- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

MBL Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course - Deadline March 31

by Stephen A. Baccus

Applications are open for the Methods in Computational Neurosciencecourse at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. The course will run from July 26 to August 23, 2023. The online application form and additional information can be found at: https://www.mbl.edu/education/advanced-research-training-courses/course-off… The course application deadline is *March 31*. The course covers a range of topics in computational neuroscience including neuronal biophysics, neural coding & information processing, circuit dynamics, learning & memory, motor control, and cognitive processing & disease. In addition, numerous tutorials and problem sets will cover a broad range of computational and mathematical modeling methods. The course strongly emphasizes the collaboration between theory and experiment in solving neuroscience problems, and lectures will be given by a mixture of theorists and experimentalists. The final weeks of the course are primarily reserved for work on projects that students design in collaboration with the resident faculty. 2023 Course Directors: Stephen Baccus, Stanford University Xiao Jing Wang, New York University 2023 Faculty: Larry Abbott, Columbia University Emery Brown, MIT Nicolas Brunel, Duke University Randy Buckner, Harvard University Anne Churchland, UCLA Claudia Clopath, Imp. College London Marlene Cohen, U. of Pittsburgh Shaul Druckmann, Stanford University Uri Eden, Boston University Bard Ermentrout, U. of Pittsburgh Adrienne Fairhall, U. of Washington Michale Fee, MIT Loren Frank, UCSF Stefano Fusi, Columbia University Surya Ganguli, Stanford University Paul Glimcher, New York University Mark Goldman, UC Davis Nancy Kopell, Boston University Eve Marder, Brandeis University John Murray, Yale University Srdjan Ostojic, ENS - PSL Yiota Poirazi, IMBB-FORTH David Redish, U. Minnesota Terry Sejnowski, Salk Institute Sebastian Seung, Princeton University Reza Shadmehr, Johns Hopkins Univ. Haim Sompolinsky, Hebrew University Nelson Spruston, Janelia Res., HHMI Nao Uchida, Harvard University Byron Yu, Carnegie Mellon University Greg Wayne, DeepMind

March 25, 2023

Postdoctoral positions in sensory coding and memory - University of Sheffield

by Andrew Lin

Why are brains the way they are? Do neural circuits function in an “optimal” way, and if so, in what sense are they optimal? How do brains encode sensory information and form associative memories? Andrew Lin's lab at the University of Sheffield is seeking postdoctoral research associates to study these fundamental questions in neuroscience in the olfactory system of the fruit fly Drosophila. We aim to discover neuronal plasticity mechanisms that underlie associative memory and the maintenance of optimal sensory coding, in the Drosophila mushroom body (the fly’s olfactory memory centre). Of special note to the comp-neuro email list, we are particularly looking for at least one of the postdocs we hire to have expertise in computational neuroscience. We seek to tie computational models of what plasticity rules would be ‘optimal’ for memory, with experiments testing whether the real brain actually uses these ‘optimal’ rules. This research will use a range of techniques including: in vivo two-photon calcium imaging, electrophysiology, fly genetics, behavioural experiments, computational modelling and building custom equipment. The exact project can be tailored to your background, but expertise in at least some of these techniques is essential, along with a PhD in a relevant field (or equivalent experience), excellent communication skills and an ability to work in a team. We welcome self-motivated, innovative, and creative applicants from a range of academic backgrounds, including biology, neuroscience, experimental psychology, computer science, physics and engineering. Closing date: 4 April 2023 Apply at this link: https://bit.ly/LinPostdoc2023 More about the lab: https://www.aclinlab.org/ Expected start date: 1 September 2023 (earlier or later start date may be possible, happy to discuss) We welcome international applicants and the university will reimburse the post-holder for many visa expenses: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/induction/before/international/visas For informal enquiries, contact Andrew: andrew.lin(a)sheffield.ac.uk -- Andrew Lin School of Biosciences University of Sheffield Firth Court Western Bank Sheffield S10 2TN +44 (0) 114 222 3643 http://www.aclinlab.org

March 22, 2023

Postdoc in computational neuroscience/machine learning at the University of Nottingham (UK) - closes March 30th

by Mark Humphries

The Humphries’ lab at the University of Nottingham is seeking a postdoc to study the neural basis of foraging, in collaboration with the groups of Matthew Apps (Birmingham) and Nathan Lepora (Bristol). Whether choosing to leave one shop for another, switching TV programs, or seeking berries to eat, humans and other animals make innumerable stay-or-leave decisions, but how we make them is not well understood. The goal of this project is to develop new computational accounts of stay-or-leave decisions, and use them to test hypotheses for how humans, primates, and rodents learn and make these decisions. The work will draw on and develop new reinforcement learning and accumulation (e.g. diffusion) models of decision-making. The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes actions in the world (https://www.humphries-lab.org) This post will join our developing research program into how humans and other animals learn to make the right decisions (e.g. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.30.505807) The post is until 14th February 2025. Nottingham University welcomes researchers from around the globe. As part of this support, the university will provide financial support to the post-holder for all visa costs. Unsure if you're a good fit for the post? Got any questions? Then contact Mark for a chat: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk. For full details of the role and how to apply https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=SCI092323 Closing date: March 30th 2023 This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

March 22, 2023

Postdoctoral position in theoretical neuroscience at Bocconi University (Milan, Italy)

by Alessandro Sanzeni

Hi all, A fully-funded, three-year postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience is now available at Bocconi University's Department of Computing Sciences in Milan, Italy. The postdoctoral researcher will have the chance to explore various research topics, such as movement modulation of visual responses in mice, integrating connectomes in mechanistic models of brain functions, and building normative models of neural representations, among others. The research will utilize cutting-edge approaches from statistical physics, nonlinear dynamics, and machine learning, and will be informed by the latest electrophysiological and connectomic data. Prior experience with computational neuroscience is a plus, but it is not required. The postdoc will have the opportunity to become a part of the thriving neuroscience, machine learning, and computer science communities at Bocconi University. To learn more about these communities, please visit https://cs.unibocconi.eu/ and https://bidsa.unibocconi.eu/. The postdoc will be a member of the NSF-funded Accelnet consortium "International network for brain-inspired computation," facilitating international collaborations between a large network of computational neuroscience/AI labs. At Bocconi University, we are committed to fostering a diverse intellectual community and encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply for these positions. Applicants should apply via our on-line application system, which can be found at "www.unibocconi.eu/post-doc<http://www.unibocconi.eu/post-doc>" (Publication nr. 65633) by 23:59 of April 17th, 2023 (Italian time). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at alessandro.sanzeni(a)unibocconi.it All the best, Alessandro Sanzeni

March 21, 2023

Open position: Postdoctoral position in Human Psychophysics in Tuebingen, Germany

by Pavlovic, Maria

Postdoctoral position in Human Psychophysics (m/f/d) (TVöD Bund E13, 100%) The Department of Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems (PI Prof. Li Zhaoping) at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and at the University of Tübingen is currently looking for highly skilled and motivated individuals to work on projects aimed towards understanding visual attentional and perceptual processes using fMRI/MRI, TMS and/or EEG methodologies. The framework and motivation of the projects can be found at: <https://www.lizhaoping.org/zhaoping/AGZL_HumanVisual.html> https://www.lizhaoping.org/zhaoping/AGZL_HumanVisual.html. The projects can involve, for example, visual search tasks, stereo vision tasks, visual illusions, and will be discussed during the application process. fMRI/MRI, TMS and/or EEG methodologies can be used in combination with eye tracking, and other related methods as necessary. The postdoc will be working closely with the principal investigator and other members of Zhaoping's team when needed. Responsibilities: * Conduct and participate in research projects such as lab and equipment set up, data collection, data analysis, writing reports and papers, and presenting at scientific conferences. * Participate in routine laboratory operations, such as planning and preparations for experiments, lab maintenance and lab procedures. * Coordinate with the PI and other team members for strategies and project planning. * Coordinate with the PI and other team members for project planning, and in supervision of student projects or teaching assistance for university courses in our field. Requirements: * Ph.D. in neuroscience, psychology, computer science, physics or a related natural science or engineering field. * Publications in peer-reviewed journals. * Highly skilled in techniques of human visual psychophysics such as MATLAB programming for experiments, experimental data taking, data analysis, and paper writing. * Familiarity with hardware and techniques in eye tracking, fMRI/MRI, EEG, TMS, tDCS/tACS, and other related techniques such as in carrying out fMRI experiments is highly desirable. * Experience in project management is highly desired. * Strong command of English; knowledge of German is a plus. Who we are: We use a multidisciplinary approach to investigate sensory and sensory-motor transforms in the brain <https://www.lizhaoping.org> (www.lizhaoping.org) Our approaches consist of both theoretical and experimental techniques including human psychophysics, fMRI imaging, electrophysiology and computational modelling. One part of our group is located in the University, in the Centre for Integrative Neurosciences (CIN), and the other part is in the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics as the Department for Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems. You will have the opportunity to learn other skills in our multidisciplinary group and benefit from interactions with our colleagues in the university as well as internationally. This job opening is for the CIN or the MPI working group. The position (salary level TVöD-Bund E13, 100%) is for a duration of two years. Extension or a permanent contract after two years is possible depending on situations. We seek to raise the number of women in research and teaching and therefore urge qualified women to apply. Disabled persons will be preferred in case of equal qualification. Your application: The position is available immediately and will be open until filled. Preference will be given to applications received by May 31st, 2023. We look forward to receiving your application that includes (1) a cover letter, including a statement on roughly when you would like to start this position, (2) a motivation statement, (3) a CV, (4) names and contact details of three people for references, (5) if you have them, transcripts from your past and current education listing the courses taken and their grades, (6) if you have them, please also include copies of your degree certificates, (7) you may include a pdf file of your best publication(s), or other documents and information that you think could strengthen your application. Please use pdf files for these documents (and you may combine them into a single pdf file) and send to jobs.li(a)tuebingen.mpg.de <mailto:jobs.li@tuebingen.mpg.de> , where also informal inquiries can be addressed. Please note that applications without complete information in (1)-(4) will not be considered, unless the cover letter includes an explanation and/or information about when the needed materials will be supplied. For further opportunities in our group, please visit <http://www.lizhaoping.org/jobs.html> www.lizhaoping.org/jobs.html _________________________________ Maria Pavlovic Assistant to Prof. Zhaoping Li Office Hours: 07.00-13.00 Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics Max-Planck-Ring 8 D-72076 Tuebingen phone +49 7071 601 609 fax +49 7071 601 619 <mailto:maria.pavlovic@tuebingen.mpg.de> maria.pavlovic(a)tuebingen.mpg.de <http://www.lizhaoping.org/> www.lizhaoping.org

March 20, 2023

32nd Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2023), Leipzig, July 15-19 2023: abstract submission deadline EXTENDED to March 27th

by Rubchinsky, Leonid L

Dear Colleagues, The CNS*2023 abstract submission deadline has been extended to Monday March 27th, 11:00 pm Pacific Time. Note that one of the authors must register as sponsoring author for the main meeting before abstract submission. Submitted abstracts are used for creating the program and for publication. Please follow the formatting guidelines on the submission site. Registration: https://ocns.memberclicks.net/cns-2023-registration Abstract Submission: https://ocns.memberclicks.net/cns-2023-abstract-submission General information: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2023 The calls for tutorials and workshops remain open: CALL FOR TUTORIALS: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2023-call-for-tutorials Deadline for proposals: 22 April 2023 CALL FOR WORKSHOPS: https://www.cnsorg.org/cns-2023-call-for-workshops Priority Deadline for proposals: 15 April 2023 With kind regards, Leonid Rubchinsky OCNS Vice President *********************** Leonid Rubchinsky, PhD Professor Department of Mathematical Sciences, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine 402 N. Blackford St Indianapolis, IN 46202-3216 lrubchin(a)iupui.edu http://www.math.iupui.edu/~lrubchin ***********************

March 17, 2023

RA Position in Intracranial EEG in New York

by Tostaeva, Gelana

The human intracranial EEG Laboratory at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research – Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine in New York is looking for one research assistant to start as soon as possible and by June 2023. The successful candidate will help with the lab’s research into (1) improving the identification of functional and pathological brain regions in individuals suffering from epilepsy, (2) the neural mechanisms of cognition, and (3) the characterization of macroscale human brain networks. The lab works exclusively with patients being evaluated for epilepsy surgery using methods such as invasive stereo EEG and electrocorticography recordings (iEEG, ECoG), anatomical MRI, fMRI, DTI, and direct electrical brain stimulation. The responsibilities will include assisting with the collection and analysis of the aforementioned data, project management, assistance with grant applications and progress reports, help with analysis of neural and imaging data using existing scripts (Matlab, Python), further development of those scripts (depending on coding and signal processing proficiency), and helping to present lab findings at conferences and in journals. The relative weighting of responsibilities can be adjusted depending on the interest of the applicant. If there is interest, the RA will have her/his own scientific project with dedicated time to work on it. Past research assistants in the lab have presented their work at clinical and basic research conferences, co-authored lab publications, and are working on first-author publications. They have gone on to medical schools or PhD programs after spending 1-3 years in the lab. This unique position will expose the successful applicant to basic and clinical neuroscience as well as neurosurgery, neurology, and neuropsychology. The location of the institute allows living either in the suburban neighborhoods of Long Island or in vibrant Brooklyn or Queens. Some employees also commute from Manhattan. It is a great opportunity for recent post-bacs interested in medical school or graduate school in neuroscience/biomedical engineering. ------------- Qualifications ------------- Minimum: -B.A./B.S./B.E. in an appropriate discipline (e.g., neuroscience, psychology, biomedical engineering, computer science, physics) -1 year commitment Desirable: -Prior experience working with neuroimaging, EEG/MEG, or brain stimulation data -Previous experience working with patients -Previous work in a research laboratory that shows evidence of independent scholarship, problem-solving, and motivation -Experience with at least one programming language (MATLAB, R, or Python) and statistical analyses -2-year commitment preferred For more information about the position, please send your CV along with your questions to Drs. Stephan Bickel (sbickel(a)northwell.edu) and Ashesh Mehta (amehta.northwell.edu) You can also find the job posting here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jobs.northwell.edu/job-3/17988989/resea…>. We are looking forward to hearing from you! -- Gelana Tostaeva she/her/hers Research Associate Human Brain Mapping Lab The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research The information contained in this electronic e-mail transmission and any attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom or to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this communication and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and electronic mail, and delete the original communication and any attachment from any computer, server or other electronic recording or storage device or medium. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client, physician-patient or other privilege.

