The Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science is proud to announce that Dr. Mary Hardy has been named Distinguished Professor Emerita honoring her outstanding 26-year tenure and invaluable role in shaping the University of Waterloo!

Mary is a true leader. She is an outstanding researcher and deep thinker who is guided by a clear vision of the impact of her work on actuarial science, the profession, and society at large. She is passionate in voicing her beliefs, and tireless in working to effect positive change. While balancing an intimidating range of commitments, she is always incredibly generous with her time and knowledge. And she does it all while being great fun to work with too.
An internationally renowned scholar in Finance, Actuarial Science and Insurance, Dr. Hardy has authored seven books and over 50 influential papers. Her work on life insurance contracts, pensions, and annuities has shaped both academic research and industry regulation. Notably, she pioneered the development and application of Conditional Tail Expectation risk measure, now a standard in actuarial practice and regulatory framework. Dr. Hardy’s research achievements have been recognized with numerous distinguished awards, including the Harold D. Skipper Award and the Finlaison Medal.
As a passionate educator and mentor, Dr. Hardy played a central role in developing the Actuarial Science curriculum and was the founding director of the Master of Actuarial Science (MActSc) program at Waterloo. She supervised 18 PhD and more than 45 master’s students, many of whom have become leaders in academia and industry.
Dr. Hardy served in key roles with the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo, including as Acting President. She was also among the first female members of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) Board of Directors and received the SOA’s Lifetime Volunteer Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the profession.
Congratulations, Dr. Hardy, and thank you for your remarkable service, scholarship, and unwavering commitment to excellence, which have helped make the University of Waterloo a leading institution in actuarial science!