His research interests include the rhetoric of popular culture and the rhetoric of sport. In 2003, Dr. O’Rourke co-edited “Case Studies in Sport Communication” with Dr. Robert Brown. He has also written on subjects as diverse as "Spider-Man," “Theodore Roosevelt," and "Irony after 9/11." His primary teaching areas include: Introduction to Human Communication, Argumentation and Public Speaking. Dr. O’Rourke earned a M.A. from Bowling Green State University and a Ph.D. from Purdue University.