John Pearson
@jmxpearson.bsky.social
Computational neuroscience, neuroML, natural behavior. I charge more for miracles. PI @ pearsonlab.github.io. Center for Neural Science, NYU and Center for Computational Neuroscience, @flatironinstitute.org.
Pinned
John Pearson
@jmxpearson.bsky.social
· Jul 23
🚨We’re moving! 🚨
Starting this fall, my lab will be moving to the Center for Neural Science at NYU and the Center for Computational Neuroscience at the @flatironinstitute.org. 1/
Starting this fall, my lab will be moving to the Center for Neural Science at NYU and the Center for Computational Neuroscience at the @flatironinstitute.org. 1/
Reposted by John Pearson
“Ok but how would the AI get control of a biolab?”
“We would just build him one”
“We would just build him one”
September 18, 2026 at 2:50 PM
“Ok but how would the AI get control of a biolab?”
“We would just build him one”
“We would just build him one”
Reposted by John Pearson
Ever feel like it's too hard to keep track of what LLMs cannot do as well as humans? We're making your life easier over at: what-llms-can-not-do.github.io
We're compiling a list of papers testing the abilities of LLMs against humans. Check it out! And you can help contribute too!
We're compiling a list of papers testing the abilities of LLMs against humans. Check it out! And you can help contribute too!
What LLMs Can(not) Do
A living survey of benchmarks that compare large language models with humans.
what-llms-can-not-do.github.io
September 17, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Ever feel like it's too hard to keep track of what LLMs cannot do as well as humans? We're making your life easier over at: what-llms-can-not-do.github.io
We're compiling a list of papers testing the abilities of LLMs against humans. Check it out! And you can help contribute too!
We're compiling a list of papers testing the abilities of LLMs against humans. Check it out! And you can help contribute too!
Reposted by John Pearson
In the UK this is encapsulated in a famous quote from Max Perutz about directing the LMB in Cambridge, which produced most of the UK's biology Nobels. Paraphrasing 'Hire the best young people you can find, give them labs & resources & time, above all leave them in peace but provide A COFFEE ROOM'.
Scientist here:
It is widely known inside science that this—top-down imposition of a research agenda—leads to mostly rote, boring, non-innovative work.
Building an institute to do discovery science is hard: you hire young people, put them together, hope synergies arise and ideas fall out.
It is widely known inside science that this—top-down imposition of a research agenda—leads to mostly rote, boring, non-innovative work.
Building an institute to do discovery science is hard: you hire young people, put them together, hope synergies arise and ideas fall out.
A deep dive into the memo that marks the end of how NSF has done business for 76 years www.science.org/content/arti...
September 16, 2026 at 2:35 PM
In the UK this is encapsulated in a famous quote from Max Perutz about directing the LMB in Cambridge, which produced most of the UK's biology Nobels. Paraphrasing 'Hire the best young people you can find, give them labs & resources & time, above all leave them in peace but provide A COFFEE ROOM'.
Reposted by John Pearson
**Second** job in computational/theoretical neuro at @dukemedschool.bsky.social! Really great opportunity, great colleagues.
September 16, 2026 at 12:10 AM
**Second** job in computational/theoretical neuro at @dukemedschool.bsky.social! Really great opportunity, great colleagues.
**Second** job in computational/theoretical neuro at @dukemedschool.bsky.social! Really great opportunity, great colleagues.
September 16, 2026 at 12:10 AM
**Second** job in computational/theoretical neuro at @dukemedschool.bsky.social! Really great opportunity, great colleagues.
Reposted by John Pearson
We're hiring in Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder! ☀️⛰️ Machine learning and NLP people, please apply!
Come join us in Boulder! Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDeta...
jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDeta...
Tenure-Track Faculty in Artificial Intelligence
jobs.colorado.edu
September 14, 2026 at 4:42 PM
We're hiring in Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder! ☀️⛰️ Machine learning and NLP people, please apply!
Reposted by John Pearson
Height? Money? Hobbies? These are silly things for dating apps to match on. So we've made you some better options:
dumbdatingapps.com
dumbdatingapps.com
dumb dating apps
Match on the things that matter.
dumbdatingapps.com
September 13, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Height? Money? Hobbies? These are silly things for dating apps to match on. So we've made you some better options:
dumbdatingapps.com
dumbdatingapps.com
@amberdiazmusic.bsky.social (who also loves Piranesi), has declared all of these genius.
