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Postdoctoral positions at the Hebrew University: The Gatsby Program in Theoretical Neuroscience
by Yoram Burak Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

The Gatsby Program in Theoretical Neuroscience at the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) is inviting applications for postdoctoral fellowships from students who are finishing, or have recently finished, their Ph.D. studies in mathematics, physics, computer science, computational neuroscience, or related fields. Preference will be given to postdocs who perform collaborative research mentored jointly by theorists and experimentalists. A priority area for the Program is sponsoring activities that strengthen the ties between this Program and the two partner centers: the Gatsby Unit for Computational Neuroscience (UCL, London) and the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience (Columbia University, NY). These activities include joint meetings, exchange of students, postdocs and faculty, and collaborative research. Research at ELSC offers a vibrant scientific environment and excellent opportunities for interaction with researchers interested in systems and computational neuroscience. For additional information, see: http://elsc.huji.ac.il. For further information about the Gatsby Program at ELSC, see: http://elsc.huji.ac.il/gatsby. *The Gatsby Fellows Program* In addition to regular postdoctoral fellowships, the program provides special fellowships for outstanding junior researchers at their senior postdoctoral level working on theoretical and computational neuroscience at the Hebrew University. Fellows are admitted to the Program based on their credentials and are free to choose their research agenda and their host lab in the course of their first semester in residence. In addition to upgraded salaries and housing support, Fellows receive modest research funds aimed primarily for travel to other labs or conferences. Fellows are expected to actively participate in initiatives that strengthen Tri-Center interactions. *Applications* Candidates for postdoctoral fellowships and applicants for the Fellows Program are invited to send their CV and research statement, and to arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Ms. Irit Dagan: irit.dagan1(a)mail.huji.ac.il. *Theoretical Neuroscience at the Hebrew University * Haim Sompolinsky, Program Director (Physics, ELSC) Yoram Burak (Physics, ELSC) Amir Globerson (Computer Science) Yonatan Loewenstein (Cognition, Neurobiology, ELSC) Idan Segev (Neurobiology, ELSC) Naftali Tishby (Computer Science, ELSC) Daphna Weinshall (Computer Science) Yair Weiss (Computer Science, ELSC)

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call for illusion submissions: the 11th Best Illusion of the Year Contest
by Susana Martinez-Conde Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

****CALL FOR ILLUSION SUBMISSIONS: THE WORLD'S 11TH ANNUAL BEST ILLUSION OF THE YEARSM CONTEST**** http://illusionoftheyear.com *** We are happy to announce the 11th edition of world's Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest!!*** Submissions are now welcome! Starting this year, the Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest will bring the creativity of the illusion creator community all around the world. To accomplish this, the Contest will become an annual online event, in which anybody with an internet connection can participate! No matter where you live, you can participate as a contestant, and/or vote for the Top 3 winners yourself! Contestants are invited to submit 1-minute videos featuring novel illusions (unpublished, or published no earlier than 2014) of all sensory modalities (visual, auditory, etc.), in mp4 format. The content of the 1-minute video presenting your illusion is solely up to you, and the only requirement is that it wows all viewers! Some examples include, but are not limited to, a: * Slide presentation, or succession of images, with a voice over (or written text, if you prefer) * Video of yourself describing your illusion * Video of your illusion, expressed in interpretative dance (just kidding -or not-, but you get the idea!) An international panel of impartial judges will rate all the videos and narrow them down to the Top 10. Then, online voters around the world will choose their favorite illusions from the Top 10 finalists. All Top 10 finalists will receive a commemorative plaque. In addition, the Top 3 winners will receive cash prizes: $3,000 for first place; $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. The Judge Panel will rate illusions according to: * Significance to our understanding of the human mind and brain * Simplicity of the description * Sheer beauty * Counterintuitive quality * Spectacularity Submissions will be held in strict confidence by the Judge Panel and the authors/creators will retain copyright of their works. The Top 10 illusions will be posted online to allow worldwide voting. As with submitting your work to any conference, participating in the Best Illusion of the YearSM Contest does not preclude you from also submitting your work for publication elsewhere. Illusions submitted to previous editions of the Contest can be re-submitted to the 2015 Contest, as long as they meet the above requirements and were not among the Top 10 illusions in previous years. You can send your 1-minute video to Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde via email ( <mailto:smart@neuralcorrelate.com> smart(a)neuralcorrelate.com) until April 1, 2015. On behalf of the Executive Board of the Neural Correlate Society: Jose-Manuel Alonso, Stephen Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde, Luis Martinez, Xoana Troncoso, Peter Tse ---------------------------------------------------------------- Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Physiology & Pharmacology Director, Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience Scholar, Empire Innovator Program State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center 450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn NY 11203, USA Email: smart(a)neuralcorrelate.com <mailto:smart@neuralcorrelate.com> Phone: +1 718-270-4520 http://smc.neuralcorrelate.com <http://smc.neuralcorrelate.com/>

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Postdoc position in Computational Neuroscience in the Clopath lab.
by Claudia Clopath Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

Postdoc position in Computational Neuroscience in the Clopath lab. ----------------------------------------------------- Computational Neuroscience Laboratory Headed by Dr. Claudia Clopath Department of Bioengineering Imperial College London -----------------Requirements:----------------- The Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, headed by Dr. Claudia Clopath, is looking for a talented Postdoc, interested in working in the field of computational neuroscience, specifically addressing questions of learning and memory. The perfect candidate has a strong mathematical, physical or engineering background (or equivalent), and a keen interest in biological and neural systems. A PhD in the field of computational neuroscience is a plus. -----------------Research topic:----------------- Learning and memory are among the most fascinating topic of neuroscience, yet our understanding of it is only at the beginning. Learning is thought to change the connections between the neurons in the brain, a process called synaptic plasticity. Using mathematical and computational tools, it is possible to model synaptic plasticity across different time scales, which helps understand how different types of memory are formed. The PhD candidate will be working to build those models of synaptic plasticity, and study the functional role of synaptic plasticity in artificial neural networks. ----------------- The lab:----------------------- The Computational Neuroscience Laboratory is very young and dynamic, and publishes in prestigious journals, such as Nature and Science. It is part of the Department of Bioengineering, which conducts state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research in biomechanics, neuroscience and neurotechnology. The lab is at Imperial College London, the 3rd ranked university in Europe, is in the top 10 worldwide, and is located in the city centre of London. More information can be found at: http://www.bg.ic.ac.uk/research/c.clopath/ ----------------- How to apply:----------------- Candidates should send a single pdf file, consisting of a 1-page motivation letter and CV (including publication list) to clopathlab.imperial(a)gmail.com, with the subject containing 'Postdoc2015'. In addition, candidates should organize two letters of reference to be sent to clopathlab.imperial(a)gmail.com. The position is open until filled but the earlier applications will be considered first.

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Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience, University of Surrey, UK
by Thomas Nowotny Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

On behalf of Dr. Andre Gruening, University of Surrey: Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience, University of Surrey, UK We are looking for a Research Fellow (Post-Doc) to work on a cross-disciplinaryresearch project in the fields of computational neuroscience, nature-inspired computation and machine learning on "Structures of Learning Algorithms for Spiking Neural Networks" with Dr Andre Gruning at the Computing Department of the University of Surrey. This post and research project are funded by the European Union's high-profile flagship "Human Brain Project", and the researcher will become part of the vibrant community of the Human Brain Project (https://www.humanbrainproject.eu<https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/>) and is expected to proactively interact within other research groups within the Human Brain Project. The researcher will be based at the University of Surrey, but will also be given the opportunity to spend significant amounts of her/his research time at the European Institute for Theoretical Neuroscience at Paris (www.eitn.eu) or with other collaborating Human Brain Project partners. The post holder is expected to hold a PhD (or be close to completion of a PhD) in a relevant area such as Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics or Engineering. Programming skills in C/C++ and/or Python are a must as well as excellent mathematical and analytical skills. Expertise in computational and mathematical modelling of spiking neural networks and their learning algorithms is a plus. Experience with standard neural network modelling tools such as PyNN and NEST are also highly desirable as are excellent scientific writing skills. Mathematical experience should include differential equations, partial derivatives and basic stochastics. Start date: 1st March 2015 or as soon as possible thereafter. The appointment is until 31st March 2016 in the first instance. Interviews for the post are planned for February 2015. Informal enquires are encouraged directly to Dr Andre Gruning (e-mail:a.gruning@surrey.ac.uk<mailto:a.gruning@surrey.ac.uk>, tel: +44-1483-68-2648). A more detailed project description is available on request. Please apply online at https://jobs.surrey.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=005015 -- Prof. Thomas Nowotny CCNR, Sussex Neuroscience Phone: +44-1273-678593 Engineering and Informatics Fax: +44-1273-877873 University of Sussex Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ http://sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny

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postdoc position
by Yuri Ivanenko Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

I would like to advertise a postdoc position in 'Development of interactive locomotion', see below the job description. Thanks, Yuri Ivanenko ********************** Postdoc position in DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE LOCOMOTION -- Rome, Italy A postdoctoral position is available in the research group led by Yuri Ivanenko (y.ivanenko(a)hsantalucia.it) in the Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology of the Santa Lucia Foundation in Rome, Italy, to conduct studies in the area of human interactive locomotion. The postdoctoral researcher will be involved in a new interdisciplinary project (CogIMon), funded by the H2020 program of the European Union, aiming at a step change in human-robot interaction. The consortium comprises leading robotics, computational neuroscience, and human motor control European research groups. Research will be focused on investigating human sensorimotor strategies for coordination and control of human-human interactive locomotion including agents of different sizes (children, adults). Experiments will be conducted to understanding the acquisition of locomotor patterns when in physical contact with others. Applicants should have a recent Ph.D. in a relevant discipline, a real interest in development of human locomotion and sensorimotor control, and strong quantitative and programming skills. Experience with collection and analysis of experimental data, online data processing/control, and modeling of sensorimotor processes are valuable assets. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Applicants should provide a statement of research interests, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for references. The position is available starting on April 1^st 2015 and open until filled. _____________________ Yuri P. Ivanenko, PhD Head of Gait Laboratory, Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 306 via Ardeatina, 00179 Rome, Italy tel ++39 06.51.50.14.75 fax ++39 06.51.50.14.82 e-mail: y.ivanenko(a)hsantalucia.it Le informazioni contenute in questo messaggio sono riservate e destinate esclusivamente alla/e persona/e o all'ente sopra indicati. E' vietato ai soggetti diversi dai destinatari qualsiasi uso, copia e diffusione di quanto in esso contenuto sia ai sensi dell'art. 616 del codice penale che ai sensi della L. 196/03 (privacy). Se questo messaggio Vi e' pervenuto per errore, Vi preghiamo di non leggerlo, di distruggerlo e di comunicarci l'errone via e-mail o telefonanicamente. The information contained in this message is confidential and is intended for the exclusive use of the person(s) or company(s) above addessed. If you are not the intended recipient(s), you are expressly prohibited from using, copying and distributing this message or any part of it in accordance with art. 616 of the Italian criminal code and the Italian law 196/03 (privacy). If you received this message by mistake please don't read it but destroy it and then inform us by e-mail or by phone.

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Re: [Comp-neuro] New computational neuroscience paper on human postural control system in PLoS Comput Biol.
by André Fabio Kohn Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

Mesoscale neural model of human spinal cord, muscle receptors, muscle dynamics and standing control biomechanics. This recently published paper starts from neuronal ionic channels to model spinal cord neurons and ends at studying human postural control during quiet stance. It represents a closed loop system, with feedback achieved through appropriate muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ models. It is a mesoscale model and it was successfully validated both at the individual level and the overall behavior level. Spinal cord neurons (motoneurons and excitatory and inhibitory interneurons) are modeled based on ionic channel dynamics, synapses have dynamic properties, afferent and efferent axons introduce delays, muscles and tendons are modeled based on human data, appropriate models of muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs provide sensory feedback to the spinal cord. Brain commands on the spinal cord are modeled through Gamma point processes with appropriate parameters. >From an overall theoretical view, the system is composed of nonlinear elements, it is stochastic and has delays and is described by approximately 5000 differential equations. Among its many new results, one is that a mixture of intermittent and continuous motor control may arise from the overall dynamics of the closed loop system, without influence from the brain. Elias, L.A., Watanabe, R.N. Kohn, A.F., 2014 (November). Spinal Mechanisms May Provide a Combination of Intermittent and Continuous Control of Human Posture: Predictions from a Biologically Based Neuromusculoskeletal Model http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.10039… Andre Fabio Kohn, Ph.D. Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience University of Sao Paulo, Brazil www.leb.usp.br 2015-01-30 18:36 GMT-02:00 André Fabio Kohn <andfkohn(a)gmail.com>: > This recently published paper starts from neuronal ionic channels to model > spinal cord neurons and ends at studying human postural control during > quiet stance. It represents a closed loop system, with feedback achieved > through appropriate muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ models. It is a > mesoscale model and it was successfully validated both at the individual > level and the overall behavior level. Spinal cord neurons (motoneurons and > excitatory and inhibitory interneurons) are modeled based on ionic channel > dynamics, synapses have dynamic properties, afferent and efferent axons > introduce delays, muscles and tendons are modeled based on human data, > appropriate models of muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs provide > sensory feedback to the spinal cord. Brain commands on the spinal cord are > modeled through Gamma point processes with appropriate parameters. > > From an overall theoretical view, the system is composed of nonlinear > elements, it is stochastic and has delays and is described by approximately > 5000 differential equations. > > Among its many new results, one is that a mixture of intermittent and > continuous motor control may arise from the overall dynamics of the closed > loop system, without influence from the brain. > > > > Elias, L.A., Watanabe, R.N. Kohn, A.F., 2014 (November). Spinal Mechanisms > May Provide a Combination of Intermittent and Continuous Control of Human > Posture: Predictions from a Biologically Based Neuromusculoskeletal Model > > > http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.10039… > > > > Andre Fabio Kohn, Ph.D. > > Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience > > University of Sao Paulo, Brazil > > www.leb.usp.br >

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Reminder - Feb. 15 Application Deadline for 2015 Summer School on Large-Scale Brain Modelling
by Peter Blouw Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

