- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

PhD position in Reinforcement Learning and Decision Making under Uncertainty
by Obermayer, Klaus, Prof. Dr. Oct. 25, 2017

Oct. 25, 2017

Neural Information Processing Group, Fakultät IV, Technische Universität Berlin & Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience 1 PhD Position Reinforcement Learning and Decision Making under Uncertainty The successful candidate is expected join collaborative projects at the interface between computational neuroscience and machine learning (research topics: reinforcement learning and decision making under uncertainty). The position is affiliated with the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (https://www.bccn-berlin.de/) and the candidate is welcome to participate in its scientific and training activities. Teaching responsibilities include the supervision of two tutorials per week during the semester associated with the courses taught by the Neural Information Processing Group (http://www.ni.tu-berlin.de/) Starting date: January 1st, 2018 Salary level: E-13 TV-L The position is for a period of maximally of five years. Candidates should hold a recent Master degree and should have very good knowledge in the computational neuroscience and machine learning fields. Application material (CV, abstract of the Master thesis, copies of certificates and two letters of reference) should be sent to: Prof. Dr. Klaus Obermayer MAR 5-6, Technische Universität Berlin, Marchstrasse 23, 10587 Berlin, Germany http://www.ni.tu-berlin.de/ klaus.obermayer(a)tu-berlin.de preferably by email. All applications received before November 11th 2017 will be given full consideration, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. To ensure equal opportunities between women and men, applications by women with the required qualifications are explicitly desired. Qualified individuals with disabilities will be favored.

1 0

Cluster of faculty positions in Computational Neuroscience at UC Davis
by Mark Steven Goldman Oct. 25, 2017

Oct. 25, 2017

The University of California at Davis is making a major expansion in Computational Neuroscience and related fields, with 10+ tenure-track faculty position openings in the next 3 years through clusters of hires in Computational Neuroscience (3 positions), Motor Control & Neural Engineering (2 positions), Network Science (2 positions), and Data Science (4 positions). UC Davis is a top-10 Public Research University (US News & World Report) located in the college-town of Davis, CA, 1 hour from the San Francisco Bay Area and 20 minutes from the state capital of Sacramento. All cluster and position descriptions can be found at the following website http://comphip2017.ucdavis.edu/. The two Computational Neuroscience faculty positions available this year are broadly targeted as described formally below: Assistant Professor - Computational Neuroscience The University of California, Davis invites applications for up to two tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in computational neuroscience. Each position will focus on identifying general principles of brain function; and/or on modeling and methods at the molecular, cellular, circuit, and/or systems levels that connect to data obtained from different experimental techniques. This is part of a 3-year initiative to hire 10+ new faculty across multiple departments who focus on advanced computational theory and methods, including clusters of hires in computational neuroscience, network science, and data science (see http://comphip2017.ucdavis.edu) QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering, physics, psychology, neuroscience, or related field; a demonstrated record of teaching, or evidence of the potential to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the academic department or departments; a record of attracting, or the potential to attract, extramural funding; and excellent potential for interactions/collaborations. APPLICATION PROCESS: The position will remain open until filled. To ensure full consideration, completed applications should be received by November 20, 2017. Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled. Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, representative reprints and/or preprints, a statement of contributions to diversity, and at least three letters of recommendation electronically. The cover letter should indicate which of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior; Computer Science; Statistics; Mathematics; or Physics would be the most appropriate academic departments. For more information, contact Prof. Mark Goldman (msgoldman(a)ucdavis.edu<mailto:msgoldman@ucdavis.edu>). For technical questions please contact Susan Sainz (swsainz(a)ucdavis.edu) Apply at UC Recruit: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/apply/JPF01722

1 0

NICE 2018 - call for abstracts is open
by Aimone, James Bradley Oct. 24, 2017

Oct. 24, 2017

Dear colleagues, The abstract call for NICE 2018 is now open: https://easychair.org/cfp/NICE_2018 Abstracts due: November 15, 2017 The 2018 Neuro-Inspired Computing Elements (NICE) Workshop is the 6th annual meeting of researchers in the neural computing field. Like previous workshops, NICE 2018 will focus on the interplay between neural theory, neural algorithms, neuromorphic architectures and hardware, and applications for neural computing technology. NICE aims to involve diverse participation from all over the world and bring together research communities with universities, government, and industry. We are asking for extended abstracts of two pages, with emphasis on novel results in brain-inspired neural algorithms for machine learning, neural computing architectures and hardware, theoretical neuroscience, and applications of neural computing. Event dates are Feb. 27-Mar.1, 2018, and this year the workshop is being hosted by Intel, at their Hillsboro, Oregon site. Registration and accommodation details will be available on the event website (niceworkshop.org<http://niceworkshop.org>) by end of October. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Hillsboro, Feb.27th. Brad Aimone

1 0

3-year, ERC-funded, postdoctoral position at University of Birmingham, UK.
by Jennifer Cook Oct. 23, 2017

Oct. 23, 2017

The School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, UK, invites applications for a 3-year position as a post-doctoral researcher. The successful candidate will work together with Dr. Jennifer Cook on a European Research Council (ERC)-funded project on the relationship between social cognition, motor control and dopamine system function (ERC-StG-Brain2Bee). The starting date for the position is 13th January 2018 (although there is some flexibility around start date). The closing date for applications is 10th November 2017. See here for details: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BFB695/research-fellow/ *Project description:* Parkinson’s Disease is usually characterised by motor impairment, and Autism by social difficulties. However, the co-occurrence of social and motor symptoms is critically underappreciated; Parkinson’s disease patients exhibit social symptoms, and motor difficulties are common in Autism. At present, the biological basis of co-occurring social and motor impairment is unclear. Notably, both Autism and Parkinson’s disease have been associated with dopamine system dysfunction and, in non-clinical populations, DA has been linked with social and motor ability. This project will use psychopharmacology and behavioural training in typical individuals to understand the relationship between dopamine system function, and social and motor ability. Insights from these initial studies will be used in studies of patients to better understand the relationship between DA system dysfunction and the social and motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Results from this package of work will help us to move closer to a cross-disorder understanding of factors underlying variation in social and motor abilities. *The Candidate:* The successful candidate will be responsible for contributing to the development of a social and motor task battery; leading a study of social and motor function in patients with Parkinson’s Disease; and working with a team of researchers to run a psychopharmacology study to assess the effects of a dopaminergic drug on social and motor outcomes in 100 participants. Candidates should have substantial experience of behavioural experimental methods and ideally experience of working with a clinical population, and running and analysing psychopharmacology studies. This post will require analysing data associated with this project, preparing manuscripts for publication, presenting results at national and international conferences and the possible supervision of research assistants and students. Please note this post is aligned to external funding and therefore the salary on offer is up to a maximum of £32,548. -- Dr Jennifer Cook Birmingham Fellow School of Psychology University of Birmingham Tel: 0121 414 7218 <goog_589294029> www.jencooklab.com http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/psychology/people/profile.aspx?Referenc…

1 0

EVIC 2017 - XIII IEEE Latin-American Summer School on Computational Intelligence
by Rodrigo Salas Oct. 23, 2017

Oct. 23, 2017

EVIC 2017 - XIII IEEE Latin-American Summer School on Computational Intelligence We apologize if you receive multiple copies of this message. Please distribute to anyone who may be interested. ================================================================ XIII IEEE Latin-American Summer School on Computational Intelligence (EVIC) December 13-15, 2017 Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile Blanco 1911, CIAE Building, 4th Floor, Valparaíso, Chile. www.evic.cl Poster Competition - 1st call for abstract deadline: October 31th, 2017 (extended) 2nd call for abstract deadline: November 13th, 2017 http://www.evic.cl ================================================================ The XIII Summer School of Computational Intelligence will take place at Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile. It is jointly organized by the Chilean Chapter of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society and the School of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Valparaiso. The aim of the Summer School is to promote Computational Intelligence, bringing together areas such as Intelligent Control Systems, Robotics, Computer Vision, Computational Neuroscience, Science Data, Big Data, among others, in order to disseminate the basic knowledge and the latest research advances to students, professors and professionals from Chile and other Latin American countries. During the Summer School, a Student Poster Competition on Computational Intelligence will be held. ==== Confirmed speakers ==== Chin-Teng Lin, Faculty of Engineering & IT, School of Software University of Technology Sydney, Australia Paulo Lisboa, Department of Applied Mathematics, John Moores Liverpool University, UK Pablo Estevez, Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Chile Wael El-Deredy, Biomedical Engineering School, Universidad de Valparaíso Pablo Zegers, Artificial Intelligence Entrepreneur Luis Aburto, Physical Science and Mathematics Faculty , Universidad de Chile Gonzalo Acuña, Department of Informatics, Universidad de Santiago de Chile Mauricio Araya, Department of Informatics, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María Felipe Bello, Department of Informatics, Universidad de Santiago de Chile Sebastián Maldonado, Engineering and Applied Science Faculty, Universidad de los Andes Orietta Nicolis, Department of Statistics, Universidad de Valparaíso Bárbara Poblete, Computer Science Department, Universidad de Chile Carolina Saavedra, Biomedical Engineering School, Universidad de Valparaíso Miguel Solis, Engineering Faculty, Universidad Andrés Bello Felipe Tobar, Mathematical Modeling Center, Universidad de Chile Richard Weber, Physical Science and Mathematics Faculty, Universidad de Chile Alejandro Weinstein, Biomedical Engineering School, Universidad de Valparaíso ==== Organizing committee ==== Rodrigo Salas, Universidad de Valparaíso Claudio Held, Universidad de Chile Carolina Saavedra, Universidad de Valparaíso Doris Saez, Universidad de Chile Pablo Zegers, Emprendedor en Inteligencia Artificial Steren Chabert, Universidad de Valparaíso Alejandro Veloz, Universidad de Valparaíso ==== Important dates ==== Application for registration/travel scholarships (Chilean students) November 17th 1st call for extended abstract submission deadline: October 31th, 2017 (extended) 2nd call for extended abstract submission deadline: November 13th, 2017 ===== Paper submission ===== Authors should submit their articles in English as PDF files following the IEEE style guidelines for conference proceedings (limited up to 3 pages (US letter size)). The submission must include the following sections: Introduction, methods, results, discussion and conclusions. Affiliation should include the name of the student participating in the competition, and the name of the co-authors Submit your work in PDF format in the following link https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=evic2017 Posters will be selected based on the quality of the extended abstract. The decision notification will be send by electronic mail. Posters should be posted according to the schedule which will be noted in the program. A committee of three experts will evaluate the posters and assign the first, second and third places. The awards will be announced on December 14th, 2017. Contact: Rodrigo Salas F. <rodrigo.salas(a)uv.cl>

1 0

Call for submissions: 2nd HBP Student Conference
by HBP Education Oct. 23, 2017

Oct. 23, 2017

Dear all, Below please find the call for submissions for the 2nd HBP Student Conference in Ljubljana: Call for submissions: 2nd HBP Student Conference Transdisciplinary Research Linking Neuroscience, Brain Medicine and Computer Science 14-16 February 2018, Ljubljana, Slovenia Extended abstract submission deadline: 25 October 2017 The 2nd HBP Student Conference provides an open forum for the exchange of new ideas among young researchers working across various aspects of neuroscience, brain medicine and computer science relevant to the Human Brain Project. The scope of the conference offers a plethora of opportunities for extensive scientific discussions, both intra- and interdisciplinary, among peers and faculty, through a variety of discussion sessions, lectures and social events. We invite original high-quality submissions describing innovative research in all disciplines addressing the HBP research programme. Contributions emphasising theoretical and empirical foundations as well as novel approaches to specific problems with respect to the subprojects of the HBP are welcome. Finally, we particularly encourage submissions with a potential to inspire the research community by introducing new and relevant problems, concepts and ideas, even if the work is at an early stage of development. Participation in the 2nd HBP Student Conference is open to advanced master students, PhD students and young researchers, regardless of whether they are affiliated with the HBP or not and regardless of whether they make a submission to the scientific programme or not. Participation of young female investigators is highly encouraged. Child care is offered during the conference. Please use the registration form to indicate if you need this service. Seven travel grants will be available upon request for European students only (country of residence). Travel grant requests have to be sent to education(a)humanbrainproject.eu prior to the abstract submission deadline. For further information and abstract submission visit: https://education.humanbrainproject.eu/web/2nd-hbp-student-conference <https://humanbrainproject.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2e28686501b59b…> We are looking forward to receiving your abstracts! Best regards, The HBP Education Programme Office Theresa Rass HBP Education Programme Project Assistant Medical University Innsbruck (MUI) Müllerstraße 59, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Phone Office: +43 512 9003 71246 Mobile Phone: +43 676 871672246 Email: education(a)humanbrainproject.eu <mailto:education@humanbrainproject.eu>

1 0

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience - recent articles
by Stephen Coombes Oct. 23, 2017

Oct. 23, 2017

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience publishes research articles on the mathematical modeling and analysis of all areas of neuroscience. The current list of journal articles is available at http://www.mathematical-neuroscience.com/ : Fundamental Limits of Forced Asynchronous Spiking with Integrate and Fire Dynamics Anirban Nandi, Heinz Schättler, Jason T. Ritt and ShiNung Ching https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… Symmetries Constrain Dynamics in a Family of Balanced Neural Networks Andrea K. Barreiro, J. Nathan Kutz and Eli Shlizerman https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… An Analysis of Waves Underlying Grid Cell Firing in the Medial Enthorinal Cortex Mayte Bonilla-Quintana, Kyle C. A. Wedgwood, Reuben D. O’Dea and Stephen Coombes https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… A Stochastic Version of the Jansen and Rit Neural Mass Model: Analysis and Numerics Markus Ableidinger, Evelyn Buckwar and Harald Hinterleitner https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… Fast–Slow Bursters in the Unfolding of a High Codimension Singularity and the Ultra-slow Transitions of Classes Maria Luisa Saggio, Andreas Spiegler, Christophe Bernard and Viktor K. Jirsa https://mathematical-neuroscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13408-… All articles are Open Access. ------------------------------------------------------- Stephen Coombes Professor of Applied Mathematics School of Mathematical Sciences Nottingham, UK Tel: 0115 846 7836 http://www.maths.nott.ac.uk/~sc/ ------------------------------------------------------- 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 send it back to me, and immediately delete it. Please do not use, copy or disclose the information contained in this message or in any attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses which could damage your computer system, you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.

