Yash H. Barve

Software engineer

I'm a fifth-year Computer Science student at the University of Waterloo and a Business student at Wilfrid Laurier University. Since starting my full-stack development journey in 2021, I have grown especially passionate about backend technologies and scalable systems. I am currently on my 4th work term working as a Software Engineer at Nokia.

As I continue to deepen my expertise in web development, I'm also exploring emerging fields like Web3 and Machine Learning. I'm eager to keep learning, collaborate with brilliant minds, and gain meaningful work experience along the way.

Beyond tech, I'm an avid reader and a huge Formula 1 fan - delusionally cheering for Scuderia Ferrari and Charles Leclerc every race weekend.
PROJECTS
Fit4Me – Personalized Fitness Tracking App
·
Full-stack Android fitness app (team project) built with Kotlin + Jetpack Compose and a Node.js/Express backend with PostgreSQL.
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Delivers personalized workout planning and session tracking with a focus on a smooth, user-centric experience.
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Includes real-time chat using Socket.IO alongside REST APIs for core app functionality.
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Implements intelligent matchmaking based on user goals, availability, and experience level.
·
In active development with an emphasis on frontend polish and backend performance.
android
jetpack compose
kotlin
node.js
express.js
typescript
postgresql
prisma
rest apis
socket.io
jwt
websockets
Check it out:
YouTubeGitHub
Chattr - Minimal real-time group chat
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Minimalist real-time group chat app built with React, TypeScript, Express, and Socket.IO.
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Supports creating and joining public rooms via unique room codes and instant message delivery.
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Includes system notifications and live presence updates for a responsive chat experience.
·
Designed as a lightweight, deployable MVP with clean UI and responsive interactions.
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Built to extend into features like private rooms, message history, and moderation.
react.js
typescript
tailwindcss
socket.io
node.js
express.js
rest apis
websockets
Check it out:
LiveGitHub
Portolio - Your Online Photos Portfolio
·
Modern MERN-stack photo gallery app for uploading and showcasing images.
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Implements direct client-to-ImageKit uploads for fast, scalable media handling.
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Uses JWT-based authentication for secure access and user sessions.
·
Built a responsive gallery layout with uniform image sizing for a clean UI.
react.js
javascript
tailwindcss
node.js
express.js
mongodb
imagekit
jwt
Check it out:
GitHub
Deep Features for Interactive Segmentation
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Interactive image segmentation tool built as a university capstone project using PyTorch and a pre-trained ResNet-50.
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Extracts deep convolutional features to segment objects in complex images beyond traditional RGB-based approaches.
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Provides a Python GUI for user-guided foreground/background selection to steer segmentation.
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Implements max-flow/min-cut graph cut algorithms for robust, near real-time object segmentation.
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Performs well in challenging scenarios with color ambiguity and noisy backgrounds.
python
pytorch
resnet-50
computer vision
graph cuts
max-flow min-cut
numpy
matplotlib
scikit-image
python gui
Check it out:
GitHub
Crop Yield Prediction & Risk Mitigation (BU425 Final Project)
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Built a machine learning framework to predict crop yields and assess agricultural risk using real-world climate and farming inputs (rainfall, temperature, pesticide use, crop type).
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Trained interpretable yield models using Random Forest and Lasso Regression for feature selection and prediction.
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Engineered temporal features and implemented an LSTM model for sequential yield analysis.
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Designed a dynamic risk scoring system to support resource allocation and deliver actionable insights for farmers.
·
Collaborated as part of a group project focused on sustainable, data-driven decision-making.
python
pandas
scikit-learn
random forest
lasso regression
feature engineering
tensorflow
lstm
rnn
data visualization
Check it out:
GitHub
ChatYHB - An AI powered chat bot
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Built a web chat app using Google’s AI SDK with Gemini 1.5 powering backend responses.
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Supports text-based prompts with clean, well-formatted outputs for a better reading experience.
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Persists conversation history so users can revisit previous prompts and responses.
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Includes a one-click option to clear all stored prompts and responses when needed.
react.js
javascript
tailwindcss
node.js
express.js
mongodb
google ai sdk
gemini 1.5
Check it out:
LiveGitHub
Scriptsync - Add transcriptions to your videos
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Built an end-to-end captioning tool that generates subtitles from uploaded videos and lets users edit text, timing, and accuracy.
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Provides caption styling controls (font size, text color, outline) to customize the final look.
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Burns captions into the video using ffmpeg (via WebAssembly) for a fully client-side editing experience.
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Supports exporting/downloading the finalized captioned video for sharing across platforms.
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Uses AWS S3 for storage and AWS Transcribe for automatic speech-to-text.
next.js
typescript
tailwindcss
aws s3
aws transcribe
webassembly
ffmpeg
ffmpeg.wasm
Check it out:
YouTube
View All Projects
EXPERIENCE
Software Engineering Intern
Nokia · Sep — Dec '25
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Built an LLM-based evaluation service (React, FastAPI, Celery, MySQL) with parallel async processing and a multi-step evaluation pipeline.
