Editor: Abba Gumel (gumelab@cc.umanitoba.ca)
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CONTENTS

Society News:

1. CAIMS 2008: Call for Early Hotel Reservation

Other News:

2. 2nd Computational Neuroscience Summer School (University of Ottawa)
3. 2008 Summer School on Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases (University of Alberta)
4. PIMS International Graduate Training Center (IGTC) Summer School in Mathematical Biology
(University of British Columbia)
5. CAIMS*SCMAI E-News Information

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Item 1
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CAIMS 2008: Call for Early Hotel Reservation

Due to the Montreal Grand Prix taking place immediately after the Congress and the preliminary
activities linked to it, affordable accommodation is limited to the two venues covered by our
group contract. We strongly recommend completing your hotel reservations as early as possible,
as hotel rates outside the reserved block will be much more expensive (at least double).
To be eligible for the reduced room rates, participants must make their reservations before the
date indicated, quoting the group code. After the deadline, the group rate will no longer apply.
Rates are per room per night and are quoted in Canadian dollars. Reservations must be guaranteed
by a one-night deposit or a major credit card. It is recommended to clarify payment and
cancellation policies when making the reservation, as these vary from hotel to hotel.
Residences de l’UQAM de l’Ouest
2100 rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, QC, H2X 4E1
Tel: 1-514-987-7747, Fax: 1-514-987-0159
Email: delouest-residences@uqam.ca
Web: www.residences-uqam.qc.ca
Group name: Canada-France Congress
Rates start at $41.00 per night
Reservation deadline: April 16
Four Points by Sheraton
The hotel is located approximately five minutes walk from UQAM at 475 Sherbrooke Street West,
Montreal, QC, H3A 2L9
Tel: 1-514-842-3961, Fax: 1-514-842-0945
Web: www.fourpointsmontreal.com
Rates start at $120.00 per night
Reservation deadline: April 30
Reservations can be confirmed by calling the above phone number or emailing Benjamin Magazzinich at
benjamin@fourpointsmontreal.com. Please indicate “Canada-France Congress reservation” in the subject
line, and provide the arrival and departure dates, possible late arrival and room preference (smoking,
non-smoking, bed type). Credit card information must be supplied to confirm your reservation.
Child Care
The hotel does not offer in-house child care; the Front desk or the Concierge will assist in finding
child care providers nearby. Advance research and arrangements are recommended.

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Item 2
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2nd COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE SUMMER SCHOOL
CENTER FOR NEURAL DYNAMICS
UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

JUNE 8-20, 2008

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT

We are pleased to announce the 2nd Summer School in Computational
Neuroscience, which will be held from Sunday June 8, 2008 until Friday
June 20, 2008 inclusively. It is organized by the Center for Neural
Dynamics at the University of Ottawa. The course is directed at graduate
students and postdoctoral fellows from the physical sciences (e.g.
physics, applied mathematics, engineering, computer science) and the life
sciences (e.g. neuroscience, biology, physiology, human kinetics) who wish
to develop their skills in neural data analysis and in mathematical
modeling of neural activity. The topics will range from cellular to
systems neuroscience, with a focus on sensory and motor systems. The
course will consist of 3 hours of lectures in the mornings, followed by
3-hour MATLAB-based computer laboratories in the afternoons. Participants
will pair up for these laboratories, and an effort will be made to pair
someone from the life sciences with someone from the physical sciences.
All classes and laboratories will be held on the main downtown campus of
the University of Ottawa. The School will be held in English, although
many of the lecturers also speak French. The course can be taken for
credit, since it is a University of Ottawa three-credit graduate course
(NSC8104). The mark will be based on work done in the computer
laboratories and on the completion and presentation of a research project
bv the end of the course. The first day of the school (Sunday June 8th)
will be a mathematics refresher open to all participants, which will
include some introduction to differential equations. Enrollment in the
course will be limited to 40 participants.

MATH PRE-REQUISITES: Calculus I and II, first-year university level Linear
Algebra and Probability and Statistics.

LIFE SCIENCES PRE-REQUISITES: first-year university level life science
courses for students in the physical sciences.

FACULTY
Prof. Ramesh Balasubramaniam, School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa
Prof. Maurice Chacron, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, Dept. Physiology,
McGill
Prof. Victor LeBlanc, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Ottawa
Prof. John Lewis, Biology, University of Ottawa
Prof. Tim Lewis, Mathematics, University of California at Davis
Prof. Andre Longtin, Physics, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University
of Ottawa
Prof. Len Maler, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa

TUITION see the application form at:
http://www.neurodynamic.uottawa.ca/summer.html

ACCOMMODATION Accommodation will be available at the New Residence of the
University of Ottawa, a few minutes walk away from the Biosciences
Complex, cafeterias and downtown Ottawa with its restaurants, museums
etc… Accommodation consists of a single room with a double bed, with two
such rooms per apartment. Each apartment has a living room, kitchen and
bathroom. The cost is approximately $50 CAN per night per person, taxes
included. It is unlikely that we will be able to give discounts to
students who will not be attending the full school, as the accommodation
fees are based on sharing a two-bedroom apartment in the New Residence.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT Partial financial support is available for those
demonstrating the need.

