- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

New NSF funding opportunity

by Tuller, Betty K.

APOLOGIES FOR MULTIPLE POSTINGS A new solicitation has been posted that might be of interest. It’s called The Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Advancing Cognitive and Physical Capabilities” (https://nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505528&org=NSF&sel_org=NSF&fro…) and is one of NSF’s “Ten Big Ideas.” For FY2018, there are two main themes: 1) Foundations for Augmenting Human Cognition 2) Embodied Intelligent Cognitive Assistants Letters of Intent are due April 16 and Full proposals are due June 4. Please take a look at the solicitation. Our sciences have a lot to say in this domain. Betty Tuller, Ph.D. Director, Program in Perception, Action, and Cognition National Science Foundation 2415 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel: 703.292.7238 Fax: 703.292.9068 The PAC program has additional requirements for submission: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5686. A new Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide is now available at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf18001<http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf16001>

March 12, 2018

PhD position in neuroscience available immediately (Italy/USA)

by Carlos Andres Mendez Guerrero

*PhD Position in neuroscience available immediately* A new European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant starts at the University of Torino, Italy, for 5 years (~ 2 million euros). The grant “LIGHTUP – Turning the cortically blind brain to see” is awarded to prof. Marco Tamietto (www.marcotamietto.com) The project investigates the neural correlates of visual awareness and of non-conscious vision in patients with *blindsight* and in non-human primates (macaques) with V1 destruction. To this aim, a broad range of methods will be used, including 3T and 7T (f)MRI, neurophysiological recordings and brain stimulation (TMS). The project is embedded in an outstanding international and interdisciplinary context, including the University of Oxford, UK, Tilburg University (NL) and NIH (USA), with granted access to their excellent facilities. We offer a full-time PhD Student post for 4 years. Applications of highly motivated candidates with interests in systems neuroscience, vision sciences and neuroimaging are welcomed. The successful applicant will be appointed by the University of Torino (Ita), but he/she will be expected to spend a significant amount of time at the NIH in Bethesda (USA). For more details (salary, requirements, contact..) please visit the laboratory website: http://www.marcotamietto.com

March 12, 2018

Two open positions in circadian patterning of neural activity

by Meredith, Andrea

Postdoctoral Positions Available in Electrophysiology and Imaging Two positions are available in the lab of Dr. Andrea Meredith, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, to study the circadian patterning of neuronal activity. We are seeking a highly motivated team-players to contribute to our studies of the circadian regulation of intrinsic excitability and intracellular signaling in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, the brain's intrinsic 'clock.' One project is an NIH BRAIN Initiative<https://www.braininitiative.nih.gov/>-funded study involving high resolution imaging with novel FRET-based sensors to record rhythmic signals in SCN neurons and the circuit. Other projects involve deciphering the biophysical mechanisms that contribute to circadian regulation of membrane excitability by the large conductance Ca2+-activated BK channel and other ion channels (see Nature Neuroscience 9:1041<https://www.nature.com/articles/nn1740>, 2006; Nature Communications 7:10837<https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms10837>, 2016; and Journal of General Physiology 15:259<http://jgp.rupress.org/content/150/2/259.long>, 2018). The Meredith Lab (http://meredithlab.org) is focused on understanding the mechanisms that contribute to circadian regulation of membrane excitability and daily oscillations in action potential activity in the SCN circuit, using techniques such as voltage- and current-clamp, multi-electrode array recordings, imaging, molecular biology, transgenics, and in vivo telemetry. Requirements: We are seeking candidates with a PhD in neuroscience, biophysics, physiology, or other relevant field. Experience with electrophysiological recordings or imaging is required. Excellent oral and written communication skills (fluent in English) required. To apply: Please send by email to Dr. Andrea Meredith (ameredith(a)som.umaryland.edu<mailto:ameredith@som.umaryland.edu>) with: - your CV - a letter describing your research accomplishments, expertise, and career goals - contact information for three references The Department of Physiology (http://medschool.umaryland.edu/physiology) offers outstanding research and NIH-funded postdoctoral training opportunities. The University of Maryland School of Medicine, located in downtown Baltimore, is the oldest public medical school in the U.S. and the founding campus of the University of Maryland system. The School of Medicine ranks 6th among all 76 public medical schools. ___________________________________________________________ Andrea Meredith, PhD Associate Professor Dept. of Physiology and Program in Neuroscience University of Maryland School of Medicine 655 W. Baltimore Str. BRB 5-002 Baltimore, MD 21201 410-706-5991<tel:410-706-5991> office ameredith(a)som.umaryland.edu<mailto:ameredith@som.umaryland.edu> http://meredithlab.org<http://meredithlab.org/>

March 6, 2018

6th Baltic-Nordic Summer School on Neuroinformatics (BNNI 2018)

by Marja-Leena Linne

6th Baltic-Nordic Summer School on Neuroinformatics (BNNI 2018) Understanding the Brain: from Neuroscience to Deep Learning Place: Ventspils University of Applied Sciences Inženieru 101, Ventspils Latvia Time: 11-13 June 2018 More information and applications at: web.lsmuni.lt/bnni2018/en<http://web.lsmuni.lt/bnni2018/en> Important dates: 2 April 2018: Application deadline 15 April 2018: Acceptance notification 11-13 June 2018: School We invite advanced master students, doctoral students, and postdoctoral researchers to participate in the BNNI 2018 to be held at the Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Ventspils, Latvia in 11-13 June 2018. The course is interdisciplinary and covers modeling at different levels of organization of the brain. Additionally this year's training course is planned more diverse and will include also EEG/SEEG signal processing techniques, forward and inverse modeling of the brain and various aspects of deep learning algorithms. This school is the sixth in the series of the Baltic-Nordic Courses on Neuroinformatics (BNNI 2013 in Kaunas, Lithuania; BNNI 2014 in Tampere, Finland; BNNI 2015 in Tartu, Estonia; BNNI 2016 in Warsaw, Poland, BNNI 2017 in Kaunas, Lithuania). The target audience of the course will be advanced master students, doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in biomedical and technology sciences, from medicine, biology, psychology, to mathematics, informatics, information technology, physics, chemistry, who would like to get an introduction to neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience. Some experience with programming and quantitative reasoning as well as strong interest in computational and mathematical modeling of the brain will be desirable but not necessary to benefit from the school. Last year we had participants from 14 countries all over the world! Faculty includes: Marja-Leena Linne, Tampere University of Technology, Finland; The Human Brain Project Ausra Saudargiene, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania Bruce Graham, University of Stirling, UK Daniel Wojcik, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland Arnd Roth, University College London, UK Peter Jedlicka, NeuroScience Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany Gaute Einevoll, UiO Department of Physics The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Norway Radu Ranta, CRAN, University of Lorraine, France Louis Maillard, CHRU Hôpital central - Nancy, CRAN, University of Lorraine, France Janis Hofmanis, Smart Technology Research Center, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Ventspils, Latvia and others. Venue The lectures will be held at the Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Inženieru 101, Ventspils, Latvia. Practical arrangements There is a small tuition fee of 50 euros. The organizers will provide teaching materials, meals and coffee during the course. The participants are expected to cover their travel and health insurance expenses as well as lodging. Although Student accommodation will be available at a reduced cost. Ventspils University of Applied Sciences can provide a student dormitory rooms - 2 students per room, 2 rooms per block. One block costs 51 EUR (12,75 EUR for one person per night). We are looking forward to welcome you at the BNNI 2018 in Ventspils, Latvia!

