Connectionists: PhD position at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences (MPI MiS)

[Eckehard Olbrich]

A PhD position in the research group of Jürgen Jost is available at the 
Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences (MPI MiS) 
(www.mis.mpg.de/jjost/research.html), to work in the collaborative EU 
project "The Collective Experience of Empathic Data Systems" (CEEDs).

The project will develop novel, integrated technologies to support human 
experience, analysis and understanding of very large datasets.
Making use of humans' implicit processing abilities CEEDs will develop 
innovative tools to exploit theories showing that discovery is the 
identification of patterns in complex data sets by the implicit 
information processing capabilities of the human brain. Implicit human 
responses will be identified by the CEEDs system's analysis of its 
sensing systems, tuned to users' bio-signals and non-verbal behaviours. 
By associating these implicit responses with different features of 
massive datasets, the CEEDs system will guide users' discovery of 
patterns and meaning within the datasets.
The MPI MiS group will be involved on the one hand side in the 
development and implementation of the methods for data mining and 
pattern detection and on the other hand in the development of 
theoretical and computational models of humans information processing.

A central topic of the PhD work will be "adaptive sampling". We think 
that "adaptive sampling" (e.g. maximizing the information gain) could be 
a paradigm for both the data discovery by the CEEDs agent and for 
modelling the user.

The successful candidate will join a highly interdisciplinary group 
working on different aspects of complex systems, including complex 
networks and graph theory, dynamical systems theory, information theory, 
time series analysis and statistics. Applicants must have a diploma or 
master degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Mathematics, 
Physics, Cognitive Sciences, Neuroscience, Bioinformatics, or in a 
related field. Expertise in statistics, data mining, or modelling of 
cognitive systems is highly welcome.

The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more handicapped 
individuals and especially encourages them to apply. The Max Planck 
Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they 
are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

The position is available as of now. Applications will be considered 
until the position is filled.
Please send your application to Jürgen Jost (jost at mis.mpg.de), and 
Eckehard Olbrich (olbrich at mis.mpg.de).

Please include a cover letter with a brief description of your research 
interests, curriculum vitae (including examination results), and two 
letters of recommendation by academic teachers, in sealed envelopes or 
to be sent directly.