[All details about this school can be found online at http://www.nengo.ca/summerschool] The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is inviting applications for our 2nd annual summer school on large-scale brain modelling. This two-week school will teach participants how to use the Nengo simulation package to build state-of-the-art cognitive and neural models. Nengo has been used to build what is currently the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun <http://www.nengo.ca/build-a-brain/spaunvideos> [1], and provides users with a versatile and powerful environment for simulating cognitive and neural systems. We welcome applications from all interested graduate students, research associates, postdocs, professors, and industry professionals. No specific training in the use of modelling software is required, but we encourage applications from active researchers with a relevant background in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, engineering, computer science, or a related field. For a look at last year's summer school, please see this short video: http://goo.gl/BXJ3x5 [1] Eliasmith, C., Stewart T. C., Choo X., Bekolay T., DeWolf T., Tang Y., Rasmussen, D. (2012). A large-scale model of the functioning brain. Science. Vol. 338 no. 6111 pp. 1202-1205. DOI: 10.1126/science.1225266. [ http://nengo.ca/publications/spaunsciencepaper] ***Application Deadline: February 15, 2015*** Format Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on testing hypotheses, modelling neural or cognitive data, implementing specific behavioural functions with neurons, expanding past models, or provide a proof-of-concept of various neural mechanisms. More generally, participants will have the opportunity to: - build perceptual, motor, and cognitive models with spiking neurons - model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data - use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model - integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models - use Nengo with your favorite simulator, e.g. Brian, NEST, Neuron, etc. - interface Nengo with various kinds of neuromorphic hardware - interface Nengo with cameras and robotic systems - implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models - and much more… Hands-on tutorials, work on individual or group projects, and talks from invited faculty members will make up the bulk of day-to-day activities. There will be a weekend break on June 13-14, and fun activities scheduled for evenings throughout. A project demonstration event will be held on the last day of the school, with prizes for strong projects! Date and Location: June 7th to June 19th, 2015 at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Applications: Please visit http://www.nengo.ca/summerschool, where you can find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an application form listing required materials. If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please contact Peter Blouw (pblouw(a)uwaterloo.ca)

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Announcing Allen/UW Summer Workshop on the Dynamic Brain 2015
by Adrienne Fairhall Feb. 12, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

Applications are now open for the second Allen Institute for Brain Science/UW Summer Workshop on the Dynamic Brain. Directed by Christof Koch and Adrienne Fairhall, this course takes place on beautiful San Juan Island, WA, from Aug 23-Sept 6. The course features lectures in basics of experimental and theoretical neurobiology along with practical sessions on coding, big data, modeling and the use of the Allen Institute tools for neuroanatomical exploration and model development. Students will also have access to new high-throughput data sets collected by the Institute in the past year with which to carry out an independent project. Deadline April 1. For details and link to application, see one of: http://alleninstitute.org/summerworkshop http://courses.washington.edu/braindyn/

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New Book: Information Theory
by Jim Stone Feb. 11, 2015

Feb. 11, 2015

I'd like to announce the publication of this book: Information Theory: A Tutorial Introduction by JV Stone Reviews, synopsis, and table of contents can be found here: http://jim-stone.staff.shef.ac.uk/BookInfoTheory/InfoTheoryBookMain.html Note that the examples explored in the final chapter are especially relevant to computational neuroscience and biology. regards, Dr Jim Stone University of Sheffield, UK. http://www.jim-stone.staff.shef.ac.uk/

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Postdoctoral position at Group for Neural Theory, Paris
by Srdjan Ostojic Feb. 11, 2015

Feb. 11, 2015

A postdoctoral position is available in Srdjan Ostojic’s team at the Group Neural Theory, Paris, France (see http://iec-lnc.ens.fr/group-for-neural-theory/) to investigate dynamics and computations in spiking neural networks, combining theoretical approaches, simulations and analysis of neurophysiological datasets. The Group for Neural Theory is a highly interactive and dynamic environment situated in central Paris, and embedded within the strong Parisian theoretical neuroscience community. The ideal candidate should have a strong quantitative background, e.g. in computational neuroscience, physics, applied maths, computer science. Previous experience in neuroscience is preferred but not required. Starting dates are flexible. The position is for two years, with a possible extension for a third year. Candidates should send a letter of motivation (2 pages max), the contact information of 2 to 3 referees and their CVs to srdjan.ostojic at ens.fr *BEFORE March 20th, 2015*. I will be available at Cosyne for informal inquiries. Srdjan Ostojic Group for Neural Theory Ecole Normale Superieure Paris 29, rue d'Ulm 75005 Paris, France

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Open PhD position in MEG/EEG research at Research Center Juelich, Germany
by Martina Reske Feb. 11, 2015

Feb. 11, 2015

We have an open PhD student position in our collaborative project entitled “From spike trains to whole-brain dynamics – Bottom-up and top-down processing during active vision” to fill. This project addresses the question how visual input is processed in extremely short time cycles of fixations and saccades through interaction of various cortical areas. MEG recordings from human subjects performing free viewing tasks will allow for the simultaneous observation of neuronal activities from different cortical areas during active vision. Analysis of subjects’ performance and brain activity on these visual tasks enables us to study the information flow through various cortical areas, and to identify top-down components interacting with bottom-up processes. What we expect from you: * We seek for a highly motivated candidate with curiosity and persistence * A preferable candidate will have background and strong Master degree in physics, neuroscience, electrophysiology, biology, computer science or a closely related field of natural science, preferably in the field of MEG/EEG biophysics, data acquisition and analysis, biostatistics, MEG/EEG biophysics or signal processing * Obligatory: excellent educational records in the related field, good programming and data processing skills, time series analysis and M/EEG source estimation * Substantial expertise in scientific programming (preferable languages: Python, C, C++ ) and substantial knowledge of Linux and Windows * Strong motivation to carry out neuroimaging studies utilizing MEG and to perform source and connectivity analysis * Beneficial: basic knowledge of neuroscience concepts * Ability and willingness to work independently and proactively * Confident appearance and ability to work cooperatively in an interdisciplinary environment * Good interpersonal and communication skills, structured and systematic working style * Fluent in English (spoken and written); beneficial: knowledge of German The candidate will primarily be based at the Jülich Research Center. What we offer: We offer a position in a creative and international team, themes ranging from computational neuroscience, simulation technology and multimodal imaging, see www.csn.fz-juelich.de<http://www.csn.fz-juelich.de> and http://www.fz-juelich.de/inm/inm-4/EN/Forschung/MEG-Physik/_node.html. The Jülich Research Center is one of the largest research centers in Germany, with excellent scientific equipment, located on a green campus, and near the cultural centers Köln, Düsseldorf, and Aachen. The PhD position is available for 3 years. Applications, including a letter clearly motivating your application, CV, publication list, copies of university certificates, and one reference letter should be sent as a single PDF email attachment (max. 10MB) mentioning the internal reference code CSC-GID latest until March 31st , 2015, to should be sent to: Dr. Martina Reske (m.reske(a)fz-juelich.de<mailto:m.reske@fz-juelich.de>) – Scientific Coordinator. Project leaders will be: Prof. Dr. Sonja Grün (INM-6/IAS-6), Dr. Junji Ito (INM-6/IAS-6), Dr. Jürgen Dammers (INM-4) Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6, INM-4), Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6), Jülich Research Center and JARA52425 Jülich, Germany, www.csn.fz-juelich.de<http://www.csn.fz-juelich.de> -- Dr. Martina Reske 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 Work +49.2461.611916 Work Cell +49.151.26156918 Fax +49.2461.619460 www.csn.fz-juelich.de<http://www.csn.fz-juelich.de> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Sitz der Gesellschaft: Juelich Eingetragen im Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Dueren Nr. HR B 3498 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: MinDir Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher Geschaeftsfuehrung: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Marquardt (Vorsitzender), Karsten Beneke (stellv. Vorsitzender), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Ikerbasque Research Fellow ("Tenure"). Methods in Neuroimaging, Bilbao (Spain)
by Jesus Cortes Feb. 11, 2015

Feb. 11, 2015

Dear researcher, One position for "Ikerbasque Research Fellow" will be host by the new emerging group of Computational Neuroimaging in Biocruces. http://www.biocruces.com/web/biocruces/bc5.08 More information about the position, "Ikerbasque Research Fellow" at http://www.ikerbasque.net/fellows More information about Biocruces http://www.biocruces.com/ Interested researchers must contact me before April 1, 2015. Feel free in contacting me for any further question or comment. Provide a copy of an updated CV remarking best 5 publications. Prof. Jesus M Cortes Ikerbasque Research Professor Head of the Computational Neuroimaging Lab Biocruces Health Research Institute

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Introductory Workshop on Computational Methods in Neuroscience, June 10 – 19, 2015
by Artur Luczak Feb. 10, 2015

Feb. 10, 2015

Campus Alberta Neuroscience is pleased to announce the second annual Introductory Workshop on Computational Methods in Neuroscience. This ten-day workshop is comprised of lectures and hands-on Matlab exercises to introduce students to neuronal data analysis methods. Workshop is aimed for graduate students with little priory experience in quantitative methods who wants to learn Matlab and its application for data analyses. Most costs – including registration fees, travel to Lethbridge, accommodation, and most meals – will be covered for Alberta trainees. Individuals from outside of Alberta are encouraged to apply, but must cover their own costs. These costs are estimated to be around $1300 (excluding travel). Registration for the workshop is now open – complete applications must be received by March 10, 2015 at albertaneuro(a)uleth.ca . Workshop will take place at University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, June 10 – 19, 2015. Course Director is Dr. Bruce McNaughton and course instructors include Drs David Euston, Aaron Gruber, Artur Luczak, Masami Tatsuno and Majid Mohajerani. Further information and application details are available at: www.albertaneuro.ca/workshop Cheers, Artur ------------------------------------------------ Artur Luczak, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada tel.: (403) 394-3974; fax: (403) 329-2775 http://lethbridgebraindynamics.com/artur_luczak

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Berkeley course in mining and modeling neuroscience data, July 6-17, 2015
by Jeff Teeters Feb. 10, 2015

Feb. 10, 2015

Call for applications: We invite applicants to the 2015 summer course in "Mining and modeling of neuroscience data" to be held July 6-17 at UC Berkeley. A description of the course is below and also at: http://crcns.org/course Application deadline is April 6 (or March 1, for MSRI's sponsored students). ----- Berkeley summer course in mining and modeling of neuroscience data July 6-17, 2015 Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, UC Berkeley Organizers: Fritz Sommer, Bruno Olshausen, Jeff Teeters (HWNI, UC Berkeley); Christos Papadimitriou (Simons Institute, Berkeley); Ingrid Daubechies (MSRI, Duke). Scope This course is for students and researchers with backgrounds in mathematics and computational sciences who are interested in applying their skills toward problems in neuroscience. It will introduce the major open questions of neuroscience and teach state-of–the-art techniques for analyzing and modeling neuroscience data sets. The course is designed for students at the graduate level and researchers with background in a quantitative field such as engineering, mathematics, physics or computer science who may or may not have a specific neuroscience background. The goal of this summer course is to help researchers find new exciting research areas and at the same time to strengthen quantitative expertise in the field of neuroscience. The course is sponsored by the National Science Foundation from a grant supporting activities at the data sharing repository CRCNS.org, the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing and the Mathematical Science Research Institute. Format The course is “hands on” in that it will include exercises in how to use and modify existing software tools and apply them to data sets, such as those available in the CRCNS.org repository. Course Instructors Vitaly Feldman, IBM Almaden Research Center Sonja Grün, Juelich Research Center, Germany Robert Kass, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Maneesh Sahani, Gatsby Unit, University College London Odelia Schwartz, University of Miami Eric Shea-Brown, University of Washington Frederic Theunissen, UC Berkeley Course Moderators Fritz Sommer and Jeff Teeters, Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience Speakers To complement the main course instruction there will be lectures in the evenings by local Berkeley and UCSF neuroscientists presenting their research using quantitative approaches. Requirements Applicants should be familiar with linear algebra, probability, differential and integral calculus and have some experience using MatLab and Python. Each student should bring a laptop with the software installed. Cost There is no cost to attend. Assistance for travel, housing and food costs is in general not provided, (except for students who are sponsored by MSRI or the Simons Institute; see below). Potential financial support Support for a limited number of students to attend will be provided through both MSRI and the Simons Institute for the Theory of computing. Applicants who are at a MSRI partner institution can be admitted to the course and receive support for attending through MSRI as described at: http://www.msri.org/web/msri/scientific/workshops/summer-graduate-school Applicants with a Computer Science background are invited to apply for support by the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing and the Computer Community Consortium (CCC). See “How to Apply” section. Housing There may be some limited dorm housing available. Cost is $742 per person in a shared double room, which includes an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner on evenings that meals are not supplied with the course. We will help coordinate sharing of dorm rooms for those who wish to stay in the dorms. Other housing options include: a hostel near campus ( http://berkeleyhostel.com) which is $32 / night for a bed in shared dorm room; nearby hotels (http://visitberkeley.com/stay) and accommodations advertised through craigslist.org and airbnb.org. We will help students setup groups to search for shared housing together. Food Most meals are not included with the course, although breakfast items, snacks and some dinners will be provided. Food for other meals can be purchased at the dorm cafeteria and local restaurants. How to apply There are two methods of applying. Method 1) Students at a MSRI partner institution can be admitted to the course and receive support for attending through MSRI as described at: http://www.msri.org/web/msri/scientific/workshops/summer-graduate-school Method 2) All non-MSRI applications are submitted via the online form linked from: http://crcns.org/course. A curriculum vitae and a letter of recommendation are required. Those applying using method 1 can also apply using method 2 (in case the MSRI supported positions are all taken). Applicants with a computer science background who wish to apply for support from the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing must apply using method 2 and include additional information as instructed on the application form. The course is limited to 25 students. Deadlines Applications must be received by April 6 (or March 1, for MSRI’s sponsored students). Notifications of acceptance will be given by the end of April. If staying in dorm housing, and not sponsored by MSRI or the Simons Institute, payment for housing and the meal plan must be received one week before the start of the course. Questions Questions about the course can be sent to course [at] crcns.org. Topics covered Basic approaches: - The problem of neural coding - Spike trains, point processes, and firing rate - Statistical thinking in neuroscience - Theory of model fitting / regularization / hypothesis testing - Bayesian methods - Spike sorting - Estimation of stimulus-response functionals: regression methods, spike-triggered covariance - Variance analysis of neural response - Estimation of SNR. Coherence Information theoretic approaches: - Information transmission rates and maximally informative dimensions - Scene statistics approaches and neural modeling Techniques for analyzing multiple-unit recordings: - Cross-correlation and JPSTH - Sparse coding/ICA methods, vanilla and methods including statistical models of nonlinear dependencies - Unitary event analysis - Methods for detection of higher-order correlations - Correlation approaches for massively parallel spike trains - Proper surrogates for spike synchrony analysis - Methods for assessing functional connectivity - Advanced topics in generalized linear models - Low-dimensional latent dynamical structure in network activity–Gaussian process factor analysis/newer methods Towards building a theory of the brain: - Applications of mathematical analysis of dynamical systems in neuroscience - Approaches based on methods from theoretical computer science

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Final program, qbio seminar in Bilbao, February 17-18, 2015
by Jesus Cortes Feb. 10, 2015

