Amy S. Welch

Amy S. Welch earned her Ph.D. from the Centre for Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Leeds (UK) in 2007, after completing her M.S. and B.S. degrees in sport and exercise science at Sheffield Hallam University (UK). Prior to joining Norwich University in 2019, she held faculty positions at Iowa State University and Northern Vermont University-Johnson.

Early in her career, she explored affective responses to exercise among inexperienced exercisers, with the goal of identifying factors that can predict positive and negative exercise experiences. She has also been involved in developing and testing theory-based interventions designed to increase physical activity behavior. Her current research interests focus on understanding psychophysiological responses to psychological stress, and the use of behavioral strategies to mitigate that stress. For example, her recent scholarship involved using heart rate variability (HRV) as an indicator of autonomic nervous system activity, and the use of aerobic exercise and HRV biofeedback training to reduce stress. Moving forward, Welch is particularly interested in using wearable biometrics to predict the stress, resilience, performance, and well-being of students.

Her research has been published in a number of peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Journal of Health Psychology, and Anxiety, Stress, & Coping. She also serves as a peer-reviewer for several journals in the fields of sport and exercise science and behavioral medicine. In addition, Welch has provided performance psychology workshops for individual athletes, sports teams, and students. This work often involves the application of her research on diaphragmatic breathing and biofeedback training.

As an educator, she frequently employs experiential-learning techniques and strategies that encourage intrinsic motivation. Her main goal is to bridge the gap between science and practice, to help the student graduate as an independent learner who can consult reliable evidence to find solutions to problems. Mentoring undergraduate student research experiences has also become an integral part of her role as a faculty member. If you are a Norwich University student with common interests and a desire to engage in research, Professor Welch strongly encourages you to contact her.