The McKnight Foundation is pleased to announce that Joel Krogstad will lead the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience (MEFN) as its next program manager. In this role he will work closely with the neuroscience research community to bring science closer to the day when diseases of the brain and behavior can be accurately diagnosed, prevented, and treated. Specifically, he will oversee the Endowment Fund’s $3.8 million budget, coordinate its two prestigious award programs, and organize the popular annual conference. Joel started in the new position on July 10, working closely with outgoing manager Eileen Maler as she prepares for her retirement on August 18.
“I am thrilled that Joel Krogstad was chosen to manage our amazing Neuroscience program,” Eileen Maler shared. “Joel is smart and generous. It’s been a pleasure getting to know him over the last two years, and I know that our neuroscience community will be in good hands through his leadership.”
Joel joined McKnight in July 2021 as a program and grants associate with the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems in the Grants and Program Operations department, supporting all facets of the grantmaking process for partners in the 10 countries served by the program. Prior to McKnight, he was a director of the Community Technology Empowerment Project at Saint Paul Neighborhood Network for 15 years, hiring and managing more than 500 AmeriCorps members in teaching basic and creative technology skills for refugee, immigrant, and youth communities in the Twin Cities. Previously, Joel also led research and education projects in both Ecuador and Thailand.
“With the combination of Joel’s 15 years of experience as a program director at St. Paul Neighborhood Network and his knowledge of McKnight Foundation and its systems, he is the perfect fit for this role.”—ANTHONY MOVSHON, PH.D., PRESIDENT, ENDOWMENT FUND BOARD
“With the combination of Joel’s 15 years of experience as a program director at St. Paul Neighborhood Network and his knowledge of McKnight Foundation and its systems, he is the perfect fit for this role,” said McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience board president Anthony Movshon, Ph.D., Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University.
Joel joins the Endowment Fund as the Foundation nears its 50th year of support for neuroscience research. An independent organization funded solely by McKnight Foundation and led by a board of prominent neuroscientists from around the country, research funded by MEFN has furthered understanding of such impairments as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries.
The Endowment Fund administers two awards. McKnight Scholar Awards are given to exceptional young scientists who are in the early stages of establishing an independent laboratory and research career. McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Awards support scientists working to apply the knowledge achieved through translational and clinical research to human brain disorders. Among past awardees and board members are many distinguished scholars who have made crucial discoveries in neuroscience—from revealing the process of electrical signaling in the brain to explaining how the spinal cord develops.
“I have been so impressed with the impact of the McKnight’s Neuroscience program, especially as it now aims to help bring equity to this field. It also provides preeminent space for collaboration,” Joel shared. “I am honored to join this amazing group and look forward to supporting the board and award winners as we continue to evolve the program together.”
