David Welch

Background

About David Welch

My professional life has largely involved two areas: creative problem solving and education. When solving problems, the first question I am generally concerned with asking is "How can we develop a good approach?" Pushing boundaries is exciting for me, but it is equally important for me to demonstrate that it has been performed in a top notch way. In recent work, my love of chemistry and molecular modeling has driven me to develop modeling techniques in innovative ways in order to support the growth of the fields of electron microscopy and nanotechnology. In the classroom, I strongly believe that the most effective teaching recognizes student motivation. Presentation of information alone is not a formula for successful teaching. Care must be taken to make the learning process interesting and valuable for the student. While instructing students at UC Davis and UM Orono, I found that individualized attention, open group discussions on class material, and detailed, unassuming learning aids improved the quality of education.