systems Neuroscience meeting (7-8th September 2017, Manchester, UK). Abstract submission deadline: June 30th 2017 (Decision: July 28th) (Registration deadline: August 11th ) For abstract submission information and registration, please visit: https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/conferences-meetings/isn2017/ Meeting information: The goal of this meeting is to present the state-of-the-art in integrated systems and computational approaches to key neural circuits. A poster session with wine reception will be held on the first evening. Confirmed speakers: Rune Berg (Copenhagen University) Tiago Branco (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits) Neil Burgess (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL) Megan Carey (Champalimaud Institute, Lisbon) Claudia Clopath (Imperial College, London) Kate Jeffery (UCL) Christian Machens (Champalimaud Institute, Lisbon) Jonathan Pillow (Princeton) Simon Peron (New York University) Manuel Zimmer (IMP, Austria) Organisers: Mark Humphries & Rasmus Petersen (University of Manchester) Sponsors: we gratefully acknowledge the support of the Medical Research Council _____________________________________________________________________________ Dr Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Research Fellow | Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health http://www.systemsneurophysiologylab.manchester.ac.uk/

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OCNS 2017 meeting workshop on high performance computing
by Ted Carnevale June 26, 2017

June 26, 2017

What: Workshop on High Performance Computing Resources for Large Scale Simulations When: 14:00 - 18:00 on Thursday, July 20, 2017 Where: CNS 2017 meeting in Antwerp, Belgium Who: Organized by A Majumdar and S Sivagnanam (UCSD) and T Carnevale (Yale) See how neuroscientists engaged in large scale simulation projects, and developers of powerful tools for computational neuroscience research, are making productive use of high performance computing resources. Learn about the tools they are developing. Find out how you can use those tools in your own research. Speakers to include A Majumdar, S Sivagnanam, and T Carnevale S Dura-Bernal, S Neymotin, W Lytton (SUNY Downstate) M Migliore, C Lupascu, L Bologna, R Migliore (NRC, Palermo) P Gleeson (UCL) A Peyser (Juelich) C Weaver (Franklin and Marshall) M Bezaire (BU) For abstracts and other information see http://www.nsgportal.org/NSGWorkshop-OCNS-2017.html --Ted

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Re: [Comp-neuro] Recruiting at Neurala in Boston, MA-Exciting Opportunities!
by Lisa Martin-Garlic June 26, 2017

June 26, 2017

> Hello! > > I am actively recruiting for Neurala in Boston, MA. We are hiring > Engineers, Research Scientist, Marketers, Project Managers and Sales! > > Neurala, Inc. (http://www.neurala.com) is a software company that > developed The Neurala Brain— Deep Learning neural network software that > makes smart products like inspection cameras, robots, drones, toys, > consumer electronics and self-driving cars more autonomous, engaging and > useful. Neurala software is based on extensive research and development > efforts, including technology that Neurala developed for NASA for planetary > exploration and for the U.S. Air Force Research Labs. Neurala, named one of > the 50 most influential companies in the robotics industry, has secured in > excess of $16M in funding from some of the largest and most innovative > venture firms in US and Europe. > > Please check out our job postings at http://www.neurala.com/about/careers/ and > if you are interested in learning more please email me at > lmartin(a)mlhired.com or lisa(a)neurala.com > > Thank you! > > Lisa > > > -- > > > Lisa Martin-Garlic > M&L Recruiting (@Neurala) > 617-943-9521 <(617)%20943-9521> > lmartin(a)mlhired.com > lisa(a)neurala.com > >

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ICAM-I2CAM Symposium on Mathematical and computational approaches to the 'Big Data' challenge in neuron-glia interactions
by Maurizio De Pittà June 26, 2017