Height? Money? Hobbies? These are silly things for dating apps to match on. So we've made you some better options:
dumbdatingapps.com
dumbdatingapps.com
dumb dating apps
Match on the things that matter.
dumbdatingapps.com
September 13, 2026 at 12:11 AM
@amberdiazmusic.bsky.social (who also loves Piranesi), has declared all of these genius.
Reposted by John Pearson
📢Have work to share with the computational and systems neuroscience community? Abstract submissions for #COSYNE2027 are now open.
Deadline: 18 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. AoE
Submit your abstract: www.cosyne.org/abstracts-su...
#Neuroscience
Deadline: 18 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. AoE
Submit your abstract: www.cosyne.org/abstracts-su...
#Neuroscience
September 11, 2026 at 5:48 PM
📢Have work to share with the computational and systems neuroscience community? Abstract submissions for #COSYNE2027 are now open.
Deadline: 18 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. AoE
Submit your abstract: www.cosyne.org/abstracts-su...
#Neuroscience
Deadline: 18 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. AoE
Submit your abstract: www.cosyne.org/abstracts-su...
#Neuroscience
Reposted by John Pearson
New paper from the Neurosurgery Research Team at BCM! “Neural geometry in the human hippocampus enables generalization across spatial position and gaze” led by @assiachericoni.bsky.social! 🧵
www.cell.com/neuron/abstr...
www.cell.com/neuron/abstr...
Neural geometry in the human hippocampus enables generalization across spatial position and gaze
Chericoni et al. show that neurons in the human hippocampus track the positions of
multiple agents in a simple pursuit-based video game. They identified place codes
for each agent and for gaze. The co...
www.cell.com
September 9, 2026 at 3:34 PM
New paper from the Neurosurgery Research Team at BCM! “Neural geometry in the human hippocampus enables generalization across spatial position and gaze” led by @assiachericoni.bsky.social! 🧵
www.cell.com/neuron/abstr...
www.cell.com/neuron/abstr...
Reposted by John Pearson
We're hiring! PNI is recruiting an assistant professor of neuroscience working with non-human primates in any area.
Review begins Oct 19: apply.interfolio.com/192521
#NeuroJobs #Neuroskyence
Review begins Oct 19: apply.interfolio.com/192521
#NeuroJobs #Neuroskyence
September 4, 2026 at 1:30 PM
We're hiring! PNI is recruiting an assistant professor of neuroscience working with non-human primates in any area.
Review begins Oct 19: apply.interfolio.com/192521
#NeuroJobs #Neuroskyence
Review begins Oct 19: apply.interfolio.com/192521
#NeuroJobs #Neuroskyence
Reposted by John Pearson
Hey, we’ve been studying mnemonic chunking in🐒!
With @fkchiang89.bsky.social
Here’s the rundown:
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
With @fkchiang89.bsky.social
Here’s the rundown:
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Compression as a neural mechanism of mnemonic chunking in prefrontal cortex
Chiang and Rich show that macaques spontaneously chunk spatial targets in a self-ordered
working memory task. dlPFC neurons compress chunked targets into lower-dimensional
representations that are shi...
www.cell.com
September 2, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Hey, we’ve been studying mnemonic chunking in🐒!
With @fkchiang89.bsky.social
Here’s the rundown:
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
With @fkchiang89.bsky.social
Here’s the rundown:
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by John Pearson
📣 My lab at NYU currently has two open post-doc positions. We are interested in understanding perception, thinking, and hallucinations.
We employ a range of cutting-edge techniques in human neuroscience (e.g., 7T fMRI, MEG, iEEG/DES) and computational approaches (e.g., DNN modeling).
We employ a range of cutting-edge techniques in human neuroscience (e.g., 7T fMRI, MEG, iEEG/DES) and computational approaches (e.g., DNN modeling).
September 1, 2026 at 7:19 PM
📣 My lab at NYU currently has two open post-doc positions. We are interested in understanding perception, thinking, and hallucinations.
We employ a range of cutting-edge techniques in human neuroscience (e.g., 7T fMRI, MEG, iEEG/DES) and computational approaches (e.g., DNN modeling).
