Douglas L Welch
Professor, Physics & Astronomy

Doug Welch is a (Full) Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster University and has served as Chair of the department. He recently completed his appointment as Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies at McMaster. He has also served as Second and First Vice-President of CASCA (Canadian Astronomical Society). Prof. Welch has been Chair of the Board of Directors of both the Gemini Observatory and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation and served on the Thirty Meter Telescope Board of Governors and was the Canadian Board representative to its Science Advisory Council.

His areas of expertise include evolved pulsating variable stars, observational studies of dark matter and the study of supernova light echoes. He is an author or co-author on over 150 refereed journal papers and is a co-author on four Nature papers.

Prof. Welch was the recipient of the Royal Society of Canada's McNeil Medal in 2010 which is "awarded to a candidate who has demonstrated outstanding ability to promote and communicate science to students and the public within Canada (the term public is defined in its broadest sense)."