- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Postdoc position in light-field imaging

by Goodhill, Geoffrey

Postdoc position in the development of light field imaging technologies for recording neural activity The Goodhill lab at Washington University in St Louis is looking for a postdoc scientist for an NIH-funded project to develop novel microscopy methods for whole-brain calcium imaging in freely-behaving zebrafish. The ideal candidate will be experienced in building new optical imaging technologies, and interested in leveraging these skills to help push the frontiers of neural recording across large numbers of neurons simultaneously. Prior experience in neuroscience is not essential. The lab focuses on the computational principles underlying the development of neural circuits and behavior. The goal of this project is to construct light-field imaging techniques to record the activity of ~100,000 neurons in the larval zebrafish brain during unconstrained hunting behavior. This is a collaboration with Oliver Cossairt at Northwestern University and Florian Willomitzer at the University of Arizona, and you will be working with students and postdocs from a diverse array of backgrounds including biology, mathematics, physics and engineering. Washington University in St Louis is ranked in the top 10 institutions globally for Neuroscience and Behavior, and offers an outstanding intellectual environment for research in both neuroscience and imaging (see e.g. https://engineering.wustl.edu/academics/programs/imaging-science) The Goodhill lab will soon move along with over 100 other labs into Washington University's new start-of-the-art 600,000 sq ft Neuroscience Research Building (https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/research/neuroscience-building) For more information about St Louis see https://explorestlouis.com. To apply please send a detailed CV and cover letter explaining your interest to g.goodhill(a)wustl.edu. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Departments of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Director, Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (ctcn.wustl.edu) Affiliate appointments: Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, and Electrical and Systems Engineering 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

Aug. 20, 2023

One more month to apply for postdoctoral position at the Cluster for Advanced study of Collective behavior

by Ahmed Elhady

Dear Colleagues, We are seeking a PostDoc with a quantitative background who has finished (or about to finish) a doctoral degree in a quantitative field preferably but not limited to physics. The candidate should show enthusiasm for tackling theoretical foundations of behavior. The PostDoc will join our interdisciplinary and international team studying social foraging in animal groups. The researcher will be based in the integrative biophysics group at the University of Konstanz and Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, located in Konstanz, Germany. The integrative biophysics group led by Dr. Ahmed Elhady is focused on theoretical and computational understanding of mechanisms underlying foraging. The group has an extensive network of local and international collaborators. Through those collaborations, the PostDoc researcher will have access to a large number of data sets depicting foraging behaviors in locusts, rodents, non-human primates (marmosets) and human performing similar social foraging tasks. The PostDoc project can potentially address the following questions: 1. What are the quantitative foraging decision strategies employed by a particular animal species during social foraging? 2. How does those decision strategies compare across animal species in a quantitative evolutionary manner? 3. How did evolutionary processes quantitatively shape foraging behaviours? 4. How can one extend social foraging theory to account for different group size and different spatial environmental constraints? For a glimpse of our research work , please check this talk given by the group leader Ahmed Elhady : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRNnsgka0d0 For questions about the position and / or research of the integrative biophysics group, please do not hesitate to contact me via email : ahmed.el-hady(a)uni-konstanz.de The postdoc position will be embedded within the highly collaborative environment of the cluster for advanced study of collective behavior at the University of Konstanz. The expected starting date is 01/12/2023 and deadline for application is 15/09/2023. For more information and application , please visit the website :https://stellen.uni-konstanz.de/jobposting/4418ec7f80f7b2371d7a0e963fab434a58c726cd0 All the best regards, Ahmed Dr. Ahmed Elhady Group leader Integrative biophysics group 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

Aug. 15, 2023

Submit your abstract for the fourth Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight, happening virtually via Crowdcast

by Scott Rich

Dear Comp-Neuro mailing list members, The fourth edition of the Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight (CCNS) <https://ccnsmeeting.ca/#04-ccns-2023-program> is now less than two months away (*October 5-6, fully online via Crowdcast*; register here <https://www.crowdcast.io/c/ccnsv4>). You can find out more information about our program at ccnsmeeting.ca, which will continue to be updated with details about the meeting as it approaches. We invite trainees at any level to submit abstracts <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeev-EA5ccwKapzRV43xD4NfDYGyDeAiWp…>, and anticipate that all submissions reasonably falling under the broad banner of "computational neuroscience" will be accepted unless the demand far exceeds our expectations. Submissions that are both the most meritorious and best correspond with the themes of our sessions will be offered longer, "spotlight" presentations. *To be considered for a spotlight presentation, submit your abstract by September 1 at 5 p.m. EDT*; late abstracts will be accepted until September 13 at 5 p.m. EDT but will only be considered for parallel talks as space allows. Please feel free to reach out to the organizing committee if you have any questions. Sincerely, The CCNS Organizing Committee: Scott Rich <http://scottrich.strikingly.com/>, Ph.D. Research Fellow, SickKids Research Institute. Andreea Diaconescu <https://cognemo.com/>, Ph.D. Independent Scientist, Krembil Center for Neuroinformatics at CAMH. John Griffiths <https://t.co/AlUQymEUae?amp=1>, Ph.D. Independent Scientist, Krembil Center for Neuroinformatics at CAMH. Milad Lankarany <https://sites.google.com/view/lnsbsp/home>, Ph.D. Scientist, Krembil Research Institute.

Aug. 14, 2023

Call for papers: Symposium on the Mathematics of Neuroscience. 28th Sept-1st Oct 2023, Rhodes, Greece

by Battleday, Ruairidh

Fourth International Symposium on the Mathematics of Neuroscience. 28th September - 1st October 2023, Old Town, Rhodes, Greece. —---------------- Call for papers —---------------- We invite submissions for this year’s conference on the mathematics of neuroscience: www.neuromonster.org In this exploratory symposium, we present and discuss general mathematical models of brain function. We give priority to those models that account for brain or behavioural data, or provide simulations to that effect. Submissions will be assigned to either a short talk, spotlight talk, or poster presentation. Keynote Speakers Professor Aapo Hyvärinen (University of Helsinki) Professor Janneke Jehee (Donders Institute) Session Chairs Biocomputation: Professor Dan V. Nicolau (King’s College London / Oxford) Probabilistic models: Dr Ruairidh McLennan Battleday (Harvard / MIT) Neurotheory: Dr James Whittington (Oxford / Stanford) Representational alignment: Dr Ilia Sucholutsky (Princeton) Confirmed Talks Professor Andrew Adamatzky (UWE) Professor Dan Nicolau Sr (McGill) Professor Bill Thompson (Berkeley) Professor Bradley Love (UCL) Dr Thomas Parr (UCL) Dr Ilias Rentzeperis (SNRC) The symposium will be held virtually or in-person on the island of Rhodes, Greece from the 28th September - 1st October 2023 (www.neuromonster.org) Submission is by 250-word abstract before the 27th August 2023, emailed to the session chairs at battleday(a)thinkingaboutthinking.org, indicating the desired session.

