Research Engagement

Collaborative, Industry-Driven Research

CATIS is built around a collaborative research model where industry, academia, and policy stakeholders work together to address real-world challenges in catastrophic cyber and terrorism risk.

Research is not developed in isolation. It is shaped, prioritized, and refined through active engagement with members of the Industry Advisory Board.

How Research is Defined

Research at CATIS follows a structured, member-driven process:

Industry Input

Members identify key challenges, emerging risks, and priority areas based on operational needs.

Topic Development

These inputs are translated into research themes and problem statements.

Proposal Submission

Faculty teams develop research proposals aligned with these priorities.

Project Selection

Industry members review and vote on which projects are funded.

This process ensures that all research activities are aligned with real industry needs and evolving risk landscapes.

Areas of Research Focus

CATIS supports interdisciplinary research across a range of critical areas, including:

Catastrophic Cyber Risk Modeling Terrorism Risk Quantification Cyber-Physical & Cascading Risk AI-Related Risk & Governance AI for Insurance & Analytics Capital Market Solutions Policy & Regulatory Frameworks Cybersecurity Controls & Underwriting

These areas are continuously refined based on member input and evolving industry needs.

Engagement Opportunities for Members

CATIS provides multiple ways for members to engage directly in research activities:

  • Participate in project selection and prioritization
  • Contribute data, expertise, and real-world use cases
  • Collaborate with faculty and students on targeted research initiatives
  • Attend technical workshops and research briefings
  • Provide feedback throughout the research lifecycle

This ensures that research remains grounded, iterative, and actionable.

From Research to Impact

CATIS is focused on producing outputs that go beyond academic publications. Research outcomes include:

Practical Models & Tools

Scenario-Based Risk Assessments

Policy & Regulatory Insights

Underwriting & Pricing Frameworks

Emerging Risk Approaches

The goal is to generate insights that can be directly applied within organizations and across the broader ecosystem.

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Research at CATIS integrates multiple perspectives:

Cybersecurity & Threat Analysis

Understanding attack vectors, vulnerabilities, and threat landscapes that drive catastrophic risk.

Insurance & Actuarial Science

Quantifying risk, pricing coverage, and designing market structures for emerging perils.

Engineering & Infrastructure Systems

Analyzing interdependencies and cascading failures across critical infrastructure.

Data Science, AI & Machine Learning

Applying advanced analytics to risk modeling, scenario generation, and decision support.

Public Policy & Regulatory Analysis

Evaluating frameworks for backstops, disclosure, and systemic risk governance.

National Security & Terrorism Studies

Assessing evolving threat scenarios and their implications for the insurance ecosystem.

This interdisciplinary approach is essential for addressing risks that are systemic, interconnected, and evolving.

A Platform for Shared Innovation

CATIS provides a neutral, structured environment where organizations can explore complex challenges collaboratively. By bringing together stakeholders across the ecosystem, the center enables:

Shared understanding of emerging risks
Alignment across technical, financial, and policy dimensions
Development of scalable and sustainable solutions

Shaping the Research Agenda Together

Research priorities are not fixed. They are continuously shaped by member input, industry developments, and emerging risks. As CATIS evolves, members play a central role in defining the direction of research and ensuring that it remains relevant, impactful, and forward-looking.

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