Description: This is a thank you note sent out by Sarah Christiansen of the Principal Financial Group and Stuart Klugman of Drake University for the opportunity of hosting the 34th Annual Actuarial Research Conference. The Conference was held Aug. 8-11, 1999, in Des Moines, Iowa. The theme of the conference, jointly sponsored by Drake University and The Principal Financial Group, was building bridges between theory and practice. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 2000, Vol. 1.

Description: While we agree with the conclusions expressed by Silver and Hedges The Classical Definition of Compound Interest is Adequate by Murray Silver and Bob Hedges, ARCH 1981.2, we do not believe the theorem follows from the stated Axiom. We present an alternative proof which uses only the accumulation function and not the force of interest.

Description: These slides go with a presentation given by Stuart Klugman at the Actuarial Research Conference, August 5, 2004, about the Education Redesign.

Description: In this paper the ad-hoc Bayesian derivation of the Whittaker method is replaced with a formal Bayesian specification, and then it is shown that with this specification it is possible to complete the graduation without making an arbitrary selection of the smoothing parameter. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1992, VOL. 1.

Description: Bring your laptop to experience this deep learning neural network tool offered free from Google.

Description: Actuaries use data, math, intuition, and domain expertise to make decisions under uncertainty. Bayesian models formalize the techniques many of us use every day. While many Bayesian models are impossible to solve analytically, new tools allow us to create rich Bayesian models and use computers to evaluate them quickly. In this session we will build several Bayesian models using Python and pymc3, a probabilistic programming language, to demonstrate Bayesian techniques that can be applied to actuarial work.

Description: This is a template for use in grading your persentations with a scoring key to measure your effectiveness.

Description: This is a template for use in grading your persentations with a scoring key to measure your effectiveness.

Description: The complete Expanding Horizons newsletter for May 2002.

Description: Two breakout sessions were held. Their goal was to explore ways in which researchers and practitioners could be brought closer together. The following summaries were edited by Stuart Klugman from notes taken by the indicated participants: Session #1 - Bridging the gap with regard to modality and morbidity and Session #2 - Bridging the gap with regard to financial modeling.