Lynn Sörensen
@lynnkasorensen.bsky.social
Using brain-inspired models to study cognition | PostDoc in DiCarlo lab @ MIT | PhD @ UvA Amsterdam
Pinned
(1/3) 🌟New preprint with @lynnkasorensen.bsky.social and Jim DiCarlo
When animals learn new object discrimination tasks, how much does their IT cortex change?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
When animals learn new object discrimination tasks, how much does their IT cortex change?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The effects of object category training on the responses of macaque inferior temporal cortex are consistent with performance-optimizing updates within a visual hierarchy
How does the primate brain coordinate plasticity to support its remarkable ability to learn object categories? To address this question, we measured the consequences of category learning on the macaqu...
www.biorxiv.org
New year, new preprint!💫 I'm excited to share my first(!) postdoc paper working with Jim DiCarlo & @kohitij.bsky.social
#NeuroAI #CompNeuro
We revisited a long-standing question: How does category feedback (a.k.a. training) reconfigure IT responses? 🧠
Our long story short [1/7]:
#NeuroAI #CompNeuro
We revisited a long-standing question: How does category feedback (a.k.a. training) reconfigure IT responses? 🧠
Our long story short [1/7]:
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
🧠 New preprint: Why do deep neural networks predict brain responses so well?
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
September 8, 2025 at 6:32 PM
🧠 New preprint: Why do deep neural networks predict brain responses so well?
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We still have a few spots left - make sure to join us if you're in the area!
Join us for the #CCN2025 local meetup, we're hosting at MIT's McGovern Institute on Aug 13-15!
Think: conference talks 🧠 + local discussions over food & snacks 💬+ meeting awesome researchers in your backyard 🏠 Open to all researchers in the area!
Intrigued? Sign up here: forms.gle/oq6Rw3TvUja6...
Think: conference talks 🧠 + local discussions over food & snacks 💬+ meeting awesome researchers in your backyard 🏠 Open to all researchers in the area!
Intrigued? Sign up here: forms.gle/oq6Rw3TvUja6...
CCN Boston Local Meetup @ MIT
This form is to register to attend a 'local meetup' for CCN 2025 held at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT (https://2025.ccneuro.org/local-meetups/). We will watch the conference talks,...
forms.gle
August 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
We still have a few spots left - make sure to join us if you're in the area!
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Atlanta community: we are organizing a CCN @cogcompneuro.bsky.social watch party!
Watch the talks, engage in structured discussions, and (optionally) present your own work.
Register:
forms.gle/AWxVPbrgxkdd...
Schedule:
tinyurl.com/ccn2025atlanta
Watch the talks, engage in structured discussions, and (optionally) present your own work.
Register:
forms.gle/AWxVPbrgxkdd...
Schedule:
tinyurl.com/ccn2025atlanta
July 22, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Atlanta community: we are organizing a CCN @cogcompneuro.bsky.social watch party!
Watch the talks, engage in structured discussions, and (optionally) present your own work.
Register:
forms.gle/AWxVPbrgxkdd...
Schedule:
tinyurl.com/ccn2025atlanta
Watch the talks, engage in structured discussions, and (optionally) present your own work.
Register:
forms.gle/AWxVPbrgxkdd...
Schedule:
tinyurl.com/ccn2025atlanta
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
JOB ALERT: Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Postdoc position in Osaka, Japan! Possible start in October 2025 (contact me ASAP), or from April 2026. PLEASE REPOST! #postdocjobs #neuroskyence #neuroscience #psychscisky #compneurosky #neurojobs 1/
July 18, 2025 at 3:34 AM
JOB ALERT: Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Postdoc position in Osaka, Japan! Possible start in October 2025 (contact me ASAP), or from April 2026. PLEASE REPOST! #postdocjobs #neuroskyence #neuroscience #psychscisky #compneurosky #neurojobs 1/
Join us for the #CCN2025 local meetup, we're hosting at MIT's McGovern Institute on Aug 13-15!
