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Cajal Course in Computational Neuroscience 2019

by Macke, Jakob

CAJAL COURSE IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 11 August - 31 August 2019, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown<http://www.fchampalimaud.org/en/the-foundation/champalimaud-centre-unknown/>, Portugal http://www.cccn.pt Applications deadline: 11 March 2019 Course directors: Brent Doiron<https://www.mathematics.pitt.edu/people/brent-doiron> (University of Pittsburgh, USA) Maria Geffen<https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g329/p8404062> (University of Pennsylvania,USA) Jako<http://www.mackelab.org/people/>b Macke<http://www.cne.ei.tum.de> (Technical University of Munich, Germany) Joe Paton<http://neuro.fchampalimaud.org/en/person/115/> (Champalimaud Research, Portugal) Confirmed faculty: Matt Botvinick<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fdeepmind.com%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=…>, Google Deepmind, UK Claudia Clopath<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bg.ic.ac.uk%2Fresearch%2Fc.clo…>, Imperial College London, UK Sophie Denèv<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Flnc2.dec.ens.fr%2Fen%2Fmember%2F…>e, Institut d'Etudes de la Cognition (IEC), France Julijana Gjorgjieva<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fbrain.mpg.de%2Fresearch%2Fcomputat…>, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Pedro J. Gonçalves<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fppjgoncalves.github.io%2F&sa=D&snt…>, Research Center Caeser, an Associate of Max Planck Society, Bonn, Germany Ann Hermundstadt<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.janelia.org%2Flab%2Fhermunds…>, Janelia Research Campus, USA Kate Jeffery<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ucl.ac.uk%2Fjefferylab&sa=D&sn…>, University College of London, UK Brian Lau<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Ficm-institute.org%2Fen%2Fmember%…>, Brain and Spine Institute, France Gilles Laurent<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fbrain.mpg.de%2Fresearch%2Flaurent-…>, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany Máté Lengyel<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww3.eng.cam.ac.uk%2F~ml468%2F&sa=…>, University of Cambridge, UK Jennifer Linden<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ucl.ac.uk%2Fear%2Fresearch%2Fp…>, UCL Ear Institute, UK Christian Machens<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmachenslab.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=…>, Champalimaud Research, Portugal Ken Miller<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fctn.zuckermaninstitute.columbia.…>, Columbia University, USA Tony Movshon<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cns.nyu.edu%2Fcorefaculty%2FMo…>, New York University, USA Mala Murthy<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmala-murthy.squarespace.com%2F&sa=…>, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, USA Maneesh Sahani<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk%2F~maneesh%2F…>, Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL, UK Eero Simoncelli<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cns.nyu.edu%2F~eero%2F&sa=D&sn…>, New York University, USA Tim Vogels<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dpag.ox.ac.uk%2Fresearch%2Fv…>, University of Oxford, UK About the course: Computational Neuroscience is a rapidly evolving field whose methods and techniques are critical for understanding and modelling the brain, and also for designing and interpreting experiments. Mathematical modeling is an essential tool to cut through the vast complexity of neurobiological systems and their many interacting elements. This three-weeks school teaches the central ideas, methods, and practice of modern computational neuroscience through a combination of lectures and hands-on project work. Each morning is devoted to lectures given by distinguished international faculty on topics across the breadth of experimental and computational neuroscience. During the rest of the day, students work on research projects in teams of 2-3 people under the close supervision of expert tutors and faculty. Research projects will be proposed by faculty before the course, and will include the modeling of neurons, neural systems, and behavior, the analysis of state-of-the-art neural data (behavioral data, multi-electrode recordings, calcium imaging data, connectomics data, etc.), and the development of theories to explain experimental observations. The course is designed for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from a variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, physics, electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics and psychology. Students are expected to have a keen interest and basic background in neurobiology, a solid foundation in mathematics, as well as some computer experience. A four-day pre-school in mathematics and programming is offered for students that want to catch up on their math and programming skills. A maximum of 24 students will be accepted. Students of any nationality can apply. We specifically encourage applications from researchers who work in the developing world. Stipends are available. Apply here: www.fens.org/Training/CAJAL-programme/CAJAL-courses-2019/CCCN2019/<http://www.fens.org/Training/CAJAL-programme/CAJAL-courses-2019/CCCN2019/> Applications deadline: 11 March 2019 Stipends are available. CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme is funded by FENS<http://www.fens.org/>, IBRO<http://ibro.info/> and The Gatsby Foundation<http://www.gatsby.org.uk/>. For more information on the CAJAL programme: www.cajal-training.org<http://www.cajal-training.org/> Contact address: Simone Zacarias, simone.zacarias(a)research.fchampalimaud.org<mailto:simone.zacarias@research.fchampalimaud.org> — Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jakob Macke Technical University of Munich Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Professorship for Computational Neuroengineering macke(a)tum.de<mailto:macke@tum.de> www.cne.ei.tum.de<http://www.cne.ei.tum.de> +49 89 289 26902 Office: Alexandra Petelski Alexandra.Petelski(a)tum.de<mailto:Alexandra.Petelski@tum.de> Tel.: +49 (0)89 - 289 26900 Fax: +49 (0)89 - 289 26901

Feb. 26, 2019

Masters in Neuroengineering at TU Munich

by Macke, Jakob

Dear colleagues, we are accepting applications for the Masters of Science in Neuroengineering (MSNE) at TU Munich. The ENB Elite Master of Science program in Neuroengineering (MSNE) at the Technische Universität München (TUM) is a two-year graduate program, with an optional Research Excellence Certificate, hosted by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Center of Competence on Neuroengineering. Neuroengineering is an emerging interdisciplinary field that aims to translate findings in neuroscience to engineering applications, and to provide engineering solutions for neuroscience research. MSNE provides research-oriented, interdisciplinary and international training in this novel research field, combing experimental and theoretical neuroscience with fundamental training in engineering. Funding by the Elite Network Bavaria is making it possible to ensure small class-sizes, to provide individual mentoring to students, and to emphasize hands-on, research-oriented courses. Core courses in Systems- and Computational Neuroscience, Neural Recording and Interface-Technologies, Neuro-Inspired Engineering, Data-Analysis, Signal Processing and Machine Learning, are supplemented by mentor-approved electives, hands-on practicals, research internships (both in TUM and abroad), early-career training for independent research, and awareness of ethical aspects of Neuroengineering. Final deadline for applications is May 31, 2019. Applications will be reviewed on a ‘rolling’ basis, and we encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible. Detailed information can be found on www.msne.ei.tum.de<http://www.msne.ei.tum.de>, and enquiries should be directed to msne(a)ei.tum.de<mailto:msne@ei.tum.de>. Best regards, Jakob Macke — Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jakob Macke Technical University of Munich Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Professorship for Computational Neuroengineering macke(a)tum.de<mailto:macke@tum.de> www.cne.ei.tum.de<http://www.cne.ei.tum.de> +49 89 289 26902<tel:+49%2089%20289%2026902> Office: Alexandra Petelski Alexandra.Petelski(a)tum.de<mailto:Alexandra.Petelski@tum.de> Tel.: +49 (0)89 - 289 26900<tel:+49%2089%20-%20289%2026900> Fax: +49 (0)89 - 289 26901<tel:+49%2089%20-%20289%2026901>

Feb. 26, 2019

postdoc opportunity at MIT: Halassa and Fiete groups

by Ila Fiete

The Halassa lab, in collaboration with the Fiete lab, at MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences is seeking to fill one postdoctoral position at the interface of computational systems neuroscience and theoretical neuroscience. Specifically, the work will involve analyzing neural recordings and constructing neural models of prefrontal circuit operations during decision making, working memory and perceptual inference. The postdoctoral researcher will be involved in joint- and individual-lab projects. The researcher will also have the opportunity to participate in several ongoing department- and institution-wide initiatives such as the Center for Brains Minds and Machines (https://cbmm.mit.edu/) and the MIT Quest for Intelligence (https://quest.mit.edu/) The Halassa lab combines well-controlled, parametric behavioral tasks in multiple species (rodents, tree shrews and marmosets) with high-density multi-site electrophysiological recordings of neural ensembles and circuit-specific optical perturbation tools. Recent studies have revealed novel roles of subcortical structures such as the thalamus in regulating prefrontal activity, and thereby, its engagement in working memory and selective attention (e.g. Schmitt et al., 2017 Nature; Rikhye et al., 2018 Nature Neuroscience). The Fiete lab builds theories and models of neural circuit plasticity, dynamics, coding, and function, and performs quantitative analysis of neural data to test models of circuit function. This is an excellent opportunity for a theoretically inclined candidate who would like to work closely with neural data. An ideal candidate will have some familiarity with neuroscience and a background in a relevant quantitative discipline, such as theoretical or computational neuroscience, physics, engineering, or mathematics. Knowledge and experience in spike train analysis and building neural models are a plus. Please contact Mike Halassa: mhalassa(a)mit.edu<mailto:mhalassa@mit.edu> or Ila Fiete: fiete(a)mit.edu<mailto:fiete@mit.edu>. See also: halassalab.mit.edu<http://halassalab.mit.edu>, http://clm.utexas.edu/fietelab/

Feb. 26, 2019

PhD Studentship at Keele University

by Peter Andras

Applications are sought from candidates interested in PhD research in Computer Science. Deadline for applications: 10th March 2019. One particular area of interest is machine learning and computational intelligence. Interested applicants are encouraged to discuss project ideas first informally by email by contacting Professor Peter Andras (p.andras(a)keele.ac.uk <mailto:p.andras@keele.ac.uk> ). Possible projects include: . machine learning applied to medical imaging data (e.g. x-ray, EEG, MRI), bioinformatics data (e.g. virus evolution) or astronomy data (e.g. exoplanet discovery and analysis); . machine learning synthesis of realistic scenarios and interactions in virtual worlds; . complexity and learnability analysis of deep learning architectures; . evolutionary learning of deep networks. The full call is available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/study/postgraduateresearch/studentships/FNSGS%202019 -04%20studentship%20form.pdf

Feb. 26, 2019

Postdoctoral Position in Computational Neuroscience

by Vinita Samarasinghe

Prof. Sen Cheng, Institute for Neuroinformatics at Ruhr University Bochum, invites applications for a full-time position of *Postdoctoral Scholar (TV-L E13) in Computational Neuroscience. *The position starts on 1st July 2019 and is funded for *3 years*. This project is part of the newly established DFG research unit 2812 “Constructing Scenarios of the Past: A New Framework in Episodic Memory” at the Ruhr University Bochum and the Westfälische Wilhelms University Münster. The research unit will study the cognitive and neuronal mechanisms underlying the constructed scenarios that make up episodic memory. It will employ and combine approaches from Philosophy, Psychology as well as Experimental and Computational Neuroscience. Further information about the project can be found at www.rub.de/cns <http://www.rub.de/cns>. *Job description* The successful candidate will model the function of episodic memory in inference and prediction using abstract computational models. This project strives to find answers to the questions: * Why are specific experiences stored in episodic memory helpful for predicting the future? * Why can general, or semantic, information not serve the same purpose? *Your Profile: * Candidates should hold a PhD in neuroscience, physics, mathematics, engineering, or a related field. Competence in mathematical modeling or machine learning, and excellent programming skills are mandatory. In addition, relevant research experience in neuroscience or a related field is required. Experience in the study of episodic memory and in working within a collaborative research group would be a further asset. Candidates should have excellent communication skills in English and the ability to work well in a team. The Ruhr University Bochum is home to a vibrant research community in neuroscienceand cognitive science. The Institute for Neural Computation is an independent research unit and combines different areas of expertise ranging from experimental and theoretical neuroscienceto machine learning androbotics. For further information see www.rub.de/cns <http://www.rub.de/cns>. Please send your application, including CV, transcripts and research statement electronically, as a single PDF file, to samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de <mailto:samarasinghe@ini.rub.de>. In addition, at least two academic references may be sent independently to the above email address. The deadline for applications is 15.03.2019. The Ruhr University Bochum is committed to equal opportunity. We strongly encourage applications from qualified women and persons with disabilities. We are committed to providing a supportive work environment for female researchers, in particular those with young children. Our university provides mentoring and coaching opportunities specifically aimed at women in research. We have a strong research network with female role models and will provide opportunities to meet with them. Wherever possible, events will be scheduled during regular childcare hours. Special childcare will be arranged if events have to be scheduled outside of regular hours, in case of sickness and during school or daycare closures. Where childcare is not an option parents will be offered a home office solution. Contact person: Vinita Samarasinghe -- Vinita Samarasinghe M.Sc., M.A. Science Manager Arbeitsgruppe Computational Neuroscience Institut für Neuroinformatik Ruhr-Universität Bochum, NB 3/26 Universitätstr. 150 D-44801 Bochum Tel: +49 (0)234 32 27316 Email: samarasinghe(a)ini.rub.de Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8-11

