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[jobs] Post Doctoral Position in Embodied Neural Computation at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense

by poramate＠manoonpong.com

The Embodied AI and Neurorobotics Lab, part of Centre for BioRobotics at the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at the University of Southern Denmark, invites applications for a position as postdoc in embodied neural computation. The position is available starting fromMarch2015, or as soon as possible thereafter, for up to two years. Description The recently established Embodied AI and Neurobotics lab aims to 1) develop modular bio-inspired robots and their modular neural mechanisms towards embodied autonomous locomotion systems with adaptivity, energy efficiency, and versatility; 2) understand complex dynamical interactions between physical and computational components in embodied neural closed-loop systems. Recent developments of our embodied (neuro) robotic systems include Locokit robots (<http://locokit.sdu.dk/>) and AMOS hexapod walking robots (<http://manoonpong.com/AMOSII.html>). To further this vision, we are recruiting one highly motivated postdoctoral scientist in the fields of Machine learning, Computational Neuroscience, Embodied AI, and Robotics, to work on neural predictive control for goal-directed learning and multi- scale adaptation. The predictive control will be used for autonomous acoustic navigation and communication of walking robots in complex environments. The successful candidate will be expected to have 1) a PhD degree in electrical engineering and computer science, computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, physics of complex systems, or a quantitative field, 2) articles published in international peer-reviewed journals documenting experience with embodied neural computation, and 3) strong background on reinforcement learning (such as continuous time actor-critic), artificial neural networks (in particular reservoir computing), nonlinear dynamic systems and robotics (e.g., walking robots), and 4) good programming skills (e.g., C, C++). Additionally, the candidate should have excellent writing skills and be able to work independently. The successful candidate for the position will be affiliated to Centre for BioRobotics at the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, the University of Southern Denmark. Applicants should provide a covering letter explaining their approach to the problem of predictive control alluded to above, and at most three articles illustrating their publication record and research interests, in addition to standard items such as CV, full publication list, etc. (see below). Applications will be considered continuously until the position is filled.Contact Information: Further information is available from Assoc. Prof. Poramate Manoonpong, The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, Tel: +4565508698, Email: <poma(a)mmmi.sdu.dk>, Website: <http://www.sdu.dk/staff/poma> , <http://www.manoonpong.com> An application must include: * Application * Curriculum Vitae * Certificates/Diplomas (Master's degree certificate and the latest certificate) * Information on previous teaching experience, please attach as Teaching portfolio * List of publications indicating the publications attached * Examples of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication, a possible co-author statement must be a part of this pdf-file The University encourages all interested persons to apply, regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation or ethnic background. The full posting can be accessed at <https://ssl1.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/Vacancy.cfm?Po…> Please apply online at: <https://ssl1.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/ApplicationFor…>

Nov. 5, 2014

computational neuroscience positions at Sandia National Laboratories

by Chance, Frances S.

Colleagues, We are seeking computational neuroscientists to join our interdisciplinary research program in understanding cognitive function at the neural circuit level. Example research topics of interest include understanding neural circuit function, neural basis of perception, decision-making, learning and memory, and the development and validation of large-scale high-fidelity neural simulations. Multiple positions for varying levels of experience are available. To apply, visit http://www.sandia.gov/careers/ and click "View All Jobs". Type the indicated Job ID into the Keywords box to find the appropriate posting. For questions please contact Frances Chance (fschanc(a)sandia.gov<mailto:fschanc@sandia.gov>), Brad Aimone (jbaimon(a)sandia.gov<mailto:jbaimon@sandia.gov>), or Glory Emmanuel (gremman(a)sandia.gov<mailto:gremman@sandia.gov>). Applications received by December 19, 2014 will receive full consideration. -- Technical Staff (Job ID 647552): The successful applicant for our technical staff position should have a strong background in neuroscience (as evidenced by a Ph. D. in neuroscience, cognitive science, machine learning, or a related field), and experience with current neuroscience research methods and data analysis. The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to ongoing projects as well as to develop new lines of research and pursue new funding opportunities. Experience should be commensurate with a beginning assistant professor or higher. Postdoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience (Job ID 647564): An advanced degree (Ph. D. or equivalent) in computational neuroscience or a related area is required for this position, as is a strong record of academic performance and publications. Other required qualifications include competence in C, C++, Matlab, Python, or a related programming language, and excellent written- and oral-communication skills. Postdoctoral Position in Machine Learning/Computer Science (Job ID 647563): An advanced degree (Ph. D. or equivalent) in mathematics or computer science or related area is required for this position; with a preference for those with experience in examining neural computation or developing machine learning approaches based on neural inspiration. Those with focus on mathematics research areas pertinent to neural systems, such as studies of large dynamical systems, high-dimensional statistics, and dimensionality reduction, are particularly encouraged to apply. A strong record of academic performance and publications is required. Other required qualifications include competence in C, C++, Matlab, Python, or a related programming language, and excellent written- and oral-communication skills.

