Description: This article addresses how to best use body language to one's advantage

Description: Vision and objectives and projects for the International Section.

Description: Letter from the president discussing the SOA’s emphasis on communicating with employers.

Description: Column discussing recent events at and around the SOA.

Description: Column from SOA president discussing opportunities for members of the SOA.

Description: Discussion about the recent activities of the Taxation Section and its council and plans for the future. The project of the NPT [Necessary Premium Test] task force was discussed.

Description: The objective of this statement of principles is to articulate the current understanding of the significant principles that form the scientific framework underlying all areas of actuarial practice. The intended audience includes practicing actuaries, researchers and others, such as representatives of standard-setting organizations. This articulation is not immutable and should be revised if changes arise in our understanding of the key concepts and phenomena relevant to actuarial science, or if a better expression of the ideas is developed. This statement is the culmination of an effort that begin with the October 1991 draft by the SOA Committee on Actuarial Principles entitled “Principles of Actuarial Science. After incorporating numerous comments, that statement was published in Transactions of the Society of Actuaries XLIV, 1992.

Description: Members of the American Academy of Actuaries’ Solvency Committee have put together an acronym reference chart. This handy guide can be folded up to fit in your wallet and quickly reviewed so you can fearlessly enter an elevator.

Description: The author discusses expectations for incoming actuarial science students, emphasizing that a solid grasp of algebra and traditional mathematical skills is not enough. In addition, the author states that today’s business environment dictates that students be well versed and that their backgrounds include familiarity with complexity science.

Description: In this article the authors ask: “what if you could be more focused, calmer and better able to perform? …what if the only thing you needed to do to perform better was to become aware of a few things, and that by doing these things, you could improve performance and help others achieve better results?” Referencing David Rock's latest book, “Your Brain at Work,” which shares key findings on the science of the brain and how the brain functions, the authors explain how we can be more focused and productive and help others do the same, and how to understand and correct what's happening when we head off-track.