1 0

2 tenure-track positions in Computational Neuroscience at Western University
by Jorn Diedrichsen Oct. 21, 2017

Oct. 21, 2017

Two Probationary (Tenure-Track) Faculty Positions in Computational Neuroscience The Faculty of Science at Western University is inviting applications for two probationary (tenure-track) faculty positions at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in Computational Neuroscience. These unique appointments are initially funded through BrainsCAN (brainscan.uwo.ca<http://www.uwo.ca/brainscan/index.html>), a $66M initiative funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund at Western University, and allow a research-intensive focus for the first 5 years of the appointment. Successful candidates will be provided a yearly research budget for this period, and will be eligible for further internal funding including research accelerator awards, and support for postdoctoral research fellows and PhD students. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and be recognized internationally for excellence in computational neuroscience research. The ideal candidates will develop and apply computational and statistical data analysis methods to the modeling of neurophysiological, behavioral, or neuroimaging data in order to significantly contribute to the advancement of neuroscience. Candidates with either theoretical or empirical research programs are encouraged to apply. The position will commence on July 1, 2018 or as negotiated. The successful candidates will become members of the Brain and Mind Institute (www.uwo.ca/bmi<http://www.uwo.ca/bmi>) and will work in the highly collaborative environment in neuroscience, a key area of research strength at Western University. The BMI has 30 Principal Investigators working in the areas of behavioral, cognitive and clinical neuroscience, nearly 200 trainees, and an interdisciplinary neuroscience graduate program. Facilities at Western include a full range of ultra-high field, research-only, MRI scanners (3T, 7T, 9.4T) and state of-the-art laboratories for cognitive, behavioral, and neurophysiological testing in humans, nonhuman primates and rodents. The successful candidates will be appointed into one, or more, of either the Department of Statistical & Actuarial Sciences (www.uwo.ca/stats<http://www.uwo.ca/stats>), the Department for Applied Mathematics (www.uwo.ca/apmaths<http://www.uwo.ca/apmaths>), and the Department of Computer Science (www.csd.uwo.ca<http://www.csd.uwo.ca/>) as appropriate, in the Faculty of Science at Western (www.uwo.ca/sci<http://www.uwo.ca/sci>). Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. Review of applications will begin on December 1st, 2017. For full details, please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/brainscan/work_with_us/vacancies/computational_neuroscien… Jörn Diedrichsen Western Research Chair Brain Mind Institute Department of Computer Science Department of Statistics Email: jdiedric(a)uwo.ca<mailto:jdiedric@uwo.ca> Tel: 1-519-661-2111 x86994

1 0

Brain Modeling ToolKit
by Anton Arkhipov Oct. 21, 2017

Oct. 21, 2017

Dear Colleague, We would like to announce the alpha release of the Brain Modeling ToolKit (BMTK), developed at the Allen Institute for Brain Science: https://github.com/AllenInstitute/bmtk. BMTK is a python-based software package for building and simulating models of neuronal circuits. It supports simulations at four levels of resolution (biophysically detailed, point-neuron, population statistics, and machine intelligence) by providing wrappers to tools such as NEURON, NEST, diPDE, and TensorFlow. This is an alpha release and we are working on creating more extensive documentation and tutorials. Meanwhile, we are very much looking forward to hearing feedback on the existing functionality. If you could try out the package and let us know about your experience, that would be very much appreciated! At this early stage, we are happy to work closely with you to help you get started on using the BMTK. Please email the lead developer of BMTK, Kael Dai, at kaeld(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:kaeld@alleninstitute.org>, or to me, at antona(a)alleninstitute.org<mailto:antona@alleninstitute.org>, with any questions. A good place to start is the user guide: https://alleninstitute.github.io/bmtk We are looking forward to your feedback! Many thanks, Anton. Anton Arkhipov Associate Investigator T: 206.548.8414 [cid:image001.png@01D349BD.C61A1100] www.alleninstitute.org<http://www.alleninstitute.org/>

1 0

final schedule for workshop on high performance computing in neuroscience
by Ted Carnevale Oct. 19, 2017

Oct. 19, 2017

The final schedule for the workshop on high performance computing in neuroscience, which will be held November 11 from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the 2017 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, is now available at http://www.nsgportal.org/SFN2017_workshop.html --Ted

1 0

COSYNE 2018: Abstract submission is now open, Call for workshop proposals
by Tomas Hromadka Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2018 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 01 - 04 March 2018 Denver, Colorado WORKSHOPS 05 - 06 March 2018 Breckenridge, Colorado www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES Abstract submission is now open. Workshop proposal deadline: 10 November 2017 Abstract submission deadline: 20 November 2017 ---------------------------------------------------- COSYNE ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks is selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. For details on workshop proposals please see below or visit Cosyne.org -> Workshops. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. This year we would like to foster increased participation from experimental groups as well as computational ones. Please circulate widely and encourage your students and postdocs to apply. When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting, due to space constraints. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. For more information and details on submitting abstracts please visit Cosyne.org -> Abstracts. COSYNE SPEAKERS Tim Behrens (Oxford) Josh Berke (UCSF) Tiago Branco (UCL) Jessica Cardin (Yale) Claudia Clopath (Imperial) Marlene Cohen (Pittsburgh) Iain Couzin (Max-Planck) Carina Curto (Penn State) Ann Graybiel (MIT) Vivek Jayaraman (Janelia) Mate Lengyel (Cambridge) Joni Wallis (Berkeley) Byron Yu (CMU) ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Ilana Witten (Princeton) and Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Program Chairs: Linda Wilbrecht (Berkeley) and Brent Doiron (U Pittsburgh) Workshop Chairs: Laura Busse (LMU) and Ralf Haefner (U Rochester) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Angela Langdon (Princeton) and Robert Wilson (U Arizona) Publicity Chair: Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org ----------------------------------------------- CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS ----------------------------------------------- A series of workshops will be held after the main Cosyne meeting. The goal is to provide an informal forum for the discussion of important research questions and challenges. Controversial issues, open problems, comparisons of competing approaches, and alternative viewpoints are encouraged. The overarching goal of all workshops should be the integration of empirical and theoretical approaches, in an environment that fosters collegial discussion and debate. Preference will be given to proposals that differ substantially in content, scope, and/or approach from workshops of recent years (examples available at Cosyne.org -> Workshops). Relevant topics include, but are not limited to: sensory processing; motor planning and control; functional neural circuits; motivation, reward and decision making; learning and memory; adaptation and plasticity; neural coding; neural circuitry and network models; and methods in computational or systems neuroscience. In order to foster discussion within Workshops and reduce overlap between workshops, organizers should inform invited speakers that a single person should not speak in more than one of the Workshops taking place on the same day. WORKSHOP DETAILS - There will be 4-8 workshops/day, running in parallel. - Each workshop is expected to draw between 15 and 80 people. - The workshops will be split into morning (8.00-11.00 AM) and afternoon (4.30-7.30 PM) sessions. - Workshops will be held at Breckenridge, CO, a ski resort located 100 miles (approximately two hours) from the Denver International Airport. Buses from the main conference will be provided. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Workshop proposal deadline: 10 November 2017 Format: plain text only, please no attachments, email to workshops [at] cosyne.org (Laura Busse, Ralf Haefner) Proposals should include: - Name(s) and email address(es) of the organizers (no more than 2 organizers per session, please). A primary contact should be designated. - A title. - A brief description of 1) what the workshop will address and accomplish, 2) why the topic is of interest, 3) who is the targeted group of participants. - Names of potential invitees, with indication of confirmed speakers. Preference will be given to workshops with the most confirmed speakers. - Proposed workshop length (1 or 2 days). Most workshops will be limited to a single day. If you think your workshop needs 2 days, please explain why. - A brief resume of the workshop organizer along with a short list of workshop-relevant publications (about half a page total). - A list of confirmed speakers. Workshop organizer responsibilities include coordinating workshop participation and content, scheduling all speakers and submitting a final schedule for the workshop program, and moderating the discussion. Organizers can be speakers but need not speak depending on scheduling constraints. SUGGESTIONS Experience has shown that the best discussions during a workshop are those that arise spontaneously. A good way to foster these is to have short talks and long question periods (e.g. 30+15 minutes), and have plenty of breaks. We recommend fewer than 10 talks. WORKSHOP COSTS Detailed registration costs, etc, will be available at www.cosyne.org. Please note: Cosyne does NOT provide travel funding for workshop speakers. All workshop speakers are expcted to pay for workshop registration fees. Participants are encouraged to register early, in order to qualify for discounted registration rates. One complementary (free) organizer registration is provided per workshop. For workshops with 2 organizers, the free registration can be given to one of the organizers or split evenly between them. COSYNE WORKSHOP QUESTIONS workshops [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details.

1 0

Post-doc position in Human Intracranial Physiology and Human Memory
by Zaghloul, Kareem (NIH/NINDS) [E] Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

Hi, I would like to post the following advertisement for an available post-doc position to the comp-neuro listserve. If you could help me with that, I would appreciate it. Please let me know if you need any more information. Thank you for your help, Kareem Kareem A. Zaghloul, MD, PhD Surgical Neurology Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH Bldg 10, Rm. 3D20 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892-1414 O: 301-594-8114 F: 301-402-0380 The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is seeking a full-time post-doctoral position focused on understanding the neural correlates of human memory. This position involves studies focused on analyzing and manipulating human intracranial electrophysiological signals, including single-unit activity, local field potentials, and electro corticography (ECoG), captured from patients with medically refractory epilepsy and from patients receiving deep brain stimulation surgery. Post-doctoral fellows will join a laboratory aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie human episodic memory formation and decision making and at developing novel and innovative techniques to directly communicate with those circuits. We are seeking candidates that are highly creative, motivated, and independent with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or a related field. Candidates must have a strong research background, with a record of relevant publications. Candidates will be encouraged and expected to participate in independent laboratory research, and will be expected to write scholarly manuscripts. Candidates must be able to lead and work well in a team. Candidates should have strong computational, quantitative, and/or engineering skills, with proficiency in developing custom code (Matlab, Python, etc.) for data analysis preferred. Past medical research is not required, but candidates must be willing to perform experiments in a clinical setting. Candidates will interact with clinical staff, graduate students, research fellows, and must have excellent spoken and written English skills. Applicants who will be attending either the Society for Neuroscience (Washington, DC), or American Epilepsy Society (Washington, DC) conferences can arrange for a meeting with the Principal Investigator, Dr. Kareem Zaghloul. Applicants should submit a brief statement of research activities and interests, a current CV, and names and contact information of at least three references. Salary will be commensurate with experience and accomplishments. To arrange a meeting with the PI and to send materials required for consideration for this appointment please contact Dr. Zaghloul at: zaghloulka(a)mail.nih.gov<mailto:zaghloulka@mail.nih.gov> NIH, an agency of DHHS, is an equal opportunity employer. All employees are subject to background investigation.

