Modern Insurance Magazine Issue 65
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INSURTECH<br />
Q<br />
Is AI a friend, foe, or both? Can AI help detect and react<br />
to a breach in real time? Conversely, what is the threat<br />
of AI in the hands of a cybercriminal?<br />
A<br />
As I mentioned earlier, AI and Cyber have already<br />
converged and are now evolving. Any new<br />
technology is a threat in the wrong hands. As is<br />
typical with good guys and bad guys, there will be a give<br />
and take, and a constant state of evolution where each<br />
party seeks to get ahead of the other.<br />
The threats are definitely real, but seemingly, there’s an<br />
increased focus and awareness on defending that threat.<br />
With this Cyber Defense event, we are trying to do our<br />
part to continue that awareness and bring our most<br />
powerful tool to bear. That tool is education!<br />
However, the benefits of AI are many. We see many<br />
deployments of AI that are making workers and students<br />
more efficient. As an educator, I am also excited to<br />
see majors like linguistics, psychology and sociology<br />
come into play, as tech companies build out language<br />
processing models and try to anticipate how their<br />
technology will actually be used once in market. I think<br />
this could be a great moment for cross-disciplinary<br />
education.<br />
Q<br />
Any updates to share on the UConn MS-Fintech<br />
program?<br />
A<br />
Absolutely!<br />
I have been working closely with John<br />
Wilson, the MS in FinTech academic director, to<br />
ensure that our experiential opportunities are<br />
aligned with our curriculum. As you mentioned earlier,<br />
we have embraced a conference strategy that allows us<br />
to maintain close corporate relationships, vital in the<br />
provision of experiential opportunities for our students.<br />
John has his finger on the pulse of the industry, and<br />
he continues to ensure alignment between FinTech<br />
curriculum and industry demands. As the program<br />
continues to evolve, cybersecurity remains a focal<br />
point, reflecting its growing importance in the fintech<br />
landscape. However, other tracks within the FinTech<br />
program have recently been created - including an<br />
evolving insurtech track - and discussions have begun<br />
on the development of a regtech track. Stay tuned for<br />
further announcements as and when additional tracks are<br />
considered and developed!<br />
QWhat’s next for Laurissa Berk?<br />
A<br />
This role is new and evolving, and it has been<br />
really exciting so far. For me, the focus is now on<br />
translating great partnerships with the corporate<br />
community and the academic directors into innovative<br />
experiential opportunities for our students. I am really<br />
excited to see what the future holds, and look forward<br />
to the challenge of making our UConn STEM programs<br />
among the most elite in the world.<br />
Laurissa Berk,<br />
Director, Global and Experiential Education,<br />
UConn School of Business<br />
Laurissa Berk has over a decade of managerial expertise in<br />
program and project management in the higher education<br />
sector. Her main areas of expertise include launching new<br />
programs, increasing program visibility and revenue, and<br />
creating transformative educational experiences that<br />
empower students to navigate the challenges of the realworld.<br />
As the Director of Global & Experiential Education for<br />
UConn’s three STEM designated master’s programs<br />
within the School of Business, Laurissa bridges the gap<br />
between academia and industry. She provides exceptional<br />
and varied applied learning opportunities for students<br />
through industry conferences, international courses, tech<br />
demonstrations, leadership and management seminars,<br />
company visits and industry panels. Laurissa is a frequent<br />
speaker at industry conferences worldwide, focusing<br />
on innovation in higher education, talent development/<br />
pipelines, and the evolution of corporate/academic<br />
partnerships.<br />
Through various roles within UConn’s Finance department,<br />
Laurissa oversaw the implementation of risk management<br />
programs, including the MS in Financial Risk Management<br />
Program and its Accelerated Track. With a keen focus on<br />
program management, recruitment strategy, and budget<br />
oversight, Laurissa led a team to significantly increase<br />
the growth of these programs, leading to a substantial<br />
increase in annual revenue and a notable rise in student<br />
enrollment.<br />
Laurissa holds an M.S. in Management in Higher Education<br />
from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Human<br />
Development/Organizational Effectiveness from Boston<br />
College.<br />
MODERN INSURANCE | 75
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