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Fully funded PhD position, University of Birmingham, UK - Human movement
by Chris Miall April 27, 2016

April 27, 2016

Please bring this fully-funded 3-year PhD studentship to the attention of your students: Title: Quantification of motor performance in patients with impaired upper limb movements Supervisors: Chris Miall and Joe Galea,  Place: School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK There is growing need for accurate quantification of performance in patients with impaired upper limb movements. This arises from the need to assess recovery of movement following neurosurgery and stroke and to underpin a stratified approach to rehabilitation. We have recently developed methods to assess upper limb movements in a 2D workspace, using the resulting “performance map” to guide stroke rehabilitation. We have also developed methods to link the patients’ performance to muscle activation patterns. We now want to extend this work into 3D, to allow assessment of a broader range of movements, closer to normal activities, and in a shorter period of assessment. In addition, we wish to extend from stroke to assessment of functional recovery after neurosurgery, as a prelude to testing enhancement of recovery with brain stimulation: this would include patients with surgical repair of traumatic injury (road traffic accidents). Finally, we aim to extend our methods to link performance to muscle activation patterns in these continuous movements, in order to better understand the underlying deficits in motor control. The project will make use of a state-of-the-art 3D robotic arm, and assess performance by developing a 3D tracking task, in which a subject’s motor ability is progressively expanded from an initial slow and central focus to regions needing more extended limb postures and faster movement. An assistive algorithm in which the force-controlled robot guides movement towards the target will be used to help patients overcome weak and unstable movement, while still allowing assessment of performance speed, direction and stability. Actions in the robot-assisted task will be compared with free movement tracking in a virtual reality environment, with limb movements captured by existing motion tracking systems, but this motion tracking will ultimately be possible with a device such as the Microsoft Wii or smartphone. The comparisons will inform the potential to translate the assessment from the lab based robotic systems to the bedside. The outcome will be a set of diagnostic tests that deliver accurate quantification of upper limb movement control, suitable for triage of rehabilitation and for assessment of progressive recovery. The project is suited for students with an excellent first degree in neuroscience, engineering, robotics, or computer science. Masters training would also be advantageous. Experience in programming (Matlab or C) would be very valuable, and an interest in working with patients is important. There is studentship funding available for three years from the EPSRC, for UK or EU students only. Please contact Chris Miall (r.c.miall(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:r.c.miall@bham.ac.uk>) or Joe Galea (j.galea(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:j.galea@bham.ac.uk>) for further information or use FindaPhD: https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=74850 Deadline for application is 20-MAY-2016. ---------------------------------------------------------- Professor R.C. Miall Tel +44 (0)121 414 2867 School of Psychology, Fax +44 (0)121 414 4897 University of Birmingham, Mobile: +44 (0)7709 586997 Edgbaston, Email: r.c.miall(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:r.c.miall@bham.ac.uk> Birmingham B15 2TT UK Web: http://prism.bham.ac.uk ----------------------------------------------------------

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PhD position in Neural Data Science / Retina
by Philipp Berens April 27, 2016

April 27, 2016

The labs of Philipp Berens (www.berenslab.org) and Thomas Euler (www.eulerlab.de) at the Center for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN) at the Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen are offering a PhD position (TV-L E13 65%) to be filled as soon as possible, with funding for 3 years. The successful candidate will combine experimental and computational approaches to study *neuronal cell type specific computations* in the mouse *retina*. The goal of the project is to provide an account of how the functional response properties of selected ganglion cell types arise from their anatomical structure, connectivity and dendritic integration properties. We envision a highly interdisciplinary project, where the successful candidate will perform state-of-the-art optical imaging and electrophysiological recordings and use computational approaches to analyze their data. The CIN offers a stimulating interdisciplinary scientific environment where research is carried out at all levels of neuroscience. The two labs are also part of the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (Eye Hospital Tübingen) and affiliated with the Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN). Furthermore, the project will be performed in collaboration with the lab of Tom Baden at the University of Sussex, UK (www.badenlab.org) We offer employment with a salary and social benefits based on the collective agreement for public service employees in the academic and science sector, TV-L. The Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen promotes gender equality and therefore particularly encourages female scientists to apply. Preferential status will be given to handicapped persons, if equally qualified. Requirements: • Background in statistics, machine learning and data analysis • Experience with electrophysiology and/or two-photon imaging or a strong desire to learn these techniques • Programming experience in Python, Matlab, R or similar • Strong quantitative skills Interested applicants should contact Dr. Philipp Berens (philipp.berens(a)uni-tuebingen.de) providing: • a curriculum vitae • a one-page description of past research experience & future research interests • a one-page description of the motivation for applying to this position • names of at least two people that could provide letters of reference Please compile your application in one single PDF-file. -- University of Tübingen http://philippberens.wordpress.com http://www.bethgelab.org

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3 Fully Funded PhD Positions at the Cognitive Robotics and Interaction Lab of the Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at the Italian Institute of Technology
by Alessandra Sciutti April 27, 2016