March 6, 2018

CFP- Special issue on Robots and Smart Environments

by Amir Aly

*Cognitive Systems Research (CSR) Journal* CALL FOR PAPERS **Apologies for cross posting ** We are happy to call for papers for the journal special issue: "*Social Cognitive Systems in Smart Environments: Approaches for Learning, Reasoning, and Adaptation*" *Webpage: **https://www.journals.elsevier.com/cognitive-systems-research/call-for-papers/special-issue-social-cognitive-systems-in-smart-environment <https://www.journals.elsevier.com/cognitive-systems-research/call-for-paper…> * <http://cognitive-mirroring.org/en/events/hai2017_workshop/> *I. Aim and Scope * A “smart” environment incorporates intelligent systems (e.g., smart home, smart factory, smart city, smart car etc.) employing heterogeneous devices, such as: sensors, actuators, cameras, networks, and screens. Within such a smart environment, autonomous agents can take on an important mediating role between human users and the environment. This is particularly true if high-level cognitive functions and computational intelligence are employed to handle the uncertainty of the complex environment so as to allow agents to act appropriately within different contexts of interaction. Using robotic systems in smart environments opens the door to several socio-cognitive applications, such as: reducing cognitive load for individuals interacting with a smart environment, assisting the elderly and people with cognitive disabilities in mobility and daily tasks (which requires robots to learn the multimodal characteristics of human behavior and to spatially perceive the environment containing other smart objects to decide the best way to employ/manipulate them in order to successfully perform tasks), and developing a cloud-connected robot system to incrementally share knowledge between robots in different smart environments about the behavioral characteristics of human users in order to interact with them adaptively. To meet the requirements of these target applications, robots need to be able to learn how to use the capabilities of their smart environments to better address the needs of the human users. Industrial applications of such technologies include factories of the future and the digital eco-system within an autonomous car. This special issue aims to shed light on cutting edge lines of interdisciplinary research in cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and robotics covering basic research and applications. Recent advances and possible future research avenues on smart robots and environments would be discussed in detail in this journal special issue. *II. Potential Topics* Topics relevant to this special issue include, but are not limited to: - Cyber-physical systems in smart environments - Multimodal human robot interaction - Cognitive modeling of human behavior - Cognitive architectures and strategies for intelligent interaction with the environment - AI and machine learning approaches applied to human-robot-environment interaction - Internet of things - Ambient assisted living - Infotainment in smart vehicles - Natural user interface design - Cloud robotics - Ubiquitous computing *III. Submission* Submissions to the special issue must include original research that has not been published nor submitted to other journals. Authors should prepare their manuscript according to the "Guide for Authors" available at the journal homepage: http://www.journals.elsevier.c om/cognitive-systems-research/. Papers should be submitted through the EVISE system: https://www.evise.com/evise/jrnl/cogsys. Authors should select "*VSI:Smart Environments"* as the article type during the submission process. *IV. Timline (Submission portal will be open on March 1, 2018)* - Deadline for paper submission: April 30, 2018 - First notification for authors: July 31, 2018 - Deadline for revised papers submission: September 30, 2018 - Final notification for authors: November 30, 2018 - Deadline for submission of camera-ready manuscripts: January 15, 2019 *V. Guest editors* Dr. Amir Aly, Ritsumeikan University, Japan (amir.aly(a)em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp) Dr. Shashank Pathak,Visteon Corporation, Germany ( shashank.pathak(a)visteon.com) Dr. Sean Andrist, Microsoft Research, USA (sandrist(a)microsoft.com) Prof. Armando Tacchella, University of Genoa, Italy ( armando.tacchella(a)unige.it) ------ *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

March 6, 2018

NeuroBridges 2018 announcement

by Ahmed El Hady

*/NeuroBridges 2018 Summer school , Cluny, France/* */( October 2nd - October 12th, 2017 )/* I would like to bring to your attention the *NeuroBridges 2018 Computational Neuroscience School*. <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2018.html> NeuroBridges <https://www.facebook.com/NeuroBridges/>is a one-of-a-kind series of scientific meetings in brain research, which brings together Mediterranean and Middle Eastern scientists, in order to promote international scientific cooperation in system and computational neuroscience. A major goal of this school is to serve as a bridge between experimental and theoretical neuroscientists, addressing system-level questions. The organizers of NeuroBridges also believe that these scientific collaborations can lead to personal relations, which eventually may help alleviate the political distress in the Middle East. Following the success of NeuroBridges 2017 <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2017.html> school, NeuroBridges 2018 <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2018.html> will be a nine day summer school <http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2018.html>, which will take place in Cluny, France. The school is organized by Ahmed El Hady (Princeton), David Hansel (CNRS) and Yonatan Loewenstein (Hebrew University). It will be comprised of lectures delivered by a group of leading neuroscientists, experimentalists as well as theoreticians, which will address the fundamental questions in contemporary neuroscience. In addition to the lectures, the students will work in groups on small research projects. The school is intended for graduate students and postdocs, primarily from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, either working in their home countries or abroad. We will consider applicants with some background in applied mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering or physics, interested in theoretical brain and cognitive sciences. We will also consider those with biological or medical background given that they show proof of basic mathematical knowledge. The school will take place between October 2 and October 12, 2018 in Le Centre de Conférences Internationales de Cluny (CCIC). Cluny is a small medieval town in Burgundy, France, located about 400km southeast of Paris (accessible by fast train, TGV). The deadline for application is *May 31st, 2018 *and the following is the website including the link for the online application: http://decision-making-lab.com/NeuroBridges/neurobridges2018.html For more information, please contact neurobridges2018(a)gmail.com <mailto:neurobridges2018@gmail.com>.