June 26, 2017

Dear colleagues, please share with your peers, students and whoever may be interested. We would like to invite you to the forthcoming ICAM-I2CAM <http://icam-i2cam.org/> Symposium on "*Mathematical and computational approaches to the 'Big Data' challenge in neuron-glia interactions*" hold in Edinburgh, UK on *July 9, 2017* during the XIII Euroglia meeting <http://www.glia2017.eu/?s=welcome>. The aim of the symposium is to bridge between experiments and modeling studies in in quantitative research on glia. The symposium hosts a panel of four internationally renowned scientists with multidisciplinary expertise in physics, engineering, quantitative biology and statistics, whose shared research interests are in developing computational approaches to study different types of glia: oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and microglia. The four speakers will discuss some of the latest findings of current quantitative research on neuron-glia interactions, providing a concise, mind-provoking overview of the open challenges in the field. ------------------------------------- Symposium program <http://www.glia2017.eu/?s=meeting-schedule> ------------------------------------- David Attwell (University College London, UK) Tuning of axonal conduction speed by myelinated axon morphology Maurizio De Pittà (The University of Chicago, USA) Conditions for the observation of regulation of synaptic transmission by gliotransmitters Elena Galea (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain) Spatial analysis of astrocytes in health and in Alzheimer’s disease Levi Wood (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA) Multivariate regression profiling of cytokines in Alzheimer´s disease ------------------------------------- Symposium details ------------------------------------- ICAM-I2CAM Symposium on "*Mathematical and computational approaches to the 'Big Data' challenge in neuron-glia interactions*", Kilsyth Room, International Conference Center, Edinburgh, UK, July 9, 2017, 10am-12pm. ------------------------------------- The Institute for Complex and Adaptive Matter (ICAM-I2CAM <http://icam-i2cam.org/index.php/about>) is a trans-academic International Research Institute with a rich research agenda focusing on the study of matter to understand emergent behaviors. ICAM-I2CAM is constituted of 70+ universities worldwide and offers interesting founding opportunities to its members for Educational and Research programs as well as for the organization of scientific events. To find out more, please visit ICAM-I2CAM homepage <http://icam-i2cam.org/index.php>. ----- Maurizio De Pitta' https://sites.google.com/site/mauriziodepitta/home

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12 month postdoc position in Insect Robotics @ Edinburgh (fwd)
by Barbara Webb June 23, 2017

June 23, 2017

We have a 12 month RA vacancy, from 1 Sept 2017, on the EPSRC project "Exploiting invisible cues for low-cost outdoor robot navigation" which looks at how insects use ultraviolet and polarised light as cues, and how we could copy this on robots. Experience/interest in modelling natural sensory and neural systems, and robot sensing and navigation, would be ideal, and excellent programming skills required. We would expect the candidate to have a PhD or be nearing completion of a PhD in a relevant area. Please see the official link below for full details or contact me direct with any questions. https://www.vacancies.ed.ac.uk/pls/corehrrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.jobs… Barbara Webb -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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A survey on sparse representation
by 桂 June 22, 2017

June 22, 2017

Dear all, The following paper is a survey on sparse representation. We focus on applying sparse representation to feature selection. J. Gui, Z. Sun, S. Ji, D. Tao, and T. Tan, "Feature Selection Based on Structured Sparsity: A Comprehensive Study", IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, vol. 28, no. 7, pp. 1490-1507, 2017. The paper and matlab code can be downloaded from http://www.escience.cn/people/guijie/Publication.html. If you have any problem, feel free to contact me. Best regards! -- ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ Associate Professor Jie (Joe) Gui, Ph.D., SMIEEE Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Hefei 230031, Anhui, China Homepage: http://www.escience.cn/people/guijie/index.html ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

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Last Call for Papers - LAWCN 2017
by Christian Brackmann June 22, 2017