April 27, 2016

Apologies for cross-posting =========================================================================== PhD Openings at the Cognitive Robotics and Interaction Lab Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department Italian Institute of Technology =========================================================================== In the spirit of the doctoral School on Bioengineering and Robotics the PhD Program for the curriculum Cognitive Robotics, Interaction and Rehabilitation Technologies offers interdisciplinary training at the interface between technology and life-sciences. The objective of the PhD program is to form scientists and research technologists capable of working in multidisciplinary teams on projects where human factors play a crucial role in technological development and design. Robotics and neuroscience researchers in RBCS share, as a fundamental scientific objective, the study of physical and social interaction in humans and machines (www.iit.it/rbcs ). Among the different research themes proposed I would like to advertise these three topics: VISUO-HAPTIC EXPLORATION STRATEGIES FOR OBJECT RECOGNITION MAKE HUMANOIDS UNDERSTAND HUMAN ACTIONS MULTISENSORY HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION The ideal candidates are students with a higher level university degree willing to invest extra time and effort in blending into a multidisciplinary team composed of neuroscientists, engineers, psychologists, physicists working together to investigate brain functions and realize intelligent machines, rehabilitation protocols and advanced prosthesis. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to spend part of his/her PhD at the Osaka University and the University of Tokyo in the framework of the Marie Curie IRSES project CODEFROR (www.codefror.eu) , with the purpose of integrating his/her knowledge with the different expertise available at these institutes. International applications are encouraged and will receive logistic support with visa issues, relocation, etc. Below you can find more details related to the position and the instructions on how to apply. Application deadline: *****10 June 2016, Noon, Italian time***** Best regards, Alessandra Sciutti ----------------------------------------- Alessandra Sciutti (PhD) Researcher, Robotics Brain and Cognitive Sciences Dept. Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy email: alessandra.sciutti(a)iit.it https://www.iit.it/people/alessandra-sciutti =========================================================================== Make humanoids understand human actions Tutors: Dr. Alessandra Sciutti, Dr. Francesco Rea, Prof. Giulio Sandini Department: RBCS (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) http://www.iit.it/rbcs =========================================================================== Description: Action understanding is a fundamental ability at the basis of human interaction. Neurophysiological evidence indicate that it is supported by a visuo-motor matching process: action observation activates in the observer a motor representation of the same action learned through execution, which yields to a rapid and automatic understanding of the action goal. Hence, visual action understanding requires a sensori-motor representation of the action, built by performing it and learning its motor and sensory consequences. The general aim of this project will be to provide the humanoid robot iCub with a similar visuo-motor matching skill in order to endow it with a human-like ability to understand human actions. In particular the robot will have to learn the motor (efference copy) and sensory (visual, joint angles, forces) consequences of its own actions to build a complete action representation. The research should determine which are the visual information needed to allow the recall of this model when the robot observes the same action performed by someone else. The work might take advantage of a computational system already available on the robot designed to localize the portion of the scene containing biological motion and extract some of its visual features . The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to spend part of his/her PhD at the Osaka University and the University of Tokyo in the framework of the Marie Curie IRSES project CODEFROR, with the purpose of integrating his/her knowledge with the different expertise available at these institutes. Requirements: degree in robotics, bioengineering, computer science, computer engineering, or related disciplines, attitude for problem solving, c++ programming. A background on machine learning is an asset. References: Sciutti A., Ansuini C., Becchio C. & Sandini G. 2015, Investigating the ability to read others intentions using humanoid robots, Frontiers in Psychology Cognitive Science, vol. 6,no. 1362 Noceti N., Sciutti A. & Sandini G. 2015, Cognition helps vision: recognizing biological motion using invariant dynamic cues, 18th International Conference on Image Analysis and Processing. Rizzolatti G, Craighero L. 2004 The mirror-neuron system. Annu Rev Neurosci 27:169192 Contacts: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the perspective tutors before they submit their application: alessandra.sciutti(a)iit.it, francesco.rea(a)iit.it , giulio.sandini(a)iit.it =========================================================================== Multisensory human-robot interaction Tutors: Dr. Francesco Rea, Dr. Alessandra Sciutti, Prof. Giulio Sandini Department: RBCS (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) http://www.iit.it/rbcs =========================================================================== Description: Humans interact with each other by exploiting a variety of communicative cues across many different sensory channels. Communication signals range from speech to sounds in the auditory domain, from gestures to facial expressions in the visual domain and to different types of physical contacts in the haptic domain. Moreover, these signals can be explicitly communicative, as pointing or waving, or implicit and unconscious, as gaze direction or body movements speed. The activity we propose is to endow the humanoid robot iCub with a library of sensory and motor skills supporting all these communication possibilities. The robot will have first to detect the presence of a potential human partner nearby and then establish a communication with him by making use of these multisensory cues. The research will leverage on the current social capabilities of the robot iCub, as gaze tracking, biological motion detection, biologically plausible motion generation, etc. The selected candidate will have to integrate the existing skills and develop the missing abilities, in order to enable iCub to interact naturally with non-expert users across multiple sensory domains. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to spend part of his/her PhD at the Osaka University and the University of Tokyo in the framework of the Marie Curie IRSES project CODEFROR, with the purpose of integrating his/her knowledge with the different expertise available at these institutes. Requirements: Degree in robotics, bioengineering, computer science, computer engineering, or related disciplines, attitude for problem solving, c++ programming, as also willingness to make experiments with human participants. Strong motivation to work and adapt to a multidisciplinary environment. References:. Palinko O., Sciutti A., Rea F. & Sandini G., 2015, Eye Gaze Tracking for a Humanoid Robot in IEEE/RAS International Conference of Humanoids Robotics, Seoul, Korea, November 3-5 2015. Mosadeghzad M., Rea F., Tata M., Brayda L. & Sandini G. 2015, Saliency Based Sensor Fusion of Broadband Sound Localizer for Humanoids, 2015 IEEE International Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Information Integration (MFI 2015), San Diego, CA, USA, September 14-16, 2015; Sciutti A., Patanè L., Nori F. & Sandini G., 2014, Understanding object weight from human and humanoid lifting actions, IEEE Transactions on Autonomous Mental Development, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 80-92 doi: 10.1109/TAMD.2014.2312399 Contacts: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the perspective tutors before they submit their application: francesco.rea(a)iit.it , alessandra.sciutti(a)iit.it, giulio.sandini(a)iit.it =========================================================================== Visuo-haptic exploration strategies for object recognition Tutors: Dr. Alessandra Sciutti, Dr. Francesco Rea, Prof. Giulio Sandini Department: RBCS (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) http://www.iit.it/rbcs =========================================================================== Description: In everyday situations human adults are capable of transferring information about objects from one sensory modality to the other. Objects explored visually can, at a later time, be analyzed, and recognized, by exploring them with our hands and, vice versa, we can visually recognize objects that have been previously explored haptically. This cross-modal transfer can be explained only through the use of a representation of objects merging visual and haptic information and perhaps by hypothesizing a shared exploratory strategy used when we explore objects visually or haptically. The main scientific objective of the project is to test this hypothesis by investigating how the transfer of information form one sensory modality to the other develops in humans and if different sensory channels share the same exploration strategy. A model of this ability could be implemented on the humanoid robot iCub to build and exploit a multisensory representation of manipulable objects, augmenting its ability to learn how to interact with the environment and with others. The successful candidate will conduct experimental investigation of human visuo-haptic explorative strategies by means of multiple techniques, as eye-tracking, motion capture and force measurements with ad hoc designed devices. The collected data will be used to model the exploration strategies both during healthy development and in presence of sensory deficits. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to spend part of his/her PhD at the Osaka University and the University of Tokyo in the framework of the Marie Curie IRSES project CODEFROR, with the purpose of integrating his/her knowledge with the different expertise available at these institutes. Requirements: The candidate for this position must have either a degree in Computer Science Engineering, Bioengineering or equivalent, with high interests in human sciences, or alternatively a degree in Psychology, with proven background in programming toolboxes (Matlab, R). References:. Gori M., Sciutti A., Burr D. & Sandini G. 2011, Direct and indirect haptic calibration of visual size judgments, PLoS ONE, vol. 6,no. 10, e25599. [ Sann, C. and Streri, A. (2007), Perception of object shape and texture in human newborns: evidence from cross-modal transfer tasks. Developmental Science, 10: 399410. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2007.00593.x Gori, M., Del Viva, M., Sandini, G., & Burr, D. C. (2008). Young children do not integrate visual and haptic form information. Current Biology, 18(9), 694-698. Contacts: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the perspective tutors before they submit their application: alessandra.sciutti(a)iit.it, francesco.rea(a)iit.it , giulio.sandini(a)iit.it =========================================================================== How to apply =========================================================================== Please note that the positions are available through the PhD course of Bioengineering and Robotics, curriculum on Cognitive Robotics, Interaction and Rehabilitation Technologies, offered jointly by IIT and the University of Genoa. The official calls are available here: https://www.iit.it/phd-school under the section Research themes for the call for application to PhD Courses established in agreement with the Università degli Studi di Genova, XXXII cycle. Please have a look at the "tips and tricks" section which contains detailed instructions on how to apply and a list of documents you have to present. The link to the on-line application page is: http://www.studenti.unige.it/postlaurea/dottorati/XXXII/ In case of problems or questions related to the application procedure, please contact: anastasia.bruzzone(a)iit.it =========================================================================== Application deadline: *****10 June 2016, Noon, Italian time****** ===========================================================================

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Postdoctoral position in active touch sensing
by Calogero Oddo April 27, 2016

