Miranda van Iersel, assistant professor in NMSU’s Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has received a 2025 Gentec‑EO Laser Lab Award, an international recognition supporting hands‑on optics and photonics education.
The award includes a Pronto SI laser power meter, a portable tool that measures laser power and intensity. Van Iersel will integrate the device into several undergraduate and graduate optics courses, giving students real‑time experience with optical alignment, fiber optics, Gaussian beams, polarization, and laser cavity behavior.
She learned about the award while attending an optics education conference in Glasgow and applied by outlining how the device would enhance instruction. Because she teaches multiple optics and laser courses, she emphasized how valuable a compact measurement tool is for classroom demonstrations and lab experiments.
The Pronto SI will be used in the 400‑level Introduction to Optics course, the 500‑level Fundamentals of Photonics course, and a graduate lasers elective. Students will be able to see how alignment, obstructions, and design choices affect laser output—building intuition essential for work in optics and photonics.
Beyond coursework, van Iersel plans to use the device for outreach events, summer camps, and undergraduate research. Her research group studies how light interacts with complex environments such as air and water, with applications in communication, environmental monitoring, and sensing. Current projects include developing optical techniques to detect microplastics in water.
Van Iersel says the award strengthens both education and research at NMSU:
“This is exactly the kind of tool that helps students bridge the gap between equations on a page and the real systems they’ll work with in their careers.”
