Davida Johnson

Davida Johnson serves as the Executive Director of UCLA Office of Advanced Research Computing (OARC). With a robust background in technology project management, she is instrumental in driving the strategic vision and oversight of advanced computing research initiatives at UCLA. Davida’s mission is to ensure that the university remains at the forefront of research innovation, by providing comprehensive expertise and support for data-intensive research across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines. Her leadership fosters a culture of innovation, excellence, and continuous learning, attracting and retaining a highly skilled workforce dedicated to supporting UCLA’s research community.

In her role, Davida collaborates closely with faculty, researchers, students, and administrators to enhance UCLA’s research computing infrastructure, programs, and practices. She is dedicated to aligning these efforts with the strategic research mission of the Office of Research and Creative Activities (ORCA) and UCLA, ensuring that the university’s research computing resources meet the evolving needs of the campus community. Her work involves staying abreast of emerging technologies and trends in technology to ensure UCLA maintains its competitive edge in advancing research.

Davida has a rich and diverse background in technology. She earned a joint Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Humanities (Creative Writing) and Computer Science Engineering. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Applied Data Science (MADS) at the University of Michigan.

Davida is a passionate advocate for women in technology, student engagement, and social impact. She co-founded the UCLA Women in Technology initiative in 2015. As part of the Innovate@UCLA program, Davida founded the Young Tech Professionals (YTP) program in 2017 to bridge the gap between industry and students.  She also co-teaches Eng170, Project-based Tech Bootcamp for Social Impact. Based in design thinking principles, Eng170 provides UCLA students the opportunity to work in teams to develop innovative solutions for social good using emerging technologies. Davida also serves on the board of Qualified Women, a non-profit whose mission is to empower survivors of sex trafficking through occupational therapy and digital skills training. 

Additionally, Davida oversees two executive boards within the realm of Innovate@UCLA, an industry collaboration program that brings together academia with local government and the private sector to drive innovation in the local and national technology sectors. Davida welcomes the opportunity to discuss industry partnerships that enhance research innovation at UCLA.