Description: Increasing technology is available to create and disseminate educational resources worldwide. In response, this article advocates creation of open educational resources (OERs) that will benefit the actuarial profession with both recruitment and retention of members. Specifically, we describe OER contributions made at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and more recently through the ASTIN Academy, a working group of ASTIN, the non-life section of the International Actuarial Association. We advocate pushing boundaries and creating new ways of teaching effectively for the future. The innovative use of technology and open-source materials is a way to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the actuarial profession.

Description: Technology has streamlined countless processes in our daily lives, and insurance is no stranger to this transformation. Technology can make insurance simpler and more personal for consumers, and can enable actuaries to better analyze unstructured data, make good decisions, create new products, and find channels to enhance profitability, provided they can tame the flood of information pouring in from across the digital ecosystem.

Description: Actuaries are leveraging predictive modeling and machine learning more and more as they strive to provide greater value to their stakeholders. Actuarial standards of practice provide guidance around modeling and data. The world has changed significantly over the last few years, so it is important these models be tested for fairness as well as any statistical biases. This article addresses some of the key issues actuaries need to be aware of as Corporations and society work through the responsible us of this technology and underlying data.

Description: David Moore has seen life insurance industry disrupted by new technology. David’s company seeks innovative approaches to engage with customers using analytics.

Description: As actuaries in health care, we spend most of our time focused on reviewing claims, enrollment and clinical data. That information is captured while patients are in health care facilities. Yet most people spend only a small fraction of their time in these facilities. This article explores what types of data are available to actuaries the provide a more holistic view of the member so that a members physical and emotional needs, the social determinants of health can be taken into consideration along with their clinical needs. Two uses cases are presented so actuaries can see how these types of analyses can be leveraged to improve clinical, operational, and financial performance of risk bearing health entities. Understanding the customer (member) not just the patient enables actuaries to provide new insights and values to our stakeholders across a wide range of business and risk applications.

Description: This article summarizes key points from the recently published research paper “Deep Learning for Liability-Driven Investment,” which applies reinforcement learning and deep learning techniques to liability-driven investment (LDI).

Description: Early in his career, Ehren Nagel, FSA, MAAA, scoured through podcasts and articles about predictive analytics, long suspecting this was a field with potential for him.

Description: Data is everywhere. Health care generates as much as 30% of the world’s data, and new technologies are changing how life insurers analyze consumer information. Actuaries are business-savvy problem solvers. They understand how to leverage the latest technologies and techniques to turn data into actionable insights and solutions for businesses and can communicate those findings to multiple audiences. SOA-credentialed actuaries use predictive analytics to inform organizational and business strategies, with efforts such as identifying chronic conditions in their early stage or determining stress levels through sweat patterns.

Description: Meet Dorothy Andrews. As a consulting actuary at Merlinos & Associates, Dorothy leverages her knowledge in statistical and data analytics, which she acquired through a variety of diverse experiences.

Description: Yi-Ling Lin, FSA, MAAA, FCA, started the SOA’s Predictive Analytics Certificate Program to keep pace with the impact big data and predictive modeling is having on the health care industry