1 0

Neuroscience Graduate Group at the University of Pennsylvania
by Gold, Joshua Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

The Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG; http://www.med.upenn.edu/ngg/) at the University of Pennsylvania is a collaborative and interdisciplinary PhD program that is currently accepting applications for matriculation in the fall of 2018. We are particularly interested in attracting exceptional applicants with backgrounds in Neuroscience, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, and/or Psychology and are interested in the broadly defined field of Computational Neuroscience. We have a robust and interdisciplinary community of scholars in this field, including: Geoff Aguirre, Neurology Vijay Balasubramanian, Physics Danielle S Bassett, Bioengineering David H Brainard, Psychology Maja Bucan, Genetics Johannes Burge, Psychology Alice S Chen-Plotkin, Neurology Brian Chow, Bioengineering Yale E Cohen, Otorhinolaryngology Diego Contreras, Neuroscience Long Ding, Neuroscience Steven Eliades, Otorhinolaryngology Russell Epstein, Psychology Christopher M Fang-Yen, Bioengineering Michael Freed, Neuroscience Maria Neimark Geffen, Otorhinolaryngology Joshua I Gold, Neuroscience Joseph W Kable, Psychology Michael J Kahana, Psychology Elani Katifori, Physics Max Kelz, Anesthesiology Konrad Kording, Neuroscience and Bioengineering Daniel Lee, Electrical and Systems Engineering Brian Litt, Neurology and Bioengineering Minghong Ma, Neuroscience Joel D Mainland, Neuroscience Philip Nelson, Physics Michael Platt, Neuroscience, Marketing, and Psychology Nicole C Rust, Psychology Marc Schmidt, Biology Robert G Smith, Neuroscience Alan A Stocker, Psychology Sharon Thompson-Schill, Psychology Penn also has strong programs in Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, and Psychology with faculty actively involved in machine learning, decision making, perception, and computational learning theory. NGG students are encouraged to pursue collaborations and interactions with these groups. Penn also is home to the Computational Neuroscience Initiative (https://cni.upenn.edu) which oversees many of our academic and research programs related to computational neuroscience. The application deadline for the NGG is December 1, 2017. For more details please see our website: http://www.med.upenn.edu/ngg/app_info.shtml ----- Joshua Gold Chair, Neuroscience Graduate Group University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104-6074 jigold(a)pennmedicine.upenn.edu<mailto:jigold@mail.med.upenn.edu>

1 0

PhD studentship in the Humphries lab
by Mark Humphries Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

A potentially fully-funded UK/EU PhD studentship project is available in the Humphries lab at the University of Manchester, UK A wide range of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and Tourette's syndrome have been linked to the aberrant activity of output neurons in the massive, subcortical striatum. It is unknown how such aberrant activity arises from the changes to the brain known to occur in these disorders. This project will test the hypothesis that the network of fast-spiking interneurons within the striatum are a common cause of this aberrant activity. Please see here for full details: https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=84600&LID=1020 And here for how to apply, deadline Friday November 17th 2017: https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/mrc-dtp/ Any questions please contact Dr Mark Humphries directly (mark.humphries(a)manchester.ac.uk<mailto:mark.humphries@manchester.ac.uk>) _____________________________________________________________________________ Dr Mark Humphries | MRC Senior non-Clinical Research Fellow | Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health http://www.systemsneurophysiologylab.manchester.ac.uk/ [0da17e2a-9ed5-496a-b161-9fd4491ce5c7]@markdhumphries <https://twitter.com/markdhumphries> Public blog: https://medium.com/the-spike

1 0

3 postdoc positions for a 3 years interdisciplinary project on Human vs Machine Intelligence
by GOMEZ GUTIERREZ, Emilia Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

Dear comp-neuro list, We are starting an interdisciplinary research project related to the scientific understanding of artificial intelligence and its influence on human cognition and behaviour, and we are currently building a team of postdocs. I thought the topic might be interesting for some researchers in this mailing list. Application deadline is in one week, October 26th. I copy a short summary below, but please contact me for further information. Best regards, emilia ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emilia Gómez Associate Professor, Music Technology Group - DTIC Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona http://emiliagomez.com ----- The Joint Research Centre (JRC) <https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/>is the European Commission's science and knowledge service which employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to EU policy. The JRC Centre for Advanced Studies <https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research/centre-advanced-studies> (JRC-CAS) was established to enhance the JRC’s capabilities to meet emerging challenges at the science-policy interface. JRC-CAS is now launching HUMAINT <https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/science-update/humaint-project>, a three year interdisciplinary project to understand the potential impact of machine learning in human behaviour and societal welfare. It will be carried out at JRC centre in Seville, Spain. There will be close collaboration with the Music Technology Group <http://mtg.upf.edu/> and the Department of Information and Communication Technologies of Universitat Pompeu Fabra <https://www.upf.edu/web/etic> in Barcelona, Spain. The project will (1) provide a scientific understanding of machine vs human intelligence; (2) analyze the influence of machine learning algorithms into human behaviour (3) investigate to what extent these findings should influence the European regulatory framework. In the context of this project, *three postdoc positions* in the area of machine learning and human behaviour are open for appointment from January 1, 2018, at the Joint Research Centre (European Commission) in Seville, Spain. The fully funded positions are available for a period of three years. Particular areas of interests: - Fairness, accountability, transparency, explainability of machine learning methods. - Social, ethical and economic aspects of artificial intelligence. - Cognitive and computational neuroscience, behavioural studies. - Human-computer interaction and human-centered machine learning. - Digital and behavioural economy. - Application domains: music and arts, social networks, health, transport, energy. We are looking for highly motivated, independent, and outstanding postdoc candidates with a strong background in machine learning and/or human behaviour. An excellent research track record, ability to communicate research results and involvement in community initiatives is expected. Candidates should have EU/EEA citizenship. The JRC <https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/> offers an enriching multi-cultural and multi-lingual work environment with lifelong learning and professional development opportunities, and close links to top research organisations and international bodies around the world. Postdoctoral researchers receive a competitive salary and excellent working conditions, and will define their own research agenda inline with the project goals. JRC-Seville is located in Cartuja 93 <https://www.google.es/maps/place/Joint+Research+Centre+(JRC-Seville)/@37.39…>scientific and technological park. Seville <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZXdXzntmok> is the fourth-largest city in Spain. With more than 30 centuries of history (gateway of America for two centuries, main actor in the first circumnavigation of the Earth), three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and privileged climate, it combines its historical and touristic character with a consolidated economic development and innovation potential. We are also open for *collaborations with external researchers*, as one of our goals is to build an expert network in the topics. You may obtain *further information* about the scientific aspects of the positions from Dr. Emilia Gómez (project scientific leader: emilia.gomez(a)upf.edu, <emilia.gomez(a)upf.edu> using the subject [humaint]) and at the following web pages http://recruitment.jrc.e c.europa.eu/?site=SVQ&type=AX&category=FGIV <http://recruitment.jrc.ec.europa.eu/?site=SVQ&type=AX&category=FGIV> and https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/working-with-us/jobs <https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/working-with-us/jobs>. *YOU CAN APPLY HERE <http://recruitment.jrc.ec.europa.eu/?site=SVQ&type=AX&category=FGIV> BY OCTOBER 26, 2017 * -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emilia Gómez Associate Professor, Serra-Húnter & ICREA Academia Fellow Music Technology Group - DTIC Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona http://emiliagomez.wordpress.com

1 0

CfP 27th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN 2018)
by Barakova, E.I. Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

[We apologize if you receive multiple copies of this message] ========================================================================== *** Call for Papers *** 27th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN 2018) Jiangsu Conference Center, Nanjing, Sheraton, Tai'an CHINA August 27th - September 1st 2018 www.ro-man2018.org ========================================================================== ========================================================================== The 27th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2018, will be held in Nanjing and Tai'an, China, on August 27 to September 1st. This leading forum on Robot and Human Interactive Communication covers the state-of-the-art innovative results and the latest developments in a wide range of topics. This year's theme is "Social Intelligence in Interactive Robots". The conference will look at the impact of friendly, open, ecological and useful cognitive robots in practical & real life applications in healthcare, industry, edutainment, and more, in the context of coexistence and cooperation. The main conference will host presentations of original contributions including new methods, theories and applications of Human-Robot Interactive Communication Systems. Multi-disciplinary approaches and practical solutions are highly encouraged. The workshops, tutorials, and industrial sessions will provide an opportunity to participants from academia and industry to focus on specific and prospective topics. Three keynote speakers will give plenary talks about emerging technologies and methods in human-robot interactive systems and their future. Regular papers. Prospective authors are invited to submit high-quality papers reporting original results under the broad theme socially intelligent robots. Tutorials and workshops will provide half-day or full-day training or discussions in applied research and applications. Proposals for tutorials and workshops should include: objectives, intended audience, list of prospective speakers, and topic list. Special sessions. Prospective special session organizers are invited to submit a proposal to the special session chair. Papers submitted to special sessions will undergo the same review process as the regular papers and will be included in the conference proceedings. Poster Sessions. Prospective authors are invited to submit their recent applied research, innovative applications and work-in-progress to be broadly discussed in designated interactive sessions. Video/ Demos/ Exhibit sessions. The conference offers an excellent opportunity for the industry to showcase their products and services. Startups and labs are also invited to present their prototypes and concepts. Industrial sessions. Participants are invited to share their proof-of-concepts, advanced prototypes, and industrial applications to scientific and industrial audience. Important Dates: Special Sessions, Workshops & Tutorials: Submission Deadline: January 19, 2018 Notification of Acceptance:February 2, 2018 Regular Papers, Special Session Papers: Submission Deadline: March 19, 2018 Notification of Acceptance: May 15, 2018 Camera-ready Deadline: June 5, 2018 Interactive Poster Sessions, Video Sessions, and Demonstration Sessions: Submission Deadline: May 22, 2018 Notification of Acceptance: June 5, 2018 Honorary General Chair Kazuhiko Kawamura, USA General Chair Ryad Chellali, China/ Italy Financial Co-Chairs Honghai Liu, China Lyn Lee, China Program Co-Chairs Fulvio Mastrogiovanni, Italy Amit Kumar Pandey, France Haoping Wang, China Tutorial & Workshop Co-Chairs Juan Rojas, China Silvia Rossi, Italy Exhibition Industry Co-Chairs Pierre Blazevic, France Yi Yang, China Huan Tan, USA Awards Co-Chairs Mary Anne Williams, Australia Marwala Tshilidzi, South Africa Publication Co-Chairs John-John Cabibihan, Qatar Erdem Erdemir, USA Publicity Co-Chairs Emilia Barakova, The Netherlands Yudong Zhang, China Secretariat Meiling Kate Shen, China Contact: info(a)ro-man2018.org Emilia I. Barakova, Ph.D., Faculty of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology Laplace 32, 5612 AZ Eindhoven The Netherlands, Head ID Social Robotics Lab, Editor Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, Associate Editor Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, http://www.idemployee.id.tue.nl/e.i.barakova/

1 0

Two Post-doc/PhD positions in computational modeling of epilepsy
by Jochen Triesch Oct. 18, 2017

Oct. 18, 2017

Two Post-doc/PhD positions are available in the context of Frankfurt's new Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER). The project focuses on better understanding circuit changes and neuroimmune interactions during the development of epilepsy and is jointly lead by Profs. Peter Jedlicka and Jochen Triesch. The positions are based at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (https://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/en/) Frankfurt has a vibrant Neuroscience community and the successful candidates will work closely together with experimental labs. Ideal candidates will have obtained a PhD/Master Degree in Computational Neuroscience or closely related field and have a strong interest in applying their knowledge to problems of medical relevance. Prior experience with modeling spiking neural networks or compartmental modeling is highly desirable. Experience in modeling epilepsy, neural plasticity and neuro-immune interactions is a plus. Earliest starting date is in January 2018. Review of applications will continue until the positions have been filled. Applications (single pdf file including CV, list of publications, statement of research interests and names and email addresses of three references) should be sent to jedlicka(a)em.uni-frankfurt.de and triesch(a)fias.uni-frankfurt.de . Peter Jedlicka and Jochen Triesch -- Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch Johanna Quandt Research Professor Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies http://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~triesch/ Tel: +49 (0)69 798-47531 Fax: +49 (0)69 798-47611

1 0

Postdoctoral position in memory and sleep at U-Michigan
by Kamran Diba Oct. 17, 2017

Oct. 17, 2017

The Diba Lab for Neural Circuits and Memory <https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/diba-lab/> at the University of Michigan is currently looking for a qualified postdoctoral scholar. We are focused on understanding mechanisms supporting cross-regional circuit dynamics in waking and sleep and their respective roles during memory formation. We use large-scale in-vivo electrophysiology, optical imaging, circuit manipulations (including optogenetics), network modeling (in collaboration with Sen Cheng <http://www.rd.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/neuro/wiss/pi/cheng.html.en>’s Lab at Ruhr University-Bochum) and extensive data analyses to investigate these questions in hippocampal and cortical networks. The preferred candidate would have experience in one or more of these areas: unit/spectral analysis, computational network modeling, electrophysiology, imaging, neuroanatomy. Postdocs will provide scientific input in the project and will be trained with the goal of becoming independent investigators. Please contact Kamran Diba directly mailto:kdiba@umich.edu <kdiba(a)umich.edu> and include your CV and description of your research interests and experience. Salaries will follow the National Research Service Awards (NRSA) postdoctoral payscale <https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-131.html>.

