Dr. Fred Fonseca

Associate Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Fred Fonseca. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Fred Fonseca received his Ph.D. in Spatial Information Science Engineering from the University of Maine in 2001. He joined Penn State as an assistant professor in 2001, conducting research in geographic information science, information science, and information systems, which has led to numerous journal papers and research grants from NSF agencies. In recognition of his foundational work on ontologies in GIS, he received the 2006 Researcher Award from the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS). He was promoted to associate professor at Penn State in 2007. Fonseca took a sabbatical leave from 2008 to 2009 to develop the Global Forest Information Systems project with notable collaborators. From January 2010 to June 2012, he served as associate dean for education and undergraduate studies, and co-directed the Center for Online Innovation in Learning from 2012 to 2015. Fonseca was also a faculty fellow at the Rock Ethics Institute during the 2019-2020 academic year. Currently, he oversees the Social Organizational Informatics research area, focusing on developing a hermeneutic understanding of science, particularly in data science, emphasizing the need for new critical approaches to big data, known as 'data ethics.'

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

— Present

Penn State University • University Park, PA

Teaching and conducting research in the Department of Spatial Information Science and Engineering.

Associate Dean for Education

— Present

Penn State University • University Park, PA

Oversaw education and undergraduate studies for the university.

Co-Director

— Present

Center for Online Innovation in Learning • University Park, PA

Led initiatives to enhance online learning experiences.

Awards

#

Researcher Award

Requirements for Pennsylvania State University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:23
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7
GRE General
Prerequisites
Master's degree in related field for PhD Baccalaureate degree from accredited institution
Application Checklist
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Writing Sample
  • Official Transcripts
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE scores are highly recommended but not strictly required for Applied Linguistics.