Call for GACs

Submissions of GACs are Closed
Submission Deadline: Friday, March 14, 2025

What are the most exciting challenges in cognitive computational neuroscience and how might we solve them together? CCN will again be promoting Generative Adversarial Collaborations (GACs). The goal of a GAC is to make concrete plans to address important debates in our field -- and then to begin implementing these plans. CCN will prominently host GAC kickoff workshops during the annual meeting.

Please find more information about the GAC project and what we are looking for here.

Application Details

The GAC application should be a single PDF (2-3 pages) that includes the following headings:

• Title: Should clearly communicate the scientific challenge or controversy.
• Short Description: A brief (1 paragraph) summary of the GAC's question, approach, and the organizing team.
• Scientific Question and Background: State the empirical or theoretical question, and describe current evidence to lay the foundation for the question at hand.
• Challenge or controversy: Clearly outline what the contentious issue / open question is in the field and where it stems from.
• Competing hypotheses and proposed approach for resolution: Alternative hypotheses and how to address the question over the coming year or so.
• Concrete outcomes: Outcomes that could be achieved in the next 5-10 years or so, and if possible, a plan to achieve those outcomes.
• Benefit to the community: A statement of how the GAC will benefit the community beyond the scientific knowledge itself, including consideration of relevance to the full CCN community and beyond.
• Team and Roles: A list of a core group (at least 2) of committed collaborators -- both theorists and experimentalists are welcome. Roles for members of this core group should be clearly defined (1-2 sentences for each). This can include: Senior thought leaders in these areas, ideally for advisory positions; Junior group leaders and postdocs who are likely to lead experiments or develop new theory resulting from the GAC process. Please state for each member whether they will commit to attend the GAC kickoff workshop in person, and we ask that individuals not commit unless they are certain they will be able to attend in person.
  
• Plan for the GAC kickoff workshop: Clearly outline how you plan to structure the kickoff workshop (~1:45 h). In addition, propose a "back-up plan" whereby if a member of the team is unable to attend in person due to unforeseen circumstances, the team is committed to replacing that individual with someone who can discuss the same topic, and whose inclusion does not impact the quality of the panel or skew the diversity of the group.
  
• Commitment. Statements of commitment to broader GAC process by each core member of the team.
• References: Can exceed the 2-3 page limit if necessary

Submission Method

As part of the submission process, you will upload a single PDF file that should not exceed two pages in length. You will need to have the email addresses of all co-applicants that are part of the proposal. By typing their names you confirm that everyone is willingly part of this proposal application, and we will email confirmation to all co-applicants.