Connectionists: New Paper

Tue Dec 23 15:38:37 EST 2014

A new paper that some may find interesting:

Forrest MD (2014) The sodium-potassium pump is an information processing element in brain computation. Frontiers in Physiology.
FREELY available at:
http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2014.00472/full

> From: connectionists-request at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu
> Subject: Connectionists Digest, Vol 407, Issue 4
> To: connectionists at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu
> Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 12:00:28 -0500
> 
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> Today's Topics:
> 
>    1.  [Call for applications] *Graduate Programs in Computational
>       Neuroscience* in Berlin; MSc and PhD; 7 PhD scholarships;
>       deadline March 15, 2015 (Robert Martin)
>    2.  Computational Neural Scientist Position (Behnood Gholami)
>    3.  New paper on using deep sparse distributed representations
>       for event learning and recognition (Rod Rinkus)
>    4.  CFP: Generative and Developmental Systems (GDS)	track at
>       GECCO 2015 (Sebastian Risi)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 17:48:52 +0100
> From: Robert Martin <graduateprograms at bccn-berlin.de>
> To: connectionists at cs.cmu.edu
> Subject: Connectionists: [Call for applications] *Graduate Programs in
> 	Computational Neuroscience* in Berlin; MSc and PhD; 7 PhD
> 	scholarships; deadline March 15, 2015
> Message-ID: <549456F4.3080209 at bccn-berlin.de>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> 
> [Apologies for cross-posting]
> 
> *Doctoral* and *Master Program* "Computational Neuroscience"
> at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin
> in Berlin, Germany
> 
> Application deadline: *March 15, 2015*
> Begin of courses: October 2015
> Internet: www.computational-neuroscience-berlin.de
> 
> 
> _Doctoral Program_
> 
> The Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin and the TU 
> Berlin invite applications for *7 fellowships* of the Research Training 
> Group "Sensory Computation in Neural Systems" (GRK 1589/2, 
> https://www.eecs.tu-berlin.de/grk_15891/menue/sensory_computation_in_neural_systems/).
> 
> The *scientific program* of the research training group combines 
> techniques and concepts from machine learning, computational 
> neuroscience, and systems neurobiology in order to specifically address 
> sensory computation. Doctoral candidates will work on interdisciplinary 
> projects investigating the mechanisms of neural computation, address the 
> processes underlying perception on different scales and different levels 
> of abstraction, and develop new theories of computation hand in hand 
> with well-controlled experiments in order to put functional hypotheses 
> to the test.
> 
> The training group offers structured supervision complemented by a 
> teaching and training program. Each student will be supervised by two 
> investigators with complementary expertise and will be associated with 
> the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin 
> (https://www.bccn-berlin.de/) a leading research center dedicated to the 
> theoretical study of neural processing.
> 
> Candidates are expected to hold a Masters degree (or equivalent) in a 
> relevant subject (e.g., neuroscience, cognitive science, computer 
> science, physics, mathematics, etc.) and have the required advanced 
> mathematical background.
> 
> Candidates selected in the first application step will be invited for 
> lab visits and an interview, expected to take place in June 2015. The 
> *fellowships of 1468 ?/month* - with additional children allowances if 
> applicable---will be granted for up to three years.
> 
> 
> _Master's Program_
> 
> The tuition-free Master program in Computational Neuroscience offers *15 
> places* per year, has a duration of 2 years and is fully taught in English.
> 
> The *curriculum* is subdivided into ten modules, whose content includes 
> theoretical neuroscience, programming, machine learning, cognitive 
> neuroscience, acquisition, modelling, and computational analysis of 
> neural data, with a strong focus on a complementary theoretical and 
> experimental training. Three lab rotations and a Master's thesis are 
> accomplished in the second year. The aim of the program is to provide 
> the students with an interdisciplinary education and an early contact to 
> the neurocomputational research environment.
> 
> *Requirements* BSc or equivalent degree in a relevant subject (typically 
> in the natural sciences, in an engineering discipline, in cognitive 
> science, or in mathematics), certificate of English proficiency, proof 
> of sufficient mathematical knowledge (at least 24 ECTS credit points).
> 
> ~~~
> 
> _For more information_ ...
> 
> ... come and visit us on our *information day* on January 14, 2015, at 3 
> PM (sharp) at the BCCN Berlin:
> https://www.bccn-berlin.de/Calendar/Events/event/?contentId=3667
> 
> ... or browse:
> www.computational-neuroscience-berlin.de
> 
> ... or e-mail:
> graduateprograms at bccn-berlin.de .
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Robert Martin
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Robert Martin, PhD
> Teaching Coordinator
> 
> Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience
> Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin
> Philippstr. 13 House 6; 10115 Berlin; Germany
> Phone/Fax +49 (0)30 2093 6773/6771
> http://www.computational-neuroscience-berlin.de
> 
> GRK 1589/1, Sensory Computation in Neural Systems
> Technische Universitaet Berlin
> Sekretariat MAR 5-6; Marchstr. 23; 10587 Berlin
> Phone/Fax +49 (0)30 314 72006/73121
> http://www.eecs.tu-berlin.de/grk_15891/
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 14:25:14 -0500
> From: Behnood Gholami <bgholami at aretexeng.com>
> To: connectionists at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu
> Subject: Connectionists: Computational Neural Scientist Position
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAJEowCWaAVHpaMYs-SKzzZrG6HP78N7Gk+kqPeJ_2ApikXvmkA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> I am the Chief Technology Officer of a healthcare startup company located