Feb. 26, 2019

CfP, Special session - Hybrid Life II, ALife 2019

by Manuel Baltieri

[Apologies for cross-posting] ********** Call for Papers ********** Special session - Hybrid Life II: Approaches to integrate biological, artificial and cognitive systems https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life-ii/ <https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life-ii/> 2019 Artificial Life conference (ALife) Newcastle, UK, 29 July - 3 August 2019 - http://2019.alife.org/ <http://2019.alife.org/> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION: The main focus of ALife research is the study of natural systems with the goal of understanding what life is. More concretely, ALife defines ways to investigate processes that contribute to the formation and proliferation of living organisms. In this session we focus on three common approaches to tackle this investigation, proposing ways to integrate, extend and possibly improve them. More specifically we refer to: 1) the formalisation of the necessary properties for the definition of life, 2) the implementation of artificial agents, and 3) the study of the relation between life and cognition. For this special session we propose to start from these well-established Alife methodologies, and extend them through: a unified formal language for the description and modelling of living, as well as artificial and cognitive systems, e.g. control theory, Bayesian inference, dynamical systems theory, etc., the exploration of biological creatures enhanced by artificial systems (or artificial systems augmented with organic parts) in order to investigate the boundaries between living and nonliving organisms, and the evaluation of coupled biological-artificial systems that could shed light on the importance of interactions among systems for the study of living and cognitive organisms. This special sessions aims to invite contributions from the fields of psychology, computational neuroscience, HCI, theoretical biology, artificial intelligence, robotics and cognitive science to discuss current research on the formalisation, combination and interaction of artificial/living/cognitive systems from theoretical, modelling and implementational perspectives. Potential topics include, but are not limited to: Formalisation of life and cognition (e.g. dynamical systems theory, stochastic optimal control, Bayesian inference, etc.) Cognitive robotics Autopoiesis Life-mind continuity thesis Systems biology Origins-of-life theories with relationships to artificial and cognitive systems Animal-robot interaction Bio-inspired robotics Bio-integrated robotics Human-machine interaction Augmented cognition Sensory substitution Interactive evolutionary computation Artificial perception Important Dates 8th March 2019 – Paper submission deadline 24th April 2019 – Paper acceptance notification 24th May 2019 – Camera-ready version 29th July - 3rd August 2019 – Artificial Life conference (ALife), Newcastle, UK Paper Submission Papers and abstracts submitted to this special sessions will be reviewed by a selected group of experts from the a-life community as well as from other areas key to our proposal, specifically chosen for this review process. If you are submitting to a special session you will be given the opportunity to select it during the submission process. Submissions to special sessions follow the same format, instructions and deadlines of regular ALife papers. Organizers Manuel Baltieri, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK Keisuke Suzuki, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK Hiryuki IIzuka, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan Olaf Witkowski, Earth-Life Science Institute - Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan Contacts For questions, enquiries and more information please check our website https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life-ii/ <https://sites.google.com/view/hybrid-life-ii/> or get in touch with m.baltieri(a)sussex.ac.uk <mailto:m.baltieri@sussex.ac.uk>. All the best, -- Manuel Baltieri PhD Candidate, EASy group, Sussex Neuroscience, Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, UK Twitter: @manuelbaltieri

Feb. 25, 2019

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Whole Brain Modelling

by John Griffiths

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Whole Brain Modelling The Whole Brain Modelling Group (PI Dr. John Griffiths; www.grifflab.com) at the Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Toronto, is looking to hire a Post-Doctoral Fellow with a strong background in computational neuroscience and/or neuroimaging. The successful candidate shall spearhead the group's efforts in computational modelling of large-scale brain dynamics, with a particular focus on brain stimulation (TMS, TDCS), EEG, neural plasticity, and macro-connectomics. The fellow will have the opportunity to shape the details of the project based on their specific interests, as well as to contribute to other ongoing projects on a range of topics, including: neuroinformatics of whole-brain modelling, mapping and modelling anatomical connectivity and microstructure with DWI in relation to ageing and stroke, and multi-scale modelling of the thalamocortical system in relation to sleep, pharmacological neuromodulation, and neuropsychiatric disease. The successful candidate will have a PhD in neuroscience, engineering, physics, psychology, or related area, a track record for independent research, and a strong publication record. Strong programming skills and familiarity with neuroimaging data analysis (s/d/fMRI and/or M/EEG) are required; experience with computational modelling using numerical simulations (particularly modelling of neural population activity with mean-field/neural mass/neural field techniques) would be advantageous. Full details of the position and application instructions can be found at www.grifflab.com/positions/ For informal inquiries, please email Dr. John Griffiths at john.griffiths(a)camh.ca with the title “Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Whole Brain Modelling” in the subject line. -- Dr. John D. Griffiths Independent Scientist @ Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, CAMH, Toronto Assistant Professor @ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto www.grifflab.com

Feb. 25, 2019

PhD Available: Predicting Recovery from Stroke with Machine Learning

by Howard Bowman

PhD Available: Predicting Recovery from Stroke with Machine Learning Professor Howard Bowman (University of Kent and University of Birmingham) is looking to take on a PhD student to work on interpretable machine learning applied to data acquired from stroke patients (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ploras/) This work will be with Professor Cathy Price (Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL), whose (PLORAS) team has collected one of the largest data sets of stroke patients (greater than 1,000), including structural MRI scans, behaviour and demographics. A key focus of Cathy Price's work is to predict the recovery trajectory of stroke patients from their structural MRI scans, particularly patients with language deficits (i.e. that are aphasic). Progress has been made on this using traditional and now deep learning methods. Critical to clinical uptake of machine learning in this area is the ability to interpret the predictions it provides in a fashion that can be communicated to clinicians, patients and carers. We seek to appoint a PhD student to work on this topic, using methods such as neural-symbolic techniques. The student will be located in the School of Computing at the University of Kent, but will regularly visit and work closely with Cathy Price's team at the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging. Expertise in machine learning will be provided by Dr Thomas Hope (Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL) and Dr Marek Grzes (School of Computing, University of Kent). The PhD being advertised will be one of a tranche of scholarships available in the School of Computing at the University of Kent at Canterbury. These will be competitively allocated across a range of topics. To be eligible for these scholarships, please contact Howard Bowman (H.Bowman(a)kent.ac.uk) before 31st March 2019. Relevant articles: Besold, T. R., Garcez, A. D. A., Bader, S., Bowman, H., Domingos, P., Hitzler, P., ... & de Penning, L. (2017). Neural-symbolic learning and reasoning: A survey and interpretation. arXiv preprint arXiv:1711.03902. Hope, T. M., Seghier, M. L., Leff, A. P., & Price, C. J. (2013). Predicting outcome and recovery after stroke with lesions extracted from MRI images. NeuroImage: clinical, 2, 424-433. Seghier, M. L., Patel, E., Prejawa, S., Ramsden, S., Selmer, A., Lim, L., ... & Price, C.J. (2016). The PLORAS database: a data repository for predicting language outcome and recovery after stroke. Neuroimage, 124, 1208-1212.

Feb. 25, 2019

PhD position in computational neuroscience with Prof. Laurenz Wiskott in Bochum, Germany

by Laurenz Wiskott

Please forward this job advertisement to candidates who might be interested. Thanks, Laurenz Wiskott. ___________________________________________________________________________ Open position for a PhD student with Prof. Laurenz Wiskott at the Institute for Neural Computation, Bochum, Germany ___________________________________________________________________________ University: The Ruhr-Universität Bochum is one of the leading research universities. The university draws its strengths from both the diversity and the proximity of scientific and engineering disciplines on a single, coherent campus. This highly dynamic setting enables students and researchers to work across traditional boundaries of academic subjects and faculties. Institute: Institute for Neural Computation Ruhr-University Bochum Universitaetsstr. 150 D-44801 Bochum, Germany, EU The Institute for Neural Computation is a central research institute at the Ruhr-University Bochum, see https://www.ini.rub.de/. It focuses on the dynamics and learning of perception and behavior on a functional level but is otherwise very diverse, ranging from neurophysiology and psychophysics over computational neuroscience to machine learning and technical applications. Research group: Prof. Dr. Laurenz Wiskott, see https://www.ini.rub.de/research/groups/theory_of_neural_systems/ Research topics: We are looking for an outstanding candidate who will be working on a system-level model of spatial navigation with the hippocampus as one of its central areas. We use methods from neural networks and machine learning. It is also planned to simulate experiments done with rat and/or mice by our experimental partners. The position is part of a joint team with Prof. Sen Cheng working on developing a system-level model of hippocampal function for memory and navigation. This is being done in close interaction with a team working on similar questions from the machine learning perspective. Teaching: There is a teaching load of 3 hours per week during the semester, in particular for a programming course in python. Time: The appointment will be for three years and can then be extended for one more year if needed. Anticipated starting date is May 15th. Requirements: Candidates should have an education (equivalent to a MSc) in computer science, physics, mathematics, electrical engineering or any related field. Required are strong mathematical and programming skills (ideally in python) as well as the ability to communicate and work well in a team. Salary: Salary is 75% of salary scale TV-L E13. Inquiries: Informal inquiries can be addressed to Prof. Laurenz Wiskott <laurenz.wiskott(a)rub.de>. Application: Applications (CV, transcript of records for MSc and BSc, statement of purpose) should be sent as a single pdf file to Prof. Laurenz Wiskott <laurenz.wiskott(a)rub.de>. Ruhr-University Bochum is committed to equal opportunity in employment and gender equality in its working environment. We therefore look forward to applications from qualified women. Applications from appropriately qualified handicapped persons are also encouraged.

Feb. 25, 2019

Reminder: XI. Dubrovnik Conference on Cognitive Science - Computational Rationality

by Gergo Orban

Dear all, This is a reminder that the deadline is approaching for submitting abstracts for the XI. Dubrovnik Conference on Cognitive Science, which is devoted to the topic of Computational Rationality. The conference will take place between 23-25 May 2019 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. You may submit your poster abstract here: http://www.cecog.eu/ducog/page_submission.php <http://www.cecog.eu/ducog/page_submission.php> Our invited speakers are: Ulrike Hahn (Birkbeck, University of London, UK) Quentin Huys (Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK) Julian Jara-Ettinger (Yale University, USA) Máté Lengyel (University of Cambridge, UK, and Central European University, Hungary) Azzurra Ruggeri (Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany) Laura Schulz (MIT, USA) Deadline for poster abstract submission is 28 February 2019. Authors will be notified of acceptance of their abstracts by 15 March 2019. For more information please visit: http://www.cecog.eu/ducog/page_invitation.php <http://www.cecog.eu/ducog/page_invitation.php> or email us: ducog(a)cogsci.bme.hu <mailto:ducog@cogsci.bme.hu> On behalf of the organisers, Oana Stanciu Gergő Orbán Programme chairs

Feb. 25, 2019

student/postdoc/RA positions with Li Zhaoping in Tuebingen Germany on experimental/theoretical neuroscience

by Li Zhaoping

I am recruiting for students/postdocs/research assitants for my group in Tuebingen, where we work in the University of Tuebingen and in the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, seehttps://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/sensory-and-sensorimotor-systems I will be at COSYNE workshop on March 4-5th, and would be happy to provide additional information, answer questions, and chat with interested people. Zhaoping

Feb. 23, 2019

Conference Models of Consciousness, Oxford

by Johannes Kleiner

Dear all, I'd like to point your attention to the following conference on formal approaches to the mind-matter relation: Models of Consciousness Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford September 9 - 12, 2019 https://models-of-consciousness.org/ With best wishes, Johannes

Feb. 22, 2019

From Dagmar Sternad: Position for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Human Motor Control

by Marta Russo

On behalf of Prof. Dagmar Sternad *Position for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Human Motor Control* Dagmar Sternad Professor of Biology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Physics Northeastern University d.sternad(a)northeastern.edu We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to work in the area of computational neuroscience and physical human-robot interaction. The research of Prof. Sternad’s Action Lab’s at Northeastern University in Boston is on human motor control and learning with extensions to clinical populations and rehabilitation http://www.northeastern.edu/actionlab/. Ongoing projects are on complex object manipulation and on human walking on unstable support. Our research addresses fundamental questions on human motor control, with a view to human-robot interactions and also clinical applications. Several ongoing collaborations are with Prof. Neville Hogan at MIT. The Action Lab’s interdisciplinary research program addresses questions in motor control from the perspective of dynamical system, bridging disciplinary approaches from nonlinear dynamics, biomechanics and engineering, neuroscience and psychology. The overall goal of our research is to understand the generation of perceptually controlled behavior in human systems. Our lab is equipped with state-of-the-art experimental equipment, including 3D motion capture, three virtual reality set-ups with a robot manipulandum, force plates and wireless EMG. We also use brain measurement and stimulation techniques, such as EEG and TMS. Our laboratory is currently supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. For more information about ongoing projects please visit our website: http://www.northeastern.edu/actionlab/ Candidates should have graduate training in one of the following disciplines: Computational Motor Neuroscience, Physics, Mechanical, Electrical or Computer Engineering, the latter with an emphasis on robotics and interest in human motor control. The applicant should demonstrate an academic record of scientific excellence, independent research, and a strong interest in an interdisciplinary approach to human and robotic motor control. Experience in programming is expected (Matlab, C++, Statistics packages, etc.). He/she will get involved in existing research projects, but is also encouraged to bring to bear his/her expertise into the research project. The Action Lab is located in the Departments of Biology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Physics at Northeastern University as well as the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Complex Systems. Northeastern University is located in the heart of Boston, which provides a stimulating environment for interdisciplinary research. Applicants should submit a curriculum vita, including a list of publications, and two letters of recommendation to d.sternad(a)northeastern.edu. Hiring will start as soon as possible. -- <http://www.hsantalucia.it/5x1000-sostieni-la-nostra-ricerca> *Rispetta l'ambiente: se non ti è necessario, non stampare questo messaggio - **Please consider the environment before printing this email.*

