Ryan A. Manzuk

Ryan’s central focus is using scientific investigative techniques, often including computational image analysis, to tell data-driven stories about critical events. Trained as a geologist, he developed this approach to delve into Earth’s first animal-built reefs and discover the influence these environments had on the evolution of early animals over 500 million years ago. Ryan now works to apply these methods, combined with his background in Earth sciences, to more modern issues. He is involved in remote sensing efforts to provide broad historical and spatial perspectives on human rights violations and in areas of conflict. Ryan’s current research with SGS investigates the degree to which safeguards against the mining of uranium are being upheld. This work also is concerned with communities near uranium-rich ores, constraining health and environmental consequences if and when these deposits are mined. He received his PhD in 2024 from the Princeton University Department of Geosciences.