Nov. 5, 2014

Last Mile: ADAPTIVE 2015 || March 22 - 27, 2015 - Nice, France

by Cristina Pascual

INVITATION: ================= Please consider to contribute to and/or forward to the appropriate groups the following opportunity to submit and publish original scientific results to ADAPTIVE 2015. The submission deadline is November 18, 2014. Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit extended article versions to one of the IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org ================= ============== ADAPTIVE 2015 | Call for Papers =============== CALL FOR PAPERS, TUTORIALS, PANELS ADAPTIVE 2015, The Seventh International Conference on Adaptive and Self-Adaptive Systems and Applications March 22 - 27, 2015 - Nice, France General page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/ADAPTIVE15.html Call for Papers: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/CfPADAPTIVE15.html Submission page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/SubmitADAPTIVE15.html Contributions: - regular papers [in the proceedings, digital library] - short papers (work in progress) [in the proceedings, digital library] - ideas: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - extended abstracts: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - presentations: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - demos: two pages [posted at www.iaria.org] - doctoral forum submissions: [in the proceedings, digital library] Proposals for: - mini-symposia: see http://www.iaria.org/symposium.html - workshops: see http://www.iaria.org/workshop.html - tutorials: [slide-deck posted on www.iaria.org] - panels: [slide-deck posted on www.iaria.org] Submission deadline: November 18, 2014 Sponsored by IARIA, www.iaria.org Extended versions of selected papers will be published in IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org Print proceedings will be available via Curran Associates, Inc.: http://www.proceedings.com/9769.html Articles will be archived in the free access ThinkMind Digital Library: http://www.thinkmind.org The topics suggested by the conference can be discussed in term of concepts, state of the art, research, standards, implementations, running experiments, applications, and industrial case studies. Authors are invited to submit complete unpublished papers, which are not under review in any other conference or journal in the following, but not limited to, topic areas. All tracks are open to both research and industry contributions, in terms of Regular papers, Posters, Work in progress, Technical/marketing/business presentations, Demos, Tutorials, and Panels. Before submission, please check and comply with the editorial rules: http://www.iaria.org/editorialrules.html ADAPTIVE 2015 Topics (topics and submission details: see CfP on the site) Fundamentals and design of adaptive systems Fundamentals on adaptive and self-adapting systems; Frameworks and architectures for adaptive supporting platforms; Architectures for adaptive applications; Specification of adaptive behavior; Specification of adaptive structures and topologies; Design and implementation of adaptive components; Composition of adaptive behaviors and structures; Adaptive individual and collective behavior and structures; Adaptive deterministic and non-deterministic behavior; Semantic modeling Adaptive entities Adaptive environments; Adaptive hardware configurations; Adaptive software applications; Adaptive protocols; Adaptive algorithms; Adaptive and interactive interfaces; Adaptive filters; Adaptive clock speeds; Adaptive schedulers; Adaptive load balancers Adaptive mechanisms Adaptive real-time strategies; Learning-based adaptive strategies; Adaptive mechanisms (trees, ant algorithms, fuzzy-logic, etc. ); Agent based-adaptive mechanisms; Policy- based adaptation; Feedback-based adaptive systems; Context-aware adaptation; User-aware adaptation Adaptive applications Adaptive artificial intelligence in computer wargames; Intelligent complex adaptive systems; Adaptive virtualization; Adaptive social networks; Adaptive entertainment applications; Adaptive disaster recovery systems; Anticipative adaptive systems; Fault-tolerant adaptive systems; Adaptive ad hoc networks; Application domains, e,g., building (AEC projects, simulation models, facility management), tourism, etc.; Adaptive economic applications (finance, stock exchange, regulatory decisions, etc.); Adaptive vehicular traffic Adaptivity in robot systems Adaptive robot behavior; self-organization and emergence; flexible and reconfigurable robot structures; adaptation in collective and swarm robotics Self-adaptation Theory of self-adaptation and control; Self-adaptive networks, systems, and applications; Self-adaptive services; Self-adaptive behavior and topology/structure; Specification of self-adaptive behavioral control Self-adaptation applications Self-monitoring and self-management; Self-configuration, self-healing, self-management; Self-defense, self-protection, self-diagnosis; Self-adaptation of overlay networks; Self-adaptation in ad hoc sensor networks; Context-aware self-adaptation of networks and services Computational Trust for Self-Adaptive Systems Trust models for adaptive systems; Trust models for self-organizing and autonomics systems; Agent-based trust models for cooperation; Privacy and Security in self-organizing and adaptive systems; Human and social factors involved in trust and adaptation; Applications of trust and security on adaptive systems, with a focus on web-based applications, social networks, social search; Trust models for self-organizing systems of information (wikis, forums, blogs.); Trust and personalisation for enabling adaptation; Models for learning trust and the evolution of trust; Decentralised trust models; Case studies; Theoretical trust models for self-adaptation Metrics for adaptive and self-adaptive systems Stability and convergence; Optimal (self-) adaptation; Accuracy validation of (self-) adaptation; Real-time (self-) adaptive performance Committee: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/ComADAPTIVE15.html ================================================

Nov. 4, 2014

CFP: Special Issue on Neurobiologically Inspired Robotics: Enhanced Autonomy Through Neuromorphic Cognition

by Jeff Krichmar

Dear Comp-Neuro, I hope some of you will consider submitting to this special issue of Neural Networks. Neurobiologically inspired robotics goes by many names: brain-based devices, cognitive robots, neurorobots, and neuromorphic robots, to name a few. The field has grown into an exciting area of research and engineering. The common goal is twofold: Firstly, developing a system that demonstrates some level of cognitive ability can lead to a better understanding of the neural machinery that realizes cognitive function. The often used phrase, “understanding through building”, implies that one can get a deep understanding of a system by constructing physical artifacts that can operate in the real-world. In building and studying neurobiologically inspired robots, scientists must address theories of neuroscience that couple brain, body, and behavior. Secondly, the deep theoretical understanding of cognition, neurobiology and behavior obtained by constructing physical systems, could lead to a system that demonstrates capabilities commonly found in the animal kingdom, but rarely found in artificial systems, most notably their adaptive and flexible autonomous behavior. There have already been some successes that meet these goals. For example, navigation models based on the hippocampus are now deployed on robots that autonomously explore their environment. Machine image processing systems based on visual cortex have been used in a number of unsupervised recognition and perception applications. Robots designed to address impairments due to disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder, and attentional deficit disorders, are being used as therapeutic and diagnostic tools without the need for constant caretaker supervision. Despite these successes, the field is still in its infancy and basic research is needed. In particular, we are interested in papers that describe: 1) How models of cognitive functions, such as attention, decision-making, learning and memory, perception, and social cognition can be constructed on physical robots. 2) How the neuromorphic devices, which are designed to run neural algorithms with low-power, can advance the construction of autonomous robotics. 3) How the theoretical and engineering lessons learned from constructing neurobiologically inspired robots can transfer to autonomous robots carrying out practical applications. This Special Issue invites papers that address the three broad topics described above. Topics of interest • Adaptive behavior • Active sensing • Artificial empathy • Cortical computing • Developmental robotics • Embodied Cognition • Neuromorphic Engineering • On-line learning and memory systems • Prediction and planning • Socially assistive robotics Guest Editors Jeffrey Krichmar, University of California, Irvine Minoru Asada, Osaka University Jorg Conradt, Technische Universitat München Important Dates Submission due: 1 Feb 2015 Acceptance notification: 1 Aug 2015 Expected publication: 1 Nov 2015 Submission instructions Each paper for submission should be formatted according to the style and length limit of Neural Networks. Please refer complete Author Guidelines at http://www.elsevier.com/journals/neural-networks/0893-6080/guide-for-authors. Note that published papers and those currently under review by other journals or conferences are prohibited. A separate cover letter should be submitted that includes the paper title, the list of all authors and their affiliations, and information of the contact author. Each paper will be reviewed rigorously, and possibly in two rounds, i.e., minor/major revisions will undergo another round of review. Prospective authors are invited to submit their papers directly via the online submission system at http://ees.elsevier.com/neunet/. To ensure that all manuscripts are correctly included into the special issue described, it is important that all authors select “SI: Neurobiological Robotics” when they reach the "Article Type" step in the submission process. 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