Feb. 10, 2015

This is the final program for the BCAM workshop in Quantitative Biomedicine next week Tuesday, February 17, 2015 9:30-11:30. Session 1. 09:30-10:10 Joanna Tyrcha. Stochastic stability and dynamic behavior of a compound cell-cycle model 10:10-10:50 Mathieu Desroches. Mixed-Mode Bursting Oscillations (MMBOs): slow passage through spike-adding canard explosion 10:50-11:30 Albert Granados. The period adding phenomenon in periodically driven hybrid spiking models 11:30-12:10. Coffee Break 12:10-14:10 Session 2. 12:10-12:50 Edward J. Vigmond. Cardiac Applications of Computational Electrophysiology 12:50-13:30 Pablo Lamata. Extraction of diastolic biomarkers through personalization of computational models 13:30-14:10 Aciel Eshky. Condition Monitoring of Athletes with a Wearable Heart Rate Variability Sensor 14:10-15:20 Lunch 15:20-18:00. Session 3. 15:20-16:00 Cesar Caballero. The power of haemodynamic deconvolution for mapping brain dynamics with BOLD functional MRI 16:00-16:40 Andrea Fuster. Geometric framework for diffusion MR images of the brain: theory and applications 16:40-17:20 Ernesto Sanz-Arigita. Multimodality MRI in different groups at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease: towards multidimensional brain imaging biomarkers. 17:20-18:00 Pierrick Coupe. New patch-based estimators for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease Wednesday, February 18, 2015 9:30-11:30. Session 4. 09:30-10:10 Bert Kappen. Explaining missing heritability with Gaussian Process regression 10:10-10:50 Alberto Llera. Efficient Gaussian/Inverse Gammas mixture-models: a new tool for thresholding ICA statistical maps from fMRI data 10:50-11:30 Estibaliz Garrote. Computer vision applied to digital pathology: image search engine based on clinical similarity 11:30-12:10 Coffee Break 12:10-14:10. Session 5. 12:10-12:50 Michael Wibral. Information transfer and causal interactions - Conceptual differences and combined analyses strategies 12:50-13:30 Luca Faes. Dynamics of Information Storage, Transfer and Modification in the Cardiovascular System 13:30-14:10 Adam Barrett. Synergistic and redundant information sharing in Gaussian systems 14:10-15:20 Lunch 15:20-18:00. Session 6. 15:20-16:00 Ruedi Stoop. Power-law size distribution of activated avalanches - what do they really mean? 16:00-16:40 Daniele Marinazzo. Tracking slow modulations in synaptic gain using dynamic causal modelling: Validation in epilepsy 16:40-17:20 Paolo Paradisi. Intermittency-based complexity measures in brain EEG data 17:20-18:00 Jordi Soriano. Experiments in Neuronal Cultures: Exploring Open Questions in Physics and Medicine

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Fellowships in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania
by Vijay Balasubramanian Feb. 10, 2015

Feb. 10, 2015

Postdoctoral Fellowships in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience University of Pennsylvania The Computational Neuroscience Initiative (CNI, http://cni.upenn.edu) of the University of Pennsylvania seeks exceptional candidates for two CNI Postdoctoral Fellowships. Candidates with strong quantitative skills from a variety of fields including neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, physics, mathematics, and engineering will be considered. The selected Fellows will join an inter-disciplinary research environment in historic Philadelphia. CNI Fellows will be encouraged to foster collaborative research between multiple labs. The CNI supports inter-disciplinary and collaborative research at the frontier of knowledge about the brain, behavior, and the mind. We focus on systems-level approaches that integrate theory and computation with experiment. Our members include faculty, post-docs, and students from multiple programs and departments including neurobiology, cognitive science, psychology, physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and computer science. Our research and training spans the three major elements of the field of Computational Neuroscience: 1) Theory -- understanding the brain as an information-processing machine; 2) Experiments -- providing quantitative methods to aid in the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of empirical studies that probe all levels of brain function, from molecules to behavior; and 3) Applications -- including robotics, brain-machine interfaces, and new clinical tools. Applications should be submitted by email to compneuro(a)sas.upenn.edu <mailto:compneuro@sas.upenn.edu> and should consist of a CV and a cover letter stating the candidate's research experience and reasons for applying to this Fellowship. Please arrange for up two three letters of recommendation to be sent to the same email address with the candidate's name in the subject line. Review of applications will begin on February 30 and continue on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds (http://jobs.hr.upenn.edu <http://jobs.hr.upenn.edu/>). Vijay Balasubramanian, Director David Brainard, Co-Director Joshua Gold, Co-Director

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Call for Abstracts – IWSP7: Epilepsy Mechanisms, Models, Prediction & Control
by Levin Kuhlmann Feb. 9, 2015

Feb. 9, 2015

The 7th International Workshop on Seizure Prediction (IWSP7: Epilepsy Mechanisms, Models, Prediction & Control) will bring together world leading epileptologists, engineers, physicists, mathematicians, neurosurgeons and neuroscientists to focus on epilepsy research in Melbourne Australia from 3-6 August 2015. Abstract submission deadline: 16th April 2015. Notification of acceptance: 31st May 2015. Early bird registration: full: AU$465; Student/Early Career Researcher: AU$165. Early bird registration deadline: 30th June 2015. Standard registration: full: AU$565; Student/Early Career Researcher: AU$265. Over 30 generous travel stipends will be awarded to participants submitting the best abstracts as determined by the IWSP7 Scientific Advisory Board. The majority will be awarded to undergraduate or postgraduate students and early career researchers (people who completed their PhD within the period of the 3 years preceding 3rd August 2015). Topics for abstracts include, but are not limited to: seizure prediction, detection and control; seizure mechanisms, animal models and human neurophysiology; neuroimaging of epilepsy/seizure localisation; computational modelling of epilepsy; epilepsy networks; high frequency oscillations; model-based estimation, statistical signal processing or control theory applied to epilepsy. For information on invited speakers and the preliminary conference program, and how to submit abstracts and register visit: www.iwsp7.org<http://www.iwsp7.org> Please forward this notice to anyone that you think might be interested. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting! On behalf of the local organizing committee Levin Kuhlmann, PhD David B. Grayden, PhD Mark J. Cook, MD Dean R. Freestone, PhD Alan Lai, PhD Elma O'Sullivan-Greene, PhD Andre Peterson, BSc(hons) Email: organizingcommittee(a)iwsp7.org<mailto:organizingcommittee@iwsp7.org>

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SAND 7 Workshop Announcement
by Barbara Dorney Feb. 9, 2015

Feb. 9, 2015

The seventh international workshop on Statistical Analysis of Neural Data (SAND7) will take place May 27-29, 2015, in Pittsburgh, PA. Partial travel support is available. Requests for financial support should be made by MARCH 15. There will be talks by senior investigators and junior investigators. The talks by young investigators (graduate student or postdoc/faculty within 5 years of Ph.D.) will be selected on a competitive basis. Any young investigator interested in presenting their work as a talk should submit an abstract by MARCH 1. Please see our website: http://sand.stat.cmu.edu There will also be a poster session, to which all participants are invited to contribute. Talks and posters may involve new methodology, investigation of existing methods, or application of state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Here are the confirmed keynote speakers: Gyorgy Buzsaki (NYU) Marlene Cohen (University of Pittsburgh) Adrienne Fairhall (University of Washington) Bruce Rosen (Harvard, MGH) Mark Schnitzer (Stanford) Sebastian Seung (Princeton) This workshop series is concerned with analysis of neural signals from various sources, including EEG, fMRI, MEG, 2-Photon, and extracellular recordings. It aims to define important problems in neuronal data analysis and useful strategies for attacking them; foster communication between experimental neuroscientists and those trained in statisti- cal and computational methods encourage young researchers, including graduate students, to present their work; and expose young researchers to important challenges and oppor- tunities in this interdisciplinary domain, while providing a small meeting atmosphere to facilitate the interaction of young researchers with senior colleagues. The organizers are Emery Brown, Elizabeth Buffalo, Rob Kass, Liam Paninski, Sri Sarma and Jonathan Victor. -- Barbara Dorney Assistant to the Co-Director CNBC - Carnegie Mellon University 115 Mellon Institute 4400 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (412) 268.6557 (412) 268.5060 (fax)

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Navigation workshop, April 11th, Edinburgh
by Barbara Webb Feb. 9, 2015

Feb. 9, 2015

We are pleased to announce a workshop "Spatial computation: from neural circuits to robot navigation". The workshop will take place in the Informatics Forum in Edinburgh on April 11th from 9 am to 6 pm. This is the day immediately before start of the British Neuroscience meeting in Edinburgh. The workshop will address approaches to computations underlying navigation from the perspectives of neuroscience and robotics. A list of confirmed speakers and a link for registration are here: http://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/spatialcomputationworkshop/ -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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2nd CFP - Special Session on Transfer Learning - International Work Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, 10-12 June, 2015
by Jorge M. Santos Feb. 9, 2015

Feb. 9, 2015

(Deadline Extension) Please consider to contribute to the Special Session on Transfer Learning International Work Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, 10-12 June, 2015 - http://iwann.ugr.es/2015 Transfer Learning (TL) aims to transfer knowledge acquired in one problem, the source problem, onto another problem, the target problem, dispensing with the bottom-up construction of the target model. The TL approach has gained significant interest in the Machine Learning (ML) community since it paves the way to devise intelligent learning models that can easily be tailored to many different domains of applicability. The following aspects have recently contributed to the emergence of TL: Generalization Theory: TL often produces algorithms with good generalization capability for different problems; Efficient TL algorithms: TL provides learning models that can be applied with far less computational effort than standard ML methods; Unlabeled data: TL can be advantageous since unlabeled data can have severe implications in some fields of research, such as in the biomedical field. Some examples of topics for this special session: Big Data with Deep Neural Networks; Generalization Bounds; Domain Adaptation or Covariate Shift; Algorithms for TL; New advancements in TL; Real-world applications. Deadline: 23 February 2015 Organizers Luís M. Silva, Dep. of Mathematics, University of Aveiro, Portugal - lmas(a)ua.pt Jorge M. Santos, Dep. of Mathematics, School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto, Portugal - jms(a)isep.ipp.pt

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PhD student position in the lab of Susanne Schreiber (Computational Neurophysiology), Berlin
by Margret Franke Feb. 9, 2015

Feb. 9, 2015

PhD student position in the lab of Susanne Schreiber (Computational Neurophysiology) in Berlin www.neuron-science.de We are currently looking for a motivated PhD student to join us in the exploration of computational properties of neurons. Our group is embedded in the Department of Biology at Humboldt-University Berlin and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, located on the beautiful Campus Nord in the center of the city. We are particularly interested in how cell-intrinsic physiological processes affect neuronal computation in single neurons and networks. To this end we use theoretical approaches in combination with the analysis of experimental data (obtained by experimental collaborators in vertebrate and invertebrate systems). Many of our projects take the evolutionary perspective into account, with the aim to improve our understanding of how constraints, such as limited energetic resources or fluctuating environmental variables (like temperature), shaped the design of neuronal systems. The PhD project will involve biophysical modeling of neurons, intending to derive principles that generalize across multiple brain areas or nervous systems. The PhD student will be given the opportunity to cooperate with experimental groups in the Berlin area. Moreover, suitable candidates may participate in the structured PhD program "Sensory Computation in Neural Systems" (GRK 1589, https://www.bccn-berlin.de/Graduate+Programs/2_Doctoral+Program/) providing lively interactions with other research groups and students in the fields of computational neuroscience, systems neurobiology, and machine learning. A strong background in physics, biophysics, computational neuroscience, or computational biology is recommended. Moreover, candidates should have solid experience in programming (python or matlab to solve ODEs/SDEs), analytical skills, and a keen interest in neurophysiological questions. If interested, please send an email to Susanne Schreiber (email: s.schreiber :AT: hu-berlin.de) including a letter of motivation, a CV, and a copy of the current academic transcripts. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. In order to apply for a scholarship in the structured PhD program, please contact us as soon as possible. The official deadline for this program is March 15th, 2015. -- Margret Franke Managing Director Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Unter den Linden 6 10099 Berlin phone: (030) 2093-9110 fax: (030) 2093-6771

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Kosice Neuroscience Workshop 20-24 April 2015
by Norbert Kopco Feb. 9, 2015

Feb. 9, 2015

SAVE THE DATE! The Second Workshop and Lecture Series on */"Cognitive neuroscience of auditory and cross-modal perception"/* 20 - 24 April 2015 Kosice, Slovakia http://pcl.upjs.sk/ Objectives: This workshop and lecture series will include introductory lectures and advanced research talks on a range of topics related to the */neural processes of auditory, visual and cross-modal perception/*. The talks will illustrate the */multidisciplinary character of cognitive neuroscience research/*, covering behavioral, neuroimaging, and modeling approaches, as well as applications of the research in auditory prosthetic devices. The workshop is aimed at */early-stage and advanced students and young researchers/*, and it will provide ample opportunities for direct interactions between the lecturers and the attendees. *Format* Lectures 20 - 22 April, Consultations 23 – 24 April *Venue* Historicka aula, P. J. Safarik University, Srobarova 2, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia *Organizers* Norbert Kopco, PhD. (norbert.kopco(a)upjs.sk <mailto:norbert.kopco@upjs.sk>) Frederick Gallun, PhD. (Frederick.Gallun(a)va.gov <mailto:Frederick.Gallun@va.gov>) *Organizing team and contact* Beata Tomoriova, Lubos Hladek, Perception and Cognition Lab <http://pcl.upjs.sk>,**kogneuro(a)gmail.com <mailto:kogneuro@gmail.com> *Speakers (lecture topics TBA, see last year’s topics at *http://pcl.upjs.sk/workshop2014/*)* Simon Carlile (University of Sydney) Pierre Divenyi (Stanford University) Christopher Stecker (Vanderbilt University) Bernhard Laback (Austrian Academy of Sciences) Volker Hohmann (University of Oldenburg) Arash Yazdanbakhsh (Boston University) Aaron Seitz (University of California, Riverside) Frederick (Erick) Gallun (US Dept. of Veterans Affairs and Oregon Health & Science University) Istvan Winkler (Hungarian Academy of Science) Travel, accommodation, visitor information Attendees are kindly requested to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. /Travel: /The Kosice Airport <http://www.airportkosice.sk/en/> (http://www.airportkosice.sk/en/) is served by Austrian Airlines <http://www.austrian.com/> (http://www.austrian.com/) and Czech Airlines <http://www.csa.cz> (http://www.csa.cz/) via Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, and by low-cost airline Wizzair <http://wizzair.com/en-GB/Search> (http://wizzair.com/en-GB/Search) from London Luton Airport. Alternatively you can fly to Budapest and take a 3.5-hr shuttle bus to Kosice, for example, using the cassoviaexpres <http://cassoviaexpres.sk/en/> (http://cassoviaexpres.sk/en/) shuttle bus. From Krakow you can take the 4-hr shuttle bus operated by Airtrans.sk <http://airtrans.sk/en/>. More information about how to get to Kosice (also by train or bus) can be found at http://www.visitkosice.eu/en/to-get-there/arriving-to-the-city . /Accommodation:/ There are several hotels close to workshop venue, for example Hotel Teledom <http://www.hotelteledom.sk>, Villa Regia <http://villaregia.sk/en/>, Doubletree by Hilton <http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/slovak-republic/doubletree-by-hilto…>, Hotel Yasmin <http://www.hotel-yasmin.sk/>, Hotel Maraton <http://www.hotelmaraton.sk/> (for more hotel options please see http://www.booking.com, http://www.hotels.com, for hostels see: http://www.hostels.com, http://www.hostelworld.com) /Visitor information and current events:/ see http://www.visitkosice.eu/ , http://www.slovaktours.eu/, http://www.mickosice.sk/ <http://www.mickosice.sk/index.php?lang=eng>, http://slovakia.travel/ , or http://www.slovakia.com/ * Registration* The workshop is open to all interested students/scientists. Registration is free of charge but required (mostly for organizational reasons). In order to register, please send an email to kogneuro(a)gmail.com stating your name and affiliation, dates on which you are planning to attend. In case you would like to have a presentation please send us an abstract (up to 200 words) and an indication whether you prefer poster or oral presentation no later than April 10, 2015. -- doc. Norbert Kopco, Ph.D. Assoc Professor / Senior Researcher: Inst of Computer Sci, Faculty of Science, Safarik Univ, Kosice, Slovakia Adjunct: Ctr for Computational Neurosci (CompNet), Boston University & Martinos Ctr for Biomed Imaging, Harvard Med School - Mass Gen Hospital P: +16175759556 F: +14847279884, kopco(a)bu.edu, http://cns.bu.edu/~kopco

