Neural Networking Night is currently organized by Alex Cayco Gajic (LNC2, ENS, PSL), Srdjan Ostojic (LNC2, ENS, PSL), João Barbosa (Institute for Neuromodulation, Cognitive Neuroimaing Lab - The Computational Brain, Neurospin) and Michael Graupner (SPPIN, Université Paris Cité).
It emerged from SysNeuroDrinks or Laboiratoire, which was created by Alex and Michael in the beginning of 2023 as informal, monthly gathering of the Systems and Computational Neuroscience Communities in The Bombardier bar (2 Pl. du Panthéon, 75005 Paris).
SysNeuroDrinks/Laboiratoire was further developped with input from Brice Bathellier, Jean-Baptiste Masson and Srdjan Ostojic to become Neural Networking Night in September 2024. The gathering was extended by a one-hour seminar, forming the scaffolding for more specific scientific discussions that take place informally after the seminars. The event takes place henceforth at Le Piano Vache bar (8 Rue Laplace, 75005 Paris), where we can rent a dedicated room perfectly suited for the seminar. By combining the scientific and social events, we hope to retain seminar attendees to circulate in these informal discussions, thereby having a wider reach on the Île-de-France-based neuroscience network.
In June 2024, Neural Networking Night received financial support from DIM C-BRAINS for the 2024/25 seminar cycle for rental and basic catering.
The main objective Neural Networking Night is to consolidate the network of neuroscience researchers across Île-de-France. We have pinpointed Systems and Computational Neuroscience as focus areas, since researchers in these fields are particularly dispersed across institutions and would benefit from regular interactions. However, all members of the neuroscience community across Île-de-France are welcome to join.
By hosting seminars as small monthly meetings, Neural Networking Night allows for more focused discussions, and facilitates deeper connections and collaborations among attendees. Additionally, it provides a consistent platform for knowledge exchange and networking, ensuring regular engagement and involvement within the community. Furthermore, we will ensure a balance between experimental and theoretical talks in order to encourage more interdisciplinary exchanges.
Neural Networking Night provides a platform for support for early career researchers, providing them the opportunity to give talks and receive feedback in a low-risk, friendly environment, while also being able to interact with well-known PIs from adjacent institutions. Participation is helpful for young PIs who do not yet have significant name recognition to recruit students across Île-de-France institutions.