Ling-Qi Zhang
@lingqiz.bsky.social
🧠 Comp Neuro, Behavior, Theory and Machine Learning | Theory Fellow @HHMI Janelia | 💻 https://lingqiz.github.io/
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
🪰 A new ‘Eyemap’ developed by a team led by Arthur Zhao & @michaelreiser.bsky.social reveals how visual information detected by the fly’s eye shows up in neurons deep in the brain. Remarkably, the eye’s shape determines how flies see motion.👁️
🔗 hhmi.news/4kSZjou
🔗 hhmi.news/4kSZjou
July 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
🪰 A new ‘Eyemap’ developed by a team led by Arthur Zhao & @michaelreiser.bsky.social reveals how visual information detected by the fly’s eye shows up in neurons deep in the brain. Remarkably, the eye’s shape determines how flies see motion.👁️
🔗 hhmi.news/4kSZjou
🔗 hhmi.news/4kSZjou
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Seeking applications from recent PhDs in neuro, psych, ling, philo, comp sci, or other cog sci discipline, for our MindCORE Fellowship.
MindCORE is an interdisciplinary effort at Penn to understand human intelligence and behavior.
Apply by Dec 1: mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/post-doctora...
MindCORE is an interdisciplinary effort at Penn to understand human intelligence and behavior.
Apply by Dec 1: mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/post-doctora...
October 27, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Seeking applications from recent PhDs in neuro, psych, ling, philo, comp sci, or other cog sci discipline, for our MindCORE Fellowship.
MindCORE is an interdisciplinary effort at Penn to understand human intelligence and behavior.
Apply by Dec 1: mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/post-doctora...
MindCORE is an interdisciplinary effort at Penn to understand human intelligence and behavior.
Apply by Dec 1: mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/post-doctora...
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Excited to announce our new pre-print (www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...)!
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
October 23, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Excited to announce our new pre-print (www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...)!
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Join the team at Janelia to use #theory, computation, and modeling to tackle bold questions in #biology. Collaborate across scientific disciplines to drive discovery.
Apply by Nov. 3 @ https://janelia.link/theoryfellowprogram
#computationalbiology #sciencecareers
Apply by Nov. 3 @ https://janelia.link/theoryfellowprogram
#computationalbiology #sciencecareers
October 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Join the team at Janelia to use #theory, computation, and modeling to tackle bold questions in #biology. Collaborate across scientific disciplines to drive discovery.
Apply by Nov. 3 @ https://janelia.link/theoryfellowprogram
#computationalbiology #sciencecareers
Apply by Nov. 3 @ https://janelia.link/theoryfellowprogram
#computationalbiology #sciencecareers
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Pleased to have this review out in @cp-trendsneuro.bsky.social. In it we discuss various aspects of the intersection between foraging behaviors and neuroscience, and offer some future directions: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Foraging as an ethological framework for neuroscience
The study of foraging is central to a renewed interest in naturalistic behavior in neuroscience. Applying a foraging framework grounded in behavioral …
www.sciencedirect.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Pleased to have this review out in @cp-trendsneuro.bsky.social. In it we discuss various aspects of the intersection between foraging behaviors and neuroscience, and offer some future directions: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The debate of whether the brain is optimal is the wrong one. Quoting one of my favorite writings from Herbert Simon (1992): The predictions of an optimizing theory depend as much on the postulated side conditions as on the optimization assumption. (By side conditions here, he meant constraints).
I mean, efficient coding and optimal control work *far* better than they have a right to, and they generate predictions. They are not falsifiable hypotheses except in the narrowest sense, but they are programs that can identify parsimonious principles for explaining real observations.
September 15, 2025 at 2:58 PM
The debate of whether the brain is optimal is the wrong one. Quoting one of my favorite writings from Herbert Simon (1992): The predictions of an optimizing theory depend as much on the postulated side conditions as on the optimization assumption. (By side conditions here, he meant constraints).
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
✨ We’re #hiring Theory Fellows!✨
Janelia is recruiting early-career scientists to join our collaborative research environment and use #computation & #theory to tackle bold questions in #biology.
🔗 Apply by Nov. 3 👉 janelia.link/theoryfellow...
@hhmi.org
Janelia is recruiting early-career scientists to join our collaborative research environment and use #computation & #theory to tackle bold questions in #biology.
🔗 Apply by Nov. 3 👉 janelia.link/theoryfellow...
@hhmi.org
August 5, 2025 at 6:01 PM
✨ We’re #hiring Theory Fellows!✨
Janelia is recruiting early-career scientists to join our collaborative research environment and use #computation & #theory to tackle bold questions in #biology.
