Comments on: Professor Robert Lehman led the way for 91��Ƶ’s sustainability focus

By: Jim Lehman

Jim Lehman — Tue, 09 May 2017 15:09:13 +0000

In reply to Douglas Lehman. His findings from that ice incident and a few others were mentioned in a book about unusual happenings by Arthur Clarke.

By: John W. Weaver, PhD Electrical Engineering with emphasis in Computer Technology.

John W. Weaver, PhD Electrical Engineering with emphasis in Computer Technology. — Thu, 04 May 2017 05:05:03 +0000

Bob and I were classmates at then EMC. We were the only two majoring in physics and mathematics. He and I studied together and to do this I went to C. K. Lehman’s residence. I was such a frequent visitor to the C. K. residence that one of the granddaughter (I forget her name) called me the study-boy. Our paths diverged and I when I finished my IW term I went to work for a multi-national oil company as a scientific programmer doing refinery simulation in the Economic Planning Department. Following several years of this I became restless and bored and transferred to the U of D Department of Computer Science & Statistics. A very wise and kind professor at the U of D help me to obtain a National Science Faculty Fellowship which I spend at Johns Hopkins University. Here our paths converged again and we spent quite a bit of time together and I recall he and Ruby both taught in one of the HS in the Baltimore Area. I am aware of the may talents Bob had and am impressed at the mark he made at EMC and the many students whose lives he touched.

Just an aside, I have spent more that 35 years in a state university and know the politics used to get rid of a professor and the surest route is to eliminate the department. I am aware that the same technique was used to ‘get rid of Bob’ which saddens me.

By: Jnana Hodson

Jnana Hodson — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 13:30:24 +0000

Learning of other sides of Bob is an inspiration. Much of what he and Ruby taught me, in the most informal of settings in Baltimore, continues in the Boston-area choir where I now sing and in the Quaker circles where I worship and serve. I’m ever so grateful for their presence.

By: Chi Van Nguyen

Chi Van Nguyen — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 16:27:32 +0000

Dr Robert Lehman was my physics professor. Through him, I learned how to save energy, pennies, and look forward to graduate school at James Madison University. Later Dr Lehman and Mrs Lehman adopted me as a lost Vietnamese child in this God’s country. He invited me every years to his family reunion with grandma Lehman. I am sorry we lost in touch when I moved to CA and heard that he passed away through this article. If you have the email address and phone mumber of Mrs Ruby Lehman, please let me know. I know The Lehman’s adopted a lot of international students at 91��Ƶ and I have probably have a few dozen adopted brothers and sisters around the world that I have not met yet. All I can say the Lehmans are the gifts that God sent to International students and through them I learned and still believe in God. Their kids are wonderful too. They are just like their parents – Saving ENERGY and doing God’s work.

By: John Horst

John Horst — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 16:07:17 +0000

I have pleasant memories of my association With Robert (Bob) Lehman.
I had him for a teacher in General Physics in my sophomore year (1957-58)
and later as a colleague in the Math/Physics dept. starting in the Fall of 1967.
We were active in the design and running of the M.T. Brackbill Planetarium.
By the way he was also a good bass singer. Sang with the Park View Melodians
men’s quartet as a student from 1946-1852

By: John Shenk

John Shenk — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 13:33:16 +0000

I am glad to have worked with Bob. We worked together to edit the cost of natural gas and fuel oil for the boiler plant. Load shedding of electric use on campus resulted in GREAT savings!

By: Paul R Schlitz Jr

Paul R Schlitz Jr — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 02:00:13 +0000

All of you knew Bob as an academic and a marvelous scientist. And he was certainly that. As for me I knew of Bob as my friend as he and his wife Ruby were the first Mennonites I ever met in their house church in their living room on the Sunday afternoon on Dellsway Road on December 14, 1986. They were the face of Christlikeness that I met that afternoon

By: Faith R Pasley, MD

Faith R Pasley, MD — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 17:28:45 +0000

Dr Lehman taught me physics in 1966. Through his creative teaching of the chapter on quantum physics I was able to imagine the possibilities of a God who was so much greater than my own experience. When asked years later how I came to believe in the Great God of the Universe, I replied,”thru a quantum physics class”.
I am still thankful that he inspired me to look up on starry nights.

