Best of 2025: Science, Silicon, and Survival: The Forces Redefining National Security Today

In this special multi-guest edition of Micro Journeys, Daniel Marrujo brings together three powerful voices shaping the world from radically different angles: epidemiologist Dr. Dan Janies, semiconductor executive Thomas Sonderman, and retired A-10 pilot Dave “Trashman” Hicks. Across public health, national security, and combat aviation, each guest offers a compelling look at the hidden systems that shape modern life—and the micro decisions that change everything. From the real origins of pandemics, to America’s fight for chip independence, to life-or-death missions above the battlefield, this episode captures the grit, intelligence, and resilience behind today’s most consequential challenges.
As the conversations deepen, listeners learn how invisible vulnerabilities—whether in global health surveillance, foundational microelectronics, or military operations—can lead to catastrophic consequences when ignored. Each guest traces the root causes inside their domain: zoonotic spillover events no one was watching, domestic manufacturing gaps decades in the making, and combat environments where the smallest misstep can mean an irreversible loss of life. The stories are riveting, the stakes are high, and the lessons reveal how fragile—and how fixable—our systems can be.
The episode ultimately shows that preparedness, innovation, and adaptability are the keys to navigating an unpredictable world. Whether through scientific insight, industrial reinvention, or military precision, the solutions all point toward the same truth: real progress begins with taking action before the crisis arrives.
What You’ll Discover in This Episode
03:06 — The real origins of coronaviruses and why bats are the evolutionary reservoir
10:23 — How SkyWater’s new Texas acquisition reshapes America’s semiconductor future
15:42 — Why “foundational semiconductors” are the hidden crisis no one is talking about
21:10 — The innovative pipeline bringing high school students directly into microelectronics
27:01 — How Dave Hicks became “Trashman” and the wild story behind his legendary call sign
37:29 — Inside a chaotic firefight in Afghanistan—and how four A-10s saved an entire Marine unit

Full Episodes
Dave Hicks:    • Inside the Cockpit and the War Room with D...  
Dan Janies:    • AI vs. Viral Mutations: Predicting Outbrea...  
Thomas Sonderman:    • Tech as a Service: How SkyWater Is Reshapi...  

Let’s Connect
Daniel Marrujo:   / dan-marrujo  
Dave Hicks:   / david-hicks-73301712  
Dan Janies:   / danieljanies  
Thomas Sonderman:   / thomassonderman  

#microelectronics #nationalsecurity #zoonoticdiseases