ReachSci Story

The ReachSci journey began in 2021 as a social media initiative led by Dr. Mohammed Alawami. While transitioning to the University of Cambridge, Mohammed received a lot of inquiries on social media from aspiring students worldwide asking the same question: "How do I get into a top University?" He initially helped by producing videos on topics like research proposal writing and how to apply to top universities, which helped thousands navigate the difficult admissions process. However, a pivotal realisation occurred after Mohammed consulted with the university and his department's admissions staff. He discovered that the missing link for most applicants wasn’t just better advice, it was a lack of hands-on research skills. This insight shifted his focus from guidance videos to active empowerment, sparking the vision for a programme that could bridge the gap between academic potential and practical research leadership.

Driven by this new mission, Mohammed assembled a team of PhD students and researchers to design a rigorous "Mini-PhD" programme. This three-week intensive was built to equip students with the fundamental tools of scientific inquiry, supported by funding from the University of Cambridge and technical partnerships with platforms like OpenSeneca. The initiative initially grew from a single Nuffield Research Placement to a programme attracting students across four UK universities. Yet, as the launch approached during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project faced a near-fatal crisis. Most of the original team members were forced to step away, leaving Mohammed on the verge of cancelling the entire programme. Faced with the choice to abandon the vision, he turned to the very community that had inspired him in the first place.

In a final attempt to save the initiative, Mohammed issued a call for volunteers through his social media network. The response was overwhelming; over 120 people stepped forward to help, from which a dedicated core team of 40 volunteers was formed. This surge of support allowed ReachSci to pivot from a local in-person event to a groundbreaking online global programme. The success of this inaugural session, which culminated in a high-level online research conference, served as the ultimate proof of concept. It demonstrated that research leadership didn't need to be confined by geography or traditional institutional barriers. This moment of resilience transformed ReachSci from a small pilot project into a global movement, proving that with the right network, anyone, anywhere, can lead at the highest levels of science.

Since then, ReachSci has evolved into an impactful global movement for research equity. Under Mohammed Alawami’s leadership, ReachSci has successfully delivered 19 research and innovation programmes across more than 50 countries, fostering a massive collaborative network of over 200 professors in 92 nations. This collective effort has yielded profound results: inspiring hundreds of aspiring researchers and contributing to more than 30 research publications with 30% in the Q1 publication level. ReachSci’s commitment to excellence and diversity has been recognised through multiple prestigious grants, including the University of Cambridge "Diversity Fund", and a nomination for the Vice-Chancellor’s Global Impact Award. Today, ReachSci's vision is to become the world's most accessible research leadership development platform to empower thousands of leaders annually.