Aug. 11, 2023

Scientific Data Engineer position at Berkeley Lab to work on Neurodata Without Borders

by Ryan Ly

Dear colleagues, The Computational Biosciences Group <https://crd.lbl.gov/divisions/scidata/computational-biosciences/> at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in Berkeley, CA has an immediate opening for a Software and Data Engineer in the area of Data Management and Analysis with applications to bioscience research. The position is in support of the Neurodata Without Borders <https://www.nwb.org/> project, which develops methods for standardization, sharing, and analysis of neurophysiology data. The technologies developed will have broader applications to other science domains such as genomics, protein design, and other biological data, providing great opportunities for career growth. The overall objectives for this position are to develop new methods and software tools that enable scientific knowledge discovery using modern data management and machine learning technologies and advance the state-of-the-art in data-intensive analysis. This position will be part of an experienced team conducting R&D in the areas of FAIR data science and modern methods for data understanding. The candidate will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary team composed of computer scientists, data scientists, neuroscientists, and other domain biologists. For detailed information and how to apply, please see https://jobs.lbl.gov/jobs/scientific-data-engineer-5931 . Best, Ryan -- Ryan Ly Scientific Data Engineer Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 1 Cyclotron Road Mail Stop 59R4104 Berkeley, CA 94720 Email: rly(a)lbl.gov Pronouns: he/him

Aug. 11, 2023

Late breaking abstract submission: INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023

by INCF

*INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023* September 18-20 Virtual Abstract submission deadline: June 23 50% discount for INCF members <https://www.incf.org/join-incf/individuals> Late-breaking abstract submission is now open for INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023! Submit your abstract: bit.ly/INCF2023abstracts Join us for Assembly, hosted once again on the Gather platform! Our annual Assembly is a unique venue where neuroscience researchers, tool developers, standards developers, and infrastructure providers can meet with potential collaborators and hear about the latest advancements in neuroinformatics and FAIR neuroscience. Register: bit.ly/Assembly2023reg Learn more: bit.ly/INCF2023Assemblyblog

Aug. 11, 2023

Postdoctoral position in systems neuroscience - freely moving optophysiology - University of Bonn, Germany - Circuit Mechanisms of Behavior Lab

by Rose, Prof. Tobias

Dear all, Our research group “Circuit Mechanisms of Behavior” at the University Hospital Bonn (lab Tobias Rose) invites applications for a full-time (38.5 hours/week) position as: Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d): Detailed description: <https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12803739/postdoctoral-researcher-m…> Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) - Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen (DE) job with Universitätsklinikum Bonn | 12803739<https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12803739/postdoctoral-researcher-m…> nature.com<https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12803739/postdoctoral-researcher-m…> [favicon.ico] <https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12803739/postdoctoral-researcher-m…> Closing date: 31st of August 2023 Start date: flexible Contact: Tobias Rose, Tobias.Rose(a)ukbonn.de The selected candidate will investigate the "Encoding of Landmark Stability and Stability of Landmark Encoding”: You will study visual landmark encoding at the intersection of hippocampal, thalamic, and cortical inputs to retrosplenial cortex. You will use cutting-edge miniature two-photon Ca2+ imaging (https://tinyurl.com/mini2pCA1) enabling you to longitudinally record activity in defined, large neuronal populations and long-range afferents in freely moving animals. You will carry out rigorous neuronal and behavioral analyses within the confines of automatized closed-loop tasks tailored for visual navigation. This will involve the application of advanced tools for dense behavioral quantification, including multi-angle videography, inertial motion sensing, and egocentric recording with head-mounted cameras for the reconstruction of retinal input. Our aim is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the immediate and sustained multi-area neuronal representation of visual landmarks during unrestricted behavior. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms through which stable visual landmarks are encoded and the processes by which these representations are stabilized to facilitate robust allocentric navigation. Ideal candidates for this position should hold a doctorate in neuroscience, engineering, physics, or a related discipline, and should be deeply committed to rigorous neuroethology and technical development. We seek individuals with a "tinkering spirit", i.e., a strong penchant for problem-solving and creativity. Essential competencies include the demonstrated ability to design and carry out complex neuroscience experiments, robust programming capabilities, and a foundational knowledge of machine learning methodologies. Valuable experience would include a familiarity with rodent behavior, both in freely moving and head-fixed contexts. Although not mandatory, a background in visual neuroscience or navigation neuroscience would be viewed favorably. We are looking for a driven candidate with a solid record of accomplishment who is enthusiastic about interdisciplinary research. The successful candidate will be prepared to bring their skills and experience to our innovative and collaborative research environment. While this role is tailored towards a specific project, we are equally enthusiastic about supporting the development of your individual research pursuits. Applicants should send their application in a single pdf file, including a cover letter explaining your research interests and motivation for joining the team, CV, and contact information for two references. Applications will be shortlisted based on the above selection criteria. Please send your formal application to Prof. Tobias Rose via email until 31.08.2023. The Expected start date is September 2023 or at the earliest possible date thereafter. Informal enquires about the post are welcome. For more information on our research, please visit www.troselab.de (mastodon: @trose_neuro@neuromatch.social, twitter: @trose_neuro). -- Prof. Dr. Tobias Rose Circuit Mechanisms of Behavior Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research University of Bonn Medical Center Life and Brain Center (Building 76) Venusberg-Campus 1 53127 Bonn Tel.: +49-228-6885 331 www.troselab.de<http://www.troselab.de/> ________________________________ Vorstand: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Holzgreve, MBA, Vorstandsvorsitzender und Ärztlicher Direktor • Clemens Platzköster, Kaufmännischer Direktor und Stellv. Vorstandsvorsitzender • Univ.-Prof. Dr. Bernd Weber, Dekan der Med. Fakultät • Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alexandra Philipsen, Stellv. Ärztliche Direktorin • Alexander Pröbstl, Vorstand Pflege und Patientenservice • Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heinz Reichmann • Gerichtsstand Bonn • Finanzamt Bonn Innenstadt • USt-IdNr.: DE811917555 • Bankverbindung: Sparkasse KölnBonn • BIC COLSDE33 • IBAN DE52 3705 0198 0010 6506 61