Think: conference talks 🧠 + local discussions over food & snacks 💬+ meeting awesome researchers in your backyard 🏠 Open to all researchers in the area!
Intrigued? Sign up here: forms.gle/oq6Rw3TvUja6...
Think: conference talks 🧠 + local discussions over food & snacks 💬+ meeting awesome researchers in your backyard 🏠 Open to all researchers in the area!
Intrigued? Sign up here: forms.gle/oq6Rw3TvUja6...
CCN Boston Local Meetup @ MIT
This form is to register to attend a 'local meetup' for CCN 2025 held at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT (https://2025.ccneuro.org/local-meetups/). We will watch the conference talks,...
forms.gle
July 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Join us for the #CCN2025 local meetup, we're hosting at MIT's McGovern Institute on Aug 13-15!
Think: conference talks 🧠 + local discussions over food & snacks 💬+ meeting awesome researchers in your backyard 🏠 Open to all researchers in the area!
Intrigued? Sign up here: forms.gle/oq6Rw3TvUja6...
Think: conference talks 🧠 + local discussions over food & snacks 💬+ meeting awesome researchers in your backyard 🏠 Open to all researchers in the area!
Intrigued? Sign up here: forms.gle/oq6Rw3TvUja6...
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Exciting new preprint from the lab: “Adopting a human developmental visual diet yields robust, shape-based AI vision”. A most wonderful case where brain inspiration massively improved AI solutions.
Work with @zejinlu.bsky.social @sushrutthorat.bsky.social and Radek Cichy
arxiv.org/abs/2507.03168
Work with @zejinlu.bsky.social @sushrutthorat.bsky.social and Radek Cichy
arxiv.org/abs/2507.03168
arxiv.org
July 8, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Exciting new preprint from the lab: “Adopting a human developmental visual diet yields robust, shape-based AI vision”. A most wonderful case where brain inspiration massively improved AI solutions.
Work with @zejinlu.bsky.social @sushrutthorat.bsky.social and Radek Cichy
arxiv.org/abs/2507.03168
Work with @zejinlu.bsky.social @sushrutthorat.bsky.social and Radek Cichy
arxiv.org/abs/2507.03168
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
So far we have CCN local meetups @ NYC @neurograce.bsky.social, Boston @lynnkasorensen.bsky.social, Atlanta @neuranna.bsky.social, Lyon and Bucharest!
Who will host one on even further away from Amsterdam (West Coast? East Asia? Africa?)
Who will host one on even further away from Amsterdam (West Coast? East Asia? Africa?)
June 20, 2025 at 10:34 AM
So far we have CCN local meetups @ NYC @neurograce.bsky.social, Boston @lynnkasorensen.bsky.social, Atlanta @neuranna.bsky.social, Lyon and Bucharest!
Who will host one on even further away from Amsterdam (West Coast? East Asia? Africa?)
Who will host one on even further away from Amsterdam (West Coast? East Asia? Africa?)
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
In these tumultuous times, still happy to report a scientific achievement: our preprint on affordance perception was just published in PNAS!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Using behavior, fMRI and deep network analyses, we report two key findings. To recapitulate (preprint 🧵lost on other place):
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Using behavior, fMRI and deep network analyses, we report two key findings. To recapitulate (preprint 🧵lost on other place):
Representation of locomotive action affordances in human behavior, brains, and deep neural networks | PNAS
To decide how to move around the world, we must determine which locomotive actions
(e.g., walking, swimming, or climbing) are afforded by the immed...
www.pnas.org
June 16, 2025 at 11:34 AM
In these tumultuous times, still happy to report a scientific achievement: our preprint on affordance perception was just published in PNAS!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Using behavior, fMRI and deep network analyses, we report two key findings. To recapitulate (preprint 🧵lost on other place):
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Using behavior, fMRI and deep network analyses, we report two key findings. To recapitulate (preprint 🧵lost on other place):
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Thrilled to announce our new publication titled 'Decoding predicted future states from the brain's physics engine' with @emiecz.bsky.social, Cyn X. Fang, @nancykanwisher.bsky.social, @joshtenenbaum.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
(1/n)
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
(1/n)
Decoding predicted future states from the brain’s “physics engine”
Using fMRI in humans, this study provides evidence for future state prediction in brain regions involved in physical reasoning.
