Neuroscience is becoming increasingly quantitative and the need for theoreticians interested in collaborating with experimental neuroscientists will only increase in the coming years. In addition to a need for modeling, the kinds of problems which arise in neuroscience applications are mathematically interesting in their own right. For example, much of the theory behind Evans functions was developed in order to study stability of solutions to PDEs arising in the propagation of nerve impulses.

The proposed short course will introduce the participants to basic concepts in cellular and systems neuroscience with an emphasis on the underlying equations and dynamics. Topics will include spatial propagation in single cells, the role of noise, synchronization of oscillatory behavior, network dynamics, and reduction/averaging methods. The toolbox includes singular perturbation, dynamical systems, simulations, and stochastic methods.

Application procedure The IMA New Directions Short Courses will be limited to 25 participants selected by application. All successful applicants will be funded for travel and local expenses. Please see the IMA reimbursement policy for details about airfare.