March 6, 2018

4th FUNCTIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF MEMORY (FAM) CONFERENCE

by Laura Montero

*Dates May 23rd, 2018 to May 25th, 2018 * *Place LEIBNIZ INSTITUT FOR NEUROBIOLOGY, Magdeburg, Germany * About the Event The Fourth international conference on the FUNCTIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF MEMORY May 23th to 25th 2018 (Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg - Germany) is organized by Prof. Dr. M. Sauvage. The FAM conference aims at bringing new insights on today's major controversies in recognition memory by bridging human and animal memory function. Twenty of the world-leading experts on the medial temporal lobe and memory function will discuss findings obtained using behavioral, imaging, electrophysiological, mutagenesis and computational techniques. The conference will start by a 5min blitz session that attendants are welcome to contribute to, and a “speakers/students-only brainstorming session” takes place each day. The number of participants is limited to 100 (first-come first-served basis) and registration can be made at https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/philosophy/famconference/# FAM conference Speakers: Jozsef Csicsvari (IST, Austria) Emrah Düzel (DZNE, Germany) Paul Frankland (Sickkids Toronto, Canada) James Knierim (Johns Hopkins Univ., USA) Pierre Lavenex (Lauzanne univ., Switzerland) Stefan Leutgeb (UC San Diego, USA) Thomas McHugh (RIKEN, Japan) Shane OMara (Trinity College, Ireland) Charan Ranganath (UC Davis, USA) Magdalena Sauvage (LIN, Germany) Steven Siegelbaum (Columbia U, USA) Wendy Suzuki (New York University, USA) Clea Warburton (Bristol University, UK) Thomas Wolbers (DZNE, Germany) Menno Witter (Kavli Institute, Norway) Motoharu Yoshida (DZNE, Germany) Contact Laura Montero Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology Functional Architecture of Memory Dpt Brenneckestrasse, 6 39118 Magdeburg Germany Phone: +49-391-6263-94531 Email: <http://www.fens.org/News-Activities/Calendar/Meetings/2018/05/4th-FUNCTIONA…> 4thfamconference(a)gmail.com Website: https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/philosophy/famconference/#

March 5, 2018

Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN) Summer School -- DEADLINE EXTENSION TO MARCH 14

by Murray, John

*** APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 14, 2018. *** We are pleased to announce the 8th Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN) Summer School which will take place June 26 — July 19, 2018, at Cold Spring Harbor Asia (CSHA) in Suzhou, China. Please distribute this announcement to your department and colleagues. The CCN summer school is a unique international summer school focusing on systems neuroscience and cognition from a computational and theoretical perspective. Lectures from leading international faculty in experimental, computational and theoretical neuroscience are tightly coupled with computational tutorials in a series of modules. Each module covers a core area, integrating experimental, theoretical and computational perspectives. The course aims to train talented and highly motivated graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from around the world. Applicants with quantitative (including Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science) or experimental backgrounds are welcome. The summer school also has the mission of training and integrating students from diverse academic, cultural and geographic backgrounds. The practical training includes learning Python-based approaches to programming, data analysis and modeling. Students work through tutorials designed with the faculty and then design, plan and complete a series of open-ended projects for each module. Course information is available on the CCN official website: http://www.ccnss.org/ Applications are being accepted now through the CSHA website: https://www.csh-asia.org/2018meetings/S-COSYNE.html The application deadline is March 14th, 2018. Course Directors: Xiao-Jing Wang (New York University) Zach Mainen (Champalimaud Neuroscience Program) Si Wu (Beijing Normal University) John D. Murray (Yale University) Eric DeWitt (Champalimaud Neuroscience Program) CCN 2018 Lecturers: Eric DeWitt (Champalimaud Research) Shaul Druckmann (Stanford) Jeff Erlich (NYU Shanghai) Birte Forstmann (U Amsterdam) David Foster (UC Berkeley) Julijana Gjorgjieva (MPI Brain Research) Michael Hausser (UCL) Alex Huth (UT Austin) Chris Honey (Johns Hopkins) Sukbin Lim (NYU Shanghai) Zach Mainen (Champalimaud Research) John Murray (Yale) Peggy Series (U Edinburgh) Maurice Smith (Harvard) Xiao-Jing Wang (NYU) Si Wu (Beijing Normal) Byron Yu (Carnegie Mellon) + more! Best regards, CCN SS Directors: Xiao-Jing Wang, Zach Mainen, Si Wu, John Murray, Eric DeWitt John D. Murray ----------------------------------------------- Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry Yale University School of Medicine murraylab.yale.edu<http://murraylab.yale.edu/> -----------------------------------------------

March 5, 2018

CNS*2018 Abstract DEADLINE EXTENSION to March 12

by Sharon Crook

As always, apologies for multiple posts. CNS*2018 Call for Abstracts DEADLINE EXTENSION Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS) 27th Annual Meeting Seattle, USA July 13-18 Local Organizers: Christof Koch, Adrienne Fairhall, Eric Shea-Brown The main meeting begins the evening of Friday July 13 and runs through Monday July 16. It will be preceded by a day of tutorials (Friday July 13) and followed by two days of workshops (Tuesday July 17 and Wednesday July 18). Invited Keynote Speakers: Eve Marder, Brandeis University Nancy Kopell, Boston University Daniel Wolpert, University of Cambridge Rajesh Rao, University of Washington The abstract submission deadline has been extended to MARCH 12, 2018 at 11pm Pacific Time. This will be the final deadline for abstract submission. Note that one of the authors must register as sponsoring author for the main meeting before abstract submission is possible. In case the abstract is not accepted for presentation, the registration fee will be refunded. Abstract Submission: http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2018-abstract-submission Registration: https://ocns.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_243… For up-to-date conference information, please visit: http://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2018 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OCNS is the international member-based society for computational neuroscientists. Become a member to be eligible for travel awards and more. Visit our website for more information: http://www.cnsorg.org

