The willingness to explore academic options did not pull Amiteash Paul away from medicine or environmental science. Instead, it allowed him to find a space where both could coexist. Watching researchers analyze heat-resistant bacteria and algae from coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf, the NYU Abu Dhabi Class of 2025 alumni realized research could offer something medicine alone couldn't: the chance to address climate change while still contributing to human health.
When an experience changed trajectory
Growing up in Dubai with a mother who worked as a physician, Paul had always assumed medicine was his path forward. But when Paul walked into the NYUAD marine microbiomics lab expecting just to do research work, what he found instead was a revelation that would reshape his entire career trajectory.
"Something just clicked," he recalls. The work being done there — studying environmental microbiomics while also developing potential medicinal products bridged two worlds he thought he'd have to choose between.
That moment of clarity didn't arrive by accident. It came from the willingness to explore beyond the single path he'd mapped out for himself.
A mentor who opened doors
In his second year, Paul's academic advisor gave him advice that would change everything: don't limit yourself to one track. "My advisor, Professor Kirsten Edepli at the time, recommended that I explore and reach out to other labs as well, and not just stick to one thing," Paul explains.
Paul had entered university expecting to follow a pre-med path like his mother. But he'd also been nurturing another passion, his interest in environmental science. For years, the interests of healing people and protecting the planet, seemed like two separate paths.
His advisor’s encouragement pushed Paul to look beyond the medical research labs he'd initially considered. He started reaching out to professors working in fields he hadn't fully explored, asking questions about work that seemed unrelated to his pre-med plans.
One of those inquiries led him to Professor Shady Amin, associate program head of undergraduate studies of biology, whose lab studied marine microbiomics. "That's when I found out Professor Shady works on both the environmental aspect — marine microbiomics — and discovering potential medicinal products from these microbiomes," Paul says.
The discovery was transformative. He did not have to choose one over the other.
Where medicine meets the ocean
The research itself fascinated him immediately. In the Arabian Gulf, summer water temperatures can reach up to 38 degrees Celsius, yet certain coral reefs survive — something not seen anywhere else in the world. "Here, both the algae and the bacteria that support them are far more heat-resistant than anywhere else" Paul explains.
Understanding what makes these corals special could hold answers for protecting coral reefs globally as ocean temperatures continue to rise. For Paul, this wasn't just academically interesting, it was climate research with tangible, urgent implications. "That's what drove me to the lab," he says. "That's what led me on this journey of pursuing my PhD."
Pushing past doubt
The academic transformation was profound, but it wasn't the only challenge Paul faced at NYUAD. When he first arrived on campus, surrounded by exceptional students from around the world, he questioned whether he truly belonged. "I had a bad case of imposter syndrome."
Paul held back at first, but gradually, he pushed himself to attend events, join clubs, and talk to people outside his immediate circle. He discovered that everyone carried similar doubts. "The more I put myself out there, the more I formed social connections and became part of the community.”
Now, he encourages other students to take a similar approach: seek out mentors, explore beyond a single label, remain receptive to unexpected intersections, and venture beyond their immediate cultural communities. He learned that the connections that form that vulnerability, are what transform a university into a community.
Pursuing what matters
"I don't believe in working toward something just because it pays well. I want my work to have a tangible impact on the world," he explains. Raised in a family that participated and believed in charitable work and service, Paul has always cared deeply about giving back and leaving a lasting impact.
"I want to be in a position where I'm not just doing research, but also communicating it to the people who actually make decisions." In his perspective, scientific discovery is only part of the equation, translating that research into policy and action is where real change happens.
