Carl Soriano

Software engineering student at the University of Calgary

About Me

As a software engineering student at the University of Calgary, I have gained a strong foundation in the principles and practices of software development. I am dedicated to staying current with the latest technologies and trends in the field, and I am always eager to learn more about new tools and techniques. My strong work ethic and attention to detail have enabled me to consistently deliver high-quality work, and I am able to balance multiple projects and priorities effectively.


One of my greatest strengths is my ability to work well in a team. I believe that collaboration and communication are essential to the success of any project, and I am always willing to lend my expertise and support to my peers. I am also able to work independently and take initiative when necessary, making me a valuable asset to any team.


In addition to my technical skills, I am also a punctual and reliable individual who takes great pride in the work that I do. I am committed to meeting deadlines and delivering results, and I am always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that my work is of the highest quality.


I am excited to continue my education and develop my skills in the field of software engineering. I am determined to make a positive impact in the industry and I believe that my passion for this field, combined with my strong work ethic, attention to detail and ability to work well in a team, will enable me to do just that.

Currently Learning

Data Structures and Algorithms


These concepts are the fundamentals to computer science and software engineering, and I learn how to implement and analyze data structures such as arrays, linked lists, trees and graphs, and algorithms like sorting, searching and recursion. This provides a solid foundation for my further studies and helps me develop problem-solving skills essential for software development. I am trying to do at least one leetcode question per day.

Machine Learning


As of right now, I am working on my own side projects. I am particularly interested in learning about large language models (LLMs), natural language processing (NLP), and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems. These topics really fascinate me, especially in the context of AI.

Full Stack Web Development


Slowly, I am mastering the art of website development by studying HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These technologies are essential for creating visually appealing and functional websites. I am proud to say that this website you are viewing was created using my understanding and application of these three languages. This journey of learning is not only expanding my skill set but also giving me the ability to create my own websites and web applications, this is a very exciting and fulfilling experience for me.

Portfolio

During the Schulich Engineering Competition 2024, my team and I were tasked with developing a scheduling system tailored for Foothills hospital, with a primary focus on backend development using PostgreSQL. The goal was to optimize the scheduling process for both patients and staff, ensuring that hospital resources were used efficiently while reducing patient wait times. We approached this challenge by designing algorithms that balanced staff availability with patient needs, and we structured the database to support real-time updates, scalability, and conflict resolution.

My main contribution was connecting the API endpoints to the PostgreSQL database. I ensured that data retrieval and updates were accurate and efficient, enabling seamless communication between the frontend and backend systems. This allowed the scheduling system to provide real-time information and updates for both hospital staff and patients, ensuring that schedules were always up-to-date and conflicts were minimized.


This web application was developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The primary purpose of the application is to gather information on whether or not people are interested in a new drink product. The frontend of the application is designed to be user-friendly and visually appealing, ensuring a smooth experience for visitors as they interact with the form and submit their details.

For data collection and storage, I utilized Google Firebase as the backend. Firebase provides a robust and scalable platform for storing customer information securely. It also offers real-time database capabilities, which ensures that the data is updated instantly as users submit their responses. This integration with Firebase allows for efficient handling and retrieval of data, which is essential for analyzing customer interest and feedback effectively.

To make the web application accessible to users, I deployed it using Netlify. Netlify is a powerful platform that simplifies the process of deploying web applications by providing continuous deployment from GitHub repositories. This ensures that any updates or changes to the application are automatically deployed, keeping the site current and reducing manual deployment efforts. By leveraging Netlify's capabilities, the web application is hosted reliably, with fast load times and high availability.


This web application seamlessly combines JavaScript and React on the frontend with Python and AWS on the backend to offer users an intuitive scheduling tool within a 9-5 workday framework. The React-based frontend ensures a user-friendly experience, gathering preferences through interactive forms. AWS Lambda and a scalable database handle backend operations efficiently.

A highlight of the application is its integration of the OpenAI API for intelligent scheduling. OpenAI's NLP processes user inputs to generate personalized schedules, considering task priorities, deadlines, and optimal time allocations. Security features include end-to-end encryption and IAM for access control.

Future plans may involve machine learning integration and collaboration features, enhancing the application's capabilities. Overall, this web application provides a streamlined solution for efficient daily planning, combining frontend elegance, backend robustness, and AI-driven intelligence.


This mobile application, developed with React Native and Expo Go maps, elevates the scavenger hunt experience. Its cross-platform capability ensures accessibility for both iOS and Android users, while real-time location tracking and a coordinate-based rewards system add a dynamic layer to the adventure. Originally conceived as a replacement for the university's orientation app, the user-friendly interface and gamification elements enhance engagement. The technological synergy of React Native and Expo Go maps not only provides visual appeal but also facilitates efficient development. Future plans may involve social integration for collaborative experiences and advanced analytics for insights, making it a comprehensive and forward-thinking solution for interactive location-based challenges.


In an entrepreneurial setting, my team was tasked with developing a project prototype while considering the practical aspects of actual costs and revenue trajectories. Navigating the complexities of innovation, we balanced creative ideation with a keen awareness of financial implications. This journey underscored our ability to thrive in the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship, emphasizing resilience, creativity, and strategic acumen.

I took on a key role in implementing and coding using C++ for the Arduino board, specifically focusing on adjusting distance parameters and sensor settings for the parking sensor prototype. Additionally, I was tasked with examining revenue projections for potential upscaling of the prototype. This dual responsibility involved not only fine-tuning technical aspects but also considering the broader business perspective, aiming for a well-rounded contribution to the project's success.

