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
In this compelling episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Greg Van Dyk—a visionary technologist, fusion energy entrepreneur, and retired Air Force leader—at the HEART Conference. From his early life on a Wisconsin dairy farm to directing billion-dollar defense acquisition programs and shaping the national conversation on microelectronics and fusion energy, Greg’s career embodies the intersection of technical depth, public policy, and relentless innovation. The conversation explores the multi-decade journey that brought him to the forefront of energy and manufacturing transformation.
Greg shares the behind-the-scenes story of his pivotal role in the Department of Energy’s analysis of alternatives for onshore microelectronics production—a foundational study that helped pave the way for the CHIPS Act. He details the political and industrial inflection points that drove renewed domestic investment in semiconductors and why that effort mirrors the critical need for progress in the fusion energy space. With clarity and vision, Greg breaks down the promise of fusion, the enabling technologies making it viable today, and the scaling and supply chain hurdles yet to be solved.
As he embarks on his second 20-year career, Greg’s goal is bold: build the world’s largest fusion supply chain company, deliver carbon-free energy everywhere, and revitalize U.S. manufacturing at a scale not seen since World War II. Tune in to hear a rare blend of engineering insight, defense strategy, and entrepreneurial drive aimed at solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Ken LaBel, one of the most respected figures in the world of radiation effects for space and defense electronics. With a decades-long career that spans NASA, missile defense, and strategic radiation-hardened electronics, Ken shares the moments that defined his professional path—from helping prove the Big Bang Theory to shaping policies on advanced packaging and testing limitations for modern microelectronics.
The conversation dives into the evolution of radiation engineering from an afterthought to a core systems discipline. Ken explains how critical collaboration, mentorship, and rigorous testing are in safeguarding both space-based scientific missions and high-reliability defense systems. He also unpacks how mission needs—whether scientific exploration or survivability in nuclear environments—demand distinct approaches to risk, reliability, and radiation resilience.
Ultimately, Ken’s journey exemplifies how deep expertise, humility, and a collaborative mindset can influence the trajectory of entire sectors. His legacy spans technical leadership, cross-agency integration, and community-building—all while keeping things refreshingly human (yes, there’s a story about Belgian beer).
In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Jack Kang, SVP of Business Development, Customer Experience, and Corporate Marketing at SiFive, to explore the fascinating trajectory of his career—from building CPUs at Marvell to helping lead the charge on RISC-V technology at SiFive. Jack shares how his early education and hands-on experiences at UC Berkeley shaped his technical foundation, and how a pivotal moment as a teaching assistant under computing legend Dave Patterson set the course for his professional evolution.
As the conversation unfolds, Jack reveals the inner workings of some of the biggest moments in his career, including his role in winning the Nintendo Switch design at NVIDIA and the massive implications of the RISC-V open standard. He demystifies key concepts like the difference between open standards and open source, and explains why this distinction is critical in shaping the future of microelectronics, particularly in aerospace, defense, and edge AI computing.
Ultimately, Jack paints a compelling picture of a technology that isn’t just disrupting the industry—it’s enabling sustainability, security, and long-term innovation. RISC-V is more than a buzzword, it’s the foundation for a scalable, programmable future in computing, with SiFive at the helm.