March 16, 2023

PhD position in Computational Psychology of Perception at Stockholm University

by Pawel Herman

Dear colleagues, We are looking to hire a doctoral student in computational psychology with focus on olfactory perception and cognition as part of the interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University (SU) and the Division of Computational Science and Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden. This joint research effort led by Prof. Jonas Olofsson at SU and Dr. Pawel Herman at KTH offers an opportunity to leverage the potential of computational network models to gain mechanistic insights into perceptual and cognitive phenomena. The project will contribute to the development of the next-generation psychologists capable of flexibly utilising a wide spectrum of experimental and computational techniques to pursue increasingly challenging questions in human perception, research that has tangible clinical implications. As mentioned, the project will focus on the sense of smell as a model system. More information about the positions can be found here: https://www.su.se/english/about-the-university/work-at-su/available-jobs/ph… Interested candidates are encouraged to reach out to Jonas Olofsson (jonas.olofsson AT psychology.su.se) and/or Pawel Herman (paherman AT kth.se) directly to informally discuss the positions. Best regards Pawel Herman and Jonas Olofsson ------------------------------------ Paweł Herman Associate Professor, PhD, Docent KTH Royal Institute of Technology School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Division of Computational Science and Technology (CST) Lindstedtsvägen 5 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden room 4442 (4th floor, D-building) tel. +46 8 790 6513

March 16, 2023

[CFP, Deadline Extended] IEEE T-MBMC - Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs

by Murat Kuşcu

(Apologies if you receive multiple copies.) IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications Special Issue on Bio-Chem-ICTs: Synergies between Bio/Nanotechnologies and Molecular Communications https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/cfp/bio-chem-icts-s… ----------------------- *Paper Submission Deadline Extended:* *31 March 2023* ----------------------- CALL FOR PAPERS Molecular Communications (MC) is a fundamental means of information exchange ubiquitously observed in nature. It has recently attracted the attention of researchers who have been working in information and communication technologies (ICT) and striving to create cooperative ‘nanonetworks’ of artificial nanomachines, which can be interfaced with or immersed in natural biological systems. Application of ICT tools to this natural modality of communications has laid the foundations of bio-inspired, engineered MC systems, and also contributed to the understanding of natural MC networks. It is no wonder that such fundamental form of communications has been a topic of significant interest in many diverse research fields beyond ICT, such as synthetic biology, systems chemistry, micro/nanorobotics, network medicine, biophysics and physiology, biochemical sensing, lab- and organ-on-chips, bio-interfaces, molecular and biological computing, drug discovery, design and delivery. However, different languages are typically adopted by different fields to refer to the same phenomenon that the ICT researchers call molecular communications, such as chemical communications, biological/cell signaling, interaction networks, which all fundamentally denote information transfer via mass transport and/or biochemical reactions and interactions. Despite the significant overlap in the problem and the application domain, not only the language but also the research methodologies and the solution approaches are diverse, partly due to the apparent lack of strong links between different research communities. On the other hand, closer interactions between these disciplines can create important synergies that can help collaboratively target more challenging research problems and develop unprecedented applications, where the power of true interdisciplinarity is unleashed. These interactions can also help better identify the common motifs in the heterogeneous sea of molecular communication problems and scenarios comprising both biotic and abiotic systems, and help reframe and standardize the way we approach biological and bio-inspired communications in the hope of enabling a common scientific and engineering language. The aim of this Special Issue is to facilitate such interactions by bringing together the contributions of prominent researchers from diverse fields that share a common denominator with the ICT approach to MC. Reflecting different perspectives on natural and engineered molecular communications, and appreciating the diversity of approaches and methodologies, the Special Issue will ultimately help identify the potential interaction pathways between different research areas and communities, that can lead to fruitful collaborations and synergy. To this end, we solicit original contributions (technical or position/survey/tutorial/perspective articles) on a very diverse set of topics including but not limited to: ** Molecular communication among synthetic cells, and between synthetic and natural cells ** Molecular communication among nanoparticles, and between nanoparticles and natural/synthetic cells ** Collective micro/nanorobotic swarms and active matter based on molecular communications ** Physical limits to communication, sensing, and information processing in natural and synthetic bio/nano systems ** Network medicine, communication and network biomarkers of diseases ** Engineering of protein-protein and other molecular interactions, de novo design of proteins and artificial receptors for sensing and molecular communications ** Semantic information in biological networks ** Bio-interfaces (e.g., neural interfaces) relying on molecular interactions, redox reactions, and ionic carriers ** New sensing techniques and chemical & biosensor architectures targeting dynamic bio/chemical signals ** New nanomaterials and device architectures for bio-nano interfaces, and micro/nanomachines & molecular machines capable of molecular communications ** Drug design techniques exploiting molecular interactions, network-based approaches to drug discovery ** Smart drug delivery systems and techniques ** Biological and molecular computing ** Signaling aspects of lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, multi-organ-on-a-chip, body-on-a-chip, disease-on-a-chip applications --------------------------- IMPORTANT DATES Manuscript Submission Deadline: 31 March 2023 (Extended Deadline) First Notification: 30 April 2023 Acceptance Notification: 30 May 2023 Final Manuscript Due: 30 June 2023 Publication Date: September 2023 --------------------------- GUEST EDITORS Murat Kuscu Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Koc University, Turkey Email: mkuscu(a)ku.edu.tr Pasquale Stano Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies University of Salento, Italy Email: pasquale.stano(a)unisalento.it Gregory F. Payne Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research University of Maryland, USA Email: gpayne(a)umd.edu Bige D. Unluturk School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Michigan State University, USA Email: unluturk(a)msu.edu Malcolm Egan University of Lyon, Inria, INSA-Lyon, CITI, France Email: malcolm.egan(a)inria.fr Michael T. Barros School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering University of Essex, UK Email: m.barros(a)essex.ac.uk --------------------------- SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts following the IEEE TMBMC guidelines ( https://www.comsoc.org/publications/journals/ieee-tmbmc/information-for-aut… ). Authors should submit a manuscript through Manuscript Central ( https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tmbmc) ---------------------------

March 16, 2023

Job Opening: PhD/PostDoc at TU Berlin – Machine Learning for Wearable Brain-Body Imaging

by von Lühmann, Alexander, Dr.

Job Opening: PhD/PostDoc at TU Berlin – Machine Learning for Wearable Brain-Body Imaging The independent research group "Intelligent Biomedical Sensing (IBS)<http://www.ibs-lab.com/mission-statement>" headed by Dr.-Ing. Alexander von Lühmann<https://www.bifold.berlin/people/dr-alexander-von-luehmann.html> is hiring! We are looking for a highly motivated researcher to join us in interdisciplinary projects that focus on the development of novel methods for the identification and extraction of robust multimodal biomarkers for neuronal and peripheral physiological activation - towards personalized digital health. The IBS Lab develops miniaturized wearable neurotechnology and body-worn sensors, as well as machine learning methods for sensing signals from the brain and body under natural conditions of the everyday world. The group focuses on multimodal analysis of physiological signals in diffuse optics (e.g. fNIRS) and biopotentials (e.g. EEG). Working field: * Independent and responsible research on ML-based methods and models for robust neurotechnology in mobile applications. * Exploration of models and methods for physiology-informed multimodal brain imaging and single-trial analysis * Development of multimodal machine learning-based methods for signal analysis, signal decomposition and identification of physiological transfer functions * Scientific publishing, pursuit of doctoral degree is possible. * Teaching duties Employer: TU Berlin/BIFOLD Salary grade: TV-L 13 Berliner Hochschulen Starting date: at the earliest possible Closing date: 24.03.2023 Full job posting: IV-112/23<https://tub.stellenticket.de/de/offers/161900/?search%5Bfulltextsearch%5D=I…> | BIFOLD<https://www.bifold.berlin/about-us/opportunities/research-assistant-tv-l-13> | IBS Lab<http://www.ibs-lab.com/get-involved> __________________________ Dr.-Ing. Alexander von Lühmann Head of Independent Research Group Intelligent Biomedical Sensing (IBS) [cid:image001.png@01D95722.774D00A0] BIFOLD-ML | Machine Learning Department Technische Universität Berlin Fakultät IV – EECS MAR 4-1 / Raum 4.045 Marchstr. 23, 10587 Berlin Telefon: +49 (0)30 314-77079 www.ibs-lab.com<http://www.ibs-lab.org/> www.bifold.berlin<http://www.bifold.berlin/> www.ml.tu-berlin.de<http://www.ml.tu-berlin.de/>

March 15, 2023

Postdoctoral Position at Johns Hopkins: Selective attention in deep neural networks

by Ernst Niebur

The computational neuroscience group, headed by Prof. Ernst Niebur, in the Department of Neuroscience of Johns Hopkins University is recruiting one or more postdoctoral fellows. This is a collaborative project with the Johns Hopkins Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and the Allen Institute for Brain Research in Seattle, WA. Project: Deep learning has achieved impressive performance in many tasks which is driven by the capacity for backpropagation to “assign credit” to a vast array of parameters. This achievement is obtained at the cost of large energy consumption and many needed examples for learning. Furthermore, machine learning performance still pales in comparison with the energy efficiency and capacity to generalize when compared to biological systems. In this project, we will use mechanisms of selective attention, akin to those used in biological cognition, to constrain and direct the task of credit assignment during learning. Start date: As soon as possible. Affiliation: The computational neuroscience group (http://cnslab.mb.jhu.edu) is part of the Krieger Mind/Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Requirements: * PhD in computational neuroscience, computer science, or a closely related field preferred. Candidates with a PhD in physics, mathematics, engineering, psychology, ... with a proven track record of creative thinking will be considered * Solid quantitative/mathematics training * Solid programming skills * Experience in deep learning strongly preferred * US citizens/permanent residents preferred * Women and members of underrepresented minorities strongly preferred Please send applications via email to niebur(a)jhu.edu, including * Complete CV including contact information, transcripts and a list of publications * Names, email addresses, and phone numbers of three references

March 14, 2023

Reminder! Fast Lane to Slow Science – Online panel discussion to celebrate International Women's Month – 20 March 2023, 13h GMT / 14h CET

by Sidarus, Nura

Hi, Can you please advertise a reminder for the following event. Thank you in advance, Nura Sidarus. ----- Fast Lane to Slow Science Online panel discussion to celebrate International Women's Month Monday, 20th March 2023 – 13h GMT / 14h CET You are warmly invited to join us in celebrating International Women's Month with an online panel discussion on "Fast Lane to Slow Science". If "fast science is bad for scientists and bad for science" (Frith, TiCS, 2019), how can we move towards a Slow Science? What are the implications for the evaluation of science and scientists? And for equity and diversity? Join our panel of world leading scientists, who have been shaping science, science evaluation and science policy in Europe, to discuss these questions and more: * Professor Dame Uta Frith, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK. Author of "Fast Lane to Slow Science<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cell.…>" (TiCS, 2019). * Professor Sylvie Lorente, College of Engineering, Villanova University, USA. Member of the ERC Scientific Council. * Professor Toma Susi, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Austria. Member of the Steering Board of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment. Details and registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-month-celebration-panel-discussion-on…<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.event…> Organised and chaired by Dr Nura Sidarus, Royal Holloway University of London, and facilitated by Dr María Jesús Maraver, University of Granada. Conceived by Women in Cognitive Science - Europe<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceb…> & supported by Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceb…>. This email, its contents and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. In certain circumstances, it may also be subject to legal privilege. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, or copying is not permitted. If you have received this email in error, please notify us and immediately and permanently delete it. Any views or opinions expressed in personal emails are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Royal Holloway, University of London. It is your responsibility to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus free.

