- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Re: 2022 PROSE book award in Neuroscience

by Grossberg, Stephen

Dear Comp-Neuro colleagues, I feel happy and honored to report that my Magnum Opus Conscious Mind, Resonant Brain: How Each Brain Makes a Mind https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Mind-Resonant-Brain-Makes/dp/0190070552 has won the 2022 PROSE book award in Neuroscience from the Association of American Publishers. Best wishes for the New Year! Steve Grossberg Stephen Grossberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Grossberg http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3BIV70wAAAAJ&hl=en https://youtu.be/9n5AnvFur7I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hBye6JQCh4 https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Mind-Resonant-Brain-Makes/dp/0190070552 Wang Professor of Cognitive and Neural Systems Director, Center for Adaptive Systems Professor Emeritus of Mathematics & Statistics, Psychological & Brain Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering Boston University sites.bu.edu/steveg steve(a)bu.edu -

Jan. 7, 2023

DEADLINE EXTENDED - Postdoc opening in computational analysis of electrophysiological data (FunSy team - Strasbourg)

by BATTAGLIA Demian

We are currently inviting applications for a full-time postdoc position under the joint co-mentoring of Dr. Demian Battaglia and Dr. Romain Goutagny (University of Strasbourg, France; Functional System's Dynamics team – FunSy, https://funsyteam.org<https://funsyteam.org/>). The position starts as soon as possible and can last up to two years. This job offer is funded by the French ANR "HippoComp" project, which focuses on the complexity of hippocampal oscillations and the hypothesis that such complexity can serve as computational resource. In our joint FunSy team, we perform electrophysiological recordings in hippocampus and cortex during spatial navigation and memory tasks in mice (wild type and mutant developing various neuropathologies) and have access to vast data through local and international cooperation. Furthermore, we use a large spectrum of computational tools ranging from time-series and network analyses, information theory and machine-learning to multi-scale computational modeling. A good idea about some of the approaches used in the lab can be found in this recent preprint: Douchamps et al. 2022. Hippocampal gamma oscillations form complex ensembles modulated by behavior and learning, bioRxiv (https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.17.512498) We are seeking for various profiles of candidates, with main expertise in either computational or experimental neuroscience. Computational project components would deal with numerically-intensive data analyses (dimensional reduction, encoding/decoding, design of discriminative features...). Experimental project components would focus primarily on simultaneous fiber photometry and local-fields potentials recordings, together with the pre-processing of these data. Interested candidates could have hybrid experimental/computational projects. The ideal candidate will have a doctorate in systems or computational neuroscience, with previous experience in the analysis of rich datasets. In addition, we expect programming skills (e.g., Python, C/C++, Matlab), good communication skills in English (oral and written), the ability to work well in an international team, curiosity and open-mindedness. Strasbourg University is home of an emergent and active community in neuroscience, from molecules and cells to whole brain imaging and behavior, in relation with clinics. The proximity with Germany and Switzerland is an asset allowing interactions with transnational Computational and Neuroscience teams. Strasbourg, home of important European institutions, is a small fascinating city with a rich student and cultural life, well connected via high-speed train to important European cities (e.g. less than two hours from Paris). EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: January 22nd 2023 Please send your application, including CV, motivation letter and representative publications (preprints accepted) electronically, to both PIs (Romain Goutagny and Demian Battaglia). In addition, contacts of at least two academic references must be communicated (contact email or recommendation letter attachments). Pre-selected candidates will be interviewed over Zoom or invited to give a talk if possible. We are committed to equal opportunity hiring. We strongly encourage applications from qualified women or candidates from any country. Contact persons: Demian Battaglia, dbattaglia AT unistra.fr<mailto:dbattaglia@unistra.fr> Romain Goutagny, goutagny AT unistra.fr<mailto:goutagny@unistra.fr>

Jan. 5, 2023

Postdoc Fellowships in new Center at Washington University in St Louis

by Goodhill, Geoffrey

Dear Comp-Neuro, Washington University in St Louis has now launched a new Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, ctcn.wustl.edu. This is a joint initiative between the Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences, and provides a hub for neuroscientists to collaborate with mathematicians, physicists and engineers to find creative solutions to some of the most difficult problems currently facing neuroscience and artificial intelligence. The CTCN is now recruiting a cohort of outstanding Postdoctoral Fellows to work at the interface between theoretical and experimental labs and help forge new collaborations. Washington University in St Louis is ranked in the top 10 worldwide for Neuroscience and Behavior. Salary for CTCN Fellows is significantly above standard NIH postdoc rates, and funds for conference travel are included. In addition, WashU offers excellent benefits and comprehensive access to career development, professional and personal support. Applications from women and under-represented minorities are particularly welcome. The collaborative environment at WashU is a reflection of the critical importance placed on diversity, equity and inclusion and creating a welcoming place where postdocs can thrive. The St Louis metropolitan area has a population of almost 3M and is rich in culture, green spaces and thriving music and arts scenes, as well as being quite affordable. For more details on this prestigious Fellowship opportunity, including how to apply, please see ctcn.wustl.edu. Review of applications will begin on Jan 30th and continue until the positions are filled. Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Departments of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience 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

Jan. 4, 2023

Allen Institute Modeling Software Workshop

by Anton Arkhipov

Happy New Year, everyone! Please join us for the Allen Institute Modeling Software Workshop in beautiful Seattle, on July 13-14, 2023! https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/events-training/2023-mo… Sponsored by the NIH BRAIN program, this workshop is organized by the Allen Institute and our collaborators at the Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This 2-day in-person workshop will consist of interactive seminars and hands-on computational work. It will focus on teaching the skills for building and simulating complex and heterogeneous network models grounded in real biological data. The tools covered by the workshop include: * The SONATA file format<https://github.com/AllenInstitute/sonata> for multiscale neuronal network models and simulation output. * The Brain Modeling ToolKit (BMTK)<https://alleninstitute.github.io/bmtk/> – a Python-based software package for building and simulating network models at multiple levels of resolution. * The Visual Neuronal Dynamics (VND)<http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/vnd/> – a program for displaying, animating, and analyzing neural network models using 3D graphics and built-in scripting. Workshop Topics: * Building heterogenous neural networks at different levels of resolution * Simulating networks of biophysically detailed, multi-compartmental neuronal models * Simulating networks of point-neuron models * Providing realistic spiking inputs to the neural networks * Simulating perturbations * Simulating extracellular electric field * Using and sharing models in the SONATA format * Visualizing network models’ structure and dynamics in 3D We are eager to host a diverse audience, and we encourage trainees, scientists, and PIs to apply. Prior experience in modeling is not required or expected. The Allen Institute strives to make training opportunities available on a fair and equitable basis. Some travel funding is available for participants with financial need. Please indicate on your application whether such support is needed. Applications will be evaluated on a need-blind basis. There is no fee to participate in the workshop. Applications are due on February 15. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application by April 15. See more information and apply here: https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/events-training/2023-mo… Anton Arkhipov Associate Investigator T: 206.548.8414 E: antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org> [Text Description automatically generated] alleninstitute.org<https://alleninstitute.org> brain-map.org

Jan. 4, 2023

Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox

by Stewart Heitmann

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox. An online course for those who wish to simulate user-defined dynamical systems using the Brain Dynamics Toolbox (bdtoolbox.org<https://bdtoolbox.org>). This is a self-paced course with a practical focus on the art of programming differential equations. Video lectures guide the student through every step of building the model. Topics include Ordinary Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations, Delay Differential Equations, Stochastic Differential Equations, Auxiliary Plot Functions and command-line tools. Example code is provided in all cases. Study time is 8 hours. Course Website https://bdtoolbox.teachable.com/p/modellers-workshop Reference Heitmann & Breakspear (2022) Handbook for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox: Version 2022. ISBN 978-0-6450669-2-0. Stewart Heitmann | Computational Scientist Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute | Lowy Packer Building | 405 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 Australia E: s.heitmann(a)victorchang.edu.au<mailto:s.heitmann@victorchang.edu.au> | @VictorChangInst Disclaimer The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. This email has been scanned for viruses and malware, and may have been automatically archived by Mimecast Ltd, an innovator in Software as a Service (SaaS) for business. Providing a safer and more useful place for your human generated data. Specializing in; Security, archiving and compliance. To find out more visit the Mimecast website.

