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News |
Dr. Armen Stepanyants
Dr. Armen Stepanyants joined CIRCS in September 2004. Some of
the recent researches of Dr. Stepanyants are "Class-specific Features
of Neuronal Wiring" and "Power-law for axon diameters at branch
point".
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Postdoctoral Position in Biological
or Condensed Matter Theoretical
Physics
at Northeaster University (NU)
The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Complex Systems (CIRCS)
is looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work in theoretical biological
physics and in quantum computing (QC) applications to condensed
matter systems (see http://www.circs.neu.edu). Present interest
relate to cell biology, computational neurobiology, and QC applications
in nano devices. The position will start on September 2005. Application
and three letters of recommendation should be sent in PDF format
to k.simmons@neu.edu, or by regular mail to "CIRCS postdoctoral
opening", CIRCS and Physics Department, Northeastern University,
360 Huntington Ave. Boston MA 02115, USA. NU is an equal opportunity/affirmative
action employer, and we encourage applications from minority and
women candidates.
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Assistant or Associate Professor
Department of Physics, Northeastern University
The Department of Physics at Northeastern University expects
to make a tenured or tenure-track appointment in experimental
nanophysics to start in September, 2005. The appointment is
expected to be at the senior Assistant or junior Associate
Professor level, but a junior Assistant Professor appointment
is also possible for an exceptionally qualified candidate.
Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated
the ability to lead an outstanding externally funded research
program and excel in the teaching of physics. The University's
broad-based nanotechnology initiative presently includes a
new NSF funded Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center and
a number of new nanoscience facilities within physics, engineering,
and the new interdisciplinary Kostas Center for Nanotechnology
and Nanomanufacturing. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in physics
and postdoctoral experience. Applications received by December
1, 2004 will receive priority consideration.
Applicants should send a C.V., a research plan, a summary
of research accomplishments, and arrange for at least three
letters of recommendation to be sent to:
Faculty Search Committee
Northeastern University, Department of Physics
110 Forsyth Street, Boston, MA 02115
Northeastern University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Title
IX Employer and particularly welcomes applications from minorities,
women and persons with disabilities.
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Welcome! Our CIRCS new members
Donald M. O'Malley,
Associate Professor of Biology
-----My research focuses on reticulospinal neurons--nerve cells that project
from the hindbrain (or brainstem) to the spinal cord. In fishes, this group
of neurons is quite important because it is the major route by which the
brain communicates to the spinal cord and thereby controls locomotor
behaviors. Surprisingly little is known, however, about the functions of
reticulospinal neurons. We are studying these nerve cells in larval zebrafish
because they are relatively few in number (approximately 102 in total) and
because they are accessible to optical recording techniques. So far, we have
discovered that neural activity in one particular group of reticulospinal
neurons is segmentally organized and that a segmental code is used to control
the direction of the fishes' escape behavior. We are now exploring the involvement
of segmental codes in the generation of other behaviors such as navigational or
turning behaviors. Eventually one would like to understand the functioning of the
mammalian hindbrain. But until the larval zebrafish hindbrain, with its 102 reticulospinal
neurons, is understood, the mammalian hindbrain, with its billions of neurons, may
remain an intractable problem.
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Scott A. Hill,
CIRCS Postdoc Fellow
-----Currently I am working in the field of computational neuroscience,
where we try to re-create the behavior of bits of the nervous
system using simple models which we make up.
-----My undergraduate work was in quantum information theory with Bill Wootters at Williams.
We even published a paper together in Physical Review Letters, which is no small feat for an
undergraduate.
-----I am very interested in simulations and simple models, and not nearly as interested in
real-life messy systems.
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