In our research group there are vacancies for two postdoctoral research fellows:
1. Postdoctoral Research Position in Spatial Cognition
(minimum of 3 years with possible extension)
Brief description
A large body of information suggests that humans do not maintain full maps of their external world. Maps are rather very sparse and evidence suggests that we extract the important information from the world just on time and only keep track of a few relevant aspects in a scene by means of attentive and memory processes. We aim to explore how humans solve the necessary updating and by which mechanisms they keep track of important aspects and extract the relevant information from the environment. This will be done by a combination of experimental investigations and computational modelling and by integration of the developed modules leading to a human-like neural model of spatial orientation and attention in the context of eye, head and body movements.
2. Postdoctoral Research Position on Decisions in Motion
(minimum of 3 years with possible extension)
Brief description
The natural world continuously presents us with various opportunities for action. Because one cannot perform all possible actions at the same time, there must be mechanisms to reduce the number of potential actions. Such decisions can be based on sensory information and constrained by effector systems (used to determine whether to look, reach or grasp). While there has been considerable progress in understanding the processes of decision making in stationary environments, very little is known about target and effector selection when we are in motion. In this project, we will examine the challenges that subjects face when moving through cluttered environments, selecting targets for actions and thus coordinating eye movements, reaching movements with ego motion.
Facilities and tools to support these projects include a vestibular platform (motion sled), real-time motion tracking systems, eye trackers, and visual display. Two state-of the-art MRI systems, whole-head MEG, and an EEG lab are also available at the Donders Institute.
Preference will be given to candidates with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, or related field, who are highly motivated to conduct challenging interdisciplinary empirical and model-driven research. Experience with psychophysical techniques, strong programming skills and a demonstrable affinity with quantitative data analysis (e.g. Matlab) are highly desirable.
Review of applications will begin immediately and applications will be considered until 1 December 2012. Preferred starting date is February 2013.
More information about both positions can be found at our website:
Potential candidates are very welcome to meet me at the SfN meeting in New Orleans.
Thank you.