Stephanie J. Slater, Ph.D., is the Director of Research for the Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research (CAPER), where her research focuses on student conceptual understanding as influenced by students' spatial reasoning abilities and cognitive load, and research-based inquiry curriculum development. Dr. Slater earned a M.S. in Science Education from Montana State University and B.S. degrees in Biology and Mathematics from Harding University. Her Ph.D. is from the University of Arizona in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies.