Professor Covington, originally a chemist who joined The University of Northampton in 1995, said: ‘This DSc is a reflection of the international excellence of our department in the University. It is the culmination of more than 30 years’ work in leather science; it is the highest possible academic award and recognition of substantial contribution to scientific knowledge and my standing in the international field. What this accolade really does for me is trump everything I have achieved before. Previously I had 33 letters after my name but I’m now requesting new business cards and replacing all those with just three – DSc!’
Professor Covington, one of only a handful of Leather Science Professors in the world, submitted a reflective portfolio of 46 papers for scrutiny by an internal committee of the University and then external examiners in the lead-up to his award success.
Last year The Royal Society of Chemistry published his first book, entitled ‘Tanning Chemistry. The Science of Leather’, which represents 30 years of study and expertise.
Other career highlights for the Professor include being President of the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS), the technical arm of the global leather industry, at the time of its Centenary in 1997 and being awarded the Union’s Award for Excellence in the Leather Industry in 2009. ‘That felt like the Nobel Prize of leather,’ added Professor Covington.
