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 episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with David Harris to explore how endurance, curiosity, and systems-level thinking shaped a career that spans elite athletics, financial regulation, global markets, and emerging technology. From an unlikely start as a walk-on collegiate runner to leadership roles inside the SEC, NASDAQ, and the London Stock Exchange Group, Harris shares how persistence—and knowing when to adapt—became a recurring theme throughout his life.
The conversation dives deeper into Harris’s evolution from market structure and electronic trading into blockchain, data governance, and ultimately the founding of Manetu. As AI, automation, and data sharing accelerate, Harris unpacks a growing problem: sensitive data is being shared, copied, and used in ways that neither individuals nor organizations can fully see or control—especially as agentic AI systems begin making decisions on their behalf.
At its core, this episode presents a solution rooted in trust and control: treating data as a granular, permissioned asset, shared only when needed, for a specific purpose, and withdrawn when that purpose ends, so people, companies, and governments can safely operate in an increasingly automated world.
In this episode of Micro Journeys, Daniel Marrujo sits down with John Hill to explore a career shaped by curiosity, large-scale science, and the pursuit of understanding matter at its most fundamental level. From Hill’s early fascination with space and science in England to his leadership at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the conversation traces how passion, global ambition, and national-scale research converge to drive technological and scientific progress. Together, they unpack how national laboratories quietly underpin much of the innovation that fuels modern life.
The discussion dives deeply into the role Brookhaven plays in advancing synchrotron science, microelectronics, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, particle physics, and space radiation research. Hill explains how tools like the National Synchrotron Light Source II enable scientists to see inside materials at the atomic scale, non-destructively analyze microchips, and accelerate discoveries across biology, energy, and electronics, while also revealing how AI and quantum technologies are reshaping how science itself is done.
Ultimately, the episode reveals how Brookhaven’s mission bridges basic research and real-world impact: creating capabilities too complex for industry alone, transferring discoveries into the economy, and positioning the United States at the forefront of future technologies.
In this episode of Micro Journeys, Daniel Marrujo sits down with Rear Admiral Lorin Selby to explore a career shaped by resilience, curiosity, and technological foresight. What begins as a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut takes an unexpected turn, ultimately leading Selby into the silent service of submarines and a decades-long journey at the intersection of leadership, engineering, and national security. The conversation highlights how early setbacks can become catalysts for purpose and long-term impact.
Selby reflects on his progression through the U.S. Navy submarine force, from nuclear engineering and command at sea to senior roles shaping acquisition, research, and development. Along the way, he shares candid insights into the realities of leadership, the rigor of the nuclear Navy, and the systemic challenges that slow the adoption of critical technologies. The discussion expands into the future of warfare, unmanned systems, digital engineering, and the growing need for speed and agility in defense innovation.
Ultimately, the episode underscores a clear solution: aligning technology, capital, and decision-making to move faster than adversaries. By embracing digital tools, empowering experimentation, and leveraging both public and private investment, Selby argues that the Navy—and the nation—can maintain its strategic edge in an increasingly competitive world.
