David Welch (optical engineer)

David F. Welch, Ph.D, (born October 26, 1960) is an American businessman[1] and research scientist. Welch is a pioneer in the field of optical devices and optical transport systems for telecommunications networks. Welch first made it possible to commercially deploy reliable 980 nm laser pumps, needed in low noise optical amplifiers employed in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) telecommunications systems. He also achieved the first commercial optoelectronics integrated circuit, several years ahead of any competing research or developments laboratory.[2]

Welch was born in Washington, D.C., on October 26, 1960, the youngest of seven children in his family. Welch attended Severna Park High School, a public school in Severna Park, Maryland, and entered the University of Delaware to study electrical engineering at the age of 16.[3][4] Welch earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1981 and a Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in 1985.[5]

Career

Infinera: Welch is a co-founder, President and a member of the Board of Directors of Infinera Corp, an optical transport networking company.[6][7][8]

JDSU: From February 2001 to April 2001, Welch served as Chief Technology Officer of the Transmission Division of JDS Uniphase Corporation, an optical component company.

Spectra Diode Labs (SDL): From January 1985 to February 2001, Welch served in various executive roles, including Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Corporate Development of SDL, an optical component company.[9] JDS Uniphase acquired SDL in 2001.[10][11]

Honors and Awards

In November 2013, Welch was awarded the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) J J Thomson Medal for Electronics. IET Achievement Medals are awarded to individuals who have made major and distinguished contributions in the various sectors of science, engineering and technology.[12] In February 2013, Welch was recognized as #5 of the "Top Ten: Optical Movers and Shakers" by telecommunications publication Light Reading[13]

In 2011, the Optical Society of America (OSA) presented Welch the 2011 John Tyndall Award. The Tyndall Award is the highest recognition in the optical telecommunications community and is co-sponsored by OSA and the IEEE Photonics Society. The Tyndall Award recognizes an individual who has made pioneering, highly significant, or continuing technical or leadership contributions to fiber optics technology.[14][15]

In 2010, Welch was recognized by the University of Delaware for his outstanding professional and public service achievements by being inducted into the University Alumni Association Wall of Fame.[16][17]

In 1999, Welch received the Joseph Fraunhofer Award/Robert M. Burley Prize from the Optical Society of America. The award recognizes significant research accomplishments in the field of optical engineering.[18]

In 1998, Welch was the recipient of the IEEE LEOS Engineering Achievement Award, presented to him "for the design, development and commercialization of high power diffraction limited semiconductor lasers."[19]

In 1992, Welch received the Adolph Lomb Medal from the Optical Society of America. The Adolph Lomb Medal, established in 1940, is presented to a person who has made a noteworthy contribution to optics at an early age. The candidate cannot be older than the age of 35 in the calendar year of presentation.[20]

Publications and Patents

Welch has made numerous contributions to the field of optical communication systems—including more than 250 published articles and 125 patents[21][22]

Role in California Education

Welch founded the anti-teachers union organization Students Matter in 2011. It had a claimed goal of creating positive structural change in the California K-12 public education system.[23] Though it financed a court challenge against teacher seniority and tenure, and received a favorable lower court decision Vergara v. California in 2014 that they were unconstitutional, a three-judge state appellate court panel reversed the Los Angeles judge's ruling in April 2016. Students Matter indicated it would appeal that decision to the California supreme court.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "David Welch". Forbes. 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  2. ↑ "IET Awards - IET Conferences". Conferences.theiet.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  3. ↑ "OSA History - Video Library | The Optical Society". Osa.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  4. ↑ http://www.osa.org/osaorg/media/osa.history/Transcripts/Welch,_David_Interview_%28final%29_2011-03.pdf
  5. ↑ "2011 John Tyndall Award Winner Announced | News Releases | The Optical Society". Osa.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  6. ↑ "David F. Welch of Infinera Corporation Board of Directors". Insiders.morningstar.com. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  7. ↑ David F. Welch Ph.D. (2013-06-19). "Infinera Corp Management Team - David Welch Bio". Investing.businessweek.com. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  8. ↑ "Infinera Corporation | Company | Board of Directors". Infinera.com. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  9. ↑ "2011 John Tyndall Award Winner Announced | News Releases | The Optical Society". Osa.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  10. ↑ "JDS Uniphase to Acquire SDL for $37 Billion - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  11. ↑ "JDS Uniphase and SDL Agree to $41 Billion Merger". Jdsu.com. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  12. ↑ "IET Awards - IET Conferences". Conferences.theiet.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  13. ↑ "Top Ten: Optical Networking Movers & Shakers". Light Reading. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  14. ↑ "2011 John Tyndall Award Winner Announced | News Releases | The Optical Society". Osa.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  15. ↑ "Infinera Co-founder Receives Engineering Award | business | Nov 2013". photonics.com. 2013-11-20. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  16. ↑ "UD Engineering Alumni Recognition". Engr.udel.edu. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  17. ↑ "Spotlight :: ECE :: UD ::". Ece.udel.edu. 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  18. ↑ "Joseph Fraunhofer Award/Robert M. Burley Prize - Awards - OSA.org | The Optical Society". OSA.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  19. ↑ "LEOS Awards and Recognitions". Photonicssociety.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  20. ↑ "Adolph Lomb Medal - Awards | The Optical Society". Osa.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  21. ↑ "2011 John Tyndall Award Winner Announced | News Releases | The Optical Society". Osa.org. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  22. ↑ "Patents by Inventor David F. Welch - Justia Patents Database". Patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  23. ↑ "Founder". Students Matter. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  24. ↑ What the Vergara ruling means for the future of teacher tenure in the U.S., Los Angeles Times, Sonali Kohli, April 15, 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
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