Robert Kaplan passed away on November 11, 2021, at the age of 88. Kaplan taught at Harvard and was a member of the MAA for 26 years. He and his wife Ellen Kaplan are best known for founding The Global Math Circle (originally The Math Circle) in the United States in the 1990’s, co-curricular workshops featuring open-ended, problem-based mathematics that students deeply explore together. (A sample video is available.)
Robert and Ellen Kaplan were the authors of several well-received books in mathematics education, including The Art of the Infinite and Out of the Labyrinth. More information about his life and career can be found in a remembrance from Prof. Oliver Knill, a tribute by Instituto TIM (Brazil), a 2003 interview in The Guardian, and a 2001 interview in Cabinet.
We dedicate The Global Math Circle to preserving and spreading their approach to math circles.
