Destination Europe

Virginie van Wassenhove, PhDExec Dir, NeuroSpin MEG

Group leader, Brain dynamicsCEA.I2BM.DSV. NeuroSpin

INSERM Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit

WHO AM I?

Cognitive Neuroscientist interested in the dynamic architecture of the brain for the purpose of Human perception and cognition.

multisensory integration supramodal processingtemporal logistics of neural operationstime perceptiontemporal cognitionMagnetoencephalography (MEG)

cell assembly

human braincoronal section

pyramidal cells

EEG

ref

+

-MEG

LFP INPUT

action potentials spikes OUTPUT

BIOSKETCH

2013 Habilitation, UPMC

2012- Group leader, Brain Dynamics . INSERM2008- Executive Director, NeuroSpin MEG . CEA

2005-08 Postdoc . CALTECH . USA2005-06 Postdoc . UCLA . USA2004-05 Postdoc . UCSF . USA

1999-2004 PhD in Neuroscience & Cognitive Sciences, UMCP, USA

1997-98 B.S. Neurophysiology, University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), USApre-97 University Rennes, France…

PROS

FUNDING opportunities- European + Country-level funding- Individual + consortium level funding

Europe? France?

FUNDING . A RESEARCHER’S PATH TO SCIENTIFIC INDEPENDENCE

2009 - 2013 Marie Curie International Reintegration GrantPredictiveNeuroSens . 100k€

2011- 2016 . European Research CouncilJunior Starting Grant MindTime . ~1.5 m€

2010 - 2014 . Agence Nationale pour la RechercheJeunes Chercheurs Jeunes ChercheursBrainTime . ~450 k€

FUNDING . BUILDING MOMENTUM AROUND A RESEARCH GOAL

2013- 2023 – FP7Human Brain Project

Implicates around 90 laboratories across Europe !1 B€

(I’m part of it … starting in 2016)

2010- 2014 Academics and researchers of diverse horizons interested in time

(I’m part of it … Training schools and workshops, allowed the start of several collaborative work! )

PROS

WORK ENVIRONMENT- permanent positions- health and social benefits (Europe is VERY family friendly)- office space can/should have windows!! : )

3 T(humans)

7 T(humans)

11.7 T(humans)

17.7 T(rodents)

MEEG

WORK ENVIRONMENT . NEUROSPIN

NeuroSpin = a very impressive neuroimaging center (MRI: 3T, 7T, 11.5T(!) for humans + 17T for small animals; MEG; EEG; eyetracking; electrophysiology; genetics; etc)

Neuroscience = several neuroscience teams with an additional building being created

Paris-Saclay campus = leading universities are joining forces!http://www.campus-paris-saclay.fr/

- Excellent tracking and communication on funding opportunities

- Exceptional help in handling financial matters once funded

- Permanent positions and promotions

PROS

TEACHING CAN BE OPTIONALINSERM, CNRS, CEA are research institutes not universities.

PROS

EUROPEdensity and diversity of research within small distances!

PROS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

WORK ENVIRONMENT / BENEFITS package

TEACHING CAN BE OPTIONAL

EUROPE

CONS |PROS?

BUREAUCRACY + HIERARCHY

US

France

BUREAUCRACY + HIERARCHY

reflected in affiliations : Exec Dir, NeuroSpin MEG - Group leader, Brain dynamicsCEA.I2BM.DSV. NeuroSpin - INSERM Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit

TRANSLATION

CEA Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives

DSV Direction des Sciences du VivantI2BM Institut d'Imagerie BioMédicaleNeuroSpin

Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche MédicaleCognitive Neuroimaging Unit

… I am also affiliated with Paris XI University but teach at Ecole Normale Supérieure (Paris Descartes, Paris V) and Polytechnique…

CONS |PROS?

WORKING STYLES- less pragmatic- formalities

CONS |PROS?

HABILITATIONnecessary to officially mentor phd students

BUREAUCRACY + HIERARCHY

WORKING STYLES

HABILITATION

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

WORK ENVIRONMENT / BENEFITS package

TEACHING CAN BE OPTIONAL

EUROPE

THANKS ….. & …QUESTIONS?