Jason Daniel Patrick Bird

Dr. Jason Daniel Patrick Bird serves as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at Rutgers University-Newark, where his work centers on HIV prevention, LGBTQ+ health disparities, stigma, and public health policy reform for marginalized communities. His interdisciplinary approach integrates social work education, community-based interventions, and policy advocacy to address systemic inequities.

His educational background includes a

• Ph.D. in Social Work from The University of Chicago (2009)
• Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of Washington (1999)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Anthropology from Arizona State University (1997)

Dr. Bird's research examines structural determinants of health through community-engaged frameworks, with emphasis on HIV-related stigma among Black MSM, health impacts of incarceration on LGBTQ+ populations, and pathways linking family rejection to HIV risk. His methodology prioritizes narrative strategies and empathy-driven interventions to dismantle