Nov. 4, 2014

**Abstract submission deadline THIS FRIDAY 11/07** MURI Winter School Jan. 2015

by Santamaria, Cookie

UCSD and the University of Chicago present: MURI WINTER SCHOOL 2015<http://biocircuits.ucsd.edu/special/winterschool2015> Dynamics of Multifunction Brain Networks Organizers: Henry Abarbanel (UCSD), Timothy Gentner (UCSD), and Daniel Margoliash (Univ. of Chicago) 15th Floor, Building 1, Village West<http://maps.ucsd.edu/mapping/viewer/default.htm?mkey=1&lc=open&km=open&rc=c…>, UC San Diego January 7-9, 2015 Registration deadline: Friday, December 5, 2014 Abstract submission deadline: Friday, November 7, 2014 Lecturers: Tim Gardner<http://people.bu.edu/timothyg/Home.html> (Boston University) – “High density neural recordings in singing birds: methods and observations” Michael Long<http://longlab.med.nyu.edu/> (New York University) – “How does the brain generate behavioral sequences?” Gabriel Mindlin<http://www.lsd.df.uba.ar/> (University of Buenos Aires) – “The biomechanics of birdsong production” and “Low dimensional dynamics systems behind birdsong production” Richard Mooney<http://www.mooneylab.com/> (Duke University) – “Neurobiology of vocal learning” and “Forward mechanisms for hearing and learning” Marc Schmidt<http://www.bio.upenn.edu/people/marc-schmidt> (University of Pennsylvania) – “Brainstem and forebrain contributions to the generation of learned motor” Ofer Tchernichovski<http://ofer.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/> (Hunter College) – “Vocal learning beyond imitation: from cultural evolution to brain dopamine” and “How a song is learned: mechanisms of template matching” ________________________________________________________________________________ This is the third annual Winter School sponsored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research as part of its UCSD/Chicago MURI program in Dynamics of Multifunction Brain Networks. This year’s School presents a series of pedagogical and research oriented talks on the use of birdsong as a model system where theory and experiment can meet productively. It includes a series of pedagogical presentations and a poster session. The School is intended for all researchers, including advanced graduate students, interested in the general area of understanding functional nervous systems. Active participation during the School's lectures is strongly encouraged. All attendees are invited to submit abstracts for poster presentations. Selected contributed posters will be highlighted in an oral session. Registration is required for attendance, but there is no fee for attending. A limited number of travel awards are available for exceptionally qualified graduate students and postdocs, who should apply and have their supervisor send a letter of reference, via email, to muri.winter.school(a)gmail.com<mailto:muri.winter.school@gmail.com>. Please visit us online to register and for details regarding the schedule and poster abstract submission: http://biocircuits.ucsd.edu/special/winterschool2015

Nov. 4, 2014

PhD student position in theoretical/ computational neuroscience available in Mannheim, Germany

by Seeger, Simone

A PhD student position in theoretical/ computational neuroscience (German payscale 0.67x E13 TV-L) is available for 3 years initially, starting January 2015 or later, at the Dept. of Theoretical Neuroscience (Head: Prof. Daniel Durstewitz), Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg-Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Heidelberg University. The lab focuses on highly data-driven computational models of prefrontal cortical and hippocampal network dynamics underlying higher cognitive function in health and psychiatric disease. Our approach is to estimate (in statistically principled ways) single cell and network models from slice and in-vivo electrophysiological recordings generated in the lab, and then apply these for understanding network function and dysfunction in experimental data (multiple single-unit, behavior) in psychiatrically relevant genetic animal models. Applicants should have a strong mathematical background (dynamical systems and/or statistics / stochastic processes), good programming skills (Matlab, C++), and a keen interest in biological and neural systems. Please send informal inquiries and application documents (cover letter including a brief description of research interests, CV and contact details of two personal references) to Dr. loreen.hertaeg(a)zi-mannheim.de<mailto:loreen.hertaeg@zi-mannheim.de>. *** Simone Seeger, M.A. Administration Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit Postfach 12 21 20, 68072 Mannheim J5, 68159 Mannheim Telefon: 0621/1703-1326 oder 06221/54-8310 Fax: 0621/1703-2915 E-Mail: Simone.Seeger(a)zi-mannheim.de<mailto:Simone.Seeger@zi-mannheim.de> Internet: http://www.bccn-heidelberg-mannheim.de<http://www.bccn-heidelberg-mannheim.de/>

Nov. 4, 2014

CfP : TWELFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIPLE CLASSIFIER SYSTEMS

by Dr. Schwenker

---- PLEASE, APOLOGIZE MULTIPLE COPIES ---- ****************************************** ** MCS 2015 Preliminary Call for Papers ** ****************************************** *****Paper Submission: JANUARY 30, 2015***** ********************************************************************** TWELFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIPLE CLASSIFIER SYSTEMS Reisensburg Castle (Günzburg, Germany), Ulm University, June 29 - July 1, 2015 http://mcs.diee.unica.it ********************************************************************** MCS 2015 is the twelfth edition of the well-established series of meetings providing the leading international forum for the discussion of issues in multiple classifier systems and ensemble methods. The aim of the workshop is to bring together researchers from diverse communities concerned with this topic, including pattern recognition, machine learning, neural networks, data mining and statistics. MCS 2015 will be held on June 29 - July 1, 2015, at Reisensburg Castle (Günzburg, Germany) research center of the Ulm University. Updated information:http://mcs.diee.unica.it Best regards, MCS 2015 Co-Chairs Friedhelm Schwenker Joseph Kittler Fabio Roli

Nov. 3, 2014

PhD in “Fragmented neural processing in Parkinson's disease” at University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences

by Mark Humphries

PhD in “Fragmented neural processing in Parkinson's disease”. Applications are invited for this fully-funded PhD position (fees and salary) in the lab of Dr Mark Humphries in the Faculty of Life Science, University of Manchester Deadline: 12th December 2014 Start date: September 2015 Duration: 3 or 4 years, depending on qualifications Eligibility: Candidates must be nationals of the UK or other EU country This project will pursue the hypothesis that chronic loss of dopamine causes the fragmentation of striatal processing of cortical input. The striatum supports neural populations coding for different actions, forming the basis for action selection. Animal model data has suggested that chronic dopamine loss causes the fragmentation of these populations, mixing together previously well-defined populations (Cho et al 2002 J Comp Neurol). To test this hypothesis, the candidate will develop our existing large-scale model of the striatal network (Humphries et al, 2010, PLoS Comput Biol) and combine it with a newly-developed model of dopamine-dependent plasticity at cortical synapses onto striatal neurons (Gurney et al, PLoS Biol, in press). The project will then test aspects of the hypothesis: Does fragmentation occur via changes to network excitability or to plastic change to network inputs? Does fragmentation cause the breakdown of action selection and therefore the observed motor symptoms? And why is 80% loss of dopamine necessary for this to occur? For more details of the project please visit: http://www.ls.manchester.ac.uk/phdprogrammes/projectsavailable/project/?id=… For details of the application and interview process see: http://www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/mhs-graduate-school/mrcdtp/stu… Informal enquiries: mark.humphries(a)manchester.ac.uk<mailto:mark.humphries@manchester.ac.uk> Dr Mark Humphries MRC Senior non-Clinical Research Fellow AV Hill Building Faculty of Life Sciences University of Manchester http://www.systemsneurophysiologylab.ls.manchester.ac.uk/

Nov. 3, 2014

Assistant or Associate Professor, Data Analytics

by Guerra, Erick J.

