The St Paul’s Collegiate School report for Suresh Muthukumaraswamy (Hall 1992 - 1996) described Suresh as "an extremely able young man" who was "quiet but very determined to succeed". It noted that he showed "undoubted leadership talents" and was "a positive presence in Hall House."

Three decades later, those qualities continue to shape a career that asks careful questions and follows the evidence wherever it leads.

As Professor of Psychopharmacology at the University of Auckland, Suresh leads research into how medicines affect the brain and whether new treatments could help people living with conditions such as depression, anxiety and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. 

His work on psychedelic medicines has attracted international attention, but he says the science is much broader than the headlines often suggest.

"My research is in how drugs interact with the brain and the potential implications of that for treatment," he says. "We investigate drugs that might have potential for psychological disorders, but we also work to understand how they change brain activity and why that might be beneficial in certain circumstances."

The research is carefully controlled and can take years before new treatments become available.

"We hope to find things that are clinically useful to people," he says. "If we find something that is useful and therapeutic, there is still a long process before it becomes available."

That measured approach has become something of a guiding principle throughout his career.

"I approach things from a moderate point of view. Test the ideas and let the data speak."

It is a philosophy that has taken him from St Paul’s to the University of Auckland, then to Cardiff University in Wales, where he spent nine years as a young scientist. During that time, he contributed to landmark studies exploring how psychedelic medicines affect the brain before returning to New Zealand in 2014.

Today, alongside his research, he teaches the next generation of scientists and clinicians.

"I'm a university academic and a large part of my role is teaching. We can't lose focus of that."

Interestingly, science wasn't Suresh's first academic passion. While at St Paul's, it was subjects such as Art History that captured his imagination, inspired by teachers including Dougal Fraser and Rodney Hamel. He began university studying law and philosophy before discovering psychology, pharmacology and physiology - disciplines that ultimately shaped his career.

Looking back, he believes students shouldn't feel pressured to have every career decision mapped out from the beginning.

"Like me, if you do something at school and then change your mind, it's never too late to change," he says. "There's nothing you can't pick up at university."

That willingness to adapt has perhaps never been more relevant than it is today. With artificial intelligence reshaping many professions, Suresh says predicting future careers has become increasingly difficult.

"Five years ago, I would have said big data, quantification and mathematics were really important. These days, with AI, no one knows. The whole world is like this. We don't know."

What won't change, he believes, is the need for curious people who can think critically and evaluate evidence.

"We still need a generation of people who are science-minded."

While breakthroughs often capture public attention, Suresh says scientific progress is usually much quieter.

"It is a rare thing for scientists. We put together lots of small pieces of the puzzle. If you find a big discovery, you're more of a unicorn."

"We've had a lot of patients come through our studies, and we're really grateful for their input. We see some really positive outcomes."

Undoubtedly, the positive influence recognised during Suresh’s St Paul’s years continues to make an impact on the lives of people who need support during some of the most difficult times of their lives. 

Watch Suresh’s interview with 1News here. 

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