Feb. 21, 2019

Workshop: Spike Sorting and Reproducibility for Next Generation Electrophysiology

by Matthias Hennig

Spike Sorting and Reproducibility for Next Generation Electrophysiology 24. and 25. June 2019 Informatics Forum, University of Edinburgh The analysis of extracellular recordings is a computationally and conceptually complex task with multiple sources of error and bias that can affect subsequent data interpretation. The advent of high-density extracellular micro-electrode arrays (MEAs) now allows recording from hundreds to thousands of channels that poses significant challenges. Additionally, current analysis workflows lack standardisation, and few attempts have been made to make perform systematic comparisons between different solutions and approaches. This workshop will bring together electrophysiologists and developers of tools for the analysis of extracellular recordings, with the following goals: - to showcase new approaches to analyse large scale recordings - to discuss approaches for validation and quality control - to discuss how elements of reproducibility and provenance can be added - to typical analysis workflows Invited Speakers: Alessio Buccino, Oslo Espen Hagen, Oslo Felix Franke, ETHZ Samuel Garcia, CNRS James Jun, Flatiron Institute Jeremy Magland, Flatiron Institute André Marques Smith, UCL Olivier Marre, Institut de la vision Hernan G Rey, Leicester (tbc) Evelyne Sernagor, Newcastle Olivier Winter, Champalimaud Pierre Yger, Institut de la vision (more speakers tba) Registration is free (workshop dinner £30), spaces are limited. More info: http://workshops.inf.ed.ac.uk/ssnge/ Organisers: Matthias Hennig, Edinburgh Cole Hurwitz, Edinburgh Jeremy Magland, Flatiron Alessio Buccino, Oslo -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Feb. 21, 2019

EuroCogSci 2019: Invitation

by Laurenz Wiskott

Sent in behalf of Prof. Albert Newen, Ruhr-University Bochum. Laurenz Wiskott. ========================================================================================== EuroCogSci 2019 SITUATED MINDS AND FLEXIBLE COGNITION Call for Papers, Posters and Contributed Symposia The conference EuroCogSci 2019 aims at providing a platform for discussing the most recent developments in Cognitive Science. It will feature contributed papers, symposia, and posters covering all subfields of cognitive science, bringing together a large number of experts from Europe and overseas. Venue: Ruhr-Universität Bochum Start: Monday, September 2nd, 2019 End: Wednesday, September 4th, 2019 Keynote Speaker: Lawrence Barsalou (University of Glasgow) Julia Fischer (Universität Göttingen) Patrick Haggard (UCL, London) Asifa Majid (Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics) Brian McLaughlin (Rutgers University) Natalie Sebanz (CEU, Hungary) John Spencer (University of East Anglia) Invited Symposium I: Situated Robotics and its Applications Minoru Asada (Osaka University) and Etienne Burdet (Imperial College London) Invited Symposium II: Evolutionary Robotics Dario Floreano (EPFL) and Partica A. Vargas (Heriot-Watt University) Invited Symposium III: Theory of Mind and Its Developments Ágnes M. Kovács (CEU), Beate Priewasser (Salzburg), Albert Newen (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) Local organizing team: Albert Newen (main organizer), Sabrina Coninx, Onur Güntürkün, Dorothea Kolossa, Beate Krickel, Jonas Rose, Tobias Schlicht, Gregor Schöner, Alfredo Vernazzani, Markus Werning, Pascale Willemsen Call for Contributed Symposia We encourage the joint submission of thematically related papers of a key research topic as symposia. More information at: https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/philosophy/EuroCogSci2019/call-for-contribut… The deadline for submission of symposia proposals: 28 February 2019 Call for Papers and Posters We invite contributions on recent research in any subfield of cognitive science. More information at: https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/philosophy/EuroCogSci2019/call-for-papers-an… The deadline for submission of papers & posters: 31 March 2019 Call for Registration: a detailed call will be sent out later. Contact information: EuroCogSci2019(a)rub.de ________________________________ Dr.des. Alfredo Vernazzani Scientific Manager: EuroCogSci 2019 Ruhr-Universität Bochum Institut für Philosophie II GA 6/35, Universitätsstr. 150 44799 Bochum, Deutschland

Feb. 20, 2019

Internship on Multi-scale and multi-modal data analysis and modeling of neural signals in epileptic patients

by Maurizio De Pitta

Dear colleagues, please share with your students and anyone who be interested. The Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM) and the BioCruces Hospital in Bilbao (Biscay, Spain) are offering a 6-month internship tailored to advanced bachelor students or Master students interested in the fascinating theory of complex networks in relation with multi-scale analysis of time series data from neural signals of epileptic patients. Candidates should apply here: http://www.bcamath.org/en/research/internships Interviews are currently open and will go on till fulfilment of the position. The internship can be used by Spanish and Basque students to fulfil their mandatory training credits. However, international candidates will also be very welcome. There is also the possibility to exploit the internship experience later into a full PhD project. Following are the details of the internship. Title. Multi-scale analysis of neuronal signals in epileptic patients Brief description of the research topic. About one epileptic patient out of four is diagnosed with intractable (drug-resistant) epilepsy, presenting severe, life-impairing seizures for which the only, currently available treatment option is surgical removal of epileptogenetic neuronal circuits. The success of this surgery however depends on our ability to exactly identify epileptogenic circuits. This task is challenged by the emerging hypothesis that epileptogenic circuits are distributed rather than localised in a single brain spot. In turn, this distributed scenario suggests that epileptic seizures present multi-scale spatial organisation in conjunction with hierarchical temporal activation of multiple neural circuits. In line with this hypothesis is the observation that the spectrum of oscillatory neural electrical activity during seizures recorded by electroencephalography (EEG) presents multiple frequency components, ranging from milli- to kilo hertz. It remains however unclear how to relate such temporal structure with the underlying spatially-organised activation of epileptogenic neural networks. The aim of this internship is to gain familiarity with development of mathematical and modelling techniques that could help the analysis of spatial and temporal correlations in epileptic neural activity. The intern will work in collaboration with Dr. Maurizio De Pittà (BCAM) to adapt current models of neuron-glial networks to reproduce epileptic seizures, and with Dr. Paolo Bonifazi (BioCruces) for the analysis of neural time series. Requirements. - Basic knowledge of graph theory and statistical data analysis, and numerical integration - Essential programming skills in MATLAB and/or Python - Basic knowledge in neuroscience is a plus - Ability to meet deadlines - Strong interest to pursue research in complex network theory Keywords: computational neuroscience, time-series analysis, network theory, epilepsy, neuron-glia interactions. Contact details: Maurizio De Pitta', mdepitta(a)bcamath.org Paolo Bonifazi, paolo.bonifazi(a)osakidetza.eus ----- Maurizio De Pitta' Research Fellow MCEN -- Group of Mathematical, Computational and Experimental Neuroscience BCAM -- Basque Center of Applied Mathematics https://sites.google.com/site/mauriziodepitta/home

Feb. 19, 2019

Postdoc in Human Laminar Electrophysiology at NYU (BRAIN Initiative)

by Lucia Melloni

Postdoc in Human Laminar Electrophysiology at NYU (BRAIN Initiative) A full-time Postdoc position will be available in the NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, to study the electrophysiological basis of laminar functional MRI (fMRI). The position is part of a National Institutes of Health BRAIN Initiative-funded project in collaboration with the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota and Department of Cognitive Neuroscience at Maastricht University. The postdoc will conduct intracranial and laminar electrophysiological recordings, as well as 7T laminar fMRI studies in people with epilepsy, and collaborate closely with a team of leading neuroscientists, physicians, and biomedical engineers. The aim of the project is to understand the neural underpinning of the laminar functional MRI signals by combining in-vivo electrophysiology in humans (NYU), high field MRI (NYU/CMRR/Maastricht) and computational modeling (Maastricht/CMRR). The candidate will benefit from the rich resources of our neuroscience community, which includes researchers at NYU School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health’s Neuroscience Institute <https://med.nyu.edu/departments-institutes/neuroscience/>, and the Center for Neural Science at NYU. The candidate will work closely with collaborators at the CMRR (Dr. Yacoub), Maastricht (Drs. Formisano, De Martino, Havlicek) and CMRR/Toronto/Suwon (Dr.Uludag). The ideal candidate has a PhD in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, psychology, or a related field. She/he should have a solid background in (human) electrophysiology and signal processing (EEG, MEG and/or ECoG), programming (Matlab or Python), statistics, and scientific writing. The candidate is expected to be able to work independently, to enjoy interacting within an interdisciplinary research environment as well as with a clinical team, and to have a track-record of peer-reviewed publications. Some supervision and mentoring of research assistants and students is expected. Previous experience with human electrophysiology will be an asset. Preferred starting date: August 2019 or as soon as possible. Initial appointment will be for 2 years with the option to renew up to 4 years. Interested individuals should send an email to lucia.melloni(a)nyulangone.org <mailto:lucia.melloni@nyulangone.org> and sasha.devorea(a)nyulangone.org <mailto:sasha.devorea@nyulangone.org> including a cover letter describing research experience and qualifications, an academic CV, and contact information of 2-3 referees who have agreed to be contacted, by March 30th, 2019.

Feb. 19, 2019

Post doctoral position in neuroMRI to study BOLD-based spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity

by Verhoye Marleen

Dear The Bio-Imaging Lab at the University of Antwerp (Department of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences) is seeking to fill the following full time vacancy: Post doctoral (m/f) position in neuroMRI to study BOLD-based spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity for a period of one year, with the possibility of renewal for 1 year after positive evaluation. Starting date: ASAP. The position is available for a multidisciplinary project that aims to study changes in functional connectivity (FC) in animal models for Alzheimer. The Bio-Imaging lab has already great expertise in acquiring and analyzing BOLD-based FC. In this project, the post-doctoral fellow will create and implement algorithms to extract quasi-periodic patterns (QPPs), known as large-scale recurring spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity, which have been suggested to be likely contributors to 'altered' network connectivity. The project is multidisciplinary (acquiring MRI data of dedicated animal models by PhD students), where the focus of the Post Doc job lies in the advanced image analysis. Interested candidates should - hold a doctoral degree in (bio)-informatics, biomedical imaging, biomedical engineering, statistics, mathematics, physics, computational neuroscience or a closely related field. - have comprehensive knowledge and experience in one or more topics within the signal and image sciences: data analysis, signal processing techniques, statistical decision theory, and algorithm development. - be familiar with machine learning and pattern discovery techniques is a plus. - have experience with coding algorithms in C, C++, Matlab, Python, or similar language used in the signal and image sciences. - have preferably experience with in-vivo Neuro MRI analysis, neurosciences The full job announcement can be found here: https://www.uantwerpen.be/images/uantwerpen/container2675/files/Post%20doct… Candidates can learn more about the Bio-Imaging Lab at https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/rg/bio-imaging-lab/ The Lab is a member of the EGAMI (Expert Group Antwerp Molecular Imaging https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/rg/bio-imaging-lab/collaborations/egami-imagin… ), which represent a service platform that integrates all molecular imaging techniques and expertise present at the University of Antwerp. To apply please send your application, CV and two names of referees to An.Ost(a)uantwerpen.be<mailto:An.Ost@uantwerpen.be> and marleen.verhoye(a)uantwerpen.be<mailto:marleen.verhoye@uantwerpen.be>. Further information can be obtained from: Marleen Verhoye, PI at the Bio-Imaging lab (Tel: + 32 (0)3 265.27.86, Secretary: +32 (0) 3 265.27.80), Deadline of application: March 21th, 2019. Please forward this message to people who might be interested Regards, Marleen Verhoye Faculty of FBD/Department of Biomedical Sciences Campus Drie Eiken - Building UC 1.12 Universiteitsplein 1 - B-2610 Antwerp Belgium marleen.verhoye(a)uantwerpen.be http://bioimaginglab.ua.ac.be/ T +32 3 265 27 86

Feb. 19, 2019

Please post: Programmer/Analyst Opening in the Center for Visual Science in Rochester, NY

by Pasternak, Tatiana

Programmer/Analyst Opening in the Center for Visual Science in Rochester, NY The Center for Visual Science at the University of Rochester (http://www.cvs.rochester.edu) is seeking a computer programmer to develop software for studying visual information processing in the eye and brain. The position involves working with multiple faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on a wide range of research projects and requires familiarity with at least some of the systems, programming languages/libraries, and other software tools listed below. Preference will be given to candidates with prior experience in 3D graphics, image processing, computer vision, interfacing of hardware and software, and/or vision research in general. A successful candidate should have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or a related field, and be comfortable working on multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced academic research environment. Systems: DOS, Windows, Macintosh, Linux Languages/Libraries: C, C++, C#, Java, Python, MFC, OpenGL, OpenCL Development tools: Visual Studio, .NET Framework, ASP.NET<http://ASP.NET>, MVC Software: Matlab, LabVIEW Applications should be sent to dshannon(a)ur.rochester.edu<mailto:dshannon@ur.rochester.edu>. **************************************** Tatiana Pasternak, Ph.D. Professor Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience Departments of Neuroscience, Brain & Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, and Center for Visual Science University of Rochester

