▁Academy ▁of ▁Science ▁best owed ▁upon ▁W eld ▁the ▁Out standing ▁Service ▁award ▁ ▁and ▁his ▁al ma ▁mater , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa ▁recognized ▁W eld ▁with ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Education ' s ▁Al umn i ▁Ac com pl ishment ▁Honor . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁S TE M ▁Champion ▁award ▁from ▁the ▁Tri angle ▁Co al ition . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁W eld ▁is ▁the ▁fifth ▁of ▁six ▁off spring ▁( V icki , ▁Douglas , ▁Rh onda , ▁Sand ra , ▁Eric ) ▁of ▁single ▁parent ▁A ile en ▁( Fe any ) ▁W eld , ▁a ▁career ▁government ▁servant , ▁first ▁for ▁the ▁F BI ▁then ▁for ▁the ▁V eter ans ▁Administration , ▁now ▁retired . ▁W eld ' s ▁father ▁Don ▁had ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Marine ▁Cor p ▁and ▁written ▁for ▁newsp apers . ▁W eld ▁spent ▁his ▁early ▁school ▁years , ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁in ▁Iowa ▁City , ▁Iowa , ▁before ▁re loc ating ▁to ▁North am pton , ▁Massachusetts , ▁and ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁North am pton ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁A ▁first - gener ation ▁colleg ian , ▁he ▁attended ▁Green field ▁Community ▁College ▁in ▁Massachusetts ▁before ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁He ▁earned ▁a ▁b ach elor ▁of ▁science ▁degree ▁in ▁secondary ▁education ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa ▁in ▁ 1 9