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University bars whistleblower professor from her laboratory
Tim Stewart24 Jun 2009
A leading academic who claims she was suspended after blowing the whistle on her university's misuse of public funds and unsafe facilities is suing the college for £300,000.
Heather van der Lely, whose work on children's language disorders has won international acclaim, has been barred from even entering her laboratory.
Professor van der Lely, 53, says she cannot communicate with students and colleagues at University College London. A group of 25 scholars from across the world has launched an attack on UCL, accusing it of “extraordinary and unjust punishment”.
They have written to the university, voicing “strong concern” over the “summary suspension and enforced silence” of Professor van der Lely.
Two years ago, the professor, director of UCL's Centre for Developmental Language Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, devised a 10-minute test to identify pre-school children who might be dyslexic and carried out pioneering brain-imaging studies. But she was demoted and suspended in November last year after raising formal grievances and says she has since been gagged.
She is suing UCL for victimisation under whistleblowing laws and sex discrimination.
Her solicitor Shah Qureshi, of Bindmans, said: “She believes she has been victimised and subjected to disproportionate disciplinary action by UCL after raising public interest disclosures.
“These included inadequate facilities likely to have an impact on the health and safety of children and potential breach of patient confidentiality.”
He added: “She feels her scientific standing was questioned in a way that male colleagues', including those junior to her, were not.”
Professor van der Lely, who suffers from lymphoedema — a condition causing difficulties in mobility — is also suing UCL for disability discrimination after bosses allegedly failed to provide her with “adequate working space and safe working temperatures”.
She is demanding about £250,000 for lost personal grant income, loss of earnings after being demoted and injury to feelings in respect of her tribunal claims. She also plans to launch a civil claim against UCL for a further five figure sum for breach of contract. In legal papers submitted to Central London Employment Tribunal, Professor van der Lely tells how she took up her post in March 2001.
She claims UCL received £12 million from the Government in 2005 after using her name in a funding bid.
As part of the bid, she says proposals were outlined for enlarging the laboratory space and offices at the Centre. But once funding was secured, UCL insisted she move to a smaller lab.
When she accused UCL of misusing public funds, she says bosses “reacted aggressively” and saw her as a “troublemaker”. Over the next years, they allegedly blocked her grant applications.
The letter protesting at Professor van der Lely's treatment was sent to Sir Stephen Wall, chairman of UCL's council. It was signed by academics from UCL, Harvard and other institutions in the UK, US, Europe and Australia.
It says: “We are shocked that UCL should be so cavalier about endangering the career of an internationally acclaimed female scientist.”
A UCL spokesman said: “This is a complex matter... [which is] in the process of being examined.”
Professor van der Lely's tribunal claim is due to be heard later this year.
