Ashley James (A.J.) Welch, a leading biophotonics researcher and one of the founding faculty members of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UT, died at the age of 88 on January 1, 2022. Welch leaves a legacy of fundamental research and influence that carry on in the students he mentored and colleagues with whom he worked. Known for his patience, kindness, and ability to teach, the UT community mourns his loss.
Welch joined UT Austin as an assistant professor in 1964 in the Department of Electrical Engineering, and began teaching introductory courses for graduate and undergraduate students in biomedical engineering.
In 1968, he began teaching with what was at that time known as the Biomedical Engineering Program. His research focused on what happens to tissue when exposed to lasers, and he wrote a book explaining the fundamentals of laser tissue interaction. His research in this area first focused on laser safety, specifically as part of a project sponsored by the U.S. Air Force to investigate laser flash blindness in pilots and safe levels of laser exposure to the eye. Welch’s work later evolved into how lasers could be used in medical applications and for diagnosing disease.
