Robert Tarbell Oliver (July 7, 1909 – May 29, 2000) was an American writer, lecturer, and an authority on public speaking, argumentation and debate, and Asian rhetorical traditions.
He served as assistant director of the Victory Speakers Bureau in the Office of Civilian Defense in Washington, D.C., during World War II.
By special arrangement, he continued to serve the Korean government in that capacity while he was at Pennsylvania State University.
[1] Oliver retired as research professor emeritus of international speech in the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences at Pennsylvania State University in 1970.
Although Dr. Oliver rarely used the words intercultural communication in his writings, which were voluminous, he contributed greatly to the development of the field."