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Seventh Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling
by Jelmer Borst 07 Feb '24

07 Feb '24

– ACT-R, Nengo, PRIMs – Date: 8-12 April 2024 Location: Groningen, the Netherlands Fee: € 305 (late fee after March 7 will be € 355) More information and registration: http://www.ai.rug.nl/springschool/ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Dear colleagues and students, This is a reminder that the early registration deadline for the seventh Spring School on Cognitive Modeling in Groningen (8-12 April 2024) ends on March 7th! As announced earlier, the Spring School will cover three different modeling paradigms: ACT-R, Nengo, and PRIMs. Each of these topics consists of a series of lectures, as well as a number of hands-on exercises (tutorials). Past years have shown that students get most out of the spring school if they really immerse themselves into one modeling paradigm. We therefore recommend you choose one topic for which you will attend both the lectures as well as the tutorials. In addition, you can select a second paradigm, for which you attend the lectures only. To give students a broader picture, there will be multiple guest lectures throughout the week. These lectures will give an introduction to other modeling paradigms, as well as practical research examples to show you what can be done with the modeling paradigms presented! Everyone is encouraged to attend those lectures. To round off the program, there will be a poster session, where students present themselves and their research, as well as a city tour, and our (in)famous spring school dinner. Registration closes on March 31. The early registration deadline ends March 7. Please feel free to forward the information to anyone who might be interested in the Spring School, and let us know if you have any questions! We are looking forward to welcoming you (again) in Groningen, The Spring School team springschool(a)rug.nl <mailto:springschool@rug.nl> – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ACT-R Teachers: Jelmer Borst & Stephen Jones (University of Groningen) Website: http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu <http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/> ACT-R is a high-level cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time experiments to driving a car, learning algebra, and air traffic control. ACT-R can be used to develop process models of a task at a symbolic level. Participants will follow a compressed five-day version of the traditional summer school curriculum. We will also cover the connection between ACT-R and fMRI. Nengo Teacher: Terry Stewart (University of Waterloo) Website: http://www.nengo.ca <http://www.nengo.ca/> Nengo is a toolkit for converting high-level cognitive theories into low-level spiking neuron implementations. In this way, aspects of model performance such as response accuracy and reaction times emerge as a consequence of neural parameters such as the neurotransmitter time constants. It has been used to model adaptive motor control, visual attention, serial list memory, reinforcement learning, Tower of Hanoi, and fluid intelligence. Participants will learn to construct these kinds of models, starting with generic tasks like representing values and positions, and ending with full production-like systems. There will also be special emphasis on extracting various forms of data out of a model, such that it can be compared to experimental data. PRIMs Teacher: Niels Taatgen (University of Groningen) Website: https://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/prims/index.html How do people handle and prioritize multiple tasks? How can we learn something in the context of one task, and partially benefit from it in another task? The goal of PRIMs is to cross the artificial boundary that most cognitive architectures have imposed on themselves by studying single tasks. It has mechanisms to model transfer of cognitive skills, and the competition between multiple goals. In the tutorial we will look at how PRIMs can model phenomena of cognitive transfer and cognitive training, and how multiple goals compete for priority in models of distraction. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – _______________________________________________ ACT-R-users mailing list ACT-R-users(a)act-r.psy.cmu.edu https://mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu/mailman/listinfo/act-r-users -- Jelmer Borst Associate Professor – Computational Cognitive Neuroscience University of Groningen, Bernoulli Institute, dept. of Artificial Intelligence http://www.jelmerborst.nl/

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Postdoctoral Researcher in Computational Neuroscience: Effects of Neuromodulation on Learning in SRNNs
by Fleur Zeldenrust 05 Feb '24

05 Feb '24

*The 'Biophysics of Neural Computation' group in Nijmegen (PI: dr. Fleur Zeldenrust) is looking for a postdoctoral researcher (26 months) to study the effects of neuromodulators in biologically realistic networks and learning tasks in the Vidi project 'Top-down neuromodulation and bottom-up network computation, a computational study'. You will use cellular and behavioural data gathered by our department over the previous five years on dopamine, acetylcholine and serotonin in mouse barrel cortex, to bridge the gap between single cell, network and behavioural effects.* The aim of this project is to explain the effects of neuromodulation on task performance in biologically realistic spiking recurrent neural networks (SRNNs). You will use biologically realistic learning frameworks, such as force learning, to study how network structure influences task performance. You will use existing open source data to train a SRNN on a pole detection task <https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0896627315002512> (for rodents using their whiskers) and incorporate realistic network properties of the (barrel) cortex based on our *lab's measurements <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12021-022-09576-5>*. Next, you will incorporate the cellular effects of dopamine, acetylcholine and serotonin that we have measured (see *this paper <https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giy147>* and *this preprint <https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.12.476007v1>*) into the network, and investigate their effects on task performance. In particular, you will research the effects of biologically realistic network properties (balance between excitation and inhibition and the resulting chaotic activity, non-linear neuronal input-output relations, patterns in connectivity, Dale's law) and incorporate known neuron and network effects. You will build on the single cell data, network models and analysis methods available in our group, and your results will be incorporated into our group's further research to develop and validate efficient coding models of (somatosensory) perception. We are therefore looking for a team player who can collaborate well with the other group members, and is willing to both learn from them and share their knowledge. *Your profile:* Profile - You hold a PhD in computational neuroscience, mathematics, physics, computer science, AI or a similar computational field. - You have experience in working with machine learning models in (computational) neuroscience and are able to perform network simulations, analytical derivations and advanced data analysis. - You are a highly motivated, independent, critical and creative researcher who wants to bridge the gap between real data and abstract theoretical models. - You are a team player, ready to collaborate in a diverse multidisciplinary research group. - You have an excellent command of spoken and written English. - You have experience in coding (Python and/or Matlab). We are *Our profile:* You will be appointed at the *Biophysics of Neural Computation <https://www.ru.nl/donders/research/theme-4-neural-computation-neurotechnolo…>* group, *Donders Centre for Neuroscience <https://www.ru.nl/science/dcn/>*, *Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour <https://www.ru.nl/donders/>*. <https://www.ru.nl/donders/> This vibrant and multidisciplinary institute studies the organisation and function of neural circuits across scales and techniques, from genes and proteins to behaviour and from in vitro and in vivo experiments to computational modelling. It is an open and international environment, where young scientists from different backgrounds share a fascination for the interaction between brain structure and function. Postdoctoral researchers enjoy a *lively community <https://www.ru.nl/donders/talent-education/postdoctoral-researchers/>* and specialised support. *We offer:* We offer - It concerns an employment for 0.8 - 1.0 FTE. - The gross monthly salary amounts to a minimum of €3,226 and a maximum of €5,090 based on a 38-hour working week, depending on previous education and number of years of relevant work experience (*salary scale 10 <https://www.ru.nl/en/staff/services/salary-and-selection-model/salary/amoun…>* ). - You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. - You will be employed on the basis of a temporary contract for 26 months. - You will be able to use our *Dual Career and Family Care Services <https://www.ru.nl/en/staff/services/living-working-and-studying-netherlands…>*. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen. - Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose *between 30 or 41 <https://www.ru.nl/en/staff/services/employment-conditions/working-time/flex…>* <https://www.ru.nl/en/staff/services/employment-conditions/working-time/flex…>days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20. *Please, apply via the website before February 11th: * https://www.ru.nl/en/working-at/job-opportunities/postdoctoral-researcher-i… Profil -- Fleur Zeldenrust Associate Professor Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Donders Centre for Neuroscience Faculty of Science, Radboud University Heyendaalseweg 135, room HG 00.111 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands tel +31 24 36 53195 fleurzeldenrust.nl *Due to my own family/work balance, you may receive emails from me outside of normal working hours. I do not expect a response from you outside of your own working pattern, nor do I expect an immediate response when you are working.*

