The partnership between FirstHand, AnLar, and the City University of New York (CUNY) began in 2015 with a shared vision: to understand how hands-on, real-world STEM experiences can change students’ lives. We were privileged to receive an EIR grant in 2021, which helped formalize our collaboration by turning shared ideas into a structured, long-term effort to learn from and strengthen the program together.
Since then, each partner has brought something unique to our work. The AnLar/CUNY research team offers deep expertise in STEM education, research design, and program evaluation, while the FirstHand team brings the day-to-day experience of running and evolving the program and an understanding of the local
needs and assets. Through continual dialogue and reflection, we connect data with lived experience to better understand FirstHand’s impact and keep improving it for students, educators, and the community.
Together, our teams combine complementary skills and perspectives, bringing both research rigor and on-the-ground expertise that make FirstHand’s work possible. Here’s a closer look at the people driving this partnership.
Maya Heiland
Maya Heiland was the Project Director for the Experiencing STEM FirstHand project, and served as the Senior Director of FirstHand. Maya moved to a new opportunity in 2025 after nearly eleven years of working with the University City Science Center’s FirstHand program. Maya has significant classroom teaching experience, mostly in informal science education settings, with nine years of experience teaching K-12 students in Pennsylvania, Washington, and Texas.
Melissa Kurman
Melissa Kurman is the Senior Manager, Impact and Evaluation at the University City Science Center. Melissa leads the process of defining and tracking outputs and outcomes that are relevant and achievable and serves as the lead content expert in funding applications and reports for the Science Center’s FirstHand program. Before joining the Science Center, Melissa was a marine ecologist studying the ability of marine foundation species like giant kelp and deep-sea corals to adapt to climate change. Melissa earned her B.S. in Biology from Temple University and her M.S. in Biology from California State University, Northridge.
Kristin Gagnier, Ph.D.
Dr. Kristin Gagnier is a Senior Research Scientist at AnLar, where she directs the evaluation of the Experiencing STEM FirstHand project and leads several large-scale, federally funded initiatives aimed at enhancing science education across diverse learning environments. Her work bridges research, practice, and policy, focusing on how evidence-based programs can foster student learning, engagement, and self-efficacy, and examining teacher practices and program implementation to ensure effective delivery. Kristin collaborates with schools, community organizations, and STEM professionals to design, implement, and assess initiatives that make science meaningful, relevant, and accessible. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the U.S. Department of Education.
Megan C. Sharkey
Megan C. Sharkey is a researcher and former educator with nearly two decades of classroom experience. At AnLar, she supports a variety of mixed methods
evaluation and research–practice partnership projects, with a focus on special education, family engagement, and STEM programming. Her work includes data analysis and reporting for state and federally funded initiatives, evaluation of professional development efforts for educators, and qualitative research to inform program improvement. Megan also contributes to projects focused on school safety and violence prevention, school mental health, and teacher well-being. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Psychology and Research Methods at George Mason University. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Education Assessment, Evaluation, and Data Literacy with a concentration in Program Evaluation.
Mahalia Sealy
Mahalia Sealy is a multifaceted advocate with a deep commitment to mental health, trauma awareness, and maternal health. She is passionate about the transformative power of the arts and their ability to help individuals heal, grow, and express themselves. Mahalia serves on several advisory boards in Philadelphia, fostering positive community change. A trained Doula, Lactation Counselor, Certified Childbirth Educator, and Trauma Facilitator, she is dedicated to improving maternal health and addressing challenges during the perinatal period. In her work with the Experiencing STEM FirstHand project, Mahalia conducts program observations and supports the research team’s relationships with program facilitators, school leaders, students, and families, ensuring the initiative runs smoothly and effectively. She is also an Endorsed Program Assessor, providing program evaluation and consulting expertise in Training and Development.
Becca Yi
Becca Yi is a Research Associate at AnLar, where she contributes to the evaluation of local and state educational initiatives, such as the Experiencing STEM FirstHand program in Philadelphia and North Carolina State Improvement Project (NC SIP), which focuses on teacher development. Collaborating with FirstHand, she supports research examining the impact of the program on middle school students, including observing program sessions, conducting data analysis, and sharing key findings with stakeholders. Before AnLar, she previously supported research revolving around assessments for students with cognitive disabilities, which deepened her interest in educational equity. Becca holds an M.S.Ed in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan.
Laura Holian, Ph.D.
Laura Holian, Ph.D., is the lead methodologist and provides quality assurance for the Experiencing STEM FirstHand project. She worked with the team to develop the logic model and fidelity of implementation measures along with the formative and summative evaluation design plans. She is the Research Director at AnLar, where she has also led the evaluations of multiple Education Innovation and Research grant-funded projects as well as National Science Foundation-funded projects. She has been a What Works Clearinghouse certified reviewer in Group Design Standards since 2012.
Steven Holochwost, Ph.D.
Dr. Steven Holochwost is a Professor at Lehman College and the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (CUNY). He is a developmental psychologist who works with programs designed to improve the lives of vulnerable children and youth. He provides analytic support and expertise for the impact study that is part of the Experiencing STEM FirstHand project. He earned his Ph.D. in developmental psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Wendy Nickel
Wendy Nickel joined the Science Center in December 2024 as Chief Program Officer and is took over as the Project Director for the Experiencing STEM FirstHand project from Maya Heiland in Fall 2025. As Chief Program Officer, Wendy is responsible for developing and supporting best-in-class programming to support med tech and life science entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. Wendy has spent the majority of her career building programs to promote high-quality healthcare for all, and has significant experience in federal health policy, systems design to improve patient outcomes, and developing programs to improve public health.