🔗 Apply by Nov. 3 👉 janelia.link/theoryfellow...
@hhmi.org
Janelia is recruiting early-career scientists to join our collaborative research environment and use #computation & #theory to tackle bold questions in #biology.
🔗 Apply by Nov. 3 👉 janelia.link/theoryfellow...
@hhmi.org
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
📢We're #hiring Group Leaders!
Apply to lead a lab at Janelia & advance biology using theory, computational modeling & machine learning.
🔹5-year renewable appointment
🔹Pioneer new tools & approaches
🔹Collaborate across disciplines
Apply by Nov. 4👉 https://janelia.link/groupleader
Apply to lead a lab at Janelia & advance biology using theory, computational modeling & machine learning.
🔹5-year renewable appointment
🔹Pioneer new tools & approaches
🔹Collaborate across disciplines
Apply by Nov. 4👉 https://janelia.link/groupleader
August 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
📢We're #hiring Group Leaders!
Apply to lead a lab at Janelia & advance biology using theory, computational modeling & machine learning.
🔹5-year renewable appointment
🔹Pioneer new tools & approaches
🔹Collaborate across disciplines
Apply by Nov. 4👉 https://janelia.link/groupleader
Apply to lead a lab at Janelia & advance biology using theory, computational modeling & machine learning.
🔹5-year renewable appointment
🔹Pioneer new tools & approaches
🔹Collaborate across disciplines
Apply by Nov. 4👉 https://janelia.link/groupleader
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Bayesians in shambles
Saturday morning coffee on my deck🌞
I’m sending this message out to all the 🍊🤡 cult members who are trying to destroy science in America…it has survived for almost 250 years & your little temper tantrum isn’t going to stop it now
I’m sending this message out to all the 🍊🤡 cult members who are trying to destroy science in America…it has survived for almost 250 years & your little temper tantrum isn’t going to stop it now
August 10, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Bayesians in shambles
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
📢 Students & postdocs in #TheoreticalNeuroscience 👉 Join us this November for a "by the students, for the students" workshop featuring whiteboard-style tutorials, in-depth discussions, and research talks.
✈️ Travel, lodging & registration covered
Apply by Aug. 5 @ janelia.news/THE25
✈️ Travel, lodging & registration covered
Apply by Aug. 5 @ janelia.news/THE25
July 9, 2025 at 1:55 PM
📢 Students & postdocs in #TheoreticalNeuroscience 👉 Join us this November for a "by the students, for the students" workshop featuring whiteboard-style tutorials, in-depth discussions, and research talks.
✈️ Travel, lodging & registration covered
Apply by Aug. 5 @ janelia.news/THE25
✈️ Travel, lodging & registration covered
Apply by Aug. 5 @ janelia.news/THE25
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
What is the probability of an image? What do the highest and lowest probability images look like? Do natural images lie on a low-dimensional manifold?
In a new preprint with Zahra Kadkhodaie and @eerosim.bsky.social, we develop a novel energy-based model in order to answer these questions: 🧵
In a new preprint with Zahra Kadkhodaie and @eerosim.bsky.social, we develop a novel energy-based model in order to answer these questions: 🧵
June 6, 2025 at 10:11 PM
What is the probability of an image? What do the highest and lowest probability images look like? Do natural images lie on a low-dimensional manifold?
In a new preprint with Zahra Kadkhodaie and @eerosim.bsky.social, we develop a novel energy-based model in order to answer these questions: 🧵
In a new preprint with Zahra Kadkhodaie and @eerosim.bsky.social, we develop a novel energy-based model in order to answer these questions: 🧵
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Very excited to be part of this. Huge thank you to the @simonsfoundation.org for their support and vision.
www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/04/24/s...
Also, job openings in this context! Please apply and forward to anyone who may be interested!
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/367...
www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/04/24/s...
Also, job openings in this context! Please apply and forward to anyone who may be interested!
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/367...
Simons Foundation Launches Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience
Simons Foundation Launches Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience on Simons Foundation
www.simonsfoundation.org
April 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Very excited to be part of this. Huge thank you to the @simonsfoundation.org for their support and vision.
www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/04/24/s...
Also, job openings in this context! Please apply and forward to anyone who may be interested!
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/367...
www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/04/24/s...
Also, job openings in this context! Please apply and forward to anyone who may be interested!
hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/367...
Very happy to see our work finally in print!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
TLDR: Tilt illusion is not a bug, but a feature of a well-designed visual system that maximizes information capacity adaptively based on spatial context. (1/6)
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
TLDR: Tilt illusion is not a bug, but a feature of a well-designed visual system that maximizes information capacity adaptively based on spatial context. (1/6)
The tilt illusion arises from an efficient reallocation of neural coding resources at the contextual boundary | PNAS
The tilt illusion—a bias in the perceived orientation of a center stimulus induced
by an oriented surround—illustrates how context shapes visual pe...
www.pnas.org
April 24, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Very happy to see our work finally in print!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
TLDR: Tilt illusion is not a bug, but a feature of a well-designed visual system that maximizes information capacity adaptively based on spatial context. (1/6)
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
TLDR: Tilt illusion is not a bug, but a feature of a well-designed visual system that maximizes information capacity adaptively based on spatial context. (1/6)
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
How can AI help you to analyze your microscopy images?
Find out at the "Machine Learning for Microscopy Image Analysis" course at the @mblscience.bsky.social in Woods Hole from Aug 22-Sep 6!
Applications are due 🚨 April 30 🚨
Read on for more! 👇
www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
Find out at the "Machine Learning for Microscopy Image Analysis" course at the @mblscience.bsky.social in Woods Hole from Aug 22-Sep 6!
Applications are due 🚨 April 30 🚨
Read on for more! 👇
www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
AI@MBL: Machine Learning for Microscopy Image Analysis | Marine Biological Laboratory
The goal of this course is to familiarize researchers in the life sciences with state-of-the-art deep learning techniques for microscopy image analysis and to introduce them to tools and frameworks th...
www.mbl.edu
April 18, 2025 at 6:48 PM
How can AI help you to analyze your microscopy images?
Find out at the "Machine Learning for Microscopy Image Analysis" course at the @mblscience.bsky.social in Woods Hole from Aug 22-Sep 6!
Applications are due 🚨 April 30 🚨
Read on for more! 👇
www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
Find out at the "Machine Learning for Microscopy Image Analysis" course at the @mblscience.bsky.social in Woods Hole from Aug 22-Sep 6!
Applications are due 🚨 April 30 🚨
Read on for more! 👇
www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Here at Princeton, we’re amplifying our university president’s leadership. It’s time for everyone - faculty, students, staff - to speak out.
tl;dr: rights can’t be blackmailed.
From me and science colleagues:
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...
tl;dr: rights can’t be blackmailed.
From me and science colleagues:
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...
To stop intimidation, Eisgruber needs your help
When targeting one institution is a bald attempt to divide and conquer, as is the case with Columbia, it is essential for a coalition or group of institutions and individuals to stand up together.&nbs...
www.dailyprincetonian.com
March 24, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Here at Princeton, we’re amplifying our university president’s leadership. It’s time for everyone - faculty, students, staff - to speak out.
tl;dr: rights can’t be blackmailed.
From me and science colleagues:
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...
tl;dr: rights can’t be blackmailed.
From me and science colleagues:
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Columbia University has failed to defend academic freedom & freedom of speech & allowed a great institution to be bullied & extorted into submission by an administration hellbent on contorting higher education to their will.
The AAUP condemns this capitulation. We can & must fight back.
The AAUP condemns this capitulation. We can & must fight back.
Columbia Concedes to Trump’s Demands After Federal Funds Are Stripped
The administration has moved to cut $400 million in federal funding to the university without changes to its policies and rules.
www.nytimes.com
March 22, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Columbia University has failed to defend academic freedom & freedom of speech & allowed a great institution to be bullied & extorted into submission by an administration hellbent on contorting higher education to their will.
The AAUP condemns this capitulation. We can & must fight back.
The AAUP condemns this capitulation. We can & must fight back.
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
"And I think once you make concessions once, it's hard not to make them again." Princeton President Chris Eisgruber's warning to universities applies to law firms, companies, foundations, nonprofits, and more. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
Using funding to 'force concessions' threatens institutions, Princeton president says
Columbia University agreed to comply with a series of demands from the Trump administration about how it will handle protests, antisemitism and academic departments. The university faced a deadline to...
www.pbs.org
March 22, 2025 at 4:04 AM
"And I think once you make concessions once, it's hard not to make them again." Princeton President Chris Eisgruber's warning to universities applies to law firms, companies, foundations, nonprofits, and more. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Pro-tip for university administrators: when the government illegally cancels your grants, your first response shouldn't be "you kind of have a point."
Email from Columbia President Armstrong makes clear that admin still has no idea what it’s dealing with. No amount of “serious action to combat antisemitism” (read: punish Palestine activists) will satisfy the Nazis. They see universities as an enemy institution to crush underfoot.
March 8, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Pro-tip for university administrators: when the government illegally cancels your grants, your first response shouldn't be "you kind of have a point."