June 22, 2017

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR PAPERS Paper Submission Deadline: June 30, 2017 LATIN AMERICAN WORKSHOP ON COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 2017 November 22-24, 2017 Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil. http://www.inf.ufrgs.br/lawcn/ Contact: lawcn2017(a)easychair.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computational neuroscience is the study of brain function regarding the information processing properties of the structures that make up the nervous system. It is an interdisciplinary science that links the diverse fields of neuroscience, as cognitive science, medicine, psychology, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics and even philosophy. The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), located in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil, has promoted a more restricted version of this Workshop in November 2012. Since then, participants and investigators in the interdisciplinary fields related to Computational Neuroscience are claiming to resume the realization of this event. In this sense, with a broader scope aiming to encourage young researchers and graduate master and doctorate students in all Latin America, this edition will have three main topics: a) neuroscience, b) neuroengineering and c) artificial intelligence and related techniques. The Workshop will consist mainly of the following activities: 1. presentation of up to 8 key renowned international and national researchers; 2. presentation of up to 50 oral presentations; 3. presentation of poster presentations; 4. presentation of practical applications in neuroscience, both from University and from companies active in the field; and 5. practical demonstration of the A2200 Enigma machine, which belongs to the Informatics Institute, as a special tribute to the 105th Birthday Anniversary of Alan Turing, considered one of the founding fathers of Computer Science. All participants who investigate and contribute to the understanding of the properties of the brain, such as Medicine, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Philosophy and others are welcomed. Issues related to the support of Communication and Information Technology and High-Performance Computing in Neuroscience will receive particular attention. UFRGS is happy to welcome LATIN AMERICAN WORKSHOP ON COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE (LAWCN) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. GENERAL INFORMATION IMPORTANT DATES * June 30, 2017: Submission deadline for papers * August 20, 2017: Notification of acceptance * September 10, 2017: Camera-ready papers and copyrights signatures * November 13, 2017: Digital Posters due, which will be digitally presented * November 22-24, 2017: Workshop, UFRGS - Porto Alegre, Brazil. SCOPE LAWCN 2017 covers all aspects of Computational Neuroscience. Although the interdisciplinary nature of the Conference and the stimulus to work at intersections and the frontiers of different disciplines, for the sake of clarifying the scope of the Workshop, topics will be presented on the three main axes. The interest topics include (but are not limited to): a) Neuroscience: * Sensory processing * Network dynamics * Reinforcement learning * Motivation and decision making * Statistical approaches in neuroscience * Systems Neuroscience * Learning and memory Attention * Arousal of Sensory-Motor Integration Learning in networks * Ethical and philosophical issues related to Neuroscience * Educational issues b) Neuroengineering: * Large-scale recordings * Neural signal processing * Neuromodulation * Neuroprosthetics * Robotics * Biomedical devices development * Humanoid robots * Robots for Elderly People * Sensing in Robotics * Fusion of Sensors * Hardware implementations in Neuroscience * Software implementations in Neuroscience * Brain-Computer Interfaces: design and applications * Ethical and philosophical issues related to Neuro-engineering * Educational issues c) Artificial Intelligence and related techniques: * Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Neuroscience * Bioinformatics * Clustering and Applications * Computer Vision, Cognitive and Humanoid Vision * Databases, Data Mining, Intelligent Data Analysis, Knowledge-based Systems and Linguistic Tools * Data Visualization and Applications * Deep Learning * Statistical Pattern Recognition/Document Processing and Recognition * Fuzzy and Hybrid Techniques * Geometric Algebra Application in Perception-Action * High-Performance Computing for Pattern Recognition * Image Coding, Processing, and Analysis * Kernel Machines * Mathematical Theory of Computational Neuroscience * Neural Networks * Parallel and Distributed Applications for Computational Neuroscience * Robotics and Humanoids * Shape and Texture Analysis * Signal Processing and Analysis * Spatio-temporal