Advanced Course for Computational Neuroscience 2008

August 4th -29th, 2008
Freiburg, Germany
DIRECTORS:
* Israel Nelken (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel)
* Nicolas Brunel (CNRS Paris)
* John Rinzel (NYU, New York, USA)
* Peter Latham (University College London, UK)
LOCAL ORGANIZER:
* Florence Dancoisne (Bernstein Center for Computational
Neuroscience Freiburg)

The Advanced Course in Computational Neuroscience is for advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are interested in learning the essentials of the field.
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.
The course is designed for advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows 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. Students of any nationality can apply.
A maximum of 30 students will be accepted. The current fee for the course will be EUR 500; this will cover tuition, lodging, breakfast and dinner. There will be a limited number of course fee scholarships, 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 will need to be accompanied by the names and email details of two referees who have agreed to furnish references. Applicants will need to ensure that their referees have submitted their 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.
Please apply electronically using a web browser.
More information and access to the application database:
http://www.neuroinf.org/courses/EUCOURSE/F08/index.shtml
Contact address:
* Fiona Siegfried
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Freiburg
Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg
Hansastrasse 9A
79104 Freiburg
Germany
* mail: siegfried@bccn.uni-freiburg.de
Application process starts: January 14th, 2008
Application deadline: March 28th, 2008
Deadline for letters of recommendation: March 28th, 2008
Notification of results: April 25th, 2008
INVITED FACULTY (* = confirmed)
Larry Abbott, Brandeis, USA
Ad Aertsen, U. Freiburg, Germany*
Amos Arieli, Weizmann Institute, Israel*
Jeff Beck, U. of Rochester, USA*
Paul Bressloff, U. of Utah, USA
Nathaniel Daw, NYU, USA*
Erik De Schutter, OIST, Japan
Alain Destexhe, CNRS Gif, France*
Wulfram Gerstner, EFPL, Switzerland
Marc-Oliver Gewaltig, Honda, Germany*
Zhaoping Li, UCL, UK*
David Hansel, CNRS Paris, France*
Sheila Nirenberg, Cornell U. USA
Yael Niv, Princeton, USA*
Stefano Panzeri, U. of Manchester, UK
Jonathan Pillow, UCL, UK*
Yifat Prut, Hebrew U. Israel*
Yasser Roudi, UCL, UK*
Idan Segev, Hebrew U., Israel*
Haim Sompolinsky, Hebrew U., Israel
Karl Svoboda, Cold Spring Harbor, USA
Alex Thomson, UL, UK*
Mark Van Rossum, U. of Edinburgh, UK*
TUTORS(all confirmed)
Janet Best, Ohio State, USA
Hermann Cuntz, UCL, UK
Moritz Helias, U. Freiburg, Germany
Alex Lerchner, UCL, UK
Tim Vogels, Columbia, USA
more to be invited
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR
Bernd Wiebelt, U. Freiburg, Germany