Feb. 18, 2019

[job] Call for postdoc application on curiosity-driven deep reinforcement learning

by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer

Call for postdoc application Topic: Intrinsically motivated multi-goal deep reinforcement learning in open virtual worlds Host and location: Inria Flowers Lab, Bordeaux, France Collaboration with Ubisoft (Bordeaux) Supervision: Pierre-Yves Oudeyer (Flowers team, Inria and Ensta ParisTech) Duration: between 18 months and 2 years Deadline for application: the position will be assigned and start as soon as possible (from april or may 2019). This postdoc project aims to develop autonomous lifelong machine learning techniques that enable virtual intelligent agents to make discoveries and acquire large repertoires of skills in open uncertain environments. This is key for developing agents that need to continuously explore and adapt interaction skills to new or changing tasks, environments, people to interact with, and preferences of others. The approach will leverage recent advances in curiosity-driven developmental learning (also called intrinsically motivated learning) to drive exploration in a multi-goal deep reinforcement learning framework. In particular, it will consist in studying several extensions of recent results of the Flowers lab in this area, including unsupervised learning of goal spaces using deep learning approaches (Laversanne-Finot et al., 2018) and the CURIOUS algorithm for intrinsically motivated multi-task multi-goal deep RL (Colas et al., 2019). These algorithms will be evaluated on benchmarks involving novel virtual environments dedicated to study exploration and curiosity (e.g. based on Unity3D MLagents), as well as modern open world video games in the context of a collaboration with Ubisoft (Bordeaux). Keywords : Deep RL, neural networks, multi-task learning, transfer learning, curiosity, intrinsic motivation, curriculum learning, Unity3D. Required knowledge and background: Candidates should already have shown very strong experience and achievements, shown by publications in top-tier AI/machine learning conferences and journals (e.g. NIPS, ICML, ICLR) in either: - Deep Learning algorithms (theory and practical implementations) - Reinforcement learning Other requirements: - strong skills in mathematics, statistical inference, machine learning - Advanced programming skills - Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary project Contact and application: Send CV and letter of motivation to pierre-yves.oudeyer(a)inria.fr Web: Inria Flowers: http://flowers.inria.fr and http://www.pyoudeyer.com The Flowers Lab: developmental robotics and lifelong multitask machine learning ================================================================== The Flowers Lab, headed by Pierre-Yves Oudeyer, gathers a team of ~20 members and has been one of the pioneers of developmental robotics and lifelong machine learning and artificial intelligence in the last decade, in particular through developping models of intrinsically motivated learning of repertoires of skills that have both contributed to advance understanding of human curiosity and development, and to advance incremental online multitask machine learning techniques in difficult high-dimensional robotic spaces. This work in the Flowers lab is conducted in the context of large international projects (e.g. ERC grant, European projects 3rdHand and DREAM, HFSP project Neurocuriosity), with interdisicplinary collaborations with other labs in neuroscience, psychology, machine learning and robotics. The successful candidates would be directly involved in these international collaborations. The Flowers lab has recently spin-off the Pollen Robotics startup company, and is involved in multiple collaborations with industrials through Inria's strong support towards impacting both science and industry. Inria and EnstaParistech =================== The lab is within Inria Bordeaux, which is a prestigious, and also the largest, public European research insitution focused on computer science, mathematics and their applications. Inria's teams and researchers (> 2800 employees) have received prestigious awards, coordinate many international projects, and have created strong innovations now used in many parts of industry. Inria research center in Bordeaux gathers around 300 researchers. The Flowers Lab is also associated to EnstaParisTech, which is a prestigious French engineering school (university). Bordeaux ======== The Flowers lab in Bordeaux is located in a great building on the border of one of the world most famous vineyard, and 10mn by tram from Bordeaux town center (and 2 hours from Paris through high-speed trains): https://www.inria.fr/en/centre/bordeaux Bordeaux has been recently rated by Lonely Planet as the world's best city to visit: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/best-cities-in-the-worl… References: Baranes, A., & Oudeyer, P. Y. (2013) Active learning of inverse models with intrinsically motivated goal exploration in robots. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 61(1), 49-73. https://hal.inria.fr/hal-00788440/document COLAS, Cédric, SIGAUD, Olivier, et OUDEYER, Pierre-Yves (2019) CURIOUS: Intrinsically Motivated Multi-Task, Multi-Goal Reinforcement Learning. https://arxiv.org/pdf/1802.05054.pdf Colas, C., Sigaud, O., and P-Y. Oudeyer (2018) Gep-pg: Decoupling exploration and exploitation in deep reinforcement learning algorithms. arXiv preprint arXiv:1802.05054, 2018. https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.05054 Laversanne-Finot, A., Péré, A., Oudeyer, P-Y. (2018) Curiosity Driven Exploration of Learned Disentangled Goal Spaces, In Proceedings of Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL 2018). Blog post : https://openlab-flowers.inria.fr/t/discovery-of-independently-controllable-… Péré, A., Forestier, S., Sigaud, O, and P.-Y. Oudeyer (2018) Unsupervised learning of goal spaces for intrinsically motivated goal exploration. In International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), 2018. https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.00781

Feb. 18, 2019

Abstract submissions open for UK Neural Computation 2019

by Mark Humphries

The UK Neural Computation 2019 meeting is now accepting abstract submissions. The main meeting will be 2nd-3rd July 2019, at the University of Nottingham. Abstracts can be in any field of neural computation and computational neuroscience. 300 words maximum. All submissions will be considered for the poster sessions. Please indicate if you are interested in giving a talk (4 abstracts will be selected for talks) Abstract submission closes: May 10th Decisions: May 24th Please visit the Abstracts page for full details on how and where to submit: https://drmdhumphries.wixsite.com/ukneuralcomp2019/abstracts Full details of the conference are here: https://drmdhumphries.wixsite.com/ukneuralcomp2019 Invited speakers: Athena Akrami / Andy Barron / Tim Behrens / Claudia Clopath / Matthias Hennig / Simon Laughlin / Rosalyn Moran / Cian O'Donnell / Chris Summerfield / Tim Vogels / Barbara Webb Chair: Mark Humphries Committee: Hannes Saal, Robert Schmidt and Stuart Wilson. This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

Feb. 18, 2019

PhD position to study neural representations of spatial memory in freely moving mice

by Pablo Jercog

Project Title: Neuronal representations of spatial memories: immune ablation of synaptic mechanisms of memory formation as an animal model of memory malfunction. Keywords: spatial memory, neural activity, hippocampus and cortex interaction, NMDA receptors, calcium imaging, animal behavior, quantitative data analysis Project description: This is a unique opportunity for a strongly motivated candidate interested in studying how information is stored long-term in the brain. The candidate will develop a set of read-outs to measure how memories are generated, retain and recalled utilizing calcium imaging data and animal behavioral readouts. The behavior is be combined with a cutting-edge freely moving calcium imaging technology (nVista minimicroscopes) to simultaneously monitor the activity of large number of individual neurons distributed over many days. Using our recently established reversible antibody-mediated disruption of NMDA receptor function in mice (Planagumà et al 2015) we will characterize at the behavioral and neural circuit levels, the mechanisms of memory formation and recall during normal and malfunctioning brains. The candidate will perform quantitative analyses of large data sets using methods from modern statistical analysis and machine learning. The project will be developed within a collaboration between several investigators in IDIBAPS (Barcelona): Josep Dalmau, MD, PhD, Jaime de la Rocha PhD, Albert Compte PhD and Pablo Jercog PhD. Together, these labs have a strong publication record investigating the neural circuit basis of different types of memory formation mechanisms, and synaptic receptor mediated autoimmune brain pathologies, and they have extended experience in Calcium imaging, electro-physiology, analysis of behavioral/neuronal data sets and computational modeling. The project is supported by CELLEX foundation and will be developed at IDIBAPS, a public biomedical research institute whose mission is to encourage Systems Neuroscience, translational research, and technological progress in the field of Biomedicine. The candidate will enroll in the Biomedicine PhD program of the University of Barcelona, one of the most exciting cities to develop a broad range of biotechnologies in Europe. Candidate profile: Candidates with a very good track record in their undergraduate degree (e.g. physics, math, bioinformatics, bioengineering), a Master’s in a neuroscience-related discipline and with an interest in cognition, and advanced data analysis techniques are encouraged to apply. Candidates with good oral and written skills in English will be given preference. Previous experience with neuroscience data analysis or programming (Matlab, Python, etc.) will be highly valued. Applications should be addressed to Pablo Jercog (pjercog(a)gmail.com) with the subject: “predoctoral position” and include a: Statement of Research Interest, CV and 1-2 referees information. Candidates will be evaluated starting in March 1st 2019 and until the position is filled. Estimated starting date: between May and September 2019. Pablo Jercog Cellex Fellow IDIBAPS, Cellex Centre C. Roselló 149-153 (CEK -1) Barcelona, Barcelona, 08036, Spain. tel: +34 932275400 (4167) cell: +34 620562808 e-mail: pjercog(a)gmail.com

Feb. 18, 2019

Up to 7 PhD fellowships in Cognitive Neuroscience at SISSA, Trieste, Italy

by Alessandro Treves

SISSA is an elite postgraduate research institution, focused on Maths, Physics and Neuroscience. It operates in English: many among its students and faculty are not Italian. Campus above Trieste, overlooking the Gulf. Research approaches in the CNS PhD https://phdcns.sissa.it/ span the range from cognitive psychology and imaging in humans to behavioural neuroscience and multiple single-unit recording in rats, mathematical and computational modeling; with research groups led by Domenica Bueti, Davide Crepaldi, Mathew Diamond, Chris Mathys, Raffaella Rumiati, Alessandro Treves and Davide Zoccolan. Allied approaches are pursued in other SISSA PhDs. All admitted students receive a 4-year fellowship and engage full-time in research based in Trieste, with limited coursework in the first few months, talks and seminars throughout the year and a TEX event in the summer. First deadline for all candidates: 12.3.2019, for nonEU only: 28.2.2019 https://www.sissa.it/bandi/concorso-lammissione-ai-corsi-di-phd-della-sissa… -- Alessandro Treves http://people.sissa.it/~ale/limbo.html SISSA - Cognitive Neuroscience, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy +39-040-3787623 Ambassador (BlaBlaCar) +39-349-2504602

Feb. 17, 2019

postdoc positions with Peter Dayan

by Peter Dayan

From: Peter Dayan I recently moved my lab to the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tuebingen. I am therefore recruiting one or more postdocs working in the areas of neural reinforcement learning and computational psychiatry. I am seeking postdocs working in neuromodulation, meta-control, neuroimaging and behavioural experiments and analysis, and all areas of dysfunctional decision-making. I am going to be attending COSYNE 2019 - so would be very happy to meet there. The aim of the MPI for Biological Cybernetics as a whole is to understand information processing in the brains of humans and animals. We use experimental, theoretical and computational methods to elucidate the characteristics and implementations of the cascades of plastic and recurrent interactions that transform sensory data into perceptions, memories, appropriate choices of actions, and motor output. We are richly multidisciplinary, have excellent facilities, and are building close links with neighbouring Max Planck Institutes and the University of Tuebingen that cover systems neuroscience, machine learning, and beyond. The working language of the Institute is English. Remuneration will depend on experience. The position will be for two years. Applications should include a CV, a list of publications, summaries of scientific achievements and research plans, and the names and contact details of three referees. Applications should be sent in PDF format to: kyb-application(a)tuebingen.mpg.de My lab, the Institute and the Max Planck Society strive for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. Informal inquiries can be addressed to Peter Dayan: kyb-inquiry(a)tuebingen.mpg.de

Feb. 15, 2019

Postdoc position – studying the effect of cellular mechanisms on cortical circuit activity using computational modelling, at Hay lab (KCNI and UofT)

by Etay Hay

Postdoc position – studying the effect of cellular mechanisms on cortical circuit activity using computational modelling, at Hay lab (KCNI and UofT) Hay lab is currently accepting applications from postdocs interested in using computational models to study the effect of cellular mechanisms on cortical circuit activity, in health and disease. We will simulate biophysical models of somatosensory cortical circuits, constrained with recordings from rodents and humans, to study the effect of synaptic connectivity and dendritic ion channels on cortical circuit activity. In turn, we will characterize the predicted signatures of the effects in measurable signals of cortical circuit activity, which will include the spatiotemporal propagation of neuronal spiking activity, LFP in different cortical layers, and EEG. Applicants should have experience in simulating neuronal networks (conductance-based or integrate-and-fire), and using NEURON and Matlab. Our lab is located at the Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics (KCNI), which is part of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). We are affiliated with the University of Toronto, and are situated at the heart of the downtown campus. Neuroscience research at KCNI offers a unique environment that is both specialized and collaborative, spanning computational genomics, brain circuits, whole-brain networks, and behavior. Interested applicants should send their CV to Dr. Etay Hay, at: etay.hay(a)camh.ca Etay Hay PhD Scientist, Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, CAMH Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto www.haybrainlab.com CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. AVIS DE CONFIDENTIALITÉ : Ce message électronique, ainsi que tout fichier qui y est joint, est reserve à l'usage exclusif du destinataire visé et peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels et privilégiés. Toute lecture, utilisation, divulgation ou distribution non autorisée est interdite. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire visé, veuillez en aviser l'expéditeur par retour de courriel et détruire toutes les copies du message original.

