Advanced Course in Computational Neurosience 2007 in Arcachon, France

ADVANCED COURSE IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE (A PENS NEUROSCIENCE SCHOOL)
August 6th – 31st 2007, ARCACHON, FRANCE
DIRECTORS:
N. Brunel (Paris, France)
P. Dayan (UCL, UK)
I. Nelken (Jerusalem, Israel)
J. Rinzel (NYU, USA)
LOCAL ORGANIZER: Gwendal Le Masson (INSERM Bordeaux, France)
The Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience is for advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are interested in learning the essentials of the field.

We seek students of any nationality from a variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, physics, electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics and psychology. Students are expected to have a keen interest and basic background in neurobiology as well as some computer experience.
The course has two complementary parts. Mornings are devoted to lectures given by distinguished international faculty on topics across the breadth of experimental and computational neuroscience. During the rest of the day, students are given practical training in the art and practice of neural modelling, by pursuing a project of their choosing under the close supervision of expert tutors.
The first week of the course introduces students to essential neurobiological concepts and to the most important techniques in modelling single cells, networks and neural systems. Students learn how to solve their research problems using software packages such as MATLAB, NEST, NEURON, XPP, etc. During the following three weeks the lectures cover specific brain areas and functions. Topics range from modelling single cells and subcellular processes through the simulation of simple circuits, large neuronal networks and system level models of the brain. The course ends with project presentations by the students.
A maximum of 30 students will be accepted. Although we are actively raising money to reduce the fees as far as possible, the current tuition for the course will be EUR 750; and there will be an additional contribution of EUR 750 towards the costs of lodging, breakfast and dinner. There will be a limited number of tuition fee scholarships, lodging waivers and travel stipends available for students who need financial help for attending the course. We specifically encourage applications from researchers who work in the developing world. These students will be selected according to the normal submission procedure.
Applications, including a description of the target project must be submitted electronically (see below) and should be accompanied by the names and email details of two referees who have agreed to furnish references. Applications will be assessed by a committee, with selection being based on the following criteria: the scientific quality of the candidate (CV) and of the project, the recommendation letters, and evidence that the course will afford substantial benefit to the candidate.
More information and application forms can be obtained from:

http://www.neuroinf.org/courses/EUCOURSE/A07/index.shtml

Please apply electronically using a web browser.
Contact address:
- mail:
Florence Dancoisne,
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Freiburg
Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg
Hansastrasse 9A
79104 Freiburg, Germany
- e-mail:
dancoisne@bccn.uni-freiburg.de
APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 13th, 2007
DEADLINE FOR LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: April 13th, 2007
Applicants will be notified of the results of the selection procedures by the middle of May 2007.
FACULTY (most of whom have confirmed their attendance):
Faculty:
L. Abbott (Columbia, USA)
A. Aertsen (Freiburg, Germany)
E. Ahissar (Weizmann, Israel)
M. Ahissar (Jerusalem, Israel)
A. Arieli (Weizmann, Israel)
E. De Schutter (Antwerp, Belgium)
A. Destexhe (Gif, France)
Y. Fregnac (Gif, France)
P. Latham (UCL, UK)
R. Malach (Weizmann, Israel)
D. McAlpine (UCL, UK)
A. Pouget (Rochester, USA)
I. Segev (Jerusalem, Israel)
A. Thomson (UCL, UK)
E. Vaadia (Jerusalem, Israel)
C. van Vreeswijk (Paris, France)
L. Zhaoping (UCL, UK)
Tutors:
J. Best (Ohio State, USA)
H. Cuntz (UCL, UK)
A. Kumar (Brown, USA)
M. Rudolph (Gif, France)
T. Vogels (Columbia, USA)