www.science.org
June 17, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Thrilled to announce our new publication titled 'Decoding predicted future states from the brain's physics engine' with @emiecz.bsky.social, Cyn X. Fang, @nancykanwisher.bsky.social, @joshtenenbaum.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
(1/n)
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
(1/n)
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Can seemingly complex multi-area computations in the brain emerge from the need for energy efficient computation? In our new preprint on predictive remapping in active vision, we report on such a case.
Let us take you for a spin. 1/6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Let us take you for a spin. 1/6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Can seemingly complex multi-area computations in the brain emerge from the need for energy efficient computation? In our new preprint on predictive remapping in active vision, we report on such a case.
Let us take you for a spin. 1/6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Let us take you for a spin. 1/6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
When we communicate science, we often don't say where the resources for it come from. This is clearly a mistake: people consuming science should know who is funding it--and if that funding is being taken away. So, I decided to document the funding sources of every scientist mentioned in my book.
May 28, 2025 at 10:46 PM
When we communicate science, we often don't say where the resources for it come from. This is clearly a mistake: people consuming science should know who is funding it--and if that funding is being taken away. So, I decided to document the funding sources of every scientist mentioned in my book.
The deadline for this is ⏰THIS SATURDAY!⏰ Please consider applying and share your science with the MIT BCS community!🧠
The MIT BCS postdoc association in collaboration with the BCS department is excited to announce this year's rising star symposium for external postdocs! Please consider applying and send to anyone who may be interested! See the link and flyer below for more info:
mailchi.mp/be586538a6ab...
mailchi.mp/be586538a6ab...
May 27, 2025 at 10:10 PM
The deadline for this is ⏰THIS SATURDAY!⏰ Please consider applying and share your science with the MIT BCS community!🧠
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
I’m hiring a full-time lab tech for two years starting May/June. Strong coding skills required, ML a plus. Our research on the human brain uses fMRI, ANNs, intracranial recording, and behavior. A great stepping stone to grad school. Apply here:
careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
......
careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
......
Technical Associate I, Kanwisher Lab
MIT - Technical Associate I, Kanwisher Lab - Cambridge MA 02139
careers.peopleclick.com
March 26, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I’m hiring a full-time lab tech for two years starting May/June. Strong coding skills required, ML a plus. Our research on the human brain uses fMRI, ANNs, intracranial recording, and behavior. A great stepping stone to grad school. Apply here:
careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
......
careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
......
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Kanwisher Lab is preparing for this Friday's #Standupforscience Rally!
March 3, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Kanwisher Lab is preparing for this Friday's #Standupforscience Rally!
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
I admire this tremendously! THIS is the next generation we need to protect. It's one that is both genius AND steps up.
Senior undergrad starting my PhD next year. I’m absolutely terrified — I love science and I’m great at it, but that might not be enough anymore. I’ve channeled my rage into making and distributing this:
February 6, 2025 at 12:20 AM
I admire this tremendously! THIS is the next generation we need to protect. It's one that is both genius AND steps up.
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Registration for CCN2025 is open! 2025.ccneuro.org/meeting-regi...
Meeting Registration
2025.ccneuro.org
February 4, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Registration for CCN2025 is open! 2025.ccneuro.org/meeting-regi...
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Academic workers across the country are organizing to call on our congressional representatives on Thursday, 1/30, at 3pm ET / 12pm PT to demand these restrictions be lifted immediately.
There will be a training over zoom at the beginning of the event.
Join us!
form.jotform.com/250226137228...
There will be a training over zoom at the beginning of the event.
Join us!
form.jotform.com/250226137228...
Join researchers across the country in fighting restrictions on the NIH
Please click the link to complete this form.
form.jotform.com
January 28, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Academic workers across the country are organizing to call on our congressional representatives on Thursday, 1/30, at 3pm ET / 12pm PT to demand these restrictions be lifted immediately.
