About our authors
Steven A. Beebe is Regents' and University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Texas State University. He served as Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State for 28 years and concurrently as Associate Dean for 25 years. Steve is the author or co-author of 14 widely used communication texts, most of which have been through multiple editions (including Russian and Chinese editions), as well as numerous articles, book chapters and conference presentations. He has been a Visiting Scholar at both Oxford University and Cambridge University in England. He made international headlines when he discovered a manuscript, while conducting research at Oxford, that was the partial opening chapter of a book that was to be co-authored with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis called Language and Human Nature. Steve's book, C. S. Lewis and the Craft of Communication, chronicles the discovery of and identifies Lewis's contributions to communication. Steve has travelled widely in Europe and Asia, and he has played a leadership role in establishing new communication curricula in Russian universities. He has received his university's highest awards for research and twice for service, has been recognized as Honors Professor of the year, received the Texas State Everette Swinney Excellence in Teaching Award twice, was designated a Piper Professor by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, and was named Outstanding Communication Professor by the National Speaker's Association. In 2013, he served as President of the National Communication Association. His passions include his family and a lifelong love of music; he is a pianist and organist and a struggling cellist.
Susan J. Beebe's professional interests and expertise encompass both oral and written communication. Sue has co-authored 3 texts and has published a number of articles and teaching materials in both English and communication studies. She has received the Texas State University Presidential Awards for Excellence in Teaching and in Service and the College of Liberal Arts Awards for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, in Teaching, and in Service. After serving as Director of Lower-Division Studies in English for 11 years, Sue retired in 2014 from the Department of English at Texas State. An active volunteer in the community of San Marcos, Texas, Sue was the founding coordinator of the San Marcos Volunteers in Public Schools Program and has served on the San Marcos School Board, the Education Foundation Board, and the Lifelong Learning Advisory Committee. The Texas Classroom Teachers' Association has honored Sue with the state-wide Friend of Education award, and the San Marcos school district has presented her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Sue enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family. Sue and Steve have 2 sons: Mark, a senior marketing manager for a Dallas security technology company; and Matt, a middle school teacher in Austin.
Mark V. Redmond is an Associate Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies at Iowa State University. In 2012 he received the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching. Besides this title, Mark has authored an introductory text on communication theory and research, edited an upper-level text in interpersonal communication, and co-authored a public speaking text. His research focuses on social decentering (taking into account another person's thoughts, feelings, perspectives, etc.), one of the themes incorporated in this text. His research studies include expectations associated with male-female relationships, social decentering's impact in marriage, initial interactions between strangers, adaptation in interpersonal interactions, and intercultural communication competence. This theory and research are presented in his 2018 book, Social Decentering: A Theory of Other-Orientation Encompassing Empathy and Perspective-Taking published by De Gruyter Oldenbourg. He is a Cyclone sports fan with an avocation for playing basketball at least 3 times a week (despite an aging hook shot). An unaccomplished piano and guitar player, he loves composing and writing songs and vows to someday complete the musical he's been working on for 30 years. Mark and his wife Peggy have 3 children: Beth, a graduate of the University of Iowa and Mount Mercy University; Nicholas, a graduate of Iowa State University and McCormick Theological Seminary; and Eric, a graduate of Iowa State University and Northwest Missouri State University.
