Description: This is the third in a 4-part series where Anders Larson and Shea Parkes discuss predictive analytics with high cardinality features. In this episode they focus on feature engineering via the hashing trick. The hashing trick is most applicable for extremely high cardinality, and at first glance can seem almost ridiculous. In a lot of ways, it is the same as bucketing values at random. But there are times that it is more valuable to include randomly engineered buckets than to exclude the original high cardinality feature entirely.

Description: This article explores strategies for optimizing actuarial models built on open system platforms. It begins by contrasting open and closed system modeling environments, emphasizing that users of open systems must take responsibility for in-house runtime optimization. The authors underscore the critical role that efficient, well-optimized models play in supporting a high-performing modeling team. To reinforce the techniques discussed, the article includes a case study focused on disability insurance modeling to offer practical insights.

Description: Discussion of the need to find a balance between work and career and tips on how to achieve it.

Description: This is the SOA website page displaying the table of contents for Risk Management: The Current Financial Crisis, Lessons Learned and Future Implications series of essays.

Description: As is the tradition, the Education and Research Section has a morning meeting, over continental breakfast, at the Annual Meeting. Since that meeting signifies the end of a term and the beginning of a new one, it offers the perfect setting for presenting the past activities and realizations, as well as the planning for the year to come. As both the outgoing Chair, myself, and the incoming Chair, Tom Edwalds, were in attendance, we thought we would seize the opportunity to officially pass the baton! From Expanding Horizons, January 2006.

Description: Table of Contents for Expanding Horizons, January 2006.