Why Communication Studies at SDSU?
Dr. Andersen received his Ph.D. in Communication at Florida State University in 1975, an M.S. in Communication from Illinois State University in 1972, and a B.A. in Communication from University of Illinois, Chicago in 1969. He has been teaching at San Diego State University since 1981.
His primary areas of research and teaching include nonverbal communication, relational communication, interpersonal communication, and health communication. He is an avid long distance runner, skier, kayaker, football fan, and wine collector.
He is author of over 100 book chapters and journal articles. His books include The Handbook of Communication and Emotion (1998, coeditied with Laura Guerrero), Nonverbal Communication: Forms and Functions (1999, 2008), The Complete Idiots' Guide to Body Language, 2004, and Close Encounters: Communication in Relationships (2000, 2007) coauthored with Laura Guerrero and Walid Afifi). He was president of the Western Communication Association and Editor of the Western Journal of Communication. He is a coinvestigator on a number of major grants from the National Cancer Institute and the Center for Disease Control. [Back to top]
Dr. Beach received his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of
Utah in 1981, his M.A. in Interpersonal Communication from the University of Montana in 1976, and his B.A. in Speech Communication from Drake University in 1973. He joined the communication faculty at San Diego State University in 1984, and is also Adjunct Professor in the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, and Member of the Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego
His research and teaching focus on the convergence of a wide variety of conversational and institutional interactions, including how family members talk through cancer and the organization of medical interviewing Dr. Beach is an avid cyclist, runner, kayaker, skier, and mountaineer.
He is the author of over 60 articles and book chapters focusing on conversation analytic investigations of ordinary and institutional interactions. His books include A Natural History of Family Cancer: Interactional Resources for Managing Illness (2007), Handbook of Patient-Provider Interactions: Raising and Responding to Concerns about Life, Illness, and Disease (2008), and Conversations about Illness: Family Preoccupations with Bulimia (1996). Dr. Beach is currently Principal Investigator (PI) on a grant funded by the National Cancer Institute/National Institute of Health which examines how cancer patients raise and oncologists respond to uncertainties, fears, and hopes about cancer. His work is also currently supported through several philanthropic foundations, and was PI of an American Cancer Society grant investigating family cancer phone calls. His research has been transformed into a theatrical production documenting how family members communicate about and manage cancer. Dr. Beach's website address is: http://www.rohan.sdsu.edu/~wbeach/index.htm [Back to top]
George N. Dionisopoulos received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Speech Communication from San Diego State University. In 1984 he received his Ph. D. in Communication from Purdue University. After a year at Rutgers University, he joined the faculty in the School of Communication at San Diego State. His areas of research and teaching include argument theory, public argument, persuasion, and political communication. He lives in San Diego with his wife and three children and in his spare time he bicycles and scuba dives.
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Dr. Geist-Martin received her Ph.D. in Communication from Purdue University in 1985 and has taught at SDSU since 1990.She teaches organizational communication, health communication, ethnographic research methods, and gender & organizational communication.
Her research interests focus on narrative and negotiating identity, ideology, & control in organizations, particularly in health and illness. When she is not researching, teaching, and writing Dr. Geist-Martin is off into the wilderness, hiking, running, camping, and exploring with her husband J.C. and their daughter Makenna.
She is author of three books including: Communicating Health: Personal, political, and cultural complexities, co-authored with Eileen Berlin Ray and Barbara Sharf (2004). Courage of Conviction: Women's Words, Women's Wisdom, co-edited with Linda A. M. Perry (1997), and Negotiating the Crisis: DRGs and the Transformation of Hospitals coauthored with Monica Hardesty) published in 1992. Dr. Geist-Martin has published over 60 articles and book chapters covering a wide range of topics focusing on narrative and identity in our personal and professional lives. She has done research in in Hawaii, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, and most recently in Costa Rica. [Back to top]
Dr. Lindemann received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in 2006. After earning a B.A. in Communication and Theatre Arts and Written Communication from Eastern Michigan University, he received a M.S. in Communication from Illinois State University in 1995 and a M.A. in English Language and Literature from Eastern Michigan University in 1997. He has been teaching at SDSU since 2006.