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
old Soviet joke for our times:
Guy stops by the newsstand every day, scans the front page, doesn’t buy the paper. One day the vendor asks what he’s up to.
Guy says: “looking for an obituary.”
Vendor says “those are towards the back of the paper, comrade.”
Guy says: “not the one I’m looking for.”
Guy stops by the newsstand every day, scans the front page, doesn’t buy the paper. One day the vendor asks what he’s up to.
Guy says: “looking for an obituary.”
Vendor says “those are towards the back of the paper, comrade.”
Guy says: “not the one I’m looking for.”
March 3, 2025 at 12:54 AM
old Soviet joke for our times:
Guy stops by the newsstand every day, scans the front page, doesn’t buy the paper. One day the vendor asks what he’s up to.
Guy says: “looking for an obituary.”
Vendor says “those are towards the back of the paper, comrade.”
Guy says: “not the one I’m looking for.”
Guy stops by the newsstand every day, scans the front page, doesn’t buy the paper. One day the vendor asks what he’s up to.
Guy says: “looking for an obituary.”
Vendor says “those are towards the back of the paper, comrade.”
Guy says: “not the one I’m looking for.”
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
I got laid off today, with the rest of 18F.
18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it.
We made this website to tell our story:
18f.org
18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it.
We made this website to tell our story:
18f.org
We're not done yet | 18F
18f.org
March 1, 2025 at 10:38 PM
I got laid off today, with the rest of 18F.
18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it.
We made this website to tell our story:
18f.org
18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it.
We made this website to tell our story:
18f.org
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
Portuguese editorial cartoonist Zez Vaz reaches back to Tiananmen Square to call on American defiance.
February 15, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Portuguese editorial cartoonist Zez Vaz reaches back to Tiananmen Square to call on American defiance.
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
I maxed out my credit card, emptied my savings account, and took out a loan to move from Alabama to Bethesda, MD. I don’t even qualify for unemployment since I’ve only worked at NIH for a month. I will be financially and medically devastated.
Seeking suggestions for anywhere that’s hiring!!
Seeking suggestions for anywhere that’s hiring!!
Today, along with 2,000 other NIH employees, I had to clear out my office 😭
It was truly the honor of my life to work with such incredibly passionate people focused on improving human health. I’ve never experienced a more positive culture where *everyone* cared about their job and serving others.
It was truly the honor of my life to work with such incredibly passionate people focused on improving human health. I’ve never experienced a more positive culture where *everyone* cared about their job and serving others.
February 14, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I maxed out my credit card, emptied my savings account, and took out a loan to move from Alabama to Bethesda, MD. I don’t even qualify for unemployment since I’ve only worked at NIH for a month. I will be financially and medically devastated.
Seeking suggestions for anywhere that’s hiring!!
Seeking suggestions for anywhere that’s hiring!!
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
We read "Large Concept Models" in our reading group. It models language at the sentence resolution - "concepts". We had lots of thoughts about it! You can read them in our new Janelia CVML blog post:
janelia-cvml.github.io/blog/posts/L...
#ML #AI #Janelia @adjavon.bsky.social @bogovicj.bsky.social
janelia-cvml.github.io/blog/posts/L...
#ML #AI #Janelia @adjavon.bsky.social @bogovicj.bsky.social
Large Concept Models: Language Modeling in a Sentence Representation Space – Janelia CVML
Summary of and thoughts on Meta’s recent paper
janelia-cvml.github.io
February 14, 2025 at 6:35 PM
We read "Large Concept Models" in our reading group. It models language at the sentence resolution - "concepts". We had lots of thoughts about it! You can read them in our new Janelia CVML blog post:
janelia-cvml.github.io/blog/posts/L...
#ML #AI #Janelia @adjavon.bsky.social @bogovicj.bsky.social
janelia-cvml.github.io/blog/posts/L...
#ML #AI #Janelia @adjavon.bsky.social @bogovicj.bsky.social
Reposted by Ling-Qi Zhang
This comment on the NYT site sounds spot-on, and it is why I disagree with my colleagues who say: "We'll know more in a few weeks, let's wait and see how things shake down before we take any action.":
"As someone who grew up under an authoritarian regime, I can offer one crucial piece of advice: ...
"As someone who grew up under an authoritarian regime, I can offer one crucial piece of advice: ...
February 9, 2025 at 7:18 PM
This comment on the NYT site sounds spot-on, and it is why I disagree with my colleagues who say: "We'll know more in a few weeks, let's wait and see how things shake down before we take any action.":
"As someone who grew up under an authoritarian regime, I can offer one crucial piece of advice: ...
"As someone who grew up under an authoritarian regime, I can offer one crucial piece of advice: ...