Katz received in 1963 from Princeton University a bachelor's degree and in 1968 from Brandeis University a Ph.D. in mathematics under Maurice Auslander with thesis The Brauer group of a regular local ring.
As a mathematician Katz specializes in algebra, but he is mainly known for his work on the history of mathematics and its uses in teaching.
With Frank Swetz, he was a founding editor of a free online journal on the history of mathematics under the aegis of the MAA; the journal is called Convergence: Where Mathematics, History, and Teaching Interact.
[3] In the journal Convergence, Katz and Swetz published a series Mathematical Treasures.
[4][5] For a study of the possibilities for using mathematical history in schools, Katz received a grant from the National Science Foundation.