Assistant Professor
Office: Integrated Media Center
Office Phone:  724-847-6673
rltalber@geneva.edu

Disciplines/Field of Instruction

• I oversee the Integrated Media emphasis within the Communication major. My goal is to teach students how to understand the role of communication technologies in our interactions with others. I integrate theory and practice so students understand the “why” and the “how” before selecting a specific medium for a specific message to a specific audience. And I like to wear down students with my odd sense of humor.

Degrees Received

• Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Duquesne University
• M.A. in Communication with an emphasis in interpersonal/organizational communication, Duquesne University
• B.A. in Communication with an emphasis in audio/video production, Slippery Rock University

Courses Taught

• COM 101 – Principles of Communication
• COM 150 – Media Literacy
• COM 204 – Integrated Media Practicum
• COM 235 – Studio Production
• COM 245 – Writing for Integrated Media
• COM 250 – Mediated Communication
• COM 255 – Field Production
• COM 280 – Public Relations Publications
• COM 410 – Media Law, Regulation, and Ethics

Selected Presentations/Publications

• Talbert, R. L. (2015, April). From orality to literacy to digitality: Moving technology from a position of tool to a position of master. Paper presented at the Eastern Communication Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
• Talbert, R. L. (2015, February). Relevance of Aristotle’s ethos in the era of technological communication. Paper presented at the Department of Communication Studies Annual Student Conference, University of North Texas, Denton, TX.
• Talbert, R. L. (2014, September).  Tools, drama, and treasure: The phenomenology of reconciling social media-in-itself with social media-for-itself. Paper presented at Pennsylvania Communication Association Annual Conference, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Talbert, R. L. and Lynch, A. N. (2013, October). Technic, technopoly, the terministic screen, and the technological society: Technology using humanity to revive modernism in a postmodern age. Paper presented at Pennsylvania Communication Association Annual Conference, Gannon University, Erie, PA.
• Talbert, R. L. (2013, June). Promoting the noble friend: Aristotelian social media usage in public relations. Paper presented at the Integrated Marketing Communication Conference, The University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC.
• Talbert, R. L. (2011, June). Ricoeurian approach to integrated marketing communication. Paper presented at the Integrated Marketing Communication Conference, The University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC.
• Talbert, R. L. (2011, April). Synthetic ethos in communication technology: Appearing artful in a “knack” environment. Paper presented at the Eastern Communication Association Annual Conference, Arlington, VA.
• Talbert, R. L. (2011, April). Computer-mediated communication interaction with organizational communication paradigms. Paper presented at the Eastern Communication Association Annual Conference, Arlington, VA.
• Talbert, R. L. (2010, October). Thomas Jefferson′s Declaration of Independence as epideictic rhetoric. Paper presented at the Pennsylvania Communication Association Annual Conference, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, PA.
• Talbert, R. L. (2010, June). The ethics of political blogging: Civic involvement and ownership of the information dissemination narrative. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Communication Ethics Conference at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Talbert, R. L. (2008, October). Review of Veblen and the perversion of philosophical leisure and its revival. Paper presented at the colloquium of the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.

Current Projects

• I′m always coming up with new paper ideas to present at conferences. It′s just a matter of finding time to do the work! I enjoy reading old scholars to give me new ways of looking at “new” problems with human communication.

Research Interests

• The facilitation of interpersonal communication through communication technologies, such as social networking; integrated marketing communication; political communication

Awards & Distinctions Received

• The 2013 Margaret Cunningham Foley Memorial Teaching Award, The Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus (twice nominated)

Professional Society Memberships

• Pennsylvania Communication Association (current)
• Eastern Communication Association (former)

Teaching Experience

I have taught over 20 different courses at local colleges and universities since 2004:

Work Experience

• Ten years working in marketing communication departments
• Eight years as a borough councilman in Grove City
• Six years as a planning commission chairman
• Four years on Grove City Christian Academy board (currently VP)
• Two years working in small-market radio
• Two years working in video production

Miscellaneous, e.g., hobbies, sports, personal info, etc.

• Married to Marcy since 1994
• Two children, Shannon and Ronan
• I enjoy hunting turkey and deer (archery and rifle)
• I enjoy shooting sports (handgun, rifle, shotgun, and bow)
• I enjoy riding my bicycle and motorcycle
• I′m an avid Pirates fan
• I have played the drums since fifth grade and I played for 15 years in a church worship team