Dr. Anna Harris
Interim Chair, Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Dr. Harris received her Ph.D. in Computational Science and an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from UALR. She earned a B.A. in Mathematics from Hendrix College. Bringing a wealth of experience to her role, Harris has worked at the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) as a statistician at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as a system engineer and taught at Ridgeway Christian School as a math chair. She started at UAPB as an Instructor and progressed through various professor roles to her current position. Her UAPB contributions included designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating a Co-Requisite College Algebra lecture and lab courses to increase passing, retention, and graduate rates of STEM majors.
Dr. Harris is proficient in various computer programming languages, including Julia, R, Python, MATLAB, and Mathematica. Her expertise in Data Science further enhances her ability to lead the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science effectively. Dr. Laurence B. Alexander, UAPB Chancellor, said, “Dr. Harris is committed to academic advancement and actively engages in public service initiatives, fostering a sense of community within and beyond the UAPB campus.”
According to Dr. Grant Wangila, Ph.D., Interim Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences, “Her journey at UAPB reflects her dedication to academic excellence and her passion for nurturing student success. With a proven track record in grant awards, Dr. Harris has significantly impacted UAPB’s academic landscape. Her commitment to elevating the Calculus class and supporting STEM majors has made a lasting impression on students pursuing mathematics and computer science.”
As Interim Chair, Dr. Harris looks forward to building upon the progress initiated by her predecessors, Dr. Charles Colen and Dr. Karl Walker, and encouraging faculty to continue to provide quality instruction while maintaining high mathematics and computer science standards.