April 27, 2016

Dear Colleagues, we are opening at least one postdoctoral position in active touch sensing within the Neuro-robotics Area of The BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy. The recruited postdoctoral fellow(s) may be requested to contribute to the supervision of a growing research team, and will be involved in the development of artificial touch sensory systems, spanning from components level up to robotic system integration and data analysis via neuro-bio-inspired architectures for a wide range of applications, including neuroprosthetics, medical and industrial robotics. Both junior and senior post-docs can apply. Net salary may reach up to 2k€/month, depending on qualification. In our research group we target the engineering of an artificial tactile sense in parallel to the investigation of human touch. We develop and integrate novel transducers. We implement neuromorphic systems, with natural spike-based coding of tactile information. We analyse neural data to unveil the neuronal processes underlying the human sense of touch, and we implement behavioural protocols to characterize the perception of tactile features. The developed biorobotic technologies, complemented with a body of neuroscientific knowledge, converge in key application domains in bionic limb prostheses, safe human-machine co-work, tele-presence for medical robotics and hand-held consumer electronics. The ideal candidate shall have a subset of the following qualifications: - PhD in disciplines such as biorobotics, robotics, computational neuroscience, control and automation, electrical engineering, computer science - Experience in (real-time) programming with C/C++, LabVIEW Real-Time, LabVIEW FPGA - Experience in data-analysis via Matlab - Experience in designing printed circuit boards with software such as Eagle or Orcad - Experience in designing mechanical parts with software such as SolidWorks or PTC Creo - Experience in the development of spike-based neuro-robotic systems, with a particular focus on artificial touch - Track-record in publishing scientific papers in international journals - Track-record in the management of intellectual property issues - Ability to contribute to the preparation of research project proposals - Ability to contribute to didactic activities at graduate or undergraduate level - Ability to work in research teams and to contribute to co-supervision of junior team members - Excellent knowledge of English language Recent publications of our group include: 1. Oddo, C.M.; Raspopovic, S.; Artoni, F.; Mazzoni, A.; Spigler, G.; Petrini, F.; Giambattistelli, F.; Vecchio, F.; Miraglia, F.; Zollo, L.; Di Pino, G.; Camboni, D.; Carrozza, M.C.; Guglielmelli, E.; Rossini, P.M.; Faraguna, U.; Micera, S. Intraneural stimulation elicits discrimination of textural features by artificial fingertip in intact and amputee humans. Elife 2016. 2. Rongala, U.B.; Mazzoni, A.; Oddo, C.M. Neuromorphic Artificial Touch for Categorization of Naturalistic Textures. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems 2015. 3. Rongala, U.B.; Mazzoni, A.; Camboni, D.; Carrozza, M.C.; Oddo, C.M. Neuromorphic artificial sense of touch: bridging robotics and neuroscience. International Symposium on Robotics Research 2015. 4. Salgarella, A.R.; Giudetti, G.; Ricotti, L.; Camboni, D.; Puleo, G.L.; Ruini, F.; Tonda-Turo, C.; Chiono, V.; Ciardelli, G.; Micera, S.; Menciassi, A.; Oddo, C.M. A bio-hybrid mechanotransduction system based on ciliate cells. Microelectronic Engineering 2015. 5. Klöcker, A.; Oddo, C.M.; Camboni, D.; Penta, M.; Thonnard, J.-L. Physical Factors Influencing Pleasant Touch during Passive Fingertip Stimulation. PloS One 2014. To express interest in this position, please contact: - Dr. Calogero Maria Oddo - c.oddo(a)sssup.it - Prof. Maria Chiara Carrozza - m.c.carrozza(a)sssup.it Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA, http://www.santannapisa.it/en) is a public Italian university for research and advanced undergraduate and graduate education in the fields of Experimental and Social Sciences. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings of young universities, released in April 2016, SSSA ranked 10th worldwide among institutions that are aged 50 or younger and 5th worldwide among institutions that are aged 30 or younger. Post-graduate education and research activities at SSSA are structured within six Institutes. The present position is opened at The BioRobotics Institute, directed by Prof. Paolo Dario, which was specifically created to host the research activities of SSSA at the intersection between scientific research and technological innovation in robotics and bioengineering (http://sssa.bioroboticsinstitute.it) The BioRobotics Institute was formally established in 2011 and it gathers the experience of more than 20 years of research carried out by the ARTS and CRIM Labs, that were founded by Prof. Paolo Dario with the mission of addressing research in the field of Biorobotics and Biomechatronics with a strong interdisciplinary approach, integrating different knowledge backgrounds to study theoretical and technological problems related to the development of advanced robotic systems and microtechnologies. Please feel free to forward this call to colleagues or to any candidate that you may consider qualified. Thank you and best regards, Calogero Maria Oddo and Maria Chiara Carrozza -- Calogero M. Oddo PhD BioRobotics MSc, BSc Electronic Engineering Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Head of the Human Machine Nexus Laboratory Neuro-robotics Area The BioRobotics Institute Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025, Pontedera (PI), Italy Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy Tel: +39 050 88 3067 Mobile: +39 331 6992273 email: oddoc(a)sssup.it http://sssa.bioroboticsinstitute.it/user/102 http://sssa.bioroboticsinstitute.it/research/neurorobotics

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Conf: Frontiers in Applied and Computational Mathematics, June 3-4, USA
by Casey Diekman April 27, 2016

April 27, 2016

The 13th Annual Conference on Frontiers in Applied and Computational Mathematics (FACM '16) will be held at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, New Jersey on June 3-4, 2016. The conference focuses on mathematical and computational aspects of materials science, mathematical neuroscience, computational wave propagation, biological and microscale fluid dynamics, statistics, and biostatistics. Researchers in these areas are invited to address the development of mathematical techniques for application to challenging problems. Plenary speakers: Robert Kass (Carnegie Mellon University), Mitchell Luskin (University of Minnesota), Laura Miller (UNC Chapel Hill), André Nachbin (IMPA, Brazil) *Travel funding for contributed poster presentations is available. Abstract submission and registration deadline is April 29, 2016.* Further details can be found at: http://m.njit.edu/Events/FACM16/

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PhD position in swarm robotics available at UTC (Compiegne - France)
by Eliseo Ferrante April 26, 2016

April 26, 2016

—apologies for multiple postings— A fully-funded three years PhD position in swarm robotics is available at the Laboratory of Excellence (LABEX) at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC) in France (www.utc.fr/labexms2t) The successful candidate will work with Dr. Eliseo Ferrante on exciting topics at the interface between swarm robotics, evolutionary biology, and statistical physics. The research direction will be managed by Dr. Ferrante in collaboration with the DIVINA project ( https://www.hds.utc.fr/labex-ms2t-484/news-rubrique/events/DIVINA/?lang=en) team led by Prof. Vincent Frémont. The PhD is expected to start in Fall 2016. The accepted candidate will work on a project focusing on the design of self-organized collective behaviors for performing collective exploration of a an unknown environment using a swarm of robots and principles of self-organization. The methods will be based on biological models of information retrieval and integration, such as distributed decision-making and collective categorization, which in turns recalls the cognitive mapping processes in the human brain. For a description of the research interests of Dr. Ferrante, please visit his website (https://bio.kuleuven.be/ento/ferrante/) Graduate students with background in computer science, physics, or biology and with specialization in artificial intelligence, statistical physics, computational modeling in biology, or robotics are encouraged to apply. The candidate is expected to be proficient in programming in languages such as C++ and Java, and to have solid knowledge of scientific software packages such as Matlab, R, and/or equivalent. Candidates with experience with multi-agent simulations will be highly preferred. Fluent English (written and spoken) is required, and only applications in English will be accepted. Above all, the applicants must be motivated, autonomous, and able to learn quickly and work effectively on challenging research problems. We will begin reviewing candidate's applications starting from June 2016. To apply, you can send the following documents to Eliseo.Ferrante(a)hds.utc.fr and Vincent.Fremont(a)hds.utc.fr: - Curriculum vitae - Motivation letter - At least two references and/or recommendation letters - A statement of research experience and interests - Any research articles authored by the applicant For any informal enquiry about the eligibility conditions, as well as for more details about the position, please contact Eliseo Ferrante < eliseo.ferrante(a)hds.utc.fr>.