Assistant or Associate Professor, Health or Biomedical Data Analytics Rowan University is a comprehensive state-designated research institution with approximately 15,000 students. Its main campus is located in Glassboro, N.J., 20-miles southeast of Philadelphia, and it has a branch campus and medical school in Camden and a second medical school in nearby Stratford. Rowan is the second university in the country to offer M.D. and D.O. medical-degree granting programs. The School of Osteopathic Medicine has a faculty practice plan that serves approximately 200,000 patients in Southern New Jersey. The institution is also home to the South Jersey Technology Park, which fosters the translation of applied research into commercial products and processes. Its business incubator also supports that mission. The University boasts seven colleges–Rohrer College of Business and colleges of Communication and Creative Arts, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Performing Arts, and Science and Mathematics. The Department of Biomedical & Translational Sciences in the School of Biomedical Science & Health Professions invites applications for a tenure-track Associate or Assistant Professor position in the field of Health or Biomedical Data Analytics starting September 1, 2015. A Ph.D. in Data Analytics or related field is required. The successful candidate will assume a leadership role in the newly established Data Analytics programand is expected to develop an externally-funded research program in Health or Biomedical Data Analytics that involves undergraduate and/or graduate (MS) students. Applications are encouraged from candidates with a successful record of research in one of the following areas: medical informatics, genomic or proteomic data mining, systems biology, translational bioinformatics. Candidates with a background in industry settings are also encouraged to apply. The Department of Biomedical & Translational Sciences is the home for new interdisciplinary biomedical initiatives and welcomes its first cohort of students pursuing a BS in Translational Biomedical Sciences in Fall 2014. Many faculty-members in the Department of Biomedical & Translational Sciences have joint appointments with the College of Science and Mathematics, and there are opportunities to collaborate with both the allopathic and osteopathic medical schools at Rowan University. The College of Science & Mathematics currently offers related BS degrees in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Bioinformatics, in addition to MS degrees in Pharmaceutical Science and Bioinformatics. The Master of Science in Data Analytics with a specialization in Health Data Analytics is housed in the College of Science & Mathematics with stakeholders spanning several colleges and schools at Rowan University. The successful candidate will develop and implement new interdisciplinary curricula in both Data Analytics and Translational Biomedical Sciences. Teaching responsibilities will include courses in Translational Biomedical Sciences, graduate courses in Data Analytics, and potentially other discipline specific courses falling under these programs. The application must be submitted through our online application system (http://rowanuniversity.hodesiq.com/jobs/assistant-associate-professor-healt…) as a single file (PDF format) containing a curriculum vitae, a detailed description of research interests and plans, a statement of teaching philosophy, and graduate transcripts (copies acceptable). Three letters of recommendation should be sent via email directly to Ms. Shelly Klink (klink(a)rowan.edu<mailto:klink@rowan.edu>). The application deadline is November 15, 2014. Rowan University values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment. Candidates must demonstrate authorization to work in the United States. All positions are contingent upon budget appropriations.

Nov. 1, 2014

Call for Papers - Neural Networks special issue on Big Data

by Asim Roy

Apologies for cross posting. Special Issue on Neural Network Learning in Big Data [Special Issue on Neural Network Learning in Big Data] Neural Networks Special Issue: Neural Network Learning in Big Data Big data is much more than storage of and access to data. Analytics plays an important role in making sense of that data and exploiting its value. But learning from big data has become a significant challenge and requires development of new types of algorithms. Most machine learning algorithms encounter theoretical challenges in scaling up to big data. Plus there are challenges of high dimensionality, velocity and variety for all types of machine learning algorithms. The neural network field has historically focused on algorithms that learn in an online, incremental mode without requiring in-memory access to huge amounts of data. The brain is arguably the best and most elegant big data processor and is the inspiration for neural network learning methods. Neural network type of learning is not only ideal for streaming data (as in the Industrial Internet or the Internet of Things), but could also be used for stored big data. For stored big data, neural network algorithms can learn from all of the data instead of from samples of the data. And the same is true for streaming data where not all of the data is actually stored. In general, online, incremental learning algorithms are less vulnerable to size of the data. Neural network algorithms, in particular, can take advantage of massively parallel (brain-like) computations, which use very simple processors, that other machine learning technologies cannot. Specialized neuromorphic hardware, originally meant for large-scale brain simulations, is becoming available to implement these algorithms in a massively parallel fashion. Neural network algorithms, therefore, can deliver very fast and efficient real-time learning through the use of hardware and this could be particularly useful for streaming data in the Industrial Internet. Neural network technologies thus can become significant components of big data analytics platforms and this special issue will begin that journey with big data. For this special issue of Neural Networks, we invite papers that address many of the challenges of learning from big data. In particular, we are interested in papers on efficient and innovative algorithmic approaches to analyzing big data (e.g. deep networks, nature-inspired and brain-inspired algorithms), implementations on different computing platforms (e.g. neuromorphic, GPUs, clouds, clusters) and applications of online learning to solve real-world big data problems (e.g. health care, transportation, and electric power and energy management). RECOMMENDED TOPICS: Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 1. Autonomous, online, incremental learning - theory, algorithms and applications in big data 2. High dimensional data, feature selection, feature transformation - theory, algorithms and applications for big data 3. Scalable neural network algorithms for big data 4. Neural network learning algorithms for high-velocity streaming data 5. Deep neural network learning 6. Neuromorphic hardware for scalable neural network learning 7. Big data analytics using neural networks in healthcare/medical applications 8. Big data analytics using neural networks in electric power and energy systems 9. Big data analytics using neural networks in large sensor networks 10.Big data and neural network learning in computational biology and bioinformatics SUBMISSION PROCEDURE: Prospective authors should visit http://ees.elsevier.com/neunet/ for information on paper submission. During the submission process, there will be steps to designate the submission to this special issue. However, please indicate on the first page of the manuscript that the manuscript is intended for the Special Issue: Neural Network Learning in Big Data. Manuscripts will be peer reviewed according to Neural Networks guidelines. Manuscript submission due: December 15, 2014 First review completed: March 1, 2015 Revised manuscript due: April 1, 2015 Second review completed, final decisions to authors: April 15, 2015 Final manuscript due: April 30, 2015 GUEST EDITORS: Asim Roy, Arizona State University, USA (asim.roy(a)asu.edu<mailto:asim.roy@asu.edu>) (lead guest editor) Kumar Venayagamoorthy, Clemson University, USA (gkumar(a)ieee.org<mailto:gvenaya@clemson.edu>) Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand (nkasabov(a)aut.ac.nz<mailto:nkasabov@aut.ac.nz>) Irwin King, Chinese University of Hong Kong, China (irwinking(a)gmail.com<mailto:irwinking@gmail.com>)

Nov. 1, 2014

Postdoctoral Position in Neuroscience (BRAIN Initiative project): In vivo imaging of cortical dynamics

by Patrick Kanold

Dear all, A postdoctoral position utilizing in vivo 2-photon imaging is available in the laboratory of Dr. Patrick Kanold at the University of Maryland. The laboratory studies the function, development, and plasticity of the cerebral cortex (http://www.kanold.org) We are seeking highly motivated individuals that want to join exciting collaborative project, together with Dr. Dietmar Plenz (NIMH, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/labs-at-nimh/principal-investigators/dietmar-plenz.…) and Dr. Wolfgang Losert (UMd Physics), funded by the NIH BRAIN initiative. We use in vivo 2-photon imaging and stimulation technology that allows rapid imaging and stimulation in multiple focal planes and aim to develop new analysis techniques based on dynamic systems and graph theoretic measures to extract network dynamics at the single neuron and population level. We aim to identify the influence of single neurons relative to the synergistic influence of specific groups of neurons (the crowd) on network dynamics and ultimately behavior of the animal (see http://www.clfs.umd.edu/biology/kanold/Research.html) The ideal candidate will have a PhD in neuroscience, engineering, or related discipline, a background in systems neuroscience, and an ability to work in a large multidisciplinary team. Special considerations are given to applicants with training in imaging, in vivo physiology, computational approaches, and programming skills (esp. MATLAB). Qualified individuals should send a copy of curriculum vitae and names of three references to pkanold(a)umd.edu.

