Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Summer School
CNeuro2026 Teaching Assistants
Bin Wang
Columbia University, New York, USA
I am currently a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University. I received my Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, San Diego in 2023, and my bachelor’s degree in Integrated Science from Peking University in 2018. I am interested in neural representations and circuit mechanisms that support learned behavior. In particular, I hope to understand how neural circuits across multiple brain regions construct internal models of the world from experience and flexibly deploy them in novel situations.
My connection to CNeuro dates back to the last summer of my undergraduate studies in 2018, when I joined CNeuro2018, the first CNeuro Summer School, as an auditor. That was my first real exposure to using mathematical models to understand neural systems, brain function, and cognition. The experience deeply influenced me and helped shape my decision to pursue computational neuroscience research during my Ph.D. and now as a postdoctoral researcher. I am very excited to return to CNeuro as a TA and participant this year, to continue enjoying fruitful discussions with students and faculty, and to share my perspective on the field from the vantage point of a postdoc.
Junjie Huang
University of Basel, Switzerland
I am a PhD student in the Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Group at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), supervised by Rava Azeredo da Silveira. Before starting my PhD, I earned my B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics at Tsinghua University, where I conducted undergraduate research in the Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence under the supervision of Sen Song. My research focuses on how functional computations emerge from neural circuits, with a particular interest in learning, memory, and spatial navigation. Currently, I am investigating how the head-direction system learns from and integrates visual landmarks.
CNeuro has been an important part of my academic journey. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to experience the program from different perspectives: first as an auditor, later as a participant, and more recently as a teaching assistant. These different roles have given me a rich and rewarding experience of CNeuro, from being inspired by exceptional lectures to engaging in lively discussions, collaborative learning, and vibrant interactions with students. I am delighted to be back as a TA for CNeuro 2026. This year’s theme, exploring the connections between natural and artificial intelligence, is especially exciting to me. I look forward to communicating with people from both communities at CNeuro, exchanging ideas from different perspectives, and engaging in stimulating discussions and collaborations in Beijing.
Ruilin Zhang
Peking University in Beijing, China
Hello everyone, this is Ruilin Zhang. I am a PhD candidate at Peking University, where I obtained my BS in Integrated Science. I am currently investigating the dynamics of complex systems and diffusion-based methods for generating parameters of neuronal models and networks. I also study the neural mechanisms underlying the multi-scale generation of cuttlefish skin patterns using experimental data.
Having participated in CNeuro as both a student and a teaching assistant, I have been continually inspired by the opportunity to acquire new knowledge, engage in lively discussions, and connect with people from diverse backgrounds each year. Building our community on shared curiosity and enthusiasm has been a truly rewarding journey. I look forward to meeting you at Tsinghua this year.
Rafael Jacobsen
Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
My name is Rafael Jacobsen and I'm a fourth-year Harvard undergraduate concentrating in Physics and Computational Neuroscience. I have been working on the neuroscience behind C. elegans thermotaxis for three years and have done both experimental work with Aravinthan Samuel at Harvard and theoretical work with Yuhai Tu at the Flatiron Institute, where I'm currently spending the summer as an intern. I volunteered to be a teaching assistant for the CNeuro summer school because of how much I enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for Prof. Samuel's class undergraduate physics course The Physics of Living Systems, . I'm also very excited to visit China for the first time!
Zezhen Wang
University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, China
Hello everyone, I am Zezhen Wang. I recently completed my Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Science and Technology of China, where I worked in computational and theoretical neuroscience with my advisor, Prof. Quan Wen. I also received my B.Sc. in Physics from USTC.
My research focuses on theoretical and computational approaches to statistical phenomena in neural population activity, especially how large-scale neural recordings are organized through covariance structures and low-dimensional geometry. In my recent work, I am interested in how these population-level statistics arise from underlying connectivity and how such structured neural circuits may support computation.
I first participated in CNeuro in 2019, which introduced me to many exciting ideas in computational neuroscience. In 2022, I joined the program online and served as a teaching assistant. For me, CNeuro is a valuable platform that brings together a broad range of topics in theoretical and computational neuroscience, offering opportunities to exchange ideas, broaden perspectives, and connect with students and researchers from diverse backgrounds. I am very happy to return as a teaching assistant for CNeuro2026, and I look forward to contributing to the collaborative and inspiring environment of the summer school.