Jan. 3, 2023

Postdoc position - Cheng Lab - Application deadline extended

by Vinita Samarasinghe

*The application deadline for this position has been extended until 31.01.2023 * *Postdoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience at the Institute for Neural Computation, Faculty of Computer Science* Prof. Sen Cheng, Institute for Neural Computation, Faculty of Computer Science at the Ruhr University Bochum, invites applications for a full time (currently 39.83 hours/week) *Postdoctoral position (TV-L E13) in Computational Neuroscience. * The position starts as soon as possibleand is funded until 30.06.2025. *Job description* The position is part of the Collaborative Research Center “Extinction Learning” (SFB 1280) and studies the principles underlying spatial learning and its extinction with reinforcement learning models. A particular focus is the role of episodic-like memory in learning and extinction processes. The research group is highly dynamic and uses diverse computationalmodeling approachesincludingbiological neural networks, cognitive modeling, and machine learning to investigatelearning and memory in humans and animals. For further information see www.rub.de/cns <http://www.rub.de/cns>. *Your Profile: * Candidates must have * a doctorate degreein neuroscience, physics, mathematics, electrical/biomedical engineering or a closely related field, * relevant experience in mathematical modeling, * excellent programming skills (e.g., Python, C/C++, Matlab), * excellent communication skills in English * the ability to work well in a team. Research experience in neuroscience would be a further asset. The Ruhr University Bochum is home to a vibrant research community in neuroscienceand cognitive science. The Institute for Neural Computation combines different areas of expertise ranging from experimental and theoretical neuroscienceto machine learning androbotics. Please send your application, including CV, transcripts and research statement electronically, as a *single PDF file*, to samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de <mailto:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de>. In addition, at least two academic references mustbe sent independently to the above email address. The deadline for applications is January 31^st , 2023. Travel costs for interviews will not be reimbursed. The Ruhr University Bochum is committed to equal opportunity. We strongly encourage applications from qualified women and persons with disabilities. We are committed to providing a supportive work environment for female researchers, in particular those with young children. Our university provides mentoring and coaching opportunities specifically aimed at women in research. We have a strong research network with female role models and will provide opportunities to networkwith them. Wherever possible, events will be scheduled during regular childcare hours. Special childcare will be arranged if events have to be scheduled outside of regular hours, in case of sickness and during school or daycare closures. Where childcare is not an option parents will be offered a home office solution. Contact person: Vinita Samarasinghe, samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de <mailto:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de> -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/73 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de

Jan. 2, 2023

2x Funded PhD positions in Learning & Decision Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham, UK

by Lei Zhang

--- Happy New Year & Apologize for cross-posting --- **2x Funded PhD positions in Learning & Decision Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham, UK** Dr. Lei Zhang (https://lei-zhang.net/) is looking for 2x PhD students interested in the cognitive, computational, and neural basis of (social) learning and decision-making in health and disease. The deadline for applications is in January 2023 to start in autumn 2023. The newly opened ALP(E)N Lab (Adaptive Learning Psychology and Neuroscience Lab) addresses the fundamental question of the “adaptive brain” by studying the cognitive, computational, and neurobiological basis of (social) learning and decision-making in healthy individuals (across the lifespan), and in psychiatric disorders. We combine an array of approaches including neuroimaging, patient studies and computational modelling (particularly hierarchical Bayesian modelling) with behavioural paradigms inspired by learning theories. The lab has a strong emphasis on equality, diversity and supporting lab members to thrive. The lab is based at the Centre for Human Brain Health ( https://birmingham.ac.uk/research/centre-human-brain-health/index.aspx) and Institute of Mental Health ( https://birmingham.ac.uk/research/mental-health/index.aspx) at the University of Birmingham, UK, with access to exceptional facilities including MRI, MEG, TMS, and fNIRS. Funding is available through two competitive schemes from the BBSRC ( https://www.ukri.org/councils/bbsrc/) and MRC ( https://www.ukri.org/councils/mrc/) that provide a stipend, fees (at UK rate) and a research allowance, amongst other benefits. International (ie, outside UK) applicants are welcome. The BBSRC project "Unravelling adaptive and flexible learning behaviour under social dynamics in health and disease" is in collaboration with Dr. Matthew Apps (Birmingham). Link to details: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/unravelling-adaptive-and-flexible-lea… The MRC Project "Neurocomputational mechanisms of self-referencing in social anxiety" is in collaboration with Dr. Patricia Lockwood (Birmingham), Dr. Mark Haselgrove (Nottingham) and Dr. Mona Garvert (London, as Industry Partner) Link to details: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/neurocomputational-mechanisms-of-self… Interested candidates should first send their CV and a short statement of research intentions by 9th January 2023 to Dr. Lei Zhang ( l.zhang.13(a)bham.ac.uk) before applying through the schemes, as only a small number of applicants can be put forward. Informal inquiries should also be directed to Dr. Lei Zhang. Many thanks, Lei Dr. Lei Zhang Principal Investigator/Associate Professor Centre for Human Brain Health & Institute for Mental Health School of Psychology University of Birmingham, UK e: l.zhang.13(a)bham.ac.uk w: lei-zhang.net t: @lei_zhang_lz

Dec. 30, 2022

Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course 2023

by Erik De Schutter

OKINAWA/OIST COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE COURSE 2023 Methods, Neurons, Networks and Behaviors June 19 to July 6, 2023 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc <https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc> The aim of the Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course is to provide opportunities for young researchers with theoretical backgrounds to learn the latest advances in neuroscience, and for those with experimental backgrounds to have hands-on experience in computational modeling. We invite graduate students and postgraduate researchers to participate in the course, held from June 19th through July 6th, 2023 at an oceanfront seminar house of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. Applications are through the course web page (https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc <https://groups.oist.jp/ocnc>) only; January 1 - January 31, 2023. Applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance end of March. Like in preceding years, the 18th OCNC will be a comprehensive three-week course covering single neurons, networks, and behaviors with ample time for student projects. The first week will focus exclusively on methods with hands-on tutorials during the afternoons, while the second and third weeks will have lectures by international and local experts. The course has a strong hands-on component based on student proposed modeling or data analysis projects, which are further refined with the help of a dedicated tutor. Applicants are required to propose their project at the time of application. There is no tuition fee. The sponsor will provide lodging and meals during the course and may provide partial travel support. We hope that this course will be a good opportunity for theoretical and experimental neuroscientists to meet each other and to explore the attractive nature and culture of Okinawa, the southernmost island prefecture of Japan. Invited faculty: • Upinder Bhalla (NCBS, India) • Claudia Clopath (Imperial College London, UK) • Erik De Schutter (OIST) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Tomoki Fukai (OIST) • Izumi Fukunaga (OIST) • Yukiko Goda (OIST) • Mike Häusser (University College London, UK) • Bernd Kuhn (OIST) • Jinny Kim (KIST, South Korea) • Rosalyn Moran (King's College London, UK) • Steve Prescott (University of Toronto, Canada) • Sam Reiter (OIST) • Greg Stephens (OIST) • Kazumasa Tanaka (OIST)

