John Burt received the Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan Natural History Award in 2017, the UAE’s premier natural history award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to environmental scientific research.
Burt, a marine biologist and associate professor of biology, has been studying coral reef systems in the UAE for over a decade and published more than 50 scholarly articles and book chapters on marine ecology in the UAE and surrounding nations since joining NYU Abu Dhabi in 2009.
Burt also acts as an adviser and expert for government agencies in the region to help decision makers move toward better environmental protections, particularly for coral reef systems threatened by climate change and other pressures.