Australia's oldest scientist, a 102-year-old academic, has won an employment battle to continue working at an Australian university after concerns of "safety" due to his presence on the campus.
Ecologist David Goodall was asked by the Edith Cowan University in Perth to work from home from next year as the university officials were concerned about his "general well being on campus."
Goodall currently holds an unpaid position at the university as an honorary research associate. The academic usually visits the university four days in a week to supervise doctoral students and review academic papers. Goodall received his PhD from London's Imperial College in 1941.
Reports state that Goodall's journey to his office is a total of 90-minute commute, in which he catches two buses and a train to reach the campus.
Soon after the university's proposal, there was a public outcry denouncing his probable eviction from the campus, which led to the renewal of the scientist's position in the campus this month. He has also been given a new office at another campus of the university which will lessen his travel time to the present campus.
Goodall, however, said that he was sad that he would have to leave his old office, where he worked for two decades. Reports state that his position in the university will be renewed for at least three years, according to National Post.
"Given that I had to move, this is satisfactory. I prefer to be on campus because there are other people around and people who potentially are friends I hope to continue with some useful work in my field in so far as my eyesight permits. But I still think the emphasis on safety was unnecessary," the scientist added.
