Anna Harris, Ph.D., has accepted the position as Interim Chair for the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), effective spring 2024. As a STEM education advocate, Dr. Harris has been an integral part of the UAPB community for over a decade, since 2009.
Dr. Anna Harris, Ph.D., UAPB Interim Chair of Math and Computer Science Department
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.
We invite you to congratulate and welcome Dr. Anna Harris as Interim Chair for the UAPB Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and learn more about the department at www.uapb.edu