Aug. 10, 2023

*Deadline extended* INCF Short Course: Introduction to Neuroinformatics

by INCF

**Deadline extended* INCF Short Course: Introduction to Neuroinformatics* In coordination with the University of Washington and the West Big Data Innovation Hub October 2-4 Seattle, Washington, US Application deadline: August 31 50% discount for INCF members <https://www.incf.org/join-incf/individuals>! Registration has been extended for this Short Course on Neuroinformatics! This course will teach neuroscientists and researchers from related fields about neuroinformatics: the science & engineering of brain data. Speakers include: - Maryann Martone, University of California San Diego - Matthew Glasser, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - Ariel Rokem, University of Washington - Ashley Juavinett, University of California, San Diego - Franco Pestilli, University of Texas at Austin - Yaroslav Halchenko, Dartmouth College, Center for Open Neuroscience - Dimitri Yatsenko, DataJoint ...and more! Topics covered include: - AI & machine learning - How to write a data management plan - Neuroethics, data governance, & international data sharing - Data science & reproducibility - Neuroinformatics - Neuroscience & neuroanatomy ...and more! Learn more: bit.ly/INCFcourse2023 Register here: bit.ly/INCFcourse2023reg

Aug. 10, 2023

1st EBRAINS National Node Germany Workshop ***26.09.2023 in Berlin, Germany***

by Frings, Maren

Dear Colleagues, We would like to kindly invite you to participate the 1st EBRAINS National Node Germany Workshop which will take place on September 26, 2023 in Berlin from 09:00-13:30 CET. Guest Speakers: Dr. Seán Froudist-Walsh, University of Bristol Prof. Dr. Thomas Wachtler, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich Prof. Dr. Lena Oden, FernUni Hagen & FZ Jülich Prof. Dr. Bryan Strange, Technical University Madrid Dr. Andreas Rowald, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg Prof. Dr. Petra Ritter, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Prof. Dr. Thanos Manos, Cergy Paris University For further details and for registration please browse to our <https://flagship.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/jss/HBPm?m=SgD&mI=254> event website. The EBRAINS National Node Germany (NNG) invites to the 1st EBRAINS NNG Workshop as a back-to-back event of the Bernstein Conference 2023 in Berlin, Germany. You will hear about the EBRAINS RI, its usage, an Expert Discussion on Digital tools to bridge the gap between experimental and computational neuroscience and will have the opportunity to network during our NNG lunch. <https://ebrains.eu> EBRAINS is a unique digital Research Infrastructure (RI), created by the EU-funded Human Brain Project. It is an open platform providing an extensive range of data and tools to enhance brain-related research. EBRAINS is a pan-European distributed network of services, that will in the future be organized through National Nodes. The <https://www.ebrains.eu/national-nodes/germany> EBRAINS NNG currently encompasses about 40 universities and research institutions across Germany joining forces to develop a common scientific and technical strategy, addressing the major scientific challenges of our time. The EBRAINS NNG partners offer unique services, including science liaison activities, for basic neuroscience, medical applications, and industry in the fields of: * High-Performance Computing * Neuromorphic Computing * Artificial Intelligence * Simulation * Robotics * Information privacy and security Programme Committee: Nicola Palomero-Gallagher, Petra Ritter, Fabrice Morin, Francesca Cavallaro, Björn Kindler, Sandra Diaz, Maren Frings In case of further questions please dont hesitate to contact ebrains-nng(a)fz-juelich.de <mailto:ebrains-nng@fz-juelich.de> Kind regards Maren Frings on behalf of the Programme Committee Dr. Maren Frings Project Manager, EBRAINS National Node Germany Jülich Supercomputing Centre Institute for Advanced Simulation Tel +49 2461 61-6431 Fax +49 2461 61-6656 <http://www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc> www.fz-juelich.de/ias/jsc ------------------------------------------------------------------- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Jülich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Düren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Stefan Müller Geschäftsführung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Dr. Ir. Pieter Jansens, Prof. Dr. Astrid Lambrecht, Prof. Dr. Frauke Melchior -------------------------------------------------------------------

Aug. 10, 2023

Job opportunity at the Gatsby unit, SWC and NeuroGEARS

by Joaquin Rapela

Hello list, We have an open position for a research software engineer (machine learning and neuroscience) in London (UK) at the Gatsby Unit, the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour (SWC) and NeuroGEARS Ltd. Deadline: 25 August 2023 We invite applications for a Research Software Engineer (RSE) position with expertise in: . software development and/or . machine learning and/or . neural data analysis and/or . experimental control (ideally with the Bonsai ecosystem) to contribute to the recently funded project ``Machine Learning for Neuroscience Experimental Control'' https://gow.bbsrc.ukri.org/grants/AwardDetails.aspx?FundingReference=BB%2FW… The initial appointment will be for two years. Salary will be in the range of £50,085-£63,291; a competitive supplement may be offered to candidates who match well the knowledge, skills and experience required for this role. We offer the unique research environment of the Gatsby Unit, the SWC and NeuroGEARS, as well as an unparalleled learning experience. By interacting with our scientists and engineers you could acquire unique skills in computational neuroscience, statistical neural data analysis, machine learning, experimental neuroscience and research software engineering. For detailed information and how to apply, please visit the UCL Job Portal (Ref B02-05510): https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs/details?jobId=13635. For informal inquiries about the position, please contact me at j.rapela ‘at’ ucl.ac.uk. Cordially, Joaquin

