Connectionists: Gatsby PhD Programme

[Peter Dayan]

Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit
4 year PhD Programme

The Gatsby Unit is a world-class centre for theoretical neuroscience
and machine learning, focusing on unsupervised, semi-supervised and
reinforcement learning, neural dynamics, population coding, Bayesian
and nonparametric statistics and applications of these to the analysis
of perceptual processing, neural data, natural language processing,
machine vision and bioinformatics.  It provides a unique opportunity
for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each
other, and with other world-class research groups in related
departments at University College London, including Anatomy, Computer
Science, Functional Imaging Laboratory, Physics, Physiology,
Psychology, Neurology, Ophthalmology and Statistics, with the nascent
cross-faculty Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine
Learning, and also with other Universities, notably Cambridge.

The Unit always has openings for exceptional PhD candidates.
Applicants should have a strong analytical background, a keen interest
in neuroscience and/or machine learning and a relevant first degree,
for example in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics,
Neuroscience, Physics, Psychology or Statistics.
 
The PhD programme lasts four years, including a first year of
intensive instruction in techniques and research in theoretical
neuroscience and machine learning.  It is described at
http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/phd/
 
A number of competitive fully-funded studentships are available each
year (to students of any nationality) and the Unit also welcomes
students with pre-secured funding or with other
scholarship/studentship applications in progress.
 
In the first instance, applicants are encouraged to apply informally
by sending, in pdf, plain text or Word format, a CV, a statement of
research interests, and full contact details (including e-mail
addresses) for three academic referees to:
admissions at gatsby.ucl.ac.uk.  General enquiries should also be
directed to this e-mail address.  For further details of research
interests please see: http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/research.html
 
Applications for 2007 entry (commencing late September 2007) should be
received no later than 14 January 2007.