Salk professor Terrence Sejnowski receives IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Award

July 26, 2012

Salk professor Terrence Sejnowski receives IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Award

July 26, 2012

LA JOLLA, CA—The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity, has awarded 特伦斯·塞津诺维奇, professor and head of the Salk Institute’s Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, the 2013 IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Award.

Sejnowski was selected for the honor in recognition of his outstanding contributions to computational neuroscience. A leader in the field, his trailblazing work helped spark the neural networks revolution in computing in the 1980s. He is also recognized for his important contributions to artificial and real neural network algorithms and applying signal processing models to neuroscience.

“Terry’s seminal research in computational neurobiology epitomizes the Salk’s legacy of groundbreaking discovery and innovation,” said William R. Brody, President, Salk Institute. “The IEEE Award is further recognition of his exceptional scientific accomplishments, and we congratulate him on this well deserved honor.”

A physicist by early training and a pioneer in using computers to understand brain function, Sejnowski models how the interaction of groups of neurons is able to produce complex behavior, and he has also used this understanding to develop particular computer algorithms – called artificial neural networks – that are able to solve practical engineering problems including methods to reduce background noise in cellphone conversations and headphones. Sejnowski has focused his recent research on how the brain is capable of learning and storing memories, exploring the brain mechanisms responsible for triggering plasticity at synapses between neurons. His research may also provide critical clues to how memories are consolidated during sleep states.

The IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Award is named in honor of Frank Rosenblatt, who is widely regarded as one of the founders of neural networks. His work influenced and anticipated many modern neural network approaches. For nearly a century, the IEEE Awards Program has paid tribute to technical professionals whose exceptional achievements and research have made a lasting impact on technology, society and the engineering profession. The award is given for contributions to the advancement of the design, practice, techniques or theory in biologically and linguistically motivated computational paradigms.

The recipient of multiple awards and honors, Sejnowski is also one of only ten living individuals to have been elected to all three branches of the National Academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Academy of Engineering.

关于索尔克生物研究所：
索尔克生物研究所是世界顶尖的基础研究机构之一，其国际知名的教职人员在一个独特、协作和富有创造性的环境中，深入探究生命科学的基本问题。索尔克科学家们致力于发现和指导未来几代研究人员，通过研究神经科学、遗传学、细胞和植物生物学以及相关学科，在癌症、衰老、阿尔茨海默氏症、糖尿病和传染病的认识方面做出了开创性的贡献。.

学院取得了许多成就，获得了包括诺贝尔奖和美国国家科学院院士在内的无数荣誉。该研究所由脊髓灰质炎疫苗先驱 Jonas Salk 博士于 1960 年创立，是一家独立的非营利组织和建筑地标。.