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Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience 2015
by Máté Lengyel Feb. 8, 2015

Feb. 8, 2015

ADVANCED COURSE IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 9-29 August 2015, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal + pre-school 5-7 August 2015 http://www.accn.pt Applications deadline: 15 March 2015 DIRECTORS * Gilles Laurent (Max Plank Institute for Brain Research, Germany) * Máté Lengyel (University of Cambridge, UK) * Christian Machens (Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Portugal) This three-weeks school teaches the central ideas, methods, and practice of modern computational neuroscience through a combination of lectures and hands-on project work. Each morning will be devoted to lectures given by distinguished international faculty on topics across the breadth of experimental and computational neuroscience. During the rest of the day, students will work on research projects in teams of 2-3 people under the close supervision of expert tutors and faculty. Research projects will be proposed by faculty before the course, and will include the modeling of neurons, neural systems, behavior, the analysis of state-of-the-art neural data (behavioral data, multi-electrode recordings, calcium imaging data, connectomics data, etc.), and the development of theories to explain experimental observations. The course is designed for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from a variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, physics, electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics and psychology. Students are expected to have a keen interest and basic background in neurobiology, a solid foundation in mathematics, as well as some computer experience. An optional three-day pre-school in mathematics and programming is available to students who want to catch up on or fine-tune their math and programming skills. Essential details: * Course size: 24 students maximum * Fee (which covers tuition, lodging, and meals): 2250 EUR (+ 245 EUR for optional pre-school) * Scholarships and travel stipends are available. * Application deadline: 15 March 2015 * Notification of results: April 2015 Information and application http://www.accn.pt Contact address: Tânia Li Chen <tania.chen(a)neuro.fchampalimaud.org> FACULTY * Nicolas Brunel (University of Chicago, USA) * Claudia Clopath (Imperial College London, UK) * Peter Dayan (Gatsby Computational Neuroscience, UCL, UK) * David Fitzpatrick (Max-Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, USA) * Boris Gutkin (École Normale Supérieure, France) * Michael Hausser (Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, UCL, UK) * Moritz Helmstaedter (MPI Brain Research, Germany) * Claus Hilgetag (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany) * Matthias Kaschube (Frankfurt Institute for Advanced studies, Germany) * Simon Laughlin (University of Cambridge, UK) * Gilles Laurent (MPI Brain Research, Germany) * Máté Lengyel (University of Cambridge, UK) * Jennifer Linden (Ear Institute, UCL, UK) * Christian Machens (Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Portugal) * Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Portugal) * Tony Movshon (New York University, USA) * Michael Orger (Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Portugal) * Alexandre Pouget (University of Geneva, Switzerland) * Maneesh Sahani (Gatsby Computational Neuroscience, UCL, UK) * Eero Simoncelli (New York University, USA) * Daniel Wolpert (University of Cambridge, UK) -- Mate Lengyel, PhD Computational and Biological Learning Lab Cambridge University Engineering Department Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK tel: +44 (0)1223 748 532, fax: +44 (0)1223 765 587 email: m.lengyel(a)eng.cam.ac.uk web: www.eng.cam.ac.uk/~m.lengyel

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CFP: Signal Processing Special Issue on Big Data Meets Multimedia Analytics
by 刘伟锋 Feb. 8, 2015

Feb. 8, 2015

Dear all, Sorry for the cross posting of this CFP message. CFP: Signal Processing Special Issue on Big Data Meets Multimedia Analytics With the rapid development of computing and sensing technologies, such as the emergence of social networking websites and wearable devices, many new research opportunities and challenges for multimedia content analysis have arisen. Many big data modeling methods, computing algorithms, and signal processing technologies have recently been successfully developed and applied to multimedia content analysis: for example, multi-view learning algorithms have been proposed for exploring the variety of multimedia content; sparse and manifold learning have been developed for high dimensional multimedia data representation; deep learning has produced promising results in large scale multimedia retrieval; and compressive sensing and new sampling schemes have been investigated for big data analytics. Motivated by the inclination to collect a set of recent advances and results in these related topics, provide a platform for researchers to exchange their innovative ideas on big modeling and computing solutions for multimedia content analytics, and introduce interesting utilizations of modeling and computing algorithms for particular social/personal media applications, this special issue will target emergent big modeling and computing methods for multimedia signal processing and understanding (with a special focus on social media and personal data). To summarize, this special issue welcomes a broad range of submissions on the development and use of artificial intelligence and computing techniques for multimedia analytics. We are especially interested in: 1) theoretical advances as well as algorithm developments in big data technology for specific social/personal media analytics problems; 2) reports of practical applications and system innovations in social/personal media analytics; and 3) novel datasets as test beds for new developments, preferably with implemented standard benchmarks. The following list suggests (but is not limited to) possible topics of interest: · Big Data Technology Specifically for Multimedia Analytics · Big Data Technology for Multimedia Annotation, Tagging and Classification · Big Data Technology for Multimedia Abstraction and Summarization · Big Data Technology for Multimedia Indexing and Retrieval · Big Data Technology and Computing for Social Media Analytics · Big Data Technology and Computing for Biological Data · Big Data Technology and Computing for Personal Data Mining · Modeling of Wearable Device Sensor Streams · Personal Data based Social Network Analysis and Web Mining · Cloud Computing for Social Intelligence and Personal Data · Deep Learning for Social Media Analytics · Deep Learning for Security in Social Media Important dates: Manuscript Submission: May 01, 2015 Initial Decision: August 01, 2015 R1 Version: October 01, 2015 Acceptance Notification: November 01, 2015 Final Manuscripts Due: November 15, 2015 Anticipated Publication: January 01, 2016 Submission: Manuscripts (Please follow Signal Processing publishing format, details can be found athttp://www.elsevier.com/ journals/signal-processing/0165-1684/guide-for-authors) should be submitted via the Electronic Editorial System of Elsevier: http://ees.elsevier.com/sigpro/. Please make sure to select the "SI: BDMA" as Article Type during the submission process.

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INCF Short Course on Information Processing in Neural Systems
by Frank Jäkel Feb. 5, 2015

Feb. 5, 2015

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INCF Short Course on Information Processing in Neural Systems -- From Single Neurons to Large-Scale Models of Cognition -- May 2-10, 2015 @ Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück, Germany +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ One of the big challenges in neuroinformatics is bridging the gap between our biophysical understanding of single cells and of networks of neurons on the one side, and the cognitive functions that are characterized in terms of information processing on the other side. This INCF Short Course will provide lectures and hands-on tutorials ranging from dynamical systems theory to cognitive modeling. Target Audience: PhD candidates and post-docs with backgrounds in neuroinformatics, theoretical neuroscience, complex systems, machine learning, applied mathematics/statistics or cognitive modeling. Topics: Dynamical systems: attractors, bifurcations, etc. (Herbert Jäger) Single neuron dynamics, networks, and computation (Nicolas Brunel) Mean-field theory, neurodynamics, and decision-making (Gustavo Deco) Probabilistic models of population coding and perception (tba) Reservoir computing in simple cognitive systems (Gordon Pipa) Learning of sensory representations in neural systems (Peter König) Neural architectures for biological cognition (tba) Neural networks, kernel methods, and categorization (Frank Jäkel) A tutorial on reservoir computing (Pipa & Jäger) A tutorial on large-scale simulations in Nengo (tba) A tutorial on information processing models with NEST (Marc-Oliver Gewaltig) The yearly, two-day OCCAM workshop (www.occam-os.de) is integrated into the INCF course and participants of the INCF course will also take part in the workshop. Applications will be accepted until March 7, 2015. The registration fee is 250 Euros. We can offer a limited number of travel stipends to support students. More information on the course and on application details can be found on the course webpage: http://www.incf.ni.uos.de/

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Osnabrueck Computational Cognition Alliance Meeting (OCCAM 2015)
by Frank Jäkel Feb. 5, 2015

Feb. 5, 2015

Dear Colleague, we would like to invite you to register for the 5th +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Osnabrück Computational Cognition Alliance Meeting (OCCAM 2015) "From Simple Neurons to Large-Scale Models of Cognition" May 6-7, 2015. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ List of invited speakers: Nicolas Brunel Gustavo Deco Wolfgang Einhäuser Virginia Flanagin Sonja Grün Marc-Oliver Gewaltig Herbert Jäger Gordon Pipa Kai Vogeley The workshop will take place in Osnabrück, Germany, and will be hosted by the Institute of Cognitive Science (University of Osnabrück). Details can be found below and on the following webpage: http://www.occam-os.de The registration deadline is March 7, 2015 (first come first served). The registration fee is 100,- Euros. This year the OCCAM workshop is co-located with an INCF Short Course on the same topic (http://www.incf.ni.uos.de/) The OCCAM workshop series aims at understanding the principles of information processing in the brain with a particular focus on 3 major topics: 1. Neural coding and representation in hierarchical systems 2. Self-organization in dynamical systems 3. Mechanisms for probabilistic inference There will also be a poster session where conference participants will have the opportunity to present their work. The deadline for submitting an abstract for a poster presentation is also March 7. Best regards, Frank Jäkel, Peter König, Gordon Pipa (Organizing committee)

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Reminder: UAI 2015 - Call for Workshops
by Irina Rish Feb. 4, 2015

Feb. 4, 2015

UAI 2015 - Call for Workshops http://www.auai.org/uai2015/workshops.shtml Proposals are solicited for workshops to be held in conjunction with the The Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence (UAI) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in July 2015. The workshops will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2015 (tentative date). These workshops present an excellent opportunity to address a specific topic of your choice on the intersection of knowledge representation, machine learning and reasoning under uncertainty. We are looking for half-day or full-day workshop proposals. Important dates Workshop proposal deadline February 19, 2015 Proposal acceptance notification March 2, 2015 Workshop submissions due May 8, 2015 (suggested date) Workshop author notification May 22, 2015 (suggested date) Workshop day: July 16, 2015 (tentative) Workshops are a great format for active research on new topics. The ideal workshop covers a compelling subject of current or upcoming research, and includes an impressive set of speakers with diverse backgrounds to discuss the subject. Discussion via panels and identification of open problems and challenges are great components to include. Organization The format, style, and content of accepted workshops is under the control of the workshop organizers and largely autonomous from the main conferences. The workshops can be up to seven hours long, split into morning and afternoon sessions. Workshop organizers are expected to manage the workshop content, specify the workshop format, be present to moderate the discussion and panels, invite experts in the domain, and maintain a website for the workshop. Workshop registration will be handled centrally by the main conference. Submission Instructions Proposals should clearly specify the following: Workshop title (what is it called?) Topic (what is it about?) Motivation (why a workshop on this topic?) Impact and expected outcomes (what will having the workshop do?) Potential list of invited speakers (who might come?) List of related publications (where can we learn more?) Main workshop organizer (who is making it happen?) Other organizers (who else is making it happen?) Bio for each organizer (who are you?) Workshop URL (where will interested parties get more information?) Detailed descriptions of last year's workshops can be found at: http://auai.org/uai2014/workshopsDetails.shtml. Workshop proposals should be submitted via email in PDF format to uai2015.workshops(a)gmail.com by February 19, 2015 (earlier submissions are encouraged as well). Soon after submission, proposers should expect to receive a verification of receipt. Irina Rish Contact: irina.rish(a)gmail.com Workshops chair UAI 2015

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Last Mile: IMMM 2015 and DATASETS 2015 || June 21 - 26, 2015 - Brussels, Belgium
by Cristina Pascual Feb. 4, 2015

