Dr. Dimitri Dounas-Frazer is an Assistant Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department and the Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education (SMATE) Program. He has interdisciplinary expertise in experimental atomic physics and education research. He primarily studies three aspects of physics laboratory coursework: students' use of model-based reasoning in experimental physics contexts, instructors' beliefs and practices regarding teaching and learning laboratory skills, and classroom factors that cultivate student ownership of research projects. His interests also include students' development of non-cognitive skills, like resilience to failure, through self-reflection and personalized feedback. Additionally, Dr. Dounas-Frazer is an active member of local and national physics diversity initiatives. He completed his Ph.D. in 2012 at the University of California Berkeley, where he performed high-precision measurements of weak nuclear effects in atomic systems. His postdoctoral experience includes teacher preparation at the California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and education research at the University of Colorado Boulder.