Prof. John Rinzel from New York University is giving a seminar on
Oct. 8th at 11 am in room 104 of Science building, before our next
lecture. His lecture is titled
Dynamics of perceptual bistability - like binocular rivalry
With abstract:When visualizing an ambiguous scene (such as the Necker
cube) one may perceive ongoing random alternations between the
possible interpretations. Dynamical models implement competition as
reciprocal inhibition between neuronal populations; dominance
alternates -  while slow negative feedback, adaptation, sets the basic
time scale (seconds) for switching. When adaptation is strong enough
it overcomes dominance and alternations occur intrinsically and
periodically; noise perturbs the regularity.  In a different
framework, attractor-based dynamics, adaptation is weak and switches
are induced by noise operating on a bistable system.  Concepts from
dynamical systems are applied to understand the underlying
mathematical structure.  We find that statistics of the observed
alternations provide constraints that favor an operating range near
the transition zone between the parameter regimes for the two
mechanisms.

You are most welcome to attend this seminar. Prof. Rinzel is also
giving three seminars in Beijing University of Aeronautics before
that, they are:
Lectures at BUAA:  Main BLD 321, Beihang Univ.
1.      Nonlinear Dynamics of Neuronal Systems (10:00 am, Sep. 30, 2008)
2.      Computations of auditory brain stem neurons (10:00 am, Oct. 3, 2008)
3.      Rhythmicity in developing spinal cord (10:00 am, Oct. 6, 2008)

Prof. Rinzel is a mathematician working mostly on nonlinear dynamics
on single neuron or a few neurons.