Feb. 4, 2015

INVITATION: ================= The submission deadline is extended to February 18, 2015. Please consider to contribute to and/or forward to the appropriate groups the following opportunity to submit and publish original scientific results to: - IMMM 2015, The Fifth International Conference on Advances in Information Mining and Management - DATASETS 2015, The International Symposium on Challenges for Designing and Using Datasets Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit extended article versions to one of the IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org ================= ============== IMMM 2015 | DATASETS 2015 | Call for Papers =============== CALL FOR PAPERS, TUTORIALS, PANELS IMMM 2015, The Fifth International Conference on Advances in Information Mining and Management General page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/IMMM15.html Submission page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/SubmitIMMM15.html DATASETS 2015, The International Symposium on Challenges for Designing and Using Datasets General page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/DATASETS.html Submission page: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/DATASETS.html#SubmitAPaper Events schedule: June 21 - 26, 2015 - Brussels, Belgium Contributions: - regular papers [in the proceedings, digital library] - short papers (work in progress) [in the proceedings, digital library] - ideas: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - extended abstracts: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: two pages [in the proceedings, digital library] - posters: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - presentations: slide only [slide-deck posted at www.iaria.org] - demos: two pages [posted at www.iaria.org] - doctoral forum submissions: [in the proceedings, digital library] Proposals for: - mini-symposia: see http://www.iaria.org/symposium.html - workshops: see http://www.iaria.org/workshop.html - tutorials: [slide-deck posed on www.iaria.org] - panels: [slide-deck posed on www.iaria.org] Submission deadline: February 18, 2015 Sponsored by IARIA, www.iaria.org Extended versions of selected papers will be published in IARIA Journals: http://www.iariajournals.org Print proceedings will be available via Curran Associates, Inc.: http://www.proceedings.com/9769.html Articles will be archived in the free access ThinkMind Digital Library: http://www.thinkmind.org The topics suggested by the conference can be discussed in term of concepts, state of the art, research, standards, implementations, running experiments, applications, and industrial case studies. Authors are invited to submit complete unpublished papers, which are not under review in any other conference or journal in the following, but not limited to, topic areas. All tracks are open to both research and industry contributions, in terms of Regular papers, Posters, Work in progress, Technical/marketing/business presentations, Demos, Tutorials, and Panels. Before submission, please check and comply with the editorial rules: http://www.iaria.org/editorialrules.html IMMM 2015 Topics (for topics and submission details: see CfP on the site) Call for Papers: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/CfPIMMM15.html ============================================================ Mining mechanisms and methods Data mining algorithms; Media adaptive mining; Agent-based mining; Content-based mining; Context-aware mining; Automation of data extraction; Data mining at a large; Domain-driven data mining; Graph-based data mining; Multilabel information; Multimodal mining; Cloud-based mining; Mining using neurocomputing techniques Mining support Querying for mining; Questions for digital investigation; Similarity search; User-generated content; Visualizing data mining; Internationalization and localization techniques for profile/context-based visualization Type of information mining Concept mining; Process mining; Concept mining; Knowledge mining; Knowledge discovery; Mining image and video; Mining patterns; Opinion mining; Graph mining; Ontology mining; Semantic annotations and mining; Document mining; Spatial mining; Speech mining; Text mining; Web mining; XML data mining Pervasive information retrieval Context and location information retrieval; Mobile information retrieval; Geo-information retrieval; Context-aware information retrieval; Access-driven information retrieval; Location-specific information retrieval; Spacial information retrieval; Semantic-driven retrieval Automated retrieval and mining Automated information extraction; Agent-based data mining and information discovery; Agent-based knowledge; Datamining-based agents and multi-agent systems; Agent-mining intelligent applications and systems; Automated retrieval of multimedia streams; Automated retrieval from multimedia archives; Automated copyright infringement detection and watermarking; Automated content summarization; Automatic concept detection, categorization, and genre detection; Automatic speech recognition; Automated cross-media linking Mining features Dimensionality reduction; Feature weighting; Subset selection; Feature extraction; Feature construction; Data streams and time series; Selection in high-dimensional domains; Multilingual data mining; Multimedia mining; String processing and data mining; Mining association rules; Mining social relationships; Mining linked data; Mining sequential episodes from time series; Mining time-dependent data; Un-supervised data mining; Semi-structured data; Mining location-sensitive data; Concept-drift in data mining Information mining and management Data cleaning; Data updating; Segmentation and clustering; Mining transient information; Warehousing; Web syndication; Data filtering and aggregation; Optimal pruning; Data summarization; Knowledge injection, discovery and classification; Uncertainty removal; Managing incompleteness Mining from specific sources Bio data mining; Climate data mining; Data mining in medicine and pharmacology; Data mining in special networks (grids, sensors, etc.); Data management for mobile systems; Data management for sensors; Data mining and management for wireless systems; Dynamic network discovery; Mining from multiple sources; Mining personal semantic data; Mining from social networks; Mining from deep web; Mining from Wikipedia Data management in special environments Data management in sensor and mobile ad hoc networks; Data management in mobile peer-to-peer networks; Data management for mobile applications; Data management in mobile/temporal social networks; Management of community sensing/participatory sensing data; Managing pervasive data, sensor data streams and user devices; Managing mobile semantic data; Manging data-intensive mobile computing; Management of real-time data; Managing security data streams; Managing Mobile Web 2.0 data; Managing data in mobile clouds; Data replication, migration and dissemination in mobile environments; Web data processing and security on mobile devices; Resource advertising and discovery techniques Mining evaluation Statistics on mining; Ranking of mining results; Provenance; Privacy issues; Patterns for mining; Credibility on data mining; Performance of mining information; Data mining and computational intelligence; Intelligent data understanding; Intelligent data analysis Mining tools and applications Data mining applications; Data mining tools and enabling software; Interoperability of information mining tools; Applications for large-scale mining; Content segmentation tools (e.g., shot and semantic scene segmentation); Evaluation methods for TV and radio content analysis tools; Tools for data sets and standard resources DATASETS 2015 Topics (for topics and submission details: see CfP on the site) CfP: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/DATASETS.html#CallForPapers ========================== THEORY The anatomy of designing Datasets Designing context-based Datasets Metadata for Datasets Challenges in designing very large Datasets Updatable and updating Datasets Reference Datasets Datasets families Repositories of Datasets Criteria for selecting appropriate Datasets TYPES Public and private Datasets Open Datasets Big Data and Datasets Trusted Datasets Mining massive Datasets FEATURES Testing and validating Datasets Pitfalls with Datasets Reputation of Datasets Accuracy estimation of Datasets Data links in Datasets APPLICATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS Context-aware Datasets in the Internet of Things Datasets for data mining Datasets used in statistics and machine learning Online Datasets on collective behavior Datasets for analytics and knowledge discovery Regression Datasets Climate Datasets Gene Datasets Health Datasets Economic Datasets Social Datasets Transportation Datasets Urban Datasets Education/scholar Datasets ------------------------ IMMM 2015 Committee: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/ComIMMM15.html DATASETS 2015 Committee: http://www.iaria.org/conferences2015/DATASETS.html#Committees ==================

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Open Source Brain 2015: Building and sharing standardised neuronal models
by Padraig Gleeson Feb. 4, 2015

Feb. 4, 2015

(Apologies for cross postings) Announcing the third annual Open Source Brain Workshop, May 12-14th 2015, Alghero, Sardinia. http://opensourcebrain.org/docs/Help/Meetings#OSB_2015 The Open Source Brain initiative aims to encourage collaborative, open source model development in computational neuroscience and is primarily supported by the Wellcome Trust. As with past OSB meetings <http://www.opensourcebrain.org/docs#Meetings> this workshop will bring together experimentalists, theoreticians and tool developers who are interested in creating open, community developed models of neuronal systems. Researchers interested in building and sharing models of any brain region and from any species are welcome to attend the meeting. There will be presentations on the latest developments and functionality of the OSB resource and associated technologies including NeuroML and LEMS. There will also be a special focus session on Wed 13th May on *creating and sharing experimentally constrained models of the hippocampus*. *Confirmed speakers* Giorgio Ascoli, Krasnow Institute, George Mason University, USA Tiago Branco, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK Claudia Colpath, Imperial College London, UK Michael Hines, Yale University, USA Peter Jonas, Institute of Science and Technology, Austria Troy Margrie, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK Michele Migliore, National Research Council, Italy & Yale University School of Medicine, USA Yiota Poirazi, Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, Greece Stefan Remy, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany Nelson Spruston, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Virginia, USA Full details of the workshop can be found here: http://opensourcebrain.org/docs/Help/Meetings#OSB_2015. The meeting is free to attend, but registration is required (deadline April 15th). The OSB 2015 organising committee Sergio Solinas Padraig Gleeson Angus Silver Boris Marin ----------------------------------------------------- Padraig Gleeson Room 321, Anatomy Building Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom +44 207 679 3214 p.gleeson(a)ucl.ac.uk -----------------------------------------------------

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Faculty position opening in software engineering
by Jun Suzuki Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

University of Massachusetts Boston Department of Computer Science Assistant/Associate Professor The Computer Science Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston invites applications for one full-time position in Software Engineering at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor, to begin September 1, 2015. We offer an ABET-accredited BS in Computer Science, a BS in Information Technology, an MS with an emphasis on software engineering, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science. Current faculty interests include bioinformatics, computer and human vision, data mining, databases, graphics, networks, security, software engineering, system modeling, and theoretical computer science. A PhD in computer science or a related area is required. A successful candidate at the Assistant Professor level is expected to establish a highly-recognized, externally-funded independent research program at UMass Boston. Candidates at the Associate Professor level should have a well-established research program with a significant funding record. We offer a competitive salary and start-up package. A complete application consists of a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements about research and teaching, and the names and email addresses of three references. Please submit your application at: http://goo.gl/ZjMvYV Our campus overlooks Boston harbor; our faculty and students enjoy professional life in a center of academia and the software industry. For more information, visit us at http://www.cs.umb.edu Review of applications has begun and will continue until the position is filled. UMass Boston is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Title IX employer. -- Jun Suzuki Associate Professor of Computer Science University of Massachusetts, Boston jxs(a)cs.umb.edu http://www.cs.umb.edu/~jxs/ http://dssg.cs.umb.edu/ @JunSuzukiBoston

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IJCNN 2015, final CFP: Papers are due on February 5th, 2015
by Giacomo Boracchi Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

IJCNN 2015 - International Joint Conference on Neural Networks July 12-17, 2015, Killarney Convention Center, Killarney, Ireland http://www.ijcnn.org This is the final Call for Papers, which are due in 3 days : Thursday, February 5th, 2015!! IJCNN is the premier international conference in the area of neural network theory, analysis, and applications. Co-sponsored by the International Neural Network Society and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, over the last three decades this conference and its predecessors has hosted [past, present, and future] leaders of neural network research. In an era when neural networks are widely used and reported in many areas, scientists, engineers, educators, and students from all over the world can get the best overall view of neural networks, from neuroscience to advanced control systems to cognition, at the IJCNN. *Competitions are underway!* A winning certificate and free registration will be provided to the winner of each competition who attends IJCNN 2015. Remember to submit and related papers (if that is your intent) through the regular IJCNN2015 paper submission system. If you need any other information about the general organisation of the competitions, please do not hesitate to contact : Abir Hussain. IJCNN2015 Competition Chair. Liverpool John MooresU. UK 1) ChaLearn AutoML challenge http://www.codalab.org/AutoML Here is your chance to realize the dream of many researchers in data science: create the "perfect black box", i.e. a learning machine capable of learning from examples without any human intervention. Until June we are progressively introducing 30 classification and regression tasks, with datasets pre-formatted in feature representations. Until February 14 you can win 2 sets of prizes in the: . Round 0 Tweakathon: result or code submission on well known sample datasets (preparation phase) . Round 1 AutoML: code submission on binary classification problems (novice phase) See the challenge website website for submissions, and for questions contact : Isabelle Guyon ClopiNet. California. USA guyon(a)clopinet.com 2) Speech-Music discrimination algorithms in the context of unseen audio data https://sites.google.com/site/aggelospikrakis/ijcnn Without making any assumptions with respect to the origin of the signals. Although the Speech-Music classification problem is already almost two decades old and several algorithms have been proposed over the years, there still remains to answer the question whether the proposed solutions can address audio streams from diverse sources or audio streams that suffer from (mild) spectral and time-stretching distortions. Most published work focuses on evaluating the respective methods on radio broadcasts over the Internet or, in general, on non-reproducible audio streams. To enter the competition, send an email to : Aggelos Pikrakis Uof Piraeus. Greece pikrakis(a)unipi.gr 3) Predict pathological cases in pregnant women during labour using cardiotography data. The challenge is to detect with high accuracy when a child is genuinely compromised before medical intervention is considered. For this competition, participants will be given an open dataset containing 552 intrapartum recordings, which can be access online via physionet.org. Contact : Paul Fergus. IJCNN2015 Competition on pathological pregnanacies. Liverpool John MooresU. UK p.fergus(a)ljmu.ac.uk 4) Neural Network based Weather Prediction Competition The importance of being able to accurately predict Weather cannot be overstated; beyond predicting catastrophic events such as storms or unusually severe spells of cold or heat, weather has a dramatic effect on a population's day to day health and behaviour and a significant impact on the economy. This competition involves the prediction of minimum maximum Temperatures The Dataset covers historic daily values for the period between 1st January 2007 and 30th September 2014, for the Oak Park Weather Station, which is the closest weather station to the IJCNN2015 conference venue. . 20th April 2015: Brief description of the algorithm used and generalisation results. . 20th May 2015: Announcement of the competition results Inquiries and submissions should be made through : David Reid. Liverpool Hope University. UK, reidd(a)hope.ac.uk Hissam Tawfik. IJCNN2015 Weather Competition. Liverpool Hope University. UK tawfikh(a)hope.ac.uk * PLENARY SPEAKERS - Steve Furber, The ICL Professor of Computer Engineering at the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester "The SpiNNaker Project" - Vincenzo Piuri, Professor in Computer Engineering at the University of Milan, Italy "Computational Intelligence Technologies for 3D Surface Reconstruction" - Lee Giles, The David Reese Professor at the College of Information Sciences and Technology at the Pennsylvania State University "Machine Learning and Data Mining for Scholarly Big Data" - Marios M. Polycarpou, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Cyprus, Cyprus "Fault Detection and Isolation in Uncertain Big-Data Environments" - Barak Pearlmutter, Professor, Department of Computer Science, National University of Ireland, Ireland "Critical Dynamics and Pathological Phenomena in the Brain" - Giacomo Rizzolati, Professor of Human Physiology at the University of Parma, Italy "The double life of the motor system: Action production and action understanding" * Deadlines for Submission: - Paper submission deadline: February 05, 2015 (EXTENDED) - Paper Decision notification: March 25, 2015 - Camera-ready submission: April 25, 2015 - Conference: July 12-17, 2015 * Hotel Reservations: The Killarney region is an extremely popular tourist destination, and rooms that have been reserved for IJCNN 2015 will likely disappear as soon as the contracted booking date has passed. For that reason we strongly recommend that you book your hotel room by 01May2015! (see the IJCNN2015 home page for our accommodations at the Gleneagle Hotel, the Brehon Hotel and the River Apartments). * IJCNN Killarney site video: Marianne van Wagner, Executive Co-ordinator of the International Neural Network Society (INNS), commissioned this delightful promotional video for IJCNN2015, based on her own photographs : Killarney tour. It's well worth looking at for the local Irish scenery, and for background information about the conference. (You may have to download it if your internet connection is slow.) Keep working on your paper submissions, and submit your proposals for Tutorials and Workshops SOON! Email any of the Chairs if you wish to discuss your ideas for proposals. IJCNN General Chair De-Shuang Huang, Tongji University, China, Director - Machine Learning and Systems Biology Laboratory IJCNN Program Chair Yoonsuck Choe, Texas A&M University Director, Brain Networks Laboratory Many thanks to our Sponsors and Contributors: - International Neural Network Society - IEEE Computational Intelligence Society - Failte Ireland, National Tourism Development Authority. -- Giacomo Boracchi, PhD DEIB - Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Via Ponzio, 34/5 20133 Milano, Italy. Tel. +39 02 2399 3467 http://home.dei.polimi.it/boracchi/

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Masters in Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems at University of Sussex
by Thomas Nowotny Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

