Sloan-Swartz Centers for Theoretical Neurobiology

The Centers for Theoretical Neurobiology were established at five outstanding U.S. research institutions (Brandeis University, California Institute of Technology, New York University, Salk Institute, and University of California at San Francisco) in 1994 by the Sloan Foundation. The Swartz Foundation joined Sloan as co-sponsor of Sloan-Swartz Program in Theoretical Neurobiology in 2000.

The aim of the Program is to establish an integral role for theory and quantitative approaches in neuroscience research. Theory, a natural part of research programs in many sciences, was substantially absent from neuroscience. Recognizing the value of an integrated theoretical approach, this initiative places both experimentally- and theoretically-trained scientists from physics, mathematics and computer sciences into selected experimental brain research laboratories. In that environment, they become conversant with neuroscience questions and experimental approaches in neurobiology, enabling them to apply their unusual vantage and theoretical skills to cooperative lines of inquiry.

The Centers have attracted strong participants. One measure of this is that important new scientific results are emerging from their research. A short list of successful new research themes includes topics such as gain fields and gain control, neural coding and information theory, natural field analysis, and theoretical analysis of phenomena underlying short-term memory. Senior researchers hosting Fellows in the Sloan/Swartz program place a high value on the work initiated in their laboratories by this new breed of scientists. Graduating Fellows are finding positions in a long list of major university neuroscience departments. This assures the continuing integration of theory as a basic component of neuroscience research, which is a main goal of the program.

In addition to ongoing support for the Centers, the Foundations sponsors annual Summer Meetings of program participants. Each year, a different Center organizes a four-day meeting at its location. Each Center sends a contingent of researchers to present work-in-progress. The meeting schedule provides plenty of time for discussion and interaction. Since the Centers are spread across the country, the meeting provides a major opportunity for the kind of face-to-face scientific interchange that gives rise to new ideas and collaborations.

A popular feature of the Summer Meetings is lecture presentations by well-known "outside" scientists working in areas that resonate with the Program's research themes. The invited lecturers are available to discuss issues with the program participants, and they have the opportunity to get an up-close look at the program and its results.

In addition, the Summer Meeting serves the social function of generating esprit de corps among the Centers, and it gives the Directors of the Centers a chance to meet with each other and with representatives of the Foundations to analyze progress and make plans for the future.

Meetings:

Sloan-Swartz Centers for Theoretical Neurobiology:

 

Saturday, December 7, 2024
About the Swartz Foundation...
 
The Swartz Foundation was established by Jerry Swartz (bio) in 1994 . . .
more>
 
Follow us...
 
The Swartz Foundation is on Twitter: SwartzCompNeuro
more>
 
 
2013 Stony Brook Mind/Brain Lecture - Michael Wigler, PhD
 
 
2012 Stony Brook Mind/Brain Lecture - John Donoghue
 
 
Sloan-Swartz Centers Annual Meeting 2011
 
 
2011 Stony Brook Mind/Brain Lecture - Allison J. Doupe
 
 
2011 Banbury Workshop
 
 
Sloan-Swartz Centers Annual Meeting 2010
 
 
2010 Stony Brook Mind/Brain Lecture
 
 
Sloan-Swartz Centers Annual Meeting 2009
 
 
Conference on Neural Dynamics
 
 
2009 Stony Brook Mind/Brain Lecture
 
 
Canonical Neural Computation, April 2009
 
 
2009 Banbury Workshop
 
 
Sloan-Swartz Centers Annual Meeting 2008
 
 
Theoretical and Experimental Approaches to Auditory and Visual Attention - Banbury 2008
 
 
Stony Brook Mind/Brain 2008: Patricia Smith Churchland, B. Phil. D
 
 
Sloan-Swartz Centers Annual Meeting 2007
 
 
New Frontiers In Studies Of Nonconscious Processing - Banbury 2007
 
 
Stony Brook Mind/Brain 2007: Professor Michael Shadlen, MD, PhD
 
 
Multi-level Brain Modeling Workshop 2006
 
 
Sloan Swartz Centers Annual Meeting 2006
 
 
Banbury 2006: Computational Approaches to Cortical Functions
 
 
Stony Brook Mind/Brain 2006: Helen Fisher -- Lecture Videos
 
 
Sloan-Swartz Centers for Theoretical Neurobiology
 
 
Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience
 
 
Banbury Center Workshop Series
 
 
Other Events
 
www.theswartzfoundation.org                           Copyright © The Swartz Foundation 2024