Meet Our Staff

Jackie Gerson (she/hers)
Assistant Professor in Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
Jackie is a co-founder of GALS and director of GALS MI. She loves to hike, camp, bike, canoe, kayak, or just spend time reading a good book outside, Jackie studies contamination of the environment by human activities and works all around the world including California, New York, Ghana, and Peru.

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Alexa Guerrera (she/her), Postdoctoral Fellow in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University. Alexa loves animal behavior, conducting fieldwork in mountainous streams of Trinidad and the sandy scrub of Florida, hiking in the woods, and fossil hunting. She researches the evolutionary mechanisms that shape genetic and phenotypic diversity in both fish and lizards.

Misty Klotz (she/hers)
Outreach Coordinator at Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University
Misty serves as the program manager for GALS and has a deep passion for the outdoors. Misty enjoys discovering blooming plants, biking through nature, camping under the stars, and practicing yoga. She also enjoys keeping a nature journal to blend her love of art with her interest in science.
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Cindy Fiser, PhD (she/her)
Cindy completed her PhD in Entomology and EEB at MSU, and recently finished a Postdoc in Horticulture at MSU. Her work has studied sustainable agriculture and conservation practices that support both insect, ecosystem, and human well-being. She loves trail running and mountain biking, gardening, and exploring with her partner and their two dogs (Roo and Honey!). ​
Faith Longnight (she/her)
Ph.D. Candidate in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education, Michigan State University
Faith researches ways to increase equity within informal environmental education programs. Her most memorable teaching experience was when she taught on a boat during the summers at Grand Teton National Park. Faith loves to slowly hike to a body of water and take a swim as a reward!​
    
Kate Haywood (she/her)
Biology, Environmental Science, and Astronomy Teacher at Hastings High School. 
Kate will be a Trip Leader for the summer of 2026. She spends her time hiking wooded trails, reading books outside, walking her dog, and sharing the outdoors with others. Kate also enjoys playing her flute with local music groups and traveling during the summer. 
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Dana M. (she/her)
Dana will be a trip leader for summer 2026. She is a marine biologist and coastal policy enthusiast with experience working at California State agencies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Dana enjoys being outdoors, playing volleyball, and reading science fiction.

Advisory Board

Alexa Guerrera                         Brianna Felegi                          Jacqueline Gerson
Amaryllis Adey                          Ethan Rose                              Misty Klotz
Ayodele Dare                            Grace Wojcik                           Stephanie Chau

Our Story

GALS was founded in 2016 by four female Ph.D. students in the Biology and Ecology programs at Duke University.  We believe that there is a lack of free, hands-on, place-based science programs available for students who don’t identify as male, students of color, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and other groups underrepresented in fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).  GALS was created  to address this need by providing enhanced science learning opportunities for students to engage with science in an outdoor setting.  The advantages of learning science beyond the walls of a classroom include being fully immersed in the subject matter in new and engaging ways.  We believe that the challenges of living in the outdoors also enables students to achieve personal growth, become strong team members, and develop leadership skills.

Expansion

The first season of GALS was run in summer 2017 in North Carolina with one 2-week session for 8 participants.  After an extremely successful summer with amazing young women, GALS NC expanded to include 3 sessions in North Carolina in June 2018, and several other GALS programs affiliated with other universities began in other states including Arizona - and now - Michigan!

Other GALS Programs