Meryem Yankol-Schalck | Insurance and Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Meryem Yankol-Schalck | Insurance and Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

 

Profile

Education

She holds a Ph.D. in Econometrics and Machine Learning from the University of Orleans (2018–2022), where she investigated new machine learning approaches for financial fraud detection and survival analysis in the insurance industry under the supervision of S. Tokpavi. In addition, she earned a Data Science Certificate (Executive) from the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) in 2016–2017. Her academic background also includes a Master’s degree in Mathematical Engineering (Applied Statistics) from Paris-Sud University (2004–2007) and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Marmara in Istanbul (1995–1999). Since September 2022, she has been an Assistant Professor of Data Science at IPAG Business School in Nice and Paris. With extensive experience in the insurance sector, she integrates her professional insights into the classroom, emphasizing practical AI applications. Her curriculum reflects the latest trends in data science, fostering a dynamic learning environment tailored to students’ needs. She adapts resources and pedagogical methods to specific course objectives, utilizing tools such as Tableau for data visualization and exploring real-world business applications, including Netflix, Uber, ChatGPT, Gemini, and facial recognition technologies.

 

Work experience

She has held various academic and professional roles, combining her expertise in data science, machine learning, and business analytics. From September 2022 to January 2023, she was an adjunct faculty member at the International University of Monaco, where she taught Mathematics for Business. Prior to that, from September 2021 to August 2022, she served as an adjunct faculty member at IPAG Business School (Nice), teaching courses such as “Data Analysis for Business Management” (BBA3), “Data Processing” (MSc, e-learning), “Digital and Sales” (GEP 5th year), and “Introduction to Statistics” (BBA1). Between September 2020 and October 2021, she was an adjunct faculty member at EMLV (Paris), where she taught “Quantitative Data Analytics – SPSS” (GEP 4th year, hybrid learning) and supervised master’s theses for GEP 5th-year students.

In addition to her academic roles, she has extensive experience in the consulting and insurance sectors. From March to November 2020, she worked as a Senior Consultant at Fraeris (Paris), supporting clients in project development and providing technical solutions. She collaborated with the “Caisse de Prévoyance Sociale” (CPS) of French Polynesia, modeling healthcare expenditures using machine learning techniques. She developed predictive models to analyze healthcare costs from both the insured’s and CPS’s perspectives, offering actionable insights and data-driven forecasts to aid long-term financial planning. Prior to that, in 2019–2020, she was a Senior Manager in Pricing & Data P&C at Addactis (Paris), where she supported clients in project development, innovation, and strategic planning. As an expert referent for ADDACTIS® Pricing software, she worked on database processing for BNP Paribas Cardif, facilitating APLe software operations for quarterly account closings.

Memberships and Projects:

• Membership of the American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA)
• Membership of the academic association AFSE.
• Member of the RED Flag Project of the University of Orléans in cooperation with CRJPothier.
• Participation at 3 Erasmus+ Projects: Artificial Intelligence to support Education (EducAItion).
• Virtual Incubator Tailored to All Entrepreneurs (VITAE).
• Artificial Intelligence in high Education (PRAIME),

Research topics:

Studies focus on the application of data science techniques to business issues, particularly in the insurance
sector, and on climate change. Another topic of study is the relationship between AI and education.

Publication

  • Yankol-Schalck, M. (2023). Auto Insurance Fraud Detection: Leveraging Cost Sensitive and Insensitive
    Algorithms for comprehensive Analysis, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics.(
    (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167668725000216)
    Banulescu‐Radu, D., & Yankol‐Schalck, M. (2024). Practical guideline to efficiently detect insurance fraud
    in the era of machine learning: A household insurance case. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 91(4), 867-
    913.
    Yankol-Schalck, M. (2022). A Fraud Score for the Automobile Insurance Using Machine Learning and
    Cross-Data set Analysis, Research in International Business and Finance, Volume 63, 101769.
    Schalck, C., Yankol-Schalck, M. (2021). Failure Prediction for SME in France: New evidence from
    machine learning techniques, Applied Economics, 53(51), 5948-5963.
    On- going research:
    Yankol-Schalck (2025). Auto Insurance Fraud Detection: Machine Learning and Deep Learning
    Applications, submitted in Journal of Risk and Insurance.
    Schalck, C., Yankol-Schalck, M. (2024). Churn prediction in the French insurance sector using Grabit
    model, revision in Journal of Forecasting.
    Schalck, C., Seungho, L., Yankol-Schalck, M. (2024). Characteristics of firms and climate risk
    management: a machine learning approach. Work in progress for The Journal of Financial Economics.
    Yankol-Schalck M.and Chabert Delio C., (2024). The application of machine learning to analyse changes in
    consumer behaviour in a major crisis. Work in progress.
    Yankol-Schalck M. and Nasseri A. (2024).An investigation into the integration of artificial intelligence in
    education: Implications for teaching and learning methods. Work in progress.