Analysis * Ethical and philosophical issues related to Artificial Intelligence * Educational issues KEYNOTE SPEAKERS LAWCN Organizing Committee is proud to announce the confirmation of the following invited talks: Dr. Francisco Sotres Bayón, Professor of Neurosciences at the National Autonomous University of México(UNAM ), México Title of the talk : Understanding the Brain mechanisms of learned and innate motivational conflicts Dr. Laurence Devillers,Professor of Computer Science at Paris-Sorbonne University,Paris,France Title of the talk : Affective and Social Robotics : engagement,evaluation and ethics Dr. Sen Cheng, Professor of Computational Neuroscience at the Ruhr University Bochum(RUB),Bochum, Germany Title of the talk : Intrinsic Sequences in the hippocampus for spatial navigation and memory storage Dr. Vinicius Rosa Cota, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), São João del-Rei, Brazil Title of the talk : Toward a neural prosthesis to the epileptic brain by tackling neural hyper synchronism The confirmation of other invited speakers will be done soon. REGISTRATION FEES - Until 30/06/2017 Undergraduate Student: R$ 100,00 Graduate Student: R$ 150,00 Professionals: R$ 200,00 - Until 13/10/2017 Undergraduate Student: R$ 125,00 Graduate Student: R$ 175,00 Professionals: R$ 225,00 - After 14/10/2017 Undergraduate Student:R$ 150,00 Graduate Student:R$ 200,00 Professionals:R$ 250,00 Registrations can be done at: http://www2.fundacaomedica.hcpa.ufrgs.br/siafnet/hinscricoesemcursosv3.aspx… PAPER SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATIONS - Papers should be submitted exclusively through EasyChair website: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=lawcn2017 - Papers will be evaluated based on their originality, quality, and significance of the theoretical and practical contribution to Computational Neuroscience; - Only papers presented at the conference will be included in the proceedings; - All papers (Short and Full) and Digital Posters must be in PDF format and include abstract, figures, tables and references in the minimum/maximum amount of pages (according to the category desired); - Papers can be submitted in four categories (see image bellow): - Short paper not related directly to Computer Science: - Length: between 3 and 8 pages - Languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese - Short paper related to Computer Science: - Length: between 6 and 8 pages - Language: English - Full paper not related directly to Computer Science: - Length: between 10 and 15 pages - Languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese - Full paper related to Computer Science: - Length: between 10 and 15 pages - Language: English - Papers that are not related directly to Computer Science will be published in the Latin-American Workshop on Computational Neuroscience Proceedings and can be submitted in English, Portuguese or Spanish. Papers that are related to Computer Science will be published in Springer-Verlag Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS) Proceedings (ISSN 1865-0929), and the best papers will be indicated to be published in Education, Technology and Culture (ISSN 1808-0588) or IEEE-RITA (ISSN 1932-8540). - Papers (Short and Full) can be selected by the Program Committee for Oral or Poster presentations, regardless its length and category. - At least one author of each accepted paper for oral or poster presentation must register at the conference. If more than one paper per author is accepted, there is an extra registration fee; - Since LAWCN has goals to foster and encourage investigation careers of young and talented researchers, the Program Committee will select the best papers to be published in indexed journals. Contacts with editors have already been made and will continue until the realization of the Workshop to stimulate Science divulgation. - One of the authors must sign and attach a disclosure form if the paper is accepted; - More details about the papers submission process can be found on the Congress web page. LAWCN AWARDS The Program Committee will select the three best oral presentations (one for each main topic of the event) during the workshop. One of the authors of these papers will be entitled to a prize that will consist of amounts up to USD 300 for registration in scientific events in areas related to the Workshop and which occur in 2018, as well as free registration for the next edition of LAWCN. These awards will depend on the amount obtained by the registrations. ORGANIZERS General Chair: Prof. Dr. Dante Augusto Couto Barone, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Deputy General Chair: Prof. Dr. Marino Bianchin, Medicine Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Organizing Committee: Christian Puhlmann Brackmann IFFAR, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil Dante Augusto Couto