Description: Discusses the market, demographic, and macroeconomic factors that affect actuaries' choices for the assumptions they use in the pricing and valuation of many insurance products.

Description: This article is an interview with Phelim Boyle, an educator, actuary, PhD, author, financial engineer and recipient of the IAFE/ SunGard Financial Engineer of the Year Award and perhaps best known for his research into Monte Carlo methods.

Description: The author discusses how China is poised for dramatic changes in its life insurance industry that will raise both opportunities and challenges. The author notes that China has particularly spectacular growth prospects, and given the nature of the business, the industry will have an almost insatiable appetite for capital. However, In order to accomplish this, China's insurance industry needs to advance its financial management and improve its ability to produce transparent financial information, in a timely and reliable manner. The author compares China’s current position in the life insurance compared to other Asian countries, and describes the steps needed to improve its financial management.

Description: Chart 1 is a graphical view of the SOA's Education Committee Structure.

Description: This article discusses the successes and plans for the SOA’s University Outreach Program.

Description: Q&A with actuary and author Bradley M. Smith. In this interview, Smith discusses his business philosophies and the risks he has taken. His new book, What Do You Think?, is also reviewed.

Description: Letters to the editor about the feature article “The Dementia Epidemic: Are We Ready?” that ran in the December 2010/January 2011 issue of The Actuary.

Description: This article discusses three ways the SOA is strengthening the educational system: redesigning professional development, offering all fellowship exams twice a year, and offering a restructured CERA pathway.

Description: In this article the SOA president discusses the SOA’s professional interest sections and how they collaborate in a number of ways — they produce webcasts, research, and networking opportunities, they reach out to local actuarial clubs, and our International Section works with local actuarial groups worldwide through its ambassador program.

Description: This article covers subjects discussed at the 2011 Living To 100 Symposium. Included were the real potential of a material extension of life and economic challenges associated such an occurrence.