There will be a training over zoom at the beginning of the event.
Join us!
form.jotform.com/250226137228...
There will be a training over zoom at the beginning of the event.
Join us!
form.jotform.com/250226137228...
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
I wrote about the concept of agency (both human and artificial) in the year 2025. gracewlindsay.com/2025/01/24/2...
2025: Agency gained and lost
If you’ve had even a passing glance at tech journalism over the past few months, you know the top buzzword for AI in 2025 is agentic. Agentic AI (according to many think pieces and press releases a…
gracewlindsay.com
January 24, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I wrote about the concept of agency (both human and artificial) in the year 2025. gracewlindsay.com/2025/01/24/2...
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
The #CCN2025 conference 2025.ccneuro.org is looking for area and senior area chairs for the new 8-page track. You can sign up for area chair and form this list we will also invite senior area chairs. We might also nominate you ourselves :-) forms.gle/MTBgZZxQaDY8...
Nominations for Area Chairs:
Area Chairs should have the following requirements:
A senior researcher in the area (professor or senior research fellow, could also be a postdoc)
Have authored at CCN at least once
You can nominate y...
forms.gle
January 9, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The #CCN2025 conference 2025.ccneuro.org is looking for area and senior area chairs for the new 8-page track. You can sign up for area chair and form this list we will also invite senior area chairs. We might also nominate you ourselves :-) forms.gle/MTBgZZxQaDY8...
Reposted by Lynn Sörensen
Why do diverse ANNs resemble brain representations? Check out our new paper with Colton Casto, @nogazs.bsky.social , Colin Conwell, Mark Richardson, & @evfedorenko.bsky.social on “Universality of representation in biological and artificial neural networks.” 🧠🤖
tinyurl.com/yckndmjt
tinyurl.com/yckndmjt
Universality of representation in biological and artificial neural networks
Many artificial neural networks (ANNs) trained with ecologically plausible objectives on naturalistic data align with behavior and neural representations in biological systems. Here, we show that this...
tinyurl.com
December 27, 2024 at 8:14 PM
Why do diverse ANNs resemble brain representations? Check out our new paper with Colton Casto, @nogazs.bsky.social , Colin Conwell, Mark Richardson, & @evfedorenko.bsky.social on “Universality of representation in biological and artificial neural networks.” 🧠🤖
tinyurl.com/yckndmjt
tinyurl.com/yckndmjt
New year, new preprint!💫 I'm excited to share my first(!) postdoc paper working with Jim DiCarlo & @kohitij.bsky.social
#NeuroAI #CompNeuro
We revisited a long-standing question: How does category feedback (a.k.a. training) reconfigure IT responses? 🧠
Our long story short [1/7]:
#NeuroAI #CompNeuro
We revisited a long-standing question: How does category feedback (a.k.a. training) reconfigure IT responses? 🧠
Our long story short [1/7]:
(1/3) 🌟New preprint with @lynnkasorensen.bsky.social and Jim DiCarlo
When animals learn new object discrimination tasks, how much does their IT cortex change?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
When animals learn new object discrimination tasks, how much does their IT cortex change?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The effects of object category training on the responses of macaque inferior temporal cortex are consistent with performance-optimizing updates within a visual hierarchy
How does the primate brain coordinate plasticity to support its remarkable ability to learn object categories? To address this question, we measured the consequences of category learning on the macaqu...
www.biorxiv.org
January 7, 2025 at 12:21 AM
New year, new preprint!💫 I'm excited to share my first(!) postdoc paper working with Jim DiCarlo & @kohitij.bsky.social
#NeuroAI #CompNeuro
We revisited a long-standing question: How does category feedback (a.k.a. training) reconfigure IT responses? 🧠
Our long story short [1/7]:
#NeuroAI #CompNeuro
We revisited a long-standing question: How does category feedback (a.k.a. training) reconfigure IT responses? 🧠
Our long story short [1/7]: