Research Associate in Experimental Chemistry and Artificial Neurons- University Of The West Of England Jobs Almondsbury

Overview

Position Title: Research Associate in Experimental Chemistry and Artificial Neurons

Company: University of the West of England

Location: Almondsbury, UK

Job Description

The Unconventional Computing Laboratory (UWE Bristol) was founded by Prof Andy Adamatzky in 2001 as a response to an urgent need to develop computers for the next century. We employ complex dynamics in physical, chemical and biological media to design novel computational techniques, architectures and working prototypes of non-linear media based computers. The research is based on an interdisciplinary cooperation in modelling and experimental verification of novel principles of information processing and analysis in distributed large-scale chemical and physical systems. We apply these novel principles to the design of working prototypes of massively parallel computing devices which intrinsic functions exploit the nontrivial dynamics of nonlinear systems.

Responsibilities:

• We are seeking to appoint a passionate individual to join the Unconventional Computing Laboratory, UWE, Bristol, to participate in the project aimed to hybridise the unconventional computing and organic electronics to design the prototype of a unique micro-scale proto-neuromorphic network of hollow protein microspheres. The network processes information by analogy with ensembles of coupled oscillators. More info is in the paper Adamatzky, A. “Towards proteinoid computers. Hypothesis paper.” Biosystems 208 (2021): 104480.
• As a Research Associate, the job involves laboratory experiments on thermal synthesis of proteins, transformation of thermal proteins into microspheres, assemble/growing of ensembles of microspheres, light and electron microscopy studies of the proteinoid microspheres, analysis of their electrical properties, recording their electrical activity, studying their response to electrical, mechanical, chemical and optical stimulation and implementing reservoir computing with the ensembles of proteinoids.

Requirements:

• An ideal candidate would be an experimental chemist or physicist or material scientist with a PhD or relevant experience. Knowledge of computer science is appreciated but not required.
• Your publication track record should be consistent with your duration of active research life, and our expectations are three high-impact papers from a RA per year.