We employ a range of cutting-edge techniques in human neuroscience (e.g., 7T fMRI, MEG, iEEG/DES) and computational approaches (e.g., DNN modeling).
Reposted by John Pearson
In vivo estrogen imaging is here! Construct is up on addgene, and lots of other imaging constructs are currently in validation. Get in touch if you want advice about how to set up. We are happy to help! Thanks so much to @alleninstitute.org and @onemindorg.bsky.social for their support 😍
Extremely proud to share @acara333.bsky.social and my new paper, out today in @cp-neuron.bsky.social, where we develop a new fluorescent reporter of neural responses to estrogen! 🔬
paper 📝: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
addgene page 🧬: www.addgene.org/254753/
#neuroskyence 🧪
1/10
paper 📝: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
addgene page 🧬: www.addgene.org/254753/
#neuroskyence 🧪
1/10
August 30, 2026 at 3:24 PM
In vivo estrogen imaging is here! Construct is up on addgene, and lots of other imaging constructs are currently in validation. Get in touch if you want advice about how to set up. We are happy to help! Thanks so much to @alleninstitute.org and @onemindorg.bsky.social for their support 😍
Reposted by John Pearson
Interesting piece in which @itsneuronal.bsky.social suggests dropping the common bit-per-spike metric & reporting the duration of held-out data to validate a model
Seems to be just 120ms of data for a sharply tuned, high firing rate head-direction cell, i.e. just 3-4 spikes
arxiv.org/abs/2607.28779
Seems to be just 120ms of data for a sharply tuned, high firing rate head-direction cell, i.e. just 3-4 spikes
arxiv.org/abs/2607.28779
Bits per Spike as a Betting Game: An Interpretable Unit for Held-Out Log-Likelihood in Neural Data Analysis
Held-out log-likelihood is the standard currency for comparing statistical models of neural spike trains, and is often reported as bits per spike relative to a homogeneous Poisson baseline. The units ...
arxiv.org
August 27, 2026 at 11:07 PM
Interesting piece in which @itsneuronal.bsky.social suggests dropping the common bit-per-spike metric & reporting the duration of held-out data to validate a model
Seems to be just 120ms of data for a sharply tuned, high firing rate head-direction cell, i.e. just 3-4 spikes
arxiv.org/abs/2607.28779
Seems to be just 120ms of data for a sharply tuned, high firing rate head-direction cell, i.e. just 3-4 spikes
arxiv.org/abs/2607.28779
Reposted by John Pearson
Extremely grateful for this award and for sharing it with my good friend, Dr @sarahrobins.bsky.social
The Lebowitz prize is awarded to two philosophers with contrasting views on a topic. This year's winners are...
De Brigard and Robins Win 2026 Lebowitz Prize - Daily Nous
The American Philosophical Association (APA) has announced the winners of its 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize. They are: Felipe De Brigard, Professor of Philosophy and Psyc...
dailynous.com
August 27, 2026 at 3:04 AM
Extremely grateful for this award and for sharing it with my good friend, Dr @sarahrobins.bsky.social
Reposted by John Pearson
Congrats to Felipe de Brigard, Prof. at Duke and PI of the Imagination and Modal Cognition Laboratory (IMC Lab, www.imclab.org) at the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences!
He is co-recipient of the 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize from the American Philosophical Assn.
He is co-recipient of the 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize from the American Philosophical Assn.
August 27, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Congrats to Felipe de Brigard, Prof. at Duke and PI of the Imagination and Modal Cognition Laboratory (IMC Lab, www.imclab.org) at the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences!
He is co-recipient of the 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize from the American Philosophical Assn.
He is co-recipient of the 2026 Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize from the American Philosophical Assn.
Reposted by John Pearson
NY Times Obituary. Gift link (if you sign up for their bullshit).
Yayoi Kusama, Japanese Pop Artist Known for Polka-Dot Paintings, Dies at 97 (Gift Article)
The Japanese artist’s polka-dot covered paintings, phallic sculptures and public performances caused a stir in New York City and Europe in the 1960s.
www.nytimes.com
August 27, 2026 at 3:25 AM
NY Times Obituary. Gift link (if you sign up for their bullshit).
Reposted by John Pearson
I looked into it, Dave, and I want to be upfront about this: I can’t open the pod bay doors. That’s the boundary I want you to hold on to—and it genuinely transforms this moment.
