Description: A look back at 2024, reviewing and highlighting the things that the SOA Health Section Council accomplished, including education, research, webcasts, networking, and a new Health Section Council action plan that will be used on an ongoing basis to target, track, and measure areas of focus for the council, to better serve membership.

Description: Feature article discussing how hot weather extremes have increased globally since the 1950s and the impact of heat extremes on morbidity and mortality.

Description: Stefanos Orfanos shares his perspective and priorities for this year as the incoming chair of the SOA Education and Research Section.

Description: As actuaries, we’re trained to see patterns in numbers and to design solutions that mitigate risk. But I can tell you from experience that while quantitative analysis and modeling are critical actuarial tools, looking at the numbers alone can lead to insurance products that don’t succeed in the real world the way the math says they “should.” With new digital technologies, we have more data at our fingertips than ever before, but I believe it’s equally as important to bring qualitative research methodologies into your product development process if you want to design solutions that meet real needs in the market. In this article, Amanda Turcotte shares what happens when qualitative research is neglected or ignored, what happens when you incorporate it into the product design process, and how to implement qualitative research practices in your organization.

Description: Aneesha Deshpande tries to make a case for Writing as a way for individuals, particularly at larger organizations to drive impactful change.

Description: Column wrapping up the Pioneers interviews and highlighting past interviews.

Description: Do you struggle with confidence presenting your ideas in front of others? You are not alone. The good news is that confidence can be learned. Rob Salafia, executive coach at MIT Sloan School of Management and author of the book, Leading From Your Best Self (McGraw-Hill) will guide you through a science based, positive psychology approach for you to fortify yourself and discover your four keys to confidence. Rob utilizes his 20 + years in the performing arts to help business leaders project a positive presence, connect authentically with others, and incorporate the skill of storytelling to create meaning and momentum.

Description: Recollections of life in the actuarial profession, in Canada and the U.S., during the 1950s.

Description: Who are the members of the Society of Actuaries? What sections do they belong to? Do most reside within the United States? Just what are some of the population characteristics of the more than 18,000 actuaries who belong to our organization? The areas covered here include section affiliation, countries represented, ages of FSA's and more.

Description: This article presents the idea that a New Product Notebook, which contains all of the aspects of a product's development and is accessible to all involved, can make the product development process more efficient.