Rate My Professor Mark Fonstad

Mark Fonstad is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Oregon, where he has served since 2011, following promotion from Assistant Professor in 2012. He previously held positions as Associate Professor from 2006 to 2011 and Assistant Professor from 2001 to 2006 at Texas State University, as well as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Montana State University from 2000 to 2001. Fonstad earned his Ph.D. in Geography from Arizona State University in 2000, M.A. in Geography from Ohio University in 1997, and B.S. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995. His research focuses on biophysical geography, geographic information science, geomorphology, hydrology, remote sensing, and the dynamics of riverscapes and mountain environments. He develops methods for river remote sensing, including structure from motion photogrammetry, algorithm development for NASA SWOT satellite data, and high-resolution mapping techniques applied to sites such as the Willamette River in Oregon, Yellowstone National Park rivers, and others in the western United States, Scotland, and Texas. Fonstad coordinates the University of Oregon River Research Group and investigates human-environment interactions in river management, restoration, hazards, and habitat.

Key publications include edited volumes such as 'Remote Sensing of Rivers' (Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2010, 17 papers), 'Geographies of Water' (Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 2013, 16 papers), and 'Complexity in Geomorphology' (2007, Elsevier). Notable papers are 'Topographic structure from motion: a new development in photogrammetric measurement' (Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2013), 'Rapid formation of a modern bedrock canyon: implications for megaflood reconstructions' (Nature Geoscience, 2010), 'High-resolution, basin-extent observations of fluvial forms and implications for process understanding' (Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2010), and 'Making Riverscapes Real' (Geomorphology, 2012). His scholarship has garnered over 4,791 citations on Google Scholar. Awards include the G.K. Gilbert Award for Excellence in Geomorphic Research (2005), Dean’s Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities (2006), Golden Apple Award (2004), and Favorite Professor by Alpha Chi (2010). Fonstad served as Environmental Science Editor for the Annals of the Association of American Geographers (2010-2014), on the editorial board of Geomorphology, chaired AAG Geomorphology and Mountain Geography Specialty Groups, contributed to NASA SWOT hydrology mission, reviewed NSF proposals, and serves on the University of Oregon Faculty Research Awards committee.