Bad actors have no shortage of tools for manipulation, propaganda, and algorithmic influence. Far fewer people know how to wield that same power ethically for the benefit of others. Omar Shehata is one of them.

He studies how ideas travel, transform, and take root online, mapping how digital scenes emerge and what makes collaboration possible.

Understanding the mechanics of how ideas spread can help more people coordinate consciously and constructively, at scale. His work pulls together threads from network science, digital sociology, and information theory to better understand how groups think together.