Aug. 7, 2023

Integrative Biophysics Group Opportunities

by Ahmed Elhady

The Integrative Biophysics group (https://twitter.com/IntBioPhysics ) headed by Dr. Ahmed Elhady at the Cluster for Advanced study of collective behavior in the university of Konstanz , focuses on understanding theoretical foundations of biophysical phenomena from excitability up to social foraging. The group is part of the Cluster for Advanced Study of Collective behavior. We are a *Cluster of Excellence* within the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments. Being a cooperation between the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, we use the extensive expertise in the region to create an interdisciplinary environment for the study of collective behaviour that is unique worldwide. "The Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour" is dedicated to the study of collective behaviour across a variety of species and across different organizational levels. For more information on the Cluster of Excellence, please visit: Collective Behaviour | exc.uni-konstanz.de <https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collective-behaviour/>. There are several opportunities to do research with us at the Integrative Biophysics group : 1. Postdoctoral position focused on theoretical analysis of social foraging involving theoretical modeling and advanced data analysis ( deadline: September 15th) . For more details , please check this : https://stellen.uni-konstanz.de/jobposting/4418ec7f80f7b2371d7a0e963fab434a… 2. Postdoctoral fellowships: we are very happy to discuss potential fellowship proposals relating to theoretical biophysics of collectives ( from cells to animals) that we can host in our group. Get in touch to discuss your ideas ! 3. University of Konstanz offers this unique independent postdoctoral fellowship ( deadline: October 10th), check it out here: https://www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskolleg/fellowships/postdoctoral-fellows… . If you are granted this fellowship, you can have a collaboration with us at the Integrative biophysics group. To get in touch and discuss ideas and potential projects, please email Dr. Ahmed elhady at : ahmed.el-hady(a)uni-konstanz.de All the best regards, Ahmed Elhady Dr. Ahmed El Hady Research 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

Aug. 6, 2023

Re: ChatSOME: A neural model of how children learn language meanings

by Grossberg, Stephen

Dear Comp-Neuro colleagues, I am writing to call your attention to an article that I just published Open Access which is relevant to many current themes in neural modeling: Grossberg, S. (2023). How children learn to understand language meanings: A neural model of adult–child multimodal interactions in real-time. Frontiers in Psychology, August 2, 2023. Section on Cognitive Science, Volume 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1216479 Here is its Abstract: ++++++++++++++++++++++ This article describes a biological neural network model that can be used to explain how children learn to understand language meanings about the perceptual and affective events that they consciously experience. This kind of learning often occurs when a child interacts with an adult teacher to learn language meanings about events that they experience together. Multiple types of self-organizing brain processes are involved in learning language meanings, including processes that control conscious visual perception, joint attention, object learning and conscious recognition, cognitive working memory, cognitive planning, emotion, cognitive-emotional interactions, volition, and goal-oriented actions. The article shows how all of these brain processes interact to enable learning of language meanings to occur. The article also contrasts these human capabilities with AI models like ChatGPT. The current model is called the ChatSOME model, where SOME abbreviates Self-Organizing Meaning. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ These contributions build upon results that are described in my recently published Magnum Opus: Conscious Mind, Resonant Brain: How Each Brain Makes a Mind https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Mind-Resonant-Brain-Makes/dp/0190070552 that I wrote to be self-contained and non-technical in a conversational style for the general public. Best, Steve Stephen Grossberg Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems Director, Center for Adaptive Systems Emeritus Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, Psychological & Brain Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering Boston University sites.bu.edu/steveg/ steve(a)bu.edu<mailto:steve@bu.edu> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Grossberg http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3BIV70wAAAAJ&hl=en https://sites.bu.edu/steveg/files/2021/08/Grossberg-CV-8-14-21.pdf https://youtu.be/9n5AnvFur7I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hBye6JQCh4

Aug. 4, 2023

ESI SyNC 2023: September 14 - 15

by El Mahmoudi, Nada

[https://www.esi-frankfurt.de/img/esisync/esisync2023_header.jpg] Linking hypotheses: where neuroscience, computation, and cognition meet Dear Neuroscientists, We are happy to announce that the Ernst Strüngmann Institute Systems Neuroscience Conference (ESI SyNC) 2023 will take place in-person and online this year, on September 14 and 15 at the Ernst Strüngmann Institute in Frankfurt, Germany. This year’s topic is: Linking hypotheses: where neuroscience, computation, and cognition meet. Eleven speakers will discuss their research and views on the intersection of systems, behavioral, and computational neuroscience from a wide array of viewpoints: from basic network interactions in the brain probed at the electrophysiological and mechanistic levels, to complex animal behavior and cognition. This year’s conference is an outstanding platform bringing together sub-fields in the neurosciences that find themselves, regrettably often, treated in isolation. Young researchers will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and raise questions in formal and informal discussions. There will also be a poster session in person for which we welcome submissions. This conference is free for online participants and researchers in Frankfurt am Main. Registration Link: https://survey.academiccloud.de/index.php/763913?lang=en List of speakers: https://www.esi-frankfurt.de/newevent/ Best Regards, ESI-Sync Organizing Committee

Aug. 4, 2023

Postdoc position in computational systems neuroscience, Voigts Lab, Janelia

by Voigts, Jakob

The Voigts Lab at HHMI Janelia Research Campus is recruiting postdocs to work on how neocortex learns and applies models of the world to enable complex cognitive abilities. We will study flexible cognition by examining naturalistic behaviors that require animals to perform sequential computations, yet are learned quickly. We'll be able to throw whatever technology is needed at the problem of combining sufficient measurements with complex naturalistic behavior in mice, e.g. large-scale electrophysiology or calcium imaging, unrestrained behavior in large complex environments, closed-loop manipulations, circuit reconstruction, etc., but more importantly we'll work on the challenge of modeling, analyzing, and ultimately learning from data when there are no strictly repeated trials to average over. The postdoc position could focus on experimental and/or computational approaches to these questions, depending on the interests and experience of the candidate. We're part of the new Mechanistic Cognitive Neuroscience research area at Janelia. Postdocs will have access to an unusual amount of resources and support, allowing us to make rapid progress on these challenging questions. We'll also work closely with experimental, theoretical, methods, and machine learning researchers in- and outside of Janelia to make this research program possible, collaborative, and fun. Our lab website is https://www.voigtslab.org<https://www.voigtslab.org/>. To apply, please send a brief statement of research interests and CV to voigtsj(a)janelia.hhmi.org<mailto:voigtsj@janelia.hhmi.org>

Aug. 2, 2023

Two postdoc positions in neuroAI

by Rui Ponte Costa

Dear all, We are seeking to appoint two Postdoctoral Research Scientists to join the Neural and Machine Learning Group part of the world-class Oxford Neuroscience and the Oxford Neurotheory initiative. You will carry out research at the intersection between computational neuroscience and machine learning, closely informed by experimental observations. More details here: shorturl.at/hkwG3<https://t.co/d7ugbOLFDV> and of our group: neuralml.github.io<https://neuralml.github.io/> Best wishes, Rui Ponte Costa Group Leader, Neural and Machine Learning group<https://neuralml.github.io/> Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour | Oxford Neurotheory Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics Department of Experimental Psychology (honorary member) University of Oxford, UK