March 2, 2018

Postdoctoral positions in computational neuroscience and artificial intelligence

by Maxim Bazhenov

Applications are invited for post-doctoral research positions in the laboratory of Dr. Maxim Bazhenov at the University of California, San Diego to study memory and learning and to develop neuroscience inspired computer algorithms capable of continual learning and adapting to the novel situations and contexts.This project involves close collaboration with the experimental laboratory of Dr. Bruce McNaughton (UC Irvine). The ultimate goal of the work is to advance the knowledge of how human and animal brains learn from experience and apply these principles to the artificial systems to enable continuous learning without catastrophic forgetting. The successful candidate will collaborate with a team of researchers to design neural network models of dynamic interactions between the hippocampus and neocortex during learning and memory consolidation in sleep and awake based on experimental data. These models will be used to derive learning principles that can be combined with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. An ideal candidate should have experience in computational/theoretical neuroscience and a basic knowledge of machine learning, or, alternatively, experience in machine learning algorithms and some basic knowledge of neuroscience. Experience with hierarchical learning, reinforcement learning, and/or goal-directed decision-making would be particularly helpful. The University of California offers excellent benefits. Salary is based on research experience. Applicants should send a brief statement of research interests, a CV and the names of three references to Maxim Bazhenov at mbazhenov(a)ucsd.edu -- Maxim Bazhenov, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD, School of Medicine http://www.bazhlab.ucsd.edu/

March 2, 2018

[publication and call for dialog] IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems

by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer

Dear colleagues, we are happy to announce the release of the latest issue of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (open access). This is a biannual newsletter addressing the sciences of developmental and cognitive processes in natural and artificial organisms, from humans to robots, at the crossroads of cognitive science, developmental psychology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and neuroscience. It is available at: http://goo.gl/pA7WrH Featuring dialog: === "One developmental architecture to rule them all?" == Dialog initiated by Matthias Rolf, Lorijn Zaadnoordijk and Johan Kwisthout with responses from: Niels Taatgen, John Spencer, Gary Jones, Gerard Wolff, Clément Moulin-Frier and Paul Verschure == Topic: Humans have a unique capability to achieve and learn a wide diversity of skills of all kinds, from low-level sensorimotor skills to very abstract linguistic or mathematical skills. Is it possible to develop theories of how general cognitive architectures can display such a general flexibility for skill learning? This dialog adresses this question, and discusses whether and how it would be useful both epistemologically and in practice to aim towards the development of a “standard integrated cognitive architecture”, akin to “standard models” in physics, or whether focusing on simple and partial models should be a better approach. In particular, this question is discussed in the context of understanding development in infants, and of building developmental architectures, thus addressing the issue of architectures that not only learn, but that are adaptive themselves. Call for new dialog: === "Curiosity as Driver of Extreme Specialization in Humans" == Dialog initiated by Celeste Kidd == This dialog asks the question of why and how humans can be driven to extremely specialize. In particular, it proposes the hypothesis that curiosity may play a fundamental role in this process, and highlights many important open questions about how this could happen, and what are the actual mechanisms of curiosity-driven exploration and learning. Those of you interested in reacting to this dialog initiation are welcome to submit a response by May 30th, 2018. The length of each response must be between 600 and 800 words including references (contact pierre-yves.oudeyer(a)inria.fr) Let us remind you that all issues of the newsletter are all open-access and available at: https://goo.gl/ZjjZNz I wish you a stimulating reading! Best regards, Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, Editor of the IEEE CIS Newsletter on Cognitive and Developmental Systems Research director, Inria Head of Flowers project-team Inria and Ensta ParisTech, France http://www.pyoudeyer.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/pyoudeyer and Fabien Benureau Assistant Editor Inria Mnemosyne team http://fabien.benureau.com

March 2, 2018

Stanford University Job Opportunities: Postdoctoral Fellowship

by Christina Atkinson

Stanford University’s Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences is seeking to hire a full time post-doctoral fellow for their Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience Laboratory. This lab is headed by Dr. Vinod Menon who has broad multidisciplinary expertise that spans several scientific disciplines and has published extensively on various aspects of human cognition and brain function. Explore our lab website for more information: http://med.stanford.edu/scsnl.html. POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN COMPUTATIONAL MODELING OF BRAIN NETWORKS Currently Available: The Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in computational modeling of human brain imaging data using deep neural networks. The successful candidate will be involved in a multidisciplinary project that seeks to develop novel computational frameworks for robust identification of neurobiological signatures of psychiatric and neurological disorders combining deep learning and convolution networks and dynamic brain circuit analyses with task and resting-state fMRI. Clinical disorders currently under investigation include autism, ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease. We seek talented and highly-motivated individuals with a strong background in at least one of these areas: deep learning algorithms and optimization (theory and practical implementations); computational modeling, statistical inference, and machine learning, especially as applied to fMRI and MRI data. The candidate will have access to multiple large datasets and state-of-the-art computational resources, including HPCs and GPGPUs. Please email a CV, statement of research interests and relevant background, and have three letters of reference sent to Drs. Vinod Menon and Aarthi Padmanabhan at scsnl.stanford+postdoc(a)gmail.com<mailto:scsnl.stanford@gmail.com> <mailto:scsnl.stanford@gmail.com>

March 1, 2018

7th International Summer School of Neuroengineering "Massimo Grattarola"

by Paolo Massobrio

Call for applicants of the 7th International Summer School of Neuroengineering "Massimo Grattarola" Neurotechnologies and Computational Methods to Interact with the Brain The 7th International Summer School of Neuroengineering "Massimo Grattarola" aims to introduce computational and technological methods to researchers of different backgrounds (life sciences, physics, engineering) to interact with the brain. The first two days will deal with brain dynamics giving particular emphasis to the role of the connectivity and computational models of the brain at different level of abstraction, as well as hardware and software platforms to simulate such dynamics. During the 3rd day, the recent advancements for increasing the quality of the recordings and for delivering efficient stimulating protocols will be discussed. Finally, the last day will provide examples of neuroengineering paradigms for designing new neuroprostheses to interact with the brain and their clinical applications to increase the quality of life. A practical experimental session using high-density EEG set-up and multi-electrode arrays for in vitro/in vivo applications is foreseen. Dates: 18th-22nd June 2018 Location: Genova (Italy) Registration: Registrations will open during the first week of March. Participation is limited to 60 attendees (students, post-docs, .). Website: www.neuroengineering.eu <http://www.neuroengineering.eu> Poster session: Students attending the school will have the opportunity to present their results in a two-days poster session. Confirmed speakers: Miguel Nicolelis (Duke University), Shimon Marom (Technion Israel Institute of Technology), Matias Palva (Univ. Helsinki), Andreas Hierlemann (ETH), Tim Harris (Janelia Research Campus), Lucilla de Arcangelis (Univ. of Campania), Annalisa Bonfiglio (Univ. Cagliari), Sylvie Renaud (Bordeaux INP), Valentina Pasquale (Italian Institute of Technology), Michele Giugliano (Univ. Antwerp), Michele Migliore (CNR), Silvia Casarotto (Univ. Milano), Michela Chiappalone (Italian Institute of Technology), Stanisa Raspopovic (ETH). Best regards Paolo Massobrio _________________________________________________ Paolo Massobrio, PhD Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Neuroengineering and Bio-Nano Technology - NBT - Lab Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering - DIBRIS University of Genova Via Opera Pia 13, 16145, GENOVA, ITALY Phone: +39-010-3532761 Fax: +39-010-3532764 URL: <http://www.dibris.unige.it/> www.dibris.unige.it; <http://www.nbt.unige.it> www.nbt.unige.it E-mail: <mailto:paolo.massobrio@unige.it> paolo.massobrio(a)unige.it

