Description: York University will host the 2025 Actuarial Research Conference (ARC) from July 29 to August 1, 2025, bringing together scholars, industry leaders, and regulators to exchange ideas and present cutting-edge research in actuarial science. The conference will feature keynote speeches, research presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, fostering collaboration between academia and industry. York’s actuarial program, recognized as a Center of Actuarial Excellence, will showcase its vibrant research environment and strong partnership with the Risk and Insurance Studies Centre (RISC). The event also highlights Toronto’s dynamic cultural scene, with planned activities such as a visit to the historic Casa Loma, enhancing the experience for attendees. ARC 2025 promises to be an enriching and memorable event for all participants.

Description: Wright State University is a public research university in Dayton, Ohio, with approximately 11,000 students. With the lowest tuition fees in Ohio, the university has an access mission and plays a critical role in the region by offering high-quality, affordable education. I joined Wright State University in fall 2019 as the director of the Actuarial Science program. In spring 2020 we attained the Universities and Colleges with Actuarial Programs (UCAP)-AC designation from the Society of Actuaries (SOA), becoming one of only three universities in southwest Ohio at this recognition tier. In this article, I would like to tell you about the journey our program has taken—its successes and its challenges. The goal is to offer a resource to other universities seeking to upgrade their Actuarial Science programs.

Description: The SOA, in collaboration with CSU-Fullerton, hosted the first event combining local high school students and community college and university students for a day of learning and networking.

Description: It highlights key initiatives and leadership changes within the SOA Education and Research (E&R) Section in year 2025.

Description: The SOA Board considered the report of the Accreditation Implementation Task Force, approved the Task Force's two recommendations and initiated an Alternate Route study task force.

Description: In the spring of 2019, Dr. Cai started to serve as the Actuarial Science Program coordinator at Salisbury University, a medium-sized public teaching school in Maryland. At that time, the program was small, with only two faculty members who focused on both statistics and actuarial science, with approximately 10 students. During the next five years, the program did make some achievements in curriculum development, student exam preparation, job placement, and recognition, but Dr. Cai continued to have a dream to make the program unique. Dr. Cai believed that the skill sets students learned, even from a small program, could enable them to compete with anyone on a global basis. In spring 2024, Dr. Cai advised a group of exceptional actuarial students to participate in the 2024 Society of Actuaries (SOA) Student Research Case Study Challenge (SRCSC), and the team won third place – —behind two teams from the University of New South Wales, Australia. This article is the story of the journey.

Description: The incoming E&R chair for the coming year reflects on past accomplishments of the E&R council, acknowledges with thanks contributors, and looks forward to continuation in the coming year.