Aug. 2, 2023

[Job][PhD] at Inria Bordeaux, FR: From Reservoir Transformers to BrainGPT

by Xavier Hinaut

PhD position available at Inria, Bordeaux, France: "From Reservoir Transformers to BrainGPT" # Keywords Transformers; Reservoir Computing; Computational Neuroscience # Duration & start date 3 years starting 1st October 2023 (estimated) # Contact & Application Informal contact/questions and application: email to xavier dot hinaut at inria dot fr Application & More info: https://recrutement.inria.fr/public/classic/en/offres/2023-06611 All positions available: https://github.com/neuronalX/phd-and-postdoc-positions Deadline: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. A candidate will be selected as soon as a suitable profile is found. # Context This PhD thesis is part of the BrainGPT "Inria Exploratory Action" project. In the wake of the emergence of large-scale language models such as ChatGPT, the BrainGPT project is at the forefront of research in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Neuroscience. These models, although remarkably powerful, do not reflect the way in which our brains process and learn language. BrainGPT is rising to the challenge by focusing on the development of models that are more faithful to human cognitive functioning, inspired by data on brain activity during listening or reading. The ambition is to create more efficient models that are less dependent on intensive calculations and massive volumes of data. BrainGPT will open up new perspectives on our understanding of language and cognition. # Project and Work description The rapid rise in performance of language models, as demonstrated by the recent appeal of ChatGPT, is undeniable. However, the computational cost and environmental impact associated with such models are often overlooked [1]. These models rely on Transformers [2], which facilitate unsupervised learning on a large volume of data. These same models are used to predict brain activity from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or magnetoencephalography (MEG), an application our team also exploits [3]. The main ambition of the BrainGPT project is to combine the explainability of mechanistic models with the predictive power of Transformers to analyze brain imaging data. Today, on the one hand we have explanatory but less predictive mechanistic models, such as those based on Reservoir Computing, and on the other hand, high-performance predictive models, but not explanatory, like Transformers. Our goal is to combine the best of these two approaches, to develop more efficient ("sample efficient") models inspired by Transformers, which more faithfully reflect the how the brain works, while improving the predictive power of mechanistic models. Towards this ambition, the BrainGPT project seeks to identify the key mechanisms that allow Transformers to predict brain activity. Furthermore, our project strives to build models that are more biologically plausible than Transformers, incorporating the most relevant components for predicting brain activity, while integrating constraints derived from human cognition studies. The long-term objectives of the BrainGPT project are as follows: - Making Transformers more biologically plausible, which could improve the prediction of brain activity by imaging (fMRI, MEG, etc.). - Proposing new perspectives and computing paradigms that do not rely exclusively on gradient backpropagation, given its high computational and energy cost. - Reducing the energy footprint of Transformers by minimizing the computational costs associated with their learning. In summary, the thesis will mainly consist of developing new bio-inspired models inspired by the mechanisms, learning methods, and emerging behaviors of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Transformers. Subsequently, in collaboration with our collaborators, these models will be tested to assess their ability to predict brain activity from imaging data. [1] Bender, E. M., Gebru, T., McMillan-Major, A., & Shmitchell, S. (2021, March). On the dangers of stochastic parrots: Can language models be too big?🦜. In Proc. of the 2021 ACM conference on fairness, accountability, and transparency (pp. 610-623). [2] Vaswani, A. et al. (2017) Attention is all you need. In Proc. of Advances in neural information processing systems. [3] Oota, S. R., Trouvain, N., Alexandre, F., & Hinaut, X. (2023, August). MEG Encoding using Word Context Semantics in Listening Stories. In Proc. of INTERSPEECH 2023. # Skills Ideal Candidate Profile: - Holds an engineering or scientific degree and/or a PhD in digital sciences (computer science, automation, signal processing). - Has a first professional experience (6 months of internship or more) in Machine Learning and Python development. Especially in one or more of the following: Recurrent Neural Networks (in particular Reservoir Computing), Transformers, Large Language Models. - Possesses strong expertise in the scientific Python software and scientific stack (numpy/scipy). - Demonstrates a solid grasp of linear algebra concepts. - Proficiency in technical English is crucial, as it enables efficient collaboration with our international partners and effective presentations at conferences. - Has proven experience with version management, familiarity with Git, and proficiency in using the GitHub platform. # Advisor & Location Xavier Hinaut Inria Bordeaux & Institute for Neurodegenerative diseases (Pellegrin Hospital Campus, Bordeaux). Best regards, Xavier Hinaut Inria Research Scientist www.xavierhinaut.com -- +33 5 33 51 48 01 Mnemosyne team, Inria, Bordeaux, France -- https://team.inria.fr/mnemosyne & LaBRI, Bordeaux University -- https://www4.labri.fr/en/formal-methods-and-models & IMN (Neurodegeneratives Diseases Institute) -- http://www.imn-bordeaux.org/en --- Our Reservoir Computing library: https://github.com/reservoirpy/reservoirpy

Aug. 2, 2023

[JOBS] Tenure Track Assistant Professor Intelligent Systems @ Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

