John Burt

Prof. John A. Burt is the Director of the Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences (Mubadala ACCESS) and a Professor of Biology at New York University Abu Dhabi. A marine scientist with more than two decades of research experience in the UAE and Arabian Gulf, Burt studies how marine ecosystems respond to extreme environmental conditions, climate change, and coastal development. His research examines the heat tolerance of Gulf corals, the ecological consequences of coastal urbanisation, and opportunities to inform conservation, restoration, and coastal planning. Through Mubadala ACCESS, he leads an interdisciplinary programme examining regional climate and environmental challenges, connecting scientific research with the needs of government and other stakeholders. Burt has published more than 170 scholarly articles and edited A Natural History of the Emirates (Springer, 2024). In 2026, he received an Environmental Changemaker medal through the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Awards.