Dear comp-neuro community, The Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems MSc is open for applications. One of its core strengths is Computational Neuroscience. For the first time the University of Sussex is offering additional scholarships to MSc students this year. For more information see the EASy MSc website<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/easy/smsc>, download the Flyer<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/easy/documents/easymscposter2015.pdf> or read on below. If you have students who may be interested in this opportunity, please pass this information on and/or consider posting the Flyer<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/easy/documents/easymscposter2015.pdf>. With best regards, Thomas Nowotny -- Prof. Thomas Nowotny CCNR, Sussex Neuroscience Phone: +44-1273-678593 Engineering and Informatics Fax: +44-1273-877873 University of Sussex Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ http://sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny — Detailed information: Since 1996, the University of Sussex has offered a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems (EASy). The study of natural and articial evolutionary and adaptive systems is at the heart of rapidly developing areas from articial intelligence, adaptive behaviour and autonomous robotics to computational neuroscience, consciousness and cognitive science. Sussex is internationally renowned for its research in these areas. The EASy MSc provides a solid foundation with topics including: articial life, adaptive systems, computational neuroscience, neural networks, biologically inspired robotics, dynamical systems approaches to cognition, mathematics of complex systems, neuroscience of consciousness, evolutionary computation and biological Modelling. The well established EASy programme is taught by leading experts and there are many opportunities to interact with the thriving Sussex research community, including the Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics (CCNR), the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, Sussex Neuroscience and the Centre for Cognitive Science (COGS). Students have access to specialist facilities including robotics labs, high-performance computing and neuroscience research facilities. Students take eight taught courses, followed by an individual research project during the summer. The project is supervised by a member of faculty. It is not unusual for dissertation work to be published in international conference proceedings or journals. Of the large number of students who have graduated from the EASY MSc, 50% have later obtained doctorates and some have gone on to glittering careers in research. Others have forged thriving business careers, with several setting up highly successful companies. Grants of up to £10,000 are available at Sussex (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/money/scholarships/ ). Additionally, due to a generous donation from Andrew Pegge, two Pegge Scholarships are awarded annually to EASy MSc students. The scholarships are open to all, and awarded on merit. How to Apply: To apply to the EASy MSc please go to: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/pg/applying/ and choose the EASy MSc taught programme. Is EASy Right for Me? Are you excited by fundamental questions in adaptive behaviour, biology and technology such as: How are insects so successful despite their tiny brains? Or, can we build machines as intelligent as animals? Are you interested in embodied AI? The origin of consciousness? Complexity? Whatever your background, if you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, our MSc is right for you. More information: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/easy/smsc or email Andy Philippides <andrewop(a)sussex.ac.uk>

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PostDoc position: stochastic signal processing and probability computation
by Pierre Bessière Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

PostDoc position: stochastic signal processing and probability computation Position available at ISIR (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique) from Sorbonne Université - Université Pierre et Maris Curie, 4 place Jussieu, Paris: http://www.isir.upmc.fr/ <http://www.isir.upmc.fr/> Context: The framework of this position is the FP7-ICT European project BAMBI (Bottom-up Approaches to Machines dedicated to Bayesian Inference) launched in January 2014 for 3 years: https://www.bambi-fet.eu/ <https://www.bambi-fet.eu/> Content: The objective of the position is to develop theoretical studies and simulations of several ways to encode probability distribution with stochastic signals and to process these signals to implement probabilistic inferences. These studies should be done in strong interaction with our partners of the project working in the fields of fundamental electronics and spintronics. The researcher will have first to do a review of existing studies, including ongoing works done in our group and partners. He will then propose methods for the evaluation of building blocks performing basic probabilistic computation with stochastic signals, with a special focus on dynamic properties. Outcomes of these works will be published in international conferences and project deliverables. Competences: Good mathematical proficiency, especially in the field of probability theory and Markov models, is required. A perfect mastering of programming languages (C/C++, Python, Matlab) is also necessary. Duration: One year starting in spring 2015, with a possible prolongation until the end of the project (December 2016). Salary: Around 2500 euros/month, depending on previous research experience. Please submit CV and references by mail to Pierre Bessière (pierre.bessiere(a)isir.upmc.fr <mailto:pierre.bessiere@isir.upmc.fr>) and Jacques Droulez (jacques.droulez(a)isir.upmc.fr <mailto:jacques.droulez@isir.upmc.fr>). _________________________________ Pr. Pierre Bessière - CNRS ********************** SORBONNE Universités - UPMC - ISIR http://bayesian-programming.org <http://bayesian-programming.org/> Tel: +33 1 44 27 51 54 Skype: Pierre.Bessiere Pyramide - T55/65 CC 173 - 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris FRANCE _________________________________

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Transylvanian Experimental Neuroscience Summer School (TENSS)
by Tomas Hromadka Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

Dear colleagues, Please find below an announcement about the fourth edition of the Transylvanian Experimental Neuroscience Summer School (TENSS). We would be very grateful if you could forward this announcement to potentially interested people. Transylvanian Experimental Neuroscience Summer School (TENSS) June 1-19, 2015. The Pike Lake, Transylvania, Romania www.tenss.ro TENSS will concentrate top-level international expertise to teach a dozen students techniques and concepts in experimental systems neuroscience. We will focus on modern optical and electrophysiological methods to study the connectivity and function of neuronal circuits. The course is designed to be intensive and highly interactive, including both lab sessions and theoretical lectures. Coursework will take place in a land of myth and legend, beyond large forests (Transylvania), on the shores of a picturesque natural reserve called Pike Lake. Applications are welcome from interested (and interesting) graduate students and postdocs. Please note that the registration fee has been reduced and there is a significant number of full and half waivers available for supporting our applicants. Application deadline -- March 1st, 2015 Notification of acceptance -- March 21st, 2015 Summer School -- June 1-19th, 2015 Confirmed lecturers: Acsády, László -- Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest Albeanu, Florin -- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY, USA Battaglia, Francesco -- Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands Bhalla, Upinder -- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India Burrone, Juan -- King's College, London, UK Engert, Florian -- Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA Gradinaru, Viviana -- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Häusser, Michael - University College, London, UK Hofer, Sonja -- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland Hromádka, Tomáš -- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic Hübener, Mark -- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany Ji, Na -- HHMI, Janelia Farm, USA Kampff, Adam -- Champalimaud Foundation, Institute for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal Keller, Georg -- Friedrich Miescher Institute, Basel, Switzerland Mrsic-Flögel, Tom -- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland Muresan, Raul -- Coneural, Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Monyer, Hannah -- University of Heidelberg, Germany Murthy, Venkatesh -- Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA Nikolic, Danko -- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany Roska, Botond -- Friedrich Miescher Institute, Basel, Switzerland Rumpel, Simon -- University of Mainz, Germany Singer, Wolf -- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany Whitlock, Jonathan -- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Trondheim, Norway Organizers: Muresan, Raul -- Coneural, Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Kampff, Adam -- Champalimaud Foundation, Institute for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal Albeanu, Florin -- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY, USA Information about how to apply can be found here: http://tenss.ro/apply/. Best regards, TENSS Organizing Committee contact(a)tenss.ro

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Call for Participation: VISUM Summer School (25 days until deadline)
by Ricardo Gamelas Sousa Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

Apologies for cross-posting. --- Call for Participation 3^rd VISion Understanding and Machine intelligence summer school, Porto, Portugal First Computer Vision Summer School with an industrial track 2-9 July, 2015 http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/|Facebook: http://goo.gl/FbVNtq *Important Dates* Application Deadline March 1, 2015 Decision March 8, 2015 Early Registration April 10, 2015 Late Registration May 8, 2015 Summer School July 2-9, 2015 *Visum will comprise three main tracks* 1.Fundamental subjects 2.Examples of computer vision applications 3.Industrial session Each one with extensive practical “hands-on” sessions* * *Topics* Randomised Decision Forests and Tree-structured Algorithms in Computer Vision Tae-Kyun Kim, Imperial College London, UK Local Features Extraction and Description Jiri Matas, Czech Technical University, CZ Document Image Analysis Alicia Fornes, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES Scene Understanding Martial Hebert, CMU, USA Automatic Facial Expression Recognition Michel Valstar, University of Nottingham, UK RGB-D Cameras Thomas Whelan, Imperial College London, UK *Applications* Point Clouds 3D* João P. Costeira, IST, PT ** *Tentative titles *Industry Track* http://asap54.com/ Daniel Heesch www.enermeter.pt/en Manuel João Ferreira www.philips.com Jacek Kustra *Venue* visum will take place in Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, European Best Destination 2012 and Lonely Planet’s top 10 for 2013. Here, you can find famous baroque style monuments, the worldwide known Port Wine cellars, always having the World Heritage Douro River as the background of this youthful, active and charming city. visum’s program includes social activities. *Accommodation*** *Tattva Design Hostel* Students will have 10% of discount. The prices include: Buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi all over the building, 4 computers in Lounge area, free linen, free locks, free City Maps, free Luggage Storage, free Portuguese Lessons, free Walking Tours, Happy Hour (exclusive prices for TattvaBar for guests). *Hotel da Música* All accepted participants will have a special price included in visum’s fees. Hotel da Música is a luxurious 4-star property set in a prime location in the centre of Porto. Local tourist attractions such as Rotunda da Boavista, Casa da Musica and Hospital Militar are not far from the hotel. Hotel da Música is equipped with free wifi. For more details please follow the link: http://www.hoteldamusica.com/and do not forget to check the special conditions at http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/ Please visit our webpage for up to date information: http://www.fe.up.pt/visum/. We are looking forward for your participation! visum organising committee Tiago Esteves, INEB, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Kelwin Fernandes, INESC TEC, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Eduardo Marques, INESC TEC, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Ana Rebelo, INESC TEC, Universidade do Porto Ricardo Sousa, INEB, Universidade do Porto Luís Teixeira, INESC TEC, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Follow us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/visum/402527539813446 Google+: https://plus.google.com/104076275960053201744/posts Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/visumschool

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Okinawa/OIST Computational Neuroscience Course 2015: application deadline soon
by Erik De Schutter Feb. 2, 2015

Feb. 2, 2015

OKINAWA/OIST COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE COURSE 2015 Methods, Neurons, Networks and Behaviors June 8 - June 25, 2015 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan 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 8th through June 25th, 2015 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) only; they will close February 8th, 2015. Applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance in March. 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. Like in preceding years, 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 experts. We invite those who are interested in integrating experimental and computational approaches at each level, as well as in bridging different levels of complexity. There is no tuition fee. The sponsor will provide lodging and meals during the course and may support travel for those without funding. 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: • Gordon Arbuthnott (OIST) • Axel Borst (MPI, Münich, Germany) • Erik De Schutter (OIST) • Kenji Doya (OIST) • Eugene Izihikevich (Brain Corporation, USA) • Bernd Kuhn (OIST) • Peter Latham (Gatsby Unit, UCL, UK) • Miguel Nicolelis (Duke University, USA) • Steve Prescott (University of Toronto, Canada) • John Rinzel (New York University, USA) • Jackie Schiller (Technion, Israel) • Greg Stephens (OIST) • Jeff Wickens (OIST) • Taro Toyoizumi (RIKEN BSI, Japan) • Xiao-Jing Wang (New York University, USA) • Wako Yoshida (ATR, Japan)

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European Spring School on Integrated Cognitive Systems (Herbert Jaeger)
by Herbert Jaeger Feb. 1, 2015

Feb. 1, 2015

Invitation to Participate: INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLEGE 2015 www.interdisciplinary-college.de An intense, decidedly interdisciplinary Spring School in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Machine Learning, Psychology, AI and Philosophy. Guenne, Lake Moehne, Germany - March 6-13, 2015 Chairs: Herbert Jaeger, Ansgar Bueschges Fokus theme 2015: From Neuron to Person: Assembling Behavior and Cognition *The Interdisciplinary College* (IK) is an annual European one-week spring school, now in its 18th year. It offers a dense, rich, 4-track state-of-the-art course program in the wider sciences of intelligent/cognitive systems. The perspective and mission is decidedly interdisciplinary. 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. Each IK is centered on a *focus theme*. In 2015 the focus is on integrated, complex cognitive systems. Research in the wider cognitive and neurosciences (including AI, machine learning and robotics) often deals with specific subsystems or functions, like "motor control", "object recognition", "working memory", etc. There are numerous reasons for this fragmentation: a divide-and-conquer strategy of isolating subsystems has been very successful in the sciences; commercially relevant applications mostly are centered on single functionalities; interdisciplinary research is not easy in practice. Defying these obstacles, the IK 2015 will cast its focus on complete, autonomous agents -- animals, humans, robots, and software characters. An offering of 25+ courses (each course 4-6 hours) is grouped under the following perspectives: - *Modeling cognitive architectures*: theoretical / mathematical / computational frameworks to analyse or design complete intelligent agents - *Person, Identity, Dignity*: philosophical / psychological / ethics perspectives on sentient beings - *Engineering Agents*: technological approaches to build robots and software agents - *Neurons, Muscles, Bodies*: "bottom-up" modeling of sensing and motor control in neurobiology, genetics and motor science - *Language and Thought*: "top-down" modeling of higher cognitive capacities in cognitive psychology and linguistics Please visit www.interdisciplinary-college.de for the detailed program, venue and registration and everything else, including the IK's 30-year-long history. Participants from outside Europe are of course most welcome too! ------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Herbert Jaeger Professor for Computational Science Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH Campus Ring 28759 Bremen, Germany Phone (+49) 421 200 3215 Fax (+49) 421 200 49 3215 email h.jaeger(a)jacobs-university.de http://minds.jacobs-university.de ------------------------------------------------------------------

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Call for Applications: School on Neurotechnologies 2015 (March 23-27, 2015) at Padova, Italy.
by Mufti Mahmud Jan. 31, 2015

Jan. 31, 2015

Dear All, Sorry for the cross posting of this message. I am glad to communicate that the NeuroChip Laboratory of University of Padova, Padova, Italy is organizing a School on Neurotechniques with special emphasis on "Tools for Investigating the Function of Neural Circuits". The school will be held from March 23 – 27, 2015 and the deadline for application is February 20, 2015. The following topics will be covered in the school: 1. Multi-electrode and multi-transistor arrays 2. Implantable brain probes for acute and chronic recording 3. Calcium imaging 4. Voltage sensitive dye imaging 5. Optogenetics 6. Transcranic magnetic stimulation and EEG 7. Mixed electrophysiology, genetics and behavior approaches 8. Information theory and the analysis of neuronal population signals 9. Closed-loop electrophysiology and hybrid neuromorphic-neural systems Thank you for your attention. Best regards, Mufti Mahmud Call for participation ------------------------- School on Neurotechniques 2015: The toolbox for investigating the function of neural circuits 23-27 March 2015 NeuroChip Lab, University of Padova, Italy Website: http://www.vassanellilab.eu/school-neurotechniques/ OBJECTIVE Investigating information processing and identifying operational rules of brain neural circuits relies on the capability to selectively record and stimulate multiple neurons within a network. The toolbox of available techniques conceived to meet this need is rapidly expanding. The CSN School on Neurotechniques 2015 will offer an overview on advanced electrical- and light-based recording methods of neuronal excitability, focusing on those that are most relevant for the investigation of neural networks ‘in vitro’ and ‘in vivo’ and for application in neuroprosthetics. Techniques derived from information theory for the analysis of neuronal population signals will be presented and practical demonstrations of experimental recording sessions provided. The school targets doctoral students, post-doctoral researchers, scientists working in the related fields. Since the school's topics are interdisciplinary covering neurobiology, neuronal biophysics, microscopy, and electronics, preliminary knowledge in these fields is highly recommended. SPEAKERS Luca Berdondini, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy Paolo Del Giudice, National Institute of Health, Italy Stefano Ferraina, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Italy Marta Giacomello, University of Padova, Italy Michele Giugliano, University of Antwerp, Belgium Bernd Kuhn, Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology, Japan Gabriele Losi, CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy Sergio Martinoia, University of Genova, Italy Marcello Massimini University of Milan , Italy Silvestro Micera, EPFL, Switzerland & SSSUP, Italy Ofer Yizhar, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Stefano Panzeri, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy Patrick Ruther, University of Freiburg, Germany Roland Thewes, University of Berlin, Germany Paul Verschure, Pompeu Fabra University, Spain Guenther Zeck, NMI at the University of Tuebingen, Germany Ralf Zeitler, MPI for Intelligent Systems, Germany REGISTRATION To apply, please register at ( http://www.vassanellilab.eu/school-neurotechniques/registration/) on or before February 20, 2015. If you have any further questions, please contact silviamaria.lattanzio(a)unipd.it or stefano.vassanelli(a)unipd.it The registration is FREE, however, the number of places are limited. The registration is sponsored by the European Commission, Project CSNII csnetwork.eu (GA No 601167, FP7, FET Proactive, Neuro-Bio-Inspired Systems). Travel and accommodation costs are not funded. LOCATION The school will be hosted by the NeuroChip Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via f. Marzolo 3, 35131 - Padova, Italy. The location is very close the city centre and is easily reachable from the railway or bus station of Padova. WHEN March 23-27, 2015. Target audience (N = ~25 active full-time): PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, scientists, members of associated EC CSNII consortia.

