Dr Dimitri Douchin is a French-Australian Astrophysicist who has been calling Australia home for the past 13 years. At age 8, he declared “I want to be an astrophysicist”. He studied Physics and Fundamental Physics in Paris, and obtained his PhD in Astronomy & Astrophysics in Sydney in 2014.

In parallel to his research, Dimitri realised his enthusiasm for sharing his passion for science and astronomy. After a first experience as a guide at University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, Dimitri became an astronomy guide at Macquarie University, then at Sydney Observatory and finally at the luxury Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley as Astronomy & Ecology guide, totalling more than 10 years of experience as a guide.

After living a nomadic van life with his partner Caroline and running an eco-tourism startup (Rewildin) together, he started his coaching business for men. He is the co-founder of the Blue Mountains Dark Sky Initiative. Caroline and Dimitri are also the owners of Blue Mountains Stargazing, award-winning stargazing tours in the Blue Mountains (Tour Operator Bronze winner at NSW Tourism Awards 2022 and 2023) and Jervis Bay Stargazing.

Nowadays, Dimitri is reconnecting to Astronomy under the angle of Cultural Astronomy as an Adjunct Fellow at Western Sydney University. A fairly new science at the intersection of Astronomy, Archaeology and Anthropology, Cultural Astronomy is dedicated to understanding how various cultures observe, understand and use Astronomy, and how these cultures interconnect around the common Heritage to every human on Earth: the Night Sky.

When he’s not looking up at the Stars, Dimitri enjoys bushcraft, personal development and canoeing.