Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Summer School
CNeuro2024 Press Release
CNeuro2024 International Summer School - Successfully Concluded!
The 6th "Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Summer School" (CNeuro2024), hosted by Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence (THBI) was successfully concluded on July 15th.
This year's summer school gathered renowned experts in the field of systems and computational neuroscience and attracted a broad range of students from global universities. The organizers and instructors are all well-known scholars from top universities and research institutions, which ensures a high quality and far-reaching impact of the event. The organization of the summer school was led by Prof. Xiaoqin Wang, Director of THBI. The committee included Prof. Rava Azeredo da Silveira from the University of Basel in Switzerland, Prof. Quan Wen from the University of Science and Technology of China, Prof. Louis Tao from Peking University, Prof. Stella Christie and Prof. Song Sen from Tsinghua University. In terms of the curriculum design, twelve professors from around the world were invited to provide lectures and forums, including Prof. Dmitri Chklovskii from the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute in the United States, Prof. Ruben Moreno-Bote from Pompeu Fabra University in Spain, Nathaniel Daw from Princeton University, Prof. Naoshige Uchida from Harvard University, Prof. Pulin Gong from the University of Sydney in Australia, Prof. Vincent Hakim from the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, Prof. Ole Jensen from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, Prof. Sukbin Lim from NYU Shanghai, Prof. Lusha Zhu and Prof. Zhang Hang from Peking University, and Prof. Tianming Yang and Prof. Ninglong Xu from the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences. These instructors brought exciting courses and forums to the students.​
32 outstanding students from 10 countries, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Armenia, gathered together in Beijing to discuss the latest research achievements and future development trends in the fields of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, transcending the geographical and cultural boundaries. This cross-border academic exchange not only broadened the students' international horizons but also built a valuable international cooperation network for them.
The summer school curriculum was designed with two parts: basic courses and advanced courses, aiming to provide students with comprehensive and in-depth academic training. During the basic courses in the first four days, instructors introduced the basic knowledge, classic theories, and the latest research results in their respective fields, laying a solid academic foundation for the students. The advanced courses in the following three days focused on in-depth discussion and sharing of cutting-edge research results, further stimulating the students' innovative thinking and research interest.
Basic course "The Normative Approach to Understanding Neural Computation" and advanced course "What Can Connectomes Tell Us about Neural Computation?" by Dmitri (Mitya) Chklovskii.
Basic course "Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns in the Brain: Dynamical Properties and Functional Roles" and advanced course "Fractional Neural Sampling (FNS)" by Pulin Gong.
Basic course "The Cerebellum: a Computational Perspective" and the advanced course "The Credit Assignment Problem and the Cerebellum" by Vincent Hakim.
Basic course "Reinforcement Learning: Basic Algorithms, Brain, and Behaviour" and advanced course "Advanced Reinforcement Learning: Replay, Temporal Abstraction, and Function Approximation" by Nathaniel Daw.
Basic course "Linking Human EEG and MEG Data to Deep Neural Networks" and the advanced course "Pipelining in the Brain by Coupled Oscillations" by Ole Jensen.
Basic course "Introduction to Soft Reinforcement Learning" and the advanced course "Behavior Without Rewards: the Maximum Occupancy Principle (MOP)" by Ruben Moreno-Bote.
Basic course "Attractor Network for Working Memory and Decision-Making" and the advanced course "Modular Architecture for Understanding Cognitive Interactions" by Sukbin Lim.
Basic course "Attractor Network for Working Memory and Decision-Making" and the advanced course "Modular Architecture for Understanding Cognitive Interactions" by Sukbin Lim.
Basic course "Neural Mechanisms of Decision-Making - Basic Frameworks: Signal Detection Theory and Drift-Diffusion Models" and the advanced course "Attention, Value, and Confidence - Extending Drift-Diffusion Model" by Tianming Yang.
To facilitate exchanges between students and the instructors, a "Life and Science" session was arranged after each day's classes, where two instructors engaged in a face-to-face discussion with the students about their personal experiences in academia, their leisure life, and their plans for the future.
The summer school also provided each student with the opportunity to present themselves, introducing their educational background, research focus, and leisure life. On the final day of the summer school students prepared and presented on selected topics under the guidance of their teaching assistants, engaged in in-depth discussions with instructors on specific topics, and received guidance from the teachers.
Basic course "Neuronal and Circuit Mechanisms for Information Processing during Sensory and Motor Behaviors" and the advanced course "Dendritic and Circuit Computation for an Intelligent Behavior in Mammalian Brain" by Ninglong Xu.
Basic course "Bayesian Observer Models" and the advanced course "Structured Priors and Bounded Rationality in Human Learning and Decision Making" by Hang Zhang.
Basic course "Social Decision Making: Games, Algorithms, and Brain" and the advanced course "Mental Representation and Decision Making on Social Networks" by Lusha Zhu.
During the summer school, every day tea breaks and "Lunch with Professors" sessions provided students with opportunities for close communication with the instructors, which greatly promoted exchanges and friendship among the students. Student participant Mingyang said, "as a Master student intending to pursue a Ph.D., I am very happy to meet some doctoral students in the field here and be able to consult them on research, PhD application, and even career planning questions."
In addition to the intense study, CNeuro2024 also arranged a variety of cultural exchange activities for the students. From tasting authentic Chinese food to climbing the majestic Mutianyu Great Wall, the students not only experienced the charm of Chinese traditional culture and cuisine but also established deep friendships during the
process. These wonderful times and friendships will become unforgettable memories in their life journey and a source of support and encouragement for their future scientific research.
On the last day of the summer school, organizers and lecturers presented completion certificates to the student participants, and the CNeuro2024 event came to an end. Students and lecturers shared their feedback and appreciation in the questionnaires. “I learned a lot and benefitted immensely from the lectures and discussions”. Many professors and students from overseas expressed that they were deeply impressed by the thoughtful arrangements of the organizers and the warm hospitality of the Chinese culture.
Although the summer school lasted only 8 days, its impact and inspiration will accompany every participant for a long time. As Prof. Rava Azeredo da Silveira, one of the CNeuro2024 organizers, said in his closing remark, "when I was young, I also attended a summer school, and the people I met at that
eventually became collaborators in scientific research and friends in life. We also hope that this summer school can bring you such experiences and social opportunities." We look forward to this summer school becoming an important starting point for future scientists in the field of systems and computational neuroscience, allowing them to
continue to move forward and reach new heights on the road of scientific research. At the same time, we also look forward to more young talents joining this challenging and prosperous field to jointly advance the scientific research at the intersection of brain science and artificial intelligence.