1 0

PhD position in computational & experimental approaches to naturalistic behavior
by Constantin Rothkopf Oct. 17, 2017

Oct. 17, 2017

Applications are invited for a PhD student position in the lab of Constantin Rothkopf at the Technical University Darmstadt. The lab is part of the newly established Centre for Cognitive Science and the Institute of Psychology. Our work focuses on computational and experimental approaches to further the understanding of naturalistic, sequential visuomotor behavior in humans, including experimental approaches to investigate cue integration in complex natural tasks (e.g., motor control, locomotion, navigation and spatial orientation). Current topics include: - statistics of visuomotor behavior in naturalistic tasks, - image statistics during visuomotor behavior in-the-wild, - optimal control models of visuomotor behavior, - inverse-optimal-control in human visuomotor behavior, - eye-movements in naturalistic tasks, - cue integration for navigation (optic flow and locomotion, locomotion and cognitive maps). For further information please visit our websites: http://www.pip.tu-darmstadt.de/ http://www.fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~rothkopf/ Applicants need to have a Master's degree in cognitive science, computer science, psychology, or related fields. In addition to a strong general interest in cognitive science, computational science, experimental psychology, and interdisciplinary research, the ideal candidate has a background in eye-tracking or virtual reality technology. Experience with programming (e.g. Python, Matlab, C++, Unity) is inevitable. Analytical aptitude as well as awareness of experimental literature is expected. We offer a supportive and multidisciplinary environment driven by scientific curiosity, lab facilities for measuring extended behavior (e.g. visuomotor, motor, locomotive, spatial) in-the-wild and in VR, as well as international collaborations. Informal inquiries may be made to Constantin Rothkopf at constantin.rothkopf(a)cogsci.tu-darmstadt.de

1 0

Postdoctoral positions in theoretical neuroscience
by Jonathan Touboul Oct. 17, 2017

Oct. 17, 2017

Up to two postdoctoral positions are available at Brandeis University to work on exciting problems in theoretical neuroscience (mathematical-neuroscience.net <http://mathematical-neuroscience.net/>). Research topics include the analysis of the dynamics of neuron model or neural networks with heterogeneous elements, learning, memory and pathological brain states, as well as the embryonic development of neural assemblies. Techniques include numerical simulations, dynamical systems (with delays, jumps and/or multiple timescales), probabilities and statistical physics. All projects will involve heavy collaboration with experimental groups in Boston area, Paris and abroad. The positions are up to 3 year terms, contingent upon satisfactory progress, with competitive salary and benefits packages. The fellows will participate to the vibrant scholar life in the Boston area. The successful candidates will join the Mathematics Department at Brandeis University (http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/mathematics/ <http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/mathematics/>) with strong ties to the Neuroscience group (http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/ <http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/>). Opportunities to teach in the math department could be available and are encouraged! Candidates should have a Ph.D. in mathematics, (computational) neuroscience, physics or engineering and have an excellent track record of scholarship, have experience in dynamical systems and/or stochastic models, and be familiar with computational programing. Applications from under-represented groups are strongly encouraged. Candidates should send their CV, a cover letter indicating their research interests and professional goals, and names and contact information of two references to jtouboul(a)brandeis.edu <mailto:jtouboul@brandeis.edu> . Best wishes, Jon

1 0

Two postdoc positions Canavier lab
by Canavier, Carmen C. Oct. 16, 2017

Oct. 16, 2017

A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the computational neuroscience lab of Carmen Canavier in the School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans to study cholinergic contributions to hippocampal information processing in close collaboration with electrophysiologist Sonia Gasparini. The successful candidate will construct a morphologically and biophysically realistic model of a hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron to explain the observed frequency selectivity of different dendritic regions for slow versus fast gamma band inputs. Some network modeling will also be required for the project. The primary duties will involve linear and non-linear analyses, writing code, calibrating single neuron models, and generating predictions that lead to additional experiments. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or a related field of study. The ideal candidate would have experience with the simulation package NEURON and some knowledge of the hippocampus. Familiarity with nonlinear dynamics, signal processing, and coding in C and or python in a Linux environment is also desirable. Qualified candidates may submit resume along with cover letter and contact information for three references electronically to: SOM-recruits(a)lsuhsc.edu; reference 00049561. Applications should be received before Nov 15 to ensure consideration for the position. LSUHSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer for females, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. A second Postdoctoral Researcher position will available Jan 1.?in the computational neuroscience lab of Carmen Canavier in the School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans to study the dynamic diversity of midbrain dopamine neurons in close collaboration with electrophysiologist Jochen Roeper at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. The successful candidate will construct morphologically and biophysically realistic models of distinct subpopulations of dopamine neurons to account for experimentally observed differences in their bursting and pacemaking dynamics. These simulations will require in some cases incorporation of stochastic channel models and second messenger cascades. The primary duties will involve linear and non-linear analyses, writing code, calibrating single neuron models, and generating predictions that lead to additional experiments. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or a related field of study. The ideal candidate would have experience with the simulation package NEURON and some knowledge of the basal ganglia. Familiarity with nonlinear dynamics, signal processing, and coding in C and or python in a Linux environment is also desirable. Please email CV to ccanav(a)lsuhsc.edu for more information. LSUHSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer for females, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.?

1 0

Announcing our new Computational Neuroscience Center at the University of Washington; positions available
by fairhall＠u.washington.edu Oct. 16, 2017

Oct. 16, 2017

We’re delighted to announce the formation of the University of Washington Computational Neuroscience Center (compneuro.washington.edu) The Center brings together research across the full spectrum of mechanisms and functions of the brain, developing new theoretical, computational and statistical tools to unify and interpret the extraordinary data on neural systems being gathered by our partners in Seattle and around the world. Come join us! Faculty positions: We’re hiring an assistant professor to join the UW-CNC in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. Application review is still open! http://depts.washington.edu/pbiopage/2017-compneuro-faculty-search/ Center administrator: We have an opening for someone passionate about facilitating and building the interdisciplinary scientific community of the UW-CNC. Role includes administering training programs and outreach, grantwriting support for center grants, organizing conferences and meetings, and recruiting for the center, with opportunities for writing about the center and its science and more. Please send a cv/resume and statement of interest to cncadmin(a)uw.edu. Postdoctoral positions: We are hiring a postdoctoral fellow to join our Swartz Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, position available immediately. To apply send a research statement, cv and the contact information for at least two referees to cncadmin(a)uw.edu Graduate students: UW has numerous graduate programs suitable for students interested in neural computation. Funding and training opportunities are many, including NIH Training Program in Neural Computation and Engineering at UW, the Big Data in Genomics and Neuroscience Training Grant, the University of Washington Institute for Neuroengineering, and the Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering. See http://compneuro.washington.edu/studies-in-neural-computation-and-engineeri… for a list and for typical application deadlines. Adrienne Fairhall Eric Shea-Brown

1 0

Postdoctoral Research position available immediately
by Avrama Blackwell Oct. 16, 2017

Oct. 16, 2017

The Computational and Experimental Neuroplasticity laboratory (http://krasnow1.gmu.edu/CENlab/avrama.html) at George Mason University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research position / software engineer beginning Oct 1, 2017. The successful candidate will contribute to ongoing, cutting-edge research in computational systems biology & neuroscience by further development of our stochastic reaction-diffusion software, NeuroRD and further development of parameter optimization software. CENlab is an interdisciplinary, dynamic and creative research group at Mason’s Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, located in northern Virginia (15 miles west of Washington, D.C.). The hired applicant is expected to make valuable contributions to computational neuroscience software by (1) design and implementation of new features for NeuroRD (https://github.com/neurord/stochdiff) (2) extension of parameter optimization software (https://github.com/neurord/ajustadore) to signaling molecules and (3) investigating the role of calcium dynamics and cell signaling pathways in learning and plasticity. In each of these projects, the candidate is expected to contribute to publications and presentations on the new software as well as addressing neurobiological questions of interest. The candidate will closely interact with other members of CENlab including model developers and experimentalists. Requirements: Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g. computer science, physics, bioinformatics, engineering) and at least one publication in reputable journal. Experience in software development (scientific software, python and C++ or JAVA preferred). Expertise with Unix operating systems. Knowledge of stochastic processes and biological processes. To apply, please respond to http://jobs.gmu.edu/postings/41446. Include curriculum vitae and cover letter; indicate whether you will be attending the 2017 SFN conference if you apply prior to Nov 8. Position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found. The successful applicant will have office space, a unix computer workstation, and a post-doctoral level salary supplemented by excellent state employee benefits. More information: * NeuroRD website: https://github.com/neurord * Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study: http://krasnow.gmu.edu * George Mason University: http://www.gmu.edu George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. Enrollment is 30,000, with students studying in over 150 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William. George Mason University is an equal opportunity employer encouraging diversity.

1 0

Tenure Track Position in Applied Mathematics at Brandeis
by Jonathan Touboul Oct. 14, 2017

Oct. 14, 2017

Brandeis University, Department of Mathematics, invites applications for a tenure-track position in applied mathematics at the rank of assistant professor beginning fall 2018. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in mathematics or a related field, demonstrate potential for excellence in research, and display a commitment to teaching. An ideal candidate will be expected to help to build an applied mathematics program within the department, and to interact with other science faculty at Brandeis. Candidates from all areas of applied mathematics will be considered. First consideration will be given to applications received by November 15. Applications should include an AMS cover sheet, a curriculum vitae, research and teaching statements, and four letters of recommendation, one of which addresses teaching effectiveness. Applications should be submitted through MathJobs.org <http://mathjobs.org/>: https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/jobs/10791 <https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/jobs/10791>

1 0

Tenure-Track Position at University of Maryland: Neurobiology/Biophysics
by Daniel A. Butts Oct. 13, 2017

Oct. 13, 2017

The Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park invites applications for a tenure track Assistant Professor in Neuroscience and/or Biophysics. We seek outstanding candidates taking innovative experimental and/or theoretical/computational approaches to address major questions that complement and/or integrate the interests of our sensory neurobiology and biophysics groups. Applicants must have a doctoral degree and should have developed, or have demonstrated the potential to develop, an outstanding research program that garners competitive extramural funding. Postdoctoral experience is preferred. Applicants also must exhibit a commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring, including working with students and groups from underrepresented backgrounds. The University of Maryland and Department of Biology are committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community. Candidates who have experience working with a diverse range of faculty, staff, and students, and who can contribute to the climate of inclusivity are encouraged to identify their experience in these areas. To Apply: https://ejobs.umd.edu The University of Maryland, College Park is the flagship campus of the University of System of Maryland and is one of the most rapidly advancing public research universities in the country. We have close interactions with the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore and our close proximity to Washington D.C. facilitates interactions with researchers at an extraordinary range of institutions (e.g., NIH, NIST, HHMI). The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. -------------------------------- Daniel A. Butts, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biology and NACS University of Maryland, College Park Biosciences Research Building 1118 (301) 405-9890 http://neurotheory.umd.edu

1 0

NEST Conference 2017 --- Register NOW!
by Hans Ekkehard Plesser Oct. 13, 2017

Oct. 13, 2017

Dear colleagues! It is a great pleasure to invite current and potential users of NEST, the Neural Simulation Tool (http://www.nest-simulator.org) to the NEST Conference 2017 to be held on 19/20 December 2017 (Tuesday/Wednesday, lunch to lunch) at Haus Overbach in Barmen near Jülich, Germany. After our very successful and stimulating meeting in Karlsruhe last November, we are greatly looking forward to 24 hours filled with presentations and discussions of NEST applications to computational neuroscience and neurorobotics projects and NEST technology development. You are cordially invited to contribute to the program with your contribution! We are grateful to the Human Brain Project Outreach Programme and Education Programme for financial support. Important deadlines: - 1 November 2017: Deadline for submission of contribution and travel grant applications - 15 November 2017: Deadline for registrations For details, contribution submission and registration, please see https://indico-jsc.fz-juelich.de/event/52/overview We are looking forward to seeing you all in December! Hans Ekkehard Plesser President The Neural Technology Simulation Initiative http://www.nest-initiative.org -- Dr. Hans Ekkehard Plesser Associate Professor 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 Home http://arken.nmbu.no/~plesser

