Louis Kauffman (1945) has a PhD in mathematics from Princeton University. He taught at the University of Illinois, Chicago, with visiting appointments abroad. His research deals with algebraic topology, particularly low dimensional topology and its relationships with algorithms, logic, combinatorics, mathematical physics, natural science, and formal diagrammatic systems. His research in Virtual Knot Theory has resulted in the discovery of many new invariants of knots and links. In addition to editing journals and review volumes, he has written books on knot theory and map coloring.