Dec. 26, 2022

TR: MSc internship offer (dynamical systems for neurosciences)

by DEPANNEMAECKER Damien

MSc Internship Project: Dynamical study of a mean-field model of neural network activity driven by biophysical ion exchange mechanisms Project description. In neuroscience, the question of scales is central, ranging from the molecule to the whole brain. In theoretical and computational neuroscience, it is possible to model these different scales and to build the link between them [1]. In particular to describe the activity on the scale of a population of neurons by a mean-field approach, capturing some aspects of the corresponding spiking network. A recently derived mean-field model of a biophysical description of neuronal excitability shows abilities to capture synchronized activities observed in pathological states, such as seizures [2]. The system obtained is a compound of coupled differential equations which can be studied by applying timescale separation methods [3, 4]. This model is a candidate to be used within The Virtual Brain [5] for clinical applications. A detailed characterization is therefore essential. Main objectives. 1. To identify the different dynamical regimes of this model, in particular in a parameter configuration corresponding to a healthy state; 2. To determine the different timescales involved in this system; (and possibly) 3. To start a bifurcation study for identified biophysical parameters of interest. Period. Some time in 2023, in accordance with the schedule of the candidate’s courses. Location. One or both of the following addresses: Institut de Neurosciences des Systèèmes AMU Faculty of Medicine 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin 13005 Marseille, France and/or Inria centre at Université Côte d’Azur MathNeuro Project team 2004 route des Lucioles - BP 93 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France Supervisors. Damien Depannemaecker <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Damien-Depannemaecker> (Aix-Marseille Université) and Mathieu Desroches <https://www-sop.inria.fr/members/Mathieu.Desroches/> (Inria). How to apply. Interested candidates should send a CV and a short motivation letter expressing their interest and skills for this project to: mathieu.desroches(a)inria.fr <mailto:mathieu.desroches@inria.fr> and damien.depannemaecker(a)univ-amu.fr<mailto:damien.depannemaecker@univ-amu.fr>. Selected candidates will be invited to an interview, which may take place online. For candidates requiring a visa for the EU, a period of at least three months is necessary to obtain the documents. Candidate profile. The candidate from an MSc (M2) or an engineering school must have an interest and skills in dynamical systems as well as for neuroscience. Having at least basic programming knowledge (e.g. python or matlab) is necessary for this internship. The involvement and motivation of the candidate, as well as the ability to be organized and proactive, are essential criteria in the selection of the candidate. There could be perspectives of following up with a PhD. References 1. Depannemaecker D, Destexhe A, Jirsa V, Bernard C. Modeling seizures: From single neurons to networks. Seizure. 2021 Aug;90:4–8. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2021.06.015. 2. Bandyopadhyay A, Rabuffo G, Calabrese C, Gudibanda K, Depannemaecker D, Ivanov A, et al. Mean- field approximation of network of biophysical neurons driven by conductance-based ion exchange. bioRxiv. 2022. Available from: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/12/03/2021.10.29.466427. 3. Desroches M, Rinzel J, Rodrigues S. Classification of bursting patterns: A tale of two ducks. PLoS Com- putational Biology. 2022;18(2):e1009752. Available from: https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/ article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009752. 4. Saggio ML, Spiegler A, Bernard C, Jirsa VK. Fast–Slow Bursters in the Unfolding of a High Codimension Singularity and the Ultra-slow Transitions of Classes. The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience. 2017 Jul;7(1). Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13408-017-0050-8. 5. The Virtual Brain;. Available from: https://www.thevirtualbrain.org/.

Dec. 25, 2022

Women in Memory Research 2023

by Vinita Samarasinghe

The event below is for women who are interested in pursuing a PhD in memory research in neuroscience or philosophy. Please be kind enough to pass on this message to interested students. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Women in Memory Research 2023 Come and learn what an academic career looks likeand discover its advantages. During your week at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB)you will participate in GEM 2023 <https://for2812.rub.de/gem2023/> where you will hear about the latest research in generative episodic memory, be given the opportunityto present your research and meet with female scientists from the field. Before and after GEM you'll be introduced to support structures, funding measures and the FOR 2812 labs <https://for2812.rub.de/projects/>. Our participating senior scientists include: Ali Boyle, London School of Economics; Pernille Hemmer, Rutgers University; Peggy St. Jacques, University of Alberta; Kristina Liefke, Ruhr University Bochum; Maria Wimber, University of Glasgow. Sounds exciting? *Who can apply:* Womenmasters students in their final year of study and recently graduated masters students who are looking into an academic career in the area of memory research/neuroscience. Applicants must have excellent grades and be able to communicate in English. Selection of participants is competitive. We only have 12 spots! *How to apply:* Send your application including a one page letter of motivation, a current CV, masters transcripts and a letter of recommendation from one of your professors. Your application should be sent, as a single PDF document, to Vinita Samarasinghe @ for2812+gem(a)rub.de <mailto:for2812@rub.de> by March 15, 2023 with the subject line "WiMR - application". If you need child care or any other support please note this in your application. Applications will be evaluated and ranked after the deadline has passed and notifications will be sent out by 31.03.2023. If you accept, you must register for GEM 2023. *What to expect from us:* We will provide bed and breakfast (double room occupancy), cover travel costs (restrictions apply) and provide some meals. The program is offered in English. *What we expect from you:* You are present for all of the program and that you present your current research in the form of a poster at GEM 2023. *Questions? * Visit our website at https://for2812.rub.de/wimr2023 for more information. Please feel free to get in touch with Vinita Samarasinghe (for2812(a)rub.de <mailto:for2812@rub.de>) if you have any questions. -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/73 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 D-44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0)234 32 27996 Email:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de

Dec. 22, 2022

Bernstein Conference 2023

by FM-bernstein.communication

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the Bernstein Conference 2023, which will be again in Berlin. Please highlight September 26-29, 2023, in your calendar. Check out our website and social media channels, where we will keep sharing new and detailed information as we progress. Season's greetings and a happy new year! Your Bernstein Coordination Site Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination Site Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the University of Freiburg Hansastr. 9a | 79104 Freiburg, Germany web: www.bernstein-network.de<http://www.bernstein-network.de> Twitter: BernsteinNeuro LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience Mastodon: BernsteinNetwork(a)mastodon.world ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Volker Rieke Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr. Astrid Lambrecht, Prof. Dr. Frauke Melchior ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dec. 22, 2022