March 1, 2018

Post-doctoral position in Computational Neuroscience, Moreno-Bote Lab, Barcelona, Spain

by Ruben Moreno Bote

Post-doctoral position Computational Neuroscience, Moreno-Bote Lab University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain We are looking for strong post-doctoral candidates interested in joining the group of Theoretical Neuroscience of Rubén Moreno-Bote lab. We are looking for excellent post-doctoral candidates with Physics, Mathematics or Machine Learning background, ideally with knowledge of Neuroscience or Computational Neuroscience, and interested in theory and applications. The publication record of the candidate should be very strong in his/her respective discipline. The candidate will develop state of the art mathematical techniques to understand neuronal dynamics and will have access to multielectrode recording neural data. He/she could also be involved in the design of electrophysiology experiments through our collaborators. The candidate will benefit from the stimulating environment of Barcelona area in Theoretical and Systems Neuroscience and will have the opportunity of enjoying a lively city. Our lab (http://www.upf.edu/pdi/ruben-moreno-bote) forms part of a larger network of neuroscience labs in Barcelona (http://www.barcelonaneuroscience.com) Financial support is provided by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Spanish MINECO. APPLICATION: A full CV in pdf format, a 1 page project in pdf format, and names and email addresses of 2 referees should be sent to the following address: ruben.moreno(a)upf.edu Informal inquiries are welcome. DEADLINE: up to the position is filled STARTING DATE: any time between September 2018 and January 2019 -- Rubén Moreno Bote Serra Húnter & ICREA Academia Professor Center for Brain and Cognition & Dept. of Information and Communications Technologies University Pompeu Fabra Campus Ciutadella, Building 24, office 331 Ramon Trias Fargas, 24-27 08005 Barcelona, Spain http://www.upf.edu/pdi/ruben-moreno-bote

March 1, 2018

Summer course: CAMP@Bangalore 2018 Announcement email

by U.S.Bhalla

Subject:Course announcement: CAMP@Bangalore 2018 We would like to announce CAMP@Bangalore 2018 from 1-16 July 2018. Please see the course website at http://camp.ncbs.res.in/. CAMP @ Bangalore (Computational Approaches to Memory and Plasticity at NCBS, Bangalore) is a 16-day summer school on the theory and simulation of learning, memory and plasticity in the brain. The flavour of this year's CAMP is "Sequences in the brain". The course consists of 3 modules covering sub-cellular electrical models, micro-circuits and network models, detailed models with electrical and chemical components, and systems level models, all with an emphasis on learning, memory and plasticity. All modules will have their own hands-on projects. Students worldwide are encouraged to apply. Accommodation and food will be free for the selected students. There is no registration fee. Students are advised to obtain independent travel grants. Confirmed instructors include: Arvind Kumar (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm) Charan Ranganath (University of California, Davis) Collins Assisi (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune) Dean Buonomano (University of California, Los Angeles) Moshe Abeles (Bar Ilan University, Israel) Rishikesh Narayanan (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) Robert Guetig (Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Germany) Sachin Deshmukh (Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru) Suhita Nadkarni (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune) Upinder Bhalla (National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore) Course Organizers: Arvind Kumar (KTH Stockholm) Rishikesh Narayanan (IISc, Bangalore) Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, Bangalore)

March 1, 2018

Re: [Comp-neuro] [meetings] 2nd CFP, Special session - Hybrid Life: Approaches to integrate biological, artificial and cognitive systems, ALife 2018 (Tokyo)

