Neural Networks are interesting for quite a lot of very different people: 

 o Computer scientists want to find out about the properties of non-symbolic
   information processing with neural nets and about learning systems in
   general. 
 o Statisticians use neural nets as flexible, nonlinear regression and
   classification models. 
 o Engineers of many kinds exploit the capabilities of neural networks in
   many areas, such as signal processing and automatic control. 
 o Cognitive scientists view neural networks as a possible apparatus to
   describe models of thinking and consciousness (High-level brain
   function). 
 o Neuro-physiologists use neural networks to describe and explore
   medium-level brain function (e.g. memory, sensory system, motorics). 
 o Physicists use neural networks to model phenomena in statistical
   mechanics and for a lot of other tasks. 
 o Biologists use Neural Networks to interpret nucleotide sequences. 
 o Philosophers and some other people may also be interested in Neural
   Networks for various reasons. 

For world-wide lists of groups doing research on NNs, see the Foundation for
Neural Networks's (SNN) page at 
http://www.mbfys.kun.nl/snn/pointers/groups.html and see Neural Networks
Research on the IEEE Neural Network Council's homepage 
http://www.ieee.org/nnc.