Paul graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and obtained the Ph. D. in mathematics from the University of California at Davis in 1970. Paul's work includes pioneering work on computational steering and the use of object technology for scientific programming. His many publications include a book, Object Technology for Scientific Computing, Prentice-Hall, 1997. He was the principal author of the EiffelMath numerical software library. 

After a postdoc and teaching, in 1976 he joined Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Numerical Mathematics Group.  He received a Distinguished Physics Achievement Award in 1991. Paul retired as a member of the Center for Applied Scientific Computing in June, 2005, and worked part-time from 2005-2007 and 2010-2012.

From 1987-1998 managed the computer science team for the chief modeling program in Laser Fusion, Lasnex. In 1999 he joined the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison. In 2002 he became software architect for a Python-steered C++ project, Kull.  In retirement he worked on the Automated Testing System.

Reading, writing, baking, playing bridge, gardening, weight-lifting, and napping occupy Paul’s time.