Nick Rivier
Professor of Physics
Institut de Physique
Universite Louis Pasteur
Strasbourg, France
26 August 2001
Marc H.
Brodsky (via e-mail)
CEO and
Executive Director
American
Institute of Physics
One Physics
Ellipse
College
Park, Maryland 20740
Dear Marc,
This letter
has been drafted by several concerned colleagues. I have added a few words, and have signed it. "We" means my colleagues and I.
As
physicists and other scientists concerned about freedom of expression in the
science community, we were troubled to learn of your dismissal of Jeff Schmidt,
who had been an articles editor at Physics Today magazine for over 19
years.
As I understand
it, you fired Jeff after you saw his book, Disciplined Minds (Rowman
& Littlefield, 2000), and in particular after you learned that Jeff may
have used some of his spare time at the office for critical writing about education
and employment in physics and other fields.
While I do
not necessarily agree with Jeff's views about the situation of physicists and
other salaried professionals, I believe that free debate within the physics
community is healthy and necessary. (It
is easy to quote Voltaire again, but it is very much relevant here and
now). We expect you to encourage it,
not to stifle it. Your actions as head
of the American Institute of Physics contribute to shape society's view of the
physics community. We urge you to
reconsider your decision and agree to reinstate Jeff as an editor at Physics
Today.
You should
also get Physics Today to review Disciplined Minds, and to
publish the review. Could you also
publish this letter in Physics Today, in order to bring this matter
(which concerns us all) to the attention of the Physics community?
With best
personal regards,
Yours
sincerely,
Nick Rivier
Life member, American Physical Society
Formerly at
Argonne National Laboratory
and at
Imperial College, London
-------------------------
2 September
2001
Dear Marc,
Thank you
for your reply. I do understand your
position, without agreeing with your decision.
I really
don't see what you gain by dismissing him.
I have not read his book yet. (I
am not sure whether it is available in France yet, and am looking forward to
reading reviews in Physics Today — as I strongly suggested — and in
other scientific journals.)
Nevertheless, his choice of words ("stolen time") shows that
dismissal was precisely what he had hoped to achieve. The AIP (we — I am a life member) fell into a trap and I urge you
to reinstate Jeff Schmidt. Obviously,
you have internal means of expressing your disapproval, certainly you are not
obliged to give him promotion or a salary increase. Also, he should not be involved in the letter and review columns
of Physics Today, while matters concerning him or his book are being
discussed.
He has got
now the publicity he hoped to gain.
Stop helping him getting any more, and throwing out money in lawyers
fees. Even if the court agrees with
AIP, you will appear as the bully, and grant thereby Jeff Schmidt's argument.
On the
contrary, if you offer to reinstate him, you will act generously, show your
awareness that he may have made some valuable points in his book (anyway, leave
this job to the reviewers), while showing that you cannot condone his use of
words in his introduction, and being held to ransom (as you are now). He may also feel that he must refuse your
offer.
Please do
not feel that you must answer me personally, but get his book reviewed
(independently) in Physics Today.
Yours
sincerely,
Nick Rivier