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Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

latimes.com

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Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#11

Post by mturmon »

billpaetzke wrote: post #10
mturmon wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at his publications: http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/publist.html He does not seem to have particular expertise on this problem.

He entered the project based on aptitude and left based on politics. That's why it's unsettling.

Here's a good summary of the team Steven Chu, himself a Nobelist, appointed:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/mission_im...

Note that Katz is called the "What am I doing here" person. And note, the above summary piece was posted in advance of those writings coming out.

I think the real issue is, why did Chu ask Katz to join the team in the first place? He's really not got the same track record as the others on the team. Not even close.

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#12

Post by billpaetzke »

mturmon wrote: post #11
billpaetzke wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He entered the project based on aptitude and left based on politics. That's why it's unsettling.

Here's a good summary of the team Steven Chu, himself a Nobelist, appointed: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/mission_im... Note that Katz is called the "What am I doing here" person. And note, the above summary piece was posted in advance of those writings coming out. I think the real issue is, why did Chu ask Katz to join the team in the first place? He's really not got the same track record as the…

The simplest explanation is that Katz was picked because he has a high aptitude for physics problem-solving. Why was he picked over someone else with a better resume? I don't know.

If you could prove otherwise, then we could steer this discussion in another direction.

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#13

Post by savant »

It's disappointing at a time like this that when all Americans need to come together and focus on relief efforts and recovery efforts in the Gulf, someone in power decides a person's divisive position on an issue affects his ability to focus on a problem.

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#14

Post by crystalis »

billpaetzke wrote: post #10
mturmon wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at his publications: http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/publist.html He does not seem to have particular expertise on this problem.

He entered the project based on aptitude and left based on politics. That's why it's unsettling.

If you're looking for a balanced outside view, and find that outside view less balanced than initially claimed...

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#15

Post by halostatue »

savant wrote: post #13

It's disappointing at a time like this that when all Americans need to come together and focus on relief efforts and recovery efforts in the Gulf, someone in power decides a person's divisive position on an issue affects his ability to focus on a problem.

If it affects other people's ability to work with him, it matters.

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#16

Post by waterlesscloud »

mturmon wrote: post #3
Perceval wrote: post #2

It's unclear to me why the professor's opinions on homosexuality or multiculturalism would impede his ability to find a solution to our current predicament in the gulf, which requires a rapid and expert insight. If his other four colleagues selected by the Obama administration were unable to work with him, that would be one thing. There doesn't seem to be any public indication of that. This mostly seems to be a bow f…

Look at his publications: http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/publist.html He does not seem to have particular expertise on this problem.

While not relevant to this particular problem, "Detection of Neutron Sources in Cargo Containers" is an interesting title...

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#17

Post by lutorm »

mturmon wrote: post #11
billpaetzke wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He entered the project based on aptitude and left based on politics. That's why it's unsettling.

Here's a good summary of the team Steven Chu, himself a Nobelist, appointed: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/mission_im... Note that Katz is called the "What am I doing here" person. And note, the above summary piece was posted in advance of those writings coming out. I think the real issue is, why did Chu ask Katz to join the team in the first place? He's really not got the same track record as the…

Sometimes it's good to pick people who are experts in related fields but with no direct knowledge of the issue -- it's a source of unbiased ideas that can be valuable. My impression is that that's the whole idea behind this JASON team, to bring together people from various fields of science who all bring their particular viewpoint to a problem. It's the whole idea behind the word "interdisciplinary"...

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#18

Post by lidmith »

halostatue wrote: post #15
savant wrote: post #13

It's disappointing at a time like this that when all Americans need to come together and focus on relief efforts and recovery efforts in the Gulf, someone in power decides a person's divisive position on an issue affects his ability to focus on a problem.

If it affects other people's ability to work with him, it matters.

Maybe it effects his ability to work with them, and they should be removed.

I don't like homophobia, though I do agree with him on diversity (based on what the article showed): that we should focus on people's merits, and not their race, for college admissions and jobs.

However, it's my understanding that he only wrote this stuff on his blog; that he wasn't preaching about it at work, or in this scientist group.

If some scientist is too effected by the personal writings of this guy on his blog that they are unable to work with him, then that scientist should leave the group. Moreover, for someone to be removed from a government position based on his personal beliefs, expressed on his personal web site, is very clearly a violation of freedom of speech.

To put it another way, suppose someone on the team believed that women should have the right to vote, and this offended the sensibilities of other members of the group. Should that person have been removed?

Just because his ideas are wrong, doesn't make them any of our business, or the government's, or that groups'.

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#19

Post by stretchwithme »

lidmith wrote: post #18
halostatue wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it affects other people's ability to work with him, it matters.

Maybe it effects his ability to work with them, and they should be removed. I don't like homophobia, though I do agree with him on diversity (based on what the article showed): that we should focus on people's merits, and not their race, for college admissions and jobs. However, it's my understanding that he only wrote this stuff on his blog; that he wasn't preaching about it at work, or in this scientist group. If s…

jeez, I have probably worked with a lot of people who have divisive controversial views diametrically opposed to my own.

who cares!

The immature, overly political people on the team, that's who!

I don't agree, though, that this is a violation of his free speech rights. He can still speak. Its more a violation of his employment agreement, if anything at all.

Re: Physics prof fired from oil spill cleanup job due to controversial blog.

#20

Post by lidmith »

stretchwithme wrote: post #19
lidmith wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it effects his ability to work with them, and they should be removed. I don't like homophobia, though I do agree with him on diversity (based on what the article showed): that we should focus on people's merits, and not their race, for college admissions and jobs. However, it's my understanding that he only wrote this stuff on his blog; that he wasn't preaching about it at work, or in this scientist group. If s…

jeez, I have probably worked with a lot of people who have divisive controversial views diametrically opposed to my own. who cares! The immature, overly political people on the team, that's who! I don't agree, though, that this is a violation of his free speech rights. He can still speak. Its more a violation of his employment agreement, if anything at all.

I have to disagree with "I don't agree, though, that this is a violation of his free speech rights. He can still speak."

Freedom of speech doesn't mean that you have vocal cords. It means you are free from reprisal for your speech. This was a government appointment, and the story says that the DOE confirmed that the reason for his removal was because of his writings. So, the DOE punished him, by removing him from this appointment, based on his writings.

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