2013

• Blais, B.S. Feb 2013. From Theory to Experiment and Back Again: A Physicists Journey Through Neuroscience. University of Rhode Island Neuroscience Colloquium. (a keynote version, which includes the animations, is here
• Blais, B.S. Mar 2013. Science and Analytics. Analytics Symposium, Bryant University.
• Witkowski, C. and Blais, B.S. Apr 2013. Zombie Apocalypse: An Epidemic Model. Research and Engagment Day (REDay), Bryant University. Supplemental Handout here.
• Blais, B.S. Apr 2013. Science and Faith: Friends or Foes. Research and Engagment Day (REDay), Bryant University.
• Colin Gannon, Brian Blais, Qin Leng, Robert Patalano, and Hong Yang. April 2013. Understanding the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum: Evaluation of Deuterium Values (δD) Related to Precipitation and Temperature. Senior Capstone project for Colin Gannon.

2012

• Gannon, C., Blais, B.S., Leng, Q., Patalano, R., Yang, H. 2012 Understanding the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum: Evaluation of Deuterium (δD) Related to Precipitation and Temperature. GSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.
• Blais, B.S. May 2012. Python and Statistical Inference. Joint presentation on Statistical Software Packages, Faculty Development Workshop, Bryant University.

2011

• Climate Modeling and Function Fitting (Bryant Research Seminar, Oct 2011)
• Collaboration Tools Notes (Technology Sandbox, Feb 2011)

2009

• Modeling Ecosystems and Climates: A Teaching Simulator for Systems Dynamics (Rhode Island Space Grant Consortium Annual Symposium, November 2009)

2008

• A Hierarchical Spatiotemporal Model of Neocortex With Probabilistic Feedback. (Twelfth International Conference on Cognitive and Neural Systems (ICCNS), May 2008)
  • Project GHOST (Generative Hierarchically-Organized Spatiotemporal representations ).
• Cython: Optimization in Python. (Finance and Science Joint Research Meeting, April 2008)
  • MinGW. Download the Automated MinGW Installer
  • cython_compile.py convenience script
• Notes on Inhibition and BCM. (IBNS Research Meeting, April 2008)

2007

• Statistics and Environmental Resources: Projects for Collaboration. (Bryant-China University of Geosciences (CUG) Joint Research Event, December 2007)
• TTX and BCM. (MIT Lab Presentation, August 2007)
• Numerical Computing in Python: A Guide for Matlab Users.. Bryant University Faculty Development Seminar, May 2007.
• Teaching Bayesian Model Comparison with the Three-sided Coin. with Scott Kuindersma (UMass Amherst). (Bryant University Faculty Research Day, January 2007).

2006

• Climatic signals registered as C isotopic values in Metasequoia leaf tissues: A statistical analysis. with Hong Yang (Bryant University), Gary F. Perez (Bryant University), Samantha Colvin (Bryant University), and Mark Pagani (Yale). (American Geophysical Union (AGU) Conference, December 2006).
• The cellular basis of receptive field plasticity in visual cortex, an integrative experimental and theoretical approach. with Shouval, H.Z (UT Houston) and Bear, M.F. (MIT) (Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) Conference, June 2006).

2005

• Plasticity in the Brain: A Physicist's Perspective on Learning and Memory (Brown University, Frontiers in the Interaction Between Physics and Biology, November 2005)

• Animation for BCM Threshold Movement

• Synaptic Modification in Spiking-Rate Models: A Comparison between Learning in Spiking Neurons and Rate-Based Neuron Models (Society for Neuroscience, Poster Presentation, November 2005) with Scott Kuindersma.
• Learning and Teaching Statistical Inference: An Open Discussion (Bryant University, Faculty Development Seminar, November 2005) [printable version here]

  Full notes on the Bayesian approach to statistical evidence can be found here.

• Determining the Geometry of a Three-sided Fair Coin: Exploring the Probability of a Coin Landing on its Edge (Brown University IBNS Lab Presentation, October 2005)
• BCM and Deprivation: How does it work? (MIT Lab Presentation, July 2005)
• The Role of Structure and Noise in the Mouse Visual System (ICCNS, May 2005) with Mikhail Frenkel (MIT), Scott Kuindersma (Bryant University), and Mark Bear (MIT)

2004

• Simulations of Monocular Deprivation in Mouse (MIT Lab Presentation, August 2004) with Scott Kuindersma.
• Simulations of Monocular Deprivation in Mouse (Brown IBNS Presentation, July 2004) with Scott Kuindersma.

2003

• Visual System Development and Organization: Using Direction and Orientation Maps to Compare Theory and Experiment (Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network, Poster Presentation (BRIN), 2003) with Christian Latino.

2002

• Selectivity and Metaplasticity in a Unified Calcium-Dependent Model (NIPS 2002)
• Hot Topics in Global Warming: The Science of Global Warming (International Week, Bryant College, November 2002)
• Neural Architecture and the Mechanisms for Learning and Memory Storage (Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN), Poster Presentation, 2002) with Maria Cuartas.

2001

• The Formation of Orientation and Direction Selectivity Maps: Comparing Rules of Synaptic Modification (ICCNS, May 2001)
• Teaching a Spherical Chicken to Read: Feature Extraction in Neural Networks, Bryant College Interdisciplinary Research Seminar, October 2001.

2000

• The Physics of the Brain: Towards and Understanding of Learning and Memory (Job Talk, Jan 2000)

1999

• The Development and Organization of Direction and Orientation Maps: Comparing Models of Synaptic Modification (ABCC, Nov. 1999)
• Symmetry in the Statistics of LGN activity determine the Segregation of ON/OFF subfields for simple cells in cortex (ABCC, Feb. 1999)

1998

• Formation of Direction Selectivity in Natural Scene Environments (CNS, Jul. 1998)
• The Role of the Environment in Synaptic Plasticity: Towards an Understanding of Learning and Memory (Defense Talk, April. 1998)
• Physicists Studying the Brain (Rotary Club, Mar. 1998)
• An Energy Formulation of Learning: How Neurons Decide What's Important (Physics Seminar, Feb. 1998)

1997

• The Role of Noise in Visual Deprivation (Neuroscience Conference, Oct. 1997)
• How Sparse is Sparse? What is required in the natural scene environment for orientation selectivity (Natural Scenes Conference, Sep. 1997)
• Dynamics of Synaptic Plasticity: A Comparison between BCM and Experimental Results in Visual Cortex (Lab talk, Mar. 1997)
• Properties of Modification Dynamics in Normal and Deprived Environments (Lab Talk, Feb. 1997)

1996

• You and Your Homunculus: Thinking about Thinking (DUG talk, Oct. 1996)
• How to Read the Mind of a Spherical Chicken (DUG talk, Apr. 1996)
• PVM and Parallel Programming (Lab talk, Mar. 1996) (plus a quick guide to running PVM on Suns)
• Time Dependence of Visual Deprivation: A Comparison Between Models of Plasticity (Lab talk, Feb. 1996)

1995

• Oscillatory Behavior in Neuron Activity (for prelim exam Dec. 1995)
• Single Cell BCM with Natural Scene Input (Lab talk, Feb. 1995)