Feb. 15, 2019

position: machine learning research scientist at NIMH

by Francisco Pereira

The Machine Learning Team at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, MD, has an open position for a machine learning research scientist. The NIMH is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders, and part of the the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Our mission is to help NIMH scientists use machine learning methods to address a diverse set of research problems in clinical and cognitive psychology and neuroscience. These range from identifying biomarkers for aiding diagnoses to creating and testing models of mental processes in healthy subjects. We work with many different data types, including very large brain imaging datasets from various imaging modalities, behavioral data, and picture and text corpora. We also develop new machine learning methods and publish in the main machine learning conferences (e.g. NeurIPS and ICLR), and in psychology and neuroscience journals. Many of our problems require devising research approaches that combine imaging and non-imaging data, and leveraging structured knowledge resources (databases, scientific literature, etc) to generate explanations and hypotheses. We have excellent computational resources, both of our own (tens of GPUs for deep learning) and shared within the NIH (a top-100 supercomputer with hundreds of thousands of CPUs, and hundreds of GPUs). You can find more about our work and publications at https://cmn.nimh.nih.gov/mlt.html. This is an ideal position for someone who wants to establish a research career in methods development and applications driven by scientific and clinical needs. Given our access to a variety of collaborators and large/unique datasets, there is ample opportunity to match research interests with novel research problems. We also maintain collaborations outside of the NIH, driven by our own research interests. We are seeking candidates with practical machine learning experience (e.g. training of classification and regression models, statistical testing of results, interpretation and visualization of key aspects of models). Beyond this, the ideal candidate would have knowledge of optimization and statistics, insofar as they bear on machine learning methods development. Experience working with neuroimaging data (any MRI modality, as well as MEG/EEG) will be considered very favorably, but is not required. Finally, you should have demonstrable experience coding in languages currently used in data-intensive, scientific computing such as Python, MATLAB or R. If you would like to be considered for this position, please send francisco.pereira(a)nih.gov a CV, with your email as cover letter; if you have a research statement, please feel free to send that as well. Other inquiries are also welcome. Thank you for your interest! ReplyForward <https://drive.google.com/u/0/settings/storage?hl=en> <https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/> <https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/> <https://www.google.com/gmail/about/policy/>

Feb. 15, 2019

PhD, Master and Postdoc positions in theoretical neuroscience at the MPI for Brain Research

by Tatjana Tchumatchenko

PhD, Master and Postdoc positions in theoretical neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research We are looking for undergraduate students interested in writing a Master or PhD thesis and also have open positions for Postdocs to join our group "Theory of neural dynamics" at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research lead by Dr. Tatjana Tchumatchenko. Our group studies how networks of neurons encode and decode sensory stimuli and how these functions are related to computations that underlie cognitive functions and behavior. We develop models to address linear and non-linear properties of neuronal networks and have ongoing collaborations with experimental labs where we analyze in vitro as well as in vivo data and develop appropriate models to explain the observed phenomena. Successful applicants should have a strong background in a quantitative field such as physics, mathematics or computer science and should be interested in an interdisciplinary exchange with other disciplines such as biology or medicine. Life science majors interested in quantitative modeling work are also encouraged to apply, particularly if they would like to combine experiments and theory in their Master or Ph.D. thesis work. We are looking for candidates with strong English skills and prior programming experience. In order to make teamwork in our group enjoyable and fun, the ideal candidate should have a strong work ethic and have demonstrated consistent self-motivation skills. Female students are particularly encouraged to apply. Prospective students should apply by sending an email to theoryneuraldynamics(a)gmail.com which includes * a letter of motivation, * CV, * and a copy of the current academic transcripts To make your motivation letter easier to write for you and more informative for us, please check the list of questions to be answered in your motivation letter at http://www.tchumatchenko.de/Opportunities.html Looking forward to your applications! Tatjana Tchumatchenko

Feb. 15, 2019

Post-doctoral position: Applying machine learning and Bayesian modeling to functional connectivity

by Joshua Hartshorne

Profs. Stefano Anzellotti and Joshua Hartshorne (Psychology Department, Boston College) are seeking a post-doctoral fellow for a collaborative project applying machine learning and nonparametric models to functional connectivity data in order to better understand individual variability in Autism Spectrum Disorder. This position is funded for two years and may be extended, pending additional funding. Candidates can learn more about the PIs and labs at sccnlab.bc.edu and l3atbc.org. Qualifications include either experience with functional neuroimaging (especially functional connectivity) or computational modeling. Experience with both is a plus. To apply, submit a CV, contact information for 2-3 references, and a cover letter highlighting relevant research experiences and interests directly to: jkhartshorne+sfari(a)gmail.com Preferred start date is between April 1 and Sep. 1. Boston College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates from backgrounds underrepresented in psychology/neuroscience are particularly encouraged to apply. Review of applications is rolling and will continue until the position is filled.

Feb. 14, 2019

Call for abstracts, AMAM 2019, Adaptive motion in animals and machines, Aug 20-23 2019, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

by Auke Ijspeert

AMAM 2019, Adaptive Motion in Animals and Machines, Aug 20-23 2019, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland https://amam2019.epfl.ch/ Call for abstracts, deadline March 8th, 2019 Investigating how animals and humans excel at adaptive movements can help engineers to improve the adaptive capabilities of robots. In return, robots can serve as scientific tools to explore the basic principles of biological systems, in particular the neuromechanical mechanisms underlying their fascinating motor abilities. AMAM 2019 is the 9th international symposium dedicated to stimulate fruitful interactions among biologists and engineers interested in adaptive motion. It aims at bringing together researchers in robotics, biomechanics, neuroscience, sports science, and other fields related to motor behavior in biological and artificial systems. Previous symposia were held in Montreal, Canada (2000); Kyoto, Japan (2003); Ilmenau, Germany (2005); Cleveland, USA (2008); Awaji, Japan (2011); Darmstadt, Germany (2013); Cambridge, USA (2015); and Sapporo, Japan (2017). Two-page abstract contributions are invited from all areas pertaining to adaptive motion in animals and machines. Accepted abstracts will be presented in poster sessions and short high-light presentations (3 slides, 2 min). Plenty of time will be dedicated for fruitful discussions among participants. Invited talks will be presented in oral sessions in a single track (see the exciting list of speakers below). We also encourage participants to contribute hardware demonstrations, as part of the ‘Robot Zoo’@AMAM2019. See https://amam2019.epfl.ch/ for instructions. Important dates: * March 8th, 2019 Deadline of extended abstracts submission * April 12th, 2019 Notification of acceptance for extended abstracts * May 31st, 2019 Deadline of submission for Robot Zoo (Robot Demos) * August 20-23, 2019 Conference Sponsors: Swiss National Science Foundation and Maxon https://www.maxonmotor.com Plenary speakers: * Grégoire Courtine, EPFL, Switzerland * Monica Daley, Royal Veterinary College, UK * Dario Floreano, EPFL, Switzerland * Radhika Nagpal, Harvard University, USA * Lena Ting, Emory University & Georgia Institute of Technology, USA * Herman van der Kooij, University of Twente & Delft University of Technology, Netherlands Invited speakers: * Shinya Aoi, Kyoto University, Japan * David Franklin, Technische Universität München, Germany * John Hutchinson, Royal Veterinary College, UK * Tetsuya Iwasaki, University of California, Los Angeles, USA * Katsushi Kagaya, Kyoto University, Japan * Sangbae Kim, MIT, USA * Megan Leftwich, The George Washington University, USA * David Lentink, Stanford University, USA * Charlotte Le Mouel, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Germany * Poramate Manoonpong, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark * Kamilo Melo, EPFL, Switzerland * Katja Mombaur, Heidelberg University, Germany * Beth Mortimer, University of Oxford, UK * Ulrike Müller, California State University, Fresno, USA * Jamie Paik, EPFL, Switzerland * Pavan Ramdya, EPFL, Switzerland * Chris Richards, Royal Veterinary College, UK * Nidhi Seethapathi, University of Pennsylvania, USA * Simon Sponberg, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA * Emily Standen, University of Ottawa, Canada * Dagmar Sternad, Northeastern University, USA * Barbara Webb, University of Edinburgh, UK * Kotaro Yasui, Tohoku University, Japan Program Committee: * Hitoshi Aonuma, Hokkaido University, Japan * Jordan Boyle, Leeds University, UK * Monica Daley, Royal Veterinary College, UK * Koh Hosoda, Osaka University, Japan * Fumiya Iida, Cambridge, UK * Auke Ijspeert, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland * Akio Ishiguro, Tohoku University, Japan * Masato Ishikawa, Osaka University, Japan * Takeshi Kano, Tohoku University, Japan * Sangbae Kim, MIT, USA * Jun Nishii, Yamaguchi University, Japan * Dai Owaki, Tohoku University, Japan * Andre Seyfarth, TU Darmstadt, Germany * Emily Standen, University of Ottawa, Canada * Dagmar Sternad, Northeastern University, USA * Barry Trimmer, Tufts University, USA * Eric Tytell, Tufts University, USA * Hartmut Witte, TU Ilmenau, Germany Local organization committee: * Jonathan Arreguit * Alessandro Crespi * Florin Dzeladini * Peter Eckert * Sylvie Fiaux * Anne Koelewijn * Mehmet Mutlu * Laura Páez * Amy Wu -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Prof Auke Jan Ijspeert Biorobotics Laboratory EPFL-STI-IBI-BIOROB, ME D1 1226, Station 9 EPFL, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne CH 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Office: ME D1 1226 Tel: +41 21 693 2658 Fax: +41 21 693 3705 www:http://biorob.epfl.ch Email:Auke.Ijspeert@epfl.ch -----------------------------------------------------------------

Feb. 13, 2019

Cognitive Modeling Spring School: Early Registration Deadline ends this Friday

by Jelmer Borst

Fourth Groningen Spring School on Cognitive Modeling – ACT-R, Nengo, PRIMs, & Error-driven learning– Date: April 8-12, 2019 Location: Groningen, the Netherlands Fee: € 250 (late fee after February 15 will be € 300) More information and registration: www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool <http://www.cognitive-modeling.com/springschool> The deadline for our Spring School ends this Friday. So if you want to profit from the early fee, be fast. The Spring School will cover four paradigms: ACT-R, Nengo, PRIMs, and error-driven learning. More information about the paradigms can be found below and on our website. Please let us know if you have any questions. Best regards, the Spring School team Please feel free to forward the information to anyone who might be interested in the Spring School. ______________ Error-driven learning Teachers: Jacolien van Rij and Dorothée Hoppe (University of Groningen) Error-driven learning (also called discrimination learning) allows to simulate the time course of learning. It is based on the Rescorla-Wagner model (Rescorla & Wagner, 1972) for animal cognition, which assumes that learning is driven by expectation error, instead of behaviorist association (Rescorla, 1988). The equations formulated by Rescorla and Wagner have been used to investigate different aspects of cognition, including language acquisition (e.g., Hsu, Chater, and Vitányi, 2011; St. Clair, Monaghan, and Ramscar, 2009), second language learning (Ellis, 2006), and reading of complex words (Baayen et al, 2011). Although error-driven learning can be applied for all domains in cognitive science, in this course we will focus on how it could be used for modeling language processing and language learning. ACT-R Teachers: Jelmer Borst & Katja Mehlhorn (University of Groningen) Website: http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu <http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/>. ACT-R is a high-level cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time experiments to driving a car, learning algebra, and air traffic control. ACT-R can be used to develop process models of a task at a symbolic level. Participants will follow a compressed five-day version of the traditional summer school curriculum. We will also cover the connection between ACT-R and fMRI. Nengo Teacher: Terry Stewart (University of Waterloo) Website: http://www.nengo.ca <http://www.nengo.ca/> Nengo is a toolkit for converting high-level cognitive theories into low-level spiking neuron implementations. In this way, aspects of model performance such as response accuracy and reaction times emerge as a consequence of neural parameters such as the neurotransmitter time constants. It has been used to model adaptive motor control, visual attention, serial list memory, reinforcement learning, Tower of Hanoi, and fluid intelligence. Participants will learn to construct these kinds of models, starting with generic tasks like representing values and positions, and ending with full production-like systems. There will also be special emphasis on extracting various forms of data out of a model, such that it can be compared to experimental data. PRIMs Teacher: Niels Taatgen (University of Groningen) Website: http://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/actransfer.html <http://www.ai.rug.nl/~niels/actransfer.html> How do people handle and prioritize multiple tasks? How can we learn something in the context of one task, and partially benefit from it in another task? The goal of PRIMs is to cross the artificial boundary that most cognitive architectures have imposed on themselves by studying single tasks. It has mechanisms to model transfer of cognitive skills, and the competition between multiple goals. In the tutorial we will look at how PRIMs can model phenomena of cognitive transfer and cognitive training, and how multiple goals compete for priority in models of distraction.

