[apologies for cross-posting]
Postdoc Modeling the Dynamics of Decision making and its Interplay with Memory
Robots in interactions with humans need to predict their behavior and safely
navigate around them. Such predictions can be especially hard when humans
exhibit sudden shifts in behavior, often under stress and time pressure. For
instance, a pedestrian can decide not to cross the road in front of an
autonomous vehicle but then change their mind. Such sudden choice reversals
could have particularly strong impact in high-stakes scenarios such as
human-robot interactions in traffic. What are the cognitive mechanisms of
humans’ changes-of-mind in dynamic tasks under time pressure? How do our past
experiences affect such decisions? How can we model the ‘stress factor’
mathematically? In this project, your aim will be to 1) develop a neurally
plausible cognitive model to explain changes-of-mind in dynamic decision-making
and its interplay with memory, and 2) collect a large-scale online dataset on
dynamic decision-making to evaluate the model. This proof-of-concept study will
break through the fundamental limitations of the current models and will
establish the basis for real-life applications of neurally plausible
decision-making models.
In this project, you will be able to develop your skills in mathematical
modeling and numerical simulation. You will work at TU Delft in the Faculty of
Mechanical Engineering jointly at the Department of Cognitive Robotics and the
Delft Center for Systems and Control, supervised by Dr. Matin Jafarian and Dr.
Arkady Zgonnikov.
Requirements
* PhD in computational cognitive neuroscience or, alternatively, in applied
mathematics or control engineering with motivated interest in human cognition
* Strong teamwork skills and interest in highly interdisciplinary research
* Affinity with teaching and supervising students
* Solid programming skills
* Proficiency in verbal and written English
* Experience with one or more of the following topics is considered a plus
* dynamical systems
* stochastic differential equations
* decision making
* memory
Conditions of employment
* Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour
Agreement for Dutch Universities (salary indication: € 4.036 - € 5.090 per
month gross). The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package,
discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible
work schedules can be arranged.
* This postdoc position has a fixed-term contract of 12 months.
More details/apply via
https://www.tudelft.nl/over-tu-delft/werken-bij-tu-delft/vacatures/details/?jobId=15583
until January 15, 2024.
Best regards,
Arkady Zgonnikov
Assistant Professor
Human-Robot Interaction Group
Department of Cognitive Robotics
Delft University of Technology