Oct. 31, 2014

Postodoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience of Alcohol Addiction (ENS-Paris France- Indiana USA)

by GUTKIN Boris

A postdoctoral position is available for a USA-France collaborative project on the influence of alcohol on the central dopamine system. The project combines computational and experimental techniques. The post-doc will design and analyze a biophysical computational models of the brain circuitry affected by alcohol. The position is available immediately for up to three years. The position is based at the Group for Neural Theory, Ecole Normale Superieure Paris France, with extensive research visits between two institutions: Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France. In Paris, he or she will work with Prof. Gutkin (Group of Neural Theory, ENS) and Prof. Mamelli (Institut du Fer a Moulin, INSERM) on circuit level models. In Indianapolis, the post-doc will work with Prof. Kuznetsov (Mathematics Dept.) and Prof. Lapish (Psychology Dept.) on cellular level models. Both locations provide an excellent environment for collaborative research in quantitative biosciences. Ample travel support, competitive salary and full social coverage is offered. Qualifications: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Computational Neuroscience, Mathematics, Physics, or a quantitative field, a background in dynamical systems, programming experience and working knowledge in Computational Neuroscience. How to Apply: Send your CV, list of publications, research statement, and contact information for three references to Prof. Boris Gutkin via e-mail: boris.gutkin(a)ens.fr.

Oct. 31, 2014

USA-Israel Postdoctoral Position

by Jean-Marc

*Postdoctoral Position* University of Arizona and University of Haifa The Computational and Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory is looking to fill a position for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. The research project is geared towards understanding the role of hippocampal replay in spatial navigation and memory consolidation during sleep. The techniques used include high density electrophysiology in the behaving rat, neuropharmacology, optogenetics and computational modeling. The project is multidisciplinary and involves collaborations with research teams in the USA and France (Univ. South Florida Tampa, INSERM Lyon France, Harvard Univ MA, UCSD, UCR and Salk, California). Good communication skills are necessary. This is a joint position between the University of Haifa (Israel) and the University of Arizona (Tucson, USA). The successful candidate will be expected to spend part of his/her time in the USA and in Israel. Basic knowledge of Hebrew will be helpful. Applicants with a subset of the following skill set are strongly encouraged to apply: - Scientific expertise or interests in hippocampus and/or prefrontal-cortex - Electrophysiology (in vivo chronic behaving, or in vitro) - Behavioral Neuroscience (rat training/testing) - General laboratory skills (e.g. histology, surgery) - Matlab and/or NEURON programming and spike-data analyses Applicant should send a cover letter, CV and the names of at least 2 references to Dr. Jean-Marc Fellous (fellous at email.arizona.edu) Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The search is ongoing and is projected to be completed by November 30th, 2014. Information about the laboratory can be found at: http://amygdala.psychdept.arizona.edu/lab.html

Oct. 30, 2014

PhD in interdisciplinary ML / Robotics / BCI project

by Michael Tangermann

Dear colleagues, there is a new offer for an interdisciplinary Machine Learning / BCI / Robotics PhD position in Freiburg. Please circulate it in your lab and email lists. Thanks a lot, Michael --- snip --- Doctoral Research Position at the University of Freiburg, Germany The University of Freiburg invites candidates to apply for a fully funded three-year PhD position (TV-L E13). The job offers a novel perspective to relevant problems in robotics in an inter-disciplinary approach involving engineering, artificial intelligence / machine learning, neuroscience and assistive technology. The interaction between a (semi-autonomous) robotic device (e.g., a robotic wheelchair) and a human user is often ruled by a set of strategies executed by the robot. Typical robotic tasks are to accomplish a navigation task, to map the environment or to manipulate objects of the environment. The user may either control the actions of the robot or be an interaction partner for the robot. The level of control the user has over the robot's actions can be placed on the continuum between absolute low-level control (e.g., a joystick), over mid-level control ("turn right on next occasion") up to high-level control ("take me to the kitchen"). While state-of-the-art robotic control already takes the changing environment into account before strategies are selected and executed, the internal state of the user and fluctuations thereof typically are disregarded. Examples of informative mental states of users would be the level of task-induced workload, the sense of control/agency in the current situation or the perceived complexity of the current situation. In the project, relevant internal mental states of the user shall continuously be assessed. Therefore, electrophysiological recordings (e.g., EEG, MEG, GSR, HRV, etc.) will be exploited with methods developed in the field of brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. Upon successful decoding of a mental state of interest, the robotic behavior can be adapted specifically to an individual user and to the perceived situation. Using the resulting co-adaptive strategy between human and robot, we expect an enhancement of usability and user acceptance during various tasks in human-robot interaction. During the project, expected tasks will comprise offline experiments with assessment of electrophysiological signals, simulated robotic control, offline and online data analysis with BCI methods, online experiments with a robotic application and mental state monitoring, evaluation of adaptive strategies of the robot. The candidate is expected to actively participate in the dissemination of research results in publications, on conferences and by teaching. The target group are candidates with a degree at master level in robotics, computer science, artificial intelligence / machine learning, electrical engineering or cognitive science, with a strong relation to science, technology or innovation studies. Candidates are expected to have practical experience in all of the three fields robotics, machine learning/AI, and Brain-Computer Interfaces. We furthermore expect outstanding qualifications, the motivation to obtain a Doctoral degree and the interest to work in an interdisciplinary environment. Finally we require applicants to have excellent communication skills in English. Applications should be send to ais-applications(a)informatik.uni-freiburg.de. The application documents should consist of a single PDF file and include - Motivation letter (Expose, respectively) - Two letters of recommendation from professors or persons authorized to supervise dissertation projects - Curriculum vitae - Copies of the following documents: a. Higher education entrance qualification (school-leaving certificate) b. University examination certificates (intermediate examinations) c. University diploma d. Any documents providing evidence of academic achievements, relevant practical experience, and qualifications earned at or outside of the university Further information can be obtained from Wolfram Burgard and Michael Tangermann ({burgard|tangerm}(a)informatik.uni-freiburg.de)

Oct. 29, 2014

Neurocontrol Frontiers Research Topic, Call for Papers

by Ritt, Jason T

Hello comp-neuro, Daniel Moran, ShiNung Ching and I are guest editing a Research Topic in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience/Neuroprosthetics, titled "From Neurostimulation to Neurocontrol: Advances and Challenges in Adapting Control Theory to the Brain”: http://www.frontiersin.org/Neuroprosthetics/researchtopics/From_neurostimul… We encourage all interested in advancing the theory of control of neural systems to consider submitting an article to this Research Topic. Frontiers articles are published upon acceptance, without waiting for other submissions to finish peer review, and are available open access. To find more information on the Topic or submission process, please follow the link above, and/or email me. Cheers, Jason Ritt, Boston University, jritt(a)bu.edu with Daniel Moran, Washington University, St. Louis ShiNung Ching, Washington University, St. Louis --- Jason Ritt Assistant Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering Boston University 44 Cummington Mall Boston MA 02215 jritt(a)bu.edu 617-353-5903 (office) http://www.bu.edu/dbin/bme/people/primary/ritt.php

