POSITION: Undergraduate Research Assistant
WEBSITE: www.oregon.edu/neuroai and murraylab.uoregon.edu
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
- DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION through HandShake– your materials will not be forwarded
- See “How to Apply” section below for submission information
RESEARCH, PROJECT, RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT DESCRIPTION
The NeuroAI Center serves as a nexus for research on computational aspects of neuroscience. The Center is an interdisciplinary home for scientists on campus investigating theoretical approaches to brain function, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty.
In our research, we use theoretical and computational approaches to understand the mechanisms by which brains perceive the world, make decisions, and control movement. Some examples of questions that we are interested in are
- How do different parts of the brain work together in order to learn new behaviors?
- What are the principles that enable brains and artificial agents to learn efficiently from experience while minimizing forgetting?
We aim to address such questions using the following approaches: - Developing mathematical models that quantitatively describe populations of neurons and their relationship to behavior.
- Comparing the properties of neural circuits in the brain with those of trained artificial neural networks.
- Applying machine learning-based approaches to analyze data from collaborating labs that perform animal experiments.
Further information about our group’s research can be found at murraylab.uoregon.edu.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION DUTIES
The student will be given a research project and will be co-supervised by the PI and a graduate student or postdoc. The student’s project will likely focus on analyzing data from neuroscience experiments. If the student exhibits sufficient progress and motivation, then extending the project in other directions involving mathematical modeling or artificial neural networks may also be possible.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
The student should be a major in a quantitative field (Data Science, Math, Computer Science, etc.) and should have coding proficiency (ideally in Python*) and be eager to learn about neuroscience. *Please note courses on Python and other programming languages are offered to students through the UO Libraries Data Services department for free to students.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
Students who are in their first two years at UO and who are planning to write an honors thesis are especially welcome. If you are a Pell Grant recipient or first-generation college student, please mention it in your application.
SCHEDULING INFORMATION
Learning to do scientific research effectively requires a significant time investment. The student should plan to spend at least 8 hours per week on research during the academic year, including attending lab meetings each week, and 20-40 hours per week during the summer. Since most of the work will be done independently by the student, the timing of the work hours is flexible.
HOW TO APPLY & WHAT TO INCLUDE
DO NOT submit your application through HandShake. Include materials below and email the following to Professor James Murray at jmurray9@uoregon.edu
- Please send your resume and a statement of interest that includes the following information:
- The statement of interest can be included in the body of your introductory email
- Summarize what interests you have about working in a lab space (100 words or less)
- Explain how your prior experiences in work, life, or school have helped you learn new skills (150 words or less)
- Attach your resume to the email in PDF format
PLEASE NOTE: The posted expiration date that is noted is for job viewing only. Applications will be reviewed on a first come, first serve basis. Please DO NOT wait until close to, or on the expiration date to apply.
For any additional resources on resume and cover letter development, visit the UO Career Center website at: https://career.uoregon.edu/resumes You are also welcome to visit the Undergraduate Research and Distinguished Scholarships drop-in hours for any additional guidance needed.