Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures

About Jolene KoesterMyron LustigRona Halualani

Dr. Myron W. (Ron) Lustig is a renowned teacher writer scholar and researcher. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin he had a distinguished career as a professor of communication at San Diego State University (SDSU). He is now an emeritus professor at SDSU a past president of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA) and a recent recipient of WSCAs Distinguished Service Award its highest honor. He is a former editor of Communication Reports and is currently on the editorial boards of several intercultural communication journals. His teaching and research interests include intercultural group and interpersonal communication theories methods and processes. Dr. Lustig has written 9 books or book revisions over 30 scholarly research articles and numerous conference papers. During several recent spring semesters he has gained additional practical and theoretical lessons about Intercultural Competence while teaching intercultural communication to undergraduate and graduate students at Shanghai International Studies University.   Dr. Jolene Koester was president of California State University Northridge one of the largest and most diverse campuses in the 23-campus California State University system from 20002011. Under her leadership the University improved graduation and retention rates created a user-friendly campus strengthened connections with the community and increased fundraising. She also worked to make the University more learning-centered and focused on student success. Known nationally for her leadership in higher education she currently serves on the board of directors of NAFSA an association of international educators. She is also a past chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities a former president of the Western States Communication Association and remains active in issues related to higher education access and leadership. After earning a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Minnesota she began her academic career as a professor of communication studies at California State University Sacramento and served in a variety of administrative positions there including provost and vice president for academic affairs prior to her appointment as president of Cal State Northridge.   Dr. Rona Tamiko Halualani is a Full Professor of Language Culture and Intercultural Communication in the Department of Communication Studies at San Jose State University. She received her Ph.D. in Intercultural Communication from Arizona State University. Dr. Halualani is the outgoing Editor-in-Chief of the national disciplinary journal Journal of International and Intercultural Communication (JIIC) which she led from 2013 through 2016. She also previously served as the Vice Chair of National Communication Associations International and Intercultural Communication Division (IICD) and Western States Communication Associations Intercultural Communication Division. Dr. Halualani has published 2 books (one single-authored scholarly monograph a co-edited handbook) 23 scholarly journal articles 8 peer-reviewed chapters and 4 invited essays in handbooks and encyclopedias. Her teaching and research interests focus on critical intercultural communication intercultural contact identity and culture and Pacific Islander identities and communities.