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Fully funded PhD position, University of Genoa, Italy - Binocular visuomotor systems
by Silvio P. Sabatini April 26, 2016

April 26, 2016

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three-year PhD student position at "The Physical Structure of Perception and Computation" (PSPC) lab of the Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, Italy. The position will start on Nov 1st, 2016 on the following research project: **Modeling the impaired binocular visual system** Expected results will concern: 1) a better understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie the healthy and impaired visual system, 2) developing and assessing diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies for visual impairments, 3) inspiring design principles for artificial visual systems. The project will provide the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment in collaborations with engineers, neuroscientists and clinicians. Ongoing cooperations, at international level, and especially with: - Prof. Peter J. Bex, Translational Vision Lab, Northeastern University, Boston, MA. - Prof. Marty Banks, BanksLab, University of California - Berkeley, CA. will ensure a highly interdisciplinary and stimulating environment. The PhD will be fully funded, including stipend (EUR 1230 per month after taxes), fees, and a research training and support grant (EUR 1650 per year). * * HOW TO APPLY* Candidates must have: - a University degree at Master level (or expect to obtain it by October 31st, 2016) in Bioengineering, Computer Science, Physics, Applied Mathematics or related disciplines; - a keen interest in reverse-engineering the brain; - essential skills in Matlab and/or C/C++/C# or Python programming. Knowledge on computational neuroscience, machine learning, image processing are a plus. Experience with Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and CUDA programming is also a plus. Online application is possible till June 10th, 2016 (at noon) Italian time Full details on the call and the application procedure are available at: http://www.studenti.unige.it/postlaurea/dottorati/XXXII/ENG/ http://phd.dibris.unige.it/biorob/index.php/how-to-apply _Informal inquiries regarding the position are encouraged.__ __Please contact:_ Silvio P. Sabatini (silvio.sabatini(a)unige.it) Also, a post-doc of mine (Agostino Gibaldi) will be available throughout the VSS 2016 conference, so please send him an email (agostino.gibaldi(a)unige.it) if you would like to set up a meeting. * * WHERE* DIBRIS is a unique inter-school department of the University of Genoa, bridging together researchers from the former Science and Engineering Faculties. It offers an excellent multidisciplinary, interactive and collaborative research environment combining expertise in computer vision, computational neuroscience, neuromorphic computing, robotics and mechatronics. PSPC-Lab has a long-standing expertise in visual coding and multidimensional signal representation, robot perception and computer vision. In the last years, the lab's research activity focused on the analysis of the structural mechanisms of visuo-spatial cognition, responsible for orienting and interacting in the 3D space. Our lab is located in Genoa, a small beautiful town in northern Italy, both from historical (its historical center is the largest of Europe) and naturalistic point of view (sea and mountains coexist creating a unique landscape). Genoa is only 1.30h away from Milan by train and connected by plane to Rome (1.00h), London (2h) and Paris (1.30h). Regards, -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Silvio P. SABATINI, PhD [PSPC Research Group] Professor of Bioengineering DIBRIS - University of Genova | e_mail: silvio.sabatini(a)unige.it Via Opera Pia, 11A | phone: +39 010 3532092/3532794 I-16145 Genova (ITALY) | fax: +39 010 3532289/3536533 URL: http://pspc.unige.it --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Imagination is more important than knowledge..." [Albert Einstein]

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Interdisciplinary post-doctoral position in cognitive neuroscience
by Schurger Lab April 26, 2016

April 26, 2016

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interdisciplinary post-doctoral position in cognitive neuroscience Brain-behavior forecasting: Neural antecedents of spontaneous self-initiated movement in humans and the perception of personal causation Starting date: Fall 2016 / Spring 2017 Duration: 2 years (renewable for one additional year) The French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) invites applications for a post-doctoral position in the Cognitive Neuroimaging Group, at the NeuroSpin Research Center near Paris, France, as part of the research team of Dr. Aaron Schurger. The Schurger lab focuses on understanding how decisions are made and actions initiated spontaneously, without an external sensory cue, and how the relevant causal processes in the brain are related to the subjective perception of personal causation. We are also interested in how time series of neural activity can be used to forecast behavior. We pursue this research using a combination of behavioral experiments, neuroimaging, computational modeling, time-series analysis, and machine learning techniques. Applicants should have a obtained a PhD in a relevant discipline prior to the starting date, and should have strong skills in two or more of the following areas: neuroimaging techniques (MEG, EEG) and data-analysis tools, computer programming (MatLab, Python, C, C++), statistics, signal processing, machine learning, computational and/or neural network modeling, behavioral psychophysics, time-series analysis, forecast verification methods. Resources available at NeuroSpin include Siemens 3T and 7T MRI scanners; high-density EEG (EGI Inc.); Elekta NeuroMag 306-channel MEG (allowing for the simultaneous recording of EEG); eye tracking (available for MRI, MEG, and behavioral experiments); an in-house team of experts in signal processing and statistical learning; a dedicated staff handling subject recruitment, scheduling, and payment; various Nespresso devices; and proximity to Paris. Applicants should send a CV, letter of motivation (max 2 pages), and three letters of recommendation (or contact information for three references) via e-mail to schurgerlab(a)gmail.com. Review of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The NeuroSpin Research Center is located on the campus of the CEA-Saclay, near Orsay, about 18 km southwest of Paris. For more information on the NeuroSpin Research Center and the Cognitive Neuroimaging Group: http://www-centre-saclay.cea.fr/fr/Visite-guidee-de-NeuroSpin http://meg-france.in2p3.fr/_lesCentres/Neurospin_en.php http://www-dsv.cea.fr/en/institutes/institute-of-biomedical-imaging-i2bm/de… http://www.unicog.org/pm/pmwiki.php -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Neuroinformatics 2016 in Reading, UK, September 3-4
by Ingo Bojak April 26, 2016

April 26, 2016

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post-doc in computational neuroscience and development...
by John Spencer (PSY) April 26, 2016

April 26, 2016

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA Senior Research Associate (1fte) £31,342 to £37,394 per annum, pro rata This role offers an exciting opportunity to be involved in innovative experimental research with young children as well as extensive process-based modelling using dynamic neural fields. The programme aims to test the first formal theory of early word learning that integrates visual object processing and word learning across multiple timescales. The successful applicant will work closely with Profs. Larissa Samuelson and John Spencer. You will take a lead role in the project, coordinating dynamic neural field simulations and related theory development, developing and running experiments with young children, and analysing and reporting data. The post is available on a full-time (1fte) basis from 15 June 2016 for a fixed term period until 31 May 2020. The post is subject to a criminal records check at enhanced level from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Closing date: 12 noon on 21 May 2016. Further particulars and an application form are available on our website: www.uea.ac.uk/hr/vacancies/<http://www.uea.ac.uk/hr/vacancies/> or Tel. 01603 593493 John P. Spencer, PhD Professor School of Psychology, Room 0.09 Lawrence Stenhouse Building, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ United Kingdom Email: j.spencer(a)uea.ac.uk<mailto:j.spencer@uea.ac.uk> School website: http://www.uea.ac.uk/psy Telephone 01603 593968 [cid:image001.png@01D09851.EF67E200] UK Top 20 (16th Complete University Guide 2015, 18th Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015-16) UK 2nd for Student Satisfaction (National Student Survey 2015) World Top 1% (Times Higher Education World Rankings 2015-16) World Top 100 (Leiden Ranking 2015) [facebook]<http://www.facebook.com/ueaofficial> [twitter-old] <http://www.twitter.com/uniofeastanglia> [tumblr] <http://uniofeastanglia.tumblr.com/> [flickr] <http://www.flickr.com/uniofeastanglia> [linkedin] <http://www.linkedin.com/edu/school?id=12699> [youtube] <http://www.youtube.com/ueaofficial> [cid:image008.png@01CF8BB5.50024060] <http://instagram.com/uniofeastanglia>

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Call for abstracts - Neuromechanics 2016 - Approaching abstract submission deadline
by Manish Sreenivasa April 26, 2016

