David Fitzpatrick

CEO AND SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR, MAX PLANCK FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR NEUROSCIENCE, Jupiter

MPFI is a nonprofit neuroscience research organization that studies how the brain works and how it develops, answering fundamental questions that are essential for progress in addressing neurological and psychiatric disorders. In addition to its research, it engages in extensive community outreach, visiting schools and classrooms to help inspire the next generation of scientists. It has nearly 150 employees, and Fitzpatrick has been CEO and scientific director for 13 years.

EDUCATION: Pennsylvania State University (BS), Duke University (Ph.D.)

MENTOR: My fellow scientist and friend Lawrence Katz had a huge impact on my career, giving me the confidence to pursue the research that I was excited about, helping me acquire state-of-the-art technologies that led to discoveries, and introducing me to exceptional colleagues whose insights have led the field’s understanding of the brain.

LISTENING/READING: I may be biased, but I highly recommend our own Max Planck Florida podcast, called Neurotransmissions. A book that I always encourage everyone to read is Today’s Curiosity is Tomorrow’s Cure - The Case for Basic Biomedical Research, by Steve Caplan.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA
“Approach everything with curiosity, whether it’s a scientific question or just trying to understand another person’s perspective. Curiosity is the lifeblood of possibility.”