Postdoc opening in analysis of complex hippocampal oscillations (Demian Battaglia and Romain Goutagny's FunSy team, Strasbourg)

by BATTAGLIA Demian

We are currently inviting applications for a full-time postdoc position under the joint co-mentoring of Dr. Demian Battaglia and Dr. Romain Goutagny (University of Strasbourg, France; Functional System's Dynamics team – FunSy, https://funsyteam.org<https://funsyteam.org/>). The position starts as soon as possible and can last up to two years. This job offer is funded by the French ANR "HippoComp" project, which focuses on the complexity of hippocampal oscillations and the hypothesis that such complexity can serve as computational resource. In our joint FunSy team, we perform electrophysiological recordings in hippocampus and cortex during spatial navigation and memory tasks in mice (wild type and mutant developing various neuropathologies) and have access to vast data through local and international cooperation. Furthermore, we use a large spectrum of computational tools ranging from time-series and network analyses, information theory and machine-learning to multi-scale computational modeling. A good idea about some of the approaches used in the lab can be found in this recent preprint: Douchamps et al. 2022. Hippocampal gamma oscillations form complex ensembles modulated by behavior and learning, bioRxiv (https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.17.512498) We are seeking for various profiles of candidates, with main expertise in either computational or experimental neuroscience. Computational project components would deal with numerically-intensive data analyses (dimensional reduction, encoding/decoding, design of discriminative features...). Experimental project components would focus primarily on simultaneous fiber photometry and local-fields potentials recordings, together with the pre-processing of these data. Interested candidates could have hybrid experimental/computational projects. The ideal candidate will have a doctorate in systems or computational neuroscience, with previous experience in the analysis of rich datasets. In addition, we expect programming skills (e.g., Python, C/C++, Matlab), good communication skills in English (oral and written), the ability to work well in an international team, curiosity and open-mindedness. Strasbourg University is home of an emergent and active community in neuroscience, from molecules and cells to whole brain imaging and behavior, in relation with clinics. The proximity with Germany and Switzerland is an asset allowing interactions with transnational Computational and Neuroscience teams. Strasbourg, home of important European institutions, is a small fascinating city with a rich student and cultural life, well connected via high-speed train to important European cities (e.g. less than two hours from Paris). DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: January 15th 2023 Please send your application, including CV, motivation letter and representative publications (preprints accepted) electronically, to both PIs (Romain Goutagny and Demian Battaglia). In addition, contacts of at least two academic references must be communicated (contact email or recommendation letter attachments). Pre-selected candidates will be interviewed over Zoom or invited to give a talk if possible. We are committed to equal opportunity hiring. We strongly encourage applications from qualified women or candidates from any country. Contact persons: Demian Battaglia, dbattaglia AT unistra.fr<mailto:dbattaglia@unistra.fr> Romain Goutagny, goutagny AT unistra.fr<mailto:goutagny@unistra.fr>

Dec. 20, 2022

New Book: Introducing Computation to Neuroscience – Selected Papers of George Gerstein

by Dr. David Goyer

Prof. Sonja Grün (INM-6, INM-10 & IAS-6; Jülich Research Center), together with colleagues Profs. A. Aertsen, P.E. Maldonado and G. Palm, recently published the book “Introducing Computation to Neuroscience – Selected Papers of George Gerstein <https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-87447-6>”. George Gersteinhad his roots in physics and was known for his long-term commitmentto transformingneuroscience intoa field ofmore rigorous science, like physics was at the time. With this, hewas miles ahead of the ﬁeld, consistently striving for quantitative analyses, mechanistic models, and conceptual clarity. Eventually, he pioneeredwhat we now know asComputational Neuroscience-many years before the term was coined. But the overarching goal of George Gerstein’s research was always to understand the functional organization of neuronal networks in the brain. Prof. Grün and the editors nowhave compiled a selection of George Gerstein’s many seminalexperimental, theoretical andcomputational contributions to neuroscience into a single, comprehensive volume. They also provide a fresh view on the subjects of his work, as several of George Gerstein’s former students and collaborators kindly contributed introductionsto various chapters.This does not onlyframethe papers in their historical and present context, it alsoaddsthepersonal touch of their involvement in generating the papersand gives a glimpse into lab life. The book itselfis organized intoa series of chapters with differentsubjects, each one containing reprintsof George Gerstein’s papersin chronological order. Thereby, each of these chapters traces the developmentof George Gerstein’s seminal contributions to the Neurosciences, be it in the domain of neuron and network modeling or in the area of neuronal data analysis techniques. In the words of the editors: "/We hope that, taken together, these various Chapters and their Introductions will help the reader appreciate how much our current thinking on brain function owes to George Gerstein’s research and the insights gained from it. George was not only an innovative thinker in theory, experiment and analysis methodology, he also inspired by his mode of thinking science. Thus, in a way, this book is both a product of this inspiration and a tribute to it./" -- Dr. David Goyer Scientific Coordinator Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) Computational and Systems Neuroscience & Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) Theoretical Neuroscience Jülich Research Centre and JARA Jülich Germany phone: +49-1756402993

Dec. 20, 2022

[Jobs] 2 Year independent Postdoc at the Institute for Neural Computation, Bochum, Germany

by Laurenz Wiskott

The Institute for Neural Computation of the Faculty for Informatics is looking for a postdoc (m,f,x) in the field of Computational Neuroscience for 2 years, 39,83 hours per week, E13 TVL The Institute for Neural Computation is part of the Faculty of Computer Science at the Ruhr-University Bochum, see https://www.ini.rub.de/. It focuses on the dynamics and learning of perception and behavior on a functional level but is otherwise very diverse, ranging from neurophysiology and psychophysics over computational neuroscience to machine learning and technical applications. There is an open position for a postdoc in the group „Theory of Neural Systems“ of Prof. Dr. Laurenz Wiskott to be filled as soon as possible. The position is planned for two years with salary level 100% TV-L E13, the standard German salary for postdocs. This position offers the opportunity to develop your own research profile and establish an independent research group. The research topic should be in the field of computational neuroscience on a system level, in particular modeling the visual system, episodic memory, or navigation in mammals. Collaborations with colleagues at the institute are welcome. extent: full-time duration: temporary beginning: as soon as possible application deadline: 21.11.2022 Your tasks: Independent research projects and publications. Acquiring third party funding. Teaching. A lot of room for own ideas and initiatives. Supervising student projects and your own PhD projects. Active participation in the local research environment. Your profile: Active participation in the local research environment. Solid knowledge in Computational Neuroscience. Potential to develop an original independent research agenda in one of the above-mentioned topics. Our offerings: An interesting interdisciplinary environment in the field of experimental and computational neuroscience / machine Learning. Opportunity to develop an independent research profile and your own research group. Opportunity to pursue further scientific qualification. A lot of room for own ideas and initiatives. Additional information: At the request of the applicant (m,f,x), the staff council may be involved in selection interviews. The load of teaching will be calculated according to § 3 of Lehrverpflichtungsverordnung (state of North Rhine-Westphalia). The Ruhr-Universität Bochum is one of Germany’s leading research universities, addressing the whole range of academic disciplines. A highly dynamic setting enables researchers and students to work across the traditional boundaries of academic subjects and faculties. To create knowledge networks within and beyond the university is RUB’s declared aim. The Ruhr-Universität Bochum stands for diversity and equal opportunities. For this reason, we favour a working environment composed of heterogeneous teams, and seek to promote the careers of individuals who are underrepresented in our respective professional areas. The Ruhr-Universität Bochum expressly requests job applications from women. In areas in which they are underrepresented they will be given preference in the case of equivalent qualifications with male candidates. Applications from individuals with disabilities are most welcome. Contact details for your application: Prof. Dr. Laurenz Wiskott, Phone: +49234 32 27997 Travel expenses for interviews cannot be refunded. For information on the collection of personal data in the application process see: https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/information-collection-personal-data-appl…. ANR: 1267 until 2023-01-02 Applications (CV, transcript of records for PhD, MSc and BSc, statement of purpose) should be sent as a single pdf file to laurenz.wiskott(a)rub.de. Official job announcement: https://jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/360e82936d27d5749b276888153c2cb1…

