Jascha Achterberg
@achterbrain.bsky.social
Neuroscience & AI at University of Oxford and University of Cambridge | Principles of efficient computations + learning in brains, AI, and silicon 🧠 NeuroAI | Gates Cambridge Scholar
www.jachterberg.com
www.jachterberg.com
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Come be our colleague at EPFL! Several open calls for positions 🧪🧠🤖
* Neuroscience www.epfl.ch/about/workin... (deadline Oct 1)
* Life Science Engineering www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* CS general call www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* Learning Sciences www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* Neuroscience www.epfl.ch/about/workin... (deadline Oct 1)
* Life Science Engineering www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* CS general call www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* Learning Sciences www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
Faculty Position in Neuroscience
The School of Life Sciences at EPFL invites applications for a Tenure Track Assistant Professor position in Neuroscience. At EPFL researchers develop and apply innovative technologies to understand br...
www.epfl.ch
September 29, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Come be our colleague at EPFL! Several open calls for positions 🧪🧠🤖
* Neuroscience www.epfl.ch/about/workin... (deadline Oct 1)
* Life Science Engineering www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* CS general call www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* Learning Sciences www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* Neuroscience www.epfl.ch/about/workin... (deadline Oct 1)
* Life Science Engineering www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* CS general call www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
* Learning Sciences www.epfl.ch/about/workin...
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Statistical methods for dissecting interactions between brain areas
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Statistical methods for dissecting interactions between brain areas
The brain is composed of many functionally distinct areas. This organization supports distributed processing, and requires the coordination of signals…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 8, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Statistical methods for dissecting interactions between brain areas
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
ATTN🚨: I will be looking for PhD students through NYU's Center for Data Science PhD program this year. Applicants should have an interest in either NeuroAI (specifically biological attention or AI interpretability) or ML for Remote Sensing. Visit my lab website for more info: lindsay-lab.github.io
PhD in Data Science: Admissions Requirements | NYU CDS
Discover the PhD in Data Science requirements at NYU. Learn about deadlines, required degrees, coursework, and application details for Fall 2025 admissions.
cds.nyu.edu
August 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
ATTN🚨: I will be looking for PhD students through NYU's Center for Data Science PhD program this year. Applicants should have an interest in either NeuroAI (specifically biological attention or AI interpretability) or ML for Remote Sensing. Visit my lab website for more info: lindsay-lab.github.io
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Could we understand vision as a type of problem-solving? In this new paper, we develop a computational model that iteratively refines the hypothesis about the visual input with evolutionary search.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
work led by @tarunkhajuria.bsky.social
#visionscience #neuroAI
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
work led by @tarunkhajuria.bsky.social
#visionscience #neuroAI
August 25, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Could we understand vision as a type of problem-solving? In this new paper, we develop a computational model that iteratively refines the hypothesis about the visual input with evolutionary search.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
work led by @tarunkhajuria.bsky.social
#visionscience #neuroAI
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
work led by @tarunkhajuria.bsky.social
#visionscience #neuroAI
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
This is really funny…
The FT has been consistently good on this stuff, the only outlet to really take coreweave seriously, had great reporting, probably my fav business outlet. The Altman oil piece by bryce elder is one of the most devastating things I've ever read
www.ft.com/content/b180...
www.ft.com/content/b180...
Three things we learned about Sam Altman by scoping his kitchen
All Drizzle, no sizzle
www.ft.com
August 20, 2025 at 12:43 PM
This is really funny…
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Can large language models play simple arcade games? Kind of. Sometimes. Slowly, and not as well as a simple search algorithm. And only if you format the input right. Of course, we made a benchmark to investigate this in more detail, because that's what we do. Paper here:
arxiv.org/html/2508.08...
arxiv.org/html/2508.08...
