Allison Welch

Allison Welch is an Associate Professor of Biology at the College of Charleston, specializing in amphibian ecology and conservation. Her research examines how environmental stressors like salinity and chemical pollutants impact amphibian life cycles across developmental stages.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a B.S. in Biology from Truman State University. Dr. Welch teaches core courses including Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Herpetology, and Environmental Studies.

Research focuses on amphibian responses to anthropogenic stressors, particularly salinity intrusion from sea-level rise and pharmaceutical pollution. Her work integrates quantitative genetics, behavioral ecology, and ecotoxicology to understand adaptive potential and conservation implications. Recent studies emphasize critical windows of vulnerability during development and complex interactions between multiple stressors.

Analysis of her publication record reveals a strong trajectory in environmental stressor research, with increasing focus on photodegradation products of pollutants and multi-stressor interactions. Her work spans fundamental evolutionary questions to applied conservation, consistently using amphibians as model systems for ecosystem health assessment.

She received the College of Charleston's Distinguished Advising Award in 2022 for exceptional mentorship. Her advising philosophy emphasizes hands-on research experiences, as reflected in numerous student co-authorships across her publication history.

Dr. Welch maintains an active laboratory (Lab 266) in the Rita Hollings Science Center, where she conducts controlled exposure experiments and collaborates with regional conservation agencies on amphibian monitoring projects in coastal South Carolina ecosystems.