Dec. 19, 2022

Post-doc position with Friedemann Zenke at the FMI, Switzerland

by Friedemann Zenke

The Computational Neuroscience Group, led by Friedemann Zenke at the Friedrich Miescher Institute in Basel, Switzerland (www.fmi.ch) is looking for a post-doctoral researcher. Position available from the beginning of 2023 (or later). Topics of interest include • Learning algorithms (bio-inspired self-supervised learning and credit assignment) • Spiking neural networks (sparsity, neuronal complexity, efficient training) • Continual learning (synaptic consolidation and circuit mechanisms) • Neuromorphic computing (online learning and dynamic neural networks) • Information representation in biological and artificial neural networks See www.zenkelab.org for more information. The position • Conduct research in computational neuroscience and bio-inspired machine intelligence. • Write research articles and present them at international conferences. • Publish in neuroscience journals and machine learning venues such as ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR, etc. • Interact and collaborate with experimental neuroscience groups or neuromorphic hardware developers nationally and internationally. Ideal profile • You are passionate about neural networks and enjoy tackling difficult research questions. • You hold a Ph.D. from a related discipline and are a team player. • You have published and possess solid analytical and programming skills. • Fluency in English, both spoken and written, is required. We offer • A diverse international work environment with room to develop one's project. • The option to collaborate with leading experimental groups in circuit neuroscience. • A vibrant lab environment with the possibility to acquire supervision experience if desired. • Opportunities to travel to international conferences or summer schools. • Competitive salary, professional career development, benefits, and working conditions. For more details, see https://www.fmi.ch/education-careers/postdoc-activities/. Application If interested, please get in touch with friedemann.zenke(a)fmi.ch. Please include: • CV (including publication list) • A brief statement of research interest • Contact details of two to three references -- www.zenkelab.org

Dec. 19, 2022

World's first Master of Neuromorphic Engineering courses

by Bharath Ramesh

Dear Engineers, scientists and computational neuroscience enthusiasts, The International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, Western Sydney University, invites both domestic and international students to apply for the world’s first Master of Neuromorphic Engineering courses. We offer several programs, including a Graduate Certificate, a Graduate Diploma, a 1.5-year industry-oriented degree and a two-year research-oriented Master’s course in Neuromorphic Engineering. We seek dedicated, curious and open-minded scientists, engineers, physicists, electronics tinkerers, hardware and software hackers, and roboticists from diverse backgrounds. The course builds on the research background of our Neuromorphic Engineering and Event-Based Processing research staff. Successful applicants will receive significant mentorship. Mentors and course instructors will equip students with special digital vision and audition processing capabilities which are rarely taught at other Universities in the world. Mentors and instructors will provide students with opportunities to apply skills learned to practical projects which align with industry need. Although the post graduate courses will equip graduates with many in-demand machine-learning techniques, Neuromorphic Engineering researchers go beyond status-quo Machine Learning so that they can find solutions to issues that block progress in AI machine learning sensing and computer vision. Neuromorphic Engineering seeks to progress beyond failures in regular machine learning approaches as conventional approaches usually fail to generalise, are not environmentally sustainable, and are poorly suited to high-stakes time-critical low-powered applications. Currently demonstrated applications of Neuromorphic Engineering range from space tracking, intelligent sensing, online learning, one-shot learning, computer vision, computer listening, anomaly detection, remote sensing, lightning characterisation, surveillance applications, biological modelling and medicine. The course is currently accepting applications for 2023 entry. If you are considering any of these courses, we recommend applying now. The application deadline is February 2023. For more information about the course, please visit: Master of Applied Neuromorphic Engineering | Western Sydney University<https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/study/courses/postgraduate/master-o…> https://student-westernsydney.studylink.com/index.cfm?event=security.showLo… HOW TO APPLY: Submitting an online application is easy and free for Australian and New Zealand students. Applications for students we sincerely welcome applications outside of Australia and these external applications require a small processing fee. Successful applicants will be eligible for an Australian student VISA. Simply click on THIS LINK<Postgraduate students | Western Sydney University<https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/study/how-to-apply/postgraduate-stu…>> and follow the instructions. Western Sydney has a five-star ranking in 5-star ranking in: Teaching, Employability, Internationalisation, Facilities, Innovation, Inclusiveness Western Sydney is Ranked 1st in the world for commitment to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, it is ranked 3rd in the world for SDG 5: Gender Equality and 4th in the world for SDG 10: Reducing Inequalities. See this link for more information: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/why-western/global-rankings#overall<https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/why-western/global-rankings%23overa…> For any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Bharath Ramesh, PhD b.ramesh(a)westernsydney.edu.au

Dec. 19, 2022

Error forward propagation: Feedforward Closedloop Learning (FCL)

by Bernd Porr

Dear all, There has been a lot of interest recently in performing deep learning without backprop - papers by Geoff Hinton and Barak Pearlmutter in particular showing how supervised and self-supervised learning can be achieved solely with forward message propagation. We wanted to mention here our own work dating back to 2019, in which we realised real-time reinforcement learning in a closed-loop setting via the forward propagation of error signals. Naturally forward propagation has the attraction of biological feasibility, but from our point of view the more important point is that error signals are then defined in the space of sensory inputs rather than motor outputs, which makes a lot more sense in the context of a self-contained autonomous agent. Rather than the reward functions of Q learning, we use reflex circuits to generate the errors: the goal of sensory learning is to predict disturbances before they occur, thereby silencing the reflex. To see the system in operation, here is a real robot learning a simple line-following task, where the system initially uses a light sensor to drive a reflex steering action, and learning discovers predictive information from vision which pre-empts this reflex: https://sigmoid.social/@berndporr/109534507823054808 Because the algorithm works for deep networks, arbitrarily complex predictive cues can in principle be discovered. Source code and paper: https://github.com/glasgowneuro/feedforward_closedloop_learning We would be highly interested to hear views on this approach. /Bernd Porr and Paul Miller -- http://www.berndporr.me.uk http://www.attys.tech +44 (0)7840 340069

