Gastineau appointed new dean of Harding University College of Sciences
SEARCY — Zane Gastineau has been appointed dean of the College of Sciences at Harding University, effective May 13. Gastineau, professor and chair of the engineering and physics department, has been with the university since
2002. As founding chair of the department, he has recruited and hired an outstanding faculty and successfully navigated the accreditation process multiple times to create new programs in computer, electrical, mechanical, biomedical and, most recently, civil engineering. Under Gastineau’s leadership, engineering and physics has grown to 230 majors as of fall 2018.
“I am very excited about this opportunity to serve the university as dean for the College of Sciences,” Gastineau said. “I plan on working with the faculty and staff of the college to maintain the quality and excellence established under the leadership of Dr. Travis Thompson.”Thompson will return to full-time teaching in the mathematics department in fall 2019. He was dean of the College of Sciences for 17 years and has been with the university for 34 years.
Gastineau received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky; a master’s in electrical systems engineering from Wright State University; and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University. Before coming to Harding, he served in the United States Air Force at the Air Force Research Laboratory.