Oct. 29, 2014

2014 SFN Mtg Workshop: Portal for parallel simulations

by Ted Carnevale

A few seats remain open for the workshop Using the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) for Parallel Simulations which will be held on the morning of Saturday, November 15, 2014, from 9 AM to Noon in Washington DC as a satellite to the SFN 2014 meeting. The NSG is being developed with suport from NSF to help neuroscientists access high performance computing resources. Several parallel simulators are already installed, including Brian, NEST, NEURON, PGENESIS, and PyNN, and more are planned for the future. Find out how the NSG makes it easy to get allocations of free CPU time, upload your model, launch and monitor jobs, and download results. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 31, so you'll need to act quickly. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2014/nsg2014.html for further details and the registration form. --Ted

Oct. 28, 2014

Postdoctoral Position in Neuroengineering and Cognitive Engineering at the SiNAPSE Institute, Singapore

by Justin Dauwels (Asst Prof)

Postdoctoral Position in Neuroengineering and Cognitive Engineering at the SiNAPSE Institute, Singapore Inquiries and applications are invited from highly productive, creative and ambitious young scientists for a postdoctoral fellowship in the recently launched the SiNAPSE Institute (www.sinapseinstitute.com<http://www.sinapseinstitute.com>) - a multidisplinary research Institute devoted to research on neurotechnologies, cognitive sciences, neuroengineering, and translational and clinically motivated research at the National University of Singapore under the direction of Prof. Nitish Thakor (www.jhu.edu/nthakor<http://www.jhu.edu/nthakor>). For this project, the postdoctoral fellow is expected to interact with PIs at the SiNAPSE Institute (Profs Nitish Thakor and Anastasios Bezerianos), as well as collaborators at Nanyang Technological University (Prof. Justin Dauwels and others) and International Collaborators (Prof. Hasan Al-Nashash). Candidates with a PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Neurosciences or Neuroengineering with outstanding skills and credentials are invited to apply for appropriate positions in the Institute. The main objectives of the research project are (but not limited to): 1. Cognitive science studies involving attention, vigilance, benefits of training, novel modes of cognitive enhancement and learning. 2. Mathematical modeling of brain connectome from EEG, ERP, fNIR and fMRI, 3. Principled statistical models for merging different brain imaging modalities (EEG/MEG/fMRI/DTI). The researchers will have access to impressive financial and physical resources, including noninvasive human and small animal experimental facilities, laboratory instrumentation, computing and imaging resources, and additional project-specific discretionary funding. SINAPSE will provide excellent work conditions (an environment about 20 collaborative PIs and more than 100 researchers in steady state). The salaries will be internationally competitive and commensurate with experience, and health insurance coverage as well as travel to international conferences will be included. Interested researchers and fellows should contact as soon as possible Prof. Nitish Thakor (sinapsedirector(a)gmail.com<mailto:sinapsedirector@gmail.com>) and Justin Dauwels (jdauwels(a)ntu.edu.sg<mailto:jdauwels@ntu.edu.sg>) sending a CV with two external references and a letter of accomplishments, motivation and career goals. ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY: This email is intended solely for the person(s) named and may be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it, notify us and do not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Towards a sustainable earth: Print only when necessary. Thank you.

Oct. 27, 2014

Research Associate in Neuroscience, University of Leicester

by Atkinson, Sue

Dear Colleagues, We are recruiting for a Research Associate here at the Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester. You will work on calcium imaging (2-photon) and electrophysiology recordings in mice as part of the research activities of the Centre for Systems Neuroscience. Research will be done in collaboration with the Department of Cell Pharmacology and Physiology (Ian Forsythe). The project aims to use a virtual navigation environment for the head restrained mice to record neuronal activity in the mouse hippocampus whilst the animal performs different tasks. The work will be performed in synergy with experiments done in humans ("concept cells") to gain a deeper understanding of perception and memory processes. You will contribute to imaging and electrophysiology data collection and analysis, as well as the design of the experiments and overall setup of the system. In particular you will work on the development and optimization of advance methods for the analysis of the data. You will have, or be close to completing, a PhD in an area related to Neuroscience or signal processing (physics, mathematics, engineering, computer sciences). You will also have good programming skills, particularly in Matlab, and ideally you have experience in neurophysiology and imaging recording. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Sue Atkinson on sam45(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. The closing date for this post is midnight on 24 November 2014. Click here and search on the reference number SEN00519 for more information and to apply. http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/jobs/opportunities/jobsearch Sue ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Susan Atkinson Centre Manager Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester, 9 Salisbury Road, Leicester, LE1 7QR, UK T: +44 116 252 3249 E: sam45(a)le.ac.uk<mailto:sam45@le.ac.uk> W: http://www2.le.ac.uk/centres/csn [cid:image001.jpg@01CFF1FC.B7D361D0] Elite without being elitist Follow us on Twitter<https://twitter.com/uniofleicester> or visit our Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/uniofleicester> page

Oct. 27, 2014

PhD opportunities in Computational Neuroscience

by Clopath, Claudia

Computational Neuroscience Laboratory Headed by Dr. Claudia Clopath Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London -----------------Requirements:----------------- The Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, headed by Dr. Claudia Clopath, is looking for a talented PhD student, interested in working in the field of computational neuroscience, specifically addressing questions of *learning and memory*. The perfect candidate has a strong mathematical, physical or engineering background (or equivalent), and a keen interest in biological and neural systems. Demonstrated programming skills are a plus. -----------------Research topic:----------------- Learning and memory are among the most fascinating topic of neuroscience, yet our understanding of it is only at the beginning. Learning is thought to change the connections between the neurons in the brain, a process called *synaptic plasticity*. Using mathematical and computational tools, it is possible to model synaptic plasticity across different time scales, which helps understand how different types of memory are formed. The PhD candidate will be working to build those models of synaptic plasticity, and study the functional role of synaptic plasticity in artificial neural networks. They will have the opportunity to collaborate with experimental laboratories, which study connectivity changes and behavioural learning. Candidates should be EU nationals. ----------------- The lab:----------------- The Computational Neuroscience Laboratory is very young and dynamic, and publishes in prestigious journals, such as Nature and Science. It is part of the Department of Bioengineering, which conducts state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research in biomechanics, neuroscience and neurotechnology. The lab is at *Imperial College London*, the 3rd ranked university in Europe, is in the top 10 worldwide, and is located in the city centre of London. More information can be found at: http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/c.clopath/lab/index.html<http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/c.clopath/>

Oct. 27, 2014

Neucomp 2015 CFP (in conjunction with DATE'15 conference)

