Professor Chris Whitty has received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Northumbria University in recognition of his clinical and academic contributions and his outstanding leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The UK government's Chief Medical Advisor is an alumnus of Northumbria University and has become a globally recognised physician and epidemiologist and a trusted figure throughout the Covid-19 pandemic following his numerous Downing Street briefings.
He studied for the LLM in Medical Law at Northumbria University, graduating in 2005.
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Alongside his role as Chief Medical Officer for England and head of the public health profession, Professor Whitty is a practicing NHS Consultant Physician at University College London Hospitals and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, and Gresham Professor of Physic at Gresham College.
As an epidemiologist, Professor Whitty has undertaken research in the UK, Africa and Asia and was Professor of Public and International Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Director of the Malaria Centre.
A year later he was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for International Development where he led on the UK's technical response to the West Africa Ebola outbreak and other international emergencies.
Professor Whitty went on to become the interim Government Chief Scientific Adviser from 2017 – 2018, during the Novichok poisonings in Salisbury.
Professor Whitty was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2015 New Year’s Honours List, for services to Tropical Medicine in the UK and Africa. Then in 2022 he was knighted for the role he played at the forefront of tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking about his honorary degree, Professor Whitty said: "It is a real privilege to be awarded an honorary degree from Northumbria University. It is a great University with a strong commitment to research and training future healthcare workers. Congratulations to all the students graduating today."
Professor Whitty received his honorary degree during the University’s summer graduation ceremonies, which were held on Northumbria’s Newcastle City Campus.
The ceremonies celebrated the achievements of more than 6,000 students and a number of other honorary graduates, including climate change influencer Professor Saleemul Huq and newsreader Moira Stuart, across five days.
Honorary degrees are awarded each year to inspiring people who merit special recognition for their achievements, their links to the University and for inspirational qualities.
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