Feb. 13, 2019

Neural Circuits Workshop, June 3-5, 2019, Austin Texas

by Terry Sejnowski

*CONNECTING NEURONAL CIRCUITS TO SUBCELLULAR RESOURCES THAT INFLUENCE SYNAPTIC WEIGHT* Organizers: Kristen Harris, James Carson, Terry Sejnowski Location:Texas Advanced Computing Center University of Texas at Austin When: June 3-5, 2019 Workshop: Presentations and hands-on demonstrations. June 3 – 6:00 pm Thomas Reese, Keynote address and Dinner June 4 – 8:30 am – 5:00 pm workshop 6:30 group dinner June 5 – 8:30 am – 3:00 pm workshop Topics: •Next generation electron microscopy. •Alignment and segmentation tools. •Proofreading and reconstruction tools. •Quantitative analysis. •3DEM discovery environments. •Other! Presenters chosen from applications: /Title,Abstract, Indicate tool you would demonstrate/use./ /Author Names and Affiliations, and Contact information./ /Some Competitive Travel Grants Available – describe need./ Submit Applications and requests to: //Anna-Maria Escherich amescherich(a)austin.utexas.edu <mailto:amescherich@austin.utexas.edu>

Feb. 12, 2019

Meeting announcement: Neural Coding, Computation and Dynamics

by Peter Latham

Neural Coding, Computation and Dynamics (NCCD) September 22 - 25, 2019 Capbreton, France https://nccd2019.sciencesconf.org NCCD19 is the fourth in a series of meetings focusing on topics in theoretical and experimental neuroscience. As with previous workshops, our goal is to foster the strong interactions we believe are so important for this field. So the meeting will be small (~70 people). About half the talks will be invited and half contributed, and there will be poster sessions on two of the nights. Time for informal discussion will be emphasized during breaks and at mealtimes - with lunch and dinner at the conference venue included in the cost of registration. Venue: Casino de Capbreton, Capbreton, France. https://www.casino-capbreton.com/ translation to English: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=https://www.casino-cap… Important dates: May 20: abstract submission deadline June 3: early registration deadline Confirmed speakers: Athena Akrami (UCL) Mitya Chklovskii (Flatiron Institute NYU) Marlene Cohen (Pittsburgh) Sandeep Robert Datta (Harvard) David Kleinfeld (UCSD) Peter Latham (UCL) Gilles Laurent (Max Planck Frankfurt) Stephanie Palmer (Chicago) Alex Pouget (Geneva) Daniela Vallentin (Berlin) Organizers: Andrea Hasenstaub (UCSF) Srdjan Ostojic (ENS Paris) Peter Latham (UCL) Previous meetings: http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/nccd/

Feb. 12, 2019

[comp-neuro] PhD position(s) in Deep Learning for VR avatars in sport training and motor rehabilitation

by Dr Cristian Axenie

Dear colleagues, We are now accepting applications for passionate students willing to pursue an interdisciplinary PhD within the newly established AUDI Konfuzius-Institut Ingolstadt Lab, a joint technology and research initiative supported by Audi, Technical University of Applied Sciences Ingolstadt and the City of Ingolstadt, Germany. https://audi-konfuzius-institut-ingolstadt.de/forschung/akii-microlab/micro… Our focus is to explore the application of AI, ML, and especially Deep Learning techniques, to leverage Virtual Reality avatar reconstruction for applications ranging from performance sports training to motor rehabilitation. If you have interest in cutting edge research at the border of AI, Machine Learning, Computer Graphics and VR then let us know. To get a feeling of the type of research we're conducting check VIRTOOAIR: https://audi-konfuzius-institut-ingolstadt.de/23132/neural-network-predicti… We seek highly motivated candidates with strong programming skills, analytical skills and creativity. A degree in electrical engineering or computer science (or equivalent) with focus on AI and ML is a must. Knowledge and expertise in VR and computer graphics are a plus. For applying, please send your CV and motivation letter to cristian.axenie(a)audi-konfuzius-institut-ingolstadt.de Thank you! --- Dr. Cristian Axenie Head of AKII Microlab PI in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning +49 171 105 4217 cristian.axenie(a)audi-konfuzius-institut-ingolstadt.de Esplanade 10, D-85049 Ingolstadt Germany

Feb. 12, 2019

Call for Participation: 100th Meeting of the Pacific Division of AAAS in Ashland Oregon June 18-22, 2019

by James Bower

Hello all, Back in the business of meeting organization :-). - I would like to specifically draw your attention to the request for presentations related to: “the expanding role of computational modeling in basic science”. As you can see, this is a highly interdisciplinary meeting providing participants the opportunity to explore issues of science, public policy, culture and even art very broadly. Participation is not limited to those in the western United States, but Ashland is easy to get to from the major west coast cities, and I would love to have representation from the comp neuroscience community. The meeting is especially tailored to student participation, graduate and undergraduate. Very best regards and I hope to see some of you in Ashland this June. Jim Bower > > >> >> <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebba9fd5941f10303b3e64b3…> >> 100th Annual Meeting >> Southern Oregon University >> Ashland, Oregon >> June 18 - 21, 2019 >> associations.sou.edu/aaaspd <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb35fa3307c2365cfd32592…> >> The 2019 meeting of the Pacific Division of AAAS <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb35fa3307c2365cfd32592…> will be held on the campus of Southern Oregon University, <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbe1ca7c601a6cf6a3cc111…> Ashland, Oregon, 18 – 21 June 2019. We are pleased to announce that the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, will once again join us for this meeting. Membership in AAAS or its affiliated societies is not required to participate in or present research at this meeting. >> Ashland, Oregon <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb88fe51311f2b98d869641…> and the Rogue River Valley <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb67c13f065e227a295101a…> are unique locations in Southern Oregon with wonderful opportunities to enjoy the natural world, including world famous Crater Lake <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb872145c62caa032d99fb8…>, as well as unique cultural opportunities, like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbf94bd114130bbd88997a4…>, and many gastronomic <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbc35c26eda0f7b3db07e81…> and horticultural riches <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb7407ac3a3fc031eb695ea…>. A wonderful place to bring your family. >> All scientists, including graduate and undergraduate students, citizen scientists, college and university faculty and staff, and industry scientists, are invited to present their research results at the meeting, either orally or as posters. Persons paying the registration fee may attend all scientific sessions as well as participate in many other activities. Field trips require advance registration and payment of additional fees. >> In This Issue >> • Special Meeting Themes <x-msg://10/#A> >> • Common Topics for the Local Community <x-msg://10/#B> >> • What are Your Key Words? <x-msg://10/#C> >> • How Does Your Submission Connect to Science? <x-msg://10/#D> >> • Join Us for a Full Schedule of Activities <x-msg://10/#E> >> • Questions? <x-msg://10/#F> >> >> <>Special Meeting Themes <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb34c90afb66c66a8ef9ab3…> >> While as always, the meeting is happy to accept symposium presentations and contributed oral and poster presentation in any of the broad science disciplines indicated below, this year we have also identified several themes around which we will organize part of the meeting. If your symposium, workshop, or contributed oral or poster presentation is relevant to one (or more) of these themes, please include the theme(s) in your list of key words. >> <>Common Topics for the Local Commmunity <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbc05720a2757a81874bb66…> >> Working with local community leaders we have identified several topics of particular interest to the local community. >> • Climate change >> • Causes and impacts of forest fires >> • Societal and economic implications of AI, machine learning, and robotics >> • The opioid epidemic >> • Local Oregon environmental issues including the proposed Coos Bay pipeline and efforts to remove dams from the Klamath River >> • Diversification of local agriculture >> • The biology of aging >> • The science of wine >> • Impact and issues concerning pollinators >> <>What Are the Key Words of Your Symposium, Workshop, or Research? <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbffc8fa54ab934d6d2d19a…> >> Please also indicate in the key words if your symposium, workshop or contributed research relates to the following issues in science and technology: >> • The future of scientific publishing >> • The future of higher education >> • The expanding role of computational modeling in basic science >> • New approaches to STEM education: k-12 >> • The importance of interdisciplinary approaches in science and technology >> • Engaging the public in science >> • Fostering inclusion of underrepresented minorities in science >> <>How Does Your Submission Connect to Science? <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb72cd3152f7a079a21c46b…> >> Finally, this year’s meeting is also making an explicit effort to link and collaborate with regional cultural organizations and assets. Accordingly, please indicate in your key words if your submission is potentially relevant to linkage between science and: >> • Theater >> • Film >> • Art >> • Music >> <>Plan to join us for a full schedule of activities >> • Contributed oral and poster paper sessions (submission deadline April 18) >> • CALL for ABSTRACTS for CONTRIBUTED PAPERS and POSTERS <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb4b72807b94dd5d8ea46b8…> >> >> • Symposia (submission deadline April 1) >> • CALL for SYMPOSIA <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbd65caabe6518329fc44c0…> >> >> • Workshops (submission deadline April 1) >> • CALL for WORKSHOPS <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbd65caabe6518329fc44c0…> >> >> • Field trips >> • In keeping with a long tradition for this meeting, a wide range of field trips will be offered to meeting participants and their families. Discount prices will also be arranged for a number of outdoor adventures. >> >> • Hands on science banquet <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebbcaead0944f9292f084718…> >> • Networking opportunities >> • And much more! >> >> <>Questions? >> Contact James Bower, Executive Director of the Pacific Division, by email at bowerj(a)sou.edu. <mailto:bowerj@sou.edu> >> >> <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb82f599d2fab795415c065…> Manage Your Email Subscription Preferences | Unsubscribe <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb97019d52e669189dd00e2…> | Privacy Policy <http://click.aaas.sciencepubs.org/?qs=166c48b32e4d9ebb98682473fd7b8b0c5125d…> | Forward to a friend <http://view.aaas.sciencepubs.org/ftaf.aspx?qs=4d099bbbcb6bad6b70eebec04f0af…> >> This email was sent on behalf of Special Announcements from AAAS/Science to: BOWERJ(a)SOU.EDU <mailto:BOWERJ@SOU.EDU> >> >> AAAS/Science | 1200 New York Avenue NW | Washington, DC 20005 | USA >> +1-202-326-6730 | 866-265-4152 (toll-free in the USA) >> >> Copyright © 2019 American Association for the Advancement of Science >> >

Feb. 11, 2019

Prometheus: Cloud Computing Portal for Computational Optogenetics

by Nikolic, Konstantin

We would like to announce the availability of "Prometheus: Cloud Computing Portal for Computational Optogenetics". This is a web-based portal for PyRhO - a set of tools with a GUI for modelling and simulating opsins in neurons, using Python, Neuron or Brian 2. The main attraction is that all necessary modules and dependencies are already installed and configured (including the Python programming language, commonly used scientific Python libraries, NEURON and Brian2 simulation platforms) and the GUI comes with some pre-loaded values. So the platform can be used immediately. Absolutely no installation or set-up is required, just a web-browser, since the portal is using IPython/Jupyter<https://jupyter.org/> notebook. The portal is available here: http://try.projectpyrho.org/ To simplify things, there is no registration wall at the moment. But please note that the resources we are currently renting from a cloud computing service provider are limited. So please be patient - sometimes it might take more time to execute your job, depending on the number of users running their codes at the same time. A paper describing the platform, including several demonstrations, has been published: Evans et.al: "PyRhO: A Multiscale Optogenetics Simulation Platform", Frontiers in Neuroinformatics (2016): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fninf.2016.00008/full Best regards, Dr Benjamin Evans, Bristol University, UK Dr Konstantin Nikolic, Imperial College London, UK

Feb. 11, 2019

MBL Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course

by Stephen A. Baccus

Applications are open for the Methods in Computational Neuroscience course at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. The course will run from July 29 to August 23, 2019, and the online application form can be found at: https://ws2.mbl.edu/studentapp/studentapp.asp?courseid=MCN The course application deadline is *March 19*. The course covers a range of topics in computational neuroscience including neuronal biophysics, neural coding & information processing, circuit dynamics, learning & memory, motor control, and cognitive processing & disease. In addition, numerous tutorials and problem sets will cover a broad range of computational and mathematical modeling methods. The course strongly emphasizes the collaboration between theory and experiment in solving neuroscience problems, and lectures will be given by a mixture of theorists and experimentalists. The final weeks of the course are primarily reserved for work on projects that students design in collaboration with the resident faculty. Further information can be found on the MCN website: http://www.mbl.edu/mcn/ 2019 Course Directors: Stephen Baccus, Stanford University Xiao-Jing Wang, New York University 2019 Confirmed Faculty: Larry Abbott, Columbia University Emery Brown, MIT Dmitri Chklovskii, Simons Institute Anne Collins, UC Berkeley Shaul Druckmann, Stanford University Uri Eden, Boston University Bard Ermentrout, U. of Pittsburgh Adrienne Fairhall, U. of Washington Ila Fiete, University of Texas Austin James Fitzgerald, Janelia Res., HHMI Loren Frank, UCSF Michale Fee, MIT Stefano Fusi, Columbia University Surya Ganguli, Stanford University Mark Goldman, UC Davis Kenneth Harris, U. College London James Haxby, Dartmouth University Nancy Kopell, Boston University Eve Marder, Brandeis University Bartlett Mel, Univ. of Southern California Jonathan Pillow, Princeton University David Redish, U. Minnesota Terry Sejnowski, Salk Institute Mike Shadlen, Columbia U. Reza Shadmehr, Johns Hopkins Univ. Sara Solla, Northwestern University Haim Sompolinsky, Hebrew University Klaas Stephan, Univ. of Zurich Josh Tenenbaum, MIT Nao Uchida, Harvard University Greg Wayne, DeepMind Hongkui Zeng, Allen Institute