April 26, 2016

*International Symposium on the Neuromechanics of Human Movement* 4-6 October 2016, Heidelberg, Germany Reminder: Approaching abstract submission deadline, 30th April 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Researchers working in neuroscience, biomechanics and robotics with a focus on human movements are invited to submit their work to the Neuromechanics 2016 symposium: http://orb.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de/neuromechanics2016/abstract-submissions/ The symposium will feature talks by renowned speakers working in, and across, these fields. In addition, there will be poster sessions and ample opportunities for discussions in formal and informal settings. List of speakers: http://orb.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de/neuromechanics2016/speakers/ Researchers are welcome to present their work as posters or fill the few remaining speaker slots (please indicate your preference during submission). Please note that this will be a 2.5 day single track event with a limited number of participants. As an added incentive, selected high quality abstracts will be invited to submit full length papers to the newly established journal research topic titled: "Neuromechanics and Control of Physical Behavior: from Experimental and Computational Formulations to Bio-inspired Technologies". The research topic is edited by Massimo Sartori, Manish Sreenivasa, Alfred Schouten, Matthew Tresch, Yoshihiko Nakamura and Francisco Valero-Cuevas, and appears in the journals Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, and, Frontiers in Neurorobotics: journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/4698 -- Dr. Manish Sreenivasa Optimization in Robotics & Biomechanics Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing University of Heidelberg Berlinerstr. 45 | 69120 Heidelberg | Germany Tel: +49-6221-54-14874 Web: orb.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de/people/manish

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Save the date! 5th Annual Winter q-bio Meeting in HAWAII Feb. 21-24, 2017!
by Santamaria, Cookie April 25, 2016

April 25, 2016

THE FIFTH ANNUAL WINTER Q-BIO MEETING Quantitative Biology on the Hawaiian Islands February 21-24, 2017 http://w-qbio.org/ SAVE THE DATE!! More details to come, but our fifth anniversary venue will be at the Grand Hyatt<http://kauai.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html> in Kauai! The Winter q-bio meeting brings together scientists and engineers who are interested in all areas of q-bio. Technology is driving revolutionary changes in biology. Systems Biology has arisen as the deduction of interaction networks from -omics data generated in the wake of remarkable technological achievements. Likewise, DNA synthesis technologies are driving the development of Synthetic Biology, whereby engineered circuitry and even entire genomes can be reconstituted from chemical building blocks. These two emerging areas have catalyzed the growth of Quantitative Biology, whereby the central goal is the deduction of quantitative principles that can be used to construct predictive models for biological phenomena. The venue for 2017 is the Grand Hyatt, which is located in Poipu, on the island of Kauai. This remarkable resort is balanced between magnificent lush mountains and the azure sea, among the wonders of the Garden Isle. CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS: Jeff Hasty, University of California, San Diego Galit Lahav, Harvard University Wendell Lim, University of California, San Francisco Gurol Suel, University of California, San Diego Olga Troyanskaya, Princeton & Simons Center for Data Analysis Lev Tsimring, University of California, San Diego We encourage you to forward this message to any colleagues who may be interested in taking part in this exciting event. Questions should be emailed to: coordinator(a)w-qbio.org<mailto:coordinator@w-qbio.org> SPONSORED BY: UC San Diego BioCircuits Institute and the San Diego Center for Systems Biology UC San Diego Divisions of Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, q-bio, and Engineering UC San Francisco Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology

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Deadline Approaching: Gordon Research Conference & Seminar on Neurobiology of Cognition
by Sarah Heilbronner April 25, 2016

April 25, 2016

We would like to invite you to apply for the 2016 Gordon Research Conference on Neurobiology of Cognition, "Neural Circuits for Perception, Memory, Thought, and Consciousness." The Gordon Research Conference will be held July 24-29 at Sunday River, ME. More information, including a list of speakers, can be found here: https://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=14548 The Gordon Research Seminar for postdocs and graduate students will precede the main conference (July 23-24). Please note that the deadline for submitting an abstract to be considered for a GRS talk is April 30! More information can be found here: https://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=16594 We look forward to seeing many of you in Maine this summer. Best, Tatiana Pasternak & David Leopold, GRC chairs Brian Russ & Sarah Heilbronner, GRS chairs

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postdocotral fellowship: empirical testing of integrated information theory with neural recordings
by Naotsugu Tsuchiya April 25, 2016

April 25, 2016

Advertisement: Postdoctoral position at Monash University, Australia. A postdoctoral position is available to work on a JST (Japan Science and Technology) funded CREST research project on “Towards constructing artificial consciousness based on the integrated information theory (IIT)” (PIs: Kanai, Kawanabe and Maekawa, Co-PIs: Tsuchiya and Oizumi), which started in Oct 2015 and will run for 5.5 years till Mar 2021. The initial appointment will be for one year, with renewal based upon satisfactory performance and evaluation. Salary will be commensurate with experience. We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow whose main research interest is the neuronal basis of consciousness, the analysis of multi-channel neural data and the integrated information theory (IIT) of consciousness, in order to empirically test predictions from IIT in real neural systems For those who are interested, please check out the following key papers for the project. 1. Measuring integrated information from the decoding perspective http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.10046… 2. A unified framework for information integration based on information geometry http://arxiv.org/abs/1510.04455 3. Contents of Consciousness Investigated as Integrated Information in Direct Human Brain Recordings http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/02/15/039032 You will be employed at Araya Brain Imaging (CEO: Kanai) in Japan, but the actual location of work will be conducted at A/Prof NaotsuguTsuchiya's lab in Monash University, Australia. There will be some travels between Japan and Australia at least twice a year to maximise interactions within the team in Japan. Required skills: excellent programming, familiarity in key mathematical concepts especially machine learning and information theory. Excellence in written and oral English communication skills, as supported by objective publication recorded, will be essential. Monash University, one of the eight top universities in Australia (G8), is forming a strong cluster of consciousness researchers, called Monash Neuroscience of Consciousness (MoNoC http://ochinpun.wix.com/monoc#!who_we_are/c139r) ranging from philosophers, neurophysiologists, and psychologists. We are located in the building with excellent cognitive neuroscience tools available (simultaneous EEG & fMRI experiments and EEG/TMS & fMRI experiments at Monash Brain Imaging facility, which hosts a research-only MRI scanner, EEG, TMS and eye tracking. http://mbi.monash.edu.au/) Interested candidates are encouraged to send a CV, statement of research accomplishments and interests, PDF copies of representative publications, and contact information for 2 reference letters to: naotsugu.tsuchiya(a)monash.edu Application review will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. Best wishes, Nao Tsuchiya -- -- *Nao (Naotsugu) Tsuchiya* Associate Professor *Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences* Attention and Memory Program School of Psychological Sciences Monash University 770 Blackburn Monash Brain Imaging facility, Clayton, VIC 3800 Australia T: +61 3 9905 4564 E: naotsugu.tsuchiya(a)monash.edu W: homepage: http://users.monash.edu.au/~naotsugt/Tsuchiya_Labs_Homepage http://med.monash.edu.au/psych/email-sig/miccn-email-sig.jpg <http://www.monash.edu/neuro-institute/> 2. ARC Future Fellow 3. Visiting Researcher at Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging, Advanced Telecommunications Research (ATR), Japan 4. Visiting Researcher at CiNet, Osaka University, Japan orcid.org/0000-0003-4216-8701

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Last Call for Abstracts in Brain/Computer/Machine Interfacing and Neuromodulation
by Camille Grigsby-Rocca April 25, 2016

