From: marshall@marshall.cs.unc.edu (Jonathan A. Marshall)
Newsgroups: sci.cognitive,sci.bio,bionet.neuroscience,comp.ai.neural-nets,sci.physics,sci.med.physics
Subject: Behavioral Neurodynamics conference, Radford, VA
Date: 21 Aug 92 17:55:30 GMT
Followup-To: bionet.neuroscience
Distribution: usa


		       1st Appalachian Conference on

			 BEHAVIORAL NEURODYNAMICS:
		 PROCESSING IN BIOLOGICAL NEURAL NETWORKS
				     				     
	       in conjunction with inaugural ceremonies for
	 The Center for Brain Research and Informational Sciences
				     
		   Radford University, Radford, Virginia
			   September 17-20, 1992

The conference program will center on behavioral neurodynamics.  A surge of
interest recently has converged to indicate that methods of quantum field
theory and non-linear dynamics can be applied usefully to the processing of
neuroelectric signals.  Schroedinger equations, Heisenberg matrices and
symmetry groups have been developed and are being implemented in
computational programs to deal with topics such as imaging and object
perception.  Recordings from single units in the visual cortex have been
analyzed in terms of models congruent with these implementations.

Central to the development of behavioral neurodynamics is an understanding
of the Gabor elementary function and related Hermitians such as wavelets.
Gabor constructed his unit (to measure the efficiency of communication
across the Atlantic cable) with the same mathematics used by Heisenberg in
describing the processes of quantum physics.  Gabor therefore called his
unit a quantum of information.  This quantum measures the minimum
uncertainty with which a signal can maintain both its spectral distributed
aspects and its spacetime configuration.  Subsequently, Gabor related his
measure to the measure of effectiveness of a communication devised by
Shannon: the measure of information as a reduction of uncertainty.  In turn,
Shannon related his measure of uncertainty to the thermodynamic concept of
entropy, a measure of the amount of organization of a process.

The Center for Brain Research and Informational Sciences (B.R.A.I.N.S) at
Radford University has taken major steps to implement these fundamental
concepts to the analysis of the three types of neuroelectric signals: those
evoked at the scalp by sensory stimulation; those recorded from ensembles of
single neurons by such stimulation; and the ongoing "background" scalp
recorded brain electrical activity.  The conference is designed to enhance
this capability and help attendees further their own capabilities.

Much remains to be done and the time is ripe for interaction with colleagues
with like interests.  Most important is extension of the current concepts to
include the advances made in nonlinear dynamics.  Despite the currently
popular view, on the basis of our investigations, it is unlikely that the
brain ordinarily operates solely as a chaotic system, deterministic or
otherwise.  A grounding of nonlinear approaches in quantum neurodynamic
inspired information theoretic models such as those discussed above would
therefore be advantageous to both disciplines.  To this end the First
Appalachian Conference on Behavioral Neurodynamics is dedicated.

The conference, co-sponsored by the International Neural Network Society
(INNS), will concentrate on comparing signal processing in biological and
artifactual neural networks.  Subsequent conferences will deal, in depth,
with implementing these techniques in situations demanding attention,
intention and thought.

You are invited to contribute to a poster session if you have results
pertinent to our understanding of processing in biological neural networks
or in relating the concepts of chaos theory to those of quantum field
theory.  Also keep in mind the possibility for contributing to future
Appalachian Conferences.  For contributing to either the current or future
conferences please send a one-page abstract for review.

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PROGRAM OUTLINE


Thursday, September 17, 1992

7-9 p.m.   Reception, Muse Banquet Hall

Friday, September 18, 1992

WELCOMING ADDRESSES

 8:30 a.m. Karl Pribram:  The Issues
 9:00 a.m. Harold Szu:  A Paradigm Shift for Neural Network Theory:
           Collective Behavior of Thousands of Chaotic Elements
 9:30 a.m. Paul Werbos:  Chaotic Solitons, Computation and Quantum Field
           Theory
10:00 a.m. Michael Stadler:  Neurodynamics and Synergetics
10:30 a.m. DEDICATION CEREMONIES FOR THE CENTER FOR BRAIN RESEARCH
11:30 a.m. KEYNOTE ADDRESS:  Sir John Eccles:  How Evolving Dendritic 
           Complexity in the Mammalian Brain Opened it to the World of
           Feeling and Eventually to Self Consciousness

 1:00 p.m. Luncheon

QUANTUM NEURODYNAMICS

 2:00 p.m. Kunio Yasue & Mari Jibu: The Basics of Quantum Brain Dynamics
 3:30 p.m. Robert Dawes:  Introduction to Advances in Quantum Neurodynamics
 5:00 p.m. Walter Schempp:  News Directions