GVGAI-LLM: Evaluating Large Language Model Agents with Infinite Games
arxiv.org
August 18, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Can large language models play simple arcade games? Kind of. Sometimes. Slowly, and not as well as a simple search algorithm. And only if you format the input right. Of course, we made a benchmark to investigate this in more detail, because that's what we do. Paper here:
arxiv.org/html/2508.08...
arxiv.org/html/2508.08...
Great and detailed blog post on compositionality, written by Eric Elmoznino:
ericelmoznino.github.io/blog/2025/08...
#compneuro #neuroai #neuroscience
ericelmoznino.github.io/blog/2025/08...
#compneuro #neuroai #neuroscience
Defining and quantifying compositional structure
What is compositionality? For those of us working in AI or cognitive neuroscience this question can appear easy at first, but becomes increasingly perplexing the more we think about it. We aren’t shor...
ericelmoznino.github.io
August 20, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Great and detailed blog post on compositionality, written by Eric Elmoznino:
ericelmoznino.github.io/blog/2025/08...
#compneuro #neuroai #neuroscience
ericelmoznino.github.io/blog/2025/08...
#compneuro #neuroai #neuroscience
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
#CCN2025 is over. Over 5 days there were 6 fantastic keynotes, 550 posters, 3 community events, 3 keynote & tutorials, 3 generative adversarial collaborations, 8 Satellite events, 1 community lunch meeting, 1 cross-conference hackathon, 1 competition, coffee all day, stroopwafels on day 1,
August 17, 2025 at 3:06 PM
#CCN2025 is over. Over 5 days there were 6 fantastic keynotes, 550 posters, 3 community events, 3 keynote & tutorials, 3 generative adversarial collaborations, 8 Satellite events, 1 community lunch meeting, 1 cross-conference hackathon, 1 competition, coffee all day, stroopwafels on day 1,
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
I'm curious if any senior nonhuman primate Neuro-AI researchers would be interested in joining Queen's University if we were to obtain a research chair position (full professor level)?
Could you please send me a confidential message to indicate your interest? Gunnar.blohm@queensu.ca
Could you please send me a confidential message to indicate your interest? Gunnar.blohm@queensu.ca
a bald man is sitting in a chair and pointing at the camera
ALT: a bald man is sitting in a chair and pointing at the camera
media.tenor.com
July 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I'm curious if any senior nonhuman primate Neuro-AI researchers would be interested in joining Queen's University if we were to obtain a research chair position (full professor level)?
Could you please send me a confidential message to indicate your interest? Gunnar.blohm@queensu.ca
Could you please send me a confidential message to indicate your interest? Gunnar.blohm@queensu.ca
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Sad to miss #CCN2025. It will be the 1st conference where a PhD working w/ me will speak 😭
go see Lubna's talk (Friday) about distributed neural correlates of flexible decision making in 🐒,
work done in collaboration w/ @scottbrincat.bsky.social @siegellab.bsky.social & @earlkmiller.bsky.social
go see Lubna's talk (Friday) about distributed neural correlates of flexible decision making in 🐒,
work done in collaboration w/ @scottbrincat.bsky.social @siegellab.bsky.social & @earlkmiller.bsky.social
August 10, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Sad to miss #CCN2025. It will be the 1st conference where a PhD working w/ me will speak 😭
go see Lubna's talk (Friday) about distributed neural correlates of flexible decision making in 🐒,
work done in collaboration w/ @scottbrincat.bsky.social @siegellab.bsky.social & @earlkmiller.bsky.social
go see Lubna's talk (Friday) about distributed neural correlates of flexible decision making in 🐒,
work done in collaboration w/ @scottbrincat.bsky.social @siegellab.bsky.social & @earlkmiller.bsky.social
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
The registration desk for the first day is now open! If you are looking for information to get to the venue, you can find it here: 2025.ccneuro.org/venue-inform...
Look out for the CCN banners!
Look out for the CCN banners!
August 12, 2025 at 6:41 AM
The registration desk for the first day is now open! If you are looking for information to get to the venue, you can find it here: 2025.ccneuro.org/venue-inform...
Look out for the CCN banners!
Look out for the CCN banners!