Vikas Palekar | Machine Leaning | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Vikas Palekar | Machine Leaning | Best Researcher Award

 

Profile

Education

He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering at Vellore Institute of Technology, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, since December 2018. His research focuses on developing an Adaptive Optimized Residual Convolutional Image Annotation Model with a Bionic Feature Selection Strategy. He holds a Master of Engineering (M.E.) in Information Technology from Prof. Ram Meghe College of Engineering Technology and Research, Badnera (SGBAU Amravati), which he completed in December 2012 with an impressive 88.00%, securing the first merit position in the university for the summer 2012 examination. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) in Computer Science and Engineering from Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering Technology and Research, Nanded (SRTMNU, Nanded), in June 2007, achieving a commendable 74.40%.

Work experience

He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering at Bajaj Institute of Technology, Wardha, since July 31, 2023. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he serves as the Academic Coordinator of the department and has worked as a Senior Supervisor for the DBATY Winter-23 Exam at Government College of Engineering, Yavatmal.

Previously, he worked as an Assistant Professor (UGC Approved, RTMNU, Nagpur) in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Datta Meghe Institute of Engineering, Technology & Research, Wardha, from June 14, 2011, to June 30, 2023. During this tenure, he held the position of Head of the Department from April 21, 2016, to June 30, 2023. He taught various subjects, including Distributed Operating Systems, TCP/IP, System Programming, Data Warehousing and Mining, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Architecture and Organization. Additionally, he contributed to university examinations as the Chief Supervisor in the Winter-2015 Examination and a committee member for the Summer-2013, Summer-2015, and Summer-2018 Examinations. He also played a key role in institutional development as a member of the Admission Committee, NBA & NAAC core committees at the department level, and as the convener of the National Level Technical Symposium “POCKET 16” organized by the CSE Department on March 16, 2016.

Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering at Bapurao Deshmukh College of Engineering, Wardha, from November 26, 2008, to April 30, 2011. He taught subjects such as Unix and Shell Programming, Object-Oriented Programming, and Operating Systems while also serving as a Department Exam Committee Member.

Achievement

He was the first university topper (merit) in M.Tech (Information Technology) and received the Best Paper Award at the 2021 International Conference on Computational Performance Evaluation (ComPE), organized by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, Meghalaya, India, from December 1st to 3rd, 2023. He has actively participated in various conferences, including presenting the paper “Label Dependency Classifier using Multi-Feature Graph Convolution Networks for Automatic Image Annotation” at ComPE 2021 in Shillong, India. He also presented his research on “Visual-Based Page Segmentation for Deep Web Data Extraction” at the International Conference on Soft Computing for Problem Solving (SocProS 2011) held from December 20-22, 2011. Additionally, he contributed to the Computer Science & Engineering Department at Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, by presenting “A Critical Analysis of Learning Approaches for Image Annotation Based on Semantic Correlation” from December 13-15, 2022. His work on “A Survey on Assisting Document Annotation” was featured at the 19th International Conference on Hybrid Intelligent Systems (HIS) at VIT Bhopal University, India, from December 10-12, 2022. Furthermore, he co-authored a study titled “Review on Improving Lifetime of Network Using Energy and Density Control Cluster Algorithm,” which was presented at the 2018 IEEE International Students’ Conference on Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Science (SCEECS) in Bhopal, India.

 

Publication