As we approached the project's conclusion, a crucial milestone awaited us — the presentation to a panel of judges with significant entrepreneurial experiences. Our task involved presenting and defending our prototype, subjecting it to their careful evaluation. The judges not only assessed the technical aspects but also simulated whether they would choose to invest in our product. This phase served as a challenging yet insightful moment, providing valuable feedback and testing our ability to articulate the market potential of our innovation in the eyes of seasoned entrepreneurs.




Course Repositories

You can access my classes/program repositories through the link below. These are my classes, currently taking and/or have taken. Most of which consist of core software engineering classes.

Link



Data Science Repository

You can find my side projects on Data Science in this repository. At the moment, I aim to learn more about the fundamentals of data science, as well as dive into machine learning.

Link



Website Development Repository

You can find how I created this website from the link below, this repository will also consist of web development side projects, I am doing or plan on doing.

Link

Experience

April 22, 2024 Present

Internship

On the software development side, I am responsible for:

Developed an application that converts LAS files from to be properly formatted in with the proper requirements. This was done by importing the LAS files, converting to text, extracting the data into JSON format, and then modifying its values to be in the correct format. Using Python, I was able to create a script that would automate this process and then properly adjust with unit tests. And then deployed this application with Docker.

I was responsible for updating and optimizing the ArcGIS software for the company. My primary task involved utilizing the ArcGIS Online API to retrieve various geospatial data sets essential for the company’s operations. Once the data was retrieved, I employed a series of manipulation and transformation techniques to ensure the data was in the correct format and structure required by our internal systems. These manipulations ensured that the data was accurate, up-to-date, and suitable for integration into the company's proprietary software. After the data was thoroughly processed and validated, it was then uploaded into the company's in-house software. This custom-built software was designed to handle complex geospatial data and provide the necessary tools and features for our team to perform their tasks efficiently. By ensuring seamless integration and optimizing the data flow between ArcGIS and our internal systems, I significantly improved the overall efficiency and accuracy of our geospatial data management processes.

On the IT support side, I am responsible for:

Set the tone for the day by leading morning team meetings. Manage stakeholder communication logs and create notifications. Create Gantt charts and project schedules. Office administration of a small, in-person team of 10.


Website hosting maintenance. Coordinate website content Back-end design. Content creation and editing. Troubleshooting errors and design flaws. Marketing materials design and editing Design and editing of Adobe InDesign and Canva files for reports, statements, and general marketing. Social media campaign design and content updates: Provide support to keep LinkedIn account up to date and relevant.


Optimization of the company's usage of software and cloud storage. Database management and optimization. Administration of the company's local network and internet security. Management of the company's user accounts. Assist with installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of computer hardware, software, systems, networks, and printers. Offer technical support to coworkers. Running an app to find and remove duplicate files, photographs. Email configuration (both Apple and PC).

Accolades

In October 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in the Schulich Engineering Competition hosted by the University of Calgary. We competed in the category of "Competitive Programming." For this competition, we were tasked with creating an algorithm for a local airport to minimize the number of gates used. We completed this competition in under 6 hours, during which we also developed a user interface for the staff/client side. By the end of the competition, we were placed first out of 4 other teams.


In January 2024, My team and I were able to attend WEC which standsfor Western Engineering Competition (WEC) and it is a conference where Western universities participate to challenge themselves and compare to other universities. We competed in the "Programming" category. In this competition, we were tasked to create an application to support people in the category of accessibility and independence. My team and I created a web application that utilizes OpenAI to generate tailored, specific schedules depending on who the user is. This schedule is generated as 9-5, providing activities to improve the daily lives of the user. Alongside that, this application is deployable as we used Amazon Web Services (AWS) for our back end. At the end of the competition, we were only able to secure the 4th position out of 10 other universities.


My team and I competed in a hackathon in February 2024 which was a collaboration between the Digital Engineering Student Society (DESS), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Schulich Ignite Hackathon resulted in the creation of an interactive scavenger hunt app. Our team successfully developed a mobile application that tracked users in real-time, allowing them to earn points by reaching specific locations. As a result of our efforts, we secured the 1st place in this competition.


In October 2024, I had the privilege of competing in the Schulich Engineering Competition (Programming) for the second consecutive year, and I'm proud to say that our team achieved back-to-back victories. This year, five other teams competed. The task we were given focused on developing a comprehensive scheduling system for Foothills hospital. This was also completed in under 6 hours. The core of the problem revolved around backend development, specifically utilizing PostgreSQL for data management. We focused on ensuring that the database could manage real-time updates, resolve scheduling conflicts, and provide efficient data retrieval to support the hospital's operations.


In November 2024, I participated in the O-Two Carbon Case and Hackathon competition. Although our team didn’t place, it was an incredibly valuable learning experience. We developed a machine learning system to predict production costs and GHG emissions for O-Two Carbon's CO2-to-ethanol conversion process, adjusting for factors like electricity rates, catalyst performance, and CO2 supply.

As an engineering student, this was my first exposure to real-world mock financial modeling. I gained valuable insights into how financial models are used to predict costs and optimize operations, which was both challenging and eye-opening. The competition required us to blend technical expertise with economic analysis, building a system that tracked emissions and assessed sustainability metrics across Canadian provinces.

Though we didn’t win, the experience broadened my skill set, giving me a deeper understanding of financial modeling, data analysis, and sustainability—fields outside my typical coursework. It was a great opportunity to approach real-world problems from an interdisciplinary perspective.