Professor Paul is recognized for his pioneering work in the field of nanotechnology that has had important ramifications for the development of renewable energy, biomedical imaging, light-emitting devices, and other fields.

The NAS Award in Chemical Sciences is presented annually to honor innovative research in the chemical sciences that contributes to a better understanding of the natural sciences and to the benefit of humanity, see http://www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/chemical-sciences.html