▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁His ▁th esis , ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁published ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁A ▁Very ▁Public ▁Solution ▁is ▁considered ▁an ▁author itative ▁text ▁in ▁the ▁field . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁period ▁as ▁a ▁Research ▁Fellow ▁at ▁the ▁Australian ▁National ▁University ' s ▁Urban ▁Research ▁Program , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Me es ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Melbourne ▁to ▁teach ▁and ▁research . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁amid ▁a ▁public ▁fur ore ▁over ▁academic ▁independence , ▁he ▁was ▁dem oted ▁by ▁the ▁University . ▁Its ▁key ▁compla int ▁related ▁to ▁public ▁critic isms ▁Me es ▁had ▁made ▁about ▁state ▁government ▁officials , ▁although ▁a ▁subsequent ▁investigation ▁dismiss ed ▁the ▁University ' s ▁compla ints . ▁By ▁that ▁time , ▁however , ▁Me es ▁had ▁res igned ▁to ▁take ▁up ▁an ▁appointment ▁at ▁R MIT ▁University . ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁Associ ate ▁Professor ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Me es ▁research ed ▁and ▁taught ▁at ▁R MIT ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁ ▁Me es ' s ▁work ▁was ▁princip ally ▁concerned ▁with ▁the ▁planning ▁of ▁public ▁transport ▁in ▁cities . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁strong ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁public ▁transport , ▁but ▁less ▁keen ▁on ▁urban ▁b icy cles ▁as ▁a ▁real istic ▁mass ▁transport ▁solution . ▁His ▁work ▁provided ▁the ▁basis ▁for ▁the ▁European ▁Union ' s ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁Hi Trans ▁project ▁on ▁impro ving ▁public ▁transport ▁in ▁medium - s ized ▁cities ▁and ▁towns . ▁He ▁was ▁also