Site Overview Introduction One of the current fundamental problems in neuroscience is to understand how the activation of large populations of neurons gives rise to the higher order functions of the brain including learning, memory, cognition, perception, action and ultimately conscious awareness. Electrophysiological recordings in behaving animals over the past forty years have revealed considerable information about what the firing patterns of single neurons encode in isolation, but it remains largely a mystery how collections of neurons interact to perform these functions.
At the same time, our understanding of how neuronal ensembles carry information has allowed the development of brain-machine interfaces (BMI) to enhance the capabilities of patients with sensory and motor deficits. Knowledge of how neuronal ensembles encode sensory stimuli has made it possible to develop perceptual BMIs for the hearing and visually impaired. Likewise, research in how neuronal ensembles decode motor intentions has resulted in motor BMIs by which people with severe motor disabilities can control external devices. Conference Mission Statement There are three major goals of the AREADNE Conferences. First and foremost, the meetings are intended to gather global scientific leaders who work on neural ensembles and create a touch-point for a widely disparate and hybrid field. Second, with a spectacular setting on Santorini, the conferences have been carefully planned to foster discussion and interaction between attendees to encourage the establishment of lasting professional relationships. Third, these meetings continue our efforts to promote systems neuroscience in Greece through creating a world-class forum for cutting-edge research. Conference Location and Organization
Submission of Poster Abstracts We anticipate being oversubscribed for 2014 as in previous years, and so strongly encourage anyone who is considering attending the conference to submit a poster abstract. Accepted posters will have a registration reserved for the presenter. Other registration spots will be on a first come first served basis. Registration and Fees
Registration fees cover coffee breaks, hot lunches, a welcoming reception, an evening banquet, and an optional excursion. Attendance will be strictly limited by the capacity of the conference center. Registration is separate from proposal submission. Each accepted poster will have one registration spot reserved for the presenting author that has priority over other registrants. Once registration has filled, a waiting list gets established; at previous meetings, there were only a few people on the waiting list who were eventually offered a registration spot. If the conference is full, on-site registrations will not be accepted. Registration has closed. We have sold out. Refund Policy. In the event you have registered but will be unable to attend, a full refund of the paid registration fees will be given until 28 May 2014, a 50% refund will be given from then until 11 June 2014, and no refund will be given after 11 June 2014. Important Dates
Attendees should plan to arrive in Santorini by 25 June 2014 (or the day before, especially for intercontinental travelers), and depart on or after 30 June 2014. Accommodations Many hotels are available in and around Firá and Firostefani, from inexpensive C class / two-star hotels to luxury A class / four-star caldera-view cave suites. The conference center is located 15 minutes by foot from the center of Firá, and a similar distance from much of Firostefani. We hope that conference attendees, like the organizing committee, will stay in hotels that are walking distance from the Centre. Plan to arrive by Wednesday, 25 June 2014 (or the day before), and depart Monday, 30 June 2014. We suggest booking your hotel room as early as possible. Meals
Breakfasts are typically included in hotel rates, or available with hotel bookings for a nominal charge, and are thus not provided at the conference center. There is a wide selection of nearby restaurants for evening meals, and we anticipate making loosely organized excursions to a different restaurant each evening, except the last when we have the banquet. Restaurant recommendations are available. Activities on the island In addition to sweeping vistas, Santorini boasts excellent nightlife, a respectable wine industry, beaches with white, black, or red sand, excavations of ancient civilizations, and magnificent sunsets. More information can be found in various travel guides, or on the Web. Good places to start are publications like The Lonely Planet and The Rough Guide guides for Greece, and web sites like Greek Travel Santorini, Santorini Island, and Travel to Santorini. We are planning optional guided excursions to the archaeological site of Akrotiri and to Kameni, the volcano island at the center of the caldera. These events may not be able to accommodate everyone. Additional suggested activities are available. Sponsors and Administration We are proud to have received generous financial and in-kind support from ---
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are the sole responsibility of the web site authors and conference contributing delegates, and do not necessarily reflect the official views of any of our sponsoring individuals or institutions. Transportation
Sea passage from Athens to Santorini can be a relaxing experience and is recommended for the awe-inspiring approach to the port at the base of the immense caldera cliffs. Ferries for Santorini leave from the port of Piraeus, approximately one hour's taxi drive away from the Athens airport. Rail and bus transportation are also available from the airport to the ferries but take somewhat longer. There are two broad classes of boats, the canonical, or slow boats, and the fast, or highspeed, boats. Pricing goes according to boat speed and ticket class. Getting around on the island can be done by bus and taxi. Cars and scooters are readily available for hire. The conference center is located in the town of Firá, and is walking distance to many hotels and restaurants, so having a motorized vehicle is not required. More transportation information is available here. Visa Requirements European citizens have free Schengen access to Greece. United States citizens traveling on regular passports (excluding diplomatic and governmental passports) do not require visas for visits shorter than 90 days. Citizens of other countries will need to contact their home governments to determine visa requirements. We are happy to assist with visa letters for registered attendees. Schedule
All attendees should plan a stay that includes arrival Santorini no later than Wednesday, 25 June 2014 (or the day before for intercontinental travelers), and departure no earlier than the following Monday.
Wednesday, 25 June 2014 By long-standing policy we do not release the detailed speaker or poster schedule before the start of the conference. (Why not?) Please note that the Dendrites 2014 meeting starts just after AREADNE 2014, and takes place on the nearby island of Crete. Confirmed Speakers Our speakers include many global luminaries in the field of Computational Neuroscience. We hope that you will enjoy hearing them speak and will participate with them in the after-talk discussions. In alphabetical order by last name, our confirmed speakers are:
Moderators In addition to our expert speakers, we have an august list of session moderators to keep the discussions lively and interesting.
Organizing Committee
The Myth of Ariadne
Theseus, an Athenian hero, journeyed to Crete to slay the Minotaur, a half-bull, half-human creature. King Minos of Crete kept the Minotaur at the center of a large maze he built, known as the Labyrinth. Minos' daughter Ariadne, after whom we've named the conference, gave Theseus a sword and a ball of silk thread, both of which had been given to her by Daedalus, designer of the labyrinth. Theseus tied one end of the thread at the entrance, unwinding the rest as he navigated the Labyrinth, so that after slaying the Minotaur, he could easily escape by following the thread back out. Practical Information We have assembled a body of practical information to guide planning for attending an AREADNE Conference. Et Cetera The language of presentation for AREADNE Conferences is English. To be sent important email announcements about AREADNE 2014, please send a message to the organizers at info@areadne.org, or add yourself to the Google Group for Official AREADNE Announcements. Internet access will be provided at the Nomikos Conference Centre only to a limited extent. This is a conscious decision to encourage attendees to participate in the conference rather than to be distracted by email and the Web. Internet cafes are readily available in Firá for emergencies and extended access. The response from the attendees to all of our previous conferences on this policy was overwhelmingly positive. Certificates of attendance will be issued at the conference, or can be requested after the conference from info@areadne.org. We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions For additional information on other conference-related topics, please contact the Organizing Committee Co-Chairs, Nicholas Hatsopoulos and John Pezaris, at info@areadne.org. Photographs on this site were all taken on Santorini 2005-2012 by John Pezaris (except the satellite view published by NASA), to display the magnificence and austere beauty of the island. Click on any of them to view a larger version (and use the BACK button on your browser to return to the previous page). Images are copyrighted by the artist and are used by The AREADNE Foundation with permission. AREADNE | Email | Search | Archive |
