Professor Lyrical

Professor Lyrical (Dr. Peter Michael Plourde) is a rap and spoken-word artist and educator known for using the positive aspects of Hip Hop culture to empower citizens to self-advocate for socioeconomic change.

Professor Lyrical blends interactive performances together into talks and appearances utilized by scores of institutions looking to harness the power of Hip Hop culture incorporated within the realms of STEAM and education in general.

Dr. Plourde is employed by the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) where he is an Associate Professor teaching math and directs Faculty Development at UDC-CC.

Formerly an Assistant Teaching Professor (Math) at Northeastern University within the Foundation Year program, and the sole instructor for Northeastern’s graduate Math Methods course, Dr. Plourde employs highly experiential and “reality based” teaching methods both in and out of the classroom.

His TEDx talk “The Transformative Power of Hip Hop Culture (opens new window)” is one example among many of his diverse speaking and performing credits. His 2016 dissertation entitled “Increasing STEM degree attainment for underrepresented populations” examines the role Hip Hop potentially may play for other educators and the impact it has upon the students’ ability to persist and attain STEM-based credentials.

2021 Festival

Hip Hop Math with Professor Lyrical

Professor Lyrical, a mathematics professor who is also a rapper, will demonstrate through performing, speaking and crowd participation how making rap songs — both written in advance and through improvisational “free-styling” — has helped him become a better mathematician and professor and, conversely, how the process of thinking like a mathematician has also helped him as a creative performer. The audience is welcomed to help create a rap song, as well as partake in some mathematical and logical activities.