1 0

Two open faculty positions; U Colorado Medical School
by Zylberberg, Joel L Oct. 12, 2017

Oct. 12, 2017

Dear Colleagues, The Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Colorado Medical School is looking for two new faculty members in neuroscience and / or physiology, including computational neuroscience. The advert is attached. Please consider applying and / or forward this advert to colleagues who might be interested. Thanks for your consideration. Sincerely, __ Joel Zylberberg, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Physiology and Biophysics University of Colorado School of Medicine www.jzlab.org<http://www.jzlab.org> CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, Learning in Machines and Brains program ~the neuroscience is theoretical, but the fun is real

1 0

Postdoctoral fellowship in the neuroscience of decision-making
by Paul Cisek Oct. 11, 2017

Oct. 11, 2017

Postdoctoral fellow in the neuroscience of decision-making Department of neuroscience, laboratory of Paul Cisek Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience, in the laboratory of Paul Cisek at the University of Montréal. Our research group studies the neural mechanisms of decision-making in humans and non-human primates using computational models of the nervous system as well as behavioral experiments, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and multi-electrode recording, and we have several ongoing collaborations involving fMRI, MEG and intracranial EEG. See www.cisek.org/pavel <http://www.cisek.org/pavel> for information on current projects and a list of sample publications. The successful applicant will lead a research project investigating real-time dynamic decision-making through simultaneous multi-electrode recordings in the basal ganglia and the prefrontal, premotor and motor cortex of non-human primates. A Ph.D. in neuroscience or related field is required, and prior experience in neurophysiology and/or computational modeling of neural systems is highly desirable. Depending on the applicant's qualifications and interests, they will help to design and conduct behavioral and neurophysiological experiments, analyze data, develop theoretical models of neural mechanisms, prepare manuscripts for publication, and participate in international conferences. For further information, please contact Dr. Paul Cisek (paul.cisek(a)umontreal.ca <mailto:paul.cisek@umontreal.ca> ). Applicants are asked to send a cover letter, curriculum vita, copies of academic transcripts, an optional statement of research interests, and the names and contact information of 2 or 3 references, to: Dr. Paul Cisek Department of neuroscience, University of Montréal C.P. 6128 Succursale Centre-ville Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, CANADA Phone: 514-343-6111 x4355 Web: www.cisek.org/pavel <http://www.cisek.org/pavel> email: paul.cisek(a)umontreal.ca <mailto:paul.cisek@umontreal.ca> Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but preference will be given to applications received by November 30, 2017. Interviews will be possible at the Society for Neuroscience meeting (Washington DC, November 11-15, 2017)

1 0

Postdoc positions available at University of Pittsburgh
by Runyan, Caroline A. Oct. 11, 2017

Oct. 11, 2017

Postdoctoral positions are available in the Runyan lab in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition. Our research involves dissecting inhibitory and neuromodulatory circuits across the cortical hierarchy. Our goal is to understand how changes in behavioral context and brain state shift local information processing and the transmission of information between cortical networks. We use two-photon imaging of population activity and optogenetics in head-fixed mice performing perceptual decision-making tasks. See Runyan et al., Nature, 2017 and carolinerunyan.org<http://carolinerunyan.org> for more information about our work. We are seeking individuals with experience in two-photon imaging, large-scale electrophysiology, optogenetics, and/or computational modeling. As we build our laboratory and our own approach to understanding the brain, the ideal candidates should have strongly driven scientific curiosity and problem-solving skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills. This position offers the opportunity to participate in building a new research program, and to work in the highly collaborative, collegial environment at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. See cnbc.cmu.edu and cnup.neurobio.pitt.edu for more details. Interested candidates should send a CV, statement of research interests, and contact information for at least two references to runyan(a)pitt.edu. Caroline Runyan Assistant Professor Department of Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh Office: Langley A453, 412-383-4336 runyan(a)pitt.edu

1 0

Postdoctoral position at the University of Rochester
by Tatiana Pasternak Oct. 10, 2017

Oct. 10, 2017

Postdoctoral position in cognitive neuroscience Postdoctoral position to study cortical circuitry underlying memory-guided visual decisions is available immediately in the laboratory of Dr. Tatiana Pasternak in the Department of Neuroscience and Center for Visual Science. The focus of the research program is on the activity of large populations of simultaneously recorded neurons across cortical network to identify on a trial-by-trial basis neural codes and network dynamics that underlie memory and comparison processes during perceptual decisions. The analysis will emphasize inter-neuronal and inter-areal interactions and synchrony as well as population decoding algorithms. Experimental approaches include array recording of spiking and LFP activity from prefrontal and extrastriate visual cortical regions of non-human primates during memory-guided sensory comparison tasks. Other approaches include reversible inactivation and microstimulation of identified cortical sites. An important component of the work is a collaboration with computational neuroscientists and developing models aimed at mechanisms underlying maintenance and utilization of visual information in decision-making. Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative background with experience in the analysis of physiological data and extracellular recordings. Applicants with strong background in related disciplines of systems neuroscience and/or computer science & engineering are welcome to apply. Experience with MATLAB/PYTHON programming and proficient knowledge of the English language are required. The University of Rochester offers a stimulating research environment and excellent opportunities for interactions and training in cognitive neuroscience and visual science. Interested applicants should send CV and names/contact information of three references to Dr. Pasternak. Please include a cover letter detailing your current research activities, expertise and the reasons for your interest in this position. **************************************** Tatiana Pasternak, Ph.D. Professor Departments of Neuroscience, Brain & Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, and Center for Visual Science University of Rochester 585 275-8668 (office)

1 0

PhD positions at the Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
by Jochen Triesch Oct. 10, 2017

Oct. 10, 2017

8th Call for applications: International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Neural Circuits was established in 2011 and offers up to ten fully-paid positions every year for talented students holding a relevant Master´s or Bachelor´s as their highest degree to perform research resulting in a PhD. The program is taught in English. The common focus of the the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Neural Circuits will be the understanding of neural circuits (from the simple to the large and complex), at all scales required to achieve this understanding. This ambitious objective will require analyses at the molecular, cellular, multi-cellular, network and behavioral levels, with the full understanding that macroscopic phenomena (spatial patterns, dynamics) can be scale-dependent, and that reductionism is not always sufficient as a method. Research areas are perception, connectomics, theoretical neuroscience, synaptic plasticity, brain dynamics, neural circuits, behavior and systems neuroscience. In the IMPRS for Neural Circuits we offer a multidisciplinary program to excellent doctoral students with backgrounds in neuroscience, mathematics, physics, computer science, (bio) chemistry, biology and medicine as well as research experience in the participating institutions of the Frankfurt Neuroscience community. Students will participate in a tailor-made educational program including research rotations and neuroscience courses but also in trainings in transferable skills as well as retreats, conferences and summer schools and lecture series. We welcome excellent students to apply to the program. Till December 1, 2017, it will be possible to apply for a position starting in the Fall of 2018. You can apply via our electronic registration system. After the deadline, the Faculty members will select around 25 students to participate in the interview symposium in Frankfurt, taking place in February 5-7, 2018. Shortly after the symposium, the students will receive a letter with an offer or rejection. More information, including Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on our website www.imprs.brain.mpg.de. -- Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch Johanna Quandt Research Professor Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies http://fias.uni-frankfurt.de/~triesch/ Tel: +49 (0)69 798-47531 Fax: +49 (0)69 798-47611

1 0

2 postdoc positions in Geometric Methods for Deep and Reinforcement Learning at RIST
by Luigi Malagò Oct. 9, 2017

Oct. 9, 2017

=========================================================== *Subject*: 2 postdoc positions in Machine Learning (1 year, renewable up to 3 years) *Institution*: RIST - Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca *Keywords*: Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Stochastic Optimization, Optimization over Manifolds, Information Geometry, Riemannian Geometry *Application deadline*: 20 October 2017 (applicants are encouraged to apply earlier) *Salary*: around 2190 euro net *Official announcement*: http://rist.ro/en/details/news/postdoc- positions-in-deep-learning-and-machine-learning.html =========================================================== Dear colleagues, the Romanian Institute of Science and Technology (RIST) has an opening for 2 postdoc positions, in the context of the DeepRiemann project “Riemannian Optimization Methods for Deep Learning”, funded by European structural funds through the Competitiveness Operational Program (POC 2014-2020). The appointments will be for 1 year, with possible extensions up to 3 years. The DeepRiemann project aims at the design and analysis of novel training algorithms for Neural Networks in Deep Learning, by applying notions of Riemannian optimization and differential geometry. The task of the training a Neural Network is studied by employing tools from Optimization over Manifolds and Information Geometry, by casting the learning process to an optimization problem defined over a statistical manifold, i.e., a set of probability distributions. The project is highly interdisciplinary, with competences spanning from Machine Learning to Optimization, Deep Learning, Statistics, and Differential Geometry. The objectives of the project are multiple and include both theoretical and applied research, together with industrial activities oriented to transfer knowledge, from the institute to a startup or spin-off of the research group. The positions will be part of the new Machine Learning and Optimization group http://luigimalago.it/group.html, which performs research at the intersection of Machine Learning, Stochastic Optimization, Deep Learning, and Optimization over Manifolds, from the unifying perspective of Information Geometry. The group is one of two newly-formed groups in Machine Learning at RIST, where about 20 new postdoctoral research associates and research software developers will be hired by 2018. The official job announcement can be seen here: http://rist.ro/en/details/news/postdoc-positions-in- deep-learning-and-machine-learning.html Informal inquiries can be sent to Dr. Luigi Malagò <malago(a)rist.ro>, principal investigator of the DeepRiemann project. Application deadline: 20 October 2017 (applicants are encouraged to apply earlier) best regards, Luigi Malagò

1 0

Doctoral studies in Computational/Theoretical Neuroscience at NYU
by Eero Simoncelli Oct. 9, 2017

Oct. 9, 2017

New York University is home to a thriving interdisciplinary community of researchers using computational and theoretical approaches in neuroscience. We are interested in PhD candidates with strong quantitative training (e.g., physics, mathematics, engineering) coupled with a clear interest in brain sciences. A list of relevant faculty, sorted by their primary departmental affiliation, is provided below. Doctoral programs are flexible, allowing students to pursue research across departmental boundaries. Nevertheless, admissions are handled separately by each department, and students interested in pursuing graduate studies should submit an application to the program that best fits their goals and interests. Neural Science (CNS) (deadline: 1 December) [http://www.cns.nyu.edu/doctoral/] * AndrÃ© A. Fenton - Molecular, neural, behavioral, and computationalaspects of memory. * Paul W. Glimcher - Decision-making in humans and animals. Neuroeconomics. * Roozbeh Kiani - Vision and decision-making. * Wei Ji Ma (also in Psychology) - Perception, working memory, and decision-making. * Tony Movshon - Vision and visual development. * Bijan Pesaran - Neuronal dynamics and decision-making. * Alex Reyes - Functional interactions of neurons in a network. * John Rinzel (also in Mathematics) - Biophysical mechanisms and theory of neural computation. * Cristina Savin (also in CDS) - Computational models of memory, machine learning. * Robert Shapley - Visual physiology and perception. * Eero Simoncelli - Computational vision and audition, image processing. * Xiao-Jing Wang - Computational neuroscience, decision-making and working memory, neural circuits. Neuroscience and Physiology program, School of Medicine (deadline: 1 December) [http://neuroscience.med.nyu.edu/training-programs/graduate-program-neurosci…] * Gyorgy Buzsaki - Rhythms in neural networks. * Dmitri Chklovskii (also in the Simons Foundation) - Neural computation and connectomics. * Dmitry Rinberg - Sensory information processing in the behaving animal. * Mario Svirsky - Auditory neural prostheses; experimental/computational studies of speech production/perception. Psychology, Cognition & Perception program (deadline: 1 December) [http://www.psych.nyu.edu/programs/cp/] * Todd Gureckis - Memory, learning, and decision processes. * David Heeger (also in CNS) - fMRI, computational neuroscience, vision, attention. * Brenden Lake (also in CDS) - Computational modeling of cognition. * Michael Landy - Computational approaches to vision. * Laurence Maloney - Mathematical approaches to psychology and neuroscience. * Gary Marcus - Origins of the human mind. * Denis Pelli - Visual object recognition. * Jonathan Winawer - Visual perception and memory. Center for Data Science (CDS) (deadline: 18 December) [https://cds.nyu.edu/academics/phd-in-data-science/] * Joan Bruna (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, signal/image processing. * Kyungyun Cho (also in Computer Science) - Machine learning, natural language processing. * Carlos Fernandez-Granda (also in Mathematics) - Optimization methods for medical imaging, neuroscience, computer vision. Mathematics (deadline: 18 December) [http://math.nyu.edu/degree/phd/] * David Cai - Nonlinear stochastic behavior in physical and biological systems. * Aaditya Rangan - Computational neurobiology, numerical analysis. * Michael Shelley - Modeling and large-scale computation, computational visual neuroscience. * Daniel Tranchina - Information processing in the retina. * Lai-Sang Young - Dynamical systems, statistical physics, computational modeling and theoretical neuroscience. Physics (deadline: 18 December) [http://physics.as.nyu.edu/page/graduate] * Marc Gershow - Perception, decision-making, and learning in neural circuits. Computer Science (deadline: 12 December) [http://www.cs.nyu.edu/home/phd/] * Davi Geiger - Computational vision and learning. * Yann LeCun - Machine learning, hierarchical visual processing, robotics. Economics (deadline: 18 December) [http://as.nyu.edu/econ/degree-programs/phd.html] * Andrew Caplin - Economic theory, neurobiology of decision. * Andrew Schotter - Experimental economics, game theory, neurobiology of decision.