by Jeff Krichmar

Dear CompNeuro, This CFP may be of interest to many of you. Best regards, 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 Begin forwarded message: > From: Philippe Coussy <philippe.coussy(a)univ-ubs.fr> > Subject: Neucomp 2015 CFP (in conjunction with DATE'15 conference) > Date: October 23, 2014 at 4:25:07 PM GMT+2 > To: Nikil Dutt <dutt(a)ics.uci.edu>, Jeff Krichmar <jkrichma(a)uci.edu>, Philippe Coussy <philippe.coussy(a)univ-ubs.fr> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Apologies in advance for any duplicate announcements > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > CALL FOR POSTER ABSTRACTS > > 2nd International Workshop on Neuromorphic and Brain-Based Computing Systems (NeuComp 2015) > http://www.date-conference.com/conference/workshop-w03 > Friday March 13, 2015, Grenoble, France > > held in conjunction with DATE'15 conference > (http://www.date-conference.com) > > > **Description** > Biological neural systems are well known for their robust and power-efficient operation in highly noisy environments. Biological circuits are made up of low-precision, unreliable and massively parallel neural elements with highly reconfigurable and plastic connections. Two of the most interesting properties of the neural systems are its self-organizing capabilities and its template architecture. Recent research in biologically-plausible neural networks has demonstrated interesting principles about learning and neural computation. Understanding and applying these principles to practical problems is only possible if large-scale neural simulators or circuits can be constructed. This workshop will outline key modelling abstractions for the brain and focus on recent neural network models. Aspects of neuronal processing and computational issues related to modelling these processes will be discussed. Hardware and software solutions readily usable by neuroscientists and computer scientists and efficient enough to construct very large networks comparable to brain networks will be presented. > > > **Target Audience and Workshop Format** > NeuComp 2015 is the second edition of a DATE workshop designed to attract both newcomers to neuromorphic computing, as well as neuromorphic researchers who wish to interact with the DATE community to stimulate new ideas, topics and collaborations. Since this is a hot area but one that is probably new to a large segment of the DATE community, half of the workshop will be devoted to a comprehensive introduction to Neuromorphic and Brain-Based Computing, where the audience will be exposed to basic definitions, key concepts, abstractions, design flows, and design constraints; also some highly visible research projects will be presented as exemplars to provide an overview of existing and emerging solutions in this domain. The other half of the event will create a forum for interactive discussion and exchange of ideas and experiences between researchers through posters and demonstrations, with the goal of highlighting details on applicability, performance, and strengths of current solutions. Our aim is for attendees to learn about emerging Neuromorphic and Brain-Based computing techniques, highlight publicly available modelling and simulation tools, and view directions for longer term research. > > > **Topics of interest** > Authors are invited to submit original unpublished works on topics from a wide range of Neuromorphic and Brain-Based computing areas, including but not limited to: > - Formal models > - Hardware architectures > - Software tools > - Systems and applications > - Simulation Infrastructures > > > **Submission** > Submissions are invited in the form of 2-page extended abstract describing the novelties and advantages of the work. > Submissions must be done through Easychair at https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=neucomp2015 > All submissions will be evaluated with regard to their suitability for the workshop, originality and technical soundness. Selected submissions will be accepted for oral presentation and/or poster/interactive presentations. This workshop does not require blind submissions. Informal proceedings with accepted papers will be made available at the workshop as detailed below. > > > **Important dates** > - Submission deadline October 30th, 2014 > - Notification of acceptance November 30th, 2015 > - Final program December 15th, 2015 > > > **Informal Workshop Digest** > NeuComp 2015 will distribute an informal workshop digest to all workshop participants. NeuComp 2015 presenters are encouraged to submit papers for inclusion in this informal workshop digest. > Note that since the informal workshop digest is only distributed to workshop participants (and is not archived as part of DATE or ACM/IEEE digital libraries), authors are free to submit their work to other archival conferences and journals. > > > **Proceedings** > Selected results of the two first editions of Neucomp will be published in form of an edited book by Springer. > > > **Workshop format** > The workshop will combine oral and interactive sessions (posters and demonstrations) together with invited talks representing major neuromorphic research projects. The event will be designed to be highly interactive, with ample time for discussion and cross-disciplinary engagement. > > > **Confirmed Invited speakers** > - Romain Brette (ENS, FR) > - Kristofor Carlson (UCI, US) > - Jörg Conradt (TU Munich, DE) > - Steve Furber (Manchester Univ., UK) > - Todd Hylton (Brain Corporation, US) > - Giacomo Indiveri (ETHZ, CH) > - Anders Lansner (KTH, SW) > - Rajit Manohar (Cornell Univ., US) > > > **General Co-chairs** > Philippe Coussy Université de Bretagne-Sud/Lab-STICC, FR > Nikil Dutt University of California – Irvine, Irvine, CA USA > > > **Preliminary Technical Program Committee** > Jeff Krichmar University of California – Irvine, Irvine, USA (Program Co-Chair) > Philippe Coussy Université de Bretagne-Sud/Lab-STICC, FR (Program Co-Chair) > > Angelo Arleo Université Pierre et Marie Curie, FR > Romain Brette ENS Paris, FR > Gert Cauwenberghs UCSD, USA > Yiran Chen University of Pittsburgh, USA > Jorg Conradt TU Munich, GER > Nikil Dutt UC Irvine, USA > Steve Furber Manchester University, UK > Karlheinz Meier Heidelberg University, GER > Vijaykrishnan Narayanan Pennsylvania State University, USA > Narayan Srinivasa HRL, USA > Massimiliano Versace Boston University, USA > > > If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact philippe.coussy(a)univ-ubs.fr > > **Previous edition** > For more information about Neucomp 2013 program, see > http://www-labsticc.univ-ubs.fr/~coussy/neucomp2013/ > > > -- > ================================================ > Pr. Philippe COUSSY > > Université de Bretagne-Sud - UEB > Laboratoire Lab-STICC - CNRS, UMR 6285 > Centre de Recherche - BP 92116 > F-56321 Lorient Cedex - FRANCE > > Phone +33 (0)2 97 87 45 65 > Web http://www-labsticc.univ-ubs.fr/~coussy/ > ================================================ > > >

Oct. 24, 2014

Postdoc positions in neuromathematics in Brazil

by Antonio C. Roque

Positions for postdoctoral researchers The recently established Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics (NeuroMat), hosted by the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and funded by FAPESP (Sao Paulo Research Foundation, http://www.fapesp.br/en/) is offering several postdoctoral fellowships for recent PhDs with outstanding research potential. We seek candidates fitting at least one of the profiles below: - A strong background in probability theory with emphasis on stochastic processes or alternatively in statistics with emphasis on statistical model selection. Previous knowledge of rigorous statistical mechanics, random graphs or stochastic modeling in biosciences will be favorably considered. - A strong background in systems neuroscience, backed by programming skills, experience of imaging and/or EEG acquisition and analysis and strong interest in interdisciplinary research. - A strong background in computer science, interested in developing algorithms, software tools or databases in close connection with the several research teams of NeuroMat. The initial appointment is for two years, with a possible extension to up to four years, conditional or research progress. Salary is competitive at international level, and fellows benefit from extra funds for travel and research expenses plus limited support for relocation expenses. Application instructions Applicants should complete and submit the application form at http://neuromat.numec.prp.usp.br/postdoc-form. The following documents and information are requested (please see the form for further details): - Summary of the CV. Please follow the FAPESP format; see www.fapesp.br/en/6351 for instructions. - List of publications, with links if available online. - Pointers to other research related output, such as software, web pages, and so forth. Candidates should be willing to send copies of publications, if requested. - A summary of your research plan for the next 2 years, up to 5 pages length. It should explicitly address its place in the framework of the Neuromat mission and research program ( http://neuromat.numec.prp.usp.br/scientific_project) - Any further information deemed relevant to the application. In addition to the above, we require *at least 2 recommendation letters*. Those should be mailed by the recommenders directly to *postdoc-appl(a)numec.prp.usp.br* <postdoc-appl(a)numec.prp.usp.br>. Candidates are encouraged to apply at their earliest convenience. Two independent evaluation rounds are planned, each one over then current applications: 1. On November 20, 2014. 2. On January 30, 2015. Appointments are expected to be effective within 2 to 6 months after evaluation date. *Remark* Candidates approved on either round will be requested to expand their five-page research plan to full two-year proposals. For the implementation of the fellowships, those proposals, together with all the application material received, will be submitted to FAPESP for final approval. -- Dr. Antonio C. Roque Professor Associado Departamento de Fisica FFCLRP, Universidade de Sao Paulo 14040-901 Ribeirao Preto-SP Brazil - Brasil E-mails: antonior(a)ffclrp.usp.br aroquesilva(a)gmail.com URL: www.sisne.org Tels: +55 16 3602-3768 (sala/office); +55 16 3602-3859 (lab) FAX: +55 16 3602-4887

