The Kaplans’ Influence on the History of Math Circles in the US: an Interview with Tatiana Shubin

Tatiana Shubin [1] was among those who pioneered Math Circles on the West Coast of the United States in the 1990s. She continues to innovate and pivot to make the Math Circle message and experience accessible to all. At the 2021 Circle on the Road conference, Tatiana Shubin presented the talk “Math Circles: A Quick Early History,” and the recording is archived on the Math Circle Network webpage [2]. In the spring of 2022, Rodi Steinig interviewed Tatiana to discuss this talk through two lenses. First, the lens of the role the Kaplans played in the broader history of Math Circles in the United States (see the article on this topic in the Notices of the AMS [3]). Second, the lens of the three aspects of the Journal of Math Circles: math, math community, and problem solving --- especially mathematical engagement and habits of mind. In this article, Tatiana talks about how Bob and Ellen brought people together in community to re-frame the thinking of everyone present.