David Welch (optical engineer)

David F. Welch, Ph.D, (born October 26, 1960) is an American businessman 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.

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. 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.

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

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. JDS Uniphase acquired SDL in 2001.

In 2016, Welch was elected to the National Academy of Engineering "For contributions to high-power semiconductor lasers and photonic integrated circuits."

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. In February 2013, Welch was recognized as #5 of the "Top Ten: Optical Movers and Shakers" by telecommunications publication Light Reading

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