This course will provide a hands-on introduction to this subject using a combined guided and open-ended approach. In particular, the course will: 1) discuss important fundamental principles and techniques commonly used in experimental physical chemistry/chemical physics; 2) provide practice exercises (take-home kits with fundamental electro-optical components, an Arduino microcontroller, and an introduction to programming and data acquisition); and 3) provide guidance and an opportunity to design and conduct your own experiment. The course content will be split 50:50 between electronics and optics/experimental design, combining physical principles and experimental methods and apparatus to solve interesting and useful problems.