1 0

Workshop announcement: The Probabilistic Brain, March 2018
by Ulrik Beierholm Oct. 9, 2017

Oct. 9, 2017

Dear Colleagues We are very pleased to invite you to an exciting 2-day workshop on *probabilistic approaches to learning, perception, and action* in the historic city of Durham in the North-East of England: see the workshop website <https://sites.google.com/view/tpbw2018/>. The workshop will take place on *March 23rd-24th 2018*, and registration is *open now*. Speakers: Vikranth Rao Bejjanki, Hamilton College ● Nick Chater, University of Warwick ● József Fiser, Central European University ● Aldo Faisal, Imperial College London ● Samuel Gershman, Harvard University ● Janneke Jehee, Donders Institute ● Rebecca Lawson, UCL / Cambridge ● Laurence T Maloney, NYU ● Pascal Mamassian, Ecole Normale Supérieure ● Christopher Summerfield, University of Oxford ● Jane Wang, Google DeepMind The workshop is supported by the Experimental Psychology Society and Durham University. For full info on the workshop format and topics, our location and travel, and Registration, please see the workshop website <https://sites.google.com/view/tpbw2018/>. Hope to see you there, The organisers, Marko Nardini ● Ulrik Beierholm ● Maria Olkkonen (Durham University) ● Tessa Dekker (UCL) ● Laurence T Maloney (NYU)

1 0

[jobs] Assistant and Associate Professor positions in Bio- and Neural Robotics in Odense
by Poramate Manoonpong Oct. 8, 2017

Oct. 8, 2017

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, invites applications for Assistant or Associate Professor with research focus in Neural Robotics, Bio-inspired or Biorobotics, available from January 2018 and based in Odense. The positions are based in the Embodied Systems for Robotics and Learning (ESRL) unit and will complement the unit's existing research activities: - biorobotics; - neural models of control for embodied robots; - bio-inspired / neural learning mechanisms; - cross-modal and multi-modal sensory interpretation; - development of bio-inspired and embodied robotic hardware; - bio-inspired collective behaviour in robot groups; - embedded electronics design and research; - development and use of robotic educational tools; - morphological computation and the role of embodiment. Duties comprise research and teaching, student project supervision and acquisition of external funding. If you have a Ph.D. in a computing, mathematical, computational neuroscience or robotics-related discipline and a research track record including strong interdisciplinary work in one or more of the topics above, send us an application: for more detail and application form see [1]. The closing date is the 27th of October, 2017. For more information about these positions, please contact Professor John Hallam <john(a)mmmi.sdu.dk<mailto:john@mmmi.sdu.dk>>. [1] https://ssl1.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/Vacancy.cfm?Po…

1 0

M-GATE: 15 PhD positions available in leading labs across Europe on the physiology and circuits of memory [WITH FIXED LINK; APOLOGIES]
by Francesco Battaglia Oct. 6, 2017

Oct. 6, 2017

M-GATE is a network of 8 leading European institutions funded by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action of the European Commission, for 15 PhD students Healthy brain physiology, as well as diseases of memory circuits such as epilepsy and Alzheimer will be studied. Detailed circuit analysis approaches in animals will be combined with work on human subjects and theoretical approaches. New experimental and analytical technologies will be developed and deployed, also in collaboration with industrial partners. Positions are available with the following PIs: - Dr. Francesco Battaglia (network coordinator)/Dr. Lisa Genzel Donders Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands; - Dr. Clifford Kentros; NTNU, Trondheim, Norway - Dr. Hugo Spiers; University College London - Dr. Christophe Bernard Université d’Aix/Marseille, France - Dr. Pim Drinkenburg; Janssen Pharmaceutica BV, Beerse, Belgium - Dr. Alessandro Treves; SISSA International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy - Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky; Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel - Dr. Misha Tsodyks; Weizmann Institute, Rehovot Israel - Dr. Rosa Cossart; Institut de neurobiologie de la Mediterranée, Marseille France We will offer to the students a training program including events at all participating institutions, including theoretical courses, experimental methodologies and transferable skills. The details of the network and all projects are available at our website http://www.mgate.eu <http://www.mgate.eu/> requirements and application procedures vary by PhD project, as described in the website. Please contact the project PIs (addresses available on the website) for questions on the project. General inquiries may be directed to the network coordinators at info(a)mgate.eu <mailto:info@mgate.eu>. In general, we will give full consideration to applications received by Nov., 30 2017.

1 0

Two Post-doctoral positions available in Rome
by Aldo Genovesio Oct. 6, 2017

Oct. 6, 2017

Two ERC funded Post-doctoral positions in Primate Neurophysiology are available in the laboratory of Aldo Genovesio at the Medical School of the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Both positions are of one year renewable for at least other two years. We are looking for candidates with a PhD in the field of neuroscience, statistics, biomedical engineering, computer science, or related fields with a background in training animals, recording and analysis of neuronal data or in computational neuroscience. Experience with data analysis, programming (C/C++ and Matlab), and a quantitative approach are important. One position is for a candidate with previous experience in training animals, recording and analysis of neuronal data. The other position is for a candidate with a background in computational neuroscience or computer science. He is expected to analyze the activity of large sets of single cells of simultaneously recorded neurons and local fields and to develop computational models of the data. The ERC project investigates using multi-site electrode arrays the neural activity underlying prediction, categorization, and monitoring of self and others goals actions in the prefrontal cortex during social interaction with a focus on the Frontal Pole cortex, a prefrontal area only recently investigated at the single cell level in our past studies. Inquiries should be addressed to genovesiolab(a)gmail.com. All interested candidates should send a CV, a brief description of research interests for a preliminary evaluation and names and contact of 2 references to genovesiolab(a)gmail.com. The start date is flexible. The salary will be determined based on the experience. Prof. Aldo Genovesio Department of Physiology and Pharmacology Sapienza University of Roma Piazzale Aldo Moro 5; 00185 Roma E-mail: aldo.genovesio(a)uniroma1.it

1 0

AoN Brainhack Warsaw 2017 - call for participants - early bird registration till 15.10
by Daniel Borek Oct. 6, 2017

Oct. 6, 2017

*AoN Brainhack Warsaw 2017* *November 17-19, 2017* *University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland* *— The early bird registration extended to 15th October2017 — * On the weekend of *17-19th November 2017*, the first edition of AoN Brainhack Warsaw will take place. During this three-day event dedicated to students and PhD students, we will work in teams on* neuroscience-related projects*. The aim of the event is to meet new, enthusiastic researchers, make new friendships in academia, learn, share the knowledge on data mining and brain research, but also promote open science in the spirit of the whole Brainhack community ( <https://gigascience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13742-016-0121-x>Craddock et al., 2016) <https://gigascience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13742-016-0121-x>. Attendees of various backgrounds are welcome to join! Below you could see list of projects which will be realised during our three day event: 1. Functional connectivity research: can we find a common ground? <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity> 2. Detecting trypophobia triggers <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23trypophobia> 3. Development of video game for studying joint action dynamics <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23game> 4. Training a human-like movie evaluation system based on the semantic features of the storylines <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23movies> 5. Hypothesis-driven white matter tractography from T1-weighted MRI images <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23whitematter> 6. One channel EEG sleep staging with open source and open hardware NeuroOn sleep mask <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23neuroon> 7. Building a brain-ageing biomarker using machine learning <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23ageingbiomarker> 8. Building and using the “FlyPi”: the 3D-printed Neurobiology Lab <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/#connectivity%23flypi> *‘Early bird’* registration for project participants,* closes on 15th October 2017*. The applications will be reviewed and the notification of acceptance will be sent to the applicants until 20th October2017. We welcome everyone at the AoN Brainhack Warsaw 2017 event. We would like to prepare the equipment and the clusters properly before the event, therefore we are asking the participants to register in advance and choose the projects of their preference. We will do our best to make sure that everyone can take part in the project they like, and that the projects are well prepared for the participants. In any case, we welcome everyone to come, watch the event and help us at the first Brainhack in the history of AoN conference! A registration fee of 25EUR (or 100PLN) will be requested upon acceptance. The registration fee will be spent on the catering during the event. To register please visit our page and learn more about the Brainhack Warsaw! https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/ <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/> We looking forward to see you in Warsaw! *The AoN Brainhack Warsaw 2017 team*

1 0

M-GATE: 15 PhD positions available in leading labs across Europe on the physiology and circuits of memory
by Francesco Battaglia Oct. 6, 2017

Oct. 6, 2017

M-GATE is a network of 8 leading European institutions funded by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action of the European Commission. We offer to 15 promising young researchers the opportunity to get a world-class doctoral training and do cutting edge research on memory circuits. Healthy brain physiology, as well as diseases of memory circuits such as epilepsy and Alzheimer will be studied. Detailed circuit analysis approaches in animals will be combined with work on human subjects and theoretical approaches. New experimental and analytical technologies will be developed and deployed, also in collaboration with industrial partners. Positions are available with the following PIs: - Dr. Francesco Battaglia (network coordinator) Donders Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands; - Dr. Rosa Cossart; Institut de neurobiologie de la Mediterranée, Marseille France - Dr. Hugo Spiers; University College London - Dr. Christophe Bernard Université d’Aix/Marseille, France - Dr. Pim Drinkenburg; Janssen Pharmaceutica BV, Beerse, Belgium - Dr. Clifford Kentros; NTNU, Trondheim, Norway - Dr. Alessandro Treves; SISSA International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy - Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky; Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel - Dr. Misha Tsodyks; Weizmann Institute, Rehovot Israel We will offer to the students a training program including events at all participating institutions, including theoretical courses, experimental methodologies and transferable skills. The details of the network and all projects are available at our website http://www.mgate.eu <http://www.maget.eu/>. Job requirements and application procedures vary by PhD project, as described in the website. Please contact the project PIs (addresses available on the website) for questions on the project. General inquiries may be directed to the network coordinators at info(a)mgate.eu <mailto:info@mgate.eu>. In general, we will give full consideration to applications received by Nov., 30 2017.

