Paul Ariese has been affiliated with the Reinwardt Academy since 2015 as a lecturer in the international master's program in Applied Museum and Heritage Studies (AMHS) and the bachelor's degree in Cultural Heritage. In addition, he regularly participates in the international training activities of the Reinwardt Academy.

Previously, he worked as an exhibition designer at the Tropenmuseum, at Jowa architects and as a content developer at Perspekt Studios. Ariese studied Graphic Design at Artez School of the Arts and Architectural Design at the Rietveld Academy. In addition, he obtained his MA in Museum Studies with honors from the University of Leicester.

Within the research programme cultural heritage, Paul is working on his research on museumized religious spaces. The synagogues of the Jewish Cultural Quarter are central to this research. The research revolves around the question of how, in a post-secular society, religious rituals, sensations and experiences are "triggered" by immersive museum spaces. Special attention is paid to how different forms of historical knowledge, including 'embodied knowledge', can find a place in professional heritage interventions. The underlying idea is that sensitivity to this type of knowledge contributes to a more inclusive society and heritage practice.