Michael Swords currently serves as the Executive Director of Strategic Research Initiatives at UCLA. In that capacity he is responsible for developing large, multi-disciplinary research centers and institutes. Michael is also responsible for developing partnerships with government agencies, foundations, industry and non-profits. He is one of UCLA’s designated representatives to Clean Tech Los Angeles (CTLA) which is a multi-institutional collaboration between UCLA, USC, Caltech, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Mayor's Office of Economic Development, Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRALA), Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles Business Council (LABC), and the Los Angeles Economic Development Council (LAEDC) to establish Los Angeles as the global leader in research, commercialization, and deployment of clean technologies.

Prior to joining the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Michael worked as an officer in UCLA’s Office of Federal Government Relations and was a legislative aide on Capitol Hill. He serves on the Boards of LALCV and The Nurtury.

Michael is a lifetime member of the Sierra Club and is a delegate to the California Democratic Party's Central Committee for 2009 and 2010. He lives in Sherman Oaks with his wife Katherine and their two sons.