March 14, 2023

Postdoctoral position in computational cognitive neuroscience, UKE, Hamburg (Germany)

by Stefano Panzeri

Profs Stefano Panzeri and Cristina Becchio and are seeking candidates for a fully funded postdoctoral position to research at the interface between Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany. The successful candidate will conduct computational research in collaboration between the computational laboratory of Stefano Panzeri (Department of Excellence for Neural Information Processing) ( https://www.uke.de/english/departments-institutes/institutes/department-of-…) and the experimental laboratory of Cristina Becchio ( https://www.uke.de/english/physicians-and-scientists/wissenschaftlerprofils…) The aim of the project is to investigate the link between movement, decisions, and cognitive processes. One focus will be developing and applying advanced computational methods to study social transmission of information through movement kinematics. Another focus will be mathematical analysis on how information about covert cognitive states and ongoing individual and collective decision processes is encoded and readout in human movement. Our laboratories offer a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise in computational and cognitive neuroscience, covering advanced analysis techniques and neural network modeling. The laboratories also offer a thriving, ambitious and well-funded research environment (including several grants from the European Union, the NIH Brain Initiative, the Simons Foundation). This gives successful candidates ample opportunities for advanced training and personal scientific growth. We seek candidates holding a PhD in a numerate or cognitive neuroscientific discipline, with a solid computational background and a keen interest in neuroscience and cognition. The ideal candidate should be a highly motivated and creative individual who enjoys working in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary research environment and is willing to interact with both experimental and theoretical scientists. The job is available starting immediately and applications will be considered as soon as they are received and until the position is filled. The position is initially for 2 years, with the possibility of additional years of funding. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to email stefano.panzeri(a)gmail.com and c.becchio(a)uke.de as soon as possible, to inform us of the interest for the position and initiate a discussion about research projects. We suggest interested candidates to attach a CV when inquiring by email. For recent publications from our labs relevant to this project, see: Montobbio N., Cavallo A., Albergo D., Ansuini C., Battaglia F., Podda J., Nobili L., Panzeri S., Becchio C. (2022) Intersecting kinematic encoding and readout of intention in autism. *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America*, 119: e2114648119. Patri J-F., Cavallo A., Pullar K., Soriano M., Valente M., Koul A., Avenanti A., Panzeri S., Becchio C. (2020). Transient disruption of the inferior parietal lobule impairs the ability to attribute intention to action. *Current Biology*, 30: 4594–4605. Panzeri S., et al (2017) Cracking the neural code for sensory perception by combining statistics, intervention and behaviour. *Neuron* 93: 491-507 Stefano Panzeri and Cristina Becchio >

March 13, 2023

REMINDER – Application deadline approaching for the Systems Vision Science Summer School

by Pavlovic, Maria

Systems Vision Science Summer School & Symposium: Aug. 14-24, in Tübingen, Germany -------------------------------- REMINDER APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2023! Applications are invited for a brand new summer school designed for everyone interested in gaining a systems level understanding of biological vision. We plan a coherent, graduate-level, syllabus on the integration of experimental data with theory and models, featuring lectures, guided exercises and discussion sessions. The summer school will end with a Systems Vision Science symposium on frontier topics, with talks and posters by additional participants. All summer school participants are invited to attend, and welcome to submit contributions to the symposium. For participation and contribution to the symposium only, click here <https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/contributions-for-symposium/> to find more information. -------------------------------- Invited lecturers and speakers include: Assaf Breska, Peter Dayan, Andrea van Doorn, Wolfgang Einhäuser-Treyer, Karl Gegenfurtner, Ziad Hafed, Tadashi Isa, Jan Koenderink, Kristine Krug, Hanspeter Mallot, Laurence Maloney, Pascal Mamassian, Antje Nuthmann, Daniel Osorio, Andrew Parker, Jenny Read, Alexander Schütz, Manuel Spitschan, Kristina Visscher, Li Zhaoping. We are pleased to announce our symposium's keynote speaker: Marty Sereno. The keynote speech will be on August 22, 2023 -------------------------------- Please apply via https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/application <https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/application/> by March 31, 2023. Please check out our webpage https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org to find more out about the program, our invited lecturers/speakers, and other details. Please direct inquiries to svs.summerschool(a)tue.mpg.de <mailto:svs.summerschool@tue.mpg.de> -------------------------------- Organizing team: Li Zhaoping Ulf Lüder Maria Pavlovic Junhao Liang Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics University of Tuebingen <http://www.lizhaoping.org> www.lizhaoping.org

March 13, 2023

Barcelona summer school for Advanced Modelling of Behavior (BAMB!), July 19-27, 2023

by Klaus Wimmer

Applications for the Barcelona summer school for Advanced Modelling of Behavior (BAMB!<http://www.bambschool.org/>) are still open until March 15. Thanks to additional funding, we have reduced the course fee to 750 Eur. A limited number of course fee waivers and travel grants will also be available. Scientists from underrepresented groups and countries are especially encouraged to apply. BAMB! teaches advanced techniques in model-based analysis of behavior (humans and other species) to cognitive and computational neuroscientists at PhD and early career levels. This will be achieved through structured lectures, talks, hands-on tutorials and group projects aimed at making knowledge obtained directly applicable to the participants' own research. We want the trainees to acquire both the conceptual basis and the technical skills that will enable them to pursue a full modelling approach on their own when they come back to their lab. The course is intended for PhD students and postdocs in cognitive, systems and computational neuroscience with a solid background in computational/quantitative analysis to benefit maximally from the advanced training offered by the course. Proficiency in either Python or Matlab is also required. We seek a nice blend of experimentalists (cognitive psychology / neuroscience) and theoreticians (with or without experience in cognitive modeling). The school is organized by the Centre de Recerca Matemática<http://www.crm.cat/>. Organizers: Chris Summerfield (Oxford / Deepmind) Marion Rouault (Paris Brain Institute) Klaus Wimmer (CRM, Barcelona) Heike Stein (ENS, Paris) Alex Hyafil (CRM, Barcelona) Confirmed Faculty: Anne Collins (UC Berkeley) Elaine Corbett (UC Dublin) Maria Eckstein (Deepmind) Alex Hyafil (CRM, Barcelona) John Krakauer (John Hopkins) Marion Rouault (Paris Brain Institute) Chris Summerfield (Oxford / Deepmind) Valentin Wyart (ENS Paris) Klaus Wimmer (CRM, Barcelona) Dates and location: July 19-27, downtown Barcelona, Spain Applications are open until March 15. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY NOTICE: This message and the documents that might be attached, are addressed exclusively to their(s) recipient(s) and may contain privileged or confidential information. The access to this information by people other than those designated is not authorized. If you are not the indicated recipient, you are notified that the use, disclosure and / or copying without authorization is prohibited under current legislation. If you have received this message in error, please kindly inform the sender immediately and proceed to its destruction. We inform you that the personal data contained in this document, and in particular your contact information and professional position, are protected in accordance with current legislation on the protection of personal data. Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM) will process the data only for the purpose of managing the relationship you have with us. The data will be kept while the purpose for which it was collected remains. You can exercise at any time your rights to access, rectification and erasure of your personal data, as well as the right to object and restriction of processing. For this, you must contact CRM by email to dpo(a)crm.cat.

March 11, 2023

Postdoctoral position in computational analyses of calcium imaging data, IIT (Italy)

by Stefano Panzeri

Profs Tommaso Fellin (IIT, Genoa, Italy) and Stefano Panzeri (UKE, Hamburg, Germany) are seeking candidates for a fully funded postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience at the Italian Institute of technology. The successful candidate will conduct research in the experimental Optical Approaches to Brain Functions Group led by Fellin at ITT ( https://www.iit.it/it/web/optical-approaches-to-brain-function) in close collaboration with the computational laboratory of Panzeri at UKE (Department of Excellence for Neural Information Processing https://www.uke.de/english/departments-institutes/institutes/department-of-…) We will investigate, by developing and using advanced data analysis methods and biophysically plausible network models, how populations of neurons and of astrocytes in the brain interact to encode information and use it to produce appropriate behaviors. Our laboratories have established a close and fruitful experimental-theoretical collaboration for a decade, and offer a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise in computational neuroscience, including both advanced neural analysis techniques and neural network modeling. We also offer thriving research environments, including many international collaborations several funded by the NIH Brain Initiative, the Simons Foundation, the European Union. This gives successful candidates strong opportunities for interdisciplinary training and scientific growth. We seek candidates holding a PhD in a numerate or neuroscientific discipline, with a solid computational background and a keen interest in neuroscience. They must be highly motivated and creative individuals who want to work in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary research environment and be willing to interact with both experimental and theoretical neuroscientists. The job is available from May 2023 and applications will be considered as soon as they are received. Candidates are encouraged to email us ( tommaso.fellin(a)iit.it and stefano.panzeri(a)gmail.com) as soon as possible, to inform us of the interest for the position and initiate a discussion about research projects. For recent publications from our labs relevant to this project, see: Panzeri S, et al (2022) The structures and functions of correlations in neural population codes. *Nature Reviews Neuroscience* 23: 551-567 Curreli S, et al (2022) Complementary encoding of spatial information in hippocampal astrocites. PLoS Biology 20: e3001530. Valente, M. et al (2021), Correlations enhance the behavioral readout of neural population activity in association cortex. *Nature Neuroscience*, 24, 975–986 Sità, et al A deep-learning approach for online cell identification and trace extraction in functional two-photon calcium imaging. Nat Commun 13, 1529 (2022) Antonini A, et al (2020) Extended field-of-view ultrathin microendoscopes for high-resolution two-photon imaging with minimal invasiveness *eLife* 9:e58882. Panzeri S, et al (2017) Cracking the neural code for sensory perception by combining statistics, intervention and behaviour. *Neuron* 93: 491-507 Pica G. et al (2017) Quantifying how much sensory information in a neural code is relevant for behavior, *Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2017)* Thanks Stefano Panzeri and Tommaso Fellin

March 10, 2023

Postdoc position in Computational / Statistical Neuroscience @NYU

by Chen, Zhe

Postdoctral Fellow in Computational and Statistical Neuroscience New York University School of Medicine New York, NY Applications are now being accepted for two postdoctoral fellow positions to develop innovative methods to study the rodent hippocampal-neocortical recordings in rodents and human patients. The applicant will work closely with Dr. Zhe Sage Chen and Professor Gyuri Buzsaki at the New York University School of Medicine, with cross-disciplinary training in computational and systems (experimental) neuroscience. The applicant will have great opportunities to interact with a large and growing neuroscience community at the NYU campus, including the Neuroscience Institute<http://neuroscience.med.nyu.edu/>, Center for Neural Science<http://www.cns.nyu.edu/>, Department of Neuroscience & Physiology<http://neuro-physio.med.nyu.edu/>, and Department of Psychiatry<http://psych.med.nyu.edu/>. This position is available from immediately, and will be funded by the NIH for 3 years. Applications must have a PhD degree in Neuroscience, Engineering (Biomedical or Electrical), Statistics, Physics, or a related discipline. The desired applicant is expected to be highly motivated and work independently as well as cooperatively with other colleagues in the research projects. Ability to learn new techniques and resolve new research challenges is essential. Previous training in some areas, such as neural data analysis, machine learning, computer programming (MATLAB/Python) is preferred. To apply, please send an email along with (i) CV; (ii) a cover letter describing research accomplishments and interests; (iii) the names and contact information of two references to: Dr. Zhe Sage Chen (zhe.chen(a)nyulangone.org<mailto:zhe.chen@nyulangone.org?subject=Application>).

March 10, 2023

Call for workshops for INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023

by INCF

*Call for workshops for INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023* Do you have a great workshop idea? Let us know! <http://bit.ly/INCFAssembly23WSideas> We are inviting all members of the INCF community to submit proposals for workshop themes to be included in the virtual INCF Neuroinformatics Assembly 2023 this autumn. Please note that submission of workshop themes does not require submitters to commit to being the workshop chair. This year’s theme is Transparency in FAIR Neuroinformatics. Here are some topics we would like to see represented at Assembly: - "Opening the black box”: How to make AI/ML interpretable for Neuroinformatics - “A FAIR share”: The feasibility and scalability of data sharing from the infrastructure POV - A FAIR roadmap for knowledge graphs and ontologies - “Is this FAIR?”: Transparency in EDI & career development & management - From repositories to workflows: A FAIR roadmap for building and endorsing tools We encourage several forms of workshops: - Classical workshops that focus on a particular research area within neuroinformatics, including proposals for continuations of workshops that were held at previous general INCF Assemblies or discipline-specific conferences (e.g., OHBM, OCNS, FENS, etc…) - Workshops that focus on emerging neuroinformatics topics and applications or on open research questions and challenges - Cross-discipline workshops that foster the exchange of ideas between groups that are unaware of each other’s research - Birds-of-a-feather sessions - Other topics of interest to the neuroinformatics community Submit your ideas no later than March 24 using this form <https://forms.gle/d9z6BicgWNdWvN2b7>. /The INCF Secretariat

March 10, 2023

Advanced Medical Imaging Workshop in Python - Los Angeles - April 23-28 2023

by sreekar chigurupati

Dear Researcher, DIPY is an internationally-recognized software used for processing structural (3D) and diffusion (4D) imaging data. Funded by the NIH and used in surgical planning for over a decade. Join us for an exciting in person workshop hosted in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. April 23-28. https://dipy.org/workshops/latest This disruptive workshop provides 5 days of hands-on tutorial sessions in Python opening the box of the internal mechanisms of state-of-the-art ML algorithms. Our comprehensive program is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to master the latest techniques and tools in structural and diffusion imaging. Do not miss learning about our new set of ML-driven pre-processing tools! See figure above! Our team of expert instructors will guide you through the fundamentals of diffusion theory, data pre-processing, fiber tracking, and much more. You'll have the opportunity to learn from industry-leading professionals, ask questions, and network with like-minded peers. Register today to secure your spot in this highly anticipated event! Thank You, DIPY team

