---
layout: page
title: Ahoy! I'm Mat,
description: My personal site's home page
permalink: /
---

<div class="flex flex-row gap-2 not-prose flex-wrap" style="height: 30.33px;">
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  <p>(<code>:places</code>)</p>
</div>

an aspiring engineer focused on open protocols, automation, and rapid prototyping.

<hr class="not-prose">

## a lil' <code>:about</code> me

A decade of technical experience has shaped me into an indie maker who builds engaging, accessible, and secure tools<small>I see my projects as tools meant to serve, not products to exploit. I prefer to use tools which align with this.</small>[^1] for real people. I am especially passionate about search UX, crafting interfaces with the real world, and decentralized infrastructure.

Outside of computing, I’m also a guitarist, competition aficionado, and linguaphile<small>I speak and (sometimes) understand English, Spanish, and Esperanto so far</small>[^2].

### what i'm up to <code>:now</code>

Recently, I've been shipping,<sub> (expand for stats!)</sub> but also:

  <a class="no-external-icon heatmap-link" href="https://heatmap.shymike.dev?id=U07VA44DNBA&timezone=America%2FNew_York&standalone=true" title="Click to view detailed data for each day!" style="display: inline-block;">
    <img id="heatmap-image" class="heatmap-image my-0" alt="Hackatime activity heatmap" width="689" height="91" fetchpriority="high" src="https://heatmap.matmanna.dev/light?v=1781229188" data-light-src="https://heatmap.matmanna.dev/light?v=1781229188" data-dark-src="https://heatmap.matmanna.dev/dark?v=1781229188">
  </a>
  <noscript>
    <a class="no-external-icon heatmap-link" href="https://heatmap.shymike.dev?id=U07VA44DNBA&timezone=America%2FNew_York&standalone=true" title="Click to view detailed data for each day!">
      <img class="heatmap-image" alt="Hackatime activity heatmap" src="https://heatmap.matmanna.dev/light?v=1781229188" width="689" height="91">
    </a>
  </noscript>
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- reverse-engineering electric and bass guitar amplifiers to build:
  - LtAmp.py: a Python [library](https://pypi.org/p/ltamp) for interacting with supported amplifiers
  - The Twist: an augmentation [module](https://github.com/benderhq/the-twist/tree/nix) with features incl. remote control and preset playlists
- maintaining<small class="no-external-icon">I've also contributed code to systems (such as [Hackatime](https://hackatime.hackclub.com), [Revoker](https://revoke.hackclub.com), & [site](https://hackclub.com?uwu)), and reported data leaks through the security [program](https://security.hackclub.com).</small>[^3] Hack Club tools such as [Slacker News](https://news.hackclub.com), the <a class="slack_channel nomin" href="https://app.slack.com/client/E09V59WQY1E/C0M8PUPU6">#ship</a> channel (30k+ members), and technical support systems for new hackers & YSWS participants.

<style>
  .slack_channel {
  color: #1264a3 !important;
  background: #1264a31a;
  border-radius: 3px;
  padding: 0 3px;
  white-space: nowrap;
}
</style>

<hr class="not-prose">

### formative <code>:experiences</code>

Since being exposed to computer programming on [Scratch](https://scratch.mit.edu) a decade ago, I’ve:

- built a life-sized [board game](https://github.com/ldnano/o-fn) using industrial tech which supports community outreach & won:
  - 1st in the 2025 **PLCNext Innovation Contest Nationals**
  - 1st at the 2026 **Pennsylvania Invention Convention**
  - a Hack Club X Congressional App Challenge **Open-source** [**Certification**](http://congressional.hackclub.com/)
- made videogame [submissions](https://matmanna.itch.io) within 48hrs-2wks for ~7 game jams
- run AV systems (livestreams and sound mixers) for funerals and weddings
- discovered and disclosed vulnerabilities / data leaks within my school and Hack Club
- <details><summary>been recognized in other ways <sub>(not that interesting)</sub></summary><ul>
  <li>participated in the selective PennApps XXVI college [hackathon](https://pennapps.com)</li>
  <li>received recognition for Integrity and Sportsmanship within academics and competitions.</li>
  <li>earned ~$1k in grants and prizes for personal projects submitted to Hack Club programs incl. High Seas, Summer of Making, CMD-K, and Magazine.</li></ul>
  </details>

<style>

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<strong>I recommend <sub>(not biased at all)</sub> that you check out...</strong>

_...some initiatives & projects I've worked on independently or with competition teams, (<a href="/projects">all</a>)_

<ul class="projects-width-breakout px-0 flex mt-3 flex-col gap-3 not-prose">
  {% assign visible_projects = site.projects | where_exp: "project", "project.hidden != true" %}
  {% assign projects_without_end = visible_projects | where_exp: "project", "project.end_date == nil or project.end_date == ''" %}
  {% assign projects_with_end = visible_projects | where_exp: "project", "project.end_date != nil and project.end_date != ''" | sort: "end_date" | reverse %}
  {% assign recent_projects = projects_without_end | concat: projects_with_end %}
  {% assign project_count = 0 %}
  {% for project in recent_projects %}
  {% unless project.org contains 'hack club' or project.org contains 'Hack Club' %}
  {% include post-card.html entry=project kind='project' %}
  {% assign project_count = project_count | plus: 1 %}
  {% if project_count >= 8 %}
  {% break %}
  {% endif %}
  {% endunless %}
  {% endfor %}
</ul>

_...my various roles and responsibilities at Hack Club,_

<ul class="projects-width-breakout px-0 flex mt-3 flex-col gap-3 not-prose">
  {% assign visible_projects = site.projects | where_exp: "project", "project.hidden != true" %}
  {% assign projects_without_end = visible_projects | where_exp: "project", "project.end_date == nil or project.end_date == ''" | where_exp: "project", "project.org contains 'hack club' or project.org contains 'Hack Club'" | sort: "start_date" | reverse %}
  {% assign projects_with_end = visible_projects | where_exp: "project", "project.end_date != nil and project.end_date != ''" | where_exp: "project", "project.org contains 'hack club' or project.org contains 'Hack Club'" | sort: "start_date" | reverse %}
  {% assign recent_projects = projects_without_end | concat: projects_with_end %}
  {% for project in recent_projects limit:8 %}
  {% include post-card.html entry=project kind='project' %}
  {% endfor %}
</ul>

_...and some thoughts I've had or shared, (<a href="/blog">all</a>)_

<ul class="px-0 flex mt-3 flex-col gap-3 not-prose">
  {% for post in site.posts limit:3 %}
  {% include post-card.html entry=post kind='post' %}
  {% endfor %}
</ul>

<!-- _.. and some ways to use the site or reach out:_ -->

_thank you for reading to the end of my little page! i'm guessing that probably means you like interesting things, so have this mysterious <a href="/?invert" class="no-external-icon g-primary-100 dark:bg-primary-900 border border-primary-500 py-1 px-2 rounded-md text-xs" aria-label="Invert site colors — a surprise">mystery button</a> as a token of my gratitude :D_

## Footnotes

[^1]: I see my projects as tools meant to serve humans, not exploit them. I prefer to use products which align with this.
[^2]: I speak and (sometimes) understand English, Spanish, and Esperanto so far
[^3]: I've also contributed code to systems (such as Hackatime, Revoker, & site), and reported data leaks through the security program.

<hr class="not-prose">