Oct. 23, 2014

Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, PhD Programme

by Peter Dayan

Training in theoretical and computational neuroscience and machine learning. The Gatsby Unit is a centre for theoretical neuroscience and machine learning, focusing on unsupervised, semi-supervised and reinforcement learning, neural dynamics, population coding, Bayesian (Including nonparametric) statistics, kernel methods and applications of these to the analysis of perceptual processing, neural data, artificial intelligence and bioinformatics. It provides a unique opportunity for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each other, and with other world-class research groups in related departments at UCL, including Computer Science, Functional Imaging, Physics, Physiology, Psychology, Neurology, Ophthalmology, Statistical Science, the cross-faculty Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning, and with other UK and overseas universities. We expect particularly close links with the nascent Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, with which we will shortly share a brand new building. The Unit has openings for exceptional PhD candidates. Applicants should have a strong analytical background, a keen interest in neuroscience and/or machine learning and a relevant first degree, for example in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Physics, Psychology or Statistics. The PhD programme lasts four years, including a first year of intensive instruction in techniques and research in theoretical neuroscience and machine learning. All students are fully funded, regardless of nationality. The Unit also welcomes applications from students with pre-secured funding or who are currently soliciting other scholarship/studentships. Gatsby PhD studentships cover the cost of tuition at the appropriate rate, and include a tax-free stipend of £20,000 per annum. Applications (including a CV, statement of research interests, and letters from three referees) for 2015/16 admission must be sent directly to the Gatsby Unit admissions(a)gatsby.ucl.ac.uk by midnight December 17th, 2014. Full details of our programme, and how to apply, are available at: http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/phd For further details of research interests please see http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/research.html and the individual faculty webpages at http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/members.html

Oct. 23, 2014

Assistant/Associate Professor position at CU Boulder

by Randall O'Reilly

Assistant/Associate Professor Tenure track position Institute of Cognitive Science, CU-Boulder The Institute of Cognitive Science at the University Colorado Boulder is seeking to hire a tenure-track professor at the Assistant level or a tenured professor at the Associate level. Institute research is focused in three strategic areas: • Learning and Education: theories, communities, and technologies; • Language Processing: computational and technological advances; • Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience: memory, executive function, language, affective, decision, social processes, brain-computer interaction. We are looking for candidates with a strong research track record in one or more of these areas, whose work demonstrates both computational sophistication and a commitment to interdisciplinary research. Applicants should have expertise in computational methods for the analysis and characterization of complex data sets in cognitive science, such as machine learning or network analysis (e.g., network topology, social networks, graph theory, brain or interpersonal dynamics). Cognitive scientists are at the forefront of exploiting the internet and massive data repositories (e.g., language corpora, neuroimaging collections, educational data logs) to advance understanding of learning and cognition. These data and methods for analyzing it are changing paradigms in the allied fields of cognitive science. Applicants should demonstrate a strong capacity for, and a commitment to, interdisciplinary research and education. The Institute integrates faculty and researchers from seven departments – Computer Science, Education, Integrative Physiology, Linguistics, Philosophy; Psychology & Neuroscience; and Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences – and offers a Joint PhD in Cognitive Science and an affiliated field. Ideal candidates can collaborate with faculty across these departments and teach courses in cognitive science and an allied field(s). This vanguard characteristic should be evident in the applicant’s publication history.” Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a field related to Cognitive Science. For full consideration, applications should be completed by December 1,2014 but will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should include a current curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, statement of teaching philosophy, statement of research philosophy, publications demonstrating the characteristics described above, and a cover letter specifically addressing the applicant’s match to the criteria described above. Applications are not considered complete until all letters of recommendation have been received. Applications will only be accepted at http://www.jobsatcu.com/postings/89482. The University of Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a diverse workforce. We encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans. Alternative formats of this ad can be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities by contacting the ADA Coordinator at hr-ada(a)colorado.edu. The University of Colorado Boulder conducts background checks on all final applicants being considered for employment. For questions please contact: Donna Caccamise, Search Committee Chair donna.caccamise(a)colorado.edu

Oct. 22, 2014

Online course (Gerstner), starting Oct 27, Computational Neuroscience of Single Neurons

by Dane Corneil

On behalf of Prof. Gerstner: ------ Dear all, After a first run of our Online-Course last year, we offer the course 'Neuronal Dynamics - Computational Neuroscience of Single Neurons' a second time this fall on the EdX platform, see https://www.edx.org/course/epflx/epflx-bio465-1x-neuronal-dynamics-4281 Start: Oct. 27, Duration 7 weeks. Registration possible until Nov. 9 The online course covers parts I and II of the textbook: Neuronal Dynamics - from single neurons to cognition, http://neuronaldynamics.epfl.ch/ by W. Gerstner, W.M. Kistler, R. Naud and L. Paninski Cambridge University Press 2014 Students who would like to have an introduction into the field of Neuron Modeling, (Hodgkin-Huxley, Integrate-and-Fire, Generalized Linear Model) are welcome to enroll to take the online course, either as auditors or for certificate. best regards Wulfram Gerstner -- Wulfram Gerstner Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience Professor Brain Mind Institute EPFL Computer&Communication Sciences http://lcn.epfl.ch/ Station 15 +41-21 693 6713 1015 Lausanne EPFL

Oct. 22, 2014

Neurocomputing special issue Call for Papers

by Zhijun Yang

Dear Colleagues, May we draw your attention to a Neurocomputing special issue CFP: Advances on Biological Rhythmic Pattern Generation: Experiments, Algorithms and Application. The full announcement can be found in an internet link below. Please note, due to requests for extra time to allow more authors to prepare their manuscripts, we have made this final extension of submission due date to 10 December 2014. http://www.journals.elsevier.com/neurocomputing/call-for-papers/special-iss… Instructions for submission: * The submission website for Neurocomputing is located at: http://ees.elsevier.com/neucom/default.asp * To ensure that all relevant manuscripts are correctly identified for inclusion into this special issue, it is important that authors select SI: Creating Biology Rhythm when reaching the "Article Type" step in the submission process. We look forward to receiving your contributions to what promises to be an exciting special issue. Regards, Zhijun Yang Mehmet Karamanoglu Felipe M.G. França --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note that Middlesex University's preferred way of receiving all correspondence is via email in line with our Environmental Policy. All incoming post to Middlesex University is opened and scanned by our digital document handler, CDS, and then emailed to the recipient. If you do not want your correspondence to Middlesex University processed in this way please email the recipient directly. Parcels, couriered items and recorded delivery items will not be opened or scanned by CDS. There are items which are "exceptions" which will be opened by CDS but will not be scanned a full list of these can be obtained by contacting the University.

Oct. 22, 2014