Kenneth Zhou
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Phone: 480-727-4857
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Mail code: 1804Campus: Tempe
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Kenneth Q. Zhou is an Assistant Professor of Actuarial Science in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences. He received his PhD in Actuarial Science from the University of Waterloo, and joined Arizona State University in Fall 2019. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and an associate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (ACIA). He was also a Society of Actuaries James C. Hickman scholar from 2015 to 2019.
Kenneth’s research interests include insurance risk management, insurance data analytics, and Bayesian modeling and forecasting. In particular, he studies the technical and economic issues underlying life insurance practices, including stochastic mortality modeling and longevity risk management. His work also involves adapting statistical techniques to solve data-driven challenges and identify the source of financial and insurance risks. Some of his recent work focus on eradicating discrimination issues in actuarial modeling and pricing from the Bayesian perspective.
Kenneth’s research work has been published in statistical, actuarial and insurance journals, including the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, and Journal of Risk and Insurance. Some of his research findings are also published in professional publications, such as the Actuary Magazine and the Living to 100 Monograph. His paper on dynamic longevity hedging won the 2019 Redington Prize from the Society of Actuaries. Kenneth is also a frequent presenter at international conferences and university seminars, where he diligently disseminate his most recent research findings.
Kenneth is committed to actuarial education, mentorship and curriculum development. He has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in actuarial science and statistics. At Arizona State University, he has developed two new courses, entitled "Advanced Mortality Modeling and Management of Longevity Risk" and “Quantitative Risk Management”. Kenneth also supervises students at all levels, including undergraduate honors thesis, graduate applied project and PhD dissertation.
Ph.D. University of Waterloo, Canada
- Longevity risk management
- Stochastic mortality modeling
- Bayesian modeling and forecasting
- Insurance data analytics
- Financial time series
- Yang S. & Zhou, K.Q. (2023). On risk management of mortality and longevity capital requirement: A predictive simulation approach. Risks, 11(12), 206.
- Zhu, X. & Zhou, K.Q. (2023). Smooth projection of mortality improvement rates: A Bayesian two-dimensional spline approach. European Actuarial Journal, 13(1), 277-305.
- Zhou, K.Q. & Li, J.S.-H. (2023). The impact of long memory in mortality differentials on index-based longevity hedges. Journal of Demographic Economics, 89(3), 533-552.
- Lyu, P., Li, J.S.-H., & Zhou, K.Q. (2023). Socioeconomic differentials in mortality: Implications on index-based longevity hedges. Scandinavian Actuarial Journal, 2023(4), 359-387.
- Zhou, H., Zhou, K.Q., & Li X. (2022). Stochastic mortality dynamics driven by mixed fractional Brownian motion. Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, 106, 285-301.
- Feng, M., Li, J.S.-H., & Zhou, K.Q. (2022). Green nested simulation via likelihood ratio applications to longevity risk management. Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, 106, 218-238.
- Zhou, K.Q. & Li, J.S.-H. (2021). Longevity Greeks: What do insurers and capital market investors need to know? North American Actuarial Journal, 25(Sup1), S66-S96.
- Li, J.S.-H., Li, J., Balasooriya, U., & Zhou, K.Q. (2021). Constructing out-of-the-money longevity hedges using parametric mortality indexes. North American Actuarial Journal, 25(Sup1), S341-S372.
- Zhou, K.Q. & Li, J.S.-H. (2020). Asymmetry in mortality volatility and its implications on index-based longevity hedging. Annals of Actuarial Science, 14(2), 278-301.
- Li, J.S.-H., Zhou, K.Q., Zhu, X., Chan, W.-S., & Chan, F.W.-H. (2019). A Bayesian approach to developing a stochastic mortality model for China. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 182(4), 1523-1560.
- Zhou, K.Q. & Li, J.S.-H. (2019). Delta-hedging longevity risk under the M7-M5 model: The impact of cohort effect uncertainty and population basis risk. Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, 84, 1-21.
- Zhou, K.Q. & Li, J.S.-H. (2017). Dynamic longevity hedging in the presence of population basis risk: A feasibility analysis from technical and economic perspectives. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 84(S1), 417-437.
- Chan, W.-S., Li, J.S.-H., Zhou, K.Q., & Zhou, R. (2016). Towards a large and liquid longevity market: A graphical population basis risk metric. Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, 41(1), 118-127.
- Zhou, K.Q. & Zhu, X. A Bayesian generalized additive model approach to forecasting mortality improvement with expert Information. Preprint available at SSRN.
- Chen, Z., Li, H. Mao, Y. & Zhou, K.Q. Mitigating Financial Impact of Pandemics: A Collaborative Pandemic Bond Approach. Preprint available at SSRN.
- Zhou, R., Li, J.S.-H., & Zhou, K.Q. The role of longevity annuities in different socioeconomic classes: A Canadian case study. Preprint available at SSRN.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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MAT 493 | Honors Thesis |
STP 792 | Research |
ACT 593 | Applied Project |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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MAT 492 | Honors Directed Study |
STP 427 | Mathematical Statistics |
STP 792 | Research |
2024 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
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STP 792 | Research |
STP 792 | Research |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
MAT 493 | Honors Thesis |
STP 792 | Research |
ACT 593 | Applied Project |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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MAT 492 | Honors Directed Study |
STP 792 | Research |
ACT 440 | Single Life Mortality |
ACT 540 | Single Life Mortality |
ACT 593 | Applied Project |
ACT 585 | Advanced Mortality Modeling |
2023 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
STP 792 | Research |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
MAT 493 | Honors Thesis |
STP 427 | Mathematical Statistics |
ACT 593 | Applied Project |
ACT 455 | Quantitative Risk Management |
ACT 555 | Quantitative Risk Management |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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MAT 492 | Honors Directed Study |
ACT 440 | Single Life Mortality |
ACT 540 | Single Life Mortality |
ACT 593 | Applied Project |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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MAT 493 | Honors Thesis |
ACT 494 | Special Topics |
ACT 598 | Special Topics |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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MAT 492 | Honors Directed Study |
ACT 440 | Long-Term Actuarial Math I |
ACT 540 | Actuarial Mathematics I |
ACT 593 | Applied Project |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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ACT 494 | Special Topics |
ACT 598 | Special Topics |
ACT 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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ACT 585 | Advanced Mortality Modeling |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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ACT 494 | Special Topics |
ACT 598 | Special Topics |
ACT 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2019 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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ACT 585 | Advanced Mortality Modeling |