Dec. 18, 2022

Sixth Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling

by Thomas

____________________ Sixth Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling – ACT-R, Nengo, PRIMs – Date: 27-31 March 2023 Location: Groningen, the Netherlands Fee: € 305 (late fee after February 26 will be € 355) More information and registration: www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool ____________________ Dear colleagues and students, We are excited to announce the sixth Spring School on Cognitive Modeling in Groningen, from 27-31 March 2023! This time, the Spring School will cover three different modeling paradigms: ACT-R, Nengo, and PRIMs. Each of these topics consists of a series of lectures, as well as a number of hands-on exercises (tutorials). Past years have shown that students get most out of the spring school if they really emerge themselves into one modeling paradigm. We therefore recommend you choose one topic for which you will attend both the lectures as well as the tutorials. In addition, you can select a second paradigm, for which you attend the lectures only. To give students a broader picture, there will also be three guest lectures throughout the week. These lectures each give an introduction to yet another modeling paradigm: accumulator models (Leendert van Maanen), error-driven learning models (Jacolien van Rij), and dynamical systems (Herbert Jäger). Everyone is encouraged to attend those lectures. To round of the program, there will be a poster session, where students present themselves and their research, as well as a city tour, and our (in)famous spring school dinner. Registration is now open. Please feel free to forward the information to anyone who might be interested in the Spring School. We are looking forward to welcoming you (again) in Groningen, The Spring School team springschool(a)rug.nl ______________ ACT-R Teachers: Jelmer Borst, Stephen Jones, & Katja Mehlhorn (University of Groningen) Website: http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu ACT-R is a high-level cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time experiments to driving a car, learning algebra, and air traffic control. ACT-R can be used to develop process models of a task at a symbolic level. Participants will follow a compressed five-day version of the traditional summer school curriculum. We will also cover the connection between ACT-R and fMRI. Nengo Teacher: Terry Stewart and Andreas Stöckel (University of Waterloo) Website: http://www.nengo.ca Nengo is a toolkit for converting high-level cognitive theories into low-level spiking neuron implementations. In this way, aspects of model performance such as response accuracy and reaction times emerge as a consequence of neural parameters such as the neurotransmitter time constants. It has been used to model adaptive motor control, visual attention, serial list memory, reinforcement learning, Tower of Hanoi, and fluid intelligence. Participants will learn to construct these kinds of models, starting with generic tasks like representing values and positions, and ending with full production-like systems. There will also be special emphasis on extracting various forms of data out of a model, such that it can be compared to experimental data. PRIMs Teacher: Niels Taatgen (University of Groningen) Website: https://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/prims/index.html How do people handle and prioritize multiple tasks? How can we learn something in the context of one task, and partially benefit from it in another task? The goal of PRIMs is to cross the artificial boundary that most cognitive architectures have imposed on themselves by studying single tasks. It has mechanisms to model transfer of cognitive skills, and the competition between multiple goals. In the tutorial we will look at how PRIMs can model phenomena of cognitive transfer and cognitive training, and how multiple goals compete for priority in models of distraction. ______________ — Thomas Tiotto, PhD Candidate, CogniGron - Groningen Cognitive Systems and Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands Email: t.f.tiotto(a)rug.nl Profile: https://www.rug.nl/staff/t.f.tiotto/ Office: 5161 0318 Sent with Spark

Dec. 16, 2022

Call for Papers - IEEE T-MBMC - Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs

by Murat Kuşcu

IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs: Synergies between Bio/Nanotechnologies and Molecular Communications https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/cfp/bio-chem-icts-s… ----------------------- CALL FOR PAPERS Molecular Communications (MC) is a fundamental means of information exchange ubiquitously observed in nature. It has recently attracted the attention of researchers who have been working in information and communication technologies (ICT) and striving to create cooperative ‘nanonetworks’ of artificial nanomachines, which can be interfaced with or immersed in natural biological systems. Application of ICT tools to this natural modality of communications has laid the foundations of bio-inspired, engineered MC systems, and also contributed to the understanding of natural MC networks. It is no wonder that such fundamental form of communications has been a topic of significant interest in many diverse research fields beyond ICT, such as synthetic biology, systems chemistry, micro/nanorobotics, network medicine, biophysics and physiology, biochemical sensing, lab- and organ-on-chips, bio-interfaces, molecular and biological computing, drug discovery, design and delivery. However, different languages are typically adopted by different fields to refer to the same phenomenon that the ICT researchers call molecular communications, such as chemical communications, biological/cell signaling, interaction networks, which all fundamentally denote information transfer via mass transport and/or biochemical reactions and interactions. Despite the significant overlap in the problem and the application domain, not only the language but also the research methodologies and the solution approaches are diverse, partly due to the apparent lack of strong links between different research communities. On the other hand, closer interactions between these disciplines can create important synergies that can help collaboratively target more challenging research problems and develop unprecedented applications, where the power of true interdisciplinarity is unleashed. These interactions can also help better identify the common motifs in the heterogeneous sea of molecular communication problems and scenarios comprising both biotic and abiotic systems, and help reframe and standardize the way we approach biological and bio-inspired communications in the hope of enabling a common scientific and engineering language. The aim of this Special Issue is to facilitate such interactions by bringing together the contributions of prominent researchers from diverse fields that share a common denominator with the ICT approach to MC. Reflecting different perspectives on natural and engineered molecular communications, and appreciating the diversity of approaches and methodologies, the Special Issue will ultimately help identify the potential interaction pathways between different research areas and communities, that can lead to fruitful collaborations and synergy. To this end, we solicit original contributions (technical or position/survey/tutorial/perspective articles) on a very diverse set of topics including but not limited to: ** Molecular communication among synthetic cells, and between synthetic and natural cells ** Molecular communication among nanoparticles, and between nanoparticles and natural/synthetic cells ** Collective micro/nanorobotic swarms and active matter based on molecular communications ** Physical limits to communication, sensing, and information processing in natural and synthetic bio/nano systems ** Network medicine, communication and network biomarkers of diseases ** Engineering of protein-protein and other molecular interactions, de novo design of proteins and artificial receptors for sensing and molecular communications ** Semantic information in biological networks ** Bio-interfaces (e.g., neural interfaces) relying on molecular interactions, redox reactions, and ionic carriers ** New sensing techniques and chemical & biosensor architectures targeting dynamic bio/chemical signals ** New nanomaterials and device architectures for bio-nano interfaces, and micro/nanomachines & molecular machines capable of molecular communications ** Drug design techniques exploiting molecular interactions, network-based approaches to drug discovery ** Smart drug delivery systems and techniques ** Biological and molecular computing ** Signaling aspects of lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, multi-organ-on-a-chip, body-on-a-chip, disease-on-a-chip applications --------------------------- IMPORTANT DATES Manuscript Submission Deadline: 15 March 2023 First Notification: 30 April 2023 Acceptance Notification: 30 May 2023 Final Manuscript Due: 30 June 2023 Publication Date: September 2023 --------------------------- GUEST EDITORS Murat Kuscu Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Koc University, Turkey Email: mkuscu(a)ku.edu.tr Pasquale Stano Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies University of Salento, Italy Email: pasquale.stano(a)unisalento.it Gregory F. Payne Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research University of Maryland, USA Email: gpayne(a)umd.edu Bige D. Unluturk School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Michigan State University, USA Email: unluturk(a)msu.edu Malcolm Egan University of Lyon, Inria, INSA-Lyon, CITI, France Email: malcolm.egan(a)inria.fr Michael T. Barros School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering University of Essex, UK Email: m.barros(a)essex.ac.uk --------------------------- SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts following the IEEE TMBMC guidelines ( https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/information-for-aut… ). Authors should submit a manuscript through Manuscript Central ( https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tmbmc) ---------------------------

