Professor Vijay K. Arora

Engineering and Physics

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

24 August 2001

Marc Brodsky (via e-mail)

CEO and Executive Director

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse

College Park, Maryland 20740

Dear Dr. Brodsky:

I was shocked to learn that on American soil the freedom of expression in the science community is being challenged by the very people who pretend to save us from abuses of political offices. As a physicist concerned about our constitutional right and as a life member of the APS, I am troubled to learn of your dismissal of Jeff Schmidt, who had been an articles editor at Physics Today magazine for over 19 years.

As we understand it, you fired Jeff after you saw his book, Disciplined Minds, and in particular after you learned that Jeff had used some of his spare time at the office for critical writing about education and employment in physics and other fields.

While we do not necessarily agree with Jeff's views about the situation of physicists and other salaried professionals, and do not expect you to, we believe that free debate within the physics community is healthy. We expect you to encourage it, not stifle it, especially because physicists are known for speaking out when physicists internationally are punished for expressing their views. Your actions as head of the American Institute of Physics help to shape society's view of the physics community. We urge you to reconsider your decision, and offer to reinstate Jeff as an editor at Physics Today.

We ask that you publish this letter in Physics Today, to bring our concerns to the attention of the wider physics community.

Sincerely,

Vijay K. Arora