Unlocking the Magic of Numbers

In a world where children dream of rocketing to the stars like Buzz Lightyear or saving lives in emergency rooms, actuary Estelle Liu is on a mission to add a new profession to kids' imaginations: the mathematical wizards who manage uncertainty and shape financial futures.

We sat down with Estelle to discuss her children's book Liam and the Magic Numbers and her vision for inspiring the next generation of actuaries.

What key messages about actuarial science were you hoping to convey to young readers? 

Being an actuary is a cool career choice! I was hoping to provide young readers with a bit more information to help them understand what an actuary does and how we use the power of maths to help people manage uncertainty.

While it is also important to learn other skills like English and science at school, I was hoping to help young readers draw the link of how this knowledge can be used in the future in a career such as an actuary.

Did writing this book change how you explain your profession to others, including adults? 

Writing this book definitely opened new possibilities for me.

Being an actuary, I never thought I could write a children's book without engaging a publisher and getting help from an illustrator, but the use of AI made this possible.

Getting feedback from people about Liam and the Magic Numbers has encouraged me to think of ways I could try to explain the complexity of superannuation and retirement concepts to consumers in a similar way.

Australian Government research recommends that written content such as superannuation and investment reports and guidance should target a Year 7 equivalent reading level due to the literacy barrier in Australia.

This makes me wonder what a series of children's books about helping your grandparents plan for the best retirement could do to explain the complex retirement system in Australia to the general public. It could be a fun bedtime read for parents and grandparents while helping improve the whole family’s financial literacy!

What role do you think representation in media plays in diversifying the pipeline of future actuaries? 

Beyond the lack of representation of what actuaries do, there are stereotypes about the kinds of personalities the actuarial profession attracts.

I’ve personally received comments from people such as, "you are more extraverted and social than the other actuaries I know", and, "I’m surprised how practical you are as an actuary".

When I shared Liam and the Magic Numbers on LinkedIn, I received comments about "being pleased to see the creative side of actuaries". I think media representation plays a key role in promoting the actuarial profession to future generations. If we want to attract diversity and make the profession appealing to a wider audience, we need to show our other skillsets, like creativity.

How can the actuarial profession as a whole better communicate its value and appeal to young people? 

It is important to build the awareness of the actuarial profession amongst young people.

Kids nowadays aspire to be astronauts, doctors and police officers - you rarely hear them talk about wanting to be an actuary. My son Liam, who is five, aspires to be an astronaut because he wants to be as cool as Buzz Lightyear.

My husband Kevin and I are both proud actuaries and believe we are doing meaningful work to help Australians achieve better financial outcomes by contributing to the life insurance and superannuation industry.

While I do not necessarily want to persuade Liam to go down any particular career path, I think it’s important to broaden his options by building awareness of how learning different subjects can equip him with the skills to allow him to choose his own career path - including, but not limited to, becoming an actuary.

From Wobbly Bridges to Candy Trees: Estelle's Continued Mission

Since our conversation with Estelle, she has continued expanding her mission to make actuarial concepts accessible to young minds. Following Liam and the Magic Numbers, she released Liam and the Wobbly Bridge: A Tale About Actuaries , where she tackles the fundamental concept of risk and The Candy Tree Plan: How to be a Retirement Helper!

Building on her vision of making complex financial concepts accessible to young minds, The Candy Tree Plan: How to be a Retirement Helper! tackles the two fundamental risks every retiree faces: market volatility and longevity uncertainty. 

Through her signature child-friendly approach, Estelle demonstrates that retirement planning isn't one-size-fits-all—each person's goals and circumstances are uniquely their own. For families seeking an engaging way to bridge generational conversations about financial planning, this book offers the perfect blend of education and entertainment, making it an ideal bedtime read!