Dec. 15, 2022

Interdisciplinary PhD program in London, UK

by Silver, Angus

Interdisciplinary PhD program in London, UK – call for 2023 applications – deadline 10th January. The London Interdisciplinary Biosciences Consortium (LIDo) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) is a BBSRC funded collaborative partnership offering world-class interdisciplinary research. LIDo unites an exciting team of outstanding universities and unique specialist institutions to provide innovative cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in the heart of one of the world's most vibrant and scientifically stimulating cities. LIDo will be offering 41 fully funded studentships in September 2023 across our DTP and iCASE routes of entry; these include home tuition fees and a tax-free stipend in the region of £19,668. A maximum of 11 of these positions can be offered to students eligible for overseas fee rates, where LIDo will cover the full fee amount. DTP Route In the first year of the programme DTP students will undertake two 4-month research projects in different partner institutions, selecting from a catalogue of over 200 topics. The choice of PhD topic is finalised after the second rotation project. Research opportunities are available across the breadth of BBSRC remit. Exemplar projects can be found on our website: https://www.lido-dtp.ac.uk/projects and DTP students will have the opportunity to contact potential supervisors in the Spring ahead of our call for projects. LIDo is particularly keen to welcome students from mathematics, computer science, engineering and the physical sciences who are eager to apply their skills and experience to biological problems and students from the plant sciences for exciting new projects available at our specialist academic and associate partners. All DTP students undertake a compulsory 3-month internship (PIPS) during their PhD to gain experience and context for careers where the transferable skills developed during their PhD programme can be usefully employed. iCASE Route Industrial collaborative (iCASE) students begin working on their named project from the start of the course. These projects represent genuine partnerships between academics within the LIDo consortium and industrial colleagues, allowing students to experience both distinctive environments in a mutually productive and supportive team and an extended placement of 3-18 months with their non-academic partner. Training and Cohort Building During the first-year, students will receive advanced training in fundamental and advanced mathematical, computational, and statistical skills for interdisciplinary and systems biology research. Expert in-house training in biological concepts and exposure to the history, trends and structure of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries make up the remaining first year teaching. Each year a week of cross research council remit teaching cushions the two rotations providing students the opportunity to hear from academic, industry, government, and not-for-profit speakers on a range of topics in the boundaries of BBSRC remit. The extraordinary LIDo teaching and research-intensive environment sits within a framework of robust and established cohort building activities, culminating each year in an academic retreat for the students. Application We enthusiastically invite applications by all highly motivated students from a wide range of academic backgrounds including biological, physical, computational, engineering or mathematical disciplines. Applicants must hold, or be expected to achieve, a first or high upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent), or an MSci or other Masters degree. For details on how to apply and the link to our online application form please go to: www.lido-dtp.ac.uk/apply<http://www.lido-dtp.ac.uk/apply> The application window will close on Tuesday 10th January 2023 at 5pm. R. Angus Silver, FRS Professor of Neuroscience and Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT Tel : 020 7679 7830 www.ucl.ac.uk/silverlab/

Dec. 15, 2022

Associate Research Scholar at Columbia University

by Michael Woodford

*Position for Associate Research Scholar with the Cognitive and Behavioral Economics Initiative, Columbia University* The Cognitive and Behavioral Economics Initiative (CBEI) at Columbia University invites applications for an Associate Research Scholar (ARS) position to begin May 1, 2023 or later. The appointment will initially be for one year but is renewable based on satisfactory performance and availability of funding. The Associate Research Scholar will facilitate research on number cognition and the role of imprecise number representations as a source of errors and biases in economic decisions. A focus of the research will be the comparative evaluation of alternative quantitative models of the resource constraint that limits the precision of number representations, and the way in which these representations change depending on the statistics of the decision problems that are presented and, on the time allowed for mental processing. The Associate Research Scholar will conduct behavioral experiments, develop and test computational models of cognitive processes, and participate in data analysis and manuscript preparation, under the direction of Prof. Michael Woodford. *Qualifications* Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Economics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Physics, or a related discipline, and at least three years of postdoctoral experience in related research. The ideal candidate will have strong computational skills, and experience conducting behavioral experiments, as well as superior motivation, drive, and demonstrated aptitude for research. Previous experience with interdisciplinary collaboration is strongly desired. For additional details and instructions for how to apply, see the job posting at https://academic.careers.columbia.edu/#!/108222.

Dec. 15, 2022

Spring School INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLEGE 2023: Invitation to Participate

by Herbert Jaeger

The Interdisciplinary College (https://interdisciplinary-college.org/) is an annual one-week spring school, now in its 24th year. It offers a dense 4-track state-of-the-art course program in the wider sciences of intelligent/cognitive systems: Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Psychology, Machine Learning, AI and Philosophy. The perspective and mission is decidedly interdisciplinary. The 2023 event will take place in Guenne, Lake Moehne, Germany, on March 12-17, 2023 Chairs: Elisabeth Zimmermann, Gregor Schöner Each IK is centered on a *focus theme*. In 2023 the focus is on the role that physical interaction of an agent (with the environment, other agents, or its own body) plays for cognition. An offering of about 25 courses (each course 4-6 hours) is grouped under the perspectives of Movement & Bodily Experience; Neural Dynamics and Grounded Cognition; Experiencing Self and Others; Engaging with Technology & Things. The IK is also a unique social and networking event. Minds meet, music is played, and friends are made in long evening and night sessions in the welcoming conference site at Lake Moehne. While the IK has traditionally been mainly a European event, participants from outside Europe are highly welcome! Please visit https://interdisciplinary-college.org/ for the detailed program, venue and registration and everything else, including the IK's 40-year (pre-)history, and a totally seductive 6-min video on the startpage. --- Dr. Herbert Jaeger Professor of Computing in Cognitive Materials Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Faculty of Science and Engineering - CogniGron Bernoulliborg Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG Groningen office: Bernoulliborg 402 phone: +31 (0) 631 921588 web: www.ai.rug.nl/minds/ -- Dr. Herbert Jaeger Professor of Computing in Cognitive Materials Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Faculty of Science and Engineering - CogniGron Bernoulliborg Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG Groningen office: Bernoulliborg 402 phone: +31 (0) 631 921588 web: www.ai.rug.nl/minds/

Dec. 14, 2022

Computational Neuroscience PhD position - Newcastle, UK

by Andrej Bicanski

Dear Colleagues, Please circulate this to any students that may be interested in a computational neuroscience PhD. The Topic: Modelling the staggered development and the decline with age of spatial coding in the mammalian brain + data analysis of single neuron recordings. In particular, the student will model the interactions between various spatial cells (head direction, place cells, etc) - e.g., in Matlab/Python. Candidates: This could be an interesting project for neuroscience/psychology graduates wanting to get into modelling. Students from outside these fields with a quantitative/programming background are welcome to apply too. Where: In sunny Newcastle, North UK, at Newcastle University, UK (with me), with a rotation in the lab of Prof. Colin Lever (Durham, UK, co-supervisor) Funding: Fully funded, for 4 years by the BBSRC. International and UK students can apply. Fees are covered! BBSRC Liverpool/Durham/Newcastle DTP3 scheme. Deadline: 9th of January Link: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/modelling-the-staggered-development-a…<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finda…> For more info on the application process visit the BBSRC DTP website: https://www.nld-dtp.org.uk/how-apply<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nld-d…> Happy to receive informal inquiries prior to application. Best wishes, Andrej Dr Andrej Bicanski School of Psychology & Biosciences Institute Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University www.andrejbicanski.com