by Kerstin Bunte

Tenure Track Assistant Professor Intelligent Systems https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… Closing date = 17-9-2023 We offer a Tenure Track Assistant Professor position with a research profile in Intelligent Systems within the Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Intelligent Systems aim to give computers and cyber-physical systems the abilities to perceive, analyze and learn from data, make decisions, and enhance human capabilities. The research area has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, especially due to the increase in incorporation of intelligent systems into nearly every aspect of our lives. The societal relevance of sustainability, efficiency, robustness, understanding and guarantees of algorithms is gaining more and more importance, not only in software but also in combination with cyber-physical systems. Relevant aspects are: the theory of machine learning, artificial intelligence and the mathematics of computing (ACM Computing Classification System, 2012 Revision). For this position, possible research directions include (but are not limited to) the theory and application of novel machine learning and artificial intelligence methods with an emphasis on solving pressing open questions, such as efficiency, transparency and interpretability, fairness, the integration of multi-modal and complex heterogeneous data, causal inference, continuous machine learning, generative and dynamic systems. Complex problems demand an increasing amount of interdisciplinary and cross-domain knowledge. Therefore, backgrounds in information theory, probabilistic representations, causality and computational geometry are also welcome to apply. As Assistant Professor with a focus on research, you will: - set up and develop your own research line and research group - supervise PhD students - acquire external funding - promote the societal relevance of your research - teach in and contribute to the development of the degree programs of the School of Science and Engineering, especially courses with computing science content - contribute to the organization of the faculty, for example by participating in working groups and committees, in the domains of teaching, research and management. The position will be embedded in the Intelligent Systems research unit. Our research areas include biologically inspired computational modeling, the theory of machine learning and algorithmic development, as well as image processing with mathematical morphology, machine learning and AI. National and international research collaborations span a multitude of application domains, including medical sciences and health care, natural sciences (astronomy, bioinformatics), remote sensing, computer vision, robotics, smart industry and engineering. About the University of Groningen Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Balanced study and career paths in a wide variety of disciplines encourage currently more than 37,000 students and researchers to develop their own individual talents. Belonging to the best research universities in Europe and the top 100 universities in the world, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge. More information can be found at: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-0… Kind regards, Kerstin -- Kerstin Bunte, Associate Professor | Rosalind Franklin Fellow Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Faculty of Science and Engineering University of Groningen P.O. Box 407, 9700 AK Groningen The Netherlands Email: k.bunte(a)rug.nl web: http://www.cs.rug.nl/~kbunte/

Aug. 2, 2023

Advanced Electrophysiology Post-doc Position Available - Interventional Psychiatry Program, Minneapolis, MN, USA

by Hiba Sheheitli

*About the Job* Dr. Ziad Nahas (Interventional Psychiatry Lab) in the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is seeking an outstanding candidate for a postdoctoral position to conduct and analyze the effects of neuromodulation on brain activity in mood disorders. Candidates should be passionate about advancing knowledge in the area of translational research of depressive disorders and other mental health conditions with a focus on invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation treatments. The position is available June 1, 2023, and funding is available for at least two years. *Qualifications* Required Qualifications: ●PhD in relevant field (neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science) ●Strong programming and/or data analysis skills. MATLAB or Python is essential. C/C++ (and derivatives), LabVIEW, and scripting languages could be useful. Prior experience with data acquisition hardware including behavioral as well as EEG would be helpful. Proficiency with Microsoft Office software ●Experience with neurophysiology (human or animal), psychophysics and/or brain stimulation is ideal. ●Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with specific documentation of those skills through published work and oral scientific presentations. ●Demonstrated ability to work independently and to independently overcome complex technical challenges. ●Interpersonal skills appropriate for collaboration in a very multidisciplinary and highly diverse environment. Preferred Qualifications: •Previous experience with psychiatric patient populations, the biological mechanisms of mental illness, and/or medical device development. •Signal processing and/or computer science background. •Previous experience with human functional imaging or electrophysiology. *About the Department* Dr. Ziad Nahas’s Lab is located primarily at the Interventional Psychiatry Program’s St. Louis Park clinic, with additional study activity at UMN and M Health Fairview sites on the UMN campus. Our work focuses on advancing translational research of mood dysregulation and depressive disorders. Specific interests and areas of expertise include: ● Improving patient care of treatment resistant disorders using neuromodulation techniques. ● Functional neuroimaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and brain stimulation modalities: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), prefrontal cortical stimulation (PCS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and focal electrically administered seizure therapy (FEAST). ● Increasing equitable access to neuromodulation interventions for patient care. To learn more about Dr Ziad Nahas and the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, please visit: https://med.umn.edu/bio/psychiatry/ziad-nahas *Apply here: * https://hr.umn.edu/Jobs/Find-Job <https://hr.umn.edu/Jobs/Find-Job> (Click on External Candidates and search for 355003 to find the Job Posting)

Aug. 1, 2023

NeurIPS Workshop "Information-Theoretic Principles in Cognitive Systems"

by Rava A. da Silveira

NeurIPS Workshop: "Information-Theoretic Principles in Cognitive Systems" CALL FOR PAPERS Website (with submission information): https://sites.google.com/view/infocog-neurips-2023/call-for-papers Contact: infocog.neurips2023(a)gmail.com Important Dates: * Paper submission deadline: September 20, 2023 * Author notification: October 27, 2023 * Camera ready deadline: November 27, 2023 The second InfoCog@NeurIPS workshop aims to further the understanding of information flow in cognitive processes and neural networks models of cognition by bringing together researchers from multiple disciplines, including machine learning, cognitive science, neuroscience, and information theory. This is the second workshop of this kind in NeurIPS. This year the workshop will continue last year’s community-building momentum and will additionally focus on advancing two main goals: First, providing a fruitful platform for discussing formulations of storage and processing of information in human and artificial cognitive systems, via information-theoretic measures. Specifically, we aim to further integrate information theory researchers in such discussions, deepening the mathematical knowledge and tools shared across disciplines. [NZ1] Second, facilitating research on addressing the challenges of computing information theoretic quantities, specifically for the needs of cognitive science and machine learning. We invite short submissions (up to 4 pages – NeurIPS format) that present original work related to information theory and cognitive systems, and particularly encourage submissions of collaborative interdisciplinary work. Examples of specific topics of interest include but are not limited to: * Novel information-theoretic approaches to cognitive functions (e.g., perception, decision making, language, social reasoning, etc.) * Method and approaches for the validation of information theoretic formalisms in human and artificial cognition * Novel methods and approaches for the computation and/or estimation of information theoretic quantities and their applications to human and artificial cognition * Challenges and limitations of the use of information theory in studying cognitive systems * Application of information theory to training human-aligned artificial agents, i.e., agents that can better communicate and cooperate with humans All accepted papers will be presented in a poster session during the workshop, and a number of papers will also be selected for an oral presentation. We expect to have limited resources to offer financial aid to selected participants. More details will follow upon acceptance.

