Graduate studentship.

[Neville Austin]

candidates. Many thanks.
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Request for post of type:  graduate
Expiration Date:
PhD STUDENTSHIP IN COGNITIVE MODELLING
(3 year full time, 8,100 GBP p.a., EU citizens only)
Department of Computer Science,
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK.

The studentship will involve carrying out research into the 
application of neural network models to cognitive function and 
dysfunction.  Of particular interest are dynamic, attractor based 
models of associative memory.  The student will be strongly 
encouraged to relate this programme to a topical field of cognitive 
psychology/cognitive neuropsychology. In particular: higher order 
cognition as an emergent property of a modular network, modelling 
normal categorisation and concept representation and/or modelling 
abnormal conceptual knowledge (e.g. as found in 
dementia/schizophrenia).=DD
The supervision is cross-disciplinary and therefore ensures expertise 
from Computer Scientists with track records in ANN research and 
Cognitive Psychologists with research expertise in Human Cognition. 
Supervisory sessions involve the supervisors from both departments, 
to ensure parallel development of the research in ANNs and cognition.

Since 1993 strong collaborative research (and teaching) links between 
the Department of Computer Science (RAE 4) and the Department of 
Psychology (RAE 3a) have resulted in a series of successful 
inter-disciplinary studentships based on artificial neural networks 
(ANNs). All of these studentships have had either a primary focus on 
modelling some aspect of normal/abnormal cognition, or developing 
ANNs and evaluating their psychological plausibility. This 
studentship will be of the latter kind, i.e. carrying out research on 
ANNs and relating these to a field of cognition.
The research programme could begin in January 2002, but the start is 
negotiable.  Research students are encouraged to undertake some 
teaching support activities, which will be paid in addition to the 
studentship.

Application forms can be obtained from:

Lorraine Nichols
EIS Research Administrator
EIS Research Office
University of Hertfordshire
College Lane
Hatfield
AL10 9AB, UK
L.Nichols at herts.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1707286083

Any questions regarding the research program should be directed to 
Ray Frank, R.J.Frank at herts.ac.uk
Some more information about Computer Science Neural Network research 
at UH can be found at
http://homepages.feis.herts.ac.uk/~nngroup
and information about related Psychology Department research at:
http://www.psy.herts.ac.uk and follow staff links to John Done

Since 1993 there have been seven Computer Science /Psychology 
Inter-Disciplinary studentships, of which four have successfully 
completed their PhDs within the 4 year period and two are in 
progress.  The other PhD student took up a position at the University 
of Colorado in his second year and has yet to complete. All students 
have presented to at least 2 conferences overseas ( USA, Spain, 
Czechoslovakia, Belgium), with one being invited to become a UK 
organiser for future conferences. Two students obtained US 
scholarships to attend workshops on cognitive modelling in the US.
A substantial number of papers in peer reviewed journals and 
conference proceedings have resulted from the PhD 
programme/collaborative work with supervisors during the studentships.

A selection of papers produced by students in previous collaborations:

Power, W., Frank, R., Done, D. J., Davey, N. (1999)
A Modular Attractor Model of Semantic Access.  Foundations and Tools 
for Neural Modelling.  International Work-Conference on Artificial 
Neural Networks, IWANN'99.

Tim Gale, Lorna Peters, Ray Frank, Neil Davey (2000)
Perceptual Distinction In An Unsupervised Neural Network: 
Implications for Theories of Category-specific Deficits
Proceedings of Second International ICSC Symposium on Neural 
Computation  /  NC'2000

Nix, A., Davey, N. Messer, D. & Smith, P. (1998).  A Connectionist 
Account of Spanish Determiner Production.  Proceedings of the 8th 
International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, ICANN 98. 
Volume 2, pages 1077-1082..

Lorna Peters, Neil Davey Pam Smith, David Messer (1999)
A Reward Driven Connectionist Model of Cognitive Development
Proceedings of European Conference on Cognitive Science, Sienna 1999

Peters, L.,  Davey N, Messer D, Smith P (1999)
An Investigation into Karmilov-Smith's RR model: The effects of 
structured tuition.  British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 17, 
277-292

Lorna Peters, Neil Davey Pam Smith, David Messer.  (2000)
Connectionist Modelling of Skill Development:  Object Balancing in 
Young Children.  Proceedings of the International Conference on 
Cognitive Modelling (ICCM) 2000.

St-Aubyn, M., Davey, N. (1997)
Connectionist rule processing using recursive auto-associative 
memory. Proceedings of the Fifth European Symposium On Artificial 
Neural Networks  225-230. Bruges (Belgium).