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Less than 2 weeks until CCN 2025 in Amsterdam! Here's everything you need to know to prepare for the 8th Cognitive Computational Neuroscience conference, August 12-15 at University of Amsterdam 🧠
August 1, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Less than 2 weeks until CCN 2025 in Amsterdam! Here's everything you need to know to prepare for the 8th Cognitive Computational Neuroscience conference, August 12-15 at University of Amsterdam 🧠
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
I wrote an article earlier in the week arguing that we need to give junior researchers more independence earlier, and this should be our focus, not moonshot mega projects led by senior researchers.
I was surprised how much agreement I'm seeing.
So next question: how do we do this?
I was surprised how much agreement I'm seeing.
So next question: how do we do this?
Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration, writes @neuralreckoning.bsky.social.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...
Neuroscience needs to empower early-career researchers, not fund moon shots
Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration.
www.thetransmitter.org
May 29, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I wrote an article earlier in the week arguing that we need to give junior researchers more independence earlier, and this should be our focus, not moonshot mega projects led by senior researchers.
I was surprised how much agreement I'm seeing.
So next question: how do we do this?
I was surprised how much agreement I'm seeing.
So next question: how do we do this?
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
#NeuroAI finds itself facing an interesting question these days:
1) which of these now-many schemes for bio-plausible credit assignment actually operate in the brain?
-and if more than one-
2) how the hell do they operate when they, inevitably, interact?
1) which of these now-many schemes for bio-plausible credit assignment actually operate in the brain?
-and if more than one-
2) how the hell do they operate when they, inevitably, interact?
1/6 Why does the brain maintain such precise excitatory-inhibitory balance?
Our new preprint explores a provocative idea: Small, targeted deviations from this balance may serve a purpose: to encode local error signals for learning.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
led by @jrbch.bsky.social
Our new preprint explores a provocative idea: Small, targeted deviations from this balance may serve a purpose: to encode local error signals for learning.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
led by @jrbch.bsky.social
May 27, 2025 at 11:42 AM
#NeuroAI finds itself facing an interesting question these days:
1) which of these now-many schemes for bio-plausible credit assignment actually operate in the brain?
-and if more than one-
2) how the hell do they operate when they, inevitably, interact?
1) which of these now-many schemes for bio-plausible credit assignment actually operate in the brain?
-and if more than one-
2) how the hell do they operate when they, inevitably, interact?
Now out 🚨 🧪 : our preprint describing dynamics of an extended frontal lobe network (4 cortical regions) in monkeys solving complex multi-step spatial problems! We observe distributed codes for goals, states, and planned moves across PFC!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#neuroscience #compneuro
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#neuroscience #compneuro
🧵👇
Neural dynamics of an extended frontal lobe network in goal-subgoal problem solving
Complex behavior calls for hierarchical representation of current state, goal, and component moves. In the human brain, a network of “multiple-demand” (MD) regions underpins cognitive control. We reco...
www.biorxiv.org
May 29, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Now out 🚨 🧪 : our preprint describing dynamics of an extended frontal lobe network (4 cortical regions) in monkeys solving complex multi-step spatial problems! We observe distributed codes for goals, states, and planned moves across PFC!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#neuroscience #compneuro
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#neuroscience #compneuro
🧵👇
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
On behalf of Nicole Carr: new preprint from the Chand/Moore labs! High-resolution laminar recordings reveal structure-function relationships in monkey V1.
1/4
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/4
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
High–resolution laminar recordings reveal structure–function relationships in monkey V1
The relationship between the structural properties of diverse neuronal populations in the monkey primary visual cortex (V1) and their functional visual processing in vivo remains a critical knowledge ...
www.biorxiv.org
May 19, 2025 at 9:09 PM
On behalf of Nicole Carr: new preprint from the Chand/Moore labs! High-resolution laminar recordings reveal structure-function relationships in monkey V1.
