STEMedia — an initiative that blends creativity with a STEM focus — is hosting the Technimetric II Poetry Slam tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the State Ballroom at Talley Student Union. The slam seeks to combine poetry with science, technology, engineering and math. 

The slam counts as a Scholar’s Forum and will be held in the State Ballroom of Talley Student Union tonight at 6:30 p.m., with light refreshments starting at 5:30 p.m.

“It’s where technical intelligence meets creative genius,” said Nehemiah Mabry, STEMedia president and NC State alumnus. 

The slam also seeks to connect the audience through something “spiritual and loving,” said Cynthia Sharpe, an NC State alumna and volunteer for the event. 

Spoken word, a form of poetry, is different from that of its Shakespearean predecessor, the sonnet, and more closely related to a free verse rhyme. 

“You can talk about chemistry and relate it to love,” said Darryl Johnson, a junior studying mechanical engineering and the president of the National Society of Black Engineers at NC State. 

The slam is a unique experience, according to Sharpe. 

“You never know what you’re going to get from a slam … It’s a really fun event. I don’t know much about science, but I can incorporate what I do know about math and science into my understanding of the poems,” Sharpe said. 

Not only is STEMedia seeking to give engineering and other STEM majors a creative outlet, it’s also seeking to help close the divide between engineers and the rest of the university, as there are still multiple stereotypes that feed into engineering. Some still view engineers as “nerds with taped glasses” and “pocket protectors who solve calculus equations in their spare time,” according to Sharpe. 

It almost seems that engineering majors can only be successful in math and science, which is not the case, said Kaitlin Perkins, a sophomore studying biological engineering. 

“The best type of engineers are the ones that use their left and right brain,” Perkins said. 

Most of the contestants are involved in the engineering program at NC State — currently there are six registered participants and other special guests. 

Other partners for the event include National Society of Black Engineers, Arts at NC State, My Health Impact and the Minority Engineering Programs Office.