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Two months until submission deadline for From Animals to Animats: 17th International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive Behavior (SAB 2024)
by Jeffrey L Krichmar 05 Feb '24

05 Feb '24

Dear Colleagues, The deadline for SAB24 paper submissions is less than two months away! The Simulation of Adaptive Behavior (SAB) interdisciplinary conference brings together researchers in artificial intelligence, artificial life, computer science, cybernetics, ethology, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, robotics, and many other fields, to further our understanding of the behaviors and underlying mechanisms that allow natural animals and artificial agents to adapt and survive in complex, dynamic and uncertain environments. Animats denote the connection between animals and synthetic agents. The conference focuses on models and experiments designed to help characterize and compare various organizational principles and architectures underlying adaptive behavior in real animals and in animats. SAB 2024 solicits contributions dealing with any aspect of adaptive behavior. We especially invite submissions from researchers who connect biology and natural behavior to synthetic agents. Conference papers are peer-reviewed and accepted papers will be published in “From Animals to Animats 17. SAB 2024.” Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Springer Nature. Website: https://sites.uci.edu/sab2024/ Venue -------- CalIT2 Auditorium University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697 USA CALL FOR PAPERS - SAB 2024 (April 1, 2024 Deadline) ————————————————————— More details can be found at: https://sab2024.socsci.uci.edu/call-for-papers Important Dates ---------------------- April 1, 2024: Deadline for paper submission April 15, 2024: Deadline for Workshop and tutorial proposals June15, 2024: Notice of acceptance June 30, 2024: Camera-ready papers September 9-12: Conference dates More details can be found at: https://sab2024.socsci.uci.edu/call-for-papers Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma https://sites.uci.edu/sab2024/

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Available Ph.D. Position in Cognitive Robotics / Human-Robot Interaction
by Amir Aly 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

Dear All, *Apologies for cross-posting* We are pleased to announce an opportunity for a funded PhD studentship (*Cross-Modal Language Learning with Large Language Models through Human-Robot Interaction*) at the Center for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS) at Plymouth University, UK. The closing date for applications is *12 noon on **15th March 2024* *(The difference in tuition fees between national and international students will be waived for international candidates)*. This exciting project aims to create a robot learning framework that integrates the wide linguistic capabilities of *Large Language Models *(LLMs) with robot perceptual information (e.g., visual and/or haptic perception) for language learning covering *word grounding* and bottom-up *sentence formation*, which can make robots develop language and understand human communication across contexts (*more details and research questions are available in the link below*). More details *about the topic *and *how to apply* are available at: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DFL347/phd-studentship-cross-modal-language-lear… <https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DFL347/phd-studentship-cross-modal-language-lear…> PhD Studentship - Cross-Modal Language Learning with Large Language Models through Human-Robot Interaction at University of Plymouth <https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DFL347/phd-studentship-cross-modal-language-lear…> Find a PhD Studentship - Cross-Modal Language Learning with Large Language Models through Human-Robot Interaction on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board in higher education. Click to view more! www.jobs.ac.uk If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me, Regards ---------------- *Dr. Amir Aly* Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics / AI Consultant Programme Manager of Artificial Intelligence Center for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS) School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics Room A307 Portland Square, Drake Circus, PL4 8AA University of Plymouth, UK ------------------------------ <http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass>

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NEXTEN Conference registration now open
by Goodhill, Geoffrey 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

NEXTEN: Envisaging Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience for the next 10 years May 16-17, 2024, Washington University in St Louis Registration and abstract submission for this event is now open (deadline Feb 28). For more details see nexten.wustl.edu Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience is currently undergoing a phase of unprecedented growth. Dramatic advances in the ease with which large-scale datasets of behavior, neural activity, connectomic and gene expression information can be collected have coincided with a revolution in the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence-based algorithms to interrogate such datasets. Concurrently, these new datasets are inspiring exciting new developments in mathematical tools for extracting their underlying structure and relationships. What is the current state of the art in our theoretical/computational understanding of the brain, and what does the future hold? You are invited to join an exciting line-up of leaders in the field to address these questions. Confirmed speakers include Adam Kepecs (WashU) Mackenzie Mathis (EPFL) Terry Sejnowski (Salk Institute) Andreas Tolias (Baylor College of Medicine) Richard Zemel (Columbia University) Abstract submissions for posters presenting current research in the field are encouraged, and some of these will be selected for short talks. Some travel awards will be available for qualified trainees. The conference is sponsored by the Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at Washington University in St Louis (ctcn.wustl.edu) It will be held in the new 600,000 sq ft Neuroscience Research Building on the WashU Medical School campus, into which ~100 neuroscience labs have recently moved (https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/newly-opened-jeffrey-t-fort-neuroscience-re…) The deadline for registration and abstract submission is Wednesday, February 28, 2024 (for those external to WashU). However, due to the size of the auditorium total registrations are limited to 150, and so registration may close earlier than Feb 28 if this limit is reached. Please direct any questions to ctcn(a)wustl.edu Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Departments of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Director, Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (ctcn.wustl.edu) Washington University School of Medicine 660 S. Euclid Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 g.goodhill(a)wustl.edu https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/people/geoffrey-goodhill-phd

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1st CfP ACAIN 2024 - 4th Int. Advanced Course & Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience, September 22-25 2024, Riva del Sole Resort & SPA, Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto) Tuscany, Italy -> Submission Deadline: March 23
by Giuseppe Nicosia 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

Call for Participation & Call for Papers (apologies for multiple copies) _______________________________________________________________ The 4th International Advanced Course & Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience, September 22-25, 2024, Riva del Sole Resort & SPA, Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto) Tuscany, Italy W: https://acain2024.icas.events E: acain(a)icas.cc FB: https://www.facebook.com/ACAIN.LakeDistrict/ Symposium Deadlines Paper Submission (Symposium): by Saturday March 23, 2024 (AoE). https://acain2024.icas.events/symposium-call-for-papers/ https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=acain2024 Notification of Decision for Papers (Symposium): by Wednesday July 10, 2024. Camera Ready Submission (Symposium): by Monday July 20, 2024. Author Registration (Symposium): by July 20, 2024. Regular Registration (Symposium): by Saturday March 23, 2024. Late Registration (Symposium): from Sunday March 24, 2024. Course Deadlines Regular Registration (Course): by Saturday March 23, 2024. Late Registration (Course): from Sunday March 24, 2024. Oral Presentation Submission (Course): by Saturday March 23, 2024. Notification of Decision for Oral Presentation (Course): by August 31, 2024. SCOPE & MOTIVATION: ACAIN 2024: AI meets Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Science The ACAIN 2024 symposium and course is an interdisciplinary event featuring leading scientists from AI and Neuroscience, providing a special opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research in the fields of AI, Neuroscience, Neuroscience-Inspired AI, Human-Level AI, and Cognitive Science. The 4th Advanced Course and Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience (ACAIN) is a full-immersion four-day Course and Symposium in Tuscany on cutting-edge advances in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience with lectures delivered by world-renowned experts. The Course provides a stimulating environment for academics, early career researchers, Post-Docs, PhD students and industry leaders. Participants will also have the chance to present their results with oral talks or posters, and to interact with their colleagues, in a convivial and productive environment. Two days of keynote talks and oral presentations, the ACAIN Symposium, (September 24-25), will be preceded by lectures of leading scientists, the ACAIN Course, (September 22-23). Bringing together AI and neuroscience promises to yield benefits for both fields. The future impact and progress in both AI and Neuroscience will strongly depend on continuous synergy, exchange, collaboration and efficient cooperation between the two research communities. These are the goals of the International Course and Symposium - ACAIN 2024, which is aimed both at AI experts with interests in Neuroscience and at neuroscientists with an interest in AI. ACAIN 2024 accepts rigorous research that promotes and fosters multidisciplinary interactions between artificial intelligence and neuroscience. The Advanced Course is suited for scholars, academics, early career researchers, Post-Docs, PhD students and industry leaders. The Event (Course and Symposium) will involve a total of 36-40 hours of lectures. Academically, this will be equivalent to 8 ECTS points for the PhD Students and the Master Students attending the Event. LECTURERS https://acain2024.icas.events/course-lecturers/ * Auke Jan Ijspeert, EPFL, Switzerland * Zeb Kurth-Nelson, DeepMind & UCL, London, UK * Kevin J Miller, DeepMind & UCL, London, UK * Thomas Parr, Oxford University, UK * Eric Schulz, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany More Lecturers TBA COURSE DESCRIPTION: https://acain2024.icas.events/course-description/ SYMPOSIUM CALL FOR PAPERS: https://acain2024.icas.events/symposium-call-for-papers/ SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM COMMITTEE (partial list, confirmed members): https://acain2024.icas.events/program-committee/ ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: https://acain2024.icas.events/symposium-committee/ VENUE & ACCOMMODATION: https://acain2024.icas.events/venue/ ACAIN 2024 is a *Residential Conference*, all participants (invited speakers, authors, organizers, chairs, participants) must book and stay at the Riva del Sole Resort and Spa. No exceptions are allowed. https://lod2024.icas.events/lod-2024-a-residential-conference/ Riva del Sole Resort & SPA a: Località Riva del Sole - Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto) CAP 58043, Tuscany - Italy p: +39-0564-928111 f: +39-0564-935607 e: booking.events(a)rivadelsole.it w: www.rivadelsole.it/en ACTIVITIES: https://acain2024.icas.events/activities/ REGISTRATION: https://acain2024.icas.events/registration/ See you in Tuscany in September! ACAIN 2024 Organizing Committee. E: acain(a)icas.cc W: https://acain2024.icas.events FB: https://www.facebook.com/ACAIN.LakeDistrict --