Barone UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Eduardo Oliveira Teles IFBA, Camaçari, BA, Brazil Heron Pereira UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Jaime Andres Riascos Salas UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Marino Muxfeldt Bianchin UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Paulo Rogério de Almeida Ribeiro UFMA, São Luís, MA, Brazil Pedro Schestatsky UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Rodrigo Alejandro Sierra UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Program Committee: Alexandre César Muniz de Oliveira, Informatics Department, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Brazil Antônio Carlos Roque, Physics and Mathematics Department, São Paulo University (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil Areolino de Almeida Neto, Informatics Department, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Brazil Christian Haag Kristensen, Psychology Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Dante Augusto Couto Barone, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Diana Adamatti, Center of Computational Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Rio Grande, Brazil Edson Prestes e Silva Junior, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Eduardo López-Larraz, Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany Eduardo Vicentini de Medeiros, Experimental Philosophy and Cognitive Studies Laboratory, Vale do Rio dos Sinos University (UNISINOS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Fabrício Lima Brasil, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences, Santos Dumont Institute (ELS IINN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Felipe Meneguzzi, Informatics Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Francisco Sotres Bayón, Celular Physiology Institute, National Autonomous University of México (UNAM), México Frederico Augusto Casarsa de Azevedo, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany Gustavo Gauer, Psychology Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Hougelle Simplício Gomes Pereira, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences, Santos Dumont Institute (ELS IINN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Jés de Jesus Fiais Cerqueira, Electrical Engineer Department, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil Jim Tørresen, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo (UiO), Oslo, Norway Juan Verdejo-Román, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain Luciana Porcher Nedel, Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Luis Fernando Cardenas Parra, Psychology Department, Los Andes University, Bogotá, Colombia Marco Rocha Curado, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Marcos Yuzuru de Oliveira Camada, Electrical Engineering Graduate Course, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil Marino Muxfeldt Bianchin, Medicine Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Miguel Perez Garcia, Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain Olavo Amaral, Biochemical Medicine Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Patricio Donnelly Kehoe, Scientific and Technological Center of Rosario, National University of Rosario (UNR),Rosario, Argentina Paulo Rogério de Almeida Ribeiro, Computer Engineering Department, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Brazil Pedro Schestatsky, Medicine Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Reinhold Scherer, Institute of Neural Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria Renan Cipriano Moioli, Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences, Santos Dumont Institute (ELS IINN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Risto Ilmoniemi, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering,Aalto University, Helsinki,Finland Rodrigo Alejandro Sierra, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Rukiye Uzun, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering,Bulent Ecevit University (BEU), Zonguldak, Turkey Sen Cheng, Computational Neuroscience Institute, Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), Bochum, Germany Silvio Cesar Cazella, Department of Exact and Applied Social Sciences,Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Victor Christian Paredes Cauna, Texas A&M University, Bryan/College Station, USA Vinicius Rosa Cota, Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), São João del-Rei, Brazil -- *Christian Puhlmann Brackmann* Professor at Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Farroupilha (IFFAR) Doctoral Student / Computers in Education - Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) http://lattes.cnpq.br/3440794204799048 christian(a)brackmann.com.br (Skype) cpbrackmann(a)inf.ufrgs.br +55 55 98100 1819 ** *“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”* Nelson Mandela

