Aarhus University, The School of Culture and Society
Postdoc – Mechanisms of Madness: Computationally (De)constructing Delusions
Institution Type: | College / University |
Location: | Denmark |
Position: | Post-Doctoral Fellow |
Place of employment: Nobelparken, Jens Chr. Skous Vej, 8000 Aarhus C.There will be a further open call in the project for a two-year post.doc. from 1 September- 31 August 2025.
The university is keen for its staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their personal background.
Members of the academic staff at the School of Culture and Society are expected to contribute to a vibrant, enjoyable and friendly work environment. We emphasise the importance of active participation in the daily life of the department.
The position
The successful applicant is expected to work on theory development and mathematical modelling, computer programming, and manuscript drafting related to the project’s main theoretical research aim: developing artificially intelligent agents which navigate environments whose ambiguities can be resolved in realistic as well as in delusional ways. Tasks also include:Software development and maintenance
- Data management and analysis
- Training student helpers
- Establishing collaborations with other research groups.
Qualifications
Applicants are expected to document the following qualifications:- Doctoral degree in cognitive science, computer science, mathematics, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline
- Expertise in computational modelling
- Proficiency in computer programming using Julia, Python, R, and Matlab
- Familiarity with the field of computational psychiatry
- Experience in data preprocessing
- Literacy in data management and data analysis
- A professional level of English (spoken and written)
- Excellent attention to detail
- A methodological and structured approach to work and good organisational skills
- Good time-management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
- Good interpersonal and collaborative skills
The application must be uploaded in English.
Please note that applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum five) will not be considered.
Although the Aarhus University application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, please do not include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.
Work environment
Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. In order to maintain and develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.
Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU.
International applicants
International applicants are encouraged to read about the attractive working conditions and other benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a wide variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.Further information
For more information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Chris Mathys (chmathys@cas.au.dk).
For more information about applications, please contact HR supporter Gerd Cecilie Bech Thomsen (gebeth@au.dk).
About the project
Delusions are an unsolved problem in the mathematical modelling of mental processes. They are defined as false beliefs that are held with absolute conviction and cannot be changed by countervailing evidence. They are particularly difficult to describe formally (i.e., mathematically) because of the tension between the emergence and the maintenance of delusions. While the emergence of a false belief requires jumping to conclusions (being too quick to believe), the maintenance of the same belief requires stubbornly rejecting to form new conclusions (being too slow to believe).The project Mechanisms of Madness (MoM) makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) to (de)construct architectures of delusional thinking by constructing artificially intelligent agents capable of the same kind of aberrant ‘thinking’ we see in delusional humans.
Mechanisms of Madness builds on a mathematical framework for the study of delusions recently developed in our group. Crucially, this allows artificially intelligent agents to be tuned to produce delusional patterns of aberrant inferences. While this is a step forward, the framework needs to be fleshed out with models that can be used to simulate AI agents negotiating challenging, realistic environments.
In particular, the project will
- Develop artificial environments whose structure needs to be learned by engaging with them in order to resolve ambiguities. Critically, these ambiguities can be resolved in appropriate and realistic ways, reflecting the true structure, as well as in delusional ways.
- Develop AI agents negotiating these environments, who – depending on how they are tuned – develop realistic or delusional beliefs.
- Let human participants navigate the same environments and describe their behaviour in terms of a corresponding AI agent with a particular parameter setting. This parameter setting can be seen as a kind of ‘delusionality fingerprint’.
Qualification requirements
Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualifications.Formalities
Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).- Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
- Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities .
- Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
- The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a complete list of published works, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than five examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.
If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. Application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts: shortlistingFaculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts is one of five main academic areas at Aarhus University.The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.
With its 550 academic staff members, 275 PhD students, 9,500 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.
The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society and the Danish School of Education. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.
The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.
Read more at arts.au.dk/en
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.
Aarhus University
Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,000 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 885 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/Contact: |
For more information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Chris Mathys (chmathys@cas.au.dk). |
Website: | https://interactingminds.au.dk/ |
Primary Category: | Humanities |
Secondary Categories: | Digital Humanities Social Sciences Sociology |
Posting Date: | 05/17/2022 |
Closing Date | 06/13/2022 |