Aksheya Sridhar

Assistant Project Scientist

Aksheya Sridhar is an Assistant Project Scientist at UCLA. In this role, Aksheya supports educators in implementing evidence-based practices for autistic children in school settings. Additionally, she contributes to several ongoing research projects focused on implementation of autism interventions in schools under the mentorship of Dr. Jill Locke. Aksheya’s research primarily focuses on tailoring implementation strategies and processes to increase access to care for autistic youth. She earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Science from Michigan State University, and completed her post-doctoral training at the University of Washington.

Departments

Department of Education

Education

Ph.D. Michigan State University, 2024
M.A. Boston University 2016
B.A. Clark University 2014

Select Publications

Sridhar, A., Bravo, A., Landa, Y.,Ghosh Chouduri, P., Shih., Michael, O., & Locke, J. Unpacking the implementation climate in general education settings in public schools: a sequential-explanatory mixed-methods study. Implement Sci Commun 6, 132 (2025).
Locke, J., Sridhar, A., Shih, W., Shire, S., Eisman, A. B., Kim, E., Du, A., Espeland, C., & Kasari, C. (2025). Study protocol for a hybrid type 3 effectiveness-implementation trial of a team-based implementation strategy to support educators’ use of a social engagement intervention. Implementation science : IS, 20(1), 3.
Dickson, K.S., Michael, O.G., Drahota, A., Sridhar, A., Tschida, J.E., & Locke, J. (2024). Applying the Cognitive Walkthrough for Implementation Strategies methodology to inform the redesign of a selection-quality implementation toolkit for use in schools. Implementation Science Communications.
Locke, J., Williams, N. J., Sridhar, A., Shih, W., Espeland, C., Tagavi, D., & Bearss, K. (2026). Study protocol for coaching and leadership in autism support settings: a cluster randomized controlled hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation trial. Implementation science : IS, 21(1), 32
Locke, J., Williams, N.J., Sridhar, A. et al. Study protocol for testing the efficacy of the Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM) implementation strategy in elementary schools: a hybrid type 3 effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial. Implementation Sci 20, 17 (2025).
Moore, S., Sridhar, A., Taormina, I., Azad, G., (2024). The Perspective of School Leaders on the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices: A Mixed-Methods Study.
Sridhar, A., Olusegun, O, & Drahota, A. (2023) Identifying Methods to Select, Tailor, and Map Implementation Strategies to Context-Specific Determinants in Child Mental Health Settings: A scoping review. Global Implementation Research and Applications. doi: 10.1007/s43477-023-00086-3
Sridhar, A., Drahota, A. & Tschida, J.E. (2022) Implementation strategy mapping methods to improve autism intervention use in community settings: a study protocol. Implementation Science Communications. 3(92). doi: 1186/s43058-022-00339-6
Sridhar, A. & Drahota, A. (2022). Preliminary effectiveness of the ACT SMART Implementation Toolkit: Facilitating evidence-based practice implementation in community-based autism organizations. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. doi: 10.1080/20473869.2022.2065448
Sridhar, A., Drahota, A., & Walsworth, K. (2021). Facilitators and Barriers to the Utilization of the ACT SMART Implementation Toolkit in Community-based Organizations: A Qualitative Study. Implementation Science Communications, 2(55). doi: 10.1186/s43058-021-00158-1