[ACT-R-users] PhD Scholarship on Model-based Cognitive Neuroscience

[Jelmer Borst]

PhD Scholarship on Model-based Cognitive Neuroscience
The Institute of Artificial Intelligence of the University of Groningen offers a four-year scholarship for a PhD position on model-based cognitive neuroscience.

Model-based cognitive neuroscience is the area of research that bridges the disciplines of computational cognitive modeling and cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive models – be it symbolic process models, mathematical models, or neural network models – are notoriously hard to evaluate based on behavioral measures alone. For that reason, researchers have turned to neuroscience (M/EEG, fMRI) as an additional source of information. At the same time, neuroimaging data is often so complex that it is difficult to fully account for with traditional analysis methods. As a solution, cognitive and mathematical models have been used within the analysis stream to interpret neural measures directly. This dual approach, using neuroscience to inform models and models to inform neuroimaging analyses, is very powerful, and has led to the emerging field of model-based cognitive neuroscience (see a recent special issue of the Journal of Mathematical Psychology for an introduction: Palmeri, Love, & Turner, 2017; Turner, Forstmann, Love, Palmeri, & van Maanen, 2017).

The PhD position is available in the cognitive modeling group, under supervision of Jelmer Borst. The goal of our group is to better understand cognitive processes in the human mind. To achieve this, we combine computational modeling with fMRI, EEG, and MEG data, and also apply machine learning techniques to analyze neural data. Top candidates will be invited to write and develop their own research project within the general scope of this research line.

The selection procedure for the scholarship is as follows:
1.	Candidates apply by submitting a cover letter and CV (see below for details). 
2.	Based on the cover letters, several candidates will be invited to write a short research proposal within the topic of model-based neuroscience. 
3.	These candidates will be asked to present this proposal as part of the job interview.
4.	After the selection, the candidate’s proposal will be further developed in collaboration with the PhD advisors: Jelmer Borst, Niels Taatgen, and Hedderik van Rijn.

Qualifications
Successful candidates will have completed a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Cognitive Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, or another field of science relevant for the position. The ideal candidate has experience with M/EEG or fMRI and cognitive modeling, and has strong programming skills.

Conditions
The PhD student will be enrolled in the PhD Scholarship Programme and receive a scholarship of € 2027 per month (gross) from the University of Groningen for a period of four years.

Date
The preferred start date is November 1, 2017, but this can be postponed to February 1, 2018.

Application
Please see the attachment for details on the application procedure. The application deadline is August 30.

For more information, contact Jelmer Borst (j.p.borst at rug.nl <mailto:j.p.borst at rug.nl>).

http://www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/phd-scholarship-programme/phd-scholarships?details=00347-02S0005SGP <http://www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/phd-scholarship-programme/phd-scholarships?details=00347-02S0005SGP> 





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Jelmer Borst

Assistant Professor
University of Groningen
Dept. of Artificial Intelligence

E: j.p.borst at rug.nl <mailto:j.p.borst at rug.nl>
W: http://www.jelmerborst.nl/ <http://www.jelmerborst.nl/>
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