July 30, 2023

Postdoc in computational modeling at Stanford Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience Lab

by Mai-Phuong K Bo

The Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory (scsnl.stanford.edu) invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in human brain network analysis and modeling. We seek candidates with strong research backgrounds in one or more of the following areas: resting-state and task-evoked fMRI connectivity, structural HARDI-based connectivity, neurophysiological modeling of brain networks, Bayesian modeling, machine learning, and deep neural networks. Candidates must have strong computational skills and a PhD in computational neuroscience, computer science, physics, biomedical engineering or related fields. This is an exciting opportunity to work on multiple NIH- and Stanford-funded projects using multimodal (fMRI, optogenetic, DTI, EEG) brain imaging techniques in multiple clinical populations and normative groups. The successful candidate will develop a vigorous research program that contributes to, and complements, ongoing research studies. The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art brain imaging and HPC/GPU facilities.  Please email a CV, statement of research interests and relevant background, and have three letters of reference sent to Prof. Vinod Menon at  scsnl.stanford+postdoc(a)gmail.com<mailto:scsnl.stanford@gmail.com> Mai-Phuong Bo (She/Her) Lab & Recruitment Manager Stanford Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience Lab Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Email: maipbo(a)stanford.edu [cid:93b74359-266e-493c-9def-d9fb37f515df]

July 27, 2023

PhD position at the TU Delft at the crossroads of machine learning and hardware design

by justin＠dauwels.com

Dear colleagues, We are looking for a highly motivated Ph.D. candidate with a background in machine learning and/or in electrical engineering for a project at the TU Delft at the crossroads of machine learning and hardware design. Building autonomous agents that can reliably compute and take decisions in noisy and uncontrolled environments is among the top research areas in today's artificial intelligence (AI). Yet, doing so within constrained power budgets for battery-operated edge devices is currently an open challenge. Indeed, while current cutting-edge deep-learning approaches can now reach acceptable performance in such environments, they are still subject to adversarial attacks and need a backend of GPU clusters, thereby requiring 4 to 6 orders of magnitude more power than is allowed for by the edge power budgets. On both ends of the spectrum of learning algorithms are the error backpropagation algorithm, i.e. the workhorse of modern deep learning, and local Hebbian learning rules, which are inspired by the brain's synaptic plasticity mechanisms. The former offers excellent performance but its energy/memory footprint is incompatible with low-power edge devices, while the latter allows for low-cost hardware implementations but can hardly be deployed beyond toy problems. In this PhD project, you will tackle this challenge by: * developing a theoretical framework that will allow exploring and generating, in a use-case-driven fashion, emerging learning algorithms that combine the strengths of local brain-inspired learning and backprop, * with a hardware/algorithm co-design approach, developing custom neuromorphic silicon prototypes (digital, then mixed-signal) for the proposed learning rules * investigating the deployment of these adaptive prototypes in resource-constrained use cases at the edge, such as brain implants for seizure detection. This project is a collaboration between Dr. Charlotte Frenkel (neuromorphic hardware, hardware/algorithm co-design, brain-inspired machine learning) and Dr. Justin Dauwels (Bayesian machine learning, computational neuroscience, biosignal processing). About the Department of Microelectronics at TU Delft: https://microelectronics.tudelft.nl/ About the CogSys research lab: https://ei.et.tudelft.nl/Research/theme.php?id=63 The expected starting date is 01/11/2023 and deadline for application is 01/09/2023. For more information and to apply, please visit this website <https://www.tudelft.nl/over-tu-delft/werken-bij-tu-delft/vacatures/details? jobId=13043&jobTitle=PhD%20Position%20in%20Bio-plausible%20Local%20Learning% 20Rules%20for%20Adaptive%20Neuromorphic%20Hardware> . Greetings, Justin. _______________________________________________________________ Justin Dauwels j.h.g.dauwels(a)tudelft.nl <mailto:j.h.g.dauwels@tudelft.nl> Associate Professor http://cas.tudelft.nl/ Fac. EEMCS Section Circuits and Systems Mekelweg 4 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands _____________________________________________________________________

July 27, 2023

SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO COMPLEX NETWORKS 2023 BEFORE SEPT. 02, 2023

by Hocine Cherifi

*12* *th **International Conference on Complex Networks & Their Applications* Menton Riviera <https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/>, France November 28 - 30, 2023 COMPLEX NETWORKS 2023 <https://complexnetworks.org/> You are cordially invited to submit your contribution until *September 02, 2023*. *SPEAKERS* · Michael Bronstein <https://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/people/michael.bronstein/> University of Oxford UK · Kathleen Carley <https://www.cylab.cmu.edu/directory/bios/carley-kathleen.html> Carnegie Mellon University USA · Manlio De Domenico <https://manliodedomenico.com/> University of Padua Italy · Danai Koutra <http://web.eecs.umich.edu/~dkoutra/> University of Michigan USA · Romualdo Pastor-Satorras <http://www.fen.upc.edu/~romu/> Univ. Politècnica de Catalunya Spain · Tao Zhou <https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MXgWgmEAAAAJ&hl=en> USTC China *TUTORIALS* · Tiago de Paula Peixoto <https://skewed.de/tiago> CEU Vienna Austria · Maria Liakata <https://www.turing.ac.uk/people/researchers/maria-liakata> Queen Mary University of London UK *PUBLICATION* Full papers (not previously published up to 12 pages) and Extended Abstracts (about published or unpublished research up to 4 pages) are welcome. · *Papers *will be included in the conference *proceedings edited by Springer* · *Extended abstracts* will be published in the *Book of Abstracts (with ISBN)* Extended versions will be invited for publication in *special issues of international journals:* o Applied Network Science <https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/> edited by Springer o Advances in Complex Systems <https://www.worldscientific.com/toc/acs/24/02> edited by World Scientific o Complex Systems <https://www.complex-systems.com/about/> o Entropy <https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy> edited by MDPI o PLOS <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/> one <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/> o Social Network Analysis and Mining <https://link.springer.com/journal/13278> edited by Springer *SUBMISSION* https://complexnetworks.org/submission/ *TOPICS* *Topics include, but are not limited to: * o Models of Complex Networks o Structural Network Properties and Analysis o Epidemics o Community Structure o Motifs o Network Mining o Network embedding o Machine learning with graphs o Dynamics and Evolution Patterns of Complex Networks o Link Prediction o Multilayer Networks o Controllability o Synchronization o Visual Representation o Large-scale Graph Analytics o Social Reputation, Influence, and Trust o Information Spreading in Social Media o Rumour and Viral Marketing in Social Networks o Recommendation Systems o Financial and Economic Networks o Mobility o Biological and Technological Networks o Mobile call Networks o Bioinformatics o Earth Sciences Applications o Resilience and Robustness of Complex Networks o Networks for Physical Infrastructures o Networks, Smart Cities and Smart Grids o Political networks o Supply chain networks o Complex networks and information systems o Complex networks and CPS/IoT o Graph signal processing o Cognitive Network Science o Network Medicine o Network Neuroscience o Quantifying success through network analysis o Temporal and spatial networks o Historical Networks o Graph-Based Natural Language Processing *GENERAL CHAIRS* Hocine Cherifi (University of Burgundy, France) Luis M. Rocha (Binghamton University, USA) Join us at COMPLEX NETWORKS 2023 <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 Applied Network Science <https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/> Plos Complex Systems <https://plos.org/complex-systems-research-journal/#:~:text=PLOS%20Complex%2….> 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/>