1/4
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/4
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Screen shots from BBC Click during the experiment. Now to reveal some of that that mad experiment is telling us:
May 19, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Screen shots from BBC Click during the experiment. Now to reveal some of that that mad experiment is telling us:
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Just a few months until Cognitive Computational Neuroscience comes to Amsterdam! Check out our now-complete schedule for #CCN2025, with descriptions of each of the Generative Adversarial Collaborations (GACs), Keynotes-and-Tutorials (K&Ts), Community Events, Keynote Speakers, and social activities!
A detailed schedule for CCN2025 is available on our website now, including the specific keynotes / GACs / community events taking place:
2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-...
The early bird registration deadline is coming up this Friday (23rd May)!
2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-...
The early bird registration deadline is coming up this Friday (23rd May)!
May 19, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Just a few months until Cognitive Computational Neuroscience comes to Amsterdam! Check out our now-complete schedule for #CCN2025, with descriptions of each of the Generative Adversarial Collaborations (GACs), Keynotes-and-Tutorials (K&Ts), Community Events, Keynote Speakers, and social activities!
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
🧠 #CCN2025 (August 12-15, Amsterdam) Update: Early registration deadline approaching!
⏰ Register by May 23 for early pricing ($375 student/$495 regular)
➡️ 2025.ccneuro.org/meeting-regi...
Full schedule now available:
2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-...
⏰ Register by May 23 for early pricing ($375 student/$495 regular)
➡️ 2025.ccneuro.org/meeting-regi...
Full schedule now available:
2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-...
Meeting Registration
2025.ccneuro.org
May 19, 2025 at 5:19 AM
🧠 #CCN2025 (August 12-15, Amsterdam) Update: Early registration deadline approaching!
⏰ Register by May 23 for early pricing ($375 student/$495 regular)
➡️ 2025.ccneuro.org/meeting-regi...
Full schedule now available:
2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-...
⏰ Register by May 23 for early pricing ($375 student/$495 regular)
➡️ 2025.ccneuro.org/meeting-regi...
Full schedule now available:
2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-...
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
🧵how to: figures that fit
I made this figure panel size guide to avoid thinking about dimensions every time. Apparently this post is going to be a 🧵! So feel free to bookmark it and save some time of yours.
May 16, 2025 at 2:08 PM
🧵how to: figures that fit
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
something strange just happened on the internet...
These are really good points, man. I'm gonna have to think over them... 😅 You may be convincing me with this take.
May 14, 2025 at 6:32 PM
something strange just happened on the internet...
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
I think we're overdue for a rollup of the best papers of the past year in NeuroAI. Candidates?
May 14, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I think we're overdue for a rollup of the best papers of the past year in NeuroAI. Candidates?
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
Preprint Alert 🚀
Can we simultaneously learn transformation-invariant and transformation-equivariant representations with self-supervised learning?
TL;DR Yes! This is possible via simple predictive learning & architectural inductive biases – without extra loss terms and predictors!
🧵 (1/10)
Can we simultaneously learn transformation-invariant and transformation-equivariant representations with self-supervised learning?
TL;DR Yes! This is possible via simple predictive learning & architectural inductive biases – without extra loss terms and predictors!
🧵 (1/10)
May 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Preprint Alert 🚀
Can we simultaneously learn transformation-invariant and transformation-equivariant representations with self-supervised learning?
TL;DR Yes! This is possible via simple predictive learning & architectural inductive biases – without extra loss terms and predictors!
🧵 (1/10)
Can we simultaneously learn transformation-invariant and transformation-equivariant representations with self-supervised learning?
TL;DR Yes! This is possible via simple predictive learning & architectural inductive biases – without extra loss terms and predictors!
🧵 (1/10)
Reposted by Jascha Achterberg
#Overleaf down 2 days before NeurIPS deadlines
a man with a beard is saying i fear something terrible has happened
ALT: a man with a beard is saying i fear something terrible has happened
media.tenor.com
May 14, 2025 at 9:01 AM
#Overleaf down 2 days before NeurIPS deadlines