On the first day of my long-awaited vacation—finally a quiet home, no kids, no noise—I found myself scrolling through Facebook. Among the usual posts, one in particular caught my eye: a feature on a young Egyptian researcher, currently pursuing her PhD, highlighted on a popular Egyptian page celebrating women’s achievements. What struck me was not her profile itself, but the way she was described: “pioneering” and “one of the few” in her field. To me, these are powerful words, usually reserved for scientists whose discoveries reshape entire disciplines, who lead labs, secure funding, and train teams of young scholars.
Seeing such “big words” used so lightly made me pause. Was this really a celebration of a scientific achievement, or just hype for social media clicks? It reminded me of a wider trend in Egypt—and elsewhere—where science communication is moving away from celebrating real milestones, like publishing a paper or winning a grant, toward building a “brand” out of a researcher’s profile. That brand can then be used for career progression, visibility, or even funding applications. This shift creates a culture where being visible seems to matter more than producing actual results. The concern is that young researchers are pushed to present themselves as leaders or innovators long before their work has had time to show real value.
And it’s not only students. Many early-, mid-career, and senior academics are also more focused on image and social media clicks than on producing solid science. This in a way, might reinforce the unfair stereotype of Egyptian researchers as “predatory,” a label that damages the reputation of our whole community. The sad part is that shallow visibility often takes the spotlight, while serious academics—already struggling with limited resources, heavy teaching loads, and fewer publishing opportunities—are left carrying the weight of an undeserved reputation. If we want a “fair science community for all,” As my colleague Sherif Abo El-Hadid has written in his blog, we need to be recognized for producing real science and training proper scholars.
This culture is also shaping undergraduate students. Many chase quick “achievements” such as attending predatory conferences, proud simply to be recognized there without realizing the harm it does. Others turn to TikTok to post science-related videos, but without proper guidance, these often spread incorrect or oversimplified information. I am not against science communication—on the contrary, it is essential. But it must be done responsibly, with accuracy. A good example is El-Da7ee7, who manages to be both engaging and credible. Sadly, many students genuinely want real research opportunities to grow their
