UPEI’s School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences celebrates Pi Day
The School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences (SMCS) at UPEI recently held its fourth annual Pi Day event. Originally planned for Pi Day (March 14, or 3.14—which is almost Pi), the event was held a day late due to weather. The event included an integration tournament, a trivia challenge, and (of course) pie.
Sixteen of UPEI’s top SMCS students competed in the integration tournament. Students went head-to-head to see who could solve integrals fastest. Spectators cheered on students as they raced against each other and against the clock to solve integrals such as:
First-year student Taruna Boodhun won the integration tournament and was bestowed the title of Magnifluent (Isaac Newton, one of the inventors of Calculus, referred to what we now call integrals as fluents, so the winner of the integration tournament earns the title of Magnifluent in his honour). Will Taylor-Melanson was the other finalist, while Justin White and Jad Naaman were the other semifinalists. Sponsored by AARMS (Atlantic Association for Research in the Mathematical Sciences), the top finishers in the integration tournament were awarded $400 in prizes (and cool SMCS T-shirts). Congratulations to Taruna, Will, Justin, and Jad.
“While it is mainly a fun event, it allows students to demonstrate their skills, and the skill level at this year’s integration tournament was exceptional,” said Dr. Gordon MacDonald, associate dean of the SMCS. “There is very high demand for graduates from SMCS programs in mathematical and computational sciences, and this year’s integration tournament provides evidence that our students are top-notch.”
In between rounds of the integration tournament, attendees participated in the SMCS trivia challenge. The trivia featured questions about mathematical and computational sciences in popular in the past year. Congratulations to Team Angele, who came out on top. Team Angele won SMCS T-shirts and a monetary prize.
The event was organized by SMCS faculty member Dr. Shafiqul Islam and was emceed by Dr. MacDonald. Other SMCS faculty members volunteered as judges, technical support, and pie wranglers. The winner of the UPEI’s first integration tournament, Morgan Erskine, returned as a celebrity judge.
The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.