Feb. 9, 2019

Postdoctoral Fellow in Multimodal Brain Imaging of Neurodegeneration

by Yasser Iturria Medina

*Postdoctoral Fellow in Multimodal Brain Imaging of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)* We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral student, for joining the *Neuroinformatics for Personalized Medicine* lab (NeuroPM) at the Montreal Neurological Institute (McGill University, Montreal, Canada). The postdoc will be under the supervision of Professors Yasser Iturria-Medina (McGill University) and Sanjay Kalra (University of Alberta), and will be expected to collaborate with multiple associated groups. The project, for one year and potentially extendable for another year, includes the analysis of direct multifactorial brain interactions and intra-brain network spreading of aberrant effects in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The NeuroPM lab (*http://www.neuropm-lab.com/ <http://www.neuropm-lab.com/>*) is affiliated with the Healthy brain for Healthy Lives (HBHL) initiative (*https://www.mcgill.ca/hbhl/ <https://www.mcgill.ca/hbhl/>*), the Ludmer Center (*http://ludmercentre.ca/ <http://ludmercentre.ca/>*), and the McConnell Brain Imaging Center ( https://www.mcgill.ca/bic/) involving computationally intensive and interdisciplinary research on the brain. The MNI is an internationally renowned institution, characterized by the integration of research and patient care. The Kalra Lab (http://www.ualberta.ca/ALS/research/) has the mission of improving our understanding of ALS biology through brain imaging and translational research. It is the central coordinating site for the Canadian ALS Neuroimaging Consortium (CALSNIC), a multicenter research platform for the collection of harmonized imaging and behavioural data. Interested candidates should have a background in brain imaging and Matlab. Experience in neurodegeneration and brain computational analysis will be an asset. Interested persons should send their CV, a cover letter stating research interests, and two reference letters. The competition will remain open until the position is filled. *Contact*: Yasser Iturria Medina, Email: iturria.medina(a)gmail.com -- Yasser Iturria Medina, PhD. Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University Montreal, Canada H3A 2B4, Phone # 514-398-1524 Lab: http://www.neuropm-lab.com/

Feb. 9, 2019

PhD positions - Learning in Spiking Neural Networks

by Robert Legenstein

The Lab of Robert Legenstein at TU Graz is offering funded PhD positions in the areas Spiking Neural Networks/Machine Learning/Brain Models/Neuromorphic Hardware. A background in Machine Learning, Computer Science, or Mathematics is desirable, as well as evidence for excellent prior performance as a student. Successful candidates will work on learning algorithms for spiking neural networks in the interdisciplinary consortium of the EU-funded project SYNCH. We will develop in this project learning algorithms for spiking neural networks (unsupervised, supervised, and reward-based). Hardware experts will implement these algorithms in cooperation with our team in a spiking neural network chip. The chip will be applied to various tasks within a brain-silicon hybrid system such as the classification of recorded brain network states. (see https://www.tugraz.at/institute/igi/people/prof-legenstein/projects/ for a brief description). Please send your application including a CV, any prior thesis and/or work by February 28 to robert.legenstein(a)igi.tugraz.at Dr. Robert Legenstein Institute Head Institute for Theoretical Computer Science Graz University of Technology Inffeldgasse 16b/I, 8010 Graz, Austria http://www.igi.tugraz.at/legi/ Follow @CompLegenstein on Twitter. ++43/316/873-5824 ----------------------------------

Feb. 8, 2019

Postdoctoral position in network modeling

by Fidel Santamaria

Postdoctoral position in network modeling An NIH-funded postdoctoral position is available in the lab of Charles Wilson at the Neurosciences Institute of the University of Texas at San Antonio, on the topic of oscillations and oscillatory coupling in the basal ganglia. The successful applicant will join a team of experimentalists to create a large scale accurate model of the basal ganglia, with a focus on activity pattern formation by oscillating neurons in the globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus and substantia nigra. Applicants should have an interest in the function of the basal ganglia and experience making and using models of neurons and networks. Experience with intracellular recoding is beneficial, but not required. For information about the lab see: https://marlin.life.utsa.edu/ For information about the UTSA Neurosciences Institute see: https://neuroscience.utsa.edu/ To apply please send your CV, a letter describing your experimental interests and contact information for two potential references to Charles Wilson (charles.wilson(a)utsa.edu<mailto:charles.wilson@utsa.edu>).

Feb. 8, 2019

Post-doc position neuropysiology of hearing impairment and machine learning

by Jochem Rieger

Dear list, The DFG-funded cluster of Excellence "Hearing 4 All" has an open post-doctoral position in project "Characterizing central neural speech processing in normal and hearing impaired listeners using machine learning". The aim of the project is to combine neurophysiological measurements (fMRI and/or MEG/EEG) with data driven machine learning to characterize cortical consequences of hearing loss. We offer an international and interdisciplinary research environment and access to up-to-date research facilities. The position is available from April 1st, 2019 until October 31st, 2022. Salary level German TV-L E13, full time. The payment includes an experience dependent component. Application deadline is February 27th 2019 The full job announcement can be found here: https://uol.de/stellen/?stelle=66447 Please forward this message to people who might be interested Regards, Jochem -- Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jochem Rieger Head of Applied Neurocognitive Psychology Head of Neuroimaging Unit Faculty VI Carl-von-Ossietzky University 26111 Oldenburg Germany Phone: +49(0)4417984533 Fax: +49(0)4417983865

Feb. 8, 2019

Brainhack Warsaw (March 1–3, 2019, Poland)

by Daniel Borek

Brainhack Warsaw 2019 March 1-3, 2019 University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland — REGULAR -> 04.02 - 17.02 -> 120 PLN (ABOUT €29) — — LATE -> 18.02 - 24.02 -> 135 PLN (ABOUT €33) — On the weekend of March 1-3, 2019, the second edition of 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 (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 a list of projects which will be realised during our three-day event: - Generating fake MRI to enhance Alzheimer’s disease prediction <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project2> - Network analysis of the electrical activity of the brain during epileptic seizures <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project3> - Deep Frankenstein: dissecting and sewing artificial neural networks <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project4> - Tackling the ABCD Neurocognitive Prediction Challenge <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project5> - Multidimensionality problem in passive BCI for game control <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project6> - Cross-Recurrence Quantification Analysis (cRQA) as a new measure of functional connectivity <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project7> - EMG-based desktop controlling <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project8> - Mapping the state of modern psychology through the public online activity of scientists <https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/index.html#project9> ‘Regular’ and ‘Late’ registration for project participants close subsequently on 17.02 and 24.02.2019. A registration fee will be requested after registration. The registration fee will be spent on catering during the event. To register please visit our page and learn more about the Brainhack Warsaw! https://brainhackwarsaw.github.io/ We looking forward to seeing you in Warsaw! On behalf of the Brainhack Warsaw 2019 team

Feb. 8, 2019

Computational & Cognitive Neuroscience Summer School 2019

by Christopher Honey

We are pleased to announce the 9th Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN) Summer School which will take place June 29 - July 21, 2019 in Suzhou, China. Designed to emphasize higher cognitive functions and their underlying neural circuit mechanisms, the course aims at training talented and highly motivated students and postdoctoral fellows from Asia and around the world. We welcome both applicants with quantitative backgrounds (including Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science) and those with experimental backgrounds. The lectures will introduce the basic concepts and methods, as well as cutting-edge research on higher brain functions such as decision-making, attention, learning and memory. Modeling will be taught at multiple levels, ranging from single neuron computation and microcircuits up to large-scale systems and machine-learning approaches. Python-based programming labs coordinated with the lectures will provide practical training in important computational methods. Course information and application instructions are available on the CCN Summer School website: www.ccnss.org Applications are being accepted through the Cold Spring Harbor Asia website: http://www.csh-asia.org/summerschool_SCOSYNEinstruct.html The application deadline is March 8, 2019. Faculty: Carlos Brody (Princeton) Bob Desimone (MIT) Bard Ermentrout (Pitt) Winrich Freiwald (Rockefeller) Biyu He (NYU) Sukbin Lim (NYU) John Murray (Yale) Jascha Sohl-Dickstein (Google Brain) Jon Winawer (NYU) Byron Yu (CMU) Organizers: Dora Angelaki (NYU) Xiao-Jing Wang (NYU) Christopher Honey (Johns Hopkins) Robert Guangyu Yang (Columbia) Feel free to direct any questions to Chris Honey ( chris.honey(a)jhu.edu ) and Robert Guangyu Yang ( robert.yang(a)columbia.edu ).

Feb. 8, 2019

PhD position in DFG project: Active vision: control of eye-movements and probabilistic planning @TU Darmstadt

by Constantin Rothkopf

Applications are invited for a PhD student position in the lab of Constantin Rothkopf at the Technical University Darmstadt. The position is initially funded by the German Research Foundation DFG for three years. The project 'Active vision: control of eye-movements and probabilistic planning' aims to investigate how humans carry out eye-movements across different tasks and how this can be understood with models of probabilistic planning. Recent publications of the lab on this topic include the following papers: - Hoppe, D., & Rothkopf, C. A. (2016). Learning rational temporal eye movement strategies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(29), 8332-8337. - Hoppe, D., & Rothkopf, C. A. (2019). Multi-step planning of eye movements in visual search. Scientific reports, 9(1), 144. Applicants need to have a Masters 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 and probabilistic planning. Analytical know-how, awareness of experimental literature, and experience with programming (e.g. Python, Matlab, C++) are indispensable. We offer a supportive and multidisciplinary environment driven by scientific curiosity, lab facilities for measuring eye and body movements in extended behavior in-the-wild and in VR, and collaborations with universities and research institutes in Frankfurt, Giessen, as well as internationally. The lab is part of the Centre for Cognitive Science and the Institute of Psychology at TU Darmstadt. If you are interested, please send a CV, a brief (max. 2 pages) cover letter explaining your research interests, what you are looking for in a PhD, why you would like to study in the lab, your longer term career goals, and the names and contact details of 2-3 academic references to constantin.rothkopf(a)cogsci.tu-darmstadt.de until February 28th 2019, but later applications will be considered until the position is filled. -- Constantin A. Rothkopf, PhD http://www.pip.tu-darmstadt.de/ http://www.cogsci.tu-darmstadt.de/ http://www.ai-da.tu-darmstadt.de/

Feb. 7, 2019

FENS SfN Summer School 2019 on brain reading and writing: new perspectives of neurotechnology - apply by 18 February

by FENS Schools

Dear Colleagues, This year's FENS-SfN neuroscience summer school on *Brain reading and writing: new perspectives of neurotechnology* will take place on 2-8 June in Bertinoro, Italy. We would like to invite you to have a look at the programme below. *Scientific chairs*: *Dr. Pieter Roelfsema* <https://nin.nl/research/researchgroups/roelfsema-group/>, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, The Netherlands *Dr. Andrew B. Schwartz* <http://motorlab.neurobio.pitt.edu/schwartz.php>, Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, USA *School Programme Description* During this school, we will discuss the intracortical methods being developed for reading from, and writing to, the brain. A set of international lectures will provide an overview of the emerging therapeutic applications made possible with this technology. In addition to being exposed to new hardware, students will learn about, and apply new computational approaches to facilitate brain-device communication. We will discuss some of the interesting ethical ramifications of a neuro-technologically assisted future. *Faculty members*: *Matteo Carandini* <https://www.carandinilab.net/>, Cortexlab, UCL, UK *Xinyan Tracy Cui* <https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/cui/>, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA *Eduardo Fernandez* <https://www.umh.es/contenido/pdi/:persona_4122/datos_en.html>, Institute of Bioengineering, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain *Tim Harris* <https://www.janelia.org/lab/harris-lab>, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, USA *Karin Jongsma* <https://www.umcutrecht.nl/en/Research/Researchers/Jongsma-Karin-KR>, Julius Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands *Jason Kerr* <https://www.caesar.de/en/our-research/behavior-and-brain-organization/direc…>, Department of Behavior and Brain Organization, Research Center caesar, Bonn, Germany *Stephanie Lacour* <https://cnp.epfl.ch/Lacourlab>, Center for Neuroprosthetics, EPFL, Switzerland *Antonio Regalado* <https://www.technologyreview.com/profile/antonio-regalado/>, MIT Technology Review, USA *José-Alain Sahel* <http://www.mirm.pitt.edu/our-people/faculty-staff-bios/jose-alain-sahel-md/>, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA *Eilon Vaadia* <https://elsc.huji.ac.il/index.php?q=vaadia/home>, Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Israel *Anna Wang Roe* <http://www.ziint.zju.edu.cn/index.php/Index/index.html>, Zhejiang University Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology (ZIINT), China *Byron Yu* <https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~byronyu/>, Electrical & Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, USA *Application form*: http://www.fens.org/Training/FENS-Schools/Summer-School-2019/Application-Fo… *Deadline*: 18 February 2019, 3pm CET. Further information about the school and available stipends can be found here <https://www.fens.org/Training/FENS-Schools/Summer-School-2019/>. Feel free to share this enriching opportunity with your professional network. Best regards, FENS Schools Administration

