[CogSci] Two 3-year Marie Skłodowska- Curie PhD positions in London

[Rick Cooper]

*Two 3-year Marie Skłodowska- Curie PhD positions in London*


The* Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development *and* Centre for Cognition,
Computation and Modelling, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck
University of London*, are offering 2 3-year fully funded PhD studentships
to be supervised by Professors Denis Mareschal and Richard Cooper.

The projects are part of the *Mo**bile Technology for Infant
Social-Cognitive Neuroscience (MOTION) Interdisciplinary Training Network
for Innovative Infancy Research*, a European Commission ITN project
exploring infants’ and toddlers’ actions, gaze direction, and brain
activity as they actively explore the world around them. ITNs are
international collaborative research and training networks involving
several University and private sector partners

*Birkbeck University of London is particularly responsible for developing
the following projects*:



*(1) Development of embodied decision-making in toddlers during play: *This
project will use precise kinematic and wireless EMG analyses of reaching
movements to reveal the internal processes of decision-making in infants
and toddlers involved in sharing games in natural settings such as
playgroups. The scientific purpose is to explore how cognitive level
decision models can be linked to motor competition processes during
intentional reaching.



*(2) Computational modelling of goal-directed action selection in
infants:* This
project will combine motion capture and computational techniques to explore
competing theoretical accounts of the development and control of
goal-directed action sequences. The scientific purpose is to extend
existing computational accounts of action selection to incorporate a
mechanism for grouping actions performed over time into functional (i.e.,
goal-directed) sequences, and to evaluate those extensions against
empirical findings.



While the successful candidates will be based at Birkbeck in London, as
part of their training, candidates will have the opportunity to spend
several months at one or two of the other network partners.


The successful candidates will have Masters-level training in Psychology,
Cognitive Science, Cognitive Neuroscience or Computational Modelling. The
ideal candidate will have both empirical testing and computational
modelling experience. However, we recognize the rarity of such a
combination of skills and will consider applicants with strong background
in one area and a willingness and aptitude to learn and develop in the
other area. As the empirical component of the project involves working with
children and/or infants, the successful candidate should have prior
experience of working in child development context, or a demonstrable
interest in developing such skills. Because the projects involve working
with minors, all successful candidates will need to undergo a DBS (police)
check prior to their appointment.

*Important mobility constraints apply:* Successful applicants cannot have
resided in the UK for more than 12 months in the past 36 months. The
position must be taken up no later than October 1st, 2018. Applications
should be submitted through http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/
2018/phd/programmes/RMPPSYCH, clearly stating that they wish to be
considered for the *Marie Skłodowska-Curie PhD positions*. The initial
closing date for the positions will be April 6th, but applications will
continue to be considered until suitable candidates have been appointed.


Further details can be obtained from: http://cbcd.bbk.ac.uk/
research/two-marie-curie-phd-positions. Informal enquiries can be sent to
d.mareschal at bbk.ac.uk or r.cooper at bbk.ac.uk. Procedural enquiries
concerning application to the Department of Psychological Sciences PhD
programme should be directed to Ida Akhtar (i.akhtar at bbk.ac.uk).



-- 
Rick Cooper, PhD <http://www.bbk.ac.uk/psychology/our-staff/richard-cooper>
Professor of Cognitive Science
Executive Editor, Cognitive Science
<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1551-6709>
Centre for Cognition, Computation and Modelling <http://cccm.bbk.ac.uk/>
Department of Psychological Sciences <http://www.bbk.ac.uk/psychology/>,
Birkbeck, University of London <http://www.bbk.ac.uk/>
Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX
<https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/+London+WC1E/@51.5214099,-0.1324283,17z>
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