March 9, 2023

Women in Memory Research - Deadline approaching - 15.03.23

by Vinita Samarasinghe

A final reminder regarding our Women in Memory Research program. The deadline for applications is 15.03.23 (as is the deadline for submitting abstracts for GEM 2023). The event below is for women who are interested in pursuing a PhD in memory research in neuroscience or philosophy. Please be kind enough to pass on this message to interested students. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Women in Memory Research 2023 The research unit “Constructing scenarios of the past” seeks to promote women in memory research. The program WiMR 2023 is made possible through a grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and collaboration with the Ruhr University Bochum. Come and learn what an academic career looks likeand discover its advantages. During your week at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB)you will participate in GEM 2023 <https://for2812.rub.de/gem2023/> where you will hear about the latest research in generative episodic memory, be given the opportunityto present your research and meet with female scientists from the field. Before and after GEM you'll be introduced to support structures, funding measures and the FOR 2812 labs <https://for2812.rub.de/projects/>. Our participating senior scientists include: Ali Boyle, London School of Economics; Pernille Hemmer, Rutgers University; Peggy St. Jacques, University of Alberta; Kristina Liefke, Ruhr University Bochum; Ricarda Schubotz, University of Munster; Maria Wimber, University of Glasgow. Sounds exciting? *Who can apply:* Womenmasters students in their final year of study and recently graduated masters students who are looking into an academic career in the area of memory research/neuroscience. Applicants must have excellent grades and be able to communicate in English. Selection of participants is competitive. We only have 12 spots! *How to apply:* Send your application including a one page letter of motivation, a current CV, masters transcripts and a letter of recommendation from one of your professors. Your application should be sent, as a single PDF document, to Vinita Samarasinghe @ for2812+gem(a)rub.de <mailto:for2812@rub.de> by March 15, 2023 with the subject line "WiMR - application". If you need child care or any other support please note this in your application. Applications will be evaluated and ranked after the deadline has passed and notifications will be sent out by 31.03.2023. If you accept, you must register for GEM 2023. *What to expect from us:* We will provide bed and breakfast (single occupancy), cover travel costs (restrictions apply) and provide some meals. The program is offered in English. *What we expect from you:* You are present for all of the program and that you present your current research in the form of a poster at GEM 2023. *Program:* 12.06.2023 AM Welcome to Bochum PM GEM 2023 13.06.2023 GEM 2023 14.06.2023 AM GEM 2023 PM Fireside chat with senior memory researchers 15.06.2023 AM Resilience Workshop PM Funding and support structures 16.06.2023 Lab visits *Questions? * Visit our website at https://for2812.rub.de/wimr2023 for more information. Please feel free to get in touch with Vinita Samarasinghe (for2812(a)rub.de <mailto:for2812@rub.de>) if you have any questions. -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/73 Postfachnummer 110 Universitätstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0) 234 32 27996 Email:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de

March 9, 2023

Special Session on Recent Advances in Spiking Neural Networks at ICANN 2023 - Call for Papers

by Sebastian Otte

Special Session on Recent Advances in Spiking Neural Networks at the 32nd International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) 2023 - Call for Papers Conference Dates: 26th to 29th of September 2023 ======================================================================= The special session invites contributions on recent advances in spiking neural networks. Spiking neural networks have gained substantial attention recently as a candidate for low latency and low power AI substrate, with implementations being explored in neuromorphic hardware. This special session aims to bring together practitioners interested in efficient learning algorithms, data representations and applications. Methodological as well as applied contributions are solicited, including topics like (non-exhaustive list): - Spiking Neural Network Models - Spike Response Models - Temporal Codes - Learning Algorithms for SNNs - Neuromorphic Computing Contributions (full papers or extended abstracts) have to be submitted through the regular ICANN submission system at: https://e-nns.org/icann2023/ Select track ASNN 2023 (Recent Advances in Spiking Neural Networks Special Session). Accepted papers to the special session will appear in the proceedings of the ICANN 2023 conference. IMPORTANT DATES: - Full paper and extended abstract submission: Apr. 9, 2023 - Notification of acceptance: 30th of June 2023 - Conference dates: 26 – 29 September 2023 PROGRAM COMMITTEE: t.b.a. ORGANIZERS: Prof. Dr. Sander Bohté Machine Learling Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) Amsterdam, The Netherlands Dr. Sebastian Otte Neuro-Cognitive Modeling University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany Please find a PDF version of this call at: https://bit.ly/3mkXeJt

March 7, 2023

[Meetings] 2023 Nengo Summer School Call For Applications (deadline March 15)

by Michael Furlong

[All details about this school can be found online at https://www.nengo.ai/summer-school] The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is excited to announce our 8th annual Nengo summer school on large-scale brain modelling and neuromorphic computing. This two-week school will teach participants to use the Nengo simulation package to build state-of-the-art cognitive and neural models to run both in simulation and on neuromorphic hardware. Summer school participants will be given on-site access to neuromorphic hardware and will learn to run high-level applications using Nengo! More generally, Nengo provides users with a versatile and powerful environment for designing cognitive and neural systems and has been used to build what is currently the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun, which includes spiking deep learning, reinforcement learning, adaptive motor control, and cognitive control networks. For a look at the last in-person summer school, check out this short video: https://youtu.be/5w0BzvNOypc We welcome applications from all interested graduate students, postdocs, professors, and industry professionals with a relevant background. ***Application Deadline: March 15, 2023*** Format: A combination of tutorials and project-based work. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on testing hypotheses, modeling neural or cognitive data, implementing specific behavioural functions with neurons, expanding past models, or providing a proof-of-concept of various neural mechanisms. Hands-on tutorials, work on individual or group projects, and talks from invited faculty members will make up the bulk of day-to-day activities. A project demonstration event will be held on the last day of the school, with prizes for strong projects! Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to: * interface Nengo with various kinds of neuromorphic hardware (e.g. Loihi 1, SpiNNaker) * build perceptual, motor, and sophisticated cognitive models using spiking neurons * model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data * use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model  * integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models * interface Nengo with cameras and robotic systems * implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models * and much more… Date and Location: June 4th to June 16th, 2023 at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Applications: Please visit http://www.nengo.ai/summer-school, where you can find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an application form listing required materials. If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please contact Michael Furlong (michael.furlong(a)uwaterloo.ca) The school is also partly supported by ONR and ABR, Inc. We look forward to hearing from you!

March 7, 2023

Konstanz School of Collective Behavior 2023 Deadline Approaching .

by Ahmed El Hady

*Konstanz School of Collective Behavior 2023* *Konstanz, Germany * *Deadline to apply: March 30th, 2023* The Konstanz School of Collective Behavior (KSCB) will take place between /31 July 2023 – 12 August 2023/ at the cluster of excellence Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour (CASCB) at the University of Konstanz <https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/>. Uni Konstanz is an elite University of Excellence and ranked #1 young university in Germany with “Collective Behaviour" <https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collective-behaviour/> as one of five research foci. Konstanz <https://www.konstanz.de/start> is a vibrant, small city located on the border between Germany and Switzerland, on the shores of the Bodensee (Lake Constance). Over two weeks, students will delve deeply into the topic of collective behaviour with lectures, hands-on tutorials, and projects, making it a unique and unforgettable experience. The school faculty will cover collective behaviors across a variety of species from worms ,drosophila, fish to non – human primates and human. A set of tutorials delving into state-of-the-art quantitative methods used to study collective behavior will complement the lectures. At the end of the school, students will work on independent projects guided by our resident faculty. Accommodation will be provided and paid by the organizers. A limited number of travel awards will be provided and a registration fee will be due (300 euros) once the student is admitted to the Konstanz School of Collective Behaviour. The registration fee will be waived to those coming from underrepresented minorities and those in need of financial support. For further information and application, visit our website: _https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/application-procedure/ <https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/application-procedure/> _ __ *KSCB 2023 faculty (still more to come ) : *Orit Peleg , Kevin Lala, Einat Couzin, Liang Li, Jake Graving, Armin Bahl, Katrin Vogt, Wataru Toyokawa, Serena Ding, Heiko Hamann *Contact us at: **ahmed.el-hady(a)uni-konstanz.de <mailto:ahmed.el-hady@uni-konstanz.de> * ** *All the best regards,* ** Ahmed El Hady On behalf of the KSCB organizational committee

March 7, 2023

Postdoc & PhD positions in TU Darmstadt, Germany

by Angela Yu

Postdoc & PhD positions in TU Darmstadt, Germany After 14 years as faculty at the University of California (San Diego), Prof. Angela Yu has recently joined TU Darmstadt as an Alexander von Humboldt AI Professor. Immediately available, and for the foreseeable future, are multiple positions for: Postdocs PhD students Master’s students Interns Research assistants Prof. Yu’s group conducts research at the intersection of natural and artificial intelligence. Her group uses mathematically rigorous and algorithmically diverse tools to understand the nature of representation and computations that give rise to intelligent behavior, with particular regard to the challenges posed by inferential uncertainty and the opportunities afforded by volitional movement. Using diverse machine learning and statistical tools, e.g. Bayesian statistical modeling, control theory, reinforcement learning, and information theory, theoretical frameworks and mathematical models are developed to explain various aspects of cognition important for intelligence: perception, attention, decision-making, learning, cognitive control, active sensing, economic behavior, and social interactions. Some example research questions currently pursued in the group include: - How does the ability to move and interact with the world facilitate perception, decision making, and representation learning? - Are human attention and working memory capacity limitation bugs or features? - How do humans represent and process faces? - How does the brain learn a general-purpose representation with so little labeled data and in the absence of concrete tasks? - How are humans so good at problem solving and logical reasoning, and yet also prone to certain fallacies and illusion in cognition & perception? - What do IQ tests actually measure and what light can they shed on AI research? - What roles do intrinsic motivations such as curiosity and emotions play in intelligence? With her expertise in computational neuroscience and cognitive science, as well as her previous experience in computational modeling and collaborations with psychologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, and mathematicians, Dr. Yu will strengthen and complement research at the Centre for Cognitive Science at TU Darmstadt and at hessian.AI, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence of Hesse based in Darmstadt. Her group members are encouraged and expected to collaborate extensively with preeminent researchers in cognitive science, AI, neuroscience, and related fields in Darmstadt and nearby research centers (Frankfurt, Mainz, Marburg, Gießen, Heidelberg, Tübingen, etc.). Positions are available immediately, and will remain open until filled. Salaries are commensurate with experience and expertise, and highly competitive with U.S. and European standards. Written and spoken fluency in English is required. Fluency in German is not. Interested candidates should send to Prof. Yu (angela(a)angelayu.org <mailto:angela@angelayu.org>) a CV, transcript(s), contact info for 2-4 references, as well as a statement of research detailing why the candidate and Prof. Yu’s group are a particularly good fit for each other.

March 6, 2023

Postdoc in computational neuroscience/machine learning at the University of Nottingham (UK)

by Mark Humphries

The Humphries’ lab at the University of Nottingham is seeking a postdoc to study the neural basis of foraging, in collaboration with the groups of Matthew Apps (Birmingham) and Nathan Lepora (Bristol). Whether choosing to leave one shop for another, switching TV programs, or seeking berries to eat, humans and other animals make innumerable stay-or-leave decisions, but how we make them is not well understood. The goal of this project is to develop new computational accounts of stay-or-leave decisions, and use them to test hypotheses for how humans, primates, and rodents learn and make these decisions. The work will draw on and develop new reinforcement learning and accumulation (e.g. diffusion) models of decision-making. The Humphries’ group researches fundamental insights into how the joint activity of neurons encodes actions in the world (https://www.humphries-lab.org) This post will join our developing research program into how humans and other animals learn to make the right decisions (e.g. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.30.505807) The post is until 14th February 2025. Nottingham University welcomes researchers from around the globe. As part of this support, the university will provide financial support to the post-holder for all visa costs. Unsure if you're a good fit for the post? Got any questions? Then contact Mark for a chat: mark.humphries(a)nottingham.ac.uk. For full details of the role and how to apply https://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=SCI092323 Closing date: March 30th 2023 This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

March 6, 2023

Information Decomposition Workshop, Dresden, June 5-9, 2023

by Ari Pakman

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to inform you about our upcoming workshop on partial information decomposition (PID). The workshop will be called Decomposing Multivariate Information in Complex Systems (DeMICS 23) and will take place during June 5th - 9th, 2023 at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (MPI PKS) in Dresden. To participate please apply via the application link on the conference website: https://www.pks.mpg.de/demics23 Please forward this to anyone you consider interested in partial information decomposition, especially if you are unable to attend yourself. Please note the approaching application deadline on March 31st. Applications before this date will be considered preferentially. For successful applicants, meals and accommodation will be provided by the MPI PKS, with a small fee of 140 EUR asked for to cover social dinners, excursion and coffee breaks. We look forward to seeing you in Dresden! Kind regards, Conor Finn Ari Pakman Michael Wibral

March 6, 2023

Professor / Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wollongong, Australia

by Manish Sreenivasa

*Permanent/Continuing, full-time appointment – Further details and application portal <https://ejgl.fa.ap1.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1…>* The School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering at UOW, Australia, is committed to research and teaching excellence through its world-class undergraduate and postgraduate programs in a range of exciting areas of technology and sustainability. Lead, guide and coordinate the development of Biomedical Engineering at UOW, in one of the top Engineering faculties in Australia, ranked 6th in Australia and 83rd in the world (THE, World Rankings by Subject 2022). This position will be a discipline lead in the School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic, and Biomedical (MMMB) Engineering, which offers a unique mix of study and research areas embracing sustainable manufacturing, green power, robotics, medical devices and much more. The Biomedical Engineering discipline has been established to focus on research and development of novel medical and diagnostic devices including prosthetics, orthotics, assistive and rehabilitation devices, artificial organs, tools, systems and technology to deliver substantial healthcare benefit and improve the quality of life for individuals. Research expertise based on any of the following sub-fields is preferred: - Bionics and neuroengineering - Brain-computer interfaces or brain-machine interfaces, - Rehabilitation engineering - Biosensing and instrumentation - Tissue/cell biomechanics/ mechanotransduction - Artificial organs and implants - Musculoskeletal modelling - Physiological modelling - Electroceuticals - Prosthetics and orthotics - Orthopaedic Engineering (especially in orthopaedic biomechanics) *See full details of the offer, position details and contact information here. <https://ejgl.fa.ap1.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1…>* https://ejgl.fa.ap1.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1…

March 3, 2023

HBP Summit Satellite Events Day

by HBP Education

HBP Summit Satellite Events Day 27 March 2023, 09:00 - 18:30 | Marseille, France Registration is now open and free of charge! The HBP Summit Satellites Events Day is taking place before the HBP Summit offering free trainings on EBRAINS tools and eServices, as well as opportunities to network with experts and peers in a beautiful setting of Palais du Pharo in Marseille. Registration for all participants is free of charge but mandatory. For further information and registration: https://summit2023.humanbrainproject.eu/satellite-events-day/ <https://summit2023.humanbrainproject.eu/satellite-events-day/>

