Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of Waterloo

We are recruiting for a theoretical neuroscientist interested in building large-scale functional brain models. The successful candidate will become an integral part of the team that has built the world's largest functional brain model, Spaun. This work was published in Science, and received coverage around the world on CNN, BBC, CBC, and hundreds of other outlets. We are building the next generation of computational platforms to run such models. This position will focus on using supercomputers (e.g., IBM BlueGene) to run models written in the Nengo environment. Nengo is a general neural simulation environment that, in addition to Spaun, has been used to simulate adaptive arm controllers, state-of-the-art vision systems, natural language processors, reinforcement learners, and novel robotic controllers among many other projects. Postdocs will be encouraged to pursue their research program with these state-of-the-art tools.

Qualifications: PhD in theoretical neuroscience or related field; experience with MPI, BlueGene, or other HPC environments desirable; python experience an asset.

Start date: As soon as a suitable candidate is found

Submit: CV, statement of research interests, three references

Duration: 1 year renewable for a 2nd year

Lab: CNRG http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/

Contact: celiasmith@uwaterloo.ca (Chris Eliasmith)

Funding for the position will be provided by TalentEdge and a corporate sponsor.

Chris Eliasmith has just been named an inaugural member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars. The inaugural cohort is 92 top faculty members from across Canada. Chris is a pioneering figure in the rapidly developing field of theoretical neuroscience. His most visible contribution has been in the development of Spaun, the world’s largest functional model of the brain. Spaun has garnered wide acclaim, both in the academy and in the popular press. Behind Spaun’s success is a deeply influential body of work implementing an innovative approach to the problem of how brains encode meaning.

College Member Citations 2014

Official press release - Sept. 16, 2014

Chris is a professor in the Philosophy department and Systems Design Engineering. He is also the director of the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience and a Canada Research Chair in Theoretical Neuroscience.

Our friends in the Computer Architecture Group at the University of Cambridge have Nengo running on an FPGA board with a multi-touch screen. Here's a demo in which they do character recognition quickly and accurately!

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The province of Ontario's Research Matters initiative hosted an event called "What Matters Now" in Hamilton. Our very own Chris Eliasmith was invited to speak about our work at the CNRGlab.

Skip to 35:50 for Chris's talk.

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Chris recently paid a visit to the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation, where he talked about the complexities of large-scale brain models. It's a great talk if you're curious about what we do at the CNRG and want more detail than Chris's 10-minute TEDx talk.