April 25, 2016

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the final call for abstracts for Neuromodulation: The Science Conference, for the Neurovations Awards for Scientific Excellence in Neuromodulation. Submissions are due this Friday, April 29, 2016 for our upcoming neuroscience summit, slated for May 25-29, 2016 in San Francisco. See the Abstract Submission Guidelines here<http://ntsconference.com/neurovations-award/>. The Scientific Committee is accepting abstracts for posters presenting original basic or clinical scientific research or updates in brain/computer/machine interfacing, neuromodulation of the brain and nervous system, and bioengineering. Three prizes in the amounts of $3000, $2000, and $1000 are available for the posters selected by the committee. Awards will be presented on the final day of the conference. All posters must be attended by a registered conference attendee. Early registration rates are available through April 29. Discounted lodging rates at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, San Francisco, run until April 29. Abstracts will be accepted through April 29. We would be grateful if you would share this information with your colleagues, and hope to see you at our meeting next month. More information is available at ntsconference.com - I have also included more below on our poster requirements and meeting, including our full Scientific Committee. Please email education(a)neurovations.com directly with any further questions. VIEW THE FULL CONFERENCE PROGRAM HERE<http://ntsconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/NTS_agenda_040516.pdf>. With warm regards, Camille Grigsby-Rocca Neurovations Education ________________________________ SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Elliot Krames, MD Past President INS, Founding Editor of Neuromodulation Eric Grigsby, MD, MBA CEO, Neurovations Clinical Research and Education Founder, Napa Pain Institute, the SpectrumCare Group Peter Staats, MD Premier Pain Centers, Past President, NANS Joe Pancrazio, PhD Associate Provost and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at University of Texas at Dallas Hunter Peckham, PhD Professor Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University Dominique Durand, PhD El Lindseth Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve Universtiy Magdy Hassouna, MD, PhD Department of Urology, University of Toronto Ali Rezai, MD Director, OSU Neuroscience Program, Stanley and Jodi Ross Chair in Neuromodulation, Associate Dean of Neurosciences, Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Robert Gross, MD, PhD Professor, Departments of Neurosurgery, Neurology, Biomedical Engineering, and Neuroscience,Director, Functional, Stereotactic & Epilepsy Surgery Division Tony Yaksh, PhD Distinguished Professor in Anesthesiology and Pharmacology and Vice Chairman for Research in Anesthesiology(1988-present), Co-director of the Pain and Symptom Management Core of the UCSD Regional Cancer Center Chad Bouton, MS Division Leader, Neurotechnology and Analytics, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Managing Director, Center for Bioelectronic Medicine Simon Thomson, MD Past President, INS Bengt Linderoth, MD, PhD Professor of Neurosurgery, retired, Karolinska Institute Robert Foreman, PhD George Lynn Cross Research Professor, University of Oklahoma, Dept of Physiology, retired Michael DeJongste, MD, PhD Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dept of Cardiology, University of Groningen Jiande Chen, PhD Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

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Funded PhD studentship in eye-hand coordination in virtual reality (UK/EU students only)
by Sang-Hoon Yeo April 24, 2016

April 24, 2016

Development of a low-cost, virtual reality based eye-hand coordination assessment system for home-based rehabilitation Dr Sang-Hoon Yeo and Dr Ned Jenkinson, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Birmingham, UK Starting October 2016, We have a funded PhD studentship available for UK and EU (who have been in UK for more than 3 years) students. The goal of this 3 year PhD project is 1) to develop a novel virtual reality based hardware and software platform that can capture and assess the three-dimensional eye-hand coordination patterns during interceptive movements and 2) to build a computational model that will advance our quantitative understanding of the brain’s interception mechanism. One unique and innovative aspect of the development is that the whole system will consist of consumer-level display and motion tracking devices (head mounted display, e.g. Oculus Rift, with and eye tracking ability and magnetic sensor based 3D joysticks), of which the total cost will be no more than £1,000. This will allow us to build a cost-effective, home-based health care system that can be easily distributed to patients’ home, which will quantitatively evaluate the patient’s sensorimotor performance, detect and prevent preemptively any potential neuromotor disorders, and help patient’s rehabilitation following neuromotor disease. We are looking for motivated people to participate in the development of the experimental platform, data collection and computational modelling / analysis. The ideal candidate will have a background in computer science, robotics, psychology, mathematics, physics, and have some experience (or at least a keen interest) in one or more of the following fields: human movement experiment, motion capture, eye-tracking, computer animation, virtual reality, software development. Please contact Dr Sang-Hoon Yeo (s.yeo(a)bham.ac.uk) for further information. Deadline for application is 20-MAY-2016. Best wishes, Sang-Hoon -- Dr Sang-Hoon Yeo Lecturer in Biomechanics and Motor Control School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences The University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom +44(0)121 414 8748

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CALL FOR SUBMISSION for the Fourth International Conference on CSCEET 2017 in Lebanon
by Grace Allas April 24, 2016

April 24, 2016

*** CALL FOR PAPERS SUBMISSION *** The Fourth International Conference on Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Education Technologies (CSCEET2017) April 26-28, 2017 Faculty of Engineering - Lebanese University Beirut, Lebanon http://sdiwc.net/conferences/csceet2017/ ---------------------------------------------------------- All registered papers will be submitted to IEEE for potential inclusion to IEEE Xplore The conference aims to enable researchers build connections between different digital applications. The event will be held over three days, with presentations delivered by researchers from the international community, including presentations from keynote speakers and state-of-the-art lectures. RESEARCH TOPICS ARE NOT LIMITED TO: • Information and Data Management • Social Networks • Data Compression • Information Content Security • E-Technology • Mobile, Ad Hoc and Sensor Network Management • E-Government • Web Services Architecture, Modeling and Design • E-Learning • Semantic Web, Ontologies • Wireless Communications • Web Services Security • Mobile Networking, Mobility and Nomadicity • Quality of Service, Scalability and Performance • Ubiquitous Computing, Services and Applications • Self-Organizing Networks and Networked Systems • Data Mining • Data Management in Mobile Peer-to-Peer Networks • Computational Intelligence • Data Stream Processing in Mobile/Sensor Networks • Biometrics Technologies • Indexing and Query Processing for Moving Objects • Forensics, Recognition Technologies and Applications • Cryptography and Data Protection • Information Ethics • User Interfaces and Usability Issues form Mobile Applications • Fuzzy and Neural Network Systems • Mobile Social Networks • Signal Processing, Pattern Recognition and Applications • Peer-to-Peer Social Networks • Image Processing • Sensor Networks and Social Sensing • Distributed and parallel applications • Social Search • Internet Modeling • Embedded Systems and Software • User Interfaces, Visualization and Modeling • Real-Time Systems • XML-Based Languages • Multimedia Computing • Network Security • Software Engineering • Remote Sensing --------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT DATES Submission Deadline : Open from now until Feb 26, 2017 Notification of Acceptance : March 11, 2017 or 4 weeks from the date of submission Camera Ready Submission : March 26, 2017 Registration Deadline : March 26, 2017 Paper Submission: http://sdiwc.net/conferences/csceet2017/openconf/openconf.php Write us for more details: csceet17(a)sdiwc.net

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NEURAL COMPUTATION - April, 2014
by Terry Sejnowski April 24, 2016

