Brett Welch

Brett Welch is an Assistant Professor and Biostatistician at the University of Houston with dual appointments in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Dr. Welch's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Pittsburgh
• M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• B.S. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin
• B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders – Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Welch's research sits at the intersection of psychology and communication. He seeks to understand how psychological processes like personality and psychopathology influence communication behaviors, and conversely, how communication behaviors impact psycho-social well-being. His work leverages quantitative methods, cross-sectional studies, and intensive longitudinal designs to interrogate the dynamic interplay between psychological processes and voice and communication behaviors. This research aims to advance understanding of functional voice disorders, improve assessment of psychopathology, and promote well-being for people with and without communication disorders.

Dr. Welch has received several notable awards:

• Honors Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders PhD Scholarship (2024)
• New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (2023)
• New Investigator Forum from The Voice Foundation (2021)

As an academic, Dr. Welch serves as an ad hoc peer reviewer for various scientific journals in speech-language pathology and psychology. He is also a mentor in the Students to Empowered Professional Mentoring Program and a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. His teaching includes Special Problems: Introduction to Quantitative Modeling (COMD 8398).

Dr. Welch maintains an active research program focused on the intersection of psychology and communication, with particular emphasis on voice disorders and their psychological correlates. His work combines biostatistical approaches with clinical insights to advance understanding in this specialized field.