1 0

Open position: Expert in machine learning and high-performance computing
by Daniel Zysman Oct. 5, 2017

Oct. 5, 2017

The Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences seeks an expert in machine learning and high-performance computing to collaborate on cutting edge research on neuroscience, perception, cognition, and artificial intelligence. The department is a world leader in computational approaches to brain science, and is home to state-of-the-art computing resources as well as the Center for Brains, Minds and Machines, a multi-institutional NSF Science and Technology Center dedicated to the study of intelligence. Salary will be competitive with industry. To apply: https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_mit/external/jobDetails.do… <https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_mit/external/jobDetails.do…> For more information about our department: https://bcs.mit.edu/ <https://bcs.mit.edu/> Job Description: PROGRAMMER/SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER/COMPUTATIONAL AND MACHINE LEARNING SPECIALIST, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, to help tackle challenging problems in high-performance computing methods and systems, machine learning, management of large datasets, and artificial intelligence. Responsibilities include helping researchers translate computational algorithms into efficiently functioning (especially parallelized and GPU optimized) code; assisting with installation and implementation of third-party tools; staying up-to-date with cutting-edge computational techniques; providing guidance for storage and management of large data sets; developing and maintaining online courses for computing resources, running in-person tutorials on specific software packages/tools, and helping transition users to new computing tools; providing educational support and training to users of the departmental computing cluster; and monitoring cluster usage and resolving problems. Job Requirements: Bachelor’s degree (advanced degree preferred) in a scientific field or computer science; at least four years’ experience in scientific high-performance (cluster) computing; familiarity with Slurm and Lustre; broad computational background with knowledge of Unix, HPC algorithms, GPU computing, programming models, debuggers, and performance tools; software development experience, especially Python and MATLAB, but also R, Lua, JavaScript, etc.; knowledge of high-level APIs for HPC computing; expertise installing and maintaining third-party software in an HPC environment and with container technology, especially in the context of computational reproducibility; familiarity with mathematical algorithms for high-performance computing, use or design of HPC profiling or optimization tools, and deep neural networks; ability to work effectively with scientists and engineers; initiative, tact, and judgment in developing solutions for users; excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively, orally, in writing, and via live presentations; demonstrated ability to assume leadership roles, grasp complex problems, and develop solutions; and extensive background in high-performance computing. MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

1 0

PhD positions at the Univ. of Leicester (for UK/EU candidates only)
by Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo (Prof.) Oct. 5, 2017

Oct. 5, 2017

Fully Funded PhD Studentships (for UK/EU candidates only) Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester, UK. www.le.ac.uk/csn The Centre for Systems Neuroscience at the University of Leicester, UK, offers up to 2, 3-Year Fully Funded (stipend plus fees) PhD positions for UK/EU candidates, to study single cell recordings in humans – performed in epileptic patients for curative surgery. The project will investigate concept cells (a.k.a. Jennifer Aniston neurons) – that means, neurons in the hippocampus and surrounding areas that selectively fire to specific concepts, like different pictures and the written or spoken name of a particular person (e.g. Quian Quiroga et al, Nature 2005; Quian Quiroga Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2012), which are involved in declarative memory functions. The successful candidate will contribute to performing recordings with patients in collaborating hospitals and the analysis of the data to investigate the role of these neurons in memory formation. Candidates should have very good quantitative skills (data processing, and programing in Matlab), a strong background in neuroscience and, ideally, good experience with neurophysiology recordings. They should be able to work both independently and as part of a research team within the Centre for System Neuroscience at Leicester and with our external collaborators. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Valeria Zonato, Research Centre Manager, vz12(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. Interested candidates should send their curriculum vitae and a brief description of their scientific interests to Valeria Zonato (vz12(a)le.ac.uk<mailto:vz12@le.ac.uk>). The closing date for the applications is Friday 15th September 2017.

1 2

COSYNE 2018: Call for workshop proposals and Meeting announcement
by Tomas Hromadka Oct. 5, 2017

Oct. 5, 2017

==================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2018 (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING 01 - 04 March 2018 Denver, Colorado WORKSHOPS 05 - 06 March 2018 Breckenridge, Colorado www.cosyne.org ==================================================== IMPORTANT DATES NEW Workshop pre-proposal deadline: 14 October 2017 NEW Workshop proposal deadline: 10 November 2017 Abstract submission opens: 10 October 2017 Abstract submission deadline: 20 November 2017 ---------------------------------------------------- MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT ---------------------------------------------------- The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks is selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. For details on workshop proposals please see below or visit Cosyne.org -> Workshops. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. This year we would like to foster increased participation from experimental groups as well as computational ones. Please circulate widely and encourage your students and postdocs to apply. COSYNE SPEAKERS Tim Behrens (Oxford) Josh Berke (UCSF) Tiago Branco (UCL) Jessica Cardin (Yale) Claudia Clopath (Imperial) Marlene Cohen (Pittsburgh) Iain Couzin (Max-Planck) Carina Curto (Penn State) Ann Graybiel (MIT) Vivek Jayaraman (Janelia) Mate Lengyel (Cambridge) Joni Wallis (Berkeley) Byron Yu (CMU) When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting, due to space constraints. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE General Chairs: Ilana Witten (Princeton) and Eric Shea-Brown (U Washington) Program Chairs: Linda Wilbrecht (Berkeley) and Brent Doiron (U Pittsburgh) Workshop Chairs: Laura Busse (LMU) and Ralf Haefner (U Rochester) Undergraduate Travel Chairs: Angela Langdon (Princeton) and Robert Wilson (U Arizona) Publicity Chair: Il Memming Park (Stony Brook) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT meeting [at] cosyne.org ----------------------------------------------- CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS ----------------------------------------------- PRE-PROPOSALS In an effort to coordinate submissions, the organizers are encouraged to submit a pre-proposal by *14 October 2017.* Pre-proposals will be shared among submitters. Pre-proposals are not mandatory but workshops with a pre-proposal will have priority. The organizers may submit the full proposal by its deadline. A series of workshops will be held after the main Cosyne meeting (www.cosyne.org) The goal is to provide an informal forum for the discussion of important research questions and challenges. Controversial issues, open problems, comparisons of competing approaches, and alternative viewpoints are encouraged. The overarching goal of all workshops should be the integration of empirical and theoretical approaches, in an environment that fosters collegial discussion and debate. Preference will be given to proposals that differ substantially in content, scope, and/or approach from workshops of recent years (examples available at Cosyne.org -> Workshops). Relevant topics include, but are not limited to: sensory processing; motor planning and control; functional neural circuits; motivation, reward and decision making; learning and memory; adaptation and plasticity; neural coding; neural circuitry and network models; and methods in computational or systems neuroscience. In order to foster discussion within Workshops and reduce overlap between workshops, organizers should inform invited speakers that a single person should not speak in more than one of the Workshops taking place on the same day. WORKSHOP DETAILS - There will be 4-8 workshops/day, running in parallel. - Each workshop is expected to draw between 15 and 80 people. - The workshops will be split into morning (8.00-11.00 AM) and afternoon (4.30-7.30 PM) sessions. - Workshops will be held at Breckenridge, CO, a ski resort located 100 miles (approximately two hours) from the Denver International Airport. Buses from the main conference will be provided. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Deadline for pre-proposals: 14 October 2017 Deadline for proposals: 10 November 2017 Format: plain text only, please no attachments, email to workshops [at] cosyne.org (Laura Busse, Ralf Haefner) PRE-PROPOSALS should include: - Name(s) and email address(es) of the organizers (no more than 2 organizers per session, please). A primary contact should be designated. - A title. - A brief description of 1) what the workshop will address and accomplish, 2) why the topic is of interest, 3) who is the targeted group of participants. - Names of potential invitees, with indication of confirmed speakers. Preference will be given to workshops with the most confirmed speakers. - Proposed workshop length (1 or 2 days). Most workshops will be limited to a single day. If you think your workshop needs 2 days, please explain why. - A brief resume of the workshop organizer along with a short list of workshop-relevant publications (about half a page total). FULL PROPOSALS should include the list of confirmed speakers in addition to components required for a pre-proposal. Workshop organizer responsibilities include coordinating workshop participation and content, scheduling all speakers and submitting a final schedule for the workshop program, and moderating the discussion. Organizers can be speakers but need not speak depending on scheduling constraints. SUGGESTIONS Experience has shown that the best discussions during a workshop are those that arise spontaneously. A good way to foster these is to have short talks and long question periods (e.g. 30+15 minutes), and have plenty of breaks. We recommend fewer than 10 talks. WORKSHOP COSTS Detailed registration costs, etc, will be available at www.cosyne.org. Please note: Cosyne does NOT provide travel funding for workshop speakers. All workshop speakers are expected to pay for workshop registration fees. Participants are encouraged to register early, in order to qualify for discounted registration rates. One complementary (free) organizer registration is provided per workshop. For workshops with 2 organizers, the free registration can be given to one of the organizers or split evenly between them. COSYNE WORKSHOP QUESTIONS workshops [at] cosyne.org COSYNE MAILING LISTS Please consider adding yourself to Cosyne mailing lists (groups) to receive email updates with various Cosyne-related information and join in helpful discussions. See Cosyne.org -> Mailing lists for details.

1 0

High performance computing workshop at SFN 2017
by Ted Carnevale Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

Seats are still available in the workshop Using the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) for Parallel Simulations Saturday, Nov. 11 from 9 AM to noon which we are presenting in downtown Washington, DC as a satellite to this year's SFN meeting. NSG eliminates most technical and adminstrative barriers to using high performance computing resources, and even gives away free CPU time on parallel supercomputers. Software currently installed on NSG includes BluePyOpt, Brian, CARLsim, Freesurfer, GENESIS, MATLAB, MOOSE, NEST, NEURON, PyNN, and the Virtual Personalized Multimodal Connectome Pipeline. At this workshop you will learn how to use this NSF-supported resource in your computationally-intensive modeling and data analysis projects. You will also hear presentations from several research teams about how they are using NSG in their own research. For a description of the workshop and its application form, see http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2017/nsg2017.html The registration deadline is Friday Oct. 28. --Ted

1 0

Postdoctoral Position in Computational Approaches to Rodent Social Neurophysiology
by Liu, Robert C Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

Postdoctoral Position in Computational Approaches to Rodent Social Neurophysiology Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Biology Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia The laboratories of Robert Liu, Gordon Berman and Larry Young at Emory University are accepting applications for a postdoctoral scientist working in a collaborative team to use quantitative behavioral and electrophysiological methods to study pro-social interactions in rodents. The research combines recent advances in computational ethology (Berman et al, Interface, 2014) with in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics in socially interacting prairie voles (Amadei, Johnson et al, Nature, 2017), a premier rodent model for the formation of social bonds (Lim et al, Nature, 2004). Our NIH-funded project's goal is to use prior behavioral and neurophysiological activity to build predictive models of social dynamics leading to a pair bond. PhD required. We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in experimental, in vivo extracellular electrophysiology (ideally in rodents) and computational data analysis and scientific programming. Training in the neurobiology of social behavior, social information processing, sensorimotor integration, and/or the neural circuitry for reward and reinforcement would also be viewed favorably. Emory University and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center have a rich, collaborative neuroscience community (http://biomed.emory.edu/PROGRAM_SITES/NS/) especially in the areas of translational social neuroscience (http://ctsn.emory.edu/) and computational neuroscience (http://compneurosci.college.emory.edu/) Research at Emory in the neurobiology of social behavior extends across many labs from the molecular level through the organismal level in animal models and humans, with a particular interest in the functions of oxytocin (http://www.oxytocin.emory.edu/) Ongoing efforts include both elucidating normal processes and ameliorating deficits found in human conditions, like autism spectrum disorder. To inquire or apply, please email robert.liu(a)emory.edu<mailto:robert.liu@emory.edu>. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue at least through Oct. 31, or until the position is filled. Applications should include a CV, the names and full contact information of 3 references, and at least one representative publication. Emory University is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. References: Amadei EA*, Johnson ZV*, Kwon YJ, Shpiner AC, Saravanan V, Mays W, Ryan S, Walum H, Rainnie D, Young LJ, Liu RC (2017). Dynamic corticostriatal activity biases social bonding in monogamous female prairie voles, Nature, 546(7657):297-301. doi:10.1038/nature22381<http://www.nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22381> Berman GJ, Choi DM, Bialek W, Shaevitz JW (2014). Mapping the stereotyped behaviour of freely moving fruit flies. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11(99):20140672. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.0672<http://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0672> Lim, MM, Wang Z, Olazábal DE, Ren X, Terwilliger EF, Young LJ (2004). Enhanced partner preference in promiscuous species by manipulating the expression of a single gene. Nature, 429(6993):754-757. doi:10.1038/nature02539<http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/nature02539> Robert C. Liu, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Emory University O. W. Rollins Research Center Rm 2131 1510 Clifton Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA Phone: +1 404-727-5274 Email: robert.liu(a)emory.edu<mailto:robert.liu@emory.edu> Lab Website<http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Liu/html/index.php> ________________________________ This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments).

