I want to understand how we learn motor skill, make decisions, imagine the future, and communicate and collaborate with others. And understanding means I can build machines that can do the same or more. That is why I study reinforcement learning and probabilistic inference, and how they are realized in the brain.
Experience
2011-
Professor, Neural Computation Unit, OIST Graduate University
2011-2014
Vice Provost for Research, OIST Graduate University
2004-2011
Principal Investigator, OIST Initial Research Project
2003-2011
Department Head, ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories
1994-2003
Senior Researcher, Advanced Telecommunication Research Institute International (ATR)
1993-1994
Research Associate, The Salk Institute
1991-1993
Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego
1986-1991
Instructor, Department of Mathematical Engineering and Information Physics, The University of Tokyo
Awards
2019
Outstanding Achievement Award, Asia Pacific Neural Network Society
2019
Academic Award, Japanese Neural Network Society
2018
Donald O. Hebb Award, International Neural Network Society
2013
College of Fellows, International Neural Network Society
2012
Commendation for Science and Technology, Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
2007
Nakaaki Tsukahara Memorial Award, Brain Science Foundation
2007
JSPS Award, Japan Society for Promotion of Science
2022
Age group 1st place, Ayahashi Triathlon, Okinawa Japan
Service
2022
President, Annual Meeting of Japan Neuroscience Society (Neuro2022)
2020-
Co-chair, Data Standards and Sharing Working Group, International Brain Initiative
2017-
Board of Governors, Japan Neuroscience Society (JNS)
2011, 2018
Executive Chair, Annual Conference of Japanese Neural Network Society (JNNS)
2010
Program Chair, Annual Meeting of Japan Neuroscience Society
2009-2011, 2021-
Board of Governors, International Neural Network Society (INNS)
2008-2021
Co-editor in Chief, Neural Networks
2007, 2016
Program Co-chair, International Conference on Neural Information Processing (ICONIP)