by Manuel Baltieri

[Apologies for cross-posting] ********** 3nd Call for Papers ********** Special session - Hybrid Life: Approaches to integrate biological, artificial and cognitive systems https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life/ <https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life/> 2018 Artificial Life conference (ALife) Tokyo, JAPAN, 23-27 July 2018 - http://2018.alife.org/ <http://2018.alife.org/> Invited panelists: Ryota Kanai, Jun Tani, Masahiko Inami and Mizuki Oka. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION: The main focus of ALife research is the study of natural systems with the goal of understanding what life is. More concretely, ALife defines ways to investigate processes that contribute to the formation and proliferation of living organisms. In this session we focus on three common approaches to tackle this investigation, proposing ways to integrate, extend and possibly improve them. More specifically we refer to: 1) the formalisation of the necessary properties for the definition of life, 2) the implementation of artificial agents, and 3) the study of the relation between life and cognition. For this special session we propose to start from these well-established Alife methodologies, and extend them through: a unified formal language for the description and modelling of living, as well as artificial and cognitive systems, e.g. control theory, Bayesian inference, dynamical systems theory, etc., the exploration of biological creatures enhanced by artificial systems (or artificial systems augmented with organic parts) in order to investigate the boundaries between living and nonliving organisms, and the evaluation of coupled biological-artificial systems that could shed light on the importance of interactions among systems for the study of living and cognitive organisms. This special sessions aims to invite contributions from the fields of psychology, computational neuroscience, HCI, theoretical biology, artificial intelligence, robotics and cognitive science to discuss current research on the formalisation, combination and interaction of artificial/living/cognitive systems from theoretical, modelling and implementational perspectives. Potential topics include, but are not limited to: Formalisation of life and cognition (e.g. dynamical systems theory, stochastic optimal control, Bayesian inference, etc.) Cognitive robotics Autopoiesis Life-mind continuity thesis Systems biology Origins-of-life theories with relationships to artificial and cognitive systems Animal-robot interaction Bio-inspired robotics Bio-integrated robotics Human-machine interaction Augmented cognition Sensory substitution Interactive evolutionary computation Artificial perception PANELISTS: Ryota Kanai Ryota Kanai is a neuroscientist working on the computational principles underlying consciousness and the brain, and the founder and CEO of an AI startup, Araya, Inc. in Tokyo. His goal is to create artificial consciousness using intrinsic motivation, deep neural networks, and integrated information while taking inspirations from neuroscience. He formerly led a cognitive neuroscience lab at the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. Araya Inc.: http://www.araya.org/ <http://www.araya.org/> <http://www.araya.org/>Jun Tani Jun Tani is a Full Professor at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, Japan. He is directing the Cognitive Neurorobotics Research Unit. He has investigated the problem of embodied cognition by applying the predictive coding framework to neurorobotics experimental study for more than 20 years. His study has been summarized in his book, “Exploring Robotic Minds: Actions, Symbols, and Consciousness as Self-Organizing Dynamic Phenomena." published from Oxford Univ. Press in 2016. CNRU at OIST: https://groups.oist.jp/cnru <https://groups.oist.jp/cnru> Masahiko Inami Masahiko (Masa) Inami is a Professor in the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo, Japan. He is also directing the Inami JIZAI Body Project, JST ERATO. His research interest is in Augmented Human, human I/O enhancement technologies including perception, HCI and robotics. He received BE and MS degrees in bioengineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and PhD in the Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) from the University of Tokyo in 1999. He joined the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo, and in 1999, he moved to the University of Electro-Communications. In April 2008, he joined Keio University, where he served as a Professor of the Graduate School of Media Design and the Vice-director of the International Virtual Reality Center till October 2015. In November 2015, he rejoined the University of Tokyo. His installations have appeared at Ars Electronica Center. He proposed and organized the Superhuman Sports Society. InamiLab at Todai: https://inamilab.org <https://inamilab.org/> Mizuki Oka Mizuki Oka is an associate Professor at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Obtained the International Baccalaureate at the United World College of the Adriatic in 1998. Studied computer science at the University of Tsukuba where she obtained the Doctor of Engineering in 2008. Served also as a research fellow for the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science from 2005 to 2008. Worked at the Center for Knowledge Structuring at the University of Tokyo as a post-doc from 2008 to 2013 in Japan. Gave a talk at TEDxTokyo in 2012 and at TEDxTsukuba in 2013. Her current research interests are Web Science and Artificial Life. She is also a founder of ALife Lab. and CO-CEO of Alternative Machine Inc. Personal website: http://mizoka.jp/english/ <http://mizoka.jp/english/> Important Dates 19th March 2018 – Paper submission deadline 23rd April 2018 – Paper acceptance notification 21st May 2018 – Camera-ready version 23-27th July 2018 – Artificial Life conference (ALife), Tokyo, Japan Paper Submission Papers and abstracts submitted to this special sessions will be reviewed by a selected group of experts from the a-life community as well as from other areas key to our proposal, specifically chosen for this review process. If you are submitting to a special session you will be given the opportunity to select it during the submission process. Submissions to special sessions follow the same format, instructions and deadlines of regular ALife papers, as specified here http://2018.alife.org/instructions-for-authors/ <http://2018.alife.org/instructions-for-authors/>. Organizers Manuel Baltieri, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. m.baltieri(a)sussex.ac.uk <mailto:m.baltieri@sussex.ac.uk> Keisuke Suzuki, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. k.suzuki(a)sussex.ac.uk <mailto:filippo.m.bianchi@uit.no> Hiroyuki Iizuka, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan hiroyukiiizuka(a)gmail.com <mailto:hiroyukiiizuka@gmail.com> Contacts For questions, enquiries and more information please check our website https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life/ <https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life/> or get in touch with Manuel m.baltieri(a)sussex.ac.uk <mailto:m.baltieri@sussex.ac.uk>. All the best, Manuel, Keisuke, Hiro

Feb. 28, 2018

Postdoc to study hippocampal information processing in Canavier lab

by Canavier, Carmen C.

A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the computational neuroscience lab of Carmen Canavier in the School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. The position is to study cholinergic contributions to hippocampal information processing in close collaboration with electrophysiologist Sonia Gasparini. The successful candidate will construct a morphologically and biophysically realistic model of a hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron to explain the observed frequency selectivity of different dendritic regions for slow versus fast gamma band inputs. Some network modeling will also be required for the project. If interested, please apply, preferably by March 31st 2018 at https://www.lsuhsc.edu/Administration/hrm/CareerOpportunities/Home/Detail/1… The primary duties will involve linear and non-linear analyses, writing code, calibrating single neuron models, and generating predictions that lead to additional experiments. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or a related field of study. The ideal candidate would have experience with the simulation package NEURON and some knowledge of the hippocampus. Familiarity with nonlinear dynamics, signal processing, and coding in C and or python in a Linux environment is also desirable. If you have questions, please email Dr. Canavier at ccanav(a)lsuhsc.edu. LSUHSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer for females, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Feb. 28, 2018

Postdoc, Deep Microscopy, Berlin

by Judkewitz, Benjamin

Postdoc position available at the Judkewitz Lab! Join our team of neuroscientists, engineers, biologists and physicists in Berlin. Your mission: develop deep brain microscopy techniques and boldly focus where no one has shaped wavefronts before. http://jlab.berlin/jobs

Feb. 27, 2018

4-year fully-funded Ph.D. Position in Computational Neuroscience at the Donders Institute

by Bernhard Englitz

Dear List, please distribute the following position announcement to finishing M.Sc. students with strong skills in (computational) neuroscience interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Thanks & best wishes, Bernhard Bernhard Englitz, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Neurophysiology Donders Centre for Neuroscience Faculty of Science, Radboud Universiteit Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Project : As a PhD Candidate you will work on a project entitled ‘Neural Mechanisms of Processing and Recognizing Complex, Statistical Sounds’. This project is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and will be conducted at Radboud University in Nijmegen. The main research question is how the brain represents and processes acoustic stimuli which are only defined on a statistical level. These stimuli have a high behavioural relevance, since many natural stimuli have this character. The PhD project will involve a combination of neural population recordings from multiple areas of the auditory and parietal cortex of behaving mice, and their subsequent data analysis. Individual cells will be identified using specific genetically modified mouse lines and matched optogenetic tools. The main outcome of the research will be an expansion of our knowledge of auditory processing, which may have far-reaching implications for the processing of sounds in hearing aids and smart phones. Scientific Environment : The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour consists of three research centres, the Centre for Cognition, the Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging and the Centre for Neuroscience. It focuses on state-of-the-art cognitive neuroscience in a multidisciplinary approach, and offers excellent lab and neuroimaging facilities. The position will be hosted at the Neurophysiology department, which provides a high-quality neuroscience environment with facilities for chronic and non-chronic multi-channel recordings, imaging and computational modelling. The department’s research questions address issues in fundamental and applied research, and enable the interaction of theory and experimental work in a single location. The Donders Institute is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and as such encourages applications from women and minorities. Radboud University offers a parental leave scheme and day care on campus. Qualifications : MSc degree in (computational) neuroscience, engineering or biology; experience with animal physiology, programming and data analysis; a proactive attitude, good communication skills, and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team. Application Link : http://www.ru.nl/english/working-at/jobopportunities/details/details-vacatu… <http://www.ru.nl/english/working-at/jobopportunities/details/details-vacatu…> Closing Date of Call : 30.3.2018 Planned Starting Date : 1.9.2018

