Her primary areas of interest include multimodal literacy studies, cultural preservation, and qualitative research methods. Dr. Fitzpatrick serves on the Executive Board of the International English Honor Society and the Mass Communications Advisory Board for the Washington Center. Currently, she is serving as a consultant in qualitative research methods for portfolio assessment in the medical residency program at the West Reading Hospital in Pennsylvania. She promotes the practical application of writing-intensive projects toward cultural/environmental preservation at both the undergraduate and graduate level that include such activities as advertising and letter writing campaigns for non-profit organizations. She is a vocal advocate of community-based research projects for sustainability.