Krzysztof Ostaszewski
Professor of Mathematics Krzysztof Ostaszewski has been named a University Professor at Illinois State University. The honor will be officially bestowed at Illinois State’s Founders Day Convocation at 2 p.m. Thursday, February 18.
The designation of University Professor honors individual faculty members or administrators who hold the rank of full professor and who have achieved national recognition for scholarly research, creative production, or leadership in creative or scholarly activities. Recipients hold the title throughout their years of service at the University.
Ostaszewski joined Illinois State in 2000 as a faculty member and Actuarial Program director. Under his direction, the program has achieved the status of a Center of Actuarial Excellence, one of only 16 such programs in the United States. Ostaszewski has embraced the teacher/scholar model and has used his expertise in effectively revising curriculum and ensuring student success. He has fostered partnerships with the College of Business through the Katie School of Insurance which has brought students from Ghana to study actuarial science at the graduate level. Other collaborations include securing student scholarships from State Farm Insurance Company, Country Financial, and other companies. Ostaszewski, together with a team from the Department of Mathematics and the Katie School, runs a one-of-a-kind weeklong summer academy for underrepresented high school scholars.
Ostaszewski was the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished College Lecturer in 2010. He has also been a Fulbright Research Fellow and Fulbright Specialist. Active in professional organizations, he is a Fellow in the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, a Fellow of the Singapore Actuarial Society, and a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance. He has served as a consulting research director for life insurance and pensions at the Geneva Association: The International Association for Study of Insurance Economics in Switzerland, an insurance industry think tank.
Ostaszewski has authored more than 200 publications and has conducted research funded by a number of organizations. A sought-after speaker, he has presented at conferences and universities in Germany, France, China, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Belgium, Turkey, and Poland. He is also a published Polish poet and political commentator.
