Portfolio

Hi, I'm Tristan. I build web software, front end and back end. I do most of my work with TypeScript, Node.js, and React. For heavier data needs, I use Python.

I have degrees in mathematics (BSc) and oceanography (PhD), specializing in coastal ocean physics and beach dynamics. I still love thinking about data, but now I spend most of my time building web solutions for startups.

Since 2023, I've been working as a contract software engineer via Fine Day Technologies, my contracting and consulting company.

Resume

Here's my resume

Recent Clients

BiggerPicture

Full-stack contract engineer on YC-backed BiggerPicture, a freight appointment network that gives carriers, shippers, and facilities a single shared record instead of three disconnected tools. Building across the stack with React, Next.js, TypeScript, and tRPC.

TypeScriptReact.jsNode.jstRPCPrismaPlanetscaleMySQLLLMs

Thumbnail view of the LunaOcean ocean weather app, built in part by the author

LunaOcean Data Platform

Full-stack engineer from project inception on LunaOcean, a platform consolidating real-time and forecasted wind, wave, and ocean current data. Worked on the Next.js front end, serverless AWS Lambda backend, and MongoDB data layer — including WebGL particle animations for current visualization.

TypeScriptNext.jsMapboxGL JSAWSMongoDBPython

Thumbnail view of a tourism webpage showing a colorful and dynamic landscape

Freewheeling Adventures

Contract engineer modernizing operational software for Freewheeling Adventures, a global adventure travel company with nearly 40 years in business. Migrating a legacy MS Access database to MySQL and rebuilding internal tools with TypeScript and React.

MySQLTypeScriptReact.jsMS Access

Writing

Interactive explainers where I dig into a physical system and build the simulation to go with it.

Animation of windblown sand ripples from the Simple Models article

Simple models of physical systems

Interactive article with live simulations. Explores windblown sand ripples and dune cellular automata with canvas demos alongside scientific writing.

HTML5 CanvasTypeScriptReact

Cropped map of the North Atlantic used in the Gulf Stream article

Why is there a Gulf Stream?

Fun with geophysical fluid dynamics (and your GPU). An interactive visualization of the North Atlantic gyre and wind-driven circulation models.

WebGLTypeScriptFluid dynamics

Talks

"Breaking Into Tech" (and Being Entrepreneurial) (2024) - I was invited to present to the 2024 cohort of students in the Matrix Code program at Dalhousie University. The Matrix Code is a full-stack software development program for African Nova Scotian students and students of colour.
Client Side Data Fetching with SWR (2022) - I presented at a local front-end development meetup in Halifax organized by HFX.js and the Halihax software development community. See the accompanying app on GitHub.
See my CV for a full list of academic talks