Joseph Catalano

Bridging creative engineering with robust software solutions. Passionate about technology, from embedded systems to scalable web applications.

View Projects GitHub

About Me

Driven Software Engineering student (B.Tech @ McMaster) with a foundation in Computer Engineering Technology (Adv. Diploma @ Seneca, GPA 3.5). My journey spans hands-on technical development, entrepreneurial leadership in digital marketing, and process optimization in supervisory roles.

I thrive on solving complex problems, whether it's architecting an IoT system, optimizing sales strategies, or debugging intricate code. I'm passionate about the intersection of hardware and software, and constantly exploring new technologies.

Beyond the screen, you'll find me exploring interests like:

Fitness
Books
Chess
Music Production
Fishing
Hacking Culture
Hockey
Outer Space
Cars
Self Growth

Professional Journey

Dec 2024 – Present

Regional Producer

Globe Life - AO Division Remote

Exceeded sales targets by 130% (>$40k revenue impact).
Led and mentored a team of 5 agents, boosting regional performance.
Implemented data-driven sales strategies using performance metrics.

June 2022 - Sept 2023

Founder / CEO

Digital Orb Marketing Remote

Managed startup operations (Project Mgt, Leadership).
Executed digital marketing campaigns (SEO, Social Media, Content).
Leveraged Google Analytics for strategy optimization & ROI tracking.

Dec 2017 - Nov 2024

Front End Supervisor

Food Basics Georgetown, ON

Oversaw financial audits, cash handling, and compliance.
Managed customer service escalations and issue resolution.
Trained and onboarded new team members.

Summer 2021-2024

Foreman

Ampac Paving Concord, ON

Led and coordinated a team of 4+ on paving projects.
Managed project resources, equipment, and timelines.

Featured Projects

View Details

IQ-Leaf System

Automated plant monitoring & watering with IoT web interface and local display.

IoTESP32CHTMLJSPCB

Education

McMaster University

B.Tech - Software Engineering

Expected: May 2027 | Remote

Relevant Coursework: Data Structures, OOP, Databases, Software Design, Web Dev, OS.

Seneca Polytechnic

Advanced Diploma - Computer Engineering Technology

Graduated: Dec 2024 | Newnham, ON

GPA: 3.5

Relevant Coursework: Networking, Embedded Systems, Computer Arch, Cyber Security.

Technical Skills

Languages

PythonJavaC#JavaScriptC++CSQLHTML5CSS3

Frameworks & Libraries

ReactNode.jsGSAPGitEagle (PCB)AWS (Familiar)Azure (Familiar)

Tools & Platforms

VS CodeIntelliJGit/GitHubDocker (Basic)LinuxWindowsGoogle Analytics

Methodologies & Concepts

OOPData StructuresAlgorithmsAgile (Familiar)REST APIsMVCIoTEmbedded Systems

Professional

Team LeadershipProject ManagementProblem-SolvingCommunicationSalesEntrepreneurshipData Analysis

Get In Touch

Interested in collaborating or have a question? Feel free to reach out!

Based in Georgetown, ON, Canada

This project involved creating an end-to-end IoT solution for plant care, integrating sensors, actuators, custom hardware, and both local and remote interfaces. It showcases skills in embedded systems programming, PCB design, web development (for the interface), and IoT principles.

Key Features & Implementation Details:

**Real-time Sensing:** Utilized a capacitive moisture sensor connected to the ESP32's ADC for accurate soil hydration monitoring, less prone to corrosion than resistive sensors.
**Automated Actuation:** Controlled a 5V water pump via a relay module, triggered by software logic based on configurable moisture thresholds. Implemented safeguards to prevent overwatering.
**Custom Hardware:** Designed and fabricated a custom PCB using Eagle CAD software. This integrated the ESP32-S3 microcontroller, sensor interfaces, power regulation (3.3V for ESP, 5V for peripherals), relay driver, and connectors for a modular design.
**Remote Interface:** Developed a responsive web dashboard served directly from the ESP32 using an asynchronous web server library. This allowed monitoring sensor data (moisture, potentially temperature/light later) and manual pump control over the local Wi-Fi network via HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
**Visual Monitoring:** Integrated an ESP32-CAM module streaming video over Wi-Fi, accessible through the web interface, allowing for visual checks on the plant's condition.
**Local Display:** Included a TFT LCD screen connected via SPI to display current moisture levels, system status (e.g., "Watering", "Idle"), Wi-Fi connection details, and IP address for easy access to the web interface.
**Programming:** Core logic implemented in C/C++ within the Arduino framework for the ESP32. Leveraged libraries for Wi-Fi connectivity, web server, sensor communication (I2C/Analog), display drivers (SPI), and camera interfacing.
**Version Control:** Utilized Git throughout the development process for code management and tracking changes.

Technologies Used: ESP32-S3, C/C++, Arduino Framework, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Eagle CAD (PCB), Capacitive Moisture Sensor, ESP32-CAM, TFT LCD (SPI), Relay Module, Wi-Fi, Async Web Server, Git.