Joshua Mars

I'm Josh

Hey there!

I'm a student at the University of Utah studying Psychology  😁
I'm big into human factors: I love signs, buttons, training, documentation, protocols, policies and all of the points where humans interact with systems. Fulfillment for me is helping people be happy, safe, satisfied, and productive. I strive to make meaningful contribution an attainable and accessible choice for everyone.

I enjoy creating web tools and apps, supporting open-source projects, playing the organ, baking pizzas, and spending time outside. I've also got a passion for languages, and study in spare moments (Italian, German, and Spanish).

Columbus, Ohio is home.

Say hi!

Projects

Web Projects

A few of my favorite projects and experiments are listed below.
A full list can be found on my projects page.

Screen capture of my Digital Garden project.
Digital Garden Summer 2022
Grow digital plants! This project is a simple canvas that renders responsive digital plants that shudder with the wind. A fun side project for the summer, it is a work in progress. Follow along on GitLab.

Screenshot of my Stickies Web App
Stickies web app Not yet public
I created this tool for myself several years ago. While living in Italy, I would put sticky notes with words I was learning on my bedroom door. Once I had learned a word fairly well, I would place it on my wall (a sort of archive). Eventually, I ran out of stickies. I'm picky about sticky notes, and it was impossible to find ones I liked locally. I decided to throw together a web app that would mimic my walls and kept plugging away. It's evolved over time as my needs have changed: a feature here, an optimization there.
I plan on making it available publicly later this year, including publishing my source code soon.

Screenshot of my Color Splashes poject.
Color Splashes Summer 2017
The vast majority of computer software blends color incorrectly, including the web browser you are using now. This project put the correct method into play blending colored light sources that originate from where the mouse has been clicked or the screen tapped.

Stained Glass 2014
Tank Game 2014
Chemical Elements Memorization 2014

Design

A sample of my Navigating Light Rail project icons
Iconography - Navigating light rail Spring 2022

Websites

Mars Irrigation and Landscape, LLC 2014

Language Learning Tools

I've created two interactive tools for practicing the conjugation of Italian verbs. The tools can be downloaded as a standalone .html file from this Google Drive folder for use offline.

Italian Verb Conjugation Tool Fall 2017
The core of this tool is an algorithm that conjugates any Italian verb. Created out of desperation (and poor internet access), I developed and tested the algorithm by hand. I combed every page of an Italian-to-English dictionary, and reviewed others, to collect data for testing!

Screenshot of the start menu for my OneTense conjugation practice tool.Screenshot of a sixbox for my OneTense conjugation practice tool.
OneTense Conjugation Practice Tool July 2018

Music for the Organ

Close up silent video clip (GIF) of me playing the organ keys

Fratelli d'Italia (Video)
In a pinch I can put something together for the organ (Sheet music).
Ave Maria (PDF) Summer 2017
O Divine Redeemer (PDF) Summer 2017
Take Time to Be Holy (PDF) 2016