Maria Eckstein

Can LLMs be used to discover interpretable models of human and animal behavior?🤔

Turns out: yes!

Thrilled to share our latest preprint where we used FunSearch to automatically discover symbolic cognitive models of behavior.
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Very pleased to share our recent work, in which we use LLMs for automated discovery of interpretable models of animal behavior 🪰🐀🕵️‍♀️ that take the form of Python programs 🐍

See below for a summary of key results by
@pcastr.bsky.social!

You'll get hands-on implementation experience (programming experience background is helpful, but enthusiasm is key!). If you're an undergrad, grad student, or postdoc interested in AI, cogsci, or neuroscience, this course is for you! 🧠🤖

I am super excited that I'll be teaching at a summer course on the intersection of #AI and #Neuroscience / #CogSci! My session will explore #ReinforcementLearning and #NeuralNetworks, diving into how these tools help us understand biological intelligence.

CCN is taking place in Amsterdam this year! The 8-page paper deadline is on *Feb 17th*, and the 2-page paper deadline is in *April*. Consider submitting your work!

Very cool summer school! Consider applying!

💥 Some POST DOC JOB news 👀... I'm very happy to say that @melgaby.bsky.social, @mattnour.bsky.social, @mariaeckstein.bsky.social and I have been awarded funding from @wellcometrust.bsky.social to look at how planning 📝and mental models of the world 🌍 are affected by psychosis...

Interested in doing a PhD in comp neuro in Edinburgh? I will co-advise a project at the UKRI Artificial Intelligence Centre for Biomedical Innovation, starting Sept 2025: AI-driven investigation of the neural circuit dynamics supporting online motor adaptation
www.ai4biomed.io/research/pro...

To help find people at the intersection of neuroscience and AI. Of course let me know if I missed someone or you’d like to be added 🧪 🧠

#neuroskyence

go.bsky.app/CAfmKQs

A starter pack! Some of my favorite women in neuroscience (sorry if I forgot you, I will add!)

go.bsky.app/SCFmKoC

RLDM will be held next year in Dublin!

A reminder that the call for workshops is out: rldm.org/call-for-wor...

The workshops are one of my favourite parts of the conference :) please get in touch if you have any questions!

Okay the people requested one so here is an attempt at a Computational Cognitive Science starter pack -- with apologies to everyone I've missed! LMK if there's anyone I should add!

go.bsky.app/KDTg6pv

This is a great pack! Could you add me?

Here's a somewhat sparse Dopamine / Basal Ganglia starter pack. Please self-nominate to add! go.bsky.app/B2kViZY

By popular demand, Cognitive Psychology starter pack, part 2!

If you are a professional conducting research in cognitive psych: Comment here if you would like to be added.

If you are just interested in the topic: Open the starter pack and click "follow all" to join the convo!

go.bsky.app/RgVxacV

🙋‍♀️ I would call myself a cognitive psychologist.

Just a heads up to everyone: @deep-mind.bsky.social is unfortunately a fake account and has been reported. Please do not follow it nor repost anything from it.

Student Grant Competition Submissions for the APS Student Grant Competition are now open. Submit by December 16 for "seed grant" funding to support your research in its development stages!

APS student affiliates: The APS Student Grant Competition is OPEN and provides small “seed grant” #funding to support research in its initial development stages.

The Deadline to submit is December 16 - apply today!

For the Blueskyers interested in #NeuroAI 🧠🤖,
I created a starter pack! Please comment on this if you are not on the list and working in this field 🙂

go.bsky.app/CscFTAr

I can't find African Scientists and researchers easily on here. As the second largest continent with 1.3 billion inhabitants our perspectives matter. I'm creating a starterpack to find folks, follow them and amplify them. If you are an African Scientist let me know below so I can add you. Thanks.

Yes, please :)