July 26, 2023

Call for Abstract Submission FRoBio: Freiburg Robotics and Biology Conference

by Timo Oess

Dear all, We are pleased to announce the FRoBio: Freiburg Robotics and Biology Conference - Bringing together nature and technology. The conference will take place on 22nd of November until 24th of November 2023 at the University of Freiburg, Germany. The event brings together international experts of different disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, medicine, materials science, nanotechnology, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, optics, and robotics to share so far untackled research questions or current challenges, novel methods and approaches that are applicable for multiple fields or interdisciplinary research. Abstract submission is now open for in-person participants and the deadline is September, 8th 2023. The registration for online participants will be open in October 2023. For further information on the conference and In-Person / Online Registration please visit the conference website. <https://www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/de/veranstaltungen/nachwuchskonferenzen/F…> We are looking forward to seeing you at FRoBio in November 2023! Best regards, The Organizing Committee

July 24, 2023

Apply to the Allen Institute's OpenScope program

by Anton Arkhipov

Dear Colleagues, Applications are now accepted for the Allen Institute's OpenScope program. Please apply! The OpenScope program, supported by the NIH BRAIN grant U24NS113646, provides the neuroscience community access to the Allen Brain Observatories. The program was inspired by astronomical observatories, which allow a community of scientists to access platforms too large or expensive for most laboratories. Through OpenScope, anyone can propose experiments for Allen Institute staff to run on Allen Institute pipelines. If selected, the proposed experiments are performed with the Allen Institute's verified, reproducible, and open protocols for cutting-edge behavioral training, in vivo Neuropixels electrophysiology, or two-photon calcium imaging. Data produced from the experiments is then shared with applicants, and, eventually, the broader community. How to apply? The program uses a double-blinded proposal review. Individuals or teams draft and submit a proposal, with an applicant commitment to perform data analysis and pursue publication. * RFP released July 10, 2023 * 2pg Letter of Intent Due: September 12th 2023 * 6pg Full Proposal Due: November 7th 2023 * For more details: https://alleninstitute.org/division/mindscope/openscope/ * If any questions or to discuss projects, please reach out to openscope(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:openscope@alleninstitute.org> New for 2023: Community Proposal Research Questions and Experimental Methods are proposed and voted on by the community in an open, collaborative process. The resulting data is immediately available to the community for anyone to analyze and publish. * Posted on Allen Brain Map Community Forum: https://community.brain-map.org/ * Opportunity announced in June 2023 * Research Question Phase: June-July 2023 * Methods & Analysis Phase: July-September 2023 * Final Vote by the community in November 2023 during SFN Best wishes, Anton. Anton Arkhipov Investigator Allen Institute, Seattle, WA

July 24, 2023

ICANN 2023 - Call for Participation

by Sebastian Otte

32nd International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks ICANN 2023 https://e-nns.org/icann2023 !!! EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS ON JULY 25 !!! Conference Dates: 26th to 29th of September 2023 ======================================================================= The International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) is the annual flagship conference of the European Neural Network Society (ENNS). In 2023 the School of Engineering of Democritus University of Thrace, Greece, will organize ICANN 2023. This will be held at Astoria Capsis Hotel at Heraklion city, Crete, Greece from 26th to 29th of September 2023. The conference will be organized as a HYBRID event. CONFERENCE TOPICS ICANN 2023 is a conference featuring tracks in Brain Inspired Computing, Machine Learning, and Artificial Neural Networks, with strong cross-disciplinary interactions and applications. A non-exhaustive list of topics includes: Machine Learning: Deep Learning, Neural Network Theory, Neural Network Models, Graphical Models, Bayesian Networks, Kernel Methods, Generative Models, Information Theoretic Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Relational Learning, Dynamical Models, Recurrent Networks, Ethics of AI Brain Inspired Computing: Cognitive Models, Computational Neuroscience, Self-Organization, Neural Control and Planning, Hybrid Neural-Symbolic Architectures, Neural Dynamics, Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Informatics, Perception and Action, Spiking Neural Networks Neural Applications for: Bioinformatics, Biomedicine, Intelligent Robotics, Neurorobotics, Language Processing, Speech Processing, Image Processing, Sensor Fusion, Pattern Recognition, Data Mining, Neural Agents, Brain-Computer Interaction, Neuromorphic Computing and Edge AI, Evolutionary Neural Networks SPECIAL SESSIONS ICANN 2023 will host three special sessions: - Neurorobotics (track NRR 2023) - Recent Advances in Spiking Neural Networks (track ARNN 2023) - The challenge of errors, stability, robustness, and accuracy in deep neural networks (track ESRA in DNN 2023) BEST PAPER AWARDS ENNS will sponsor a maximum of four best paper awards. All awards will be presented during the final ceremony. TRAVEL GRANTS The European Neural Network Society sponsors a number of Student Travel Grants covering part of the costs for attending ICANN. Details are provided on the conference website. ORGANIZATION General Chairs Iliadis Lazaros, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Plamen Angelov, Lancaster University, UK Program Chairs Antonios Papaleonidas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Elias Pimenidis, UWE Bristol, UK Chrisina Jayne, Teesside University, UK Honorary Chairs Stefan Wermter, University of Hamburg, Germany Vera Kurkova, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic Nikola Kasabov, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand Organizing Chairs Antonios Papaleonidas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Anastasios Panagiotis Psathas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece George Magoulas, University of London, Birkbeck College, UK Haralambos Mouratidis, University of Essex, UK Award Chairs Stefan Wermter, University of Hamburg, Germany Chukiong Loo, University of Malaysia, Malaysia Communication Chairs Sebastian Otte, University of Tübingen, Germany Anastasios Panagiotis Psathas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

July 23, 2023