Dr. Welk is the Barbara E. Forker Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Iowa State University and the Director of the campus-wide Translational Research Network. He coordinates the Physical Activity and Health Promotion option within the department and teaches courses in community health programming and worksite health promotion. 

He conducts research on the assessment and promotion of physical activity and health - and has published over 200 peer reviewed publications. He has supervised 40 graduate students over his 19 years at ISU (14 Ph.D. students and 26 Masters students) and also provides mentoring to honors students and a number of undergraduate research students each year. 

Professionally, he serves as the Scientific Director of the FitnessGram program, which allows him to apply his work to serve and impact physical education teachers across the county. He enjoys many different active outdoor recreation activities including running, biking, cross country skiing, and kayaking.