James G. Brasseur, Ph.D.

Professor of Mechanical and Bio Engineering

Pennsylvania State University

University Park, Pennsylvania

23 August 2001

Marc H. Brodsky (via e-mail)

CEO and Executive Director

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse

College Park, Maryland 20740

Dear Dr. Brodsky:

As you no doubt know, an email from Dr. Talat Rahman (Kansas State University), Dr. George F. Reiter (University of Houston), and Dr. Michael A. Lee (Kent State University) has been circulated concerning the dismissal of Mr. Jeff Schmidt, who apparently has been an articles editor at Physics Today magazine for over 19 years. According to the email, Mr. Schmidt was fired in response to a book he published, Disciplined Minds. We are told that the reasoning for the dismissal was that Mr. Schmidt had used some of his official work time to write the book.

I have not read the book, and the email is my first awareness of the situation. Based on what is stated in the email about the book, I feel sure that there is much in the book that I would strongly take issue with. Nevertheless, everyone has a right to independently develop arguments and ideas, and to write about these. It would be of great benefit to the physics community, therefore, to hear both sides of the issue, and to learn if it is indeed the case that Mr. Schmidt's employment with Physics Today was terminated primarily as a consequence of the book he published. If, as the email argues, Mr. Schmidt has been an effective writer for Physics Today over his 19-year employment, then it appears that his termination may have been motivated for reasons other than his performance in his job. If, on the other hand, there were truly justifiable causes for dismissal, it is important for the recipients of the email to hear this. In any event, and honest and accurate response from you to the email would be much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

James G. Brasseur

Member, American Physical Society