Connectionists: Feb. 15 Application Deadline - 2019 Nengo Summer School

[Peter Blouw]

[All details about this school can be found online at
https://www.nengo.ai/summerschool]

The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo is
excited to announce our 6th annual Nengo summer school on large-scale brain
modelling and neuromorphic computing. This two-week school will teach
participants to use  the Nengo simulation package to build state-of-the-art
cognitive and neural models to run both in simulation and on neuromorphic
hardware. Summer school participants will be given on-site access to Loihi,
Intel’s new neuromorphic research chip [1], and will learn to run
high-level applications on Loihi using Nengo! More generally, Nengo
provides users with a versatile and powerful environment for designing
cognitive and neural systems, and has been used to build what is currently
the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun [2], which includes
spiking deep learning, reinforcement learning, adaptive motor control, and
cognitive control networks.

For a look at last year's summer school, check out this short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwtYgBB2N6I

We welcome applications from all interested graduate students, postdocs,
professors, and industry professionals with a relevant background.

[1] Davies, et al. (2018). Loihi: A neuromorphic manycore processor with
on-chip learning. IEEE Micro. Vol. 38 no. 1 pp. 82-99. [
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8259423]

[2] Eliasmith, C., Stewart T. C., Choo X., Bekolay T., DeWolf T., Tang Y.,
Rasmussen, D. (2012). A large-scale model of the functioning brain.
Science. Vol. 338 no. 6111 pp. 1202-1205. DOI: 10.1126/science.1225266. [
http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/files/publications/eliasmith.2012.pdf]

***Application Deadline: February 15, 2019***

Format: A combination of tutorials and project-based work. Participants are
encouraged to bring their own ideas for projects, which may focus on
testing hypotheses, modeling neural or cognitive data, implementing
specific behavioural functions with neurons, expanding past models, or
providing a proof-of-concept of various neural mechanisms. Hands-on
tutorials, work on individual or group projects, and talks from invited
faculty members will make up the bulk of day-to-day activities. A project
demonstration event will be held on the last day of the school, with prizes
for strong projects!

Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to:

   -

   interface Nengo with neuromorphic hardware (e.g. Loihi, SpiNNaker)
   -

   build perceptual, motor, and cognitive models using spiking neurons
   -

   model anatomical, electrophysiological, cognitive, and behavioural data
   -

   use a variety of single cell models within a large-scale model
   -

   integrate machine learning methods into biologically oriented models
   -

   interface Nengo with cameras and robotic systems
   -

   implement modern nonlinear control methods in neural models
   -

   and much more…


Date and Location: June 9th to June 21st, 2019 at the University of
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Applications: Please visit http://www.nengo.ai/summerschool, where you can
find more information regarding costs, travel, lodging, along with an
application form listing required materials.

If you have any questions about the school or the application process,
please contact Peter Blouw (peter.blouw at appliedbrainresearch.com). The
school is also partly supported by ONR and ABR, Inc. We look forward to
hearing from you!
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