1 0

Quantification of the Function of Criticality: Call for Contributions
by Nergis Tomen Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

[Apologies if you received this message more than once] Dear Colleagues, We are calling for abstracts for contributions towards a publication on *The Functional Role of Critical Dynamics* *in Neural Systems*. The collection will be published by Springer and will be free of charge for the authors. The main aim of this collection will be to bring together research and ideas linking together criticality in the cortex, dynamical and emergent network states and the putative role such states may serve in the way of function and computational advantages. The intended format of the book is a collection of short and concise chapters focusing around this central theme, in order to allow for many different perspectives to be represented. If you would like take part in this publication, please send an extended abstract summarizing your planned contribution, following the guidelines below, to A. Janssen (*ajanssen**(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de* <ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de>) who will be coordinating the communications by *October* *25th*. For details of the planned contents and structure of the full contributions, as well as our expected timeline, please see below. Full papers will be expected by the end of this year. Best wishes, Udo Ernst & Nergis Tomen & Michael Herrmann *Guidelines for your contribution * We are aiming for a publication that will give a broad overview of the state of research linking neuronal avalanches and self-organized criticality (SOC) to neural function and information processing (for the related concepts please see e.g. [Bak, Tang and Wiesenfeld, 1987] and [Beggs and Plenz, 2003]). Due to the computational advantages of simple systems operating close to a phase transition (e.g. [Langton, 1990]), there has been a growing interest in the neuroscience community in the recent years to tackle the question “Can critical dynamics be useful for the brain?”. And this was the central theme of the *Excellence Workshop "Dynamical network states, criticality and cortical function"* that took place on 25-28 March 2017 in Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, Delmenhorst, Germany ( *http://www.h-w-k.de/index.php?id=2240* <http://www.h-w-k.de/index.php?id=2240>). In light of the positive feedback and interest we received from the community, we are now aiming to bring together different ideas and approaches related to critical dynamics and its potential functional role in cortical information processing, and we are looking forward to your contributions. We will have a two-stage submission process for the authors. The first stage is to submit an extended abstract that can be of any format, but should include a title and contact information of the authors and should begin with a very brief summary of the main message of the contribution. As a guideline it is suggested that the length of the extended abstract is 1 to 4 pages and that it contains 1 to 4 figures. Please submit your abstract to *ajanssen**(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de* <ajanssen(a)neuro.uni-bremen.de> by *October 25th*. Full papers will be requested before the end of this year. The final papers are expected to include an easy-to-follow introduction, one or more well-evidenced claims and a substantial discussion section. The full papers are limited in size to 15-20 pages each (each page about 450 words), including figures and references. There will be LaTeX and MS Word templates provided by Springer for the full contributions. Each contribution will be peer-reviewed by at least 2 colleagues before being published. Each author of a contribution is also expected to act as a reviewer for 2-3 other contributions. We plan to include reviewers from outside the field to provide 'critical' input. Realistically, we estimate that the review process will start in in winter 2017 and end in spring 2018. We expect the submissions to present original research by the authors.This can include new results or review of past research by the authors (for review papers, it is allowed to include research by other persons where suitable, as long as it does not constitute a major part of the contribution). We believe it is important for contributions to put forward a vision or perspective on criticality research. It is important to make connections to the functionality of the concepts described in your contribution (e.g. how do the properties observed in your model/experiments relate to information transfer/processing, behavioural performance, computation, communication and configuration, etc.). Where applicable, it is allowed and encouraged to talk about predictions and theories about how the contents of a contribution may relate to active computation in the cortex, what practical advantages and biological mechanisms they may be linked to as well as what direction future research should take to answer such questions. We encourage the authors to actively try to draw connections between their own research, research of other scientists in their field as well as outside of their field (e.g. discussing ties with experimental results in a theoretical contribution and vice versa). Thank you for considering these guidelines.

1 0

Start-up EEG hardware and data analytics roles at start-up
by Brian Murphy Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

BrainWaveBank's mission is to transform how cognitive illness is diagnosed and treated so that people can live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. Our 16-channel EEG headset is designed for home-use, and is supported by a platform of tablet-based games and cloud-based analytics to track cognitive performance and health. We are now expanding, and hiring a number of software, hardware and scientific roles into our Dublin and Belfast offices. We are seeking exceptional candidates for these roles (see links below for full details): - Senior EEG Research Engineer, Dublin • Full-time - EEG Research Engineer, Dublin • Full-time - Machine Learning Engineer, Dublin • Full-time - Cognitive Neuroscientist, Dublin • Full-time - EEG Hardware Design Lead, Belfast • Full-time - Full Cloud Stack SW Engineer, Belfast • Full-time - Senior Mobile Developer (Android), Belfast • Full-time - Trial Manager, Belfast • Full-time View full details of the roles and apply through: https://www.indeedjobs.com/brainwavebank/_hl/en_GB Learn more about the team and mission: http://www.brainwavebank.com -- Dr. Brian Murphy Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer BrainWaveBank Ltd M: +44 7716 686654 M: +353 86 0666732 E: brian(a)brainwavebank.com Twitter: @brainwavebank www.brainwavebank.com The information contained in this email transmission is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution, publication, or copying of the information contained in this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify us by telephone at +44 028 9264 6600 or email info(a)brainwavebank.com and delete the email from your system. Thank you for your co-operation. BrainWaveBank Ltd is a limited company registered in Northern Ireland. Registered number: NI628481. Registered office: 32-36 Dublin Road, Belfast BT2 7HN.

1 0

Postdoc/programmer position at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
by Erik De Schutter Oct. 4, 2017

Oct. 4, 2017

The Computational Neuroscience unit (https://groups.oist.jp/cnu) at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan has an opening for a postdoctoral researcher or technician in software development and computational modeling of stochastic neuronal reaction-diffusion processes. Initial duration is two years with an option to extend. The hired postdoctoral researcher or technician is expected to make valuable contributions to the STEPS project (http://steps.sourceforge.net) in two ways: 1) by researching molecular neuronal processes and designing novel techniques and routines for accurate computational modeling of such systems, and 2) contributing to realistic applications of the new techniques in biological modeling studies. In performing these tasks, the candidate is expected to contribute to publications that are either based on theory and computational techniques, or geared more towards answering real biological questions through computational modeling. As such the ideal candidate will have a scientific background but also possess good programming skills. There will be many opportunities to interact with other STEPS developers in our lab and also other researchers working on related cerebellar projects, and also to collaborate on STEPS development with the Blue Brain Project, EPFL, Geneva. Competences: For the postdoctoral position a recent PhD is required in a relevant discipline such as neuroscience, molecular biology, biophysics, biochemistry, and for a technician a masters degree is required in a similar discipline or computer science. For either position, we require a talented programmer with experience in C++ and Python. In satisfying these criteria, it is expected that the candidate has some experience of modeling neuronal or other biological processes computationally, but this is not essential if the candidate has a strong enough interest in moving into the field. Fluent English conversation and writing skills are required. Benefits / Offer: A competitive salary and relocation package are offered. This an ideal position to gain experience in a prominent computational neuroscience lab. Contributions of technicians are honored by authorship on relevant publications. Please contact Prof. Erik De Schutter (erik(a)oist.jp) for inquiries.

1 0

Postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience at UCSD
by Maxim Bazhenov Oct. 3, 2017

Oct. 3, 2017

Applications are invited for post-doctoral research position in the laboratory of Dr. Maxim Bazhenov (http://www.bazhlab.ucsd.edu/) at the University of California, San Diego to study role of sleep in memory and learning. The ultimate goal of the project is to understand how the interaction among brain areas during sleep leads to consolidation of memory for recent learning and how sensory or electrical stimulation can enhance memory consolidation. This project involves close collaboration with several experimental laboratories. The successful candidate will be responsible for the design of the anatomically realistic brain network models based on experimental data. These models will be applied to understand network dynamics that are involved in the processes of memory consolidation, to design optimal stimulation approaches, to guide data analysis and to make predictions for future experimental studies. Qualified applicants are expected to have experience in computational/theoretical neuroscience and neural modeling. Programming experience with C/C++ is required. Knowledge of PYTHON and MATLAB is a significant plus. The University of California offers excellent benefits. Salary is based on research experience. Applicants should send a brief statement of research interests, a CV and the names of three references to Maxim Bazhenov at mbazhenov(a)ucsd.edu -- Maxim Bazhenov, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD, School of Medicine http://www.bazhlab.ucsd.edu/

1 0

APA Technology, Mind, & Society Conference - Submissions due Oct 20
by Jeff Krichmar Oct. 2, 2017

Oct. 2, 2017

Dear Colleagues, This upcoming APA conference on Technology, Mind, & Society may be of interest to many of you. Keynote speakers include Cynthia Breazeal (MIT, Jibo Inc.), Justine Cassell (CMU), Eric Horvitz (Microsoft Research Labs), and Alex "Sandy” Pentland (MIT). Paper submissions are due October 20th. See:http://pages.apa.org/tms/ Best regards, Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma The American Psychological Association will hold an interdisciplinary conference on Technology, Mind, and Society in Washington, D.C., on April 5-7, 2018. Scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and students from around the world are invited to participate in the event. The conference will provide a venue for reporting and assessing current efforts to understand and shape the interactions of human beings and technology, for identifying priorities for future work, and for promoting exchange and collaboration among participants. The conference will feature four keynote speakers: Cynthia Breazeal (MIT), Justine Cassell (Carnegie Mellon), Eric Horvitz (Microsoft Research), and Sandy Pentland (MIT). APA invites you and your colleagues and students to submit papers, symposia, and posters for this conference, which will be organized around the following broad themes: • Basic research: How humans understand and use technology, impacts of technology on human experience and behavior, human-technology interactions as mutually adaptive systems, role of technology in advancing other areas of scientific research, and related topics. • Foundations of technology design: Development of technologies informed by psychological, behavioral, and social science research. • Applications: Development, use, and impact of specific technologies in domains such as aging, education, mental and physical health, recreation, and the workplace. • Broader implications: Ethical and policy questions concerning the opportunities and challenges arising from human-technology interactions. The deadline for submissions is October 20, 2017. The conference is open to researchers, professionals, and students in all relevant areas, including psychology and other behavioral and social sciences, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, design, health research, education research, city and regional planning, public policy, history of science and technology, and philosophy. The conference aims to address the full range of contemporary and emerging technologies. These include but are not limited to artificial intelligence, robotics, mobile devices, social media, virtual/augmented reality, gaming, geographic information systems, autonomous vehicles, and biomedical technologies (e.g., brain-machine interfaces, genetic engineering). APA is sponsoring the conference in cooperation with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Association for Computing Machinery — Special Interest Group for Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI). We look forward to seeing you at the Technology, Mind, and Society Conference! For additional information, see the conference website (http://pages.apa.org/tms/) If you have any questions, please contact the APA Science Directorate (science(a)apa.org)

1 0

Postdoc in computational neuroscience of consciousness
by Srivas Chennu Sept. 30, 2017

Sept. 30, 2017

In the School of Computing at the University of Kent (UK), we are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to work on the computational neuroscience of consciousness. This post is part of the EPSRC project "A Computational Prototype for Electroencephalographic Brain Connectomics" awarded to Dr. Srivas Chennu. This exciting project sits at the interface of signal processing, machine learning and neuroscience. More information is available at the link below: https://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/sc785/mohawk.html This role will involve: • Develop a computational prototype for electroencephalographic brain connectomics for discriminating states of awareness and use real datasets and develop simulations to test and validate the prototype. • Working with the PI, interact with collaborators at partner sites to explore deployment of the prototype at the bedside of patients with disorders of consciousness • Communicate and disseminate project outcomes in academic publications, scientific conferences, technical reports, web-based platforms and social media You will play a key role in this project, focusing on the development of the software prototype. In addition to working closely with Dr. Chennu, you will interact regularly with clinicians and neuroscientists at the Universities of Cambridge and Liége. Both partners have made available a large dataset of EEG acquired from patients and controls, which will be used to test and validate the prototype to be developed here. You will be supported in your role by Dr. Chennu, in addition to PhD students in the research group, and will be able to access the broad-ranging expertise available across other members of the Data Science group and the School of Computing. This is a fixed term post (to start in Jan 2018, date negotiable) and will provide the successful candidate with a rich collaborative environment: it is positioned within the recently formed Data Science group at the University of Kent, and will involve close collaboration with external partners at the Universities of Cambridge and Liège (Belgium). To succeed in this role you will: • A PhD in Computer Science/Neuroscience, or be near completion • Experience of EEG/MEG Signal Processing, Machine Learning in Neuroscience and MATLAB and/or Python in Neuroscience • Experience of working in a research environment and the ability to liaise with other external partners *The School of Computing* at Kent is a welcoming and supportive environment that has recently been recognised with a Bronze Athena SWAN award. We are a well-balanced, inclusive and diverse community that aims to further enhance our achievements and reputation in teaching, research and innovation. Start date for applications: 29 September 2017 Closing date for applications: 05 November 2017 Interviews are to be held: 29 November 2017 Please see the link below to view the full job description and also to apply for this post. If you require further information about this post/project please contact the PI, Dr. Srivas Chennu at sc785(a)kent.ac.uk. For any questions regarding the application process please contact The Resourcing Team on jobs(a)kent.ac.uk quoting ref number: STM0847 https://www11.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_kent01.asp?s=4A515F4E5A565B1A&jobid=41306, 5425238748&key=50937013&c=223465364822&pagestamp=sewzjjuhsdmqkvijvz

1 0