Students, Faculty Celebrate Mathematics on Pi Day

By Michael Parker

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 12, 2024) — UAlbany's Department of Mathematics and Statistics gathered on March 14 for discussions on the history and significance of pi — the mathematical constant whose value is the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle.

Pi Day is commemorated on March 14 — or 3.14 — pi's approximate value. At UAlbany, the gathering featured pizza pie, snacks, checkers, chess and conversations about how pi remains relevant in daily life.

The calculation of pi remains important for such fields as engineering, physics, chemistry and biology. 

"Although not a physical constant, pi appears routinely in equations in physics and astronomy, describing fundamental principles of the Universe, due in no small part to the relationship between the Universe and the nature of the circle," said Professor and Chair of Mathematics and Statistics Cristian Lenart.