General Information

Over the past few years, behavior quantification and modeling has experienced an explosion of innovation and discovery largely enabled by application of new machine learning methods. These methods have enabled the quantification of behavior at high temporal and spatial resolution, and in concordance with simultaneous measurement and manipulation of neural and genetic function. However, access to this revolutionary technology is limited primarily due to a lack of adequate resources and training. Democratization of this technology through training of the next generation of scientists is necessary to elevate the field of quantitative behavior. The Short Course on the Application of Machine Learning for Automated Quantification of Behavior will disseminate the theoretical and technical knowledge of this field, and train researchers to apply machine learning methods to behavior quantitation and modeling. Our goal is to build an educational program that fosters productive and interactive dialogue, teaches proper methodology, and provides support structure to nurture and lower the barrier of entry into this nascent field. The course will:

• teach the theoretical basis of machine learning and its applications to quantitative animal behavior analyses
• offer hands-on training in experimental workflow, analysis tools and algorithms
• showcase key biological applications
• foster organic collaborations across disparate fields

Who: This course is appropriate for early career researchers from the fields of neuroscience, genetics, and biomedical research.

Prerequisites: Scripting and programming knowledge is required. If you can write and execute a for loop you are ready for this course.

Where: 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine. Get directions with OpenStreetMap or Google Maps.

When: Oct 12-17, 2025. Add to your Google Calendar.

Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Mac, Linux, or Windows operating system (not a tablet, Chromebook, etc.).

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Schedule

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