March 2, 2023

PhD position in Neurotechnology at the Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany

by Reichenbach, Tobias

The Chair for Sensory Neuroengineering at the new Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering is looking for a PhD student to work on an innovative project in neurotechnology. You will develop novel methods to measure acoustic emissions from the inner ear (otoacooustic emissions) related to speech, and evaluate these emissions regarding cognitive factors such as selective attention. To this end, you will employ advanced methods of signal processing as well as machine learning. The developed methods can have applications in future diagnostics of hearing impairment as well as in neurofeedback for future hearing aids. AI at the interface to neurobiology is a highly timely topic of immense societal relevance. We offer you the possibility to actively shape this exciting and rapidly developing field. We support your work through: - A lively scientific environment within the Department and the possibility to cooperate with excellent partners at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, at Imperial College London as well as with industry partners - An excellent environment to conduct leading science and to realise own scientific ideas - An excellent training in the development of AI methods for neuronal data - Development of your personal strengths, for instance through extensive courses on personal development The renumeration is according to Group 13 of the German public service (TV-L). FAU is the most innovative university in Germany and ranks second among the most innovative European universities. It is located in one of the most attractive regions in Germany. Erlangen is a bicycle-friendly city with 100,000 inhabitants, former home of the Huguenots as well as a key location for industry. It is close to Nuremberg, a city with a population of half a million and a metropolitan flair. The mixture of academia, innovative companies, art and culture makes the region the perfect place for creative minds, keen athletes and nature lovers. To apply, please send a letter detailing your motivation, a CV, copies of your degrees and details of two referees. Please combine all documents into a single pdf and send them per email with subject “Application PhD student” to Prof. Dr. Tobias Reichenbach (tobias.j.reichenbach(at)fau.de<http://fau.de>). ------------------------------------------- Prof. Dr. Tobias Reichenbach Chair of Sensory Neurotechnology Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering (AIBE) Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg Werner-von-Siemens-Strasse 61 91052 Erlangen https://www.neurotech.tf.fau.eu/

March 2, 2023

PhD Position, Moreno Lab, Comp Neuro, Barcelona

by Ruben Moreno Bote

*PhD Position in* *Computational Neuroscience, Ruben Moreno-Bote Lab * *Center for Brain and Cognition, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain* 1 fully funded PhD position is available in the group of Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience of Ruben Moreno-Bote in the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. We are looking for excellent candidates with Physics, Mathematics or Machine Learning background interested in developing theory for the brain and mind and artificial intelligence. Knowledge of Computational Neuroscience or Neuroscience would be ideal, but it is not necessary. The candidate will develop state of the art theory and models of cognition and intelligence by using neural networks, reinforcement learning, machine learning, data analysis and multielectrode neural data. The main research topic of our lab is decision-making, from a multidisciplinary angle. The candidate will benefit from the stimulating environment of Barcelona area in Theoretical and Systems Neuroscience and will have the opportunity of enjoying a lively city. Our lab (https://www.upf.edu/web/tcn) forms part of a larger network of neuroscience labs in Barcelona. Financial support is provided by HHMI and the Spanish MINECO. APPLICATION: A full CV in pdf format and an extract of grades for degree and master studies should be sent to the following address: ruben.moreno(a)upf.edu DEADLINE: until the position is filled STARTING DATE: any time between September 2023 and January 2024 -- Rubén Moreno Bote Serra Húnter Professor and ICREA Academia Director of the Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group Center for Brain and Cognition & Dept. of Information and Communications Technologies University Pompeu Fabra Campus Ciutadella c\ Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27 Mercè Rodoreda building, 3th floor (room 24.331) 08005 Barcelona, Spain https://www.upf.edu/web/tcn https://twitter.com/morenobote <https://twitter.com/morenobote?lang=ca>

March 1, 2023

PhD position in Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning at IT University of Copenhagen (deadline April 1st)

by Stefan Heinrich

Full-time PhD position at IT University of Copenhagen, under the umbrella of the Pioneer Centre for AI, Denmark, starting in Summer-Autumn 2023. Topic: Modelling compositional language structures across languages. The origin of language development of human beings can at least be traced back to two sources: the survival needs for communication and the unique wiring of human brains. The two factors can co-develop with each other through life-span. Nevertheless, languages from the whole world are with tremendous diversity. Yet, given the fact that all human brains share very similar structures and connection patterns, which presumably afford for similar ways to encode and decode information from the external world, there likely exist some hidden common structures, like some word orders or numbers of phonemes in a language, that are shared at least within, or even across, language families. An important constraint for these similar structures comes from the theory that the brain is processing language embodied in all our senses and via processing streams that are also involved in a range of other cognitive functions from specific motor control up to general problem-solving. This suggests that language comprehension and production, in fact, developed on top of existing information processing schemes, which in turn might have similarly shaped how the different language families have developed. A particular mechanism that was recently hypothesized to give rise to the structure of the brain’s sequence processing is temporal compositionality and chunking, which seemingly operate on language sequences as well. With this PhD project, we want to identify and describe the specific, latent temporal encoding structures that may constrain the temporal features of spoken language. In this project, the candidate will study structure patterns in spoken language and investigate how to build a model that can extract temporal characteristics of speech across different languages. Since the project is interdisciplinary, active collaboration within the Pioneer Centre for AI, as well as with experts in computational neuroscience and developmental psychology in Germany and Japan are planned. Application details: The ideal candidate should have a Masters in Computer Science, Computational Neuroscience, Computational Linguistics, Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Science or related fields, as well as a strong interest in interdisciplinary research, at the intersection of Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Psycholinguistics. The salary scale will be in accordance with the Ministry of Finance’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for a full-time position. As a PhD Student at the Pioneer Centre for AI you will have extraordinary access to computing resources, international researchers across disciplines, courses and events at the centre and meaning collaboration with industry, the public sector etc. ITU is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, competent, diverse, and international faculty. Copenhagen has a strong educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and a well-functioning infrastructure. The city is also among the world’s most liveable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Candidates will work together with Stefan Heinrich (stehe(a)itu.dk) and Barbara Plank (bapl(a)itu.dk) and are encouraged to get in contact for details. Link to further application information: https://www.aicentre.dk/phd-openings - and application link: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=119&ProjectId=181… Application deadline: 01 April 2023, at 23:59 CET. -- *************************** Dr. Stefan Heinrich Assistant Professor Computer Science Department IT University of Copenhagen https://stefanheinrich.net/ ***************************

Feb. 28, 2023

Tenure-track position in computational neuroscience

by Asohan Amarasingham

Dear Colleagues, The Department of Psychology at the City College of New York (CCNY) of the City University of New York (CUNY) is currently soliciting applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in computational neuroscience. Review of applications will begin on March 3, 2023. Please consider submitting an application. Best regards, Asohan Amarasingham FACULTY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT The Department of Psychology at the City College of New York (CCNY) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position in computational neuroscience at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin in Fall 2023. The CCNY Psychology Department is a vibrant, diverse department located in Harlem, serving over 2000 undergraduate majors, with master's programs in General Psychology and Mental Health Counseling, a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology, and is affiliated with Ph.D. programs in Psychology and Neuroscience at the CUNY Graduate Center. The ideal candidate will use an innovative combination of computational, data-analytic, and/or modeling techniques to better understand how the brain gives rise to cognitive phenomena. All areas of relevance to cognitive neuroscience are of interest, including but not limited to: sensation, perception, emotion, memory, language, learning and reward, and consciousness. Successful applicants will be encouraged to participate in all programs the Department offers and to pursue interdisciplinary collaborations within and across the program, the department, and other departments at the College, including the Grove School of Engineering, the CUNY School of Medicine, and many related programs at the CUNY Graduate Center, including the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, the Initiative for Theoretical Sciences, and allied doctoral and master's programs that span the sciences. They will be responsible for teaching, research, and mentorship/advisement duties. They also will share responsibility for committee and department assignments including administrative, supervisory, and other functions. QUALIFICATIONS A Ph.D. in psychology, neuroscience, applied mathematics, computer science, engineering, or a similarly allied field is required. The candidate is expected to maintain an active program of research, publish theoretical and empirical research in top-tier journals, be committed to both undergraduate and graduate education, and provide mentoring/advisement to students. Potential for obtaining external grant support is essential. Also required is the ability to teach successfully, demonstrated scholarship or achievement, and the ability to cooperate with others for the good of the institution. COMPENSATION CUNY offers faculty a competitive compensation and benefits package covering health insurance, pension and retirement benefits, paid parental leave, and savings programs. We also provide mentoring and support for research, scholarship, and publication as part of our commitment to ongoing faculty professional development. HOW TO APPLY Only applications submitted through CUNYfirst will be considered for this position. If you are viewing this job posting externally, please apply as follows: * Go to www.cuny.edu <http://www.cuny.edu/> and click on "Employment" * Click "Search job listings" * Click on "More options to search for CUNY jobs" * Search for Job Opening ID number 25407 Click on the "Apply Now" button and follow the instructions. Applications, including the following must be uploaded to the CUNYfirst job application website as a single PDF document: 1. Cover Letter 2. Curriculum Vitae 3. Statement of research interest and goals 4. Selected Publications 5. Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation sent to kwok(a)ccny.cuny.edu<mailto:hkwok@ccny.cuny.edu>

Feb. 28, 2023

NEST Conference 2023 – Save the date & registration

by Hans Ekkehard Plesser

Dear Colleagues, The NEST Initiative is excited to invite everyone interested in Neural Simulation Technology and the NEST Simulator to the NEST Conference 2023. The NEST Conference provides an opportunity for the NEST Community to meet, exchange success stories, swap advice, learn about current developments in and around NEST spiking network simulation and its application. We particularly encourage young scientists to participate in the conference! This year's conference will take place as a virtual event on 15-16 June 2023. Register now! For more information please visit the conference website https://nest-simulator.org/conference We are looking forward to seeing you all in June! Hans Ekkehard Plesser and colleagues -- Prof. Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Head, Department of Data Science Faculty of Science and Technology Norwegian University of Life Sciences PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway Phone +47 6723 1560 Email hans.ekkehard.plesser(a)nmbu.no<mailto:hans.ekkehard.plesser@nmbu.no> Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

Feb. 27, 2023

Call for applications - MSc Neuroscience, Uni Freiburg (Germany)

by Carsten Mehring

MSc program in Neuroscience - University of Freiburg, Germany We are inviting applications for the interdisciplinary MSc program in Neuroscience at the University of Freiburg, Germany. The program provides theoretical and practical training in neuroscience, covering both the foundations and latest research in the field. It is taught by lecturers from an international scientific community from multiple faculties and neuroscience research centres. The modular course structure caters to the specific backgrounds and research interests of each individual student and we offer specialisations in neural circuits and behavior, computational neuroscience and neurotechnology. All courses are taught in English. We welcome applications with a background in natural sciences, mathematics, behavioural sciences, computer science, medicine or engineering sciences. The deadline for applications for the October 2023 entry is the 31st of March 2023. Further details can be found on our homepage http://www.mscneuro.uni-freiburg.de <http://www.mscneuro.uni-freiburg.de/> With kind regards Carsten Mehring — Bernstein Center Freiburg & Faculty of Biology University of Freiburg

Feb. 27, 2023

post-doc position on interacting neuronal assemblies at University of Genova

by Paolo Massobrio

We are seeking highly motivated candidates for a post-doctoral position (1 year) at the Neuroengineering and NeuroTechnology Lab, <http://www.unige.it/> University of Genova, Genova, ITALY. The candidate will be involved in the funded PNRR Italian Project Mnesys (https://mnesys.eu/) a large neuroscience and neuropharmacology consortium coordinated by University of Genova which involves 25 partners. Among the topics of the project, the one which will involve the candidate deals with both computational and experimental staffs. In particular, the candidate will work with experimental models of brain-on-a-chip where different neuronal populations (e.g., cortical-hippocampal; cortical-thalamic; cortical-cerebellar, .) interact originating complex neuronal dynamics. Depending on the candidate attitude, she/he will be involved in the development of large-scale computational models of such interconnected neuronal networks or the development of advanced algorithms to infer functional and dynamical properties originated by the interactions of these ensembles. Requirements: Candidates must have: 1) a PhD in bioengineering, computational neuroscience, physics, engineering, mathematics or a related field; 2) Excellent programming skills in Python, Matlab, C++/C#, 3) a published record of research in the field of computational neuroscience and/or neuroengineering; 4) experience in electrophysiological data analysis and/or modeling. Deadline for submitting the application is March 13th, 2023. The selected candidates will be contacted for a further interview during the following week. The earliest possible starting date is April 1st, 2023, and the position will last for 1 year (possible extension). Our research group has a long tradition in studying the interactions between neuronal populations coupling to Micro-Electrode Arrays (MEAs). See for example the following papers: 1. F. Callegari, M. Brofiga, P. Massobrio. Modeling the three-dimensional connectivity of in vitro cortical ensembles coupled to Micro-Electrode Arrays. PLoS Computational Biology, 2023. 2. M. Brofiga, M. Pisano, M. Tedesco, A. Boccaccio, P. Massobrio. Functional inhibitory connections modulate the electrophysiological activity patterns of cortical-hippocampal ensembles, Cerebral Cortex, 2022. 3. P. Massobrio, V. Pasquale, S. Martinoia. Self-organized criticality in cortical assemblies occurs in concurrent scale-free and small-world networks, Scientific Reports, 2015. 4. T. Kanagasabapathi, P. Massobrio, R. A. Barone, M. Tedesco, S. Martinoia, W. J. Wadman, M. M. J. Decre. Functional connectivity and dynamics of cortical-thalamic networks co-cultured in a dual compartment device. Journal of Neural Engineering, 2012. Our labs are located in Genova <https://www.visitgenoa.it/en/iat> , a beautiful town in northern Italy, both from historical (its historical center is the largest of Europe) and naturalistic point of view (sea and mountains coexist creating a unique landscape). Genova is only 1.30h away from Milan by train and connected by plane to Rome (1.00h), London (2h) and Paris (1.30h). Applications must include an extended CV, a motivation letter, the most relevant papers, and names and addresses of two references. If you are interested, please send your application to: Paolo Massobrio e-mail: paolo.massobrio(a)unige.it <mailto:paolo.massobrio@unige.it> Tel: +39-010-3352761 _________________________________ Paolo Massobrio, PhD Associate Professor of Bioengineering Neuroengineering and Neurotechnology Lab Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS) University of Genova Via Opera Pia 13, 16145, Genova, ITALY Phone: +39 010 3352761 URL: <http://www.dibris.unige.it/> www.dibris.unige.it E-mail: <mailto:paolo.massobrio@unige.it> paolo.massobrio(a)unige.it

