Gerilyn Slicker is an assistant professor of early childhood education in the Department of Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education. Her scholarship focuses on early childhood policy, with a specific focus on investigating and evaluating the influence of federal, state, and local policies on children's equitable access to early care and education (ECE). Her research agenda also examines the impact of publicly funded ECE, including Head Start and state and local pre-K, on children’s development, and how positive outcomes can be sustained during the kindergarten transition.

Slicker is currently engaged in multiple projects funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. These projects examine access to child care and early education broadly, and for specific historically underserved populations of
children and families, including children living in poverty, infants/toddlers, multilingual learners, and children with disabilities.

She is also working with the Nevada Department of Education on several projects to support Nevada’s Preschool Development Grant (PDG) B-5 Renewal Grant, including initiatives to help expand access to child care and early education for Nevada’s children and to enhance supports for children and families as they transition into kindergarten.

Her work has been published in journals such as Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Children and Youth Services Review, Journal of Family Psychology, Early Education and Development, and Journal of Early Childhood Literacy.

Slicker was previously a preschool teacher, instructional coach, and administrator in early childhood programs in a variety of locations in the U.S., including Las Vegas.