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14 PhD position for 3 years each
by Dominik Endres June 21, 2017

June 21, 2017

The Research Training Group (RTG) 2271 “Expectation Maintenance vs. Change in the Context of Expectation Violations: Connecting Different Approaches” is funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG). The overarching goal of this RTG is to investigate why and when organisms (humans, animals) change or maintain generalized expectations in the face of disconfirming evidence. Fourteen doctoral students will be funded in each cohort (3 years per cohort). Vacant positions are advertised here: http://www.uni-marburg.de/fb04/forschung/phdprogram/index_html The dissertation projects in this RTG cover a range of topics related to expectation maintenance vs. expectation change in various contexts, including mathematical psychology, cognitive modeling, clinical psychology, educational psychology, social psychology, or biological psychology. Thirteen researchers (“Principal Investigators”) from the Department of Psychology at Philipps University Marburg are involved in the RTG. You can find more information about these researchers, the research program and the qualification program on the above website. APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30th 2017 -- Prof. Dr. Dominik Endres AE Theoretische Neurowissenschaft Allgemeine und Biologische Psychologie FB Psychologie, Gutenbergstr 18, 35032 Marburg, Germany Tel. +49-(0)6421-28-23818

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PhD at CerCo, Toulouse, France
by Timothée Masquelier June 20, 2017

June 20, 2017

Beating Roger Federer: *Modeling visual learning and expertise through a bioinspired neural network embedded in an electronic device* *Goal: *PhD grant. *When:* starting from September 2017 (date may be flexible to some extent) *Topic:* How do expert tennis players, like Roger Federer for example, predict if a ball will bounce in or out the field to decide if it should be played or not? After thousands of trajectory presentations, best champions have developed extraordinary skills in such a task, but little is known on how the visual system turns selective to spatiotemporal properties of the visual stimulus (e.g., 3D position, velocity and acceleration) and learns how to make an efficient use of it. The goal of the project is to build an embedded system – based on FPGA circuits and ARM processor – an artificial neural networkwhich would replicate – and perhaps beat – the visual and anticipatory performances of these expert players. To achieve this goal successfully, we will develop a bio-inspired neural network, based on some of the key properties of human vision: the Smart NeuroCam (GST company) will be used to reproduce the retina functioning. It triggers its message under the form of spikes, in an asynchronous way (without any concept of frame per second), responding to spatial or temporal changes in the pattern of illumination. Several kinds of pre-processing filters can be implemented in VHDL language directly in the FPGA circuits, and the output is then sent to a neural network. The artificial network will learn to use this message, applying a simple learning rule, the Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP). This rule allows each neuron to become selective to a particular property of the stimulus, completely autonomously and with no supervision. Several layers will be built to allow perceiving more and more complex properties of the visual scene. Once the network will be established, its performances will be assessed in different conditions of learning and compared to those of the best tennis players. *The project is funded by a French National Research Agency (ANR)*, involving two sites and several researchers: - Robin Baurès, Benoit Cottereau, Timothée Masquelier and Simon Thorpe, CerCo, Toulouse. - Michel Paindavoine, GST, Dijon. *Where: *The candidate will be based at CerCo, Toulouse (France), and will make the interface with the two sites, with regular trips. The computational neuroscience part will be done at Toulouse, and electronic part at Dijon. *Tasks:* - Matlab (or Python) based simulations of numerical filters. These filters will be applied to the image processing from which spikes are generated and then sent to feed the neural network and STDP learning mechanism. - VHDL coding to implement these numerical filters into the FPGA circuits of the cameras - C/C++ coding of the neural network and STDP mechanism that should work on an embedded ARM processor system - Experimental tests that will allow evaluating the performance of the whole system, from spikes generation to visual properties learning of the embedded system, to predict tennis ball’s trajectories *Required skills:* - Strong knowledge on electronic, and openness to computational neurosciences - Knowledge in signal-image processing, and artificial neural network - Interest for multidisciplinary research - Ability to turn smoothly autonomous, once the road has been set - Ability to be at the interface of two scientific fields and two working areas - Programming with Matlab and/or Python for simulating the neural network - Programming in VHDL language for FPGA circuits - Programming in C/C++ language for porting the algorithms on ARM microprocessors - French is not a requirement if fluent in English, but willingness to learn would be beneficial *Citizenship Eligibility:* We discourage Iranian students to apply, since most likely the CNRS will not accept them for security/defense reasons, unfortunately. *Relevant publications for the project:* - Masquelier, T., Guyonneau, R. & Thorpe S.J. (2009). Competitive STDP-Based Spike Pattern Learning. Neural Comput, 21(5),1259-1276. - Masquelier, T. & Thorpe, S.J. (2007). Unsupervised learning of visual features through spike timing dependent plasticity. PLoS Comput Biol, 3(2):e31. - Cottereau, B.R., McKee, S.P. & Norcia, A.M. (2014). Dynamics and cortical distribution of neural responses to 2D and 3D motion in human. Journal of Neurophysiology 111(3), 533-543. - SmartNeuroCam by GST : https://gsensing.eu/fr/ category/sections/products *Contact:* *Robin Baurès, PhD* Associate Professor CerCo, Université Toulouse 3, CNRS CHU Purpan, Pavillon Baudot 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9 – France Office phone: 0033 (0)5 62 74 62 15 <05%2062%2074%2062%2015> Email : robin.baures(a)cnrs.fr *Pr Michel Paindavoine* GlobalSensing Technologies 14, rue Pierre de Coubertin 21000 Dijon email : michel.paindavoine(a)gsensing.eu -- Timothée Masquelier - timothee.masquelier(a)cnrs.fr - http://cerco.ups-tlse.fr/~masquelier/