Feb. 27, 2018

Postdoctoral Position in Systems Neurophysiology of Social Bonding in Rodents

by Liu, Robert C

Postdoctoral Position in Systems Neurophysiology of Social Bonding in Rodents Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Biology Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia The laboratories of Robert Liu, Gordon Berman and Larry Young at Emory University are accepting applications for a postdoctoral scientist working in a collaborative team to study pro-social interactions in rodents. The research combines recent advances in computational ethology (Berman et al, Interface, 2014) with in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics in socially interacting prairie voles (Amadei, Johnson et al, Nature, 2017), a premier rodent model for the formation of social bonds (Lim et al, Nature, 2004). The research aims to use behavioral and neurophysiological activity to build predictive models of social dynamics leading to a pair bond, and investigate the role that oxytocin plays in mediating these activities. PhD required. We are looking for a candidate who approaches neuroscience with a systems or circuit perspective and is interested in the neuroscience of social behavior. Training in any of the following areas would be viewed favorably: in vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics, computational data analysis, sensorimotor integration, reward and reinforcement. Emory University and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center have a rich, collaborative neuroscience community (http://biomed.emory.edu/PROGRAM_SITES/NS/) especially in the areas of translational social neuroscience (http://ctsn.emory.edu/) and computational neuroscience (http://compneurosci.college.emory.edu/) Research at Emory in the neurobiology of social behavior extends across many labs from the molecular level through the organismal level in animal models and humans, with a particular interest in the functions of oxytocin (http://www.oxytocin.emory.edu/) Ongoing efforts include both elucidating normal processes and ameliorating deficits found in human conditions, like autism spectrum disorder. To inquire or apply, please email robert.liu(a)emory.edu<mailto:robert.liu@emory.edu>. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue at least through March 31, or until the position is filled. Applications should include a CV, the names and full contact information of 3 references, and at least one representative publication. Emory University is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. References: Amadei EA*, Johnson ZV*, Kwon YJ, Shpiner AC, Saravanan V, Mays W, Ryan S, Walum H, Rainnie D, Young LJ, Liu RC (2017). Dynamic corticostriatal activity biases social bonding in monogamous female prairie voles, Nature, 546(7657):297-301. doi:10.1038/nature22381<http://www.nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22381> Berman GJ, Choi DM, Bialek W, Shaevitz JW (2014). Mapping the stereotyped behaviour of freely moving fruit flies. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11(99):20140672. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.0672<http://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0672> Lim, MM, Wang Z, Olazábal DE, Ren X, Terwilliger EF, Young LJ (2004). Enhanced partner preference in promiscuous species by manipulating the expression of a single gene. Nature, 429(6993):754-757. doi:10.1038/nature02539<http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/nature02539> Robert C. Liu, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Emory University O. W. Rollins Research Center Rm 2131 1510 Clifton Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA Phone: +1 404-727-5274 Email: robert.liu(a)emory.edu<mailto:robert.liu@emory.edu> Lab Website<http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Liu/html/index.php> ________________________________ This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments).

Feb. 27, 2018

Postdoctoral fellowships at the Gatsby Unit

by Maneesh Sahani

The Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit invites applications for one or more postdoctoral training fellowships in theoretical neuroscience and related areas. Neuroscience research in the unit focuses on the interpretation of neural data, population coding, perceptual processing, neural dynamics, neuromodulation, and learning. We have strong connections with experimental neuroscience and cognitive science groups at UCL (particularly in the Sainsbury-Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour with which the Unit shares a new purpose-built home) and at institutions around the world. The Unit also has significant interests across a range of areas in machine learning, and is perhaps unique in the way these fields are brought together. The fellowships are suitable for candidates with a doctoral degree and previous experience in relevant theoretical neuroscience or machine learning research. We are especially keen to recruit fellows with expertise in the modelling of perception or population-scale neural data. Full details of the fellowships, and information on how to apply, are available at http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/vacancies/TN%20Fellows/TN-2018.html The closing date for applications is 23rd Mar 2018. If you have questions unanswered by the website, please contact me by email or in person at Cosyne. -- Maneesh Sahani, Ph.D. Professor of Theoretical Neuroscience and Machine Learning, Director, Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit UCL, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG

Feb. 27, 2018

Post-doc in Neurophysiology of Attention at UCLA

by Bisley, James

Apologies for cross-posting We invite applications for a fully funded post-doc position studying the neurophysiology of attention. The work will include recording from &/or the reversible inactivation of cortical areas MT, LIP and FEF while animals perform a visual search task utilizing moving dot patterns. For more information about the sort of work done in the lab, check out our publications at http://www.bri.ucla.edu/people/james-w-bisley-phd. Applicants should have a strong background in systems neurophysiology, behavioral training or computational neuroscience and be comfortable working independently on all aspects of the project. Previous experience with NHP recording and data analysis is desirable. Candidates should hold a PhD in neuroscience, psychology or a related discipline. The position is initially for 12 months with the possibility of renewal. Compensation will be commensurate with relevant experience. Candidates should send a CV, a brief statement of research experience and interests, expected date of availability, and the contact information for two references to James Bisley (jbisley(a)mednet.ucla.edu<mailto:jbisley@mednet.ucla.edu>). Cheers, James ________________________________ UCLA HEALTH SCIENCES IMPORTANT WARNING: This email (and any attachments) is only intended for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. You, the recipient, are obligated to maintain it in a safe, secure and confidential manner. Unauthorized redisclosure or failure to maintain confidentiality may subject you to federal and state penalties. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify us by return email, and delete this message from your computer.