April 24, 2016

Neural Computation - Contents -- Volume 26, Number 4 - April 1, 2014 Available online for download now: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/toc/neco/26/4 ----- Article Parametric Inference in the Large Data Limit Using Maximally Informative Models Justin Block Kinney, Gurinder Singh Atwal Letters Input Statistics and Hebbian Crosstalk Effects Anca R. Radulescu Learning Nonlinear Regularities in Natural Images by Modeling the Outer Product of Image Intensities Peng Qi, Xiaolin Hu Dissociable Forms of Repetition Priming: A Computational Model Kirill Makukhin, Scott Bolland Refined Rademacher Chaos Complexity Bounds With Applications to the Multi-Kernel Learning Problem Yunwen Lei, Lixin Ding Large Margin Low Rank Tensor Analysis Guoqiang Zhong, Mohamed Cheriet Large-scale Linear RankSVM Ching-Pei Lee, Chih-Jen Lin ------------ ON-LINE -- http://www.mitpressjournals.org/neuralcomp SUBSCRIPTIONS - 2014 - VOLUME 26 - 12 ISSUES USA Others Electronic Only Student/Retired $70 $193 $65 Individual $124 $187 $115 Institution $1,035 $1,098 $926 Canada: Add 5% GST MIT Press Journals, 238 Main Street, Suite 500, Cambridge, MA 02142-9902 Tel: (617) 253-2889 FAX: (617) 577-1545 journals-orders(a)mit.edu ------------

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Postdoctoral position at UC Santa Barbara
by Yon Visell April 24, 2016

April 24, 2016

We are seeking a highly creative and motivated postdoctoral fellow to work in the RE Touch Lab (http://www.re-touch-lab.com) College of Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, within a multidisciplinary team of roboticists, engineers, and scientists. The successful candidate will undertake research aimed at illuminating biomechanical mechanisms of sensory information processing in the upper limb. We are using novel instrumentation, 3D imaging techniques, and computational modeling, in order to characterize sensory information processing associated with soft tissue dynamics in the whole limb, including signals associated with multi-digit grasping and manipulation. The results will guide the design of new interactive technologies with applications in VR and robotics. We are interested in candidates with possible expertise in a number of potential areas, including any of the following: - Perception; Decision theory - Signal processing - Probabilistic and computational models of behavior - Deformable image registration Consideration will be given to candidates with strong quantitative skills and a recent (< 5 years) PhD in a relevant field (computational neuroscience, psychology, computer science, engineering, etc). A PhD is required. Salary will be highly competitive. The RE Touch Lab is affiliated with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (http://ece.ucsb.edu) and the Media Arts and Technology Graduate Program (http://www.mat.ucsb.edu) an interdisciplinary program at the convergence of art, multimedia and engineering. The lab is physically integrated in the UCSB California NanoSystems Institute - A unique institution combining multiple Engineering departments at UCSB, and whose faculty include Nobel Prize winners, Fields Medal winners, Technical Academy Award winners, and multiple National Academy of Science members. With world-class facilities set in a beautiful mediterranean climate on the California shore, the University of California, Santa Barbara College of Engineering is rated among the top 10 in the world. Interested parties should contact Professor Yon Visell <yonvisell(a)ece.ucsb.edu> for information. Applicants are asked to a CV, copies of relevant publications, and contact information for at least three references. The Department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. _________________________________________________________ Yon Visell, PhD Assistant Professor University of California, Santa Barbara Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Media Arts & Technology Graduate Program Mechanical Engineering Department www.re-touch-lab.com Mobile: +1 267 800 8960 _________________________________________________________

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DENDRITES 2016, June 18-21, Crete: EMBO travel fellowships
by Yiota Poirazi April 23, 2016

April 23, 2016

Please post this announcement on the comp-neuro list. Thanks much! Yiota Poirazi ----------------------- Dear colleagues, We are happy to announce additional support from EMBO for the DENDRITES 2016 EMBO Workshop <www.dendrites2016.gr>. As a result: *A.* Early registration rates extend to May 31st, 2016 B. We offer *six* travel fellowships (up to 500 Euro) provided by EMBO for participants of the DENDRITES 2016 meeting working in *Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain* and*Turkey*. Interested candidates, including both registered and new participants, must submit: 1) a short Resume 2) a short statement of why they wish to attend the workshop and why financial support is critical for them 3) at least one letter of recommendation The above should be submitted by email to poirazi(a)imbb.forth.gr by *May 8th, 2016*. Awardees will be announced on *May 15th, 2016*. on behalf of the organizing committee, Yiota Poirazi *---------------------------------- EMBO Workshop on Dendritic Anatomy, Molecules and Function (DENDRITES 2016)* Heraklion, Crete, Greece June 18-21, 2016 http://dendrites2016.gr/ <http://www.dendrites2016.gr/> info(a)dendrites2016.gr <mailto:info@dendrites.gr> _Organizers:_ Yiota Poirazi, IMBB-FORTH Michael Hausser, UCL * * Matthew Larkum, Humboldt University _Invited speakers (scientific talks): _ Claudia Clopath Daniel Dombeck Casper Hoogenraad Arthur Konnerth Attila Losonczy Judit Makara Rishikesh Narayanan Elly Nedivi Jackie Schiller Erin Schuman Idan Segev Nelson Spruston Greg Stuart _Invited speakers (Career Issues in academia):_ Monica Di Luca, FENS President: "Publication issues: right time for a reality check" Camilla Belone, FENS-Kavli Scholar: "Retention of women in high levels of neuroscience - Perspectives" Emre Yaksi, FENS-Kavli Scholar: "Funding opportunities in Neuroscience: how to write a successful grant proposal" Matthew Larkum: "How to write an influential scientific publication" -- Panayiota Poirazi, Ph.D. Director of Research Computational Biology Laboratory Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH) Vassilika Vouton, P.O.Box 1385 GR 711 10 Heraklion, Crete, GREECE Tel: +30 2810 391139 <tel:+30%202810%20391139> Fax: +30 2810 391101 <tel:+30%202810%20391101> Εmail: poirazi(a)imbb.forth.gr <mailto:poirazi@imbb.forth.gr> http://www.dendrites.gr Chair http://www.fens.org/Outreach/FENS-Kavli-Network-of-Excellence/ -

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MSc program in Neuroscience - Univ. Freiburg, Germany
by Carsten Mehring April 23, 2016

April 23, 2016

MSc program in Neuroscience - University of Freiburg, Germany We are inviting applications for the interdisciplinary MSc program in Neuroscience at the University of Freiburg, Germany. The program provides theoretical and practical training in neuroscience, covering both the foundations and latest research in the field. It is taught by lecturers from an international scientific community from three faculties and two neuroscience research centres. The modular course structure caters to the specific backgrounds and research interests of each individual student and we offer specialisations in computational neuroscience, neuro-/optophysiology, neurotechnology and developmental neuroscience. All courses are taught in English and the program is free of tuition fees. We welcome applications with a background in natural sciences, mathematics, behavioural sciences, computer science or engineering sciences. The deadline for applications for a start in October 2016 is the 15th of July (EU students) or the 31st of May (non-EU students). Further details can be found on our homepage http://www.mscneuro.uni-freiburg.de <http://www.mscneuro.uni-freiburg.de/> Please contact mscneuro@uni-freiburg,de for further questions. With best regards Carsten Mehring — Bernstein Center Freiburg & Faculty of Biology University of Freiburg

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Fully funded PhD position, University of Genoa, Italy – "Computational Neuroengineering"
by Silvio P. Sabatini April 22, 2016