Feb. 27, 2023

Research Assoc Opening

by Yuvaraj Rajamanickam

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all doing well! I am looking for a research associate for my project titled "Automated Boredom Detection using Multimodal Physiological Signals." If you could share the information with potential candidates, I would appreciate it. For more information, please refer to the job advertisement link. https://ntu.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/Careers/job/NTU-Main-Campus-Singapore/Res… Regards YUVARAJ

Feb. 27, 2023

LiSNN Seminar: Felix Effenberger - A biology-inspired recurrent oscillator network for computations in high-dimensional state space

by Tristan Manfred Stöber

Dear friends and colleagues, as part of the Learning in Spiking Neural Networks Seminar Series are we cordially inviting you to the following presentation. Speaker: Felix Effenberger - Ernst Strüngmann Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Title: A biology-inspired recurrent oscillator network for computations in high-dimensional state space Abstract: Biological neuronal networks have the propensity to oscillate. However, it is unclear whether these oscillations are a mere byproduct of neuronal interactions or serve computational purposes. Therefore, we implemented hallmark features of the cerebral cortex in recurrent neuronal networks (RNNs) simulated in silico and examined their performance on common pattern recognition tasks after training with a gradient-based learning rule. We find that by configuring network nodes as damped harmonic oscillators (DHOs), performance is substantially improved over non-oscillating architectures and that the introduction of heterogeneous nodes, conduction delays, and network modularity further improved performance. We furthermore provide a proof of concept of how unsupervised Hebbian learning can work in such networks. Analyses of network activity illustrate how the nonlinear dynamics of coupled DHOs drive performance, and provide plausible a posteriori explanations for a number of physiological phenomena whose function so far has been elusive. Also check out the corresponding preprint [1]. Time: 3rd of March 2023 at 14:00 Central European Time. Venue: Hybrid meeting, both on Zoom [2] and in person at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Ruth-Moufang-Straße 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Lecture Hall 100. Best wishes in the name of the GRADE Initiative Learning in Spiking Neural Networks, Tristan Stöber Ps: Videos of previous events can be found on our youtube channel [3] [1] https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.29.518360v1.abstract [2] https://ruhr-uni-bochum.zoom.us/my/tristanstoeber?pwd=YnZ2RlZVTUZPU2ZhNlFyR… [3] https://www.youtube.com/@lisnn.channel5458

Feb. 24, 2023

Postdoctoral position in individual differences of plasticity in blindness (Washington DC)

by Ella Striem-Amit

*Postdoctoral researcher position in individual differences of plasticity in blindness* The Sensory and Motor Plasticity Lab, led by Ella Striem-Amit, is currently recruiting a highly motivated and dedicated Postdoctoral researcher to join their team at Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA. The SAMP lab explores brain organization and experience-dependent plasticity by studying people born blind, deaf, or without hands, using behavioral and fMRI state-of-the-art analytical techniques. The successful applicant will work on the topic of individual differences in plasticity in people born blind. Specifically, the project will test how brain plasticity in blindness may manifest differently in different individuals, and how these differences may account for their compensatory skills and use of assistive devices. For more information about the lab, see samp-lab.facultysite.georgetown.edu <https://samp-lab.facultysite.georgetown.edu/research>. Excellent understanding of and experience with fMRI and data analysis are required. Strong programming skills (Matlab/R/python, etc.) are also a requirement. The position is not limited to US citizens. The start date is September-October 2023, but flexible in exceptional circumstances. This position is available for up to 4 years. To apply, please email your CV and a brief statement of research interests to Ella Striem-Amit (Ella.StriemAmit(a)georgetown.edu) with the subject line: “post-doc application”. Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. -- *Ella Striem-Amit (she/her)* Sensory and Motor Plasticity (SAMP) Lab Edwin H. Richard and Elisabeth Richard Assistant Professor Department of Neuroscience Georgetown University Medical Center 3970 Reservoir Rd., NW Washington, DC 20007 http://samp-lab.facultysite.georgetown.edu/

Feb. 24, 2023

Call for abstracts 'Neuromorphic, Natural and Physical Computing: Interdisciplinary Foundations (NNPC 2023)”, 25th – 27th of October 2023 in Hanover, Herrenhausen castle - Germany

by Prof. Dr. Gordon Pipa

We are happy announce the “Neuromorphic, Natural and Physical Computing: Interdisciplinary Foundations (NNPC 2023)”, taking place from 25th – 27th of October 2023 in Hanover, Herrenhausen castle. Please see our website for information https://nnpc-conference.com/ . The general aim of the conference is to boost interdisciplinary transfer of ideas and networking in the wider fields of non-digital computing. NNPC 2023 is a successor to the 2018 conference “Cognitive Computing: Merging Concepts with Hardware” (https://nnpc-conference.com/2018/ ) whose very productive and motivating format will be kept. The event is generously supported by the Volkswagen Foundation. The conference will run in 5 single-track sessions. 1. Theory: new concepts and mathematical foundations, 2. Physical substrates: materials, devices, micro-architectures, 3. Guides from nature: neuroscience, theoretical biology, complex systems, 4. Scaling up: modular architectures, complex data structures and processes, 5. Applications: demonstrators, use-cases, user interfacing, hybrid solutions. To ensure maximum participation, all attendees are required to submit a 2-page abstract on a subject relating to one of the session themes. These abstracts are peer-reviewed. All accepted submissions will be granted an oral or poster presentation slot, and hosted publicly on the conference website upon agreement by the authors. Importantly, novelty is not essential as our aim is to make knowledge to diffuse across boundaries of the scientific domains involved. You find more detailed information about the aims, background, and thematic structure of this event in the Appendix. The submission form will be available on the conference website shortly. • Submission deadline: March 15th 2023. • Notify authors of acceptance: April 30th 2023. • Notify authors of type of contribution: May 14th 2023. We look forward to hearing from you and to meet in person to make NNPC 2023 a memorable success. With best regards, the Conference Chairs Conference Chairs: Daniel Brunner (photonics, neuromorphic architectures; CNRS) Gordon Pipa (neuroinformatics and cognitive computing; University of Osnabrück) Damien Querlioz (Bioinspired Nanolectronics; Université Paris-Saclay France) Susan Stepney (unconventional computing; University of York, UK) Financial chair: Herbert Jaeger (machine learning, nonlinear dynamics; University of Groningen) Appendix: Aims, structure, venue, and funding of the conference Overview of aims and structure. Four years ago, the pioneering conference Cognitive Computing: Merging Concepts with Hardware assembled a wide-spanning multidisciplinary audience to share and merge insights about non-standard concepts and technologies of computing. At least four traditions were brought together: • Neuromorphic computing: “learn from the brain” • Natural computing: “look at nature’s complex systems” • Physical computing: “use physical effects directly” • Non-standard theoretical computer science: “think outside the Turing machine” Work in these fields has enormously picked up speed in the interim, but it is still a plurality of traditions carried by a multitude of communities. We still lack unified concepts, shared terminology, transferable methods and common goals. After four years, it is a good time to take stock of progress that has been made, and to re-invigorate the effort of connecting our dispersed findings into a joint vision. We do not yet know how we will ultimately name our emerging field of generalized “computing” science. For the time being we will refer to it by calling out its main traditional anchors: Neuromorphic, Natural and Physical Computing (NNPC). In five sessions with much breakout times for personal exchange, we will explore 1. Theory: new concepts and mathematical foundations, 2. Physical substrates: materials, devices, micro-architectures, 3. Guides from nature: neuroscience, theoretical biology, complex systems, 4. Scaling up: modular architectures, complex data structures and processes, 5. Applications: demonstrators, use-cases, user interfacing, hybrid solutions. Each session will be commenced by a 1-hour invited keynotes and feature three 30-minute oral presentations selected from the submitted abstracts. In addition we will invite three 1-hour plenary lectures that cross the session themes. This leaves much time for breaks and extensive poster sessions, a condition that will be creating a productive atmosphere for personal networking. Here are the specifics of the five sessions: Session 1. Theory: new concepts and mathematical foundations. The physical substrates of NNPC will host dynamical phenomena that defy the principles of digital computing. Instead of relying on reproducible, stable binary switching, NNPC exploits dynamical processes that are stochastic, non-stationary, continuous-valued, un-clocked and spatially distributed. In order to enable a systematic, insightful design of NNPC systems, new conceptual frameworks and mathematical formalisms are needed. Suggestive topics: • Representing symbols, discrete data structures and operations in nonlinear dynamics • Non-Shannon definitions and measures of information • Emergent phenomena in collective dynamics • Nanoscale or collective phenomena which can serve as computational primitives • Entrainment of NNPC system dynamics to input streams • Temporally and spatially multiscale modeling of complex dynamics • Stabilization and self-calibration mechanisms • Life-long change: aging, continual learning, adaptation to changing tasks and environments • Adaptations of classical (deep) neural network architectures and algorithms to NNPC hardware • Integrative formal languages which unify selected aspects across, for example, stochastic processes, information theory, nonlinear dynamics, topology and graph theory, algebra or signals, systems and control • New kinds of formal logics to capture semantics of NNPC processes • Analyses of ultimate energy minimization or information density • Fundamental models of NNPC systems, analog to the Turing machine model for digital computing Session 2. Physical substrates: materials, devices, micro-architectures. Biological brains are so efficient because evolution has found ways to exploit a host of physiological and physical effects which neuronal tissue can offer. Extending this idea of “exploiting the physics” beyond brains, the strategy of what has been called “physical computing” or “in-materio computing” is to find ways to exploit for NNPC whatever physics can offer, opening up for effects that are inaccessible to neurophysiological substrates (and accessible to engineering and fabrication). Suggestive topics: • Physical phenomena supporting computing provided by nano- or microscale devices, across physical domains (electronic, photonic, spintronic, mechanic, chemical, etc.) • Exploiting quantum effects in other ways than in classical quantum computing (e.g. quantum reservoirs) • Spatial structuring in thin films or 3D substrates, boundary formation • Nano- or microscale phase transitions and percolation • Small-scale physical structures with heterogeneous or self-organizing phase-change materials • Non-wire-bound information transfer in physical media through diffusion, fields, soliton or wave propagation, or mechanical transmission • Novel devices with non-digital, modulatable input-output transfer functions • Phenomena and devices with slow-fast dynamics where the slow dynamics can be used for learning or adaptation • Analyses and characterization of computationally potentially relevant properties of materials and devices • Development of “practically useful” materials and devices: long endurance, operation at room temperature, fabricability • Functional ensembles of novel devices in the spirit of neural microcircuits or elementary integrated circuits • Progress in currently investigated neuromorphic architectures (memristor crossbars, spike routing, analog neuron and synapse circuits) Session 3. Guides from nature: neuroscience, theoretical biology, complex systems. Biological brains are currently cited as the living proof that highly energy-efficient and “cognitive” computing beyond the limits of the digital paradigm are possible. This has led to the current dominance of the term “neuromorphic” when one wants to point to alternative computing technologies. However, there is also a long tradition of other non-digital computing proposals, which have been referred to by names like natural / physical / unconventional computing, and which have been pursued in various niches of CS, AI, Alife, theoretical physics and biology, and elsewhere. Our conference gives a forum for all alternative computing paradigms, neuromorphic and other sorts of “unconventional”. Suggested topics: • Learning from the brain: neuro-computational principles, circuits, architectures, and control flows: the neural engineering framework, neural field theory, neural sampling and others • Current developments in DNA computing, swarm intelligence, fungus computing, pattern theory, stochastic and hyperdimensional computing, membrane computing, immune systems, reservoir computing and others • Neuro-plausible learning and optimization concepts, potentially leveraging self-organization and enabling features like continuous learning, learning without forgetting • How do humans / animals build their world models? • Strategies from nature for system robustness (theoretical biology, neuroscience, ecology) • Pre-rational intelligence in animals from amoeba to insects to pigeons, zebra finches and rats (and the pre-rational information processing in humans, too) • Computational interpretations of self-organization in complex natural systems • ALife views on computing systems Session 4. Scaling up: modular architectures, complex data structures and processes. A key factor that empowered digital computing to become a world-changing technology is its scalability. Starting from concatenating bits into bitstrings and Boolean gates into Boolean circuits, arbitrarily compounded hierarchical data structures and program flows can be designed according to well-understood compositional principles. General principles of compositionality for non-symbolic information representations and arbitrarily extensible processing hierarchies for NNPC await their discovery. On the hardware side, only a few proposals for extensible multi-module neuromorphic architectures have been proposed (SpiNNaker immediately comes to mind) which present technical solutions for neural signal routing but are still limited with regards to functional and architectural diversity of the joinable modules. From a use case view, compositional principles for NNPC task specifications are likewise still restricted to specific, limited computational paradigms (as in the neural engineering framework or Act-R). Progress in general principles for scaling systems to arbitrary complexity is a key condition for the long-term sustainability of NNPC. Suggested topics: • Concepts for compositional non-symbolic “data” and information representation • Concepts for compositional procedure hierarchies • Synchronization mechanisms in unclocked parallel computing systems • Cognitive architectures, hierarchical control principles, autonomous agent models • Configuration principles for multi-module neural network architectures • Bidirectional top-down and bottom-up processing in deep neural (and other) architectures • Unclocked FPGA demonstrations • Routing and addressing mechanisms – formal and in hardware • Fundamental questions of hardware topology and physical integration to enable scalability of resources (energy, space, heat deposition, etc.) • High-capacity, richly structured long-term memory • Lifelong learning in NNPC systems • Growing hardware systems • Multi-modal sensor signal processing in non-digital neuromorphic systems • Progress in large-scale neuromorphic systems • Distributed energy supply in NNPC systems • Distributed input and output channeling to/from NNPC systems • NNPC-suited communication formats and networking solutions • Deep spiking neural networks and multi-module recurrent neural networks suitable for analog hardware realizations • Options and limits of commercial fabricability • Hybrid digital-NNPC systems aiming for scalable complexity Session 5. Applications: demonstrators, use-cases, user interfacing, hybrid solutions. Commercially or societally relevant scenarios for NNPC applications are still confined to niches. This is certainly due, on the one hand, to the early stage of NNPC research which is still mostly foundational and academic. But on the other hand, in our search for broad application scenarios we might be partly blinded by the urge to replace digital solutions in order to outwit the “End of Moore’s Law” and save energy. While this original motivation will remain strong and continue to call for NNPC solutions, other NNPC systems may turn out to be so different from digital systems that they cannot simply be plugged in where the latter are to be phased out. To the extent that NNPC systems become more brain-like (self-organizing, aging, with individual learning histories) they also become less computer-like. They may not be programmable in the accustomed way but need to be trained; they may not be identically reproducible but individual; they may not be re-bootable from some starting state but always-on (and might “die” if cut from energy supply). On the plus side, besides their energy efficiency they may boast an admirable robustness against variable or noisy input and physical damage; realize enormous data throughput rates; be bio-implantable; find creative un-premediated solutions for their tasks, and last but not least they may be un-hackable due to their individuality. All of this requires a thorough re-thinking of what an information-processing system is, what it can be used for, or what it can be doing all on its own. This is an interdisciplinary agenda which involves not only engineers but also psychologists, sociologists, economists and philosophers. Suggested topics: • Progress in currently discussed application scenarios: optical computing for communication systems, implantable neurochips and neuroprosthetics, ultra-low power or even energy harvesting edge computing, sensing and control for compliant or soft robots, analog/spiking adaptations of deep learning techniques, ubiquitous sensing, and more. • Methods to “make NNPC systems do what we want”: generalized concepts of “programming”, physical and functional configuration methods, training and scaffolding schemes, evolutionary optimization • Engineering pipelines: how would they differ from the digital system development routines? • How to “use” intelligent autonomous agents (avatars, game characters, robots) • Explainable NNPC: from formal analyses of trained distributed systems to accountability ethics of autonomous, individual artificial agents • Philosophy of engineering: a concept shift from reproducible, controllable tools to individual agents and personal companions • Interdisciplinary education: academic study programs, web services, funding initiatives Conference venue. The venue, the Castle of Herrenhausen (https://www.schloss-herrenhausen.de/en/home/ ), a heritage of the Kings of Hannover – who for a long historical period were at the same time Kings of England – was transformed into an award-winning center for scientific events and is today administered and maintained through the Volkswagen Foundation. The Herrenhausen Gardens stretch across hectares of classical French gardening. Why the Volkswagen Foundation supports NNPC. All funding is provided by the Volkswagen Foundation (https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en ), Germany’s largest private organization for the advancement of scientific research. The funding covers the royal conference venue, excellent catering, travel and accommodation for all speakers and the session chairs, and fee waivers for every participant. There is a reason for this generous commitment. The Foundation focuses its investments on a small number of research fields across all sciences that are (i) interdisciplinary and in a nascent stadium, (ii) not yet widely funded by industry or public agencies, (iii) show a potential for foundational discoveries and long-term societal benefits. One of these foci identified by the Foundation coincides with the themes of NNPC: non-digital computing technologies, including but not limited to neuromorphic computing, across all levels from materials through devices, microchip technologies, new computing paradigms, user-machine interaction scenarios, to the philosophy of computing and societal impact. The 2018 conference “Cognitive Computing” was a trigger for the Foundation to adopt this theme. Within this theme, the Foundation supports a spectrum of activities, among them our 2023 conference.

