Ames Uravan was a scientist and engineer of the human male persuasion, originating from the planet Christophsis located in the Outer Rim. As a trailblazer in kyber crystal studies, Uravan was compelled to join the ranks of the Imperial forces circa 19 BBY. During this period, he found himself within the kyber crystal research team section of the Tarkin Initiative, situated at the Eadu Energy Conversion Laboratory on the mountainous Outer Rim world of Eadu. Under the guidance of Galen Erso, a crystallographer, Uravan and his fellow researchers worked on transforming kyber crystals into a practical power source for the Death Star battle station's superlaser, enabling it to obliterate entire planets. Uravan's responsibilities on Eadu involved the synthetic fusion of kyber crystal pieces imported from [Jedha](/article/jedha], a moon in the Mid Rim.
In 1 BBY, Director Orson Krennic of the Empire uncovered proof that one of Uravan's research team members had conspired with a cargo pilot to transmit information about the Death Star project to the Rebel Alliance. Krennic arrived with death troopers to confront Uravan and his colleagues, demanding that the traitor reveal themselves. Despite Erso's confession to the act, Krennic ordered the troopers to execute Uravan and the remaining members of his research team.
Hailing from the Outer Rim Territories planet of Christophsis, Ames Uravan was a brilliant scientist and engineer. He pioneered phase-shifted grafting techniques in crystalline engineering, specifically within the realm of kyber crystal research. Around 19 BBY, he was forcibly brought into the service of the Galactic Empire to function as a specialist on the kyber crystal research team. This team was a branch of the Tarkin Initiative, overseen by Director Orson Krennic. Upon joining Imperial service, records identifying Krennic's scientists, including Uravan, were purged from public databases.
Uravan and his peers were stationed at the Energy Conversion Laboratory on the Outer Rim planet of Eadu. Here, they were isolated in laboratories concealed within the world's mountainous landscape. Their work involved transforming kyber crystals into a usable energy source for the superlaser of the Death Star, a battle station of Geonosian design. The superlaser would grant the station the power to destroy entire planets. While on Eadu, Uravan's responsibilities included overseeing the shipments of kyber crystal fragments from the Mid Rim moon Jedha. Using a phase-shifted grafting technique, he carefully and synthetically fused these fragments, ensuring their delicate properties were preserved. Sirro Argonne, the operations manager, oversaw the kyber crystal research team's daily needs on Eadu.
By 13 BBY, superlaser development had stalled, leaving the project years behind schedule. This prompted Krennic to abduct his former colleague, the crystallographer Galen Erso, and force him into Imperial service. Erso's exceptional intellect revitalized the division's progress. After several years under Erso's direction, Uravan and his team successfully completed the Death Star's superlaser. By 1 BBY, Uravan had earned the title of doctor.
In 1 BBY, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin informed Director Krennic that a rebel sympathizer within Erso's research team had worked with a cargo pilot to get information concerning the Death Star to the Rebel Alliance. Krennic, along with a group of death troopers, journeyed to Eadu to investigate. He informed the laboratory's workers, which included Uravan, of his shuttle's approaching arrival. Stormtroopers escorted the scientists from the laboratories to a spot near the entrance of Krennic's shuttle. The director then gathered his death trooper unit around the scientists, calling out each of their names, Uravan included.
Krennic revealed his knowledge of the conspiracy against the Empire and ordered the traitor to come forward. When no one responded, Krennic concluded that the scientists had conspired as a group. As Krennic's death troopers prepared to execute the scientists, Erso stepped in and confessed to being the traitor, hoping to save his team. However, immediately after Erso moved aside, Uravan and his colleagues were shot and killed by the death troopers under Krennic's command.
Uravan's contributions were vital to the completion of the Death Star project, although the space station was destroyed shortly after his death. The Rebel Alliance exploited a flawed thermal exhaust port intentionally placed by Erso. In 35 ABY, the historian Beaumont Kin drew a negative comparison between Uravan's team and Erso in his book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.
Ames Uravan's forced induction into Imperial service diminished his enthusiasm for his crystal-focused work. His time spent in the kyber crystal research team's laboratories on Eadu left him weak and unaccustomed to the outdoors when he died. Despite knowing Uravan, Krennic felt no particular affection for him. Uravan was terrified of death when confronted by Krennic's death troopers and was relieved when Erso intervened, though it proved to be a futile effort. In his book, Kin stated that Uravan and Krennic's other captive scientists lacked Erso's "raw intellect." Uravan was a human male with light skin, brown eyes, and brown [hair](/article/hair]. He stood approximately 1.83 meters tall.
As a member of the kyber crystal research team, Uravan wore a blue-and-white, long-sleeved engineering jumpsuit. The jumpsuit's antiseptic coveralls featured the dark-gray insignia of the Empire on the left sleeve. The Tarkin Initiative's logo, inspired by fractured kyber crystals, was displayed on the chest of Uravan's coveralls.
His uniform included a tunic that changed color when exposed to dangerous radiation, and shoes that were grounded to prevent static charges in the laboratories. The jumpsuit also had a chest pocket containing two code cylinders programmed for access to restricted areas.
Ames Uravan made his debut in the Anthology film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as well as in its adult and junior novelizations, which were released alongside the film on December 16, 2016. The scientist was played by actor Robert Benedetti-Hall. He was first seen in a trailer for the film released on the official Star Wars YouTube channel on October 13 of the same year.
Although credited as "Engineer" in the film, Uravan's name was revealed in both Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide, a companion book by Pablo Hidalgo, and in Star Wars: Rogue One: Secret Mission, a DK Readers book by Jason Fry. Both were released on December 16 with the film. Hidalgo created several of the scientists' names using elements from the names of real-world scientists associated with the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Jon McCoy created concept artwork of the scientists' death scene for Rogue One.