Dr. Welsh earned his bachelor's degree in Animal Science in 1974, and doctorate degree in Physiology/Bichemistry in 1980 from North Carolina State University. He completed postdoctoral training in Reproductive Endocrinology from the University of California in San Diego, CA in 1983.

Areas of research for Dr. Welsh include developing endocrine-based biotechnologies to selectively and precisely regulate growth and reproduction in livestock; in vitro and in vivo methodologies used to identify mechanisms whereby specific hormones regulate the biosynthesis of pituitary, adrenal, gonadal and hypothalamic hormones; and correlative in vivo and in vitro studies conducted using bovine, porcine and ovine animal models.