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Computer Science Faculty

Arts and Sciences Computer Science
Computer Science
Frank McCown
Frank McCown
Department Chair
Professor of Computer Science
501-279-4826
fmccown@harding.edu
About Frank McCown
Degrees
Ph.D., Old Dominion University
More Information
Dr. McCown has taught in the CS department since 1997. Over the years, Dr. McCown has worked as a researcher or software developer at several organizations including Lockheed Martin, Los Alamos National Laboratories, Flatirons Solutions, and Faithlife. He has published dozens of research papers in the areas of digital preservation and web archiving. Most recently, he has authored or co-authored textbooks on Web Programming, Mobile Application Development, and Database Management Systems. Dr. McCown has won the university's Teacher Achievement Award twice.

Frank and his wife Becky have two children. Frank serves as a deacon at the Cloverdale Church of Christ and also volunteers for CASA helping foster children. He enjoys pickleball, basketball and lifting weights in his spare time.

Hailey Fields
Hailey Fields
Instructor of Math and Computer Science
hrfields@harding.edu
About Hailey Fields
Degrees
M.S., University of Wisconsin – Madison
More Information
Mrs. Fields, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she served as the TA for Discrete Mathematics and Introduction to Algorithms. Her general interests are in computational complexity and pseudorandom number generation. While an undergraduate student at Harding, Mrs. Fields spent much of her time tutoring local high school students. Mrs. Fields has always known she wanted to teach and is excited to be teaching at Harding.

Hailey and her husband Jon-Michael worship at the Cloverdale Church of Christ. In her spare time, Hailey enjoys baking and playing board games.
Gabriel Foust
Gabriel Foust
Associate Professor of Computer Science
501-279-4434
gfoust@harding.edu
About Gabriel Foust
Degrees
Ph.D., Texas A&M University at College Station
More Information
Dr. Foust has been teaching CS at Harding since 2004. He has also worked as a software developer for IBM, Servergraph, and the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Foust is interested in Programming Language Design and Implementation, and he teaches courses in Object-Oriented Programming, Functional and Generic Programming, Algorithms, and Parallel Programming. He is also the coach of the Harding University Programming Team, which regularly competes with other schools in programming competitions. Dr. Foust won the university’s Teacher Achievement Award in 2024.

Gabriel and his wife Shannon have four children and are members of the Downtown Church of Christ. He enjoys hiking, biking, and playing board games with his kids, and has been known to appear in plays at the Searcy Summer Dinner Theater.
Isaac Hardy
Isaac Hardy
Lecturer
501-279-4482
ihardy@harding.edu
About Isaac Hardy
More Information
Isaac Hardy, the newest member of Harding University's faculty, is a recent graduate of the institution, where he majored in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Spanish. While a student, Isaac interned at InfoWorks, a consulting company in Nashville, where he gained valuable experience in the field. He has a strong interest in artificial intelligence and its applications, and he is excited to begin his career as a lecturer. Isaac is particularly thrilled to give back to an institution that has given him so much, as he has a deep love for Harding University.

Isaac worships at the Beebe Church of Christ. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, particularly basketball, as well as spending time reading and playing video games.

Dana Steil
Dana Steil
Dean of College of Arts & Sciences
Associate Professor of Computer Science
501-279-4340
dsteil@harding.edu
About Dana Steil
Degrees
Ph.D., University of Alabama
More Information
Dr. Steil is the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and teaches part-time in the Computer Science department. For more than 20 years, he’s been working in student success, either as an administrator, data analyst, liaison between faculty and the Provost, or a classroom professor. Whether teaching, mentoring students in software development, or leading research grants tied to approximately $1M in the Criminal Justice and Traffic Safety fields, he’s motivated by his love for students and confidence in their impact in society and the Lord’s kingdom. Dr. Steil has won the university’s Teacher Achievement Award twice.

Dana and his wife Mandy have four children and are members of the Downtown Church of Christ. Dana enjoys woodworking, hiking, running, and other outdoor activities. The family serves as foster parents and hosts their church small group.

Contact Information


Computer Science Department
501-279-4361
comp@harding.edu