“When I was a child, I thought of my Delta town as the center of theuniverse, but now I realize how little I know about the universe. As achild, I thought I was immortal, but now I recognize how limited a timewe all have. As a child, success meant scoring A on every exam, butnow I take it to mean good health, close family and friends, achieve-ments in my work, and helping others.”

“I don't know all the reasons for these achievements, but I know that I love what I do and I have never wanted to rest on my laurels.”

“Interestingly, this was the only incident of blatant prejudice that I canremember. But I am aware that such opinions exist in human beings, andit's not a question of being Egyptian or being an Arab or being a Muslim.One could be a Christian against a Jew or a Jew against a Christian, or awhite against a black, or a man against a woman. My philosophy is notto let such attitudes stop me from what I want to do. I don't take it veryseriously, although as you can see, I remember the incident very well.The point was I had to get on with my work and had to behave properly,and in the process perhaps even change the opinion of these people. Buton the other hand, if I did nothing but complain and feel sorry for myself,then I wouldn't get anywhere.”

“in my first Americanclass—a freshman chemistry class during the 1969-70 academic year—they looked at me as though I was supposed to be their nurse becausethey were paying a stiff tuition. That's another concept I had to learn—in American private schools we worked for them because they paid thetuition, but in Egypt we were educating them.”

“Perhaps the most valuable thing he taught me (his father) wasthat there is no contradiction between devotion to work and enjoymentof life and people”

“When I was a child I spoke like a child, thought like a child, acted as a child. But now that I am and adult i put my childish ways behind me.”

“When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now I have put away childish things. ... I must be scientific.”