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Workshop announcement at the EITN March 2-4 2015
by EITN Jan. 30, 2015

Jan. 30, 2015

More information and registration on the following website http://eitnconf-020315.sciencesconf.org/ *Due to a limited number of seats, the registration is free however mandatoty **March 2nd-4th 2015, EITN Paris 1^st community workshop HBP network simulator* *“Are we building the right thing? – Requirements from theory for simulation environments and neuromorphic computing”* http://www.eitn.org Organized by Andrew Davison, Jeff Muller, Jochen Eppler, David Lester, Abigail Morrison and Markus Diesmann in collaboration with the EITN.** ***Abstract* The HBP creates novel ICT infrastructure for the neuroscience community. Simulation engines in software and hardware for different levels of description are accessible through a unified collaboration portal (UP) providing version control and provenance tracking. The simulation engine for networks of abstract spiking neuron models called the network simulator provided by the software NEST particularly targets theoretical neuroscience and neurorobotics. This workshop presents the capabilities of the network simulator and the corresponding PyNN expressions as available at the end of the ramp-up phase of the HBP in March 2016. Neuromorphic hardware provided by the NM-PM1 (Heidelberg) and SpiNNaker (Manchester) systems enable the translation of a restricted set of software models to a platform with accelerated speed and reduced power consumption for high-throughput studies and interaction with the real world. With this background, the main part of the workshop is reserved for a discussion of the scientific challenges and plans of theoretical neuroscience to derive future requirements on the simulation engine. This will help developers to optimize the roadmap of the second phase of the HBP with the aim to maximize usefulness, uptake, and impact.

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CFP: Special Session on Quantifying Embodiment, ECAL 2015
by Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi Jan. 30, 2015

Jan. 30, 2015

*** CALL FOR PAPERS *** 13th European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL 2015) Special Session on Quantifying Embodiment Session paper submission deadline: 2 March 2015 Notification of acceptance of papers: 17 April 2015 Paper Camera-Ready-Copy deadline: 18 May 2015 Conference convenes: 20-24 July 2015, York, United Kingdom Conference website: http://ecal2015.alife.org <http://ecal2015.alife.org/> Special Session website: http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/nature/ecal2015/embodiment.html <http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/nature/ecal2015/embodiment.html> There is a growing acknowledgement in the artificial life and artificial intelligence community that embodiment is a key for the understanding of cognitive systems. Despite the consensus about the importance of embodiment, there is no clear definition of what the agent’s embodiment actually is. We believe that a quantitative approach can help to answer this open question. This is inspired by Einstein’s answer to the question ”What is time?”, to which he replied ”Time is what clocks measure”. Although this seems to be a trivial answer, it reveals that what we mean by time depends on the way we measure it. We are interested in quantifications of embodiment from various view points and different fields. A non-exclusive list of examples is: • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on sensing • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on cognitive processes • Quantifications of the embodiment’s effect on acting • Quantifications of brain-body-environment separation We are open to quantifications from any formal approach. Examples are information theory and dynamical systems, but others are highly welcome too. The ideal outcome of the special session would be a good overview of different concepts and quantifications of embodiment and an understanding how they overlap and differ, thereby leading to a better understanding and a clearer picture of what embodiment actually is. Papers are submitted via the ECAL paper submission form and published in the conference proceedings. Special Session Chairs: Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi, Christoph Salge, Georg Martius, Daniel Polani

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New book: Analysis and modeling of multi-neuronal activity
by Tatsuno, Masami Jan. 29, 2015

Jan. 29, 2015

* Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this email * Dear Colleagues, Some of you might be interested in our recent book, Analysis and Modeling of Coordinated Multi-neuronal Activity (Springer Series in Computational Neuroscience, Vol. 12). The book covers - State-of-the-art introduction of multi-electrode recordings and how they contribute to the understanding of hippocampal memory - Overview of the modeling approach to hippocampal memory - Presentation of hippocampal local circuits and hippocampal-cortical interactions http://www.springer.com/biomed/neuroscience/book/978-1-4939-1968-0 http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Coordinated-Multi-neuronal-Computational-Neu… Best regards, Masami Tatsuno (Editor) University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada ----- Table of Contents 1. Techniques for Large-Scale Multiunit Recording; H. Steenland and B. McNaughton 2. Silicon Probe Techniques for Large-Scale Multiunit Recording; H. Steenland and B. McNaughton 3. Overview of Neural Activity in the Awake and Sleeping Hippocampus; M. Eckert and M. Tatsuno 4. Associative Reactivation of Place-Reward Information in the Hippocampal-Ventral Striatal Circuitry; C. Lansink and C. Pennartz 5. Hippocampal Sequences and the Cognitive Map; A. Wikenheiser and D. Redish 6. Reorganization of Hippocampal Place- Selective Patterns During Goal-Directed Learning and Their Reactivation During Sleep; D. Dupret and J. Csicsvari 7. Causal Relationship Between SPWRs and Spatial Learning and Memory; G. Girardeau and M. Zugaro 8. Packets of Sequential Neural Activity in Sensory Cortex; A. Luczak 9. Coordinated Sequence Replays Between the Visual Cortex and Hippocampus; D. Haggerty and D. Ji 10. Memory Consolidation, Replay, and Cortico- Hippocampal Interactions; E. Holleman and F. Battaglia 11. Memory Reactivation in Humans; J. Farthouat and P. Peigneux 12. Models and Theoretical Frameworks for Hippocampal and Entorhinal Cortex Function in Memory and Navigation; N. Schultheiss, J. Hinman, and M. Hasselmo 13. Information Encoding and Reconstruction by Phase Coding of Spikes; Z. Nadasdy 14. Reinforcement Learning and Hippocampal Dynamics; A. Johnson and S. Venditto 15. Off-Line Replay and Hippocampal- Neocortical Interaction; S. Káli

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postdoc in decision-making at Princeton
by Carlos Brody Jan. 29, 2015

Jan. 29, 2015

Postdoc in computational neuroscience of decision-making. My group <http://brodylab.org/> at Princeton University is looking for a talented computational postdoc to work on theory-driven modeling and data analysis of the neurophysiology of decision-making. We carry out both computational modeling (e.g., Brunton et al., Science 2013 <http://www.sciencemag.org/content/340/6128/95.full>) and experiments (e.g., Hanks, Kopec et al., Nature 2015 <http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature14066.html>), and this computational position will provide a powerful opportunity to influence and help direct experiments as they are conceived and develop. The data to be worked with will focus on simultaneous multi-neuron recordings, both electrophysiological and using two-photon cellular-resolution imaging (e.g., Scott et al., Neuron 2013 <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627313007125>), in decisions driven by accumulation of evidence. We are working towards single-trial, population-level understanding of the neural circuit mechanisms underlying decision-making. A background in quantitative sciences (e.g., machine learning, physics, math, computer science) is preferred and a strong interest in neuroscience is required. Please contact me directly at brody(a)princeton.edu <mailto:brody@princeton.edu> with a brief email describing your interests, your CV, and the names and contact info for two references. I look forward to hearing from you! Carlos Brody http://brodylab.princeton.edu <http://brodylab.princeton.edu/> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Carlos Brody (609) 258-7645 brody(a)princeton.edu <mailto:brody@princeton.edu>Howard Hughes Medical Institute & Princeton University Princeton Neurosci. Inst. & Dept. of Molecular Biology 155 Princeton Neuro Inst, Washington Rd, Princeton NJ 08544 http://brodylab.princeton.edu <http://brodylab.princeton.edu/> -----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Tangermann lab (Freiburg) -- PhD position in BCI
by Michael Tangermann Jan. 29, 2015

Jan. 29, 2015

Dear colleagues, I have an interesting open PhD position in my lab in Freiburg. Would you please circulate it in your labs and on email lists? Thanks a lot and snowy greetings from the Black Forrest, Michael --- snip --- PhD Position: Brain-Computer Interfaces in Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke BrainStateDecoding Lab of Dr. Michael Tangermann (Computer Science Dept.); payment level: TV-L E13 (65%); duration: 3/2015-2/2017 Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems make use of machine learning methods to cope with the challenges which appear during the decoding of individual brain signals in real-time. Within the BrainLinks-BrainTools cluster of excellence at the University of Freiburg (Germany), we evaluate whether BCI methods can be applied clinically outside of classical control paradigms. The PhD student will explore the use of BCI methods to support neurological rehabilitation training of speech and attention-related deficits after stroke. Scientific challenges comprise the development and investigation of brain signal analysis methods capable to describe rapid fluctuations of brain states and to assess the dynamics of network structures connecting brain areas. Working Areas (among others): * Theories (statistics, mathematics) and algorithms in the field of machine learning, with special emphasis on adaptive methods for the real-time decoding of mental states; software implementations thereof. * Conducting EEG studies with healthy controls and stroke patients. * Analysis of EEG experiments. * Supervision of Bachelor students. * Scientific dissemination of results (conferences, publications). Requirements: * Excellent Master studies on Computer Science, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Cognitive Science or closely related fields. * Knowledge in theory and methods of machine learning / artificial intelligence; very good math knowledge (specifically in probability theory, statistics, linear algebra). * Good knowledge about the design, the analysis and implementation of algorithms; experience with mathematical software (e.g. Matlab). * Hands-on experience in the design, execution and analysis of electrophysiological experiments, and in signal processing of EEG-, EMG-, EOG- or ECoG data. * Excellent communication skills in English The BrainStateDecoding Lab: The international lab is embedded into the Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools at the University of Freiburg. The cluster provides supporting career actions for PhD students. Tight collaborations with other BLBT groups are the basis for investigating novel machine learning approaches for the real-time analysis of brain signals. The activities range from theory development to BCI applications in a clinical context and for healthy users. Implementing an equal-chances policy and family-friendly working conditions, we explicitly encourage applications of female researchers. Handicapped applicants will be given priority to non-handicapped applicants, if they have comparable qualifications. Further information: www.bsdlab.uni-freiburg.de, www.brainlinks-braintools.uni-freiburg.de and via Dr. Tangermann. How to apply: Please state the position code BCI-4 when sending your application documents (including a CV, statement of your research interests, list of publications, references, Master and Bachelor degrees and course lists) as a single PDF document via email to Dr. Michael Tangermann (michael.tangermann(a)blbt.uni-freiburg.de) -- Dr. Michael Tangermann Phone: +49.(0)761.2038423 Fax : +49.(0)761.2038417 University of Freiburg BrainLinks-BrainTools Excellence Cluster Brain State Decoding Lab Albertstr. 23, Room 0.003 79104 Freiburg, Germany http://www.bsdlab.uni-freiburg.de

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Postdoctoral fellowships in computational neuroscience and neuroengineering at U. Washington
by Adrienne Fairhall Jan. 28, 2015

Jan. 28, 2015

We invite applications for the Washington Research Foundation Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowships in Neuroengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. These fellowships are offered through the UW Institute for Neuroengineering, which aims to stimulate research excellence in the development of novel approaches to the understanding and manipulation of brain function. These highly selective fellowships fund research in computational and engineering approaches to neuroscience; joint mentoring between faculty in different disciplines (CS, engineering, mathematics, biology) is strongly encouraged. Applications are due by March 13, 2015. Please see http://uwin.washington.edu/post-docs/ for more details.

