Friedemann Freund
Adjunct Professor of Physics
San Jose State University
SETI Institute / NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, California
24 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:
I am an avid
reader of Physics Today. Many of
the articles are challenging in their ways.
I vividly remember, for instance, the article not long ago by a Polish
nuclear physicist on the worldwide politics behind radiation health
concerns. As I read it, my esteem for Physics
Today and its responsible editorial staff moved up a big notch. Bringing this article certainly took
courage. True to the APS tradition, I
thought, it was meant to initiate a much-needed public discussion about a hot
topic.
Now I have
learned about Jeff Schmidt's book, Disciplined Minds, and I learned that
Jeff Schmidt has been fired from his editorial position at Physics Today. After having researched what is available on
the net my esteem for those at One Physics Ellipse who decided to reprimand
Jeff Schmidt in this way has taken a deep dive.
I gave up 14
years ago a tenured professorship in Germany to pursue my dream of working in
the USA in an intellectually open, highly interdisciplinary area, where
physics, chemistry, geology, and biology intersect. My dream has long been shattered by reality. Being on soft money, I have experienced
first-hand what it means to be at the mercy of (1) anonymous reviewers who more
often than not lack the competence, or fairness, that they claim to possess;
(2) program managers who wield their power over the purse and often have
circles of good ol' friends; and (3) local NASA administrators for whom we are
"contractors" and who think of us as second-rate citizens — with dire
consequences for those of us who don't easily "obey."
I think I
understand what Jeff Schmidt is trying to convey to the readers of his
book. I understand his drive for
freedom from intellectual bondage. I
value his sensitivity to the broader aspects of an eminently societal
question: How does America, the
"country of the free," treat those who work in the state of
dependency.
It's a shame
that you at APS seem unable to get along with an independent-minded but
otherwise (so I hear) impeccable member of the Physics Today editorial
staff.
Friedemann Freund