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NIH Staff Scientist 1 position in Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain (Bethesda, MD, USA)
by Atlas, Lauren (NIH/NCCIH) [E] 02 Feb '24

02 Feb '24

Staff Scientist 1 (Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain) Application Deadline: April 4, 2024 Program Overview The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) invites applications for a staff scientist focused on neuroimaging methods and analysis, with a particular focus on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The successful candidate will work with the Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain<https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/intramural/section-on-affective-neurosci…> (SANP; Principal Investigator Lauren Atlas, Ph.D.) as part of a growing research program focused on identifying brain mechanisms underlying psychological modulation of pain and emotion in health and disease. SANP is part of NCCIH’s Division of Intramural Research and affiliated with the Intramural Research Programs of the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The successful candidate will work closely with the Principal Investigator and fellows to advance SANP’s research program through data acquisition, data analysis and curation, and mentorship of trainees. Ongoing projects examine relationships between pain and emotion, how expectations shape learning and pain, and how social factors shape clinical outcomes. Projects are multimodal, integrating fMRI, psychophysiology, and pharmacological methodologies. In addition to supporting lab members and ongoing studies, the staff scientist can develop and lead independent projects in collaboration with the Principal Investigator. Upcoming projects will incorporate high field imaging (7T-fMRI), simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET)-MRI, and/or magnetoencephalography (MEG). SANP is fully funded, with dedicated weekly scan time on 3T and 7T scanners and multiple options for high-performance computing. The NCCIH intramural research program is located on the Bethesda campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within one of the most active neuroscience communities in the world (neuroscience.nih.gov) The position offers the opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s foremost fMRI and statistics experts and to take part in regular campus-wide seminars and workshops, including regular meetings on machine learning, fMRI methods, and pain neuroscience. The NIH Clinical Center offers exceptional multidisciplinary research facilities, including structural and functional MRI, MEG, PET, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). For complete information, see https://www.nccih.nih.gov/about/jobs/staff-scientist-1-section-on-affective… How To Apply Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest including a brief description of their research and experience related to the position; a separate statement describing the mentoring and outreach activities in which they have been involved, especially those involving women and persons from racial/ethnic or other groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research; a curriculum vitae (CV) and bibliography; and two letters of recommendation from references familiar with their expertise and research experience. Send application packages to Ms. Christina Moon at NCCIHJobs(a)mail.nih.gov<mailto:NCCIHJobs@mail.nih.gov>. Please include in the subject line: “NCCIH—SANP Staff Scientist 1 Application [insert your name].” Questions should be directed to Ms. Christina Moon at the same email address. Applications will be accepted beginning February 5, 2024, and they must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on April 4, 2024, for consideration in the review period. Review of applications will begin on or about April 4, 2024. Should no suitable candidates be selected during this period, the position will remain open until filled. This position is subject to a background check. NIH and NCCIH are committed to building a diverse workforce and promoting an inclusive environment. The Department of Health and Human Services and NIH are Equal Opportunity Employers.

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Birmingham-Leiden Summer School in Computational Social Cognition
by Lei Zhang 02 Feb '24

02 Feb '24

(Apologies for cross-posting) We are delighted to welcome applications for the first edition of the Birmingham-Leiden summer school in Computational Social Cognition (CSC). <https://www.compsoccog.com/> The summer school is hosted at the University of Birmingham (UK), in collaboration with Leiden University (NL), and will take place from 15th-17th July 2024. Apply by 14th March 2024 (see information below)! In the past decade, computational modelling has been extremely helpful in explaining various concepts and processes in social cognition, and these modelling frameworks include the reinforcement learning models, Bayesian learning models, models of theory of mind, models of effort discounting, and drift diffusion models. This timely summer school will provide talks and training on these latest developments focusing on learning, decision-making and computational modelling in social cognition, as well as topics covering theoretical issues in social cognition. Attending the Birmingham-Leiden CSC Summer School will equip a diverse cohort of early career researchers (trainees through to junior faculty members) with the ability to understand, program and interpret the output of a range of computational models of social cognition. Attendees will receive different types of training aimed at understanding modelling as well as the theoretical and practical inferences that can be drawn from computational models. For more information about this year’s training program, including criteria and application instructions, please visit our website <https://www.compsoccog.com/>. The deadline is March 14, 2024. We hope to see you this summer in Birmingham! Keynote speakers: - Cecilia Heyes, University of Oxford (UK) - Christian Ruff, University of Zurich (CH) - Wolfram Schultz, University of Cambridge (UK) Instructors (alphabetical): - Matt Apps, University of Birmingham (UK) - Jo Cutler, University of Birmingham (UK) - Anna Van Duijvenvoorde, Leiden University (NL) - Romy Froemer, University of Birmingham (UK) - Arkady Konovalov, University of Birmingham (UK) - Patricia Lockwood, University of Birmingham (UK) - Ili Ma, Leiden University (NL) - Lei Zhang, University of Birmingham (UK) Anna & Lei, on behalf of the CSC 2024 organization team --- Dr. Lei Zhang w: lei-zhang.net t: @lei_zhang_lz <https://twitter.com/lei_zhang_lz>

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your podcast, CPG in spinal cord, etc
by Zhaoping Li 02 Feb '24

02 Feb '24

Dear Gaute, How are you? I assume that your podcast is taking off? I am looking you up also to let you know that perhaps next summer we could meet up at Oslo, we are teaching at Yasser's summer school and then go to Svalbard. It will be around July 24-25th or something when we pass by Oslo on our way to Svalbard I noticed that your podcast had a new episode, on CPG in spinal cord, with guest Henrik Linden. I am just listening to it now. Your intro said that they used a network model to explain that oscillations emerge in a network. We did it in a Physical Review Letter paper in 2004, see //Zhaoping L. Lewis A. Scarpetta S. Mathematical analysis and simulations of the neural circuit for locomotion in lamprey. <https://www.lizhaoping.org/zhaoping/prints/ZhaopingPRL2004.pdf>Physical Review Letters 92, 198106 (2004). Abstract <https://www.lizhaoping.org/zhaoping/prints/ZhaopingPRL2004.abstract.html> //I remember that in a meeting organized by Stan Grillner, I presented this work and you told me that Dayan and Abbott should put this in their textbook in the next edition. Well, the next edition never happened. I wonder whether Linden's model is an extension of our model, I had a quick look, it seems that it was mainly a data analysis, while ours is a analytical treatment with simulations, but I am listening to your podcast now ... best regards and hope to see you around, are you going to COSYNE? This year it is in Lisbon, so I am going, you? Zhaoping // // -- Li Zhaoping Ph.D. Prof. of Cognitive Science, University of Tuebingen Head of Dept of Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems, Max Planck Institute of Biological Cybernetics Author of "Understanding vision: theory, models, and data", Oxford University Press, 2014 www.lizhaoping.org