IMPORTANT DATES
February 15th, 2008: Application, including a letter of recommendation
sent to compneuro08@uottawa.ca
March 1st, 2008: Notification of acceptance and level of financial support.
April 1st, 2008: Notification of acceptance by the participant.
Accommodation: as soon as possible after notification of acceptance,
participants can reserve their accommodation online at reserve@uottawa.ca
or by phoning 1-888-564-4545.

REGISTER AT: www.neurodynamic.uottawa.ca/summer.html

CONTACT US: compneuro08@uottawa.ca

SYLLABUS
1) Introduction to Linear and Nonlinear Dynamical Systems -solutions of
linear differential equations -qualitative analysis of nonlinear
differential equations
2) Single Neuron Models -ionic models -simplified deterministic models
-stochastic models
3) Neural Spike Train Analysis and Modeling -basic statistics
-autocorrelation, spectrum -information theory toolbox
4) Sensory Coding -artificial and naturalistic stimuli -modeling activity
along the afferent pathways -modeling feedback -population coding and
information theory
5) Computational and Dynamical Approaches to Motor Control -posture
control and equilibrium point approaches -movement adaptation to force
fields -timing and rhythmic movements -computational approaches to
movement pathologies
6) Synaptic Plasticity -short term depression and facilitation -long term
plasticity -implications for information processing
7) Coupled Neurons -gap junction -excitatory and inhibitory synaptic
coupling -effect of coupling on neural population behavior
8) Waves of Activity in Neural Networks -neural field models -traveling
waves -spiral waves

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Item 3
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2008 Summer School on Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases
May 1 – 11, 2008
University of Alberta

Organized by the NCE-MITACS team on mathematical modeling of infectious diseases,
the summer school is aimed to provide effective training for collaborative research
in infectious diseases based on mathematical modeling and qualitative analysis.
The goal is to educate mathematics and statistics students how to address issues
of great importance in disease control and prevention, and to educate public health
students and researchers why and how mathematical and statistical techniques and
tools are useful. It is our hope that the summer school will prepare students who
might wish to work as modelers in a public health environment, and to help public
health researchers and mathematical modelers to learn a language in which they can
communicate with one another.

The scientific program of the summer school consists of a variety of formats:

1. Short Courses. These are two 1.5-hour lectures on the following subjects:
o Mathematical basics
o Statistical methods for data analysis
o Basic epidemiology for infectious diseases
o Deterministic models
o Stochastic models
o Network models
2. Case Studies. These are 1.5-hour lectures that focus on modeling analysis of
specific diseases including
o Pandemic influenza
o West-Nile virus
o HIV/AIDS
o Tuberculosis
3. Public Lectures. These are lectures given by distinguished scientists and mathematical
modelers on broader issues related to mathematical modeling and public health.

4. Group projects. Participants will be working in groups on assigned research projects.
Group projects are an essential part of the summer school. They are designed to provide
participants with hands-on research experience by applying the knowledge they have learned
and working in a collaborative environment.

To participate, please visit the summer school website at:
http://www.math.ualberta.ca/~irl/summer_school.html
and register using the online registration form. Space is limited so early registration is
encouraged. A limited number of scholarships are available to graduate student participants
to partially offset their travel expenses. For more information, please contact the local
organizers: Dr. Michael Li (mli@math.ualberta.ca) and Dr. Sabrina Plitt (S.Plitt@provlab.ab.ca).

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Item 4
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Announcing:

The Pacific Institute for Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) is sponsoring its first International
Graduate Training Center (IGTC) Summer School in Mathematical Biology
May 11 – June 11, 2008 at the University of British Columbia Campus in Vancouver, BC Canada.

Applications are welcomed from graduate students interested in Mathematical Biology: A description
of the course, and registration form are available at:

http://www.pims.math.ca/science/2008/08ssigtcmb/

Eligible students accepted into this program may have part of their local costs covered by PIMS:
Limited on-campus accommodations are being held
for this course, and will be partly subsidized by PIMS.

Kindly alert your students and colleagues to this opportunity.

Sincerely,

Leah Edelstein-Keshet

We are also receiving support for this summer school from MITACS.

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Item 5
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CAIMS*SCMAI E-News Information

CAIMS*SCMAI E-News is distributed electronically several times a year by the Canadian Applied and Industrial
Mathematics Society/Societe Canadienne de Mathematiques Appliquees et Industrielles (https://www.caims.ca/).
Past issues are available on the web at https://www.caims.ca//Society/pub.html

Submissions are welcome and should be sent in plain text format to: Abba Gumel, CAIMS-SCMAI Secretary,
Email: gumelab@cc.umanitoba.ca.

The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the Board or Membership of CAIMS*SCMAI.
The editorial policy of this publication is to encourage the discussion of issues and facilitate the dissemination of
information relevant to Canadian applied and industrial mathematics.

If you wish to have your name removed from the e-mailing list for the CAIMS*SCMAI E-News, please send an email
message to Abba Gumel (gumelab@cc.umanitoba.ca).