Joel has been awarded the 2006 Gottschalk Medal of the Australian Academy of Science. This award, in memory of Dr A Gottschalk, is given to recognise outstanding research in the medical sciences by scientists under 40 years. Joel is the second member of the School of MMB to be awarded this Medal – Merlin Crossley was the recipient in 2002. Other past recipients include John Shine, Nic Nicola, Michael Parker, Doug Hilton and David Vaux.