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Sharpening Our Sight - Cosyne 2024 workshop on Vision Neuroscience
by Simone Azeglio 02 Feb '24

02 Feb '24

Hello everyone, We are pleased to announce the "*Sharpening Our Sight: Advances in Naturalistic Visual Perception through Efficient Representations and Active Search*" workshop, a featured event at this year's Cosyne conference. The workshop will be held on the *5th of March* and it will focus on vision neuroscience at the intersection of active vision and efficient neural representations. For detailed information about the workshop and the most current version of the schedule, please visit our website: https://sites.google.com/view/cosyne2024-sos/home We are honored to host a distinguished panel of speakers: - *Andreas Tolias*, Baylor College - *Christopher Summerfield*, Oxford / Deepmind - *Carsen Stringe*r, Janelia - *Sylvia Schröder*, Sussex - *Wiktor Młynarski*, LMU - *Cris Niell*, Oregon - *Stuart Trenholm*, McGill - *Jin Hwa Lee*, UCL We anticipate a fruitful exchange of ideas and look forward to your participation in Cascais. Kind regards, Simone Azeglio, Samuele Virgili, Gabriel Mahuas

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2 fully funded PhD positions - Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig
by Andrej Bicanski 01 Feb '24

01 Feb '24

Dear colleagues, I am advertising two PhD positions in computational neuroscience in my new group - both positions fully funded (3 years). Topics cover grid cells, retrosplenial cortex, head direction, subiculum, boundary coding etc. and cognitive maps more generally. The PhD candidates will build computational models at various levels of abstraction, and potentially conduct data analysis of behavioral experiments and/or single neuron recordings from animal experiments. One position is more focused on grid cells, while the other will focus on head direction and boundary coding (retrosplenial cortex and subiculum). The Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig also has a great scientific community with a lot of potential for collaborations. Please direct potential candidates to the ads: https://www.cbs.mpg.de/stellenmarkt/stellenangebote Reference: PhD 02/24 Reference: PhD 03/24 The intended starting dates are as early as possible. Applications will be considered until filled (i.e., as long as the advert is up). Site still under construction, but you can read more on the group here: https://www.cbs.mpg.de/psychology/neural-computation Best wishes, Andrej Bicanski -- Dr. Andrej Bicanski Neural Computation Group Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Email: bicanski(a)cbs.mpg.de Tel.: +49 (0)341 9940197

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1st CfP ACAIN 2024 - 4th Int. Advanced Course & Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience, September 22-25 2024, Riva del Sole Resort & SPA, Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto) Tuscany, Italy -> Submission Deadline: March 23
by Giuseppe Nicosia 01 Feb '24

01 Feb '24

Call for Participation & Call for Papers (apologies for multiple copies) _______________________________________________________________ The 4th International Advanced Course & Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience, September 22-25, 2024, Riva del Sole Resort & SPA, Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto) Tuscany, Italy W: https://acain2024.icas.events E: acain(a)icas.cc FB: https://www.facebook.com/ACAIN.LakeDistrict/ Symposium Deadlines Paper Submission (Symposium): by Saturday March 23, 2024 (AoE). https://acain2024.icas.events/symposium-call-for-papers/ https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=acain2024 Notification of Decision for Papers (Symposium): by Wednesday July 10, 2024. Camera Ready Submission (Symposium): by Monday July 20, 2024. Author Registration (Symposium): by July 20, 2024. Regular Registration (Symposium): by Saturday March 23, 2024. Late Registration (Symposium): from Sunday March 24, 2024. Course Deadlines Regular Registration (Course): by Saturday March 23, 2024. Late Registration (Course): from Sunday March 24, 2024. Oral Presentation Submission (Course): by Saturday March 23, 2024. Notification of Decision for Oral Presentation (Course): by August 31, 2024. SCOPE & MOTIVATION: ACAIN 2024: AI meets Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Science The ACAIN 2024 symposium and course is an interdisciplinary event featuring leading scientists from AI and Neuroscience, providing a special opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research in the fields of AI, Neuroscience, Neuroscience-Inspired AI, Human-Level AI, and Cognitive Science. The 4th Advanced Course and Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience (ACAIN) is a full-immersion four-day Course and Symposium in Tuscany on cutting-edge advances in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience with lectures delivered by world-renowned experts. The Course provides a stimulating environment for academics, early career researchers, Post-Docs, PhD students and industry leaders. Participants will also have the chance to present their results with oral talks or posters, and to interact with their colleagues, in a convivial and productive environment. Two days of keynote talks and oral presentations, the ACAIN Symposium, (September 24-25), will be preceded by lectures of leading scientists, the ACAIN Course, (September 22-23). Bringing together AI and neuroscience promises to yield benefits for both fields. The future impact and progress in both AI and Neuroscience will strongly depend on continuous synergy, exchange, collaboration and efficient cooperation between the two research communities. These are the goals of the International Course and Symposium - ACAIN 2024, which is aimed both at AI experts with interests in Neuroscience and at neuroscientists with an interest in AI. ACAIN 2024 accepts rigorous research that promotes and fosters multidisciplinary interactions between artificial intelligence and neuroscience. The Advanced Course is suited for scholars, academics, early career researchers, Post-Docs, PhD students and industry leaders. The Event (Course and Symposium) will involve a total of 36-40 hours of lectures. Academically, this will be equivalent to 8 ECTS points for the PhD Students and the Master Students attending the Event. LECTURERS https://acain2024.icas.events/course-lecturers/ * Auke Jan Ijspeert, EPFL, Switzerland * Zeb Kurth-Nelson, DeepMind & UCL, London, UK * Kevin J Miller, DeepMind & UCL, London, UK * Thomas Parr, Oxford University, UK * Eric Schulz, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany More Lecturers TBA COURSE DESCRIPTION: https://acain2024.icas.events/course-description/ SYMPOSIUM CALL FOR PAPERS: https://acain2024.icas.events/symposium-call-for-papers/ SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM COMMITTEE (partial list, confirmed members): https://acain2024.icas.events/program-committee/ ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: https://acain2024.icas.events/symposium-committee/ VENUE & ACCOMMODATION: https://acain2024.icas.events/venue/ ACAIN 2024 is a *Residential Conference*, all participants (invited speakers, authors, organizers, chairs, participants) must book and stay at the Riva del Sole Resort and Spa. No exceptions are allowed. https://lod2024.icas.events/lod-2024-a-residential-conference/ Riva del Sole Resort & SPA a: Località Riva del Sole - Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto) CAP 58043, Tuscany - Italy p: +39-0564-928111 f: +39-0564-935607 e: booking.events(a)rivadelsole.it w: www.rivadelsole.it/en ACTIVITIES: https://acain2024.icas.events/activities/ REGISTRATION: https://acain2024.icas.events/registration/ See you in Tuscany in September! ACAIN 2024 Organizing Committee. E: acain(a)icas.cc W: https://acain2024.icas.events FB: https://www.facebook.com/ACAIN.LakeDistrict --

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[Meetings] Extended Deadline - 15 February: 2024 Nengo Summer School
by Michael Furlong 31 Jan '24