By: Ruby Lehman

Ruby Lehman — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 19:14:15 +0000

I am grateful to 91��Ƶ and writer Randi Hagi for this well written article about my husband. Many readers are probably wondering how a senior, tenured faculty member whose energy studies were creating so much interest on the EMC campus, could be “let go”. In fact, I was unaware of the full story until recently, when I uncovered a file containing Bob’s documents saved from that era.

The dean at that time gave the reason for Bob’s termination being that the Physics Major was being dropped, and Bob was to be the one that should be “let go”. The collected documents included letters to the dean from colleagues in the science department and other faculty, asking that he not be terminated. Bob served on a number of faculty committees, and had sent memos to the dean about ethics in the workplace, unfair treatment of some faculty members, lack of funding for academic programs in comparison to administrative initiatives, decision-making without due process, and much more. It is interesting to note a comment from the dean to a faculty member concerning Bob’s energy research. “Energy research, while fashionable, is not an area we can deploy our scarce resources in . . . . . We are a teaching institution and simply cannot take on assignments which large research universities can more appropriately carry.”

Fortunately for me, I was spared from being involved in my husband’s situation at that time, and able to pursue my much-loved teaching career and graduate studies. His primary support came from his loyal, trusted colleagues. I am thankful that our move to Baltimore was a positive experience for both of us . . . . . new teaching positions, new friends, enjoyable city life.

Our move back to Park View for retirement at VMRC was also a positive move, rejoining former colleagues and community friends. Bob would be so pleased to know that 91��Ƶ has become a leader in sustainability and creation care! I love living next to 91��Ƶ where I feel welcome, and can attend many campus events. I consider myself a part of the 91��Ƶ Community!

By: Douglas Lehman

Douglas Lehman — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 20:39:28 +0000

This article made me think of the time that Father was called out to Broadway to inspect a large chunk of ice that had crashed through the roof of someone’s house. It landed just in front of the sofa where the residents were sitting at the time! I think that his assessment was that the chunk must have fallen off of a passing aircraft. But as I wonder about this, sitting here in Conakry, Guinea this evening, I’m wondering how it was that the people of Rockingham County somehow knew to call him for ice-through-roof type incidents. As was often the case, adventures like this were something I often participated in.

I also remember him saying that every time you use your brakes, you’re just throwing money out the window. I do wish taxi drivers worldwide would know this!

By: Judith Lehman

Judith Lehman — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 16:42:07 +0000

In reply to Carl Rutt. I can't think what cat would have allowed itself to come to class.

By: Tim Swartzendruber

Tim Swartzendruber — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 14:24:15 +0000

I’ve had the privilege of dining with Doug here in Washington D.C., and seeing Ruby’s smiling face many times at 91��Ƶ. Thank you, Randi, for educating me and many others about Robert’s passion for sustainability!

By: Carl Rutt

Carl Rutt — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 10:43:51 +0000

Robert Lehman was one of my favorite professors. One day in physics class, he held a cat upside down a short distance above his demonstration table. He dropped the cat to show how quickly it could right itself!

By: Judith Lehman

Judith Lehman — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 23:05:40 +0000

I was one of the egg frying investigators. We children learned so many energy saving habits, like coasting up to stoplights. Once when my husband and I were driving from Harrisonburg to the Maryland coast for our annual family gathering, we were approaching the bridge to take us over the bay. We came upon a car which was coasting up to stoplights and braking as little as possible. I said that that car was driving like my Dad was in it……..It turned out to be him in their brand new car that I’d never seen! It turns out that little incremental savings really do add up.

By: Eldon Kurtz

Eldon Kurtz — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:22:34 +0000

I count Robert as a mentor and supportive collaborator in the planning and implementation of many of the early energy conservation efforts that established a culture that continues to value conservation and sustainability. I well remember the fried egg and message on the pavement south of the Library.

Thank you for this delightful article that well articulates the importance, depth, and character of this special man.

Comments on: Professor Robert Lehman led the way for 91����Ƶ’s sustainability focus

By: Jim Lehman

By: John W. Weaver, PhD Electrical Engineering with emphasis in Computer Technology.

By: Jnana Hodson

By: Chi Van Nguyen

By: John Horst

By: John Shenk

By: Paul R Schlitz Jr

By: Faith R Pasley, MD

By: Ruby Lehman

By: Douglas Lehman

By: Judith Lehman

By: Tim Swartzendruber

By: Carl Rutt

By: Judith Lehman

By: Eldon Kurtz

Comments on: Professor Robert Lehman led the way for 91��Ƶ’s sustainability focus