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Faculty Profile

Daniel S. Gardner

Assistant Professor of Social Work
Curriculum Vitae
BA Cornell University; MSW University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work; PhD Columbia University
daniel.gardner@nyu.edu | (212) 998-5988

bio

Daniel S. Gardner is an Assistant Professor with over 25 years of clinical, administrative, and research experience in community-based health and mental health, specializing in clinical practice with individuals, families, and groups living with chronic and advanced illness. His professional interests include palliative and end-of-life care; psychosocial oncology; social gerontology; family decision-making; health and mental health policy. He is a founding board member of the Social Work in Hospice and Palliative Care Network (SWHPN) and a Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work.

Dr. Gardner's research explores healthcare communication and decision-making in couples and families living with chronic, progressive, and terminal illness. His scholarship aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations by addressing gaps in health care services, systems, and policies. His work has been funded by grants from the American Cancer Society, the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, the National Institute of Aging (NIA), and the Human Resources Services Administration (HRSA).

Dr. Gardner graduated from Columbia University with a PhD in social work, received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor's degree in human development and family studies from Cornell University. He completed post-master's training in clinical social work and in structural family therapy, and has held clinical licensure in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York. He joined the faculty of the Silver School of Social Work in 2005, where he teaches Social Work Practice, Social Policy in Aging, Qualitative Research Methods, and Theories of Grief, Loss, & Bereavement.

selected publications

  • Gardner, D., & Werner-Lin, A. (In Press). Oncology social work. In S. Gehlert & T. Browne, (Eds.), Handbook of Health Social Work (2nd edition). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Gardner, D. (2011). Palliative social work with older adults and their families. In S. Otis-Greene & T. Altilio (Eds.), Oxford Textbook of Palliative Social Work. (pp. 397-414). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
  • Rothenberg, J., & Gardner, D. (2011). Protecting older workers: The failure of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 38(1), 9-30.
  • Gardner, D., Tuchman, E., & Hawkins, R. (2010). Using cross-curricular, problem-based learning to promote understanding of poverty in urban communities. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(1), 147-156.
  • Raveis, V., Gardner, D., Berkman, B., & Harootyan, L. (2010). Linking the NIH strategic plan to the research agenda for social workers in health and aging. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 53(1), 77-93.
  • Gardner, D., & Kramer, B. (2010). End-of-life challenges, fears and care preferences: Congruence in reports of low-income elders and their family members. OMEGA: Journal of Death & Dying, 60(3), 273-297.
  • Werner-Lin, A., & Gardner, D. (2009). Family illness narratives of inherited cancer risk: Continuity and transformation. Families, Systems & Health, 27(3), 201-212.
  • Clemmens, D., Goldstein, J., Clarke, K., Moriarity, M., & Gardner, D. (2009). Geriatric nursing education in community health: Carelink collaborating for excellence in geriatric homecare. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 35(4), 44-50.
  • Gardner, D. (2008). Cancer in a dyadic context: Older couples' negotiation of ambiguity and meaning in end-of-life. Journal of Social Work in End-of-life and Palliative Care, 4(2), 1-25.

selected presentations

  • Gerbino, S., & Gardner, D. (2011). Mentoring the next generation of social work leaders in palliative and end-of-life care: Evaluating the Zelda Foster Fellows Program. 2011 Annual Assembly of American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine/Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (AAHPM), Vancouver, BC, Canada.
  • Gardner, D. (2010). Relational meaning making in palliative and end-of-life care. 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA.
  • Gardner, D. & Berkman, B. (2010). Social work research in health and mental health: Opportunities and challenges. 6th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health. Dublin, Ireland.
  • Gardner, D. (2010). Family decision making in palliative and end-of-life care. Grand Rounds, Brookdale Dept. of Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY.
  • Gardner, D. (2010). Research in palliative and end-of-life care: Challenges and opportunities. Social Work Leadership in Palliative Care pre-conference workshop, 2010 Annual Assembly of American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine/Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, Boston, MA.

sponsored research

  • Principal Investigator, Family Decision Making Among Older Caregiver Dyads Living with Early–Stage Dementia. National Institute of Aging (NIA)-Alzheimer's Disease Center Pilot Grant, Center of Excellence on Brain Aging, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY. 5/2011 – 4/2012.
  • Co-Principal Investigator, An Innovative Model of Diabetes Self-Management Education/Training to Improve Access, Availability, & Quality of Diabetes Care for Older Adults and their Families. Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, New York, NY. Co-PI/Project Director: K. Newlin (NYU College of Nursing). 10/2010 – 9/2013.
  • Research Director, Leadership in Palliative and End-of-Life Care Program; and Fellowship Program in Palliative and End-of-Life Care. Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation. PI: S. Gerbino. (NYU Silver School of Social Work). 9/2010 – 8/2013.
  • Research Consultant/Social Work Liaison, CareLink: Collaborating for Excellence in Geriatric Home Care. Human Resources Services Administration (HRSA). Co-PIs: J. Goldstein (VNS-NY) & D. Clemmens (NYU College of Nursing). 7/2006 – 6/2012.
  • Principal Investigator, Field Learning Partnership in Integrated Geriatric Mental Health. Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education. John A. Hartford Foundation/New York Academy of Medicine. Co-PI: P. Morton (NYU Silver School of Social Work). 7/2008 – 6/2011.
  • Principal Investigator, Evaluating a Psychoeducational Multifamily Intervention for Older Adults with Advanced Cancer and their Healthcare Proxies. Hartford Faculty Scholars Program in Geriatric Social Work. John A. Hartford Foundation/Gerontological Society of America. 9/2006 – 8/2008.