31 Jan '24

Dear colleagues, The deadline for application submission to the Nengo Summer School, has been extended to February 15th, 2024. Applications can be submitted at this link:https://forms.gle/xhkNENnpPHeBXu5W7 [All details about this school can be found online at https://www.nengo.ai/summer-school] The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is excited to announce our 9th annual Nengo summer school on large-scale brain modelling and neuromorphic computing. This two-week school will teach participants to use the Nengo simulation package to build state-of-the-art cognitive and neural models to run both in simulation and on neuromorphic hardware. Summer school participants will be given on-site access to neuromorphic hardware and will learn to run high-level applications using Nengo! More generally, Nengo provides users with a versatile and powerful environment for designing cognitive and neural systems and has been used to build what is currently the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun, which includes spiking deep learning, reinforcement learning, adaptive motor control, and cognitive control networks. For a look at the last in-person summer school, check out this short video: https://youtu.be/vRcN5-0wdQE We welcome applications from all interested graduate students, postdocs, professors, and industry professionals with a relevant background. ***Application Deadline: February 15, 2024*** Format: A combination of tutorials and project-based work. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on testing hypotheses, modelling neural or cognitive data, implementing specific behavioural functions with neurons, expanding past models, or providing a proof-of-concept of various neural mechanisms. Hands-on tutorials, work on individual or group projects, and talks from invited faculty members will make up the bulk of day-to-day activities. A project demonstration event will be held on the last day of the school, with prizes for strong projects! Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to: * interface Nengo with various kinds of neuromorphic hardware (e.g. BrainDrop, SpiNNaker) * build perceptual, motor, and sophisticated cognitive models using spiking neurons * model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data * use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model  * integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models * interface Nengo with cameras and robotic systems * implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models * and much more… Date and Location: June 2nd to June 14th, 2024 at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Applications: Please visit http://www.nengo.ai/summer-school, where you can find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an application form listing required materials. If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please contact Michael Furlong (michael.furlong(a)uwaterloo.ca) The school is partly supported by ABR, Inc. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Open Postdoctoral Position in the Rich Lab: An Update
by Rich, Scott 31 Jan '24

31 Jan '24

Dear Comp-Neuro Listserv, I am still accepting applications for the open postdoctoral position<https://jobs.hr.uconn.edu/cw/en-us/job/498073/postdoctoral-research-associa…> in my new lab at the University of Connecticut. While applications are being considered on a “rolling” basis, I’m currently planning to perform the first batch of interviews in late February/early March. If you’d like to be considered for a potential interview during this time frame, please apply as soon as possible. As a reminder, I’m also recruiting graduate students. If you’re interested, please express your interest by filling out this Google Form<https://forms.gle/5wtYfXrGuHC2QmLh8> and be sure to apply officially to UConn’s Department of Physiology and Neurobiology (following the instructions here<https://pnb.uconn.edu/graduate/graduate-application-and-admission-informati…>). If you have any questions about these and other opportunities in my lab, please don’t hesitate to contact me. ___________ Sincerely, Scott Rich, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut Department of Physiology and Neurobiology pnb.uconn.edu/person/scott-rich/ <http://pnb.uconn.edu/person/scott-rich/>scottrich.mystrikingly.com<http://scottrich.mystrikingly.com>

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CFP FRCCS 2024 Montpellier, France May 29 – 31, 2024
by Hocine Cherifi 31 Jan '24

31 Jan '24

Fourth* F*rench* R*egional* C*onference on* C*omplex* S*ystems May 29 – 31, 2024 Montpellier, France *FRCCS 2024* <https://iutdijon.u-bourgogne.fr/ccs-france/> After successfully hosting the conference in Dijon in 2021, Paris in 2022, and Le Havre in 2023, the fourth edition of the French Regional Conference on Complex Systems (FRCCS 2024) will be held in Montpellier, France. This single track international conference organized by CSS France <https://www.cssfrance.org/> serves as a platform to foster interdisciplinary exchanges among researchers from various scientific disciplines and diverse backgrounds, including sociology, economics, history, management, archaeology, geography, linguistics, statistics, mathematics, and computer science. FRCCS 2024 provides a valuable opportunity for participants to meet in France, exchange and promote ideas, facilitating the cross-fertilization of recent research work, industrial advancements, and original applications. Moreover, the conference emphasizes research topics with a high societal impact, showcasing the significance of complexity science in addressing complex societal challenges. Join us in Montpellier as we collectively strive to better understand complexity and its implications for society. You are cordially invited to submit your contribution until *February 21, 2024.* Finalized work (published or unpublished) and work in progress are welcome. Two types of contributions are accepted: · *Papers* about *original research* (up to 12 pages) · *Extended Abstract* about *published or unpublished* research (3 to 4 pages). *Keynote Speakers* · Petter Holme <https://petterhol.me/>, Aalto University, Finland · Sonia Kéfi <https://biodicee.edu.umontpellier.fr/who-we-are/sonia-kefi/>, Université de Montpellier, France · Natasa Przulj <https://www.bsc.es/przulj-natasa>, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain · Boleslaw K. Szymanski <https://www.cs.rpi.edu/~szymansk/> Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA · Ingmar Weber <https://ingmarweber.de/>, Saarland University, Germany *Publication* o Contributions will be included in the conference proceedings (With ISBN) o *Selected submissions of unpublished work will be invited for publication in special issues (fast track procedure) **of the journals:* o Applied Network Science, <https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/> edited by Springer o Complexity, <https://www.hindawi.com/journals/complexity/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=c…> edited by Hindawi *Submission * · Submit on CMT Microsoft at: https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/FRCCS2024/ · *Select the Track: FRCCS2024* *Topics include, but are not limited to: * · *Foundations of complex systems * - Self-organization, non-linear dynamics, statistical physics, mathematical modeling and simulation, conceptual frameworks, ways of thinking, methodologies and methods, philosophy of complexity, knowledge systems, Complexity and information, Dynamics and self-organization, structure and dynamics at several scales, self-similarity, fractals - *Complex Networks * - Structure & Dynamics, Multilayer and Multiplex Networks, Adaptive Networks, Temporal Networks, Centrality, Patterns, Cliques, Communities, Epidemics, Rumors, Control, Synchronization, Reputation, Influence, Viral Marketing, Link Prediction, Network Visualization, Network Digging, Network Embedding & Learning. - *Neuroscience, **Linguistics* - Evolution of language, social consensus, artificial intelligence, cognitive processes & education, Narrative complexity - *Economics & Finance* - Game Theory, Stock Markets and Crises, Financial Systems, Risk Management, Globalization, Economics and Markets, Blockchain, Bitcoins, Markets and Employment - *Infrastructure, planning, and environment * - critical infrastructure, urban planning, mobility, transport and energy, smart cities, urban development, urban sciences - *Biological and (bio)medical complexity * - biological networks, systems biology, evolution, natural sciences, medicine and physiology, dynamics of biological coordination, aging - *Social complexity* o social networks, computational social sciences, socio-ecological systems, social groups, processes of change, social evolution, self-organization and democracy, socio-technical systems, collective intelligence, corporate and social structures and dynamics, organizational behavior and management, military and defense systems, social unrest, political networks, interactions between human and natural systems, diffusion/circulation of knowledge, diffusion of innovation - *Socio-Ecological Systems* - Global environmental change, green growth, sustainability & resilience, and culture - *Organisms and populations * - Population biology, collective behavior of animals, ecosystems, ecology, ecological networks, microbiome, speciation, evolution - *Engineering systems and systems of systems* - bioengineering, modified and hybrid biological organisms, multi-agent systems, artificial life, artificial intelligence, robots, communication networks, Internet, traffic systems, distributed control, resilience, artificial resilient systems, complex systems engineering, biologically inspired engineering, synthetic biology - *Complexity in physics and chemistry* - quantum computing, quantum synchronization, quantum chaos, random matrix theory *GENERAL CHAIRS* Roberto Interdonato CIRAD, UMR TETIS, Montpellier Bruno Pinaud LABRI University of Bordeaux Join us at COMPLEX NETWORKS 2024 <https://www.complexnetworks.org/> *-------------------------* Hocine CHERIFI University of Burgundy Franche-Comté Laboratoire* I*nterdisciplinaire *C*arnot de *B*ourgogne - ICB UMR 6303 CNRS Editor in Chief Plos Complex Systems <https://plos.org/complex-systems-research-journal/#:~:text=PLOS%20Complex%2….> Founding & Adisory Editor Applied Network Science <https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/> Editorial Board member PLOS One <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/>, IEEE ACCESS <https://ieeeaccess.ieee.org/?http%3A%2F%2Fieeeaccess_ieee_org%2F>, Scientific Reports <https://www.nature.com/srep/>, Journal of Imaging <https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jimaging>, Quality and Quantity <https://www.springer.com/journal/11135/>, Computational Social Networks <https://computationalsocialnetworks.springeropen.com/>, Complex Systems <https://www.complex-systems.com/>

