Published March 24, 2025
By : Staff Writer
The 2009 Congress officially designated March 14 as Pi Day. The Greek letter "π" signifies the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Since Pi is commonly approximated as 3.14, this date aligns perfectly with National Pi Day.
In celebration of this occasion, WOC Magazine highlighted Camille D'Annunzio, the manager of the Automated Sensor Exploitation Technology Center at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems.
She was honored with the 2013 Technologist of the Year Award. D'Annunzio joined Northrop Grumman in 2003 and was recognized for her innovative contributions to the field.
Among her notable achievements, she has received a U.S. patent and a Northrop Grumman invention disclosure and has presented over 17 papers and 36 technical reports.
At Northrop Grumman, D'Annunzio significantly advanced situational awareness of chemical and biological threats, force protection, and target recognition.
While improving an existing product and trying to understand the software, she discovered that the team was addressing the wrong mathematical problem.
Although related, it was not the correct one. Ultimately, she identified and resolved the issue, resulting in substantial performance improvements. She recalls feeling a true sense of accomplishment from this experience.
"The oldest of seven children, I often escaped into books whenever I could," she told Women of Color Magazine. I loved solving problems and was naturally skilled in mathematics. When I was in seventh grade, much to my father's dismay (as he wanted me to follow in his footsteps as an engineer), I decided I would pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics, even though I didn’t fully understand what that entailed at the time."
Despite facing skepticism and sometimes prejudice from teachers and professors regarding women in mathematics, D'Annunzio earned her Ph.D. in applied mathematics thanks to the support of her parents.
From 1997 to 2013, she also served as a leader and advisor for Girl Scout troops, continuing her involvement until her last Girl Scout graduate headed to college.