Feb. 27, 2018

Computational Postdoc - Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory - Long Island, New York

by Engel, Tatiana

The Engel and Churchland labs in the Department of Neuroscience at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory invite applications from highly motivated candidates for a postdoctoral position working on a collaborative project between the two labs. The position is entirely computational and truly interdisciplinary with equal (50/50) effort in the Churchland (experimental) and Engel (computational) labs. The project’s goal is to unravel functional roles of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the decision-making microcircuit through computational analyses of large-scale neural activity recordings and biophysical circuit modeling. In particular, we will develop and deploy novel machine learning frameworks for discovering collective network dynamics from large-scale activity recordings in mice with genetically identified excitatory and inhibitory neurons. These data analyses will provide hard constraints for biophysical models of the decision-making microcircuit, which will be then inferred using deep learning methods. We are looking for theoretical/computational scientists to work at the exciting interface of systems neuroscience, machine learning, and biophysics, embedded within the computational and experimental labs. The postdoctoral scientist is expected to exhibit resourcefulness and independence, developing computational models of large-scale neural activity recordings with the goal to elucidate excitatory/inhibitory neural circuits underlying decision making. Interested candidates should e-mail their application to Tatiana Engel (engel(a)cshl.edu<mailto:engel@cshl.edu>) and Anne Churchland (churchland(a)cshl.edu<mailto:churchland@cshl.edu>) as a single pdf file with subject: Postdoc Application. The application file should include: (1) CV with the publication list, (2) a brief description of research interests, (3) contact information for three references. In addition, the candidates should upload their application online at http://cshl.peopleadmin.com/postings/13170 Position requirements: - PhD in neuroscience, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering or related quantitative discipline - Expertise in scientific programming, e.g., Python, Matlab, C/C++, CUDA - Expertise in statistics, data analyses, and/or machine learning - Experience with deep learning methods is a plus - Experience with database software is a plus - Track record of publications in scientific journals - Effective communication skills, both written and oral - Dedication and passion for solving hard scientific problems -- Tatiana Engel, PhD Assistant Professor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY (+1) 408 409 3647

Feb. 27, 2018

2 year postdoc : Graph Signal Processing at IMT Atlantique

by Nicolas Farrugia

IMT Atlantique has an opening for a fully-funded two-year postdoctoral fellowship open immediately and starting no later than June 2018, to work on Graph Signal Processing and potential applications to Neuroimaging. The host team is Br.A.In. (Brain-inspired Artificial Intelligence http://www.brain.bzh) and is in the Brest Campus. The call for the position can be downloaded here : http://recherche.telecom-bretagne.eu/brain/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/postd… Scientific context Several application domains rely on multivariate spatiotemporal signals such as transportation networks, energy network, social networks or neural networks. Under the natural assumption that the signal properties are related to the topology of the graph where they are supported, graph signal processing (GSP) offers algorithms that fruitfully leverage this relational structure, and can make inferences about these relationships when they are only partially observed. Developing GSP tools specifically intended to advance modeling and analytics of multivariate signals is a new, fertile area of investigation. In particular, the positionning of the Br.A.In. project regarding GSP is targetted towards the following issues: (1) finding optimal graph representations and adapting machine learning approaches accordingly, (2) generalizing GSP approaches to dynamic graphs in order to fully capture the spatiotemporal complexity of multivariate signals, and finally (3) developing new approaches to enhance the understanding and interpretability of machine learning and deep learning methods using metrics derived from GSP. We are seeking a candidate that will contribute to our research effort on GSP by proposing innovative theoretical approaches, or extensions to existing approaches, related to at least one of the aforementioned issues. Our main target application is the analysis, decoding and interpretability of Neuroimaging data (Electroencephalography EEG or functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging fMRI), but candidates with interest or background in other application domains are encouraged to apply as well. Details and requirements The present postdoctoral fellowship is funded by the Sustainable Attractivity Strategy of the Brittany Region, with the goal of attracting high profile junior researchers from all over the world, offering exceptional conditions for long-term academic development. IMT Atlantique is a public technological university focusing on the training of engineers at the MSc. level and junior researchers at the PhD level. Being a technological university, IMT Atlantique benefits from a advantageous status compared to french public universities. As such, we offer very competitive salary packages, with postdoc wages corresponing to a junior assistant professor level. Successful candidates will also benefits from 49 annual paid holidays, as well as access to multiple benefits from the institutions' union (such as campus activities or sea sports). In addition, living costs in the Brest bay area are exceptionally low, with a high quality of life, and the Brest campus of IMT Atlantique is ideally located at the sea front. The position is open immediately and must start no later than June 2018, for a duration of 24 months. The postdoc fellowship is accompanied with overheads for travel expenses covering (a) the participation to international conferences, (b) article processing charges for open-access publications and (c) acquisition of a computation server dedicated to the postdoc project. The postdoc fellowship will be fully devoted to his research projects, and may optionally (but will not be required to) contribute to teaching activities in machine learning, computer science, signal processing or electronical engineering. Candidates must have defended a Ph.D. related to machine learning or computer science, or signal/image processing. Candidates with a PhD in neuroimaging with solid programming skills and a strong interest for machine learning are also welcome to apply. An additional requirement pertains to the attractivity strategy related to the regional funding; in order to attract international applications, candidates must have spent a minimum 12 months outside France after June 2014. Please send your CV, contacts for two references, as well as a cover letter to nicolas.farrugia(a)imt-atlantique.fr . Nicolas Farrugia Associate professor IMT Atlantique - Department of electronics +33 (0) 2 29 00 16 53

Feb. 27, 2018

Postdoc in computational neuroscience at University of Sheffield

by Hannes Saal

Postdoc in computational neuroscience at the University of Sheffield Closing date: 26th March 2018 We are looking to recruit a Research Associate to work on the Wellcome Trust funded project Modelling synaptic and intrinsic plasticity in primate somatosensory cortex. In short, the project will investigate somatosensory plasticity in human cortex and specifically the effect of different learning rules on somatosensory representations. To this end, you will develop a computational framework that will simulate the effects of different plasticity rules on sensory cortical representations and make predictions that can be empirically tested using existing fMRI paradigms. The project involves close collaboration with partners at UCL and Oxford, who will gather empirical data using a state-of-the-art neuroimaging setup. This post is suitable for a candidate with a background in computational neuroscience, or a closely related discipline. The ideal candidate will have experience with the analysis and simulation of large-scale spiking neuron models, mathematical models of plasticity, and/or self-organizing systems. A significant part of the project will involve collaborating with our partner helping to guide empirical data collection. As such, a background in neuroscience is highly desirable, with knowledge of tactile processing, cortical plasticity, and/or neuroimaging especially preferred. For more info, please see http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BHY156/research-associate/ or contact Dr Hannes Saal (h.saal(a)sheffield.ac.uk) -- Dr Hannes P Saal Lecturer in Cognitive Science and Computational Modelling Active Touch Laboratory (co-director) Department of Psychology & Sheffield Robotics University of Sheffield Pam Liversidge Building F.05 Sheffield S1 3JD United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)114 222 6504 Web: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/psychology/staff/academic/hannes_saal

Feb. 27, 2018