Frank Quan

Zhiyu (Frank) Quan is an Assistant Professor in the Program for Actuarial and Risk Management Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the Department of Mathematics. He holds the Brad and Karen Smith Professorial Scholar title within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and serves as the Finance and Insurance Sector Lead at the Discovery Partners Institute. His roles include directing the Illinois Risk Lab, which bridges academic research with industry problem-solving.

• Ph.D. in Actuarial Science, University of Connecticut

His research focuses on data science applications in insurance, including tree-based models, natural language processing, and Insurtech innovations. He develops predictive models for claim analysis, rate-making, and social media-driven insights. Prior to academia, he worked in an Insurtech company as an R&D data scientist, creating data-driven solutions for insurers.

• Notable Awards: Arnold O. Beckman Research Award, Society of Actuaries Research Institute Award, Casualty Actuarial Society Award

Frank advises students through the Illinois Risk Lab and collaborates extensively with industry partners. His work emphasizes real-world data and practical applications, reflecting his industry experience and academic rigor.