 7:30 p.m. Cocktails
 8:00 p.m. Dinner

Saturday, September 19, 1992

BIOLOGICAL BASES FOR NEURODYNAMICS

 8:30 a.m. Stuart Hameroff: Nanoneurology
10:00 a.m. Adi Bulsara: Models for Neural/Dendritic Coupling
11:30 a.m. Bruce McLennan: Emergent Computation in Neural Networks

 1:00 p.m. Luncheon

 2:00 p.m. Walter Freeman: Dynamics of Processing in Sensory Driven Systems
 3:30 p.m. Barry Richmond: Information Processing in Sensory Driven Neural
           Ensembles
 5:00 p.m. Robert Desimone:  Attention Driven Brain Systems

 7:30 p.m. Cocktails
 8:00 p.m. Dinner

Sunday, September 20, 1992

8:30 a.m.  Tour of the Laboratories

11:30 a.m. Brunch 

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CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Please fill out this form and return it with your registration fee of $75.
Please print.  Make checks payable to Radford University Foundation, Inc.
and send form to B.R.A.I.N.S. Center, Box 6977, Radford University, Radford,
VA 24142 For additional information, call 703-831-6108.

______ $75 check enclosed
Name_____________________________________________________________________
Place of Employment______________________________________________________
Business Address_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Office Phone (    )________________  Home Phone (    )___________________


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOCATION

Radford University is located in the City of Radford, Virginia, in southwest
Virginia near Interstate 81.  Take exit 109 off I-81 into Radford on Route
177 (Tyler Avenue) approximately three miles to the Best Western Radford
Inn, phone 703-639-3000.  Mention the Appalachian Conference and receive
special reduced rates.

For those having reservations at the Hampton Inn, Christainsburg, phone
703-382-2055, take exit 118 off I-81.  Mention the Appalachian Conference
and receive special reduced rates.

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PARTICIPANTS

Keynote Speaker

Sir John Eccles, Nobel Laureate in physiology and medicine in 1963, is a
pioneer in brain research.  He has been the world's leader in exploring
synaptic processes for most of this century.  With noted philosopher Sir
Karl Popper he has worked out an interactionist model of the relationship
between mind and brain, presenting a bold solution to one of the most
fundamental questions concerning the nature of man.  Sir John received his
early training with Sir Charles Sherrington at Oxford University.  He went
on to professorial appointments at the University of New Zealand and to head
the physiology department at the National University of Australia in
Canberra.

Conference Speakers

Adi Bulsara, Ph.D., Naval Research and Development, San Diego, CA.

Robert Dawes, Ph.D., President and principal scientist, Martingale
                     Research, Allen, Texas; Adjunct associate professor,
                     Center for Networks Neuroscience, University of 
                     North Texas; Adjunct assistant professor, department
                     of human development, University of Texas at Dallas.

Robert Desimone, Ph.D., research psychologist, division of neuropsychology,
                        National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md.

Walter Freeman, M.D., professor of neurobiology, University of California,
                      Berkeley.

Stuart Hameroff, Ph.D., professor of anesthesiology, University of Arizona.

Mari Jibu, Ph.D., candidate in anesthesiology, Okayama University Medical
                  School; research associate, Research Institute for 
                  Informatics and Science, Notre Dame Seishin University,
                  Japan.

Bruce McLennan, Ph.D. associate professor of computer science, University
                       of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.

Barry Richmond, M.D.  medical research officer, National Institute of 
                      Mental Health, Bethesda, MD.

Walter Schempp, professor, Lehrstuhl Fur Mathematik, Universitat Siegen,
                Siegen, Germany.

Michael Stadler, Ph.D., professor, Institute for Cognitive Psychology, 
                        Universitat Bremen, Bremen, Germany.

Harold Szu, Ph.D., information sciences group leader, mathematics and
                   informational sciences branch, physics division,
                   Naval Surface Warfare Center, Silver Spring, Md.

Paul Werbos, Ph.D., program director, neuro-engineering, National Science
                    Foundation, Washington, D.C., President, International
                    Neural Network Society.

Kunio Yasue, Ph.D., director and head, Research Institute for Informatics
                    and Science, Notre Dame Seishin University, Japan.

CONFERENCE DIRECTOR

Karl H. Pribram, M.D., certified by the Board of Neurological Surgery and 
                       the Board of Medical Psychotherapists, has held
                       appointments in neurology and neurosurgery at the
                       University of Illinois, in surgery at the University
                       of Tennessee, in physiology at Yale University and in 
                       psychology and psychiatry at Stanford University
                       where he received a NIH lifetime research career
                       award.  On becoming professor emeritus after 30
                       years at Stanford, Pribram accepted the appointment
                       of James P. and Anna King University Professor and
                       Eminent Commonwealth Scholar of Virginia at 
                       Radford University.
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