def send_nest_params_to_sli(p):
    '''
    Read parameters and send them to SLI
    
    Parameters
    ----------
    p : dict
        sli parameter name and value as dictionary key and value pairs
    
    Returns
    -------
    None
    '''
    for name in p.keys():
        value = p[name]
        if type(value) == np.ndarray:
            value = value.tolist()
        if type(value) == dict:
            value = dict_of_numpyarray_to_dict_of_list(value)
        if name == 'neuron_model': # special case as neuron_model is a
                                   # NEST model and not a string
            try:
                nest.sli_run('/'+name)
                nest.sli_push(value)
                nest.sli_run('eval')
                nest.sli_run('def')
            except: 
                print 'Could not put variable %s on SLI stack' % (name)
                print type(value)
        else:
            try:
                nest.sli_run('/'+name)
                nest.sli_push(value)
                nest.sli_run('def')
            except: 
                print 'Could not put variable %s on SLI stack' % (name)
                print type(value)
    return