Covestro Links RMU Students to Real-World IT Experience in Germany
PITTSBURGH, June 2, 2026 – Covestro LLC, a world-leading supplier of high-tech polymer materials, today highlighted a cross-border mentoring experience that connected Robert Morris University (RMU) students with a Covestro employee during their visit to the company’s Leverkusen site in Germany.
The visit gave students firsthand exposure to Covestro’s global operations and innovation culture while creating opportunities for mentoring and career discussion. As part of the Faculty Lead Education Abroad Program (FLEAP), students met with RMU alumna and Covestro Security Incident Response Analyst Carrie Barnhart, who began her career in Pittsburgh and now works at the company’s global headquarters in Germany, as well as Covestro Cyber Defense Manager Christoph Strassburger and Chief Information Security Officer Markus Schmall.
The experience gave students insight into international career opportunities in technology and cybersecurity, while connecting classroom learning to real-world applications across science, engineering, business, and IT. Discussions explored global perspectives on information technology, digital transformation in the era of AI agents, and emerging cybersecurity challenges, while also highlighting the value of cross-cultural experiences and global mobility in shaping professional development within a global materials company.
The visit reflects Covestro’s ongoing collaboration with academic partners such as Robert Morris University and the strong local ties that enable global opportunity. With Covestro’s North American headquarters in Pittsburgh located near RMU’s Moon Township campus, these regional connections help support international learning and exchange. As part of RMU's Collaborative Learning Institute, the Covestro Center for Community Engagement advances community impact through collaborative programs such as this.
The initiative also supports Covestro’s Brighter Communities efforts, which focus on developing talent through three pillars: Brighter Minds, Brighter Planet, and Brighter Together. The program helps connect students with real-world experience in fields such as IT and digital innovation, while supporting long-term workforce development.
"This engagement demonstrates how local connections can translate into global impact," said Ben Renwick, STEM Education Lead at Covestro LLC. "By bringing students together with employees in IT and other global functions, we are helping broaden perspectives and inspire future talent."
Covestro continues to invest in education partnerships and early-career engagement programs that strengthen talent pipelines and support its global innovation network.
About Covestro:
Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. Covestro supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Covestro are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, telecommunications and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.
The company is geared completely to the circular economy. In addition, Covestro aims to achieve climate neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035, and the Group’s Scope 3 emissions are also set to be climate neutral by 2050. Covestro generated sales of EUR 12.9 billion in fiscal year 2025. At the end of 2025, the company had 46 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,600 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.