CPSY 1950 - Deep Learning in Brains, Minds & Machines

Spring Semester 2026
Instructor: Thomas Serre
Location: Friedman Hall 108
Time: TTh 2:30pm-3:50pm

GitHub: https://github.com/tserre/cpsy1950
Website: https://tserre.github.io/cpsy1950/

Quick Start

See GETTING_STARTED.md for a quick guide to managing course materials.

TL;DR: To update course materials:

make full-update MSG="your change description"

Repository Structure

This repository contains all course materials for CPSY 1950.

cpsy1950/
├── readings/           # Course readings and papers
│   ├── papers/         # PDF files of papers
│   └── readings.yml    # Central readings configuration
├── assignments/        # Assignment descriptions and materials
│   └── assignments.yml # Central assignments configuration
├── lectures/           # Lecture slides and materials
├── resources/          # Additional course resources
│   └── resources.yml   # Central resources configuration
├── data/               # Course data and configurations
│   ├── schedule.yml    # Course schedule
│   └── videos.yml      # Video links and materials
├── scripts/            # Utility scripts for course management
└── README.md          # This file

Website Integration

The course website is hosted at: https://tserre.github.io/cpsy1950/

The website repository is located at: ~/Projects/tserre.github.io/cpsy1950/

Syncing to Website

To update the website with new materials:

# Use the sync script to copy data files to the website
./scripts/sync_to_website.sh

# Then commit and push the website changes
cd ~/Projects/tserre.github.io
git add cpsy1950/
git commit -m "Update CPSY 1950 materials"
git push

Quick Start

Adding Readings

1. Add PDF files to readings/papers/
2. Update readings/readings.yml with paper metadata
3. Run sync script to update website

Adding Assignments

1. Create assignment materials in assignments/
2. Update assignments/assignments.yml with assignment details
3. Run sync script to update website

Updating Schedule

1. Edit data/schedule.yml
2. Run sync script to update website

Course Description

A seminar-style exploration of cutting-edge research at the intersection of natural and artificial intelligence. Students engage with recent papers and develop critical perspectives on how biological and artificial systems process information.

Learning Objectives

• Understand computational principles shared between biological and artificial intelligence
• Critically evaluate recent research papers in NeuroAI
• Develop skills in scientific presentation and discussion
• Explore how neuroscience informs AI and vice versa

Contact

For questions about course materials, please open an issue or contact the instructor.