Feb. 7, 2019

Ottawa Summer School: Application Deadline Approaching

by Richard Naud

Dear comp-neuro, This is a second announcement for the Summer School of the Centre for Neural Dynamics<http://www.neurodynamic.uottawa.ca/summer.html> At the University of Ottawa May 26 - June 7, 2019 The application deadline on Feb. 15 is quickly approaching. The course is intended for graduate students and undergraduate students in their third and fourth year of study in the physical sciences (e.g. physics, applied mathematics, engineering, computer science) and the life sciences (e.g. neuroscience, biology, physiology, human kinetics) who wish to develop their skills in neural data analysis and in mathematical modeling of neural activity. The topics will range from cellular to systems neuroscience, with applications in medicine. Individuals outside of academia may also participate. The first week will consist of 3 hours of lectures in the mornings followed by an afternoon of relatedcomputer-based laboratories. The second week will consist of 3 hours of lectures in the mornings, followed by an afternoon of interactive discussions and brainstorming activities. Each day will focus on a different subject in systems neuroscience and/or medicine. Participants will work in small groups with mentors, and will be prepared for these activities by directed readings. Later in the afternoon, groups will convene into a plenary session with our experts to identify proper computational questions and associated timely research projects on the focus theme. All classes will be held on the main downtown campus of the University of Ottawa. The course can also be taken for credit, since it is a University of Ottawa three-credit graduate course (NSC8104). The mark will be based on work done in the computer laboratories and a project. All students receive a letter stating that they satisfactorily participated in the school, regardless of whether they take the course for credit. Those taking it for credit will receive their mark from the University of Ottawa Registrar's Office later in the summer. Important Dates January 6, 2019: Registration opens. February 15, 2019: Application deadline (including letter of recommendation). Faculty * Prof. André Longtin (uOttawa) * Prof. Richard Naud (uOttawa) * Prof. John Lewis (uOttawa) * Prof. Maia Fraser (uOttawa) * Prof. Len Maler (uOttawa) * Prof. Jean-Philippe Thivierge (uOttawa) * Prof. Jean-Claude Béïque (uOttawa) * Prof. Maurice Chacron (McGill) * Prof. Jonathan Rubin (U Pitt) * Prof. Simon Chen (uOttawa) * Prof. Blake Richards (McGill,MILA) * Prof. Steve Prescott (U Toronto) * Dr. Saskia De Vries (Allen Institute) Sponsored by OCNS and uOBMRI. Organizers André Longtin Richard Naud John Lewis

Feb. 6, 2019

Independent group leader positions in ML & Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany

by Philipp Berens

The Cluster of Excellence "Machine Learning - New Perspectives for Science" (http://www.ml-in-science.uni-tuebingen.de/) at the University of Tübingen is looking for independent group leaders in machine learning and its scientific applications, including neuroscience: https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job?id=674387 Appointments can be made at various levels, dependent on experience. Tübingen has a rich computational neuroscience scene to connect with, including faculty members Matthias Bethge, Peter Dayan and others: https://www.bccn-tuebingen.de/faculty.html We are looking forward to your application! -- Prof. Dr. Philipp Berens University of Tübingen Institute for Ophthalmic Research http://www.berenslab.org phone: +49-7071-2988833

Feb. 6, 2019

Open Position: Head of the Laboratory Neurophysics at U Goettingen, Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks

by von Behren, Christina

To whom it may concern, The Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen invites applications for the position as Head of the Laboratory Neurophysics This position is available immediately. This is a full time position with an unlimited contract. Salary and working hours will be according to the German pay scale 14 TV-L. The mission of the Laboratory Neurophysics will be to study the dynamics of neurons and neuronal populations, utilizing biophysical approaches, cellular electrophysiology, and neural interface technologies. The Head of the unit will guide the operation of the laboratory, design and conduct studies, supervise scientists, develop instrumentation, and acquire independent research funding. The Laboratory Neurophysics will serve as an interface for collaborative projects at the Göttingen Campus on the dynamics of neuronal cells and populations and their control through neural interfaces. The Head of the Laboratory Neurophysics will contribute to such collaborative research projects as well as to interdisciplinary teaching and training at the faculties of biology, physics, and in the biomedical sciences. Teaching subjects will in particular include quantitative concepts and methods of experimental and theoretical neuroscience, neural interface technologies and their applications in fundamental research, neural prosthetics, and the restoration of sensory and motor function. The successful candidate holds a Master in Science, University Diploma or equivalent, and a PhD or equivalent in biophysics, neuroscience or a related field, has a strong track record in biophysics and experimental and computational neuroscience, and an excellent publication record. We are looking for a person with in-depth experience in advanced quantitative methodologies and mathematical modelling in neuroscience/biophysics and the corresponding mathematical and programming capabilities. Experience with neural interfaces, quantitative imaging, cellular electrophysiology, molecular biology, and in vitro model systems will be essential. In order to optimally interact with partners on the Göttingen Campus, a broad range of research capabilities are expected: These include state of the art knowledge in synaptic and cellular physiology, in the biophysical basis of neural interface technologies, and in the development of instrumentation for stimulating animal and human brains. Experience with the study of cognitive and sensory-motor functions as well as with human studies will be advantageous. Neuroscience is a rapidly evolving field. We are looking for a person with the propensity to develop methods, rapidly adopt novel technologies and initiate cooperations with academic and industry partners. Experience in teaching and student supervision is required and should be documented in the application. Teaching languages are German and English. The Göttingen Campus is a leading center of neuroscience in Europe, hosting numerous internationally renowned research institutions, including the University and its Medical Center, the five Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute, the German Primate Center, and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN) Göttingen. The Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN) is a newly founded transdisciplinary institute. Its mission is to foster frontier research at the border of the exact and biological sciences and to develop advanced mathematical and computational concepts for the analysis of biological networks. On the Göttingen Campus, the CIDBN closely interacts with the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, the German Primate Center, the faculties of Physics and Biology and the University Medical Center. It participates in three key research foci: Primate Cognition, Physics to Medicine and Life at the Nanoscale. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference. Please send your e-mail application, preferably in one single PDF-document, including a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae, a list of publications, copies of certificates and contact information of at least two references by Feb. 22nd, 2019 to simone.kleinhans(a)biologie.uni-goettingen.de<mailto:simone.kleinhans@biologie.uni-goettingen.de> (Subject: Neurophysics, CIDBN). Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie, Department Systems Neuroscience, Mrs Simone Kleinhans, Von-Siebold-Str. 6, 37075 Göttingen. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Yvonne Reimann via e-mail: yvonne.reimann(a)uni-goettingen.de<mailto:yvonne.reimann@uni-goettingen.de>. Please note: With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo Kind regards, Christina von Behren -- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience Postal address: Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine Hermann-Rein-Str. 3 37075 Goettingen Germany Email: christina.vonbehren(a)ds.mpg.de<mailto:christina.vonbehren@ds.mpg.de> Tel.: +49-(0)551-39-26674

Feb. 5, 2019

11 PhD / 12 Postdoc positions, Science of Intelligence research

by Sprekeler, Henning

APPLY BY 15 FEBRUARY 2019 *Science of Intelligence Berlin - Cluster of Excellence* *11 PhD and 12 Postdoc positions* with Principal Investigators at six participating institutions Cross-disciplinary research in artificial intelligence, machine learning, control, robotics, computer vision, behavioral biology, cognitive science, psychology, educational science, neuroscience, and philosophy Starting dates: Summer / Fall 2019 Duration of positions: 3 years Salary level: TV-L 13, 100% for all positions What are the principles of intelligence, shared by all forms of intelligence, no matter whether artificial or biological, whether robot, computer program, human, or animal? And how can we apply these principles to create intelligent technology? Answering these questions - in an ethically responsible way - is the central scientific objective of the new Cluster of Excellence Science of Intelligence: www.scioi.de<http://www.scioi.de> Researchers from a large number of analytic and synthetic disciplines - artificial intelligence, machine learning, control, robotics, computer vision, behavioral biology, cognitive science, psychology, educational science, neuroscience, and philosophy - join forces to create a multi-disciplinary research program across universities and research institutes in Berlin. Our approach is driven by the insight that any method, concept, and theory must demonstrate its merits by contributing to the intelligent behavior of a synthetic artifact, such as a robot or a computer program. These artifacts represent the shared "language" across disciplines, enabling the validation, combination, transfer, and extension of research results. Thus we expect to attain cohesion among disciplines, which currently produce their own theories and empirical findings about aspects of intelligence. Interdisciplinary research projects have been defined which combine analytic and synthetic research and which address key aspects of individual, social, and collective intelligence. In addition the Science of Intelligence graduate program promotes the cross-disciplinary education of young scientists on a Master, PhD, and postdoctoral level. All PhD students associated with the cluster are expected to join the Science of Intelligence doctoral program: www.scioi.de/education/doctoral-program<http://www.scioi.de/education/doctoral-program> The cluster welcomes applications from all disciplines that contribute to intelligence research. Information on the required documents and the application process (including deadline and timeline for reviews and interviews) may be obtained from: www.scioi.de/call-for-applications/application-process<http://www.scioi.de/call-for-applications/application-process> Further information on the individual PhD and postdoctoral research projects is available at: www.scioi.de/call-for-applications/open-positions<http://www.scioi.de/call-for-applications/open-positions> Applicants wishing to apply for several projects need to provide separate applications for each project. SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION HERE: https://www.scienceofintelligence.de/call-for-applications/open-positions/ --- Prof. Dr. Henning Sprekeler Technische Universität Berlin & Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin Email: h.sprekeler(a)tu-berlin.de<mailto:h.sprekeler@tu-berlin.de>

Feb. 4, 2019

6 open PhD and Postdoc Positions - Prof. Pipa - Neuroinformatics, University of Osnabrueck - Germany

by Prof. Dr. Gordon Pipa

We have 6 open Positions in the Lab of Prof. Pipa, Neuroinformatics, Institute of Cognitive Science, Germany : 1) Postdoc Position in the Field of Deep Learning and Big Data in the domain of weather forecasts. https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet/stellenangebote/stellenangebote_d etail/11_ikw_phd_candidate.html 2) PhD Position in the Field of circuit design (i.e. low power low budget mixed analogue and digital components), prototyping and programming of embedded system for the development of a low budget EEG wireless system. https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet/stellenangebote/stellenangebote_d etail/25_ikw_research_assistant.html 3) PhD Position in the Field on Computational Cognition, Deep Learning and Theoretical Neuroscience. https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet/stellenangebote/stellenangebote_d etail/11_ikw_phd_candidate.html 4) 3 PhD positions in the field of theoretical Neuroscience, Neuroinformatics. https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet/stellenangebote/stellenangebote_d etail/26_ikw_research_assistant.html Osnabrück University has been certified as a family-friendly university committed to helping working/studying parents and careers balance their family and work life. The university aspires to ensure equal opportunities for men and women and strives to work towards a gender balance in schools or departments where new appointments are made. If equally qualified candidates apply, preference will be given to those with special needs. Applications with the usual documentation should be submitted by e-mail in a single PDF-file to the Director of the Institute of Cognitive Science (office(a)ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de <mailto:office@ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de> ) no later than February 21, 2019. Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr. Gordon Pipa (gpipa(a)uni-osnabrueck.de <mailto:gpipa@uni-osnabrueck.de> ). Professor and Chair of the Neuroinformatics Department Dr. rer. nat. Gordon Pipa Institute of Cognitive Science, Room 50/218 University of Osnabrueck Wachsbleiche 27, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany tel. +49 (0) 541-969-2277 fax (private). +49 (0) 5405- 500 80 98 home office. +49 (0) 5405- 500 90 95 e-mail: gpipa(a)uos.de webpage: <http://www.ni.uos.de/> http://www.ni.uos.de research gate: <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gordon_Pipa/?ev=prf_act> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gordon_Pipa/?ev=prf_act linkedin: <https://de.linkedin.com/in/gordon-pipa-47771539> https://de.linkedin.com/in/gordon-pipa-47771539 Personal Assistent and Secretary of the Neuroinformatic lab: Anna Jungeilges Tel. +49 (0)541 969-2390 Fax +49 (0)541 969-2246 Email: <mailto:anna.jungeilges@uni-osnabrueck.de> anna.jungeilges(a)uni-osnabrueck.de visit us on <http://www.facebook.com/CognitiveScienceOsnabruck> http://www.facebook.com/CognitiveScienceOsnabruck <https://twitter.com/#!/CogSciUOS> https://twitter.com/#!/CogSciUOS

Feb. 4, 2019

Associate Professor in Mathematical Imaging / Neuroimaging / Computational Neuroscience

by Stephen Coombes

Dear all, As part of the growth of activity in Precision Imaging at Nottingham there is an opening at Associate Professor level in the area of Mathematical Imaging. The post-holder will undertake original research of international excellence in Mathematical Imaging or closely related areas including Neuroimaging and Computational Neuroscience, complementing and enhancing the current activity of the Mathematical Medicine and Biology group (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cmmb/index.aspx) and the University Beacon in Precision Imaging (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/beacons-of-excellence/precision-imagi…) For information about how to apply please visit https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/MED1511X1 Closing Date: Wednesday, 20th March 2019 Informal enquiries may be addressed to stephen.coombes(a)nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:stephen.coombes@nottingham.ac.uk> Best regards, Steve ------------------------------------------------------- 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 contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

Feb. 1, 2019