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PhD student candidate, “Multi-scale epileptic networks”
by Paolo Bonifazi June 15, 2017

June 15, 2017

Thank you for your attention - I apologize for possible multiple posting. At the Biocruces Health Research Institute (Bilbao, Spain) we are looking for a PhD student to develop and carry on a project entitled “Multi-scale epileptic networks”, financed by the Spanish Ministry (MINECO) and leaded by Dr. Paolo Bonifazi (Ikerbasque Tenure Track Researcher at Biocruces, member of the Computational Neuroimaging laboratory leaded by Prof. J. Cortes; http://www.jesuscortes.info) in collaboration with the Cruces University Hospital (Bilbao, Spain), the Ruber International Hospital (Madrid, Spain) and the University of Bari (Italy; Dr. S. Stramaglia). The project, aimed at studying longitudinally the multi-scale topology of human epileptic networks, combines electrophysiological data recorded through deep electrodes (implanted in epileptic patients undergoing surgery), with functional and diffusion MRI (acquired before the electrodes implant and post surgery after about six and twelve months). Depending on the interest of the candidates, the project might also involve epileptic animal model studies (using optogenetics, in-vivo electrophysiology and/or high field MRI, in collaboration with other local research institutions). The motivated Spanish or International candidates, possibly with a background in either Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science or Engineering, should contact as soon as possible (best if within Wednesday the 20th of June) Dr. Paolo Bonifazi (paol.bonifazi(a)gmail.com or paolo.bonifazi(a)osakidetza.eus) for detailed information. The PhD fellowship (for a maximum of 4 years) is funded by the Basque Government and the Ikerbasque Foundation (http://www.ikerbasque.net/) Deadline for the PhD fellowship application is 2nd of July. ==================== Paolo Bonifazi, PhD Ikerbasque Tenure Track Researcher Computational Neuroimaging Laboratory Biocruces Health Research Institute Hospital Universitario Cruces Plaza de Cruces, s/n E-48903. Barakaldo, Spain Tel +34 94 600 6000 (ext. 5298) Email: paol.bonifazi(a)gmail.com; paolo.bonifazi(a)osakidetza.eus http://www.ikerbasque.net/paolo-bonifazi

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Call for Abstracts: Bernstein Conference 2017
by Zrinka Gattin June 14, 2017

