Connectionists: Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience 2006

[Peter Dayan]

	    ADVANCED COURSE IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
		     (A PENS NEUROSCIENCE SCHOOL)

	  August 7th - September 1st  2006, ARCACHON, FRANCE

		APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 10th, 2006

DIRECTORS:	  Ad Aertsen (BCCN, Freiburg, Germany)
		  Peter Dayan (UCL, London, UK)
    	          Nicolas Brunel (CNRS, Paris, France)
                  Israel Nelken, (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel)
LOCAL ORGANIZER:  Gwendal Le Masson (INSERM, Bordeaux, France)

The Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience is for advanced
graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are interested in
learning the essentials of the field. 
 
We seek students of any nationality 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 as well as some
computer experience.

The course has two complementary parts. Mornings are 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 are given practical training in the art and
practice of neural modelling, largely through the medium of their
individual choice of model systems. 

The first week of the course introduces students to essential
neurobiological concepts and to the most important techniques in
modelling single cells, networks and neural systems. Students learn
how to solve their research problems using software packages such as
MATLAB, NEST, NEURON, XPP, etc. During the following three weeks the
lectures cover specific brain areas and functions. Topics range from
modelling single cells and subcellular processes through the
simulation of simple circuits, large neuronal networks and system
level models of the brain. The course ends with project presentations
by the students.

A maximum of 30 students will be accepted. There will be a minimum fee
of EUR 500 per student (depending on the course's funding) covering
costs for lodging, meals and other course expenses. Also depending on
funding, there will be a limited number of tuition fee waivers and
travel stipends available for students who need financial help for
attending the course. We specifically encourage applications from
researchers who work in the developing world. These students will be
selected following the normal submission procedure.

Applications, including a description of the target project must be
submitted electronically (see below) and should be accompanied by the
names and email details of two referees who have agreed to furnish
references. Applications will be assessed by a committee, with
selection being based on the scientific quality of the candidate and
of the project, the recommendation letters, and evidence that the
course may afford substantial benefit.
 
More information and the application process is available at:

http://www.neuroinf.org/courses/EUCOURSE/EU06         

Please apply electronically using a web browser. The deadline for
applications is April 10th, 2006.

Contact address:

Camilla Bruns,
Berlin University of Technology
Neural Information Processing Group
Franklinstr. 28/29
10587 Berlin, Germany

bruns at cs.tu-berlin.de