PSU Chemistry Professor Facing Child Porn Charges

PSU Chemistry Professor Facing Child Porn Charges

PSU scrambles in unpublicized meeting to determine out how to address the university's latest PR nightmare. by Margo Craig On April 9, 2019 The Oregonian reported that tion went unanswered. deal and pled guilty to delivery of meth). “He is PSU chemistry professor Niles E. Lehman, 56, Dr. Gwen Shusterman, chemistry professor, out of prison, back with his kids and he has a nice was arrested in February. Lehman was indicted commented, “This community needs healing job. People are able to turn their lives around and on charges of first- and second-degree encourfrom this.” not be defined by their worst actions.” aging sexual abuse. He is accused of viewing and The HR representative sternly discouraged the Iwata-Reuyl added, “There’s no way this makes distributing images of child pornography beattendees from asking questions about the case. PSU look bad because this is dealing with [Lehtween October 2017 and September 2018. Public They said repeatedly that they have limited informan's] personal life, not his professional life.” records show that Lehman posted bail in March mation and are limited in what they can share, People in the crowd began to debate whether it and that the trial is set for May. citing Oregon law. As long as they were present, is possible to morally separate Lehman’s personal

The Oregonian reported PSU confirmed in a he said, “the meeting is officially on record. How life from his profession and speculated the extent statement that Lehman was placed on paid adyou all talk about this once we leave the room is a to which the nature of the indictment is in fact a ministrative leave. Kenny Ma, PSU Communicaseparate matter.” professional matter. tions Director, declined to specify when Lehman Shusterman characterized HR’s position on Regarding the rules and protocol for an inveswas placed on leave. Lehman has not resigned. limiting discussion of the matter as “stern.” She tigation, one attendee asked, “If this is a profes

PSU has not sent an official email to the PSU eventually asked the university representatives to sional matter, what is the time course and what community addressing the matter. leave: “I politely ask all of you to leave so that the are you going to do about this?”

On April 15th, a Monday afternoon, an HR community can discuss this now.” Iwata-Reuyl said he was unable to answer the representative of PSU and several university repAfter HR left, Iwata-Reuyl told attendees, question. resentatives unassociated with the Chemistry De“We are here to assure you that Niles Lehman Portland State University has removed Lehpartment, along with Dr. Dirk Iwata-Reuyl, Chair has been off campus and will not be on campus.” man’s PDX.edu faculty profile and research lab, of the Chemistry Department, held a discreet Iwata-Reuyl declined to answer many questions, Lehman Lab, from its site. Google search is still meeting in SB1 107 to address the approximately citing his “official role in this.” One question Iwapicking up results for the pages, but when clicked 40 people, presumably associated with the Chemta-Reuyl declined to answer was whether Lehon to navigate to them, the pages cannot be found. istry Department, that attended. man is still on medical leave: “We are not allowed Additionally a search result for Niles Lehman on

PSU has not sent an official email to the PSU to discuss personnel matters by Oregon Law.” Google Scholar Citations has a similar dead end. community addressing the matter. Professor Carl C. Wamser said from his seat in As of 11 p.m. on April 21, 2019, PSU has not

Dr. Mark Woods, a chemistry professor, the front row, “We need to send our thoughts and emailed its community about the situation. lamented the fact that PSU has not formally adprayers for somebody who is hurting and that It is unclear what will happen to the Lehman dressed the matter with the PSU community, person is Niles.” Lab, however several graduate students that had telling the HR representative to “send an email Wamser continued, “I’ve talked to my old stubeen conducting research chose to transfer doctomorrow, and even that will be 6 days late.” dent recently,” referring to Alexander Rudine, a torate advisors in the wake of these revelations.

One attendee asked, “How are you going to former PSU doctorate student who was charged change the communication chain so that we find with manufacturing, possession and delivery of out about this in a different manner?” The quesmethamphetamine in 2014 (he reached a plea

(Left) Niles E. Lehman's Multnomah County Sherrif's Office mugshot; taken from Oregon Live's website. (Right) Screen capture taken at 11 p.m. 4/21/2019 from PSU's article (still posted) announcing that in 2018 Lehman was named as an Outstanding Oregon Scientist by the Oregon Academy of Science and PSU's subsequent "hopes it helps raise the profile of Portland State as a place to do research."

(middle L/R and bottom right) Screen captures of Google search results that lead to nowhere. 11 p.m. 4/21/2019. PSU recently removed Lehman's faculty profile (left) and Lehman Lab at PSU (bottom right) from its website. Google search results also yielded a broken link to Google Scholar Citations (middle right).