Our mascot "Pi"
The mascot of the Teaching and Learning Lab is our "Pi", a Goffin's cockatoo.
This species of parrot is one of the most intelligent animals in the world. Goffin's cockatoos are real problem solvers and can make their own tools.
Pi accompanies the students on their visit to the Teaching and Learning Lab.
We don't know whether Pi is a girl or a boy; both are equally possible. In any case, Pi likes to see his or her name written with a capital "I". In the international world of research, the abbreviation "PI" also stands for "principal investigator", meaning the person who heads the laboratory – and Pi certainly likes to see himself in this position...
Pi introduces itself
Hello!
My name is Pi and I love to explore. I am a cockatoo. To be more precise, I am a Goffin's cockatoo. Goffin's cockatoos are among the smallest species of cockatoo.
Like all Goffins, I come from Indonesia. That is a country in Asia that consists of many islands. Indonesia is very far away. I lived in a cave there because I don't like building nests.
I am a very patient animal and like to plan ahead. Even though I don't build my own nest, I really enjoy working and researching. I always have a plan in mind for my research and make my own tools. I can even make my own cutlery.
Oh yes, and I wanted to explain why my name is Pi. Pi is actually a Greek letter. But it also appears in mathematics. Pi can be used to calculate the circumference and area of a circle. Pi is a very long number. It starts with 3.14159... No one knows where the number ends.
I'm delighted to be in the teaching and learning lab and to do research with you!
Pi