Ualbany must reinstate Carpenter immediately

I want to express my thanks to the Times Union for covering the situation involving David O. Carpenter, the founder and longtime director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the state University at Albany. I likely wouldn’t have heard about this elsewhere.

As a student at Ualbany, professors who not only understand their students’ day-to-day struggles but who also try to make our lives easier are precious. As someone who studies environmental policy, experts who cut through the confusion and help victims of pollution exposure receive justice are precious. As someone living in America, and aware of the train derailment — and subsequent massive pollution event — in East Palestine, Ohio, researchers who can identify pollutants and quantify their health impacts are precious.

I do not believe Carpenter’s “alternate assignment,” or proposed employment agreement due March 1, is just a simple personnel matter (“Monsanto targets researcher,” Feb. 14). The way Ualbany handles this case will have repercussions for researchers everywhere, and will, no doubt, influence what cases experts feel comfortable testifying on.

I hope that Ualbany will please show me that my mentors will be respected and that my degrees will have value postgraduation. I hope that Ualbany will reinstate Carpenter to his former position — at the very least so that his students’ program progress will no longer be impacted — and at best to show researchers that they don’t need to worry about professional reprisal from large corporations.

Xan Plymale Albany The writer has a bachelor’s from the University at Albany and is pursuing an MPA degree there.