> in the NYU Incubator in New York City. We are working on a number of new
> technologies for critical care funded by the DoD and NSF.
> 
> We are looking for a strong candidate with expertise in machine learning
> and EEG data analysis to fill a Staff Scientist position in our company.
> The details of the position can be found at: http://www.aretexeng.com/jobs
> 
> Best,
> Behnood Gholami
> 
> --
> Behnood Gholami, Ph.D.
> Chief Technology Officer
> AreteX Engineering
> 137 Varick St., 2nd Floor
> New York, NY 10013
> Phone: (347) 774-1617
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> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 16:51:30 -0500
> From: Rod Rinkus <rod.rinkus at gmail.com>
> To: connectionists at mailman.srv.cs.cmu.edu
> Subject: Connectionists: New paper on using deep sparse distributed
> 	representations for event learning and recognition
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAOidF2MGfKMD6LY=7-oE8tH1J-Hh--J-E72VGK5-RBcwLh70pA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> Dear Connectionists,
> 
> I have a new paper
> <http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fncom.2014.00160/abstract>
> "Sparsey^TM: event recognition via deep hierarchical sparse distributed
> codes" in Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, which I think will be of
> general interest to this group.  Many existing hierarchical models propose
> localist representations in each sub-region of each hierarchical level.  In
> contrast, in Sparsey, all sub-regions (macrocolumns) in all of internal
> levels use sparse distributed codes, which confers great computational
> efficiency, as we argue in the paper.  This animation
> <http://www.sparsey.com/index.html> of a memory trace unfolding in a
> 6-level Sparsey model shows the proposed general correspondence to cortex
> (the levels of macs would correspond to V1, V2, etc.).  I look forward to
> any questions/feedback from the community.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Rod Rinkus
> 
> 
> -- 
> Gerard (Rod) Rinkus, PhD
> President,
> rod at neurithmicsystems dot com
> Neurithmic Systems LLC <http://sparsey.com>
> 275 Grove Street, Suite 2-400
> Newton, MA 02466
> 617-997-6272
> 
> Visiting Scientist, Lisman Lab
> Volen Center for Complex Systems
> Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
> grinkus at brandeis dot edu
> http://people.brandeis.edu/~grinkus/
> <http://people.brandeis.edu/%7Egrinkus/>
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> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:54:58 +0100
> From: Sebastian Risi <sebastian.risi at gmail.com>
> Cc: Jean-Baptiste Mouret <mouret at isir.upmc.fr>
> Subject: Connectionists: CFP: Generative and Developmental Systems
> 	(GDS)	track at GECCO 2015
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAJn6=dq2ok7JCL1iLKDGw68ob82nmq+q=ewFUUbEgqUvZ7Gnyw at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> **************************************************************************
> *** CALL FOR PAPERS
> *** 2015 GENETIC AND EVOLUTIONARY COMPUTATION CONFERENCE (GECCO-2015)
> *** Generative and Developmental Systems (GDS) Track
> *** July 11-15, 2015, Madrid, Spain
> *** Organized by ACM SIGEVO
> *** http://www.sigevo.org/gecco-2015/organizers-tracks.html
> *************************************************************************
> 
> As artificial systems continue to grow in size and complexity, the
> engineering traditions of rigid top-down design are reaching the limits of
> their applicability. In contrast, biological evolution is responsible for
> an apparently unbounded complexity and diversity of living organisms. The
> Generative and Developmental Systems (GDS) track seeks to unlock the full
> potential of in silico evolution as a design methodology that can scale up
> to systems of great complexity and meet our specifications with minimal
> manual programming effort. Major themes are genotype-phenotype maps,
> interactions between developmental processes and evolution, alternatives to
> the classic fitness function to drive the selection process, and success
> metrics that go beyond task-based benchmarks (e.g., generating/measuring
> complexity, evolvability, regularity, etc.).
> 
> GECCO is the main conference in evolutionary computation. With a selection
> rate of about 35%, it is the premier place for high-quality contributions
> about artificial evolution. The GDS track at GECCO invites all papers
> addressing the challenges of scaling up evolution to life-like complexity,
> including, but not limited to the areas of:
> 
> - artificial development, artificial embryogeny
> - neural development, neuroevolution
> - evo-devo robotics, morphogenetic robotics
> - evolution of evolvability
> - gene regulatory networks
> - grammar-based systems, generative systems, rewriting systems
> - indirect mappings, compact encodings, novel representations
> - morphogenetic engineering
> - diversity preservation, novelty search
> - competitive co-evolution (arms races)
> - measures of evolved complexity (theoretical or practical)
> - open-ended evolution
> 
> IMPORTANT DATES:
> 
> January 21, 2015 Abstract submission
> February 4, 2015 Full paper submission
> March 20, 2015 Notification of paper acceptance
> April 14, 2015 Camera ready submission
> July 11-15, 2015 GECCO 2015 Conference in Madrid, Spain
> 
> Join the GDS Google Group, https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gds-gecco,
>  to see the latest updates.
> 
> TRACK CHAIRS:
> 
> JB Mouret, University Pierre and Marie Curie (France), mouret at isir.upmc.fr
> Sebastian Risi, IT University of Copenhagen (Denmark), sebr at itu.dk
> 
> --
> Dr. Sebastian Risi
> Assistant Professor
> IT University of Copenhagen, Room 5D08
> Rued Langgaards Vej 7, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark
> email: sebastian.risi at gmail.com, web: www.sebastianrisi.com
> mobile: +45-50250355, office: +45-7218-5127
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> End of Connectionists Digest, Vol 407, Issue 4
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