Birgit Mühlenhaus is the GIS Lab Instructor and teaches the laboratory sections for introductory and advanced GIS.  She grew up as a first generation American in Minnesota to German immigrant parents and speaks fluent German, as well as Spanish.  Her German heritage has provided her the opportunity to work and travel extensively in both Western and Central Europe . Her past jobs have also all aligned with her interest in culture and geography.  She previously worked as an intern in Barcelona , Spain , in the Geography Education Outreach division at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington DC , taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Wroclaw , Poland , and was a Teaching Assistant for Cartography and Intro to GIS at the Pennsylvania State University in State College .  Before coming to Macalester, Birgit was the GIS Manager at a local non-profit organization addressing land-use issues in Minnesota .  She lives with her husband and Wheaten Terrier in Saint Paul.