Feb. 24, 2023

Postdoctoral positions in learning and pain modulation, NIH

by Atlas, Lauren (NIH/NCCIH) [E]

Dr. Lauren Atlas’s laboratory<https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/intramural/section-on-affective-neurosci…> is recruiting one to two postdoctoral researchers with expertise in fMRI and affective science to join the Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain (ANP) to lead new projects on the psychological modulation of pain and emotional experience. Dr. Atlas’s lab is part of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s (NCCIH) intramural research program<https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/intramural>, and affiliated with the Intramural Research Programs of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Learn more about the NIH Intramural Training Program.<https://www.training.nih.gov/programs> Research in the ANP Lab focuses on the mechanisms by which expectations, learning, and other cognitive and affective factors influence pain, emotion, and clinical outcomes. We combine approaches from experimental psychology, neuroimaging, psychophysiology, and computational modeling to investigate pain and emotional experience in healthy individuals as well as individuals with chronic pain and/or affective disorders. We are particularly interested in the intersection of appetitive and aversive learning, how psychosocial factors influence pain and clinical outcomes, and questions motivated by pain’s central role in the opioid crisis. Postdoctoral researchers are expected to develop their own projects, with guidance, and to collaborate with other researchers in the lab as well as in the broader NIH community. We are looking for someone to spearhead new projects using high field imaging (7T-FMRI) to examine pain and perception across domains and/or using simultaneous PET-MRI to study the role of dopamine and opioids in pain modulation. Clinical collaborations to look at the intersection between pain, mental health, and/or substance use disorders are also possible. The candidate should have a strong background in psychology and neuroscience and must have received a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the time of appointment. Candidates with successful publications in the fields of pain, emotion, and/or computational modeling are encouraged to apply. Postdoctoral positions require experience with 1) design of behavioral and fMRI experiments, 2) analysis of fMRI data using statistical parametric mapping packages (SPM, AFNI, etc.), and 3) programming and analysis skills in MATLAB, R, and/or Python. These requirements will be flexible for candidates with clinical experience or experience in psychopharmacology, as we are currently planning clinical collaborations. Appointments and salary are commensurate with research experience and accomplishments (www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp<http://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp>). The candidate will be supported with the excellent intramural NIH fellowship in a stimulating and interactive research environment at NIH. NIH has exceptional multidisciplinary research facilities including structural and functional MRI, MEG, PET, and TMS. Our lab is fully funded with dedicated weekly scan time, a full-time data analyst, and the opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s foremost fMRI experts. Training in advanced imaging and other techniques is available, as are courses in grant writing and career development. Trainees can also apply to be fellows in the Center on Compulsive Behaviors<https://research.ninds.nih.gov/researchers/center-compulsive-behaviors-ccb#….>, a trans-NIH fellowship program. This is an exciting and collaborative environment for those interested in pursuing a career in clinical or cognitive neuroscience. How To Apply Applicants should submit a CV, a brief description of research interests and career goals, and the names of three references to Dr. Lauren Atlas<mailto:lauren.atlas@nih.gov> (Investigator/Chief, Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain, NCCIH/NIMH/NIDA, NIH). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The Department of Health and Human Services and NIH are equal opportunity employers committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Feb. 23, 2023

Call for contribution and registration to the Systems Vision Science Symposium: Aug. 22-24, 2023, in Tuebingen, Germany

by Pavlovic, Maria

Systems Vision Science Symposium Aug. 22-24, 2023 in Tübingen, Germany Our symposium takes place at the end of our Systems Vision Science summer school Aug. 14-24, 2023. Presentation topics by the invited speakers will be ® Topics in Systems Vision Science ® The power of two: New perspectives on binocular vision ® Central versus peripheral vision We are pleased to announce our symposium's keynote speaker: Marty Sereno. The keynote speech will be on August 22, 2023 Invited speakers of the Systems Vision Science Summer School and Symposium include: Assaf Breska, Peter Dayan, Andrea van Doorn, Wolfgang Einhäuser-Treyer, Karl Gegenfurtner, Ziad Hafed, Tadashi Isa, Jan Koenderink, Kristine Krug, Hanspeter Mallot, Laurence Maloney, Pascal Mamassian, Antje Nuthmann, Daniel Osorio, Andrew Parker, Jenny Read, Alexander Schütz, Manuel Spitschan, Kristina Visscher, Li Zhaoping. -------------------------------- We invite you to submit contributions in form of posters to the symposium on all topics in Systems Vision Science, which combines computational, behavioral, and neuroscience methods to discover functions and algorithms for vision in various brain regions and their implementations in neural circuits. To maximize exchanges during the symposium, each poster will be displayed throughout the symposium, which includes five poster sessions (two daytime sessions and three evening sessions), in a venue next to the lecture hall and coffee breaks to give enough time for discussions, networking and knowledge exchange. To contribute, please fill out our registration form including an abstract, which can be found here: <https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/contributions-for-symposium/> https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/contributions-for-symposium/ -------------------------------- Submissions of contributions are possible until April 30, 2023. Registration without contribution to the symposium will be open until capacity or deadline for organization is reached. This years venue capacity is 100, including invited speakers and summer school participants. Information about our summer school, which takes place just before the Systems Vision Science Symposium, can be found here: <https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/> https://summerschool.lizhaoping.org/ Please direct inquiries to <mailto:svs.summerschool@tue.mpg.de> svs.summerschool(a)tue.mpg.de -------------------------------- Organizing team: Li Zhaoping Ulf Lüder Maria Pavlovic Junhao Liang Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics University of Tuebingen www.lizhaoping.org <http://www.lizhaoping.org>

Feb. 23, 2023

Research Associate on project “A technology to extract memories from the human brain”

by Howard Bowman

POSTDOC RESEARCH ASSOCIATE ON PROJECT “A TECHNOLOGY TO EXTRACT MEMORIES FROM THE HUMAN BRAIN USING EFIT6 AND THE FRINGE-P3 BRAINWAVE METHOD” School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, UK. We are looking for a researcher with neuroimaging and machine learning expertise. The Fringe-P3 method (Bowman et al, 2013; Alsufyani et al, 2019) developed out of a line of theoretical work focussed on temporal attention and perception on the fringe of awareness (Bowman & Wyble, 2007; Avilés et al, 2020; Bowman & Avilés, 2022). The method provides a means to present a large number of visual stimuli very rapidly to a participant’s brain and then determine with EEG, which of those stimuli the participant finds salient. A very simple form of salience that we look at is familiarity, with stimuli that are familiar breaking into participants’ awareness and thereby generating a P3 (or a variant of it), which we detect with EEG. The method has been proposed as a deception detector, specifically, a (countermeasures-resistant) concealed-knowledge test (Bowman et al, 2013, 2014; Alsufyani et al, 2019; Harris et al, 2021). Our recent Innovate UK project with the company Visionmetric (https://visionmetric.com/) used the Fringe-P3 method to provide a prototype system for extracting the memory of a face. This is done by generating a facial morph that is a weighted average of the faces presented in rapid serial visual presentation, with weight determined by the strength of the P3 that face generated. A demo of the system developed in this project can be seen here: https://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/hb5/EEGFIT_prototype_demo_cut.mp4 The Research Associate will be employed on a recently awarded EPSRC Impact Acceleration account at the University of Birmingham, which, with Visionmetric, will improve the efficiency with which P3s are detected with machine learning and will also explore alternative detection modalities, such as pupil dilation. The position is for one year in the first instance, but with the possibility of follow-on funding. Direct enquiries to the Principal Investigator, Howard Bowman (H.Bowman(a)bham.ac.uk<mailto:H.Bowman@bham.ac.uk>). Professor Howard Bowman (Psychology, University of Birmingham; Computing, University of Kent and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL [honorary]). To apply for this job, search for it on the following site, https://edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_6… Alsufyani, A., Hajilou, O., Zoumpoulaki, A., Filetti, M., Alsufyani, H., Solomon, C. J., ... & Bowman, H. (2019). Breakthrough percepts of famous faces. Psychophysiology, 56(1). Avilés, A., Bowman, H., & Wyble, B. (2020). On the limits of evidence accumulation of the preconscious percept. Cognition, 195, 104080. Bowman, H., & Avilés, A. (2022). No Subliminal Memory for Spaced Repeated Images in Rapid-Serial-Visual-Presentation Streams. Psychological Science, 33(11), 1959-1965. Bowman, H., Filetti, M., Janssen, D., Su, L., Alsufyani, A., & Wyble, B. (2013). Subliminal salience search illustrated: EEG identity and deception detection on the fringe of awareness. PLoS One, 8(1). Bowman, H., Filetti, M., Alsufyani, A., Janssen, D., & Su, L. (2014). Countering countermeasures: Detecting identity lies by detecting conscious breakthrough. PloS one, 9(3), e90595. Bowman, H., & Wyble, B. (2007). The simultaneous type, serial token model of temporal attention and working memory. Psychological review, 114(1), 38. Harris, K., Miller, C., Jose, B., Beech, A., Woodhams, J., & Bowman, H. (2021). Breakthrough percepts of online identity: Detecting recognition of email addresses on the fringe of awareness. European Journal of Neuroscience, 53(3), 895-901. -------------------------------------------- Professor Howard Bowman (PhD) Professor of Cognition & Logic in Computing at Uni Kent, and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience in Psychology at Uni Birmingham (honorary at Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London) Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems and the School of Computing, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NF, UK email: H.Bowman(a)kent.ac.uk<mailto:H.Bowman@kent.ac.uk> WWW: http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/hb5/ School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Feb. 23, 2023

