Manuel Rivas

Manuel Rivas is a Technical Programme Manager and Radiation Effects Engineer at Blue Origin, based in Kent, Washington.12 He joined Blue Origin in 2018 as their first Radiation Effects Engineer and has since progressed to the role of Technical Program Manager.24

Rivas has a diverse educational background:

• B.S. in Physics from the University of Texas Pan-American
• M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering (2015) from the University of Connecticut
• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering (2018) from the University of Connecticut24

Before joining Blue Origin, Rivas served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked at the Army Research Laboratory near Washington D.C. while completing his Ph.D.14

At Blue Origin, Rivas focuses on ensuring mission success for space rockets and stations by managing radiation effects, which are a significant risk in space programs.2 His work involves understanding and mitigating radiation effects in a timely manner.2

Rivas is also active in the radiation effects community:

• Served as Session Chair for the 2021 RADECS conference
• Participates in outreach programs for K-12 students through Club for the Future
• Engages in university outreach programs3

He is known for his passion for continuous learning and his advice to aspiring engineers to attend conferences and never stop learning.2