Research Insights, a Society of Actuaries Podcast

In recognition of World Environmental Health Day, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits a Research Insights Classic exploring climate change and its connection to health, risk, and decision-making. The discussion examines how climate-related changes—including shifts in air quality, extreme heat, severe storms, and displacement—can affect health outcomes, economic stability, and th...

Behavioral health is increasingly recognized as an important part of overall health—and an area where health plan sponsors, providers and actuaries have opportunities to improve outcomes. In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast , Kara Clark, Senior Research Actuary at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, is joined by Joan C. Barrett, FSA, MAAA, author of the report Developing and...

How can actuaries assess mortality and morbidity risk when historical experience may no longer fully reflect a changing climate environment? In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, welcomes Carlos Arocha, FSA, SCR, and Jérôme Crugnola-Humbert, SAV, IA, authors of the report Quantifying Mortality and...

The 2026 NAIC Summer National Meeting brought a wide range of actuarial and regulatory issues into focus, from mortality and expense assumptions to long-term care, artificial intelligence, catastrophe risk, insurance affordability and more. In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, is joined by Geralyn...

In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Lisa Schilling, Director of Practice Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, speaks with Dr. Rob Lieberthal, lead author of Evaluating Representativeness in Healthcare Claims Data: A Framework for Representativeness-Based Fairness in Actuarial Applications of AI . Their discussion explores why strong overall model performance does...

In recognition of International Youth Day, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits the 2025 Case Study Challenge Winners. The discussion highlights the winning team's approach to the challenge, including how they analyzed the case, developed their recommendations, and presented their findings. The episode also offers insight into the skills, collaboration, and creative thinking that...

In recognition of Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits "A Primer on Generative AI." The discussion explores generative AI through an actuarial lens, examining what these tools are, what they can and cannot do, and how they can be used responsibly alongside actuarial judgment. It also covers practical applications, reliability, risk, and g...

In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, discusses the 2024 Retirement Risk Survey Report of Findings with Griffin Lothrop and May Ling Hu of Deloitte. The conversation explores Americans' retirement concerns and preparedness, including retirement income, unexpected financial shocks, caregiving, famil...

In this episode of The Longevity Brief with Siegel and Clark , Steve Siegel and Kara Clark share a practical roundup of what is new across the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's Aging & Retirement and Mortality & Longevity Strategic Research Programs. Steve Siegel, longtime SOA leader and contributor, provides updates from Aging & Retirement, including the 2024 Retirement Risk Survey Series...

In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, speaks with Rebecca Owen, FSA, MAAA, one of the authors of the SOA Research Institute report Beyond the Headlines: The 2025 Disaster Reshaping Risk . Their conversation explores the 2025 Alaska floods, an event selected by the Catastrophe and Climate Research P...

In recognition of Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits "Dementia Neurology Deserts and Long-Term Care Insurance Claims Experience in the United States." The discussion explores how limited access to neurology specialists—often referred to as dementia neurology deserts—may correlate with long-term care insurance claims experience. Geography can...

In this episode of The Longevity Brief with Siegel and Clark , host Rose Northon of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute is joined by Steve Siegel and Kara Clark for a timely roundup of recent and upcoming research across the Aging & Retirement and Mortality & Longevity Strategic Research Programs. The discussion highlights newly published essay collections, including Impact of Family Struc...

In recognition of Older Americans Month, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits "Public Perception of Longevity and its Drivers."   As Americans live longer, perceptions of longevity play an important role in shaping retirement planning, financial preparedness, and long-term security. This episode explores how individuals think about life expectancy, what influences those beliefs,...

In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the SOA Research Institute, speaks with the winning team of the 2026 Student Research Case Study Challenge from the University of New South Wales in Kensington, Australia: Vihaan Jain, Sarina Truong, Carol Zhang, Liya Ruan and Alan Steny. They are joined by Lisa Schilling, Director of...

In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, welcomes back Patrick Nolan, Senior Director of Experience Studies at the Society of Actuaries, for a lively conversation about Patrick's recent appearance on Jeopardy! . Patrick shares what it was like to compete against returning champion Jamie Ding during hi...

In honor of Earth Day, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits a timely discussion from the Climate Change and Environmental Risks Series.   Originally published on April 5, 2021, the episode explores what environmental risk means today and why it matters for individuals, communities, and the organizations that serve them. From extreme weather to shifting climate patterns, these ris...

In this special episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, speaks with Patrick Nolan, Senior Director of Experience Studies at the Society of Actuaries, about Patrick's upcoming appearance on Jeopardy! Stepping away from actuarial research and experience studies for a lighter conversation, Patrick shares the st...

In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the SOA Research Institute, is joined by Geralyn Trujillo, Senior Director of Public Policy at the American Academy of Actuaries, for a recap of the 2026 NAIC Spring Meeting held in San Diego, March 22–25. Together, they discuss key highlights from the meeting and share insights from...

In this episode of The Longevity Brief with Siegel and Clark , host Rose Northon is joined by Steve Siegel and Kara Clark from the Society of Actuaries Research Institute for a fast-paced update on the latest developments across the Aging & Retirement and Mortality & Longevity Strategic Research Programs. The conversation highlights recent research generating strong interest, including Impact of C...

In this classic episode of Research Insights, the discussion centers around the growing impact of predictive analytics and machine learning in actuarial science. The episode explores how actuaries are applying these tools in real-world modeling scenarios to uncover insights, improve decision-making, and navigate complex data environments. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of what's possib...

In this second episode of The Longevity Brief with Siegel and Clark , host Rose Northon of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute is joined by Steve Siegel and Kara Clark , who lead the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's Aging & Retirement and Mortality & Longevity Strategic Research Programs. They share a quick, practical briefing on what's new and what's next—highlighting momentum ar...

In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's Research Insights Podcast , Dale Hall speaks with Michael Bean, FSA (also a member of the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries) about the 2026 Emerging Risk Survey Results . Drawing on input from 100+ senior risk leaders —including Chief Risk Officers, Chief Actuaries, lead consulting partners, and other...

In this special International Women's Day episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's Research Insights Podcast , host Kara Clark, Senior Practice Research Actuary, speaks with Adina Ciobotea , Partner and Switzerland Actuarial Service Leader at Oliver Wyman (Zurich, Switzerland) . Together, they explore Adina's professional journey—her early influences, the women who have inspired he...

February is often associated with Valentine's Day—a time when many people reflect on partnerships, shared goals, and planning for the future together. In this classic Research Insights episode, the conversation revisits how those themes show up in real life through retirement planning and decision-making among early middle-aged adults. The episode explores what research reveals about balancing ind...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Longevity Brief with Siegel and Clark —a new podcast series from the Society of Actuaries Research Institute designed to give listeners a periodic "sneak peek" at what's ahead in the Aging & Retirement and Mortality & Longevity Strategic Research Programs. Host Rose Northon , Research Communications Coordinator at the SOA Research Institute, is joined by two...