MICRO JOURNEYS PODCAST
About Dan Marrujo
Daniel Marrujo is a former Chief Strategy Officer and former Director of the Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) at the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA).
Mr. Marrujo began his career at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ., developing missile guidance systems for their advanced programs. He then moved to DMEA, in his hometown of Sacramento, CA., working for the Trusted Integrated Circuit (IC) program office. In conjunction with working on the Trusted IC program, he began working towards the development of DMEA’s reliability capabilities and was selected to lead the National High Reliability Electronics Virtual Center (HiREV).
Mr. Marrujo also established the NRO’s VS&E program which has executed a number of solutions protecting National Security. As a subject matter expert, he has provided his technical expertise in multiple DARPA, IARPA and National Security Space programs. His focus areas are Microelectronics Obsolescence, State of the Art Microelectronics Acquisition, State of the Practice Microelectronics Sustainment, Advanced Packaging, Supply Chain Risk Management, Semiconductor Reliability, Semiconductor Reverse Engineering and Semiconductor Radiation Effects.
In 2016, Mr. Marrujo was selected as DMEA’s Chief Strategy Officer, directly supporting the DMEA directorate. In this position, Mr. Marrujo works with DMEA senior leadership to define and represent the integrated DMEA message and strategic path forward for future engagements.
Latest Episodes
The latest episode of Micro Journeys welcomes Colonel Tim Helfrich, a career Air Force officer whose unconventional path—from Purdue ROTC to test pilot school, to leading next-generation air dominance programs—offers a rare look inside the evolution of U.S. airpower. Daniel Marrujo sits down with Col. Helfrich to unpack how the Air Force is transforming faster than ever before, exploring the breakthroughs in autonomy, modular aircraft architectures, and collaborative combat systems reshaping modern warfare. Through personal stories and behind-the-scenes insights, Helfrich reveals how Airmen today navigate shifting threats, emerging technologies, and a new era of acquisition speed.
In this conversation, Daniel guides listeners into the central challenge facing the Air Force: how to stay ahead of rapidly advancing adversaries while fielding capability faster and at scale. Col. Helfrich explains why traditional “one aircraft, one mission” approaches are no longer enough and how unmanned systems, open architectures, and human-machine teaming are redefining what’s possible. His personal journey underscores the stakes—highlighting both the constraints of old systems and the promise of modular, autonomous, and rapidly upgradable platforms.
Ultimately, the episode outlines a clear solution: move toward a flexible, system-of-systems framework that allows rapid integration, accelerated autonomy development, and collaborative pairing of manned and unmanned aircraft—giving Airmen the adaptability they need to counter today’s evolving threats.
In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Dr. Alan Mantooth, Distinguished Professor at the University of Arkansas and a leading figure in power electronics and semiconductor innovation. Fresh off a milestone week for the university, Alan gives Daniel an inside look at MUSIC — the Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Laboratory — a first-of-its-kind facility designed to bridge the long-standing gap between R&D and low-volume silicon carbide production. Together, they explore how this new national asset is reshaping semiconductor access, accelerating innovation, and preparing the next generation of engineers and technicians.
In the conversation, Daniel and Alan dig into the acute challenges facing the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem—from limited access to silicon carbide prototyping, to workforce shortages created by mass retirements and shrinking STEM enrollment. Alan explains why MUSIC fills a critical national void and how its design, educational mission, and partnerships position it as a backbone for future military, commercial, and research advancements. Ultimately, the episode reveals how MUSIC delivers a solution: a fully accessible, production-capable SiC fab that empowers students, startups, researchers, and established manufacturers alike. With hands-on learning, nation-spanning training programs, and compatibility with high-volume foundries, MUSIC stands as a transformative model for U.S. semiconductor resilience and growth.
In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Dan Marrujo takes listeners deep inside one of the most secure and mysterious facilities in the United States — a Department of Energy lab where scientists are literally recreating the power of the sun. Joined by Larry Phair, veteran staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the conversation opens the blast doors to a world where cosmic rays, heavy ions, and cutting-edge nuclear science collide. From testing the endurance of satellites bound for orbit to exploring the edges of the periodic table, this episode blends wonder, engineering, and humanity’s relentless quest for discovery.
At its core, this episode explores a bigger question: how does humanity build and test the technology that keeps our modern world — and our space exploration — alive? Larry explains how the cyclotron, once a relic of mid-20th century nuclear research, has evolved into a Swiss-Army knife for modern science. The discussion sheds light on how his team simulates radiation from space, creates beams from nearly every element in the periodic table, and pushes forward the search for entirely new elements — all from inside a bunker that most people will never see.
Ultimately, the solution is a story of precision and persistence: by recreating the universe’s harshest environments inside controlled walls, scientists like Larry are helping humanity build technology strong enough to survive beyond Earth.