June 14, 2017

*Call for Abstracts: Bernstein Conference 201**7* * **New deadline for abstract submission:* June 28, 2017 for abstracts aimed as contributed talks and posters July 31, 2017 abstracts aimed as posters only ************************************************************** Satellite Workshops September 12-13, 2017 Main Conference September 13-15, 2017 PhD Symposium September 12 & 15, 2017 ************************************************************** The Bernstein Conference started out as the annual meeting of the Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and has become the largest annual Computational Neuroscience conference in Europe with more than 500 international participants in recent years. This year the conference is organized by the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen. The main conference (Sep 13-15, 2017) will be accompanied by satellite workshops (Sep 12-13, 2017) and a PhD symposium (Sep 12 & 15, 2017). An important part of the main conference will be the two poster sessions. We are now inviting the submission of abstracts from all relevant areas. Authors of most accepted abstracts will get the chance for a poster presentation, a small number of abstracts will be selected for contributed talks during the main conference. Please note the earlier submission deadline for authors applying for a talk. All accepted abstracts will be published online and will be citable via Digital Object Identifiers (DOI). *DETAILS FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION:* Please note that the submission of an abstract does not replace the conference registration (www.bernstein-conference.de/registration <http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/registration>). Poster space is limited and early submission is encouraged. For abstract submission visit: www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-conference/2017/abstracts <http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/abstracts> *ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINES:* Posters to be considered as contributed talks: June 28, 2017 Other posters: July 31, 2017 *TRAVEL GRANTS* To support the participation of young researchers at the Bernstein Conference, the Bernstein Coordination Site offers 10 Travel Grants, each endowed with 500 €. Please find further information under www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-conference/2017/travel-grant <http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/travel-grant> *CONFERENCE DETAILS:* Conference registration is *OPEN* Early registration deadline: July 09, 2017 *ACCOMMODATION AND HOTEL RESERVATION:* *We strongly recommend early room booking!* *The number of available accommodation is limited due to several concurrent events. And many Hotels in Göttingen are already booked out for that week!* We arranged for room contingents in a variety of hotels that you may book by yourself by email or phone. Please follow the instructions at our Accommodations Website (http://www.nncn.de/de/bernstein-conference/2017/venue/accommodation) We would like to emphasize that these room contingents will be held open up to different expiration dates depending on the hotel (or until they are filled). Many expiration dates are already mid of June 2017. We strongly encourage participants to share rooms and to book rooms as a group. *We emphasize that it will be very difficult to book accommodation beyond the expiration dates. * Please find a list of the hotels at our Accommodations Website. VENUE Satellite Workshops, Main Conference and PhD Symposium: The Central Lecture Hall (ZHG), Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073 Göttingen, Germany VENUE Public Lecture: Alte Mensa, Wilhelmsplatz 1, 37073 Göttingen, Germany, September 13, 2017, 8 pm For more information on the conference, please visit the websitehttp://www.bernstein-conference.de We are looking forward to welcoming you in Göttingen! Program chair: Fred Wolf Koordinator: Zrinka Gattin Co-Organizers: Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS): Alexandra Stein, Kerstin Schwarzwaelder -- Dr Zrinka Gattin Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Goettingen Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology (BFNT) Goettingen PhD Program in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Am Fassberg 17 D-37077 Goettingen Phone: +49 (0)551 5176 418 Fax: +49 (0)551 5176 14418 E-Mail:zrinka@nld.ds.mpg.de

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Chair and Director in Neural Computation Research Group - University of Nottingham
by Stephen Coombes June 14, 2017

June 14, 2017

Dear all, The University of Nottingham is looking to appoint an outstanding individual as Chair and Director to lead the development of a new Neural Computation Research Group. This will be a joint appointment between the Schools of Mathematical Sciences and Psychology. For further information please follow the link below to the full job advert: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/PROF176717 The closing date is Friday, 7th July 2017. Best regards, Steve ------------------------------------------------------- Stephen Coombes Professor of Applied Mathematics School of Mathematical Sciences Nottingham, UK Tel: 0115 846 7836 http://www.maths.nott.ac.uk/~sc/ ------------------------------------------------------- This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please send it back to me, and immediately delete it. Please do not use, copy or disclose the information contained in this message or in any attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses which could damage your computer system, you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.

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