Kim Plofker

Kim Plofker is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Union College, with affiliations in the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) program and Asian Studies. She holds a B.A. from Haverford College and a Ph.D. from Brown University. Her research focuses on the historical development of mathematics and astronomy in pre-20th century Sanskrit, Arabic, and Latin texts, emphasizing early numerical approximation methods in Indian works, spherical trigonometry in Islamic and Indian astronomy, and Leonhard Euler’s analysis of Indian calendar systems. Currently, she collaborates with a New Zealand colleague on algorithms in Indian astronomical tables, aiming to develop undergraduate research projects that require no prior Sanskrit knowledge.

Her work involves extensive research travel to India to study manuscripts of understudied scientific texts. Plofker’s interdisciplinary approach bridges mathematics, cultural studies, and the history of science. She contributes to Union College’s academic community through teaching and fostering student engagement in historical mathematical research.