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PhD position in decoding algorithms for PNS - closing soon
by Simon Schultz Jan. 28, 2015

Jan. 28, 2015

The following PhD studentship (part of the new Centre for Doctoral Training in Neurotechnology at Imperial College) is closing very soon (30th January). I would like to encourage applicants with good theoretical skills (e.g. math/physics/electrical-engineering) to apply. Peripheral nerve decoding algorithms for bioelectronic medicines Simon Schultz (Bioengineering), Nick Jones (Maths), Hannah Tipney (GSK) Bioelectronic medicine, in which devices connected to groups of individual nerve fibres are used to control the patterns of electrical signals to restore health to organs and biological functions, has been suggested to have the potential to make major advances in the treatment of conditions resistant to drugs, including diabetes, obesity, hypertension and pulmonary diseases (Famm et al, Nature 496:159-61, 2013). The development of bioelectronic medicines, however, is contingent upon the existence of suitable technology for monitoring and perturbing activity in peripheral nerve fibres; in particular, being able to “read out” and interpret signals carried by a peripheral nerve fibre is an essential milestone. In this project, we will develop decoding algorithms capable of reading out both continuous physiological signals, and discrete “events”, from peripheral nervous system (PNS) electrical signals. These algorithms will be applied to a variety of datasets collected by members of a research network in Bioelectronic Medicines that has been established by GlaxoSmithKline, plc. The project will involve two phases. The first year will comprise an MRes Project, in which the student will gain a deep understanding of the different approaches that can be taken to decoding physiological signals, testing algorithms on simulated data, which will be generated in the course of the project; we expect this computational model of a peripheral nerve to be a major output of the MRes year. In the following years, and exploiting and advancing a new signal processing architecture, the student will develop refined decoding algorithms optimised for use with peripheral nerve signals at several spatial scales, and will work with research groups across the GSK network to apply these algorithms to real PNS datasets. To apply, see the Centre for Neurotechnology website: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/neurotechnology/cdt/application

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Conference and workshops (call for submissions) - Transdisciplinary Approaches to Cognitive Innovation – CogNovo: ‘Off the Lip’ – September 7-11 2015.
by Info Cognition (General Enquiries) Jan. 28, 2015

Jan. 28, 2015

APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE FOR ANY CROSS-POSTING! Short papers, posters and workshop proposals are invited for a conference to be held at Plymouth University, UK (7th-11th September 2015). Full details of the CogNovo Conference ‘Off the Lip’ (Transdisciplinary Approaches to Cognitive Innovation) can be found below. Please forward to anyone else you think may be interested. Best wishes, Zoë. Zoë Foster-Smith Cognition Institute with Plymouth University http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/cognition [cid:image001.jpg@01D03AEE.A35CF4B0] OFF THE LIP: Transdisciplinary Approaches to Cognitive Innovation Workshop and Conference: Preliminary notice and call for participation 7-11 September 2015 Workshops: 7-8 September, Conference: 9-11September University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK Short papers, posters and workshop proposals are invited for a conference to be held at the University of Plymouth, UK between 7-11 September 2015. Confirmed Plenary Speakers: Amy Ione, Director of the Diatrope Institute, Berkeley, California, USA Roger Malina, Distinguished Professor of Arts and Technology, Professor of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, USA Sundar Sarukkai, Professor and Director of the Manipal Centre for Philosophy and Humanities, Manipal, India The promise of cognitive innovation as a collaborative project in the sciences, arts and humanities is that we can approach creativity as a bootstrapping cognitive process in which the energies that shape the poem are necessarily indistinguishable from those that shape the poet. For the purposes of this conference the exploration of the idea of cognitive innovation concerns an understanding of creativity that is not exclusively concerned with conscious human thought and action but also as intrinsic to our cognitive development. As a consequence, we see the possibility for cognitive innovation to provide a theoretical and practical platform from which to address disciplinary differences in ways that offer new topics and concerns for research in the sciences and the humanities. Papers should consider cognitive aspects of creativity, including but are not confined to: - Poetics, language and cognition - The dynamics and performativity of imagination - Affect and named emotions - Affective artefacts (artefacts as scaffolding device for mind) - Creativity as a ‘self corrective process’ - Cognition as creativity - Memory, metaphor, and media literacy - Archives, identity and emotionality - Art, mental health and consciousness - Networking and Network Studies - Creativity and mental imagery - Creativity and innovation in development - Social creativity - Neuroscience of creativity - Creativity as an iterative process - Simulating and modelling creativity Workshops The workshops will engage participants in the contributions made by past and current research in the Humanities in the understanding of cognition as a creative interaction with daily life. We are especially interested in case-studies and examples that will suggest how to build bridges between current trends in the cognitive sciences and established bodies of knowledge. We are inviting proposals for workshops of 90-120 minutes comprising small panels, structured discussions and practical explorations. Small grants are available to support workshop logistics. Conference papers Proposals are invited for papers dealing with responses to the research challenge of cognitive innovation from the sciences and humanities. We are particularly interested in offering opportunities for reporting on recent and emerging work in all disciplines and will give special attention to speculative approaches that involve more than one discipline. Papers (20 minutes) will be delivered in 30 minute slots to allow good time for discussion. Papers may also be presented as posters in the interactive poster+ session. Poster+ We encourage non-traditional forms of research presentations in the context of the familiar conference poster event. CogSlam Propose 6-minute cognition-related artworks including screenings, mini-lectures and performances to be interleaved with spontaneous contributions from delegates reflecting on the day’s discussions and exchanges. To submit a paper,poster or CogSlam please send a title and abstract of no more than 300 words together with a brief bio to Dr. Martha Blassnigg: m<mailto:rebecca.pearce@plymouth.ac.uk>artha.blassnigg(a)plymouth.ac.uk (Deadline 15th May 2015) If you would like to propose a workshop, please send a workshop title and brief abstract of 300-500 words and an outline of expected costs to Prof. Michael Punt: michael.punt(a)plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:michael.punt@plymouth.ac.uk> (Deadline 28th February 2015) There are no conference registration fees for students and a nominal fee of € 50 for all other participants to cover lunches and coffee, with an additional € 30 for those delegates wishing to attend the conference dinner. The conference administrator can assist with bookings for accommodation. _____________ Off the Lip is a collaboration between CogNovo (cognovo.eu) and Transtechnology Research (trans-techresearch.net) at the Cognition Institute, University of Plymouth. CogNovo is funded by the Marie Curie Initial Training Network FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN, grant number 604764. ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif]<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass> This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, Plymouth University accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. Plymouth University does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form.

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POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN NEUROECONOMICS
by Jean-Claude DREHER Jan. 28, 2015

Jan. 28, 2015

Center for Cognitive Neurocience, Lyon, France. Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position to study social decision making using model-based fMRI in healthy subjects and intracranial recordings in patients with epilepsy. Our research group combines multimodal neuroimaging with computational modelling to characterize the neural mechanisms underlying human social decision making. The focus of the project will be to unravel the neural correlates of social decision making using probabilistic representations of other’s intentions. We will use such approach to model ways in which we predict hypothetical action outcomes, the intentions of others and whether the other is cooperative or competitive. This will be implemented by parallel models and experiments using multimodal intracranial recordings and fMRI in humans to exploit maximally the experimental advantages of each technic. Candidates must have (or nearing completion of) a PhD degree in neuroscience, social psychology, behavioral economics, computational neuroscience or a related discipline. Candidates must have previous practical experience and working knowledge of human neuroimaging (EEG and/or model-based fMRI). The candidate must also have working knowledge of experimental statistics, signal processing and excellent programming skills in Matlab. Previous experience in simultaneous EEG/fMRI experiments, advanced multivariate data analysis and computational modelling is desirable but not required. The institute of Cognitive Science is located in Lyon, France, a thriving universitary city. The institute hosts an interdisciplinary neuroscience community with access to several brain imaging facilities, such as one research-dedicated 3T scanner, MEG, TEP, intracranial EEG in patients with epilepsy and other useful resources (http://dreherteam.cnc.isc.cnrs.fr/en/) This post is available immediatly, for up to three years. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications according to CNRS scales. Candidates should send their CV, statement of research interests, representative publications, and contact information of two referencesto Jean-Claude Dreher, email: dreher(a)isc.cnrs.fr <mailto:dreher@isc.cnrs.fr> -- Dr Jean-Claude Dreher, Research director, CNRS UMR 5229 Neuroeconomics group, Reward and decision making Centre de Neurosciences Cognitives 67 Bd Pinel, 69675 Bron, France tel: 00 33 (0)4 37 91 12 38 fax: 00 33 (0)4 37 91 12 10 http://dreherteam.cnc.isc.cnrs.fr/en/

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postdoctoral position in statistical analysis of population activity
by Gergo Orban Jan. 27, 2015

Jan. 27, 2015

The MTA Wigner Research Centre for Physics (Budapest, Hungary) in partnership with the the MTA Institute for Experimental Medicine (Budapest, Hungary) invites applications for a postdoctoral or for a PhD position in characterising neural population activity. The applicant will join the newly formed Population Activity Research Unit, which is sponsored by a prestigious National Brain Research Program grant and will be co-supervised by Gergő Orbán and András Telcs. The primary focus of the research group is the characterization of activity patterns of large-scale neural populations in the hippocampus and the understanding of the computational principles underlying its dynamically changing states. The unparalleled performance of the nervous system is due to the fast and parallel processing of information that is achieved by the coherent activity of networks of neurons. Recent advancements in recording techniques provides access to high temporal resolution data from hundreds of identified neurons during task performance of animals. Understanding the organizational principles underlying the high-dimensional activity patterns has become a fundamental challenge of neurobiology. We are seeking highly motivated candidates with strong analytical background to take part of this challenge and to work on a project that is based on a strong collaboration between neurophysiology and theoretical neuroscience. The ideal candidate has a strong mathematical background, preferably with a PhD in physics, computer science, or mathematics or other quantitative disciplines. Besides mathematical skills, the position requires competence in programming (e.g. matlab, R, python, or C++). Candidates with training or research experience in statistics, machine learning, computational modelling, dynamical systems are especially encouraged to apply. Training in neuroscience is not required but the applicant has to demonstrate his/her willingness to acquire the necessary background for the project. High dimensional neuronal data is recorded by the experimental part of the group (Attila Gulyas, Institute for Experimental Medicine) but the candidate will have the opportunity get experience with cutting-edge neuronal recording techniques to design of novel experiments based on the analysis of the recorded data. The official starting date of the project is 1 February 2015 but the start date of the position is negotiable. Initial appointment is made for one year but can be extended to three years upon successful evaluation. The work is based in the PATTERN lab at the MTA Wigner Institute (Budapest, Hungary) but requires regular interactions with the experimental partners at the Institute for Experimental Medicine (Budapest). For further information please visit the project website, http://pattern.wigner.mta.hu. For informal inquiries please contact Gergo Orban (orban.gergo(a)wigner.mta.hu) or Andras Telcs (telcs.szit.bme(a)gmail.com) Please send applications, including CV, a research statement and contact information of two references by email to András Telcs before 20 February.

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Post-doctoral research position in humanoid cognitive robotics research
by Patricia Hazel Shaw [phs] Jan. 27, 2015

Jan. 27, 2015

Intelligent robotics research group at Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK, announces: Post-Doctoral Research Associate vacancy, three-year fixed-term The Project: “Developmental Algorithms for Robotics” ==================================================== The project aims to investigate a mechanism for robots, building on top of basic spatial sensorimotor competencies, that drives the autonomous development of new behaviours and self learning about novel events for which they have no prior experience. This will involve (1) expanding existing motor-babbling activity into object play behaviour, (2) formulating play behaviour as a viable mechanism for autonomous learning about unknown environments, (3) establishing an extended schema concept as a mechanism for integrating memory, experience generalization and action generation, (4) exploring action perception from the agent's experience, and (5) close monitoring of the work with psychological data and expert psychologists. The project will closely follow current knowledge on infant development and aim to reproduce behaviour as reported in the psychological literature. In particular the focus will be on three areas of core knowledge: (1) Object understanding, (2) Interaction with animate objects, and (3) Tool use. The work will be supported by collaboration with leading developmental psychologists on the project scientific advisory panel. This will produce models and mechanisms that can be implemented and tested experimentally against psychological benchmarks. The models will be validated with challenging demonstrators based on a single humanoid robotic platform (iCub). As a main outcome, the project will advance the understanding and application of intrinsic motivations in autonomous learning systems and robots. This overall goal will be achieved with the support of an International Scientific Advisory Board, consists of: Kevin O'Regan, Jacqueline Fagard, Merideth Gattis, David Whitebread, Giorgio Metta, QinetiQ and Lego. The Appointment (PDRA) – Scientific modeller ============================================ Applications are invited for the post of Post-Doctoral Research Associate on this project at Aberystwyth University. The successful applicant will have a relevant background, experience of research (as demonstrated by PhD and/or publications), and proven abilities in mathematical/scientific modelling. The main tasks will involve analysing the psychological literature to develop models and experiments for testing on an iCub humanoid robot. This will be supported by another PDRA, and PhD student, who will have special responsibility for implementing the models whilst maintaining and supporting the robot. Other tasks include writing scientific documents and papers, documenting experiments and writing reports, supervising a PhD student, responsibility for day-to-day management of project needs, and collaborating with the scientific advisory panel and other researchers. Regular European travel will be involved. This post is available on a three-year fixed-term contract, funded by the EPSRC. Salary will be on the IA scale for Research Staff in the range: £32,277 - £37,384 (depending upon qualifications and experience). We expect to appoint for a start date in the first quarter of 2015. How to apply ============ Closing date: 5th February Ref: IMPACS.14.22  For information and application forms please go to www.aber.ac.uk/en/hr/jobs/vacancies-external/ Completed Application Forms should be signed and returned to the Human Resources Recruitment Team by e-mail, or post. Email address: vacancies(a)aber.ac.uk / Tel: 01970 628555 Interview Date: Week commencing 16 February 2015 For informal enquiries contact Patricia Shaw: phs(a)aber.ac.uk +44 (0)1970-622432

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Research Topic "Closed-loop systems for next-generation neuroprostheses"; Frontiers in Neuroprosthetics
by Paolo Bonifazi Jan. 25, 2015

Jan. 25, 2015

Dear Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to our research topic “Closed-loop systems for next-generation neuroprostheses” in Frontiers in Neuroprosthetics. http://journal.frontiersin.org/ResearchTopic/3581 Abstract deadline: 28th February 2015 Manuscript deadline: 30th September 2015 The topic description follows below. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any question. Best regards, Paolo Bonifazi - on behalf of the Topic Editors *Timothée Levi, **Michela Chiappalone and **Paolo Massobrio* *Millions of people worldwide are affected by neurological disorders which disrupt connections within the brain and between brain and body causing impairments of primary functions and paralysis. Such a number is likely to increase in the next years and current assistive technology is limited. The response to such disabilities, offered by the neuroscience community, is given by Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs) and Neuroprostheses. * *Such a field of research is highly multidisciplinary, since it involves very different and disperse scientific communities, making it fundamental to create connections and to join research efforts. Indeed, to design neuroprosthetic devices, six main research topics are involved: interfacing of neural systems at different levels of architectural complexity (from in vitro neuronal ensembles up to the human brain), bio-artificial interfaces for stimulation and recording, innovative signal processing tools for coding and decoding of neural activity, biomimetic artificial neural networks and neural network modeling. In order to develop functional communication with the nervous system and create a new generation of neuroprostheses, studying closed-loop systems is mandatory. The bi-directional communication between living neurons and artificial devices is the main final goal of those studies. However, closed-loop systems are still rare in the literature, mostly due to the required multidisciplinary effort. Therefore through this research topic, we intend to encourage an active discussion among neurobiologists, electrophysiologists, bioengineers, computational neuroscientists and neuromorphic engineers. * *The overall goal of this research topic is to present the results and stimulate/promote the discussion about the design of a novel generation of neuroprostheses aimed at recovering impaired/damaged neural networks. In this Research Topic, we welcome submissions highlighting the latest results in neuroprosthetics but also covering the six major topics introduced above. Review articles about closed-loop systems and neuroprostheses are strongly encouraged. Indeed, the intrinsic multidisciplinary nature of the proposed topic, from which we expect to receive contributions from different specialists, will help the scientific community to converge to new ideas and solutions to treat invalidating neuronal disabilities.* ==================== Paolo Bonifazi, PhD Italy-Israel Initiative on Integrative Network Neuroscience P.I. of the BRAINBOW project - http://www.brainbowproject.eu School of Physics and Astronomy Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel

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