By Mohsen Zahran Several Egyptian universities and public organisations have recently honoured Mustafa El-Sayed, who immigrated to the US more than four decades ago, for his outstanding achievements in nanotechnology and its promising applications in the treatment of cancer. President Bush honoured him two months earlier by decorating him with the Medal of Science, the first scholar from the Middle East to receive this distinguished award. Similarly, other Egyptian expatriates were equally honoured and celebrated in Egypt, notably Ahmed Zuwail, who won the Nobel Prize for science a few years ago. It is indeed commendable that Egypt has recognised and honoured these distinguished scholars. But there is a hidden message in these celebratory events, implying that only those who leave and excel in foreign lands are honoured. Those who stay in Egypt and struggle for excellence are neglected or eclipsed, despite demonstrating their patriotism, immersing themselves in teaching thousands of students, or undertaking research with meagre facilities, limited resources, constricting bureaucracy, and a stifling atmosphere. They are not recognised and honoured like those making their careers outside. One hopes that young aspiring Egyptian scholars do not misinterpret these celebratory gestures towards distinguished expatriate scholars as encouragement to them to follow in their footsteps and work abroad, believing that scholarly achievements on the home front will be inconsequential. Although the ministries of scientific research and culture offer a variety of annual prizes for outstanding scholars in the fields of the arts, humanities and sciences, nominations and the selection process are invariably imperfect and sometimes tainted with nepotism, political favouritism and underhandedness. It is high time that all distinguished scholars are treated equally, or even with a certain tilt towards those who persist in working and struggling on the home front, in order that they become beacons and models for others. Given a chance, our home front scholars can unleash new horizons of future achievement as well as inspire a truly challenging research environment bolstered with ample resources, good facilities and enticing incentives that make up the necessary infrastructure of research and culture across the modern world. This week's Soapbox speaker is professor of urban planning at the University of Alexandria.