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Scientist position at the Allen Institute
by Anton Arkhipov 30 Jan '24

30 Jan '24

Dear Colleagues, A Scientist position is open at the Allen Institute in the area of biologically realistic modeling. Please see the job description here: https://alleninstitute.org/careers/jobs/?jobId=A95FAC9B-4F0F-044B-5458-CAA4… The Scientist will develop bio-realistic network simulations at the level of a cortical area and the whole cortex, leveraging our multimodal datasets on brain composition and connectivity and training models on in vivo data using AI approaches. The goal is to use modeling together with experiments from our collaborators to understand the mechanisms underlying brain responses to sensory stimulation, including periodic sensory stimuli and the resulting entrainment of neuronal populations. Please consider applying and reach out if you have any questions. We are looking forward to hearing from you. Best wishes, Anton Arkhipov Investigator Allen Institute Seattle, WA antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org>

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Post-doc or Research Engineer position offer: Computational modeling of genetic mutations at cellular level
by Elif Köksal 30 Jan '24

30 Jan '24

*Context.* Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a group of severe rare diseases where the combined effect of seizures, most often drug resistant, and the non-seizures consequences of the disease etiology, often genetic, entail a debilitating encephalopathy with drastic effects on the neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and motor abilities of the patients. DEEs due to potassium channel mutations (K-DEEs) are emblematic of this disease presentation. *Rationale.* The mechanisms underlying the relationship between i) the molecular effect of a gene mutation (KCNB1/KCNT1/KCNA2) on specific voltage gated potassium channel function, and ii) the patient-specific phenotypes observed in scalp-recorded EEG signals remain elusive. Computational models inspired from neuronal physiology is now recognized as a most efficient way to bridge the gap between i) changes occurringat the level of neurons and neuronal circuits and ii) electroencephalographic (EEG) signals recorded in patients containing markers of the underlying pathology. *Objective.* The objective of the proposed research position is to design novel neuro-inspired models taking into account the molecular effect of a gene mutation on the specific voltage-gated potassium (K) channel function and the specific phenotypes observed in patients (scalp-recorded EEG signals) and in genetically-modified mice (local field potentials) in which downregulation or upregulation of K channels is induced. *Methods*. Detailed multicompartment models (i.e. including dendrites, soma and axon) will be developed. They will be based on Hodgkin and Huxley's (HH) formalism. They will describe both passive (membrane capacitance, axial resistivity, leakage conductance, and membrane time constant) and active (voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels) membrane properties. The channel pathogenic variants of KCNB1/KCNT1/KCNA2 mutations identified in 2 other work packages (1 & 2) will be inserted in the membrane in order to study the impact of the channel mutation on the firing rate curves of considered neuron subtypes, typically pyramidal neurons (PYR), somatostatin (SST-), parvalbumin (PV-), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP-) positive interneurons. Optimization methods will be developed for identifying optimal parameters minimizing the distance between real and simulated electrophysiological signals (LFPs). Models will use the Hodgkin & Huxley formalism. They will be developed in Python. They will extend already-existing models at cellular level. Strong background is available ( https://perso.univ-rennes1.fr/fabrice.wendling/) *Scientific domains.* Engineering (computational, biomedical); Neuroscience; Neurology; Computer Science (implementation of Python routines into an existing software application named COALIA). *Scientific environment.* This research will benefit from an outstanding clinical research environment, centeredaround the largest curated K-DEE cohorts, coordinated by the Necker reference center for rare epilepsies (Prof. Rima Nabbout), and assembling an extensive group of experts from various specializations, including clinical,electrophysiological, psychological, computational, translational research, biotechnology and pharma industry. *Candidate profile.* The research project is at the interface between biomathematics (neuro-inspired models) and neuroscience/neurology (epilepsy). The Post-doc/Engineer fellow (PhD level) will preferably have a strong background in computational neuroscience/systems biology or in electrical engineering with experience in bio-signal processing. Knowledge in electrophysiology and/or EEG analysis would be an asset. *Contract *The position will be opened March. 1st, 2024 (flexible). The contract is for 3 years (flexible). The employer is the University of Rennes. The competitive salary will be according to experience (2300 Euros net, minimum). The candidate will also have access to the French system benefits. Location in the city of Rennes, France. LTSI-Inserm laboratory, University of Rennes. In addition, the hired person will have the opportunity to actively collaborate with other groups involved in the innov4epik RHU project (2024-2029), funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR). *Contact (please provide resume, cover letter and email of 2 references)* Pascal Benquet (Prof Univ Rennes, LTSI, France) Email: pascal.benquet(a)univ-rennes.fr Fabrice Wendling (DR Inserm, LTSI, France) Email: fabrice.wendling(a)inserm.fr

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PLENA 2024 - Pucon Learning and AI Summit
by Prof Sonja Gruen 30 Jan '24

30 Jan '24

Dear Colleagues, The Pucón Learning and AI (PLENA) Summit https://plena.cenia.cl is taking place in the South of South America, in Pucon, Chile this April 8 -12, 2024. Check Chile out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK3Ou8vq84Y and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSYpegYD4jc . We invite you to explore the intersection of neuroscience and AI, with a particular focus on mechanisms of learning. PLENA is a small gathering of experts and trainees that will provide a platform for AI and experimental neuroscience researchers to delve into the mechanisms of learning at the cellular, systems, and behavioral levels. Upon multiple requests we have set up a rolling application extending to March 8th, 2024. Secure your place by applying as soon as possible. We will be selecting on a first-come-first-serve basis until we have reached our capacity of 120 researchers and trainees. Register here: https://plena.cenia.cl/registration/ See our spectacular and diverse lineup of speakers here: https://plena.cenia.cl/speakers/ We have also added a coordinated sequence of three workshops entitled Bridging Scales from Neural Activity to Learning Machines “from the detailed analysis of neuronal activity to the construction and simulation of full-scale models to the application of abstract learning machines”. Access is included with your registration. Access is included with your registration. See you in Chile! PLENA Scientific Committee: Roberto Araya (U. Montreal, Canada) Christopher Pack (McGill University, Canada) Pedro Maldonado (Universidad de Chile, Chile) Markus Diesmann (Jülich Research Center, Germany) We thank our sponsors, partners and affiliated institutions -- Prof. Dr. Sonja Gruen, Director Inst of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6/-10) Tel +49-2461-61-4748 (secr) Computational and Systems Neuroscience & tel +49-2461-61-9301 (lab) Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Mob +49-175-2972436 Jülich Research Centre and JARA Institute I Jülich, Germany Theoretical Systems Neurobiology RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany www.csn.fz-juelich.de elephant.readthedocs.io

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Computational neuroscience PhD position in the Mejias lab at Amsterdam
by Jorge Mejias 30 Jan '24