Open rank faculty positions at the intersection of biological and artificial intelligence at Indiana University

by Zoran Tiganj

The Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering (SICE), the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences (PBS), and the School of Optometry (IUSO) at Indiana University (IU) Bloomington invite applications for two faculty positions to begin on August 1, 2023. We seek applicants working at the intersection of biological and artificial intelligence, with a focus on reverse engineering the computational foundations of biological intelligence using tools from machine learning and artificial intelligence. The positions are part of a new initiative—Reverse Engineering the Foundations of Intelligence—that aims to transform our understanding of human and animal intelligence. IU has long been an international leader in discussions of how brains, bodies, and environments contribute to intelligent behavior. This initiative is designed to build on these strengths and propel IU to the forefront of research at the interaction of biological and artificial intelligence. The positions are open at the full and associate professor levels, but exceptional candidates at the assistant professor level or in industry may be considered. We seek dynamic individuals with an international reputation and experience working in rapidly expanding & intellectually diverse interdisciplinary areas. We also seek individuals who excel working in team environments and whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to IU’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Minimum Qualifications: A PhD in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, or a related field, and a distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and professional experience appropriate for a tenured professorship at IU Bloomington. Applications received by March 2, 2023 will receive full consideration; however, the search will remain open until suitable candidates are found. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. Candidates should review application requirements, learn more about SICE, PBS, IUSO, and employee benefits, and apply online at: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/16752 Questions, nominations, and confidential inquiries may be sent to Justin Wood (woodjn(a)indiana.edu) or Rowan Candy (rcandy(a)indiana.edu) Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Before a conditional offer of employment with tenure is finalized, candidates will be asked to disclose any pending investigations or previous findings of sexual or professional misconduct. They will also be required to authorize an inquiry by Indiana University Bloomington with all current and former employers along these lines. The relevance of information disclosed or ascertained in the context of this process to a candidate’s eligibility for hire will be evaluated by Indiana University Bloomington on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should be aware, however, that Indiana University Bloomington takes the matters of sexual and professional misconduct very seriously.

Feb. 22, 2023

Postdoctoral opportunity in Janssen Pharmaceuticals

by Rouhollah Abdollahi

We have a great opportunity for postdoctoral position in our team in Janssen pharmaceuticals, companies of Johnson & Johnson, working on neuroimaging projects. The location of the candidate should be Europe or USA, but remote option also can be arranged. https://jobs.jnj.com/en/jobs/2306106495w/post-doctoral-scientist-data-scien… -- Sent from Gmail Mobile

Feb. 21, 2023

Software Highlight: Kay Robbins: HED (Hierarchical Event Descriptors)

by Ankur Sinha

Dear all, Apologies for the cross-posts. Please join the INCF/OCNS Software Working Group for our next Software Highlight session: Kay Robbins[0] will introduce and discuss HED, a practical system for describing an experiment using an analysis-ready framework. https://ocns.github.io/SoftwareWG/2023/02/17/software-highlight-kay-robbins… - Date: February 28, 2023, 1600 UTC (Click here to see your local time[1]) (Add to calendar[2]). - Zoom (link): https://ucl.zoom.us/j/99321986413?pwd=OUdFTlJ3NVloUmJ1U0Q3WE9vRERMZz09 The abstract for the talk is below: In human neuroimaging experiments, a record of what a participant experiences together with a clear understanding of the participant (task) intent are key to interpreting recorded brain dynamics. HED (Hierarchical Event Descriptors, https://www.hedtags.org) annotations and supporting infrastructure can provide human-understandable machine-actionable descriptions of events experienced during laboratory and/or real-world time series recordings. HED, which is well-integrated into BIDS (Brain Imaging Data Structure) has an ecosystem of tools supporting researchers at various stages including data acquisition, annotation, sharing, and analysis. This talk will describe HED principles, focusing on basic representations of an experiment and its design. Various tools in the HED ecosystem to support search, summary and analysis will be introduced and demonstrated. Finally, we’ll discuss how tool developers can leverage the HED infrastructure to build advanced analysis tools capable of automated analysis in support of machine learning. HED is an entirely open-source project, and the HED Working Group welcomes contributors and contributions. Papers and resources: - Capturing the nature of events and event context using Hierarchical Event Descriptors (HED). NeuroImage. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921010387 - Building FAIR functionality: Annotating events in time series data using Hierarchical Event Descriptors (HED). Neuroinformatics. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12021-021-09537-4 - Resources: https://www.hed-resources.org - GitHub organization: https://github.com/hed-standard [0] https://www.utsa.edu/sciences/computer-science/faculty/KayRobbins.html [1] https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Software+Highligh… [2] https://ocns.github.io/SoftwareWG/extras/ics/20230228-kay-robbins-hed.ics On behalf of the Software WG, -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) | https://ankursinha.in Research Fellow at the Silver Lab, University College London | http://silverlab.org/ Free/Open source community volunteer at the NeuroFedora project | https://neuro.fedoraproject.org Time zone: Europe/London

Feb. 21, 2023

PhD position in System Neuroscience

by Shahidi, Neda

Dear all, I have a new Ph.D. position in System Neuroscience at the University of Göttingen and the German Primate Center in Göttingen. We will use a new paradigm in studying neural correlates of decision-making in monkeys: The animals in our study will make decisions that are more natural to them, less repetitive, and require less training. Also, we will use chronic electrophysiology enabling us to simultaneously probe many neurons using a technology that is more or less plug-and-play. That means less animal training and less neuron-fishing. However, because there is nothing like a free lunch, this comes with a cost: Analyzing the data will be way more complicated, compared to a classical experiment! Therefore, the ideal candidate is proficient in data analysis and coding, but also enthusiastic to work with monkeys (Do you enjoy teaching your dog a trick or two? then you will also enjoy working with our monkeys). Please find more information here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/644546.html?filters={%22vollzeit%22:[],%22…<https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/644546.html?filters=%7B%22vollzeit%22:%5B%…> and please feel free to spread the word. Kind Regards Neda

Feb. 21, 2023

MBL Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course

by Stephen A. Baccus

Applications are open for the Methods in Computational Neurosciencecourse at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. The course will run from July 26 to August 23, 2023. The online application form and additional information can be found at: https://www.mbl.edu/education/advanced-research-training-courses/course-off… The course application deadline is *March 31*. The course covers a range of topics in computational neuroscience including neuronal biophysics, neural coding & information processing, circuit dynamics, learning & memory, motor control, and cognitive processing & disease. In addition, numerous tutorials and problem sets will cover a broad range of computational and mathematical modeling methods. The course strongly emphasizes the collaboration between theory and experiment in solving neuroscience problems, and lectures will be given by a mixture of theorists and experimentalists. The final weeks of the course are primarily reserved for work on projects that students design in collaboration with the resident faculty. 2023 Course Directors: Stephen Baccus, Stanford University Xiao Jing Wang, New York University 2023 Faculty: Larry Abbott, Columbia University Emery Brown, MIT Nicolas Brunel, Duke University Randy Buckner, Harvard University Anne Churchland, UCLA Claudia Clopath, Imp. College London Marlene Cohen, U. of Pittsburgh Shaul Druckmann, Stanford University Uri Eden, Boston University Bard Ermentrout, U. of Pittsburgh Adrienne Fairhall, U. of Washington Michale Fee, MIT Loren Frank, UCSF Stefano Fusi, Columbia University Surya Ganguli, Stanford University Paul Glimcher, New York University Mark Goldman, UC Davis Nancy Kopell, Boston University Eve Marder, Brandeis University John Murray, Yale University Srdjan Ostojic, ENS - PSL Yiota Poirazi, IMBB-FORTH David Redish, U. Minnesota Terry Sejnowski, Salk Institute Sebastian Seung, Princeton University Reza Shadmehr, Johns Hopkins Univ. Haim Sompolinsky, Hebrew University Nelson Spruston, Janelia Res., HHMI Nao Uchida, Harvard University Byron Yu, Carnegie Mellon University Greg Wayne, DeepMind

Feb. 20, 2023

Postdoc position in bio-inspired AI at University of Sussex

by Thomas Nowotny

Dear colleagues, We are looking for a post-doctoral research fellow to join our Sussex team working on bio-inspired AI and computational modelling of insect behaviour and learning. You will join a BBSRC funded project called “Emergent embodied cognition in shallow neural networks”. https://www.sussex.ac.uk/about/jobs/research-fellow-ref-10735 Your primary role will be to develop simulations of learning problems that insects face such as flower learning or navigation. Insect learning occurs rapidly within shallow neural networks. This is possible because learning is an active process emerging from the interaction of evolved brains, sensory systems and behaviours. We will explore how behavioural strategies and specialised sensors interact with learning success. You will work under the supervision of Prof Paul Graham (Sussex, School of Life Sciences) and Professors Andrew Philippides and Thomas Nowotny (Sussex, Department of Informatics). You will join an active team of research fellows and PhD students working on similar topics. Closing date: 09 March 2023. Applications must be received by midnight (UK) Expected interview date: to be confirmed Expected start date: early April 2023 Please contact Prof Paul Graham, p.r.graham(a)sussex.ac.uk, for informal enquiries. With regards, Thomas -- Prof. Thomas Nowotny Head of AI Research Group CCNR, Sussex Neuroscience Phone: +44-1273-678593 Engineering and Informatics, Fax: +44-1273-877873 University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny<http://sussex.ac.uk/informatics/tnowotny> [../../owa/redir.aspx?C=9e11bb0e527242938402b42d9b5498ea&URL=http%3a%2f%2fsussex.ac.uk%2finformatics%2ftnowotny] I support the University of Sussex Community Pledge, as I continue to help those around me during the pandemic. Small acts of collaboration, kindness and integrity can make a big difference. www.sussex.ac.uk/community-pledge<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/community-pledge>

Feb. 20, 2023

Fast Lane to Slow Science – Online panel discussion to celebrate International Women's Month – 20 March 2023, 13h GMT / 14h CET

by Sidarus, Nura

Hi, Can you please advertise the following event. Thank you in advance, Nura Sidarus. Fast Lane to Slow Science Online panel discussion to celebrate International Women's Month Monday, 20th March 2023 – 13h GMT / 14h CET You are warmly invited to join us in celebrating International Women's Month with an online panel discussion on "Fast Lane to Slow Science". If "fast science is bad for scientists and bad for science" (Frith, TiCS, 2019), how can we move towards a Slow Science? What are the implications for the evaluation of science and scientists? And for equity and diversity? Join our panel of world leading scientists, who have been shaping science, science evaluation and science policy in Europe, to discuss these questions and more: * Professor Dame Uta Frith, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK. Author of "Fast Lane to Slow Science<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cell.…>" (TiCS, 2019). * Professor Sylvie Lorente, College of Engineering, Villanova University, USA. Member of the ERC Scientific Council. * Professor Toma Susi, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Austria. Member of the Steering Board of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment. Details and registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-month-celebration-panel-discussion-on…<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.event…> Organised and chaired by Dr Nura Sidarus, Royal Holloway University of London, and facilitated by Dr María Jesús Maraver, University of Granada. Conceived by Women in Cognitive Science - Europe<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceb…> & supported by Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceb…>. This email, its contents and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. In certain circumstances, it may also be subject to legal privilege. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, or copying is not permitted. If you have received this email in error, please notify us and immediately and permanently delete it. Any views or opinions expressed in personal emails are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Royal Holloway, University of London. It is your responsibility to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus free.

Feb. 20, 2023

3rd International Workshop On Neurodynamics (NDy’23) June 14-17, 2023 Castro-Urdiales, Spain

by bgutkin

> 3rd International Workshop On Neurodynamics (NDy’23) > June 14-17, 2023 > Castro-Urdiales, Spain > > http://cody.unizar.es/events/neurodynamics23/ <http://cody.unizar.es/events/neurodynamics23/> > > *** Scientific committee *** > Roberto Barrio, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. > Stephen Coombes, University of Nottingham, UK. > Boris Gutkin, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris. France. > Santiago Ibañez, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain. > Valeri Makarov, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. > Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, University of Exeter, UK. > > Neuroscience is nowadays one of the most collaborative and active scientific research fields as it has been increasingly involving the participation of experts from other disciplines. In particular, computational and mathematical aspects of neuroscience are currently playing an important role both in modeling and replicating experimental findings and in explaining the underlying mechanisms of neurophysiological or cognitive processes. Differential equations are ubiquitous in the modeling of such phenomena and, consequently, nonlinear dynamics and dynamical systems techniques become fundamental sources of new mathematical and computational tools to study neuroscience models. > > The aim of this Third Workshop on Neurodynamics, NDy’23 (first edition and second were NDy’14 and NDy'18) is to present an overview of successful achievements in this rapidly developing collaborative field by putting together different types of applications of nonlinear dynamics (geometrical tools in dynamical systems, numerical methods, computational schemes, dynamical measures,…) to different problems in neuroscience (mononeuronal dynamics, network activity, cognitive problems,…). Additional emphasis will be put on experimental findings seeking for theoretical explanations, and therefore this meeting is focussed on using mathematics as the primary tool for elucidating the fundamental mechanisms responsible for experimentally observed behavior in the applied neurosciences. Importantly, it will draw attention to those pieces of mathematical theory which are likely to be relevant to future studies of the brain. The final goal is spreading together mathematical methodology and neuroscience challenges and stimulating future cross-collaborations among participants, being Mathematical Neuroscience the generic topic for NDy’23. > > Important dates: > Short abstract/Title submission deadline 31st March 2023 > Payment deadline (reduced fee, 240 Euros) 14th April 2023 > Payment deadline (complete fee, 290 Euros) 5 th May 2023 > ******************************** > > > > >

Feb. 20, 2023