Design and Classroom Implementation of a Multifunctional Open-Path Spectrometer for Undergraduate Education

This work presents an open-design multifunctional spectrometer developed specifically for undergraduate laboratory education. We start with Raman spectroscopy, covering a sequence of teaching experiments from basic principles, instrument optical configuration, qualitative and quantitative analysis, chemical-kinetics monitoring, and integrative project-based work. The laboratories emphasize practical skills, creative thinking, and research habits by engaging students in self-directed learning, literature searches, experimental design, and teamwork. We further demonstrate how a Raman spectrometer can be transformed into visible-range absorption, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and a microscope within a single, student-operable platform. Classroom implementations show that this integration helps students connect spectroscopic theory to instrument function and see how different measurements can be achieved by rearranging optical components and tuning key parameters. This work serves as a practical reference for the wider adoption of spectroscopy in undergraduate chemistry education.