30 Jan '24

Dear all, The Mejias lab and the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group at the University of Amsterdam are seeking a highly qualified and motivated candidate for a PhD position in Computational Neuroscience. The position falls under the Horizon Health Europe Consortium grant “Virtual Brain Twins for Personalized Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders”. This Consortium constitutes a large collaboration between different European institutions, aiming to develop personalized brain simulation software (“virtual brain twins”) to improve the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia. The main objective of this PhD project is to develop a biologically realistic computational model of the human brain, and use it to study alterations in brain activity associated with schizophrenia. Such model will make use of local neural mass models (developed by our Consortium partners) to simulate multiple brain areas, and will bring them together using structural connectivity data from human subjects. The model will be then used to explore the effects of schizophrenia-related alterations in brain dynamics and function, and to derive patient-specific virtual brain simulations to improve diagnosis and explore treatments in collaboration with clinical Consortium partners. The project will be supervised by Dr. Jorge Mejias, principal investigator in computational neuroscience and leader of the Dutch component of the Consortium, and by Prof. Dr. Cyriel Pennartz, head of the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group. You will closely collaborate with other Consortium members, particularly with the team of Prof. Viktor Jirsa at Aix-Marseille University, and will also benefit from interactions with local colleagues including other theoretical, computational and experimental neuroscientists at the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group. We are looking for candidates with: • a Master's Degree in computational neuroscience or closely related field, with a focus on modeling biological neural systems. Alternatively, a Master Degree in Physics, Mathematics, Computational Science or a closely related field, and a clear background or affinity for brain modeling; • strong quantitative and analytical skills, including calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, dynamical systems, stochastic processes and complex systems; • strong computational/programming skills (preferably with Python), including numerical methods for differential equations, machine learning and data analysis; • a keen, demonstrated interest in neuroscience research; • experience with computational neuroscience modeling projects, with virtual brain simulation engines (e.g. TVB), and/or with high performance computers is considered an advantage; • ability to read and understand relevant neuroscientific, cognitive and clinical literature and use experimental data to build models; • ability to communicate effectively in English, within a multidisciplinary team and in an international context; We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years, which will culminate in the defense of your PhD thesis. We will also draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings, and you will also assist in teaching and other activities in the lab. The gross monthly salary will range from €2,770 in the first year to €3,539 in the last year, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week). Additionally, you will receive every year an 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants, effectively increasing their net salary. The lab is located in the state-of-the-art facilities of the Science Park at the University of Amsterdam, a top research university with a strong focus on cognition and brain research, and it has good communications with other academic and research centers in the city. As one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, Amsterdam has a rich historical and cultural heritage that includes the UNESCO World Heritage city center and canals, dozens of world-class museums and restaurants, and an exciting nightlife. The city promotes a healthy lifestyle with fantastic work-life balance, plenty of outdoor life, parks and recreational areas, an excellent bicycle path networks and an expat-friendly environment. The application deadline is February 25, 2024. Candidates may apply by following this link: https://vacatures.uva.nl/UvA/job/PhD-position-in-Computational-Neuroscience… Best, Jorge Mejias -- Jorge F. Mejias, PhD Assistant Professor Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences University of Amsterdam, 1098XH Amsterdam The Netherlands www.ugr.es/~jmejias

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Computational Neuroscience Ph.D. position with FONTOLAN, GUTKIN and KHAZIPOV labs @INMED Marseille
by Lorenzo Fontolan 30 Jan '24

30 Jan '24

Ph.D. funding is available through the Alan Turing Centre for Living Systems to work with the *Fontolan* lab in collaboration with the *Khazipov *lab in Marseille and the *Gutkin* lab in Paris. The candidate will develop a *neuronal network model of the early Sharp Waves in the neonatal rodent hippocampus*. More details on the project: https://centuri-livingsystems.org/phd2024-18/ Information about the selection process: https://centuri-livingsystems.org/recruitment/ *Deadline February 15* -- *Desired profile* The Ph.D. student should hold a Master’s degree in *physics/applied mathematics/electrical engineering/computational neuroscience*. Basic skills in modelling of neural/biological systems can be of additional advantage. Of high importance are: i) the ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment, ii) the willingness to dig into the biological intricacies of neural circuits, and iii) to combine analytical and numerical approaches that incorporate experimental data. *Project description* *During development, neuronal networks display peculiar patterns of activity, directly involved in the formation of neuronal circuits. Early Sharp Waves (eSPWs) are the predominant structured activity pattern in the developing entorhinalhippocampal network of neonatal rodents, which is thought to be essential for the formation of the connections between the entorhinal cortex (EC) and the hippocampus. Considerable amount of data on cellular, synaptic and network aspects of EC-driven eSPWs in the neonatal hippocampus has been accumulated recently in the Khazipov team at INMED, yet the generative mechanisms of eSPWs remain elusive. One of the central hypotheses involves the different modes of operation of the early vs late EC-hippocampal network, which is enabled by delated development of GABAergic inhibition and large temporal integration window of excitatory inputs from EC or other hippocampal subnetworks. The aim of this project is to identify the generative mechanism of eSPWs by developing a biologically accurate circuit model of EC-driven eSPWs based on recent data, and formulate specific predictions that will be experimentally tested in the Khazipov lab.* *Objectives* - Construct a comprehensive circuit model of the EC-hippocampal network incorporating cellular, synaptic, and population data to simulate network activity during development, and particularly the genesis of eSPWs. - Identify the key network components of the EC-hippocampal circuit in the generation of eSPW via model predictions. - Test the different hypotheses regarding the generative role of developing EC-hippocampus connectivity in eSPW onset, considering the role of delayed GABAergic inhibition and temporal integration windows of network inputs. *References* - Leinekugel X, Khazipov R, Cannon R, Hirase H, Ben Ari Y, Buzsaki G. (2002) Correlated bursts of activity in the neonatal hippocampus in vivo. Science 296(5575):2049-52 - Valeeva G, Janackova S, Nasretdinov A, Rychkova V, Makarov R, Holmes GL, Khazipov R, Lenck-Santini PP. (2019) Emergence of Coordinated Activity in the Developing Entorhinal-Hippocampal Network. Cereb Cortex 29(2):906-20. - Fontolan L, Hyafil A, Krupa M, Gutkin B. (2013) Analytical insights on theta-gamma coupled neural oscillators. J Math. Neuroscience 3(1):16. - Finkelstein A, Fontolan L, Economo MN, et al. Attractor dynamics gate cortical information flow during decisionmaking. Nat Neurosci 24, 843–850 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-021-00840-6 - Romagnoni A, Colonnese, M, Touboul J and Gutkin B (2020) Progressive Alignment of Inhibitory and Excitatory Delay May Drive a Rapid Developmental Switch in Cortical Network Dynamics, J. Neurophys, 123(5):1583-1599. Doi: 10.1152/jn.00402.2019-- Lorenzo Fontolan -- Group Leader *Turing Centre for Living Systems (CENTURI) Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée & Centre de Physique Théorique Université Aix-Marseille, France* *https://www.inmed.fr/neural-computation-and-dynamics <https://www.inmed.fr/neural-computation-and-dynamics>* *https://centuri-livingsystems.org/l-fontolan/ <https://centuri-livingsystems.org/l-fontolan/>*

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Call for abstracts: Mathematics of Neuroscience and AI. Rome, 28-31st May 2024.
by Ruairidh McLennan Battleday 30 Jan '24

