Gregory Aarons

Gregory Aarons is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and a faculty member in the UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. He serves as Director of the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center (CASRC) and Co-Director of the Center for Organizational Research on Implementation and Leadership (CORIL). His research is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), focusing on the implementation and sustainment of evidence-based practices in mental health, substance use, and HIV services.

Dr. Aarons’ research interests center on implementation science, leadership, organizational change, and the development of practical measures for implementation leadership, climate, and citizenship behaviors. He has pioneered frameworks such as the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) model and the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) strategy. His work spans diverse settings, including child welfare, education, and global health contexts in Mexico and Kenya.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend in multilevel implementation strategies, sustainment of evidence-based practices, and cross-sector collaboration. Themes include organizational leadership, measurement-based care, digital health integration, and adaptation of interventions in low-resource settings. The research emphasizes mixed-methods approaches, validation of implementation measures, and policy-level implementation challenges.

Scientific Awards:

• Web of Science Top 1% of Most Influential Researchers in the Social Sciences (2019–2023)
• UC San Diego Outstanding Mentor Award - Faculty Mentor Program (2019)
• Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Wiley Award for Excellence in Survey Research (2019)
• Taylor & Francis Slavin-Patti Award for Outstanding Article
• Medical University of South Carolina John R. Raymond Mentor Award (2016)

Dr. Aarons has been a principal investigator on numerous NIH-funded grants, including studies on statewide implementation of evidence-based practices, leadership development, and cross-agency collaboration. He is a core faculty member of the NIMH/NIDA/VA Implementation Research Institute and mentors early-career researchers through NIH training programs. He has led major capacity-building initiatives and has trained professionals across the U.S. and internationally, including in South Africa and the U.K.

He is affiliated with key research centers including the UC San Diego ACTRI Dissemination and Implementation Science Center and the IN STEP Children's Mental Health Research Center. His work is deeply collaborative, involving partnerships across academic, public health, and community service systems to advance scalable and sustainable implementation of mental health interventions.