NCST-99

[David Horn]

                        Conference Announcement         
                       -------------------------
                                                                                
              Neural Computation in Science and Technology
              ---------------------------------------------                                                                     
                    Israel, October 10-13, 1999


   
    This conference, sponsored by the Israel Ministry of Science, aims
    to bring together scientists and practitioners of neural computation 
    who are interested in scientific as well as technological
    applications. It will focus on two main general topics: 
    A. The use of neural network techniques in various applications
    in science and technology.
    B. Modeling in computational neuroscience.

    
     The conference's dual focus on neuroscience and technological themes
   follows one of the fundamental ideas of the field of Computational 
   Neuroscience, i.e., the belief that such cross-disciplinary
   interactions will be beneficial to researchers of both schools. 
   Such cross-fertilization of ideas has already manifested itself in
   both directions over the last decade: On one hand, thinking about the brain 
   in computational concepts has given rise to the development of artificial
   neural networks as leading computing devices for performing a multitude
   of technological tasks, such as classification, function approximation,
   prediction and control.  On the other hand, basic engineering and 
   technological methods such as principal component analysis, 
   blind separation, learning vector quantization and reinforcement learning 
   have all led to the development of neurally-based realizations. The latter,
   in turn, have given rise to many interesting ideas about
   the possible central role that such networks may play in the brain in a
   multitude of information processing tasks, varying from odor processing
   to reward-related action selection to self-organization of cortical maps,
   just to name a few. Moreover, new frontiers of neural computation such
   as neuromorphic engineering and adaptive autonomous control manifest
   even further the growing need for technological-scientific interaction, to
   fully exploit the potential promises of neural computation.


   The conference will consist of a four day meeting that will include 
   tutorials, a series of invited and contributed talks, a poster session,
   and a discussion panel. An informal atmosphere will be maintained,
   encouraging questions and discussions. It will take place in a hotel
   that serves also as a conference center in Kibbutz Maale Hachamisha,
   located between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It has the nice scenery,
   and pleasant weather, of the Judean hills.   
                                                                                

                   Currently Confirmed Invited Speakers:    
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             D. Amit, Y. Baram, W. Bialek, E. Domany, 
             R. Douglas, G. Dreyfus, D. Golomb, M. Hasselmo, 
             J. Hertz, D. Horn, N. Intrator, I. Kanter, 
             W. Kinzel, H. Oja, E. Ruppin, I. Segev, 
             T. Sejnowski, H. Sompolinsky, N. Tishby 
             M. Tsodyks and V. Vapnik. 
                                                
      


                          Call for Papers
                        ------------------
    
    We call herewith for the submission of papers for oral or poster 
    presentation at the conference. The papers should fit into the 
    two general categories of the conference. Submitted papers should 
    be limited to seven pages in length and indicate physical and e-mail 
    addresses of all authors and the author to whom correspondence should 
    be addressed. Four copies of the submitted papers should reach the 
    conference scientific committee by May 15th, 1999. Mail submissions to
    
    Prof. David Horn, NCST-99,  School of Physics and Astronomy, 
    Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.

        
                    Scientific Organizing Committee 
                   ---------------------------------

     D. Horn (chairman), H. Abramowicz, A. Agranat, Y. Baram,
     I. Kanter, E. Ruppin, N. Tishby, M. Tsodyks, G. Ariely and B. Shimony.
                                                                                
                                                                                
                    Information and Registration:              
                    -----------------------------
                                                                                
     Registration forms and information about the conference are
     available at the website
                   http://neuron.tau.ac.il/NCST-99                





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Prof. David Horn                     horn at neuron.tau.ac.il
School of Physics and Astronomy      http://neuron.tau.ac.il/~horn
Tel Aviv University                  Tel: ++972-3-642-9305, 640-7377
Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.              Fax: ++972-3-640-7932