Life Insurance & Science

Science plays an interesting role in the world of life insurance, both for insurance companies and potential clients. Due to medical advances, individuals live longer than in previous generations. They also survive accidents, diseases and other traumas at higher rates. Consequently, the decision to select a certain insurance policy is not as black and white as in the past. The definition of old age is constantly changing, as is the notion of terminal illness.

For insurance companies, science influences when an individual decides to invest in insurance as well as the type of plan. Individuals may wait longer until the likelihood of mortality is high enough to support the investment. Individuals also may opt for shorter term insurance policies versus universal plans. Since most individuals invest in insurance policies to help their dependents in case of death, they may only desire coverage until their children are adults.

However, individuals must be careful when selecting life insurance policies. Because more and more individuals survive serious illnesses and diseases, selecting life insurance with this kind of medical history can be expensive and potentially impossible, as companies are wary of insuring individuals with high risks of death.

Life Science and Illusion

One of the first illusion and life science experiments in Soviet Union.

The Life Science Experiment?

Russian scientists "detach" a dogs head for the purpose of testing and research artificial life support in pre-soviet republic.

The dog is awakened in this video after having it's head surgically severed and is experimented on to determine if the animal is lucid, and to document the technology in this film reel:



Is this life science experiment for real? You wish...

Introduction to Life Sciences - Video

In this video Professor Jay Phelan introducing non-Life Science Majors to the Life Sciences, challenging them to explore and understand important issues in the field. Topics include chemistry of life, genetics, physiology, evolution, and ecology - all explored in lecture and debates.

Life Science course takes place at UCLA in Fall 2007 and Professor Jay Phelan has a Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard, and masters and bachelors degrees from UCLA and Yale.

Enjoy!

Marketing to Life Scientists

Is a career in marketing within the life science market a direction that you would like to consider? If not now, perhaps in the future? What is the the pros and cons of making this move? What it is like to move away from the bench into this line of work?

Life science suppliers are increasingly seeking new market opportunities where molecular, proteomic and cellular techniques are being utilized for new applications. Researchers in what are referred to as 'applied markets' frequently use many of the same techniques, and hence products, as their colleagues in the traditional life science market. But their more recent adoption of advanced research technologies suggests they are more likely to be open to learning of the broad array of solutions offered by life science suppliers. This hypothesis places a premium on effective marketing tailored to the unique needs of researchers in applied markets.


The Key Findings

• Molecular diagnostic researchers evaluate or purchase new products slightly more frequently than agricultural biotechnology or biodefense researchers.
• A majority of scientists believe that is important to stay abreast of new products and services that are designed for their research applications but this belief is more pronounced among molecular diagnostics scientists than agricultural biotechnology and biodefense researchers.
• The majority of scientists in applied markets save the printed catalogs that they receive from vendors. However, they prefer to use Web-based versions for their product-information needs.
• Molecular diagnostic researchers spend slightly more time per week than either agricultural or biotechnology researchers visiting vendor Web sites.
• Biodefense researchers receive the fewest pieces of direct mail out of the three profiled markets.
• Agricultural biotechnology researchers are visited less frequently by sales reps than their counterparts in biodefense researchers and molecular diagnostics.

JOSEPH N. WALSH JR. from Princeton

Joe Walsh was graduated from the Princeton in 1956.

He prepared for Princeton at the Canterbury School, where he was active in sports, publications, and dramatics. At Princeton he participated in club sports for Cap and Gown, played varsity baseball for three years, and wrote his thesis on H. L. Mencken for the American Civilization Program. In his senior year, he roomed with Jeff Dunkak and Mark Grassi in Blair Hall. He retired in 1993 after a 37-year career with New York Telephone Co. and Nynex Corp. He served on the boards of Unity Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Syracuse, M&T Bank of Syracuse, the New York Medical College, and USA Datanet of Syracuse.

He devoted himself to community service as president of the Assn. of Mentally Ill Children of Westchester, as general campaign chairman for the United Way of Central New York State, chairman of New York State fundraising for the 1984 Olympic games, chairman of the Syracuse Symphony, and as a board member at LeMoyne College and the Apawamis Club, Rye, N.Y.

Joe Walsh died Sept. 2, 2003, surrounded by his family.

To his wife, Patty, children Elizabeth ’83, Joe ’86, and Mark ’90, and six grandchildren, the class extends deepest sympathy.

Careers Away From the Bench

Could you be missing out on an exciting and rewarding career outside of academic or industrial research?

Increasingly, Ph.D.-level scientists are becoming aware of other career opportunities beyond bench research. Join the workshop to consider what your own career path in these so-called "nontraditional" areas might look like. We'll discuss the types of alternative careers available, how to parlay your current skills and values into a new area, ways to research career options, and how to develop the skills you might need. At the end, we’ll touch briefly on how to make your job search successful.

Get career away from the bench!