Dr. Lindemann's research examines communicative performances of identity in organizational and mediated contexts, with a specific focus on gender in sport. His teaching interests include organizational communication, ethnography, and performance studies. He currently directs SDSU's basic course, Oral Communication, for which he teaches large lecture courses, develops course curriculum, and trains the School of Communication's Graduate Teaching Associates. While he enjoys reading and writing immensely, he likes to take time to play the guitar, run on the beach with his dog, and indulge in San Diego's many fine wining and dining establishments.
His work has appeared in a variety of outlets, including Text and Performance Quarterly, Journal of Communication, Disability Studies Quarterly, and the book Examining Identity in Sports Media.
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Dr. Lustig is professor emeritus of communication at San Diego State University. He received his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Wisconsin in 1976, his M.S. in Communication from Portland State in 1971, and his B.A. in Communication from Penn State University in 1970.
His scholarly and teaching interests include intercultural, group, and interpersonal communication theories, methods, and processes. He likes talking with people, working with data, and eating Thai food.
Dr. Lustig has written 8 books, dozens of scholarly articles, and numerous conference papers. His two most recent books, written with Jolene Koester, are Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication across Cultures 5th ed. (2006) and AmongUS: Essays on Identity, Belonging, and Intercultural Competence 2nd ed. (2006). Hi is past president of the Western States Communication Association, the former editor of Communication Reports, and currently on the editorial boards of several journals.[Back to top]
Dr. Renegar received her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, her M.A. from Kansas State University, and her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Renegar joined the San Diego State faculty in 2000 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2006. She teaches courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level in rhetorical theory, critical methods, feminist rhetoric, interaction and gender, and rhetorical movements.
Dr. Renegar's research interests include rhetorical theory and practice, feminist theory and criticism, postmodern theory and criticism, and the work and theory of Kenneth Burke. Her work in third wave feminist rhetorical theory represents an emerging field of knowledge in the discipline of communication. Her hobbies include travel, learning foreign languages, crossword puzzles, and a fascination with popular culture. She can often be found watching Bravo, the Food Network, or the Travel Channel.
Her work has appeared in a range of different scholarly journals including Philosophy and Rhetoric, Communication Studies, and the Howard Journal of Communications.[Back to top]
Dr. Snavely received his Ph.D. in Communication at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 1977, his M.S. in Communication from West Virginia University in 1974, and his B.A. degree in speech communication at Illinois State University in 1973. He joined the faculty and became Director of the School of Communication in 2007.
After three years teaching in the Communication Department at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1977-1980), Bill accepted a position in the Management Department at Miami. There he served as chair of the Management Department and later as Associate Dean of the Richard T. Farmer School of Business at Miami. Bill enjoys international travel, biking, walking, sailing, and strategy board games.
His areas of research focus have included social style theory, communication competence, Russian business culture, and job stress. His work has appeared in a number of journals, including Communication Monographs, Communication Quarterly, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Business Horizons, and Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies. His teaching interests include leadership, organizational communication, intercultural communication, organizational behavior, and communication skills in business.
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Brian H. Spitzberg received his Ph.D. in Communication Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California in 1981 and attained an M.A. in 1980 and BA in 1978, both at the University of Texas at Arlington. He has taught at San Diego State since 1989.
His areas of research include interpersonal communication skills, conflict, jealousy, infidelity, intimate violence, sexual coercion, and stalking. Brian enjoys fine wine, bike riding and travel.
He is author or co-author of 3 scholarly books, co-editor of 3 scholarly books, and author or coauthor of over 80 scholarly articles and chapters. Included among these are four books coauthored with William Cupach on 'the dark side' of communication and relationships: The Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication, (1994), The Dark Side of Close Relationships, (1998), The Dark Side of Relationship Pursuit: From Attraction to Obsession and Stalking (2004), and the Second Edition of The Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication (2007).[Back to top]
