Brain and Computation

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing will organize three workshops at UC Berkeley as part of the Simons Institute program on The Brain and Computation. The conceptual affinity between the brain and the computer dates back to the mid-20th century, as the pioneering theoreticians of both fields (von Neumann, Turing, McCulloch, Pitts, Barlow) were beginning to leverage their interests in the other field to gain a better understanding of their own. Both fields have exploded in the past decades in terms of new knowledge, methodology, and prestige. But as they have become more technical and sophisticated, they have also grown further apart. These workshops aim to rekindle the affinity between these two fields, recognizing the enormous potential for what could be achieved in a unified research effort. They will bring together groups of outstanding researchers in both Brain Science and Theoretical Computer Science to attack some of the most important current problems in Brain Science that particularly require joint scrutiny and collaboration: Representation, Coding, and Computation in Neural Circuits; Targeted Discovery in Brain Data; and Computational Theories of the Brain. Each of the three workshops will bring together a group of outstanding researchers in both Brain Science and Theoretical Computer Science. These workshops will be open to all potential participants, and video recordings of presentations will be distributed to the public for comment and engagement. The organizers will welcome students to attend the workshop, and will actively recruit scientists from a diversity of backgrounds to participate.