Dec. 12, 2022

COSYNE 2023: Travel grants, Registration, Tutorials

by Tomas Hromadka

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2023 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 09 - 12 March 2023 Montreal WORKSHOPS 13 - 14 March 2023 Mont-Tremblant www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Registration is now open. Travel grants applications are now open. Travel grant application deadlines *31 December 2022, 11.59PM PST (Undergraduate Travel Grant)* 24 January 2023, 11.59PM PST (Other travel grants) ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE MEETING & WORKSHOPS ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks is selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural basis of behavior, sensory and motor systems, circuitry, learning, neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, neuromodulation, and computation with spiking networks. ----------------------------------------------- TRAVEL GRANTS ----------------------------------------------- Applications are now open for travel grants to attend the conference. Each awardee will receive at least $500 to help offset the costs of travel, registration, and accommodations. Larger grants may be available to those traveling from outside North America. Special consideration is given to scientists who have not previously attended the meeting, under-represented minorities, students who are attending the meeting together with a mentor, undergraduate students, and authors of submitted Cosyne abstracts. We currently offer five travel grant programs for New Attendees, Presenters, Mentors, Undergraduates, and Childcare travel grants. For details on applying, see www.cosyne.org/travel-grants. ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE TUTORIALS ---------------------------------------------------- Cosyne 2023 will host tutorial sessions on 09 March 2023. For details on Cosyne tutorials please visit www.cosyne.org/tutorials. Cosyne 2023 Tutorial Session Sponsored by the Simons Foundation Topic: Methods in Reinforcement Learning for Neuroscience Speaker: Kimberly Stachenfeld (DeepMind) Kimberly Stachenfeld is a Research Scientist at DeepMind. Her research spans topics in Computational Neuroscience and Machine Learning, and focuses on the general question of how to learn structured, expressive world models that enable flexible reasoning. In ML, she is specifically interested in methods and applications for learned forward models using graph neural networks, and in Neuroscience, she mainly works on mathematical models of hippocampal representations to efficient, scalable RL learning. Learn to Use the International Brain Laboratory (IBL) Brainwide Map Dataset Tutorial The IBL recently released a Brainwide Map of neural activity during decision-making! It consists of 547 Neuropixel recordings of 32784 neurons across 194 regions of the mouse brain, and we want to make it easy for you to use it to test your own hypotheses. At this tutorial we’ll teach you how to use our API, ONE, to search and download datasets, and will show you how to do basic analysis such as raster plots, single cell PSTHs, and brain region averages. INVITED SPEAKERS Demba Ba (Harvard University) Camilla Bellone (University of Geneva) Frans de Waal (Emory University) Tatiana Engel (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) Robert Froemke (New York University) Catherine Hartley (New York University) Sheena Josselyn (SickKids) Adam Kepecs (Washington University) Tim Lillicrap (DeepMind) Mackenzie Mathis (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) Srdjan Ostojic (École Normale Supérieure) Anne-Marie Oswald (University of Chicago) Nathalie Rochefort (University of Edinburgh) Maryam Shanechi (University of Southern California) Kimberly Stachenfeld (DeepMind) ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Laura Busse (LMU Munich) and Tim Vogels (IST Austria) Program Chairs: Jessica Cardin (Yale) and Blake Richards (McGill) Workshop Chairs: Anna Schapiro (U Penn) and Andrew Saxe (Oxford) Tutorial Chair: Kanaka Rajan (Mount Sinai) DEIA Committee: Hysell Oviedo (CUNY) and Aman Saleem (UCL) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Angela Langdon (Princeton) and Sashank Pisupati (Princeton) Fundraising Chair: Michael Long (NYU) Social Media Chair: Grace Lindsay (Columbia) Audio-Video Media Chair: Carlos Stein Brito (EPFL) Poster Design: Xaq Pitkow (Rice) PROGRAM COMMITTEE Jessica Cardin (Yale) Co-chair Blake Richards (McGill) Co-chair Yashar Ahmadian (Cambridge) Mark Andermann (Harvard) Omri Barak (Technion) Brice Bathellier (Paris) Yoram Burak (Hebrew University) Johannes Burge (U Penn) Chandramouli Chandrasekaran (Boston U) SueYeon Chung (Columbia) Jeremiah Cohen (Allen Inst) Anne Collins (Berkeley) Christine Constantinople (NYU) Carina Curto (Penn State) Jan Drugowitsch (Harvard) Tatiana Engel (CSHL) Sean Escola (Columbia) Annegret Falkner (Princeton) Kevin Franks (Duke) Rainer Friedrich (FMI Basel) Andrea Hasenstaub (UCSF) Monika Jadi (Yale) Santiago Jaramillo (U Oregon) Kohitij Kar (MIT) Narayanan Kasthuri (U Chicago) Jens Kremkow (Berlin) Guillaume Lajoie (MILA) Sukbin Lim (Shanghai) Scott Linderman (Stanford) Ashok Litwin-Kumar (Columbia) Mackenzie Mathis (EPFL) Paul Miller (Brandeis) Ida Momennejad (Microsoft) Eilif Muller (U Montreal) Marieke Mur (Western U) Kathy Nagel (NYU) Daniel O'Connor (Johns Hopkins) Hysell Oviedo (CUNY) Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) Joseph Paton (Champalimaud) Adrien Peyrache (McGill) Xaq Pitkow (Rice) Kanaka Rajan (Mount Sinai) Nathalie Rochefort (Edinburgh) Aman Saleem (UCL) Cristina Savin (NYU) Tatyana Sharpee (Salk) Aparna Suvrathan (McGill) Saori Tanaka (ATR) Daniela Vallentin (MPI Ornithology) Melissa Warden (Cornell) Brad Wyble (U Penn) Marta Zlatic (Cambridge) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) Anne-Marie Oswald (U Chicago) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See www.cosyne.org/mailing-lists for details.

Dec. 9, 2022

Postdoctoral Swartz Fellowships in Computational Neuroscience at Yale

by Murray, John

Postdoctoral Swartz Fellowships in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at Yale University The Swartz Program for Theoretical Neuroscience at Yale University invites applications for up to two postdoctoral positions in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, with flexible start date in 2022. Competitive candidates include those with a strong quantitative background who wish to gain neuroscience research experience. We especially encourage candidates with an interest in collaborating directly with experimental neuroscientists. The candidates will be expected to perform theoretical/computational studies relevant to one or more laboratories affiliated with the Swartz Program at Yale (Jessica Cardin, Michael Crair, Damon Clark, Jonathan Demb, George Dragoi, Thierry Emonet, Michael Higley, Joe Howard, Monika Jadi, Jamie Jeanne, Alfred Kaye, Liang Liang, Benjamin Machta, John Murray, Anirvan Nandy, Ilker Yildririm, Steven Zucker). Applicants will be encouraged to participate in neuroscience and quantitative biology community at Yale, including through the Wu-Tsai Institute (https://wti.yale.edu/) and the Quantitative Biology Institute (https://qbio.yale.edu/) Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree by the time of beginning the fellowship. Please send a CV, selected (p)reprints, contact information for two or three references, and a statement of research interests including which laboratories at Yale are of interest. All application materials should be sent to the following e-mail address with "Swartz" in the email title: john.murray(a)yale.edu<mailto:john.murray@yale.edu>. Review of applications will begin January 7, 2023 and continue until positions is filled. For any questions, please contact John Murray. Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and especially welcomes applications from women and underrepresented minorities. https://neurojobs.sfn.org/job/35847/postdoctoral-swartz-fellowship-position… John D. Murray ----------------------------------------------- Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Physics, and Neuroscience Wu Tsai Institute Yale University murraylab.org<https://murraylab.org/> -----------------------------------------------

Dec. 9, 2022