Having been fond of science as a child, Zewail’s parents sought to encourage him by posting a small sign stating ‘Dr Ahmed’ outside his study. Little did they know that he would exceed their expectations, becoming the first Egyptian scientist to win a Nobel Prize in a scientific field in 1999 for his work in femtochemistry. The proclaimed “father of femtochemistry” is Linus Pauling chair professor of chemistry and professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology. In 2009 he was also named by Barack Obama as one of the first three US science envoys to Islam.