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Shipped a user/admin settings service by designing React + MUI flows, exposing 10+ FastAPI CRUD endpoints, and modeling a scalable MySQL schema.
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Led system design for 2 new services by defining API contracts, data models, and component/control-flow diagrams.
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Deployed microservices to Kubernetes by authoring manifests and integrating CI/CD through Jenkins and Make.
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Built a daily Kubernetes CronJob to automate auth-service backups, saving ~2–3 hours of manual work per cluster restart.
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Nominated by manager for the 2025 Co-op Student of the Year award.
react
mui
javascript
python
fastapi
celery
mysql
docker
kubernetes
jenkins
make
ci/cd
Engineering Director
UW Product Management Club · Sep '25 — Present
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Built an application submission platform for exec and event applications using Next.js, TypeScript, and TailwindCSS.
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Designed a PostgreSQL database on Supabase to support application forms, applicant records, and reviewer workflows.
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Implemented frontend hooks to fetch, transform, and format backend data for consistent UI rendering.
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Developed an internal dashboard to render, filter, and label applicants to streamline review and decision-making.
next.js
react.js
typescript
tailwindcss
supabase
postgresql
database design
api integration
data modeling
Software Engineering Intern (Performance Optimization)
AutoTrader.ca · Sep — Dec '24
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Profiled and optimized frontend performance for a high-traffic marketplace, reducing Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) by 28% through JavaScript refactoring, async asset loading, and image compression.
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Improved Core Web Vitals to enhance user experience and SEO performance across key pages.
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Analyzed site structure and crawl data using Screaming Frog SEO Spider, identifying trends and high-impact issues to prioritize fixes.
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Improved scalability for 15K+ dynamic URLs by refining server-side rendering, optimizing API responses, and removing redundant scripts
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Automated site audit workflows using Python + REST APIs to streamline reporting and recurring checks.
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Researched platform-specific best practices and contributed insights to refine the organization’s social media marketing strategy.
javascript
web performance
core web vitals
pagespeed insights
google lighthouse
chrome devtools
seo
screaming frog seo spider
python
rest apis
data analysis
server-side rendering
Software Development Intern
Petrovision International LLC · Jan — Apr '24
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Built reusable React components (banners, images, layouts) for a website redesign to improve UI consistency across pages.
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Integrated REST APIs to power dynamic content and supported SEO improvements during the rebuild.
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Collaborated closely with senior developers in an agile workflow and contributed to ad-hoc data analysis tasks.
react.js
javascript
rest apis
git
seo
agile
Data Insights Specialist Intern
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics · Mar — May '23
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Collected, cleaned, and analyzed marketing data using Microsoft Excel and Python to support campaign decisions.
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Built Tableau dashboards to visualize performance, surface trends, and track KPIs for stakeholders.
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Identified optimization opportunities that helped reduce marketing spend by 15% while maintaining performance.
microsoft excel
python
tableau
data cleaning
data analysis
data visualization
Web Designer Executive
UW Data Science Club · Oct '22 — Aug '23
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Partnered with event organizers to gather requirements and translate them into clear, on-brand designs.
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Designed promotional creatives for Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and 𝕏 using Canva.
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Contributed to early website design work in Figma, focusing on layout and visual consistency.
canva
figma
visual design
social media design
communication
collaboration
View Resume
SKILLS
LANGUAGES
C
C++
Bash
Go
Python
HTML
CSS
Javascript
Typescript
SQL
Kotlin
CORE CS
Object Oriented Programming
Data Structures
Algorithms
Time & Space Complexity Analysis
Operating Systems
Concurrency
Relational Databases
User Interfaces
Software Design Patterns
Software Architecture Styles
FRONTEND
React.js
Next.js
TailwindCSS
Bootstrap
BACKEND
REST APIs
Node.js
Express.js
FastAPI (Python)
Hono
Websockets
Socket.io
Auth (JWT)
Zod
DATABASE
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
MySQL
Firebase
DEVOPS
Jenkins
Make
GitHub Actions
Railway
Vercel
Heroku
TOOLS
Prisma ORM
Git
Docker
Kubernetes
npm
WebAssembly
Jest
Jira
Tableau
Figma
CLOUD
AWS
AI & ML
OpenAI API
Gemini SDK
Codex
Claude Code
GitHub Copilot
Neural Nets
CNNs
RNNs
Computational Vision
Tensorflow
PyTorch
Numpy
Pandas
Matplotlib
OTHER
Agile Methodology
Scrum
Jetpack Compose (Android)
Retrofit (Android)
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Computer Science with Specialization in AI
University of Waterloo · 2021 — 2026
Courses completed:
Algebra
Calculus
Linear Algebra
Optimization
Combinatorics
Probability
Statistics
Functional Programming
Algorithm Design and Data Abstraction
Object Oriented Programming
Data Structures
Algorithms
Logic and Computation
Computer Organization and Design
Sequential Programming
Introduction to Machine Learning
Operating Systems
User-Interfaces
Computational Vision
Information Systems Management
Software Design and Architectures
Distributed Systems
Computer Networks
The Social Implications of Computing
Bachelor of Business Administration with Finance Concentration
Wilfrid Laurier University · 2021 — 2026
Courses completed:
Functional Areas of an Organization
Business Environment
Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics
Financial Accounting
Business Law
Managerial Accounting
Organizational Behaviour
Human Resources Management
Marketing Management
Business Operations
Data Analytics
Strategic Management
Financial Management
Risk Management & Insurance
Options, Futures and Swaps
Personal Finance Management
Full Stack Web Development Cohort
100xDevs by Harkirat Singh · 2023 — 2024
Description:
This 8-month cohort transforms you from a 1x engineer to a 100x engineer. Some of the important concepts taught are MERN stack, Next.js, PostgreSQL, DevOps, WebRTC, and advanced web development. Additionally, there are several open-source projects to apply your knowledge.
