Mailing Address:
PENN STATE BEHREND
GLENHILL FARMHOUSE
ERIE PA 16563
Biography
Dr. Rod Troester earned his B.A. by double-majoring in History and Speech & Theatre in 1978 from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado; his M.S. in Communication Theory in 1980 from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky; and the Ph.D. in Interpersonal and Organizational communication in 1986 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. He serves as chair of the Communication program here at Penn State Behrend, and recently marked his 25th anniversary at Penn State.
His current research interests include the relationship between civility and communication behavior, how grassroots environmental organizations are using new and existing media, and communication strategies for reputation recovery and management. He has published work in each of these areas.
He regularly teaches Introduction to Communication Research, Business and Professional Communication, Organizational Communication, and Public Speaking. He was the recipient of the 2006-2007 Guy W. Wilson Excellence in Advising Award.
Courses Taught
- CAS 100, Effective Speech
- CAS 204, Communication Research Methods
- CAS 250, Small Group Communication
- CAS 252, Business and Professional Communication
- CAS 283, Intro to Communication Technology (formerly COMMU 300)
- CAS 296, Independent Studies
- CAS 352, Speech Communication in Organizations
- CAS 403, Intro to Interpersonal Communication (formerly COMMU 315)
- CAS 450W, Group Communication Theory and Research
- CAS 452W, Organizational Communication Improvement (formerly COMMU 425)
- CAS 496, Independent Studies
- COMM 409, News Media Ethics
- COMM 494, Research Project Courses
- COMM 495, Internship
- COMM 496, Independent Studies
- PSU 007, First-Year Seminar Behrend
- YFE 211, Civic and Community Engagement
Publications
The Blending of the Traditional and Professional Approaches to Communication: Department Chairs Share Administrative Challenges, Opportunities, and Best Practicies, Journal of the Association for Communication Administration - January, 2015
Collaborator: Molly Wertheimer
Civility as a Central Learning Outcome in the Basic and Introductory Communication Courses, Basic Communication Course Annual 2014 - April, 2014
The Michael Phelps Saga: From Successful Olympian, to Pot Smoker Caught on Camera, to Renewed Role Model and Brand., Repairing the Athlete's Image: Studies in Sports Image Restoration. - January, 2013
Collaborator: Lindsay Johns, Secondary Author
Avoiding the tragedy of the commons: Applying the lessons of Yellowstone to the Great Lakes - 2010
Collaborators: D.G. Blasko; J. Hall
Community civility - 2010
K.E.E.P.: A Companion Case Study to: Avoiding the tragedy of the commons: Applying the lessons of Yellowstone to the Great Lakes - 2010
Collaborators: D.G. Blasko; J. Hall
The Great Lakes “Commons.” A Companion Case Study to: Avoiding the tragedy of the commons: Applying the lessons of Yellowstone to the Great Lakes - 2010
Collaborators: J. Hall; D.G. Blasko
’We tell people. It’s up to them to be prepared’: Public relations practices of local emergency managers - 2009
Civility in business and professional communication - 2007
Collaborator: C.S. Mester
Review of Justice and reconciliation: After the violence by A. Rigby - July, 2003
Peacemaking in Burma: The life and work of Aung San Suu Kyi - 2002
The technical communicator as corporate spokesperson: A public relations primer, The Journal of Technical Writing and Communication - 2001
Collaborator: T. Warburton
Using the internet for peace in isolated Burma, Peace Review - 2001
Three perspectives on the media-organization relationship: Media personnel, corporate spokespersons, and CEOs look at the role of the corporate spokesperson, Journal of Communication Management - 1997
Collaborator: T. Warburton
Jimmy Carter as peacemaker: A post-presidential biography - 1996
The status of the introductory and advanced interpersonal communication courses at U.S. colleges and universities: A national survey, Basic Communication Course Annual - 1993
Collaborator: D. McGukin
The 1988 campaign rhetoric of George Bush: Some demagogic strategies, Journal of Communication and Media Arts - 1992
Collaborator: C. Kelley
Peacemaking through communication - 1991
Collaborator: C. Kelley
Reconciliation and community building: New metaphors for conceptualizing peace and the role of communication studies in peace education - 1991
Collaborator: S. Dowlin
Republican campaign rhetoric: Reflections of a meaner, tougher America, The Howard Journal of Communication - 1991
Collaborator: C. Kelley
The corporate spokesperson in external organizational communication: What we know and what we need to know, Management Communication Quarterly: An International Journal - 1991
A communication based model of friendship for the interpersonal communication course, Basic Communication Course Annual - 1990
Experiential learning in the small group communication course, The Ohio Speech Journal - 1990
Peace communication: A survey of current attitudes, curricular practice and research priorities, Western Journal of Speech Communication - 1990
Collaborator: C. Mester
Republican campaign rhetoric: Reflections of a meaner tougher America, ERIC, Resources in Education - 1990
Collaborator: C. Kelley
The papers, panels and programs of the peace communication commission: A review and summary. , ERIC, Resources in Education - 1990
Improving computer documentation through the use of the message-q/ing technique - 1989
Basic course instruction through metaphor analysis, Journal of Communication Studies - 1989
Collaborators: S. Dowlin-Stevenson; P. Ameson
Examining the individual’s experience with technological change in organizations: A cognitive sense-making approach, The Speech Communication Annual - 1989
The introduction of new technology from the user’s perspective: A message-q/ing study, ERIC, Resources in Education - 1988
Teaching peace in the college speech class: A survey of current practice, ERIC, Resources in Education - 1987
Collaborator: C. Mester
rceiving technology: Making sense in organizations - 1986
Collaborator: P. Ameson
State of the art of international public relations research education, Public Relations Review - 1985
Collaborators: G. Wakefield; L. Cattone
Education
Ph D, interpersonal and organizational communication, Department of Speech Communication
MS, communication theory, organizational communication, Department of Speech Communication
BA, Western State College