Seafloor to leadership: Paul Okrah’s award-winning academic journey
Paul Okrah is a Marine Science Ph.D. student from Ghana. Okrah found inspiration for his field of interest by collaborating with his professors on a research cruise.
“In November 2024, I had the opportunity to go on a research cruise with Prof. Daniela Di Iorio to the Gulf of Mexico, which sparked my interest in open ocean studies,” he said.
He earned his undergraduate degree in Meteorology and Climate Science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Okrah’s area of interest began on a unique research adventure and has since diversified to cover coastal wetlands. He is particularly interested in modeling physical and biogeochemical dynamics in salt marshes and on the seafloor.
At UGA, Paul Okrah serves as the chairman of the International Student Advisory Board, the president of the Marine Science Graduate Student Association, the Graduate Student Representative for Marine Science in the Graduate Student Association, and a member of the African Graduate Student Forum.
With more than 3,000 international students calling campus home, the University of Geogia is a particularly fertile ground for unique stories of excellence. From all corners of the world, international students contribute to UGA’s richness in culture and diversity. Not only do they offer global perspectives, but they also thrive and achieve.
As chairman of the International Student Advisory Board, Okrah hosts events with Global Student Engagement (GSE) to involve international students on campus. Another valuable facet of GSE is to advocate for international students’ needs as they transition to campus, providing help navigating the logistical and cultural challenges of being an international student and offering community for newcomers.
After taking a leadership role within the GSE office, Okrah remembers how GSE helped him adjust to campus.
“They really helped me transition from Ghana to the U.S., connecting me with the African Graduate Student Forum (AGSF) and making me feel a sense of belonging, despite being in a new country with different cultures and an unfamiliar educational system,” he said. “The GSE team has been instrumental in organizing international student coffee hours, where I have been able to meet new people and make friends.”
Okrah found belonging among his fellow students through the GSE team. All UGA students are welcome to attend events hosted by the Center for Global and Cultural Student Engagement, like International Coffee Hour, to explore the cultures of the world and to share their own culture and experiences with others.
In addition to being extremely involved on campus, Okrah excels in his academics. This past semester, Okrah presented his research at the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) conference, where he won 4 highly prestigious awards: the Best Student Poster Presentation Award, the 2025 CERF Student and Early Career Award, the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEERS) Travel Award, and the CERF 2025 Haiku Competition. Additionally, he won a departmental award of service this past December, totaling five awards in 2025.
After he graduates from his graduate program in Spring 2028, Okrah hopes to continue his research as a postdoc and become a research professor.
Paul Okrah is a shining example of what it means to be a UGA student—hardworking, involved, and committed to creating a supportive global community on campus. Okrah’s efforts extend beyond graduate and international students, reaching the entire UGA community through the power of success and community-building.