April 22, 2016

Applications are invited for one full-time PhD studentship for a period of 3 years, at the Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, Italy. The position will start on Nov 1st, 2016 on the following research project: *Sensory processing in large-scale hierarchical networks of interacting neuronal assemblies* Feed-forward networks provide a minimal framework to study coding and decoding strategies as well as to interpret certain aspects of cortical information processing. Following this architectural paradigm, deep networks have been proposed to specialize for different perceptual tasks, for taking decisions, or planning motor acts. However, such networks rely on an over-simplification in which single nodes model homogeneous population of cells and connections represent average interactions among populations (i.e., meta-network approach). The proposed project aims to increase the complexity and the realism of this model by designing and analyzing the behavior of large-scale hierarchical network of interacting neuronal assemblies. Each node should be modeled as an assembly composed of excitatory and inhibitory neurons with their own dynamics. The neurons of each assembly will respond to properties of the visual signal through their afferent receptive fields. Yet, their overall behavior will emerge from recurrent interactions, and will be ruled by network-parameters, like balance between excitation and inhibition, kind of connectivity, number of neurons of each of these assemblies. The goal is to develop a new model and to investigate the role of specific vs. unspecific inhibition on the tuning properties of the single cells, and on the efficiency of the code provided by the emerging functionally homogeneous populations, and on their attendant adaptation capabilities. The dynamic properties of the network will be analyzed in relation with the interconnections topology, and eventually related to its sensory processing capabilities. The research will be conducted at the NBT and PSPC labs of DIBRIS, under the joint guidance of Paolo Massobrio and Silvio P. Sabatini. Successful applicants would have a background (M.Sc. degree) in bioengineering, computer science, physics or related disciplines; strong interest in computational neuroscience; attitude for problem solving. Interests in understanding/learning basic biology. Essential skills comprise Matlab and/or C++/C# programming. Experience in computational neuroscience is a plus. * HOW TO APPLY Candidates must have: - a University degree at Master level (or expect to obtain it by October 31st, 2016) in Bioengineering, Computer Science, Physics or related disciplines; - strong interest in computational neuroscience; attitude for problem solving. Interests in understanding/learning basic biology. - Essential skills comprise Matlab and/or C++/C# programming. Experience in computational neuroscience is a plus. Online application is possible till June 10th, 2016 (at noon) Italian time Full details on the call and the application procedure are available at: http://www.studenti.unige.it/postlaurea/dottorati/XXXII/ENG/ http://phd.dibris.unige.it/biorob/index.php/how-to-apply Prospective students, please contact either Paolo Massobrio (paolo.massobrio(a)unige.it) or Silvio P. Sabatini (silvio.sabatini(a)unige.it) providing your CV and qualifications, the name and contact details of two references, and a description of your research interests. * WHERE NBT-Lab has a recognized experience in the field of in vitro electrophysiology (gained through several national and international projects), computational neuroscience and neuroengineering. Currently, the main goal of the lab is the understanding of the interplay between dynamics and connectivity in large-scale neuronal networks. PSPC-Lab has a long-standing expertise in visual coding and multidimensional signal representation, robot perception and computer vision. In the last years, the lab’s research activity focused on the analysis of the structural mechanisms of visuo-spatial cognition, responsible for orienting and interacting in the 3D space. Our labs are located in Genova, a small beautiful town in northern Italy, both from historical (its historical center is the largest of Europe) and naturalistic point of view (sea and mountains coexist creating a unique landscape). Genova is only 1.30h away from Milan by train and connected by plane to Rome (1.00h), London (2h) and Paris (1.30h). Regards, -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Silvio P. SABATINI, PhD [PSPC Research Group] Professor of Bioengineering DIBRIS - University of Genova | e_mail:silvio.sabatini@unige.it Via Opera Pia, 11A | phone: +39 010 3532092/3532794 I-16145 Genova (ITALY) | fax: +39 010 3532289/3536533 URL:http://pspc.unige.it --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Imagination is more important than knowledge..." [Albert Einstein]

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Research Scientist: Machine Learning, Signal Processing, Neuroscience
by Behnood Gholami April 21, 2016

April 21, 2016

AreteX Systems, a medical technology startup company accelerating the use of information technology in healthcare, has an immediate opening for a Research Scientist in its office located in the New York City area. The position involves developing signal processing algorithms for innovative biomedical technologies involving physiological signals. We are looking for a self-motivated, highly talented individual with an excellent background in signal processing and machine learning. The successful candidate will work closely with a team of physicians, nurses, engineers, and scientists in designing new clinical decision support systems. Candidates with experience in the analysis of experimental data derived from---but not limited to---auditory/visual/cross-sensory psychophysical, ECG, and galvanic-skin conductance, data would be given a higher priority. *Minimum Requirements:* - PhD in electrical engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering, neuroscience, applied mathematics, or a similar discipline. - Knowledge of machine learning techniques. - Experience with Python. - *Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. permanent residents. * - Applicants must have received a Ph.D. degree in the seven years prior to the application date. *Preferred Qualifications:* - Prior expertise and exposure using non-invasive human physiological measures such as ECG, galvanic-skin conductance (electrodermal activity), or other categorically similar methodologies. - Prior experience in feature extraction from physiological signals. - Experience working with quantitative methods of neural data analysis. - Knowledge of advanced concepts in signal processing. - Research experience in biosignal and EEG analysis. Please send your cover letter and CV to info(a)aretexeng.com *About AreteX Systems:* AreteX Systems is accelerating the use of information technology in healthcare. Our innovative solutions help reduce intensive care unit costs and increase quality of care. Our core technology utilizes mathematical modeling to predict patient outcome and improve quality of care. The technology provides an efficient method to analyze and interpret patient data already available at the hospitals.

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Postdoctoral Position at The Rockefeller University
by George Reeke April 21, 2016

April 21, 2016

Postdoctoral position in Computational Neuroscience A postdoctoral position supported by the BRAIN initiative is available at The Rockefeller University under the guidance of George Reeke in collaboration with Charles Gilbert and Winrich Freiwald. The overall project will study cortical mechanisms of face and object recognition and more specifically the influence of top-down task and attentional influences on cortical dynamics and perceptual learning in areas of the visual cortical pathway. The computational work will involve developing and running large-scale spiking models of multiple cortical regions studied in the overall project, with the goal of developing an accurate theoretical understanding of the phenomena observed in the experimental research. We are also interested in trying to combine aspects of neural-ensemble style modeling with single-cell modeling where possible to achieve computational efficiency without sacrifice of biological realism, and in devising better statistical approaches for analyzing correlations between firing in different brain areas and between firing records and modeling results. Rockefeller is installing a high-performance computing system with a large number of both CPU and GPU nodes which will provide a state-of- the-art platform for the proposed computational studies. The successful candidate should, ideally, have a Ph.D. in a relevant area of neuroscience with a strong knowledge of mammalian visual systems and experience programming and running models of neuronal systems. The candidate will be expected to develop suitable software to supplement the available tools as needed and will be able to work both independently and as part of a team. Interested individuals should send a c.v. and the names of three references to Dr. George Reeke (reeke(a)rockefeller.edu) with a subject line "Computational Neuroscience postdoc position". The position is available immediate- ly, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The Rockefeller University is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.

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Call for applications: Brains for Brains Young Researchers' Computational Neuroscience Award 2016
by Kerstin Schwarzwaelder April 21, 2016

April 21, 2016

Dear colleagues, for the seventh time, the Bernstein Association for Computational Neuroscience<http://www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-association> is announcing the "Brains for Brains Young Researchers' Computational Neuroscience Award". The call is open for researchers of any nationality who have contributed to a peer reviewed publication (as coauthor) or peer reviewed conference abstract (as first author) that was submitted before starting their doctoral studies, is written in English and was accepted or published in 2015 or 2016. The award is endowed with a travel grant of 2.000 € to cover a trip to Germany, including participation in the Bernstein Conference 2016 in Berlin (www.bernstein-conference.de<http://www.bernstein-conference.de>), and an individually planned visit to up to two German research institutions in Computational Neuroscience. Deadline for application is May 20, 2016 (5:00 p.m. CET). Detailed information about the application procedure can be found under: www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-association/brains-for-brains-2016<http://www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-association/brains-for-brains-2016> For inquiries please contact bernstein.network(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:bernstein.network@fz-juelich.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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