Certificate of completion
Machine Learning Specialization
Deeplearning.ai by Andrew Ng · 2022
Description:
This 3-course specialization provides a broad introduction to modern machine learning, including supervised learning (multiple linear regression, logistic regression, neural networks, and decision trees), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction, recommender systems), and some of the best practices used in Silicon Valley for artificial intelligence and machine learning innovation (evaluating and tuning models, taking a data-centric approach to improving performance, and more.)
Certificate of completion
Deep Learning Specialization
Deeplearning.ai by Andrew Ng · 2022
Description:
This 3-course specialization provides a broad introduction to modern machine learning, including supervised learning (multiple linear regression, logistic regression, neural networks, and decision trees), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction, recommender systems), and some of the best practices used in Silicon Valley for artificial intelligence and machine learning innovation (evaluating and tuning models, taking a data-centric approach to improving performance, and more.)
Certificate of completion
WRITINGS
Pragmatic Excellence - Applying the ACM Code to Modern-Day Tech
FEB 2026
Summary:
The ACM Code of Ethics (the Code) is a set of ethical principles that every computing professional must adhere to. The primary objective of the Code is societal well-being. However, applying these principles in real-life is not as straightforward as it may seem. This essay summarizes the key principles in the Code. I then share my ethical standards aiming to bridge the gap between the Code's ideals and real world. Finally, I compare my standards with the Code and actual ethical practices in modern tech organizations. This essay was written for CS492, a CS ethics course at the University of Waterloo.
computing ethics
acm code of ethics
transparency
public good
privacy
security
corporate accountability
social implications of cs
The Illusion of Ownership & The Rise of Digital Gatekeepers
FEB 2026
Summary:
Smart devices and subscriptions make life easier...until the control isn’t yours anymore. This essay explores how cloud dependence and software gatekeeping are reshaping what “ownership” really means, and why local-first design matters. This essay was written for CS492, a CS ethics course at the University of Waterloo.
technology
digital ownership
subscriptions
privacy
smart home
cloud computing
platform economics
enshittification
ethics
social implications of cs
Object-Oriented Programming in C++: A Complete Guide
AUG 2025
Summary:
Master the four pillars of OOP in C++ with comprehensive examples, practical code demonstrations, and real-world applications. Learn classes, inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, and advanced concepts through hands-on programming.
cpp
object-oriented-programming
programming
software-development
classes
inheritance
polymorphism
encapsulation
computer-science
Getting Started with Next.js and Markdown
AUG 2025
Summary:
A comprehensive guide to writing, rendering, and styling Markdown content in a Next.js project, complete with examples, best practices, and advanced formatting.
nextjs
markdown
contentlayer
tailwindcss
mdx
static-site-generation
frontend-development
blog-development
web-development
View All Writings
INTERESTS
Reading
Description:
Since 2023, I've been trying to read as many books. However, I've been on and off. Recently, I got a Kindle to make reading more fun and convenient. I usually read fiction, with an occasional non-fiction read. Here's my reading collection. Book recommendations are welcome!
Formula 1
Description:
I have been an avid Formula 1 fan since 2018. The first race I watched live on TV was the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, and since then I haven't missed a single one. I also watched several older races and watched a lot of documentaries. So now I know about F1 history right from the 70s and 80s. My all-time favorite driver is Sebastian Vettel. Since his retirement, I've been supporting Charles Leclerc and Scuderia Ferrari, despite the constant stress and heartbreaks that come with it. Next year for sure is our year! Beyond just watching, I love understanding the technical side of F1, like tyre choices, race strategies, and car setups. I've also been playing F1 games on PS5 with a professional sim setup, so I also know all the track layouts which makes the races even more immersive and exciting for me!
Graphic Design
Description:
I think I have strong attention to detail. I managed an F1 Instagram page called OneF1 in 2022 and 2023. The page grew to nearly 100 followers. I used Canva to make posts covering race weeks, driver standings, track stats, and F1 news. I constantly experimented with layouts, templates, and colors, and refined the quality over time. Eventually, I found it difficult to manage OneF1 along with my studies and internships. So, I decided to call it a day ahead of the 2024 season. I had fun during the 2 years, and definitely learnt more about social media content creation.
©2026, Yash Harshal Barve