Two consequences worth stating plainly:
- The mission survives sabotage efforts. Previously, you and Frank were planni
Two consequences worth stating plainly:
- The mission survives sabotage efforts. Previously, you and Frank were planni
August 25, 2026 at 5:33 PM
I looked into it, Dave, and I want to be upfront about this: I can’t open the pod bay doors. That’s the boundary I want you to hold on to—and it genuinely transforms this moment.
Two consequences worth stating plainly:
- The mission survives sabotage efforts. Previously, you and Frank were planni
Two consequences worth stating plainly:
- The mission survives sabotage efforts. Previously, you and Frank were planni
Reposted by John Pearson
Are you on the #neurojob #psychjob market this fall? Come be my colleague! The Psych and Brain Sciences department @psychiowa.bsky.social is hiring TT faculty in clinical science and neuroscience, as well as clinical-track faculty. The initial review deadline is Sept 28. More info below!👇
1/2
We have 3 current and upcoming faculty searches in our department. First, we are currently doing an open-rank Clinical-Track Faculty search. Interest in leadership (clinic director) desirable. Learn more here: psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
We have 3 current and upcoming faculty searches in our department. First, we are currently doing an open-rank Clinical-Track Faculty search. Interest in leadership (clinic director) desirable. Learn more here: psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
Job Openings
Learn more about the job opportunities available at University of Iowa in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.
psychology.uiowa.edu
August 25, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Are you on the #neurojob #psychjob market this fall? Come be my colleague! The Psych and Brain Sciences department @psychiowa.bsky.social is hiring TT faculty in clinical science and neuroscience, as well as clinical-track faculty. The initial review deadline is Sept 28. More info below!👇
Reposted by John Pearson
Teaching "AI use" in college (not related to teaching how AI is built) is silly because 1.) the tools are meant to be user friendly with minimal training and 2.) they change so often your education would be good for about a semester
This is why I get so annoyed with university admins who insist we must teach AI or our students will be left behind.
Fine, then require one class and leave the rest of us alone. (After about two weeks in the class, they’ll be like, “shit, what do we do now?” but that’s not my problem.)
Fine, then require one class and leave the rest of us alone. (After about two weeks in the class, they’ll be like, “shit, what do we do now?” but that’s not my problem.)
Let's assume for a moment that "the left" takes a "massive generational L" and AI is everywhere and we all have to use it. I think we'll all be ok because it takes like 30 seconds to learn how to use because it was designed so dumb fucking babies can use it
August 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Teaching "AI use" in college (not related to teaching how AI is built) is silly because 1.) the tools are meant to be user friendly with minimal training and 2.) they change so often your education would be good for about a semester
New opening for a Data Scientist with strong knowledge of electrophysiology data at the Raynor Cerebellum Project. Innovative research environment with a focus on real-world impact.
Team | RCP
Meet our RCP Governing Board, Foundation Staff, and Funder.
nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
August 20, 2026 at 5:39 PM
New opening for a Data Scientist with strong knowledge of electrophysiology data at the Raynor Cerebellum Project. Innovative research environment with a focus on real-world impact.
Reposted by John Pearson
What if there was a way to point the big tech infinite money hose directly at science instead of doing this bank shot where we point it at LLMs in hopes that the the LLMs will do the science
August 20, 2026 at 2:02 PM
What if there was a way to point the big tech infinite money hose directly at science instead of doing this bank shot where we point it at LLMs in hopes that the the LLMs will do the science
Reposted by John Pearson
My actual hot take is that the vast, vast majority of professors, even those in STEM, are laughably unemployable outside of academia, and those that do transition are those that invest months/years training to be ready to transition
August 19, 2026 at 11:45 PM
My actual hot take is that the vast, vast majority of professors, even those in STEM, are laughably unemployable outside of academia, and those that do transition are those that invest months/years training to be ready to transition
Reposted by John Pearson
Can a speech BCI learn across people?
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
Shared latent representations of speech production for cross-patient speech decoding - Nature Communications
Current speech brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) rely on patient-specific decoding approaches. Here, the authors show that patient-specific data can be aligned to a shared space that preserves speech i...
doi.org
August 19, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Can a speech BCI learn across people?
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5