Joel L. Schiff was born in Chicago, Iliinois and has a PhD in Mathematics from the University of California Los Angeles. He is the author of three books on mathematics, was the founding editor of the international journal, Meteorite, and co-discovered the asteroid 12926 Brian Mason, with his wife Christine. A recently published book (2014) features the New Zealand artist, Grace Jane Joel, although Australia and Britain claim her as well. Another (2016) is on the Russian-French genius, Marie Bashkirtseff, one of the most extraordinary individuals of the 19th century whose words on life, feminism, and society are still highly relevant.
The author has just completed a book abut Rare and Exotic Orchids (2018) having attempted to grow them for the past 30 years.

A book: The Most Interesting Galaxies in the Universe was release in 2018, and The Mathematical Universe in 2020.