30 Jan '24

We are delighted to announce our call for abstracts for the 5th International Convention on the Mathematics of Neuroscience and AI, to be held in Rome 28-31st May 2024. In this high-profile convention we examine computational accounts of the brain and mind from the perspectives of biocomputation, neural theory, and cognitive science. We then take findings and theory back into the creation of robust, generalizable, and scalable AI: www.neuromonster.org Keynote Speakers Professor Peter Dayan (Max Planck Institute, Tübingen) Professor Sophie Deneve (ENS, Paris) Professor Wolfgang Maass (TUG) Professor Mackenzie Mathis (EPFL) Professor Anne Collins (UC Berkeley) Dr Feryal Behbahani (Google DeepMind) Dr Giovanni Pezzulo (NRC of Italy, Rome) Session Chairs Biocomputation Yasmine Ayman (Harvard) Professor Dan Nicolau Jr (KCL) Neural theory Dr James Whittington (Stanford / Oxford) Dr Francesca Mastrogiuseppe (Champalimaud) Cognitive science Dr Ruairidh Battleday (Harvard / MIT) Dr Antonella Maselli (NRC Italy) AI Dr Ishita Dasgupta (Google DeepMind) Dr Ilia Sucholutsky (Princeton) Confirmed speakers Biocomputation Professor Andrew Adamatzky (UWE) Professor Panayiota Poirazi (FORTH, Crete) Professor Jason Shepherd (Utah) Professor Christine Grienberger (Brandeis) Neural theory Professor Rafal Bogacz (Oxford) Professor Athena Akrami (UCL) Dr Sophia Sanborn (USB / UBC) Dr Lea Duncker (Stanford) Cognitive science Professor Dagmar Sternad (Northeastern) Professor Bill Thompson (UC Berkeley) Professor Samuel McDougle (Yale) Dr Fred Callaway (NYU / Harvard) AI Professor Kevin Ellis (CMU) Professor Najoung Kim (BU, Google) Dr André Barreto (DeepMind) Dr Maria Eckstein (DeepMind) We invite submissions for each session via this Google form: https://forms.gle/u8tJU4PtkT1EKYte7 These will be accepted for poster, spotlight, or a short talk. The submission format is a single A4 sheet containing (at least) an abstract of 250 words, along with any additional material you think valuable. Submission deadline is 28th February AOE. The convention will be held at the Villa Wolkonsky, in San Giovanni, Rome (10 minutes walk from the Colosseum). A limited number of early-bird registrations have been posted on our website! Normal registration will follow after the submission deadline. We hope that you come and join us! The Organizing Committee. -- Dr Ruairidh McLennan Battleday BMBCh (Oxon) PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow Center for Brain Science, Harvard University Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines, MIT

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PhD Position
by Ahmed El Hady 29 Jan '24

29 Jan '24

PhD position available : Foraging tasks are emerging as crucial models for naturalistic decision making in rodents . On mechanistic level, those tasks give us the opportunity to understand how individual sensitivities to time and effort drive variability in the strategy of rodents facing an explore vs exploit dilemma. If those questions are of interest to you , there is an opening for a PhD position at the Centuri Turing Center for living systems in Marseille where the project is advised by David Robbe ( INMED, Marseille) , Eloy Christophe ( IRPHE, Marseille) and Ahmed El Hady ( Cluster for Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, Konstanz ). The project will combine theoretical and experimental approaches to understand how foraging strategies vary in terms of their sensitivities to time and effort during a variety of experimental conditions. We are looking for a candidate with a strong quantitative background, capable to developing numerical simulation/model (i.e. strong programing skills) and with a strong taste for animal behavior and cognition For more details and application procedure , please check the website : https://centuri-livingsystems.org/phd2024-19/ Please do not hesitate to get in touch in case you have any questions, Ahmed El hady Dr. Ahmed El Hady Group Leader Cluster for Advanced Study of Collective Behavior Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz Room ZT 907 Postbox 687 Tel.: +49 7531 88-4742

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Second Call for Papers: RaPID-5@LREC-COLING 2024
by Dim X 27 Jan '24

27 Jan '24

************************************************************************************* *Second Call for Papers:* The 5th workshop on: "*Resources and ProcessIng of linguistic, para-linguistic and extra-linguistic Data from * * people with various forms of cognitive/psychiatric/developmental impairments*" *Workshop*: co-located with LREC-COLING 2024 | Turin, Italy | May 21st, 2024 RaPID-5 serves as an interdisciplinary platform for researchers to exchange insights, methods, and experiences related to collecting and processing data from individuals with mental, cognitive, neuropsychiatric, or neurodegenerative impairments. The workshop focuses on creating, processing, and applying such data resources from individuals at different stages and severity levels of these impairments. The ultimate goal of RaPID-5 is to facilitate the study of relationships among linguistic, paralinguistic, and extra-linguistic observations, with applications ranging from aiding diagnosis to enhancing monitoring and predicting individuals at higher risk, ultimately promoting multidisciplinary collaboration across clinical, language technology, computational linguistics, and computer science communities. *Submission deadline*: Sun., 17th of March, 2024 (anywhere on earth - new date!) *Paper submission*: https://softconf.com/lrec-coling2024/rapid2024/ *Website and more details*: https://spraakbanken.gu.se/en/rapid-2024 *Contact*: Dimitrios Kokkinakis *Contact email*: dimitrios.kokkinakis(a)gu.se *Invited Speakers: * - Dr. Alexandra König, BSc MSc PhD, Institut national de recherche en informatique et en automatique (INRIA); Cobtek (Cognition; Behaviour; Technology) Lab; University Côte d'Azur, France - Prof. Maria Liakata, EPSRC/UKRI Turing Institute AI fellow, Queen Mary University of London, UK *Organizing committee*: - Kathleen C. Fraser, National Research Council, Canada; - Dimitrios Kokkinakis, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; - Kristina Lundholm Fors, Lund University, Sweden; - Charalambos K. Themistocleous, University of Oslo, Norway; - Athanasios Tsanas, The University of Edinburgh, UK; - Fredrik Öhman, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden **************************************************************************************

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Summer school "Cognitive Foundations of Decision-Making" in Rabat, Marocco
by Rava A. da Silveira 27 Jan '24

27 Jan '24

Applications are open for the interdisciplinary summer school “*Cognitive** Foundations of Decision-Making.”* The summer school is aimed at young scholars interested in decision-making in general, and the neural and cognitive foundations of decision-making in particular. The summer school will be held on *July 22–27, 2024*, on the beautiful campus of University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, in Rabat, Morocco. Information, including details on how to apply, can be found at https://www.rislab.net/summerschool. The lecturers will include Larbi Alaoui (Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Rava Azeredo da Silveira (ENS and University of Basel), Peter Bossaerts (University of Cambridge), Joseph Kable (University of Pennsylvania), Rafael Polania (ETH Zurich), Ryan Webb (University of Toronto).

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Call for Applications & Help Promote: Gatsby Bridging Programme (Maths Summer School)
by Lin, I-Chun 25 Jan '24

25 Jan '24

Application deadline: 23 February 2024 (We may need to stop accepting applications before this date if the number received exceeds our capacity to review.) Programme dates: 24 Jun - 9 Aug 2024 (London, UK) Programme details: www.ucl.ac.uk/gatsby/study-and-work/gatsby-bridging-programme The Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit at UCL is running the Gatsby Bridging Programme - an intensive, 7-week mathematics summer school. The programme is designed for penultimate/final-year undergraduates and Master’s students (incl. recent graduates) who aspire to pursue a postgraduate research degree in Theoretical Neuroscience or Machine Learning but whose degree course does not have a strong mathematical focus. Participants will attend in-person lectures/tutorials/problem-solving sessions to develop mathematics skills and intuition necessary to enter both fields and have the opportunity to interact with our researchers. We aim to be inclusive and to increase the diversity of students entering both fields. Thus, we strongly encourage applications from students in underrepresented groups in Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics. A limited number of bursaries are available to students who may find it difficult to participate for financial reasons. We would also appreciate it if you could help us reach students who may benefit from this programme. Here are some ways you can help us spread the word: * Distributing the Call for Applications email among colleagues and interested students. * Sharing our posts on social media: - X/Twitter: twitter.com/GatsbyUCL/status/1747929384135127272 - Mastodon: neuromatch.social/@GatsbyUCL/111776402260388914 - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/posts/i-chun-lin-49270817_mathematics-summerschool-theoret… Thank you for any support you are willing to give us. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Best, I-Chun -- I-Chun Lin Scientific Programme Manager Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit

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