Connectionists: Announcement for the Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience 2006

[Florence Dancoisne]

*ADVANCED COURSE IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE*
*(A PENS NEUROSCIENCE SCHOOL)*

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

*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 following criteria: the scientific quality of the
candidate (CV) and of the project, the recommendation letters, and
evidence that the course affords substantial benefit to the
candidate's training.


More information and application forms can be obtained from:

http://www.neuroinf.org/courses/EUCOURSE/EU06 *
Please apply electronically using a web browser.*


Contact address:

- mail:
Florence Dancoisne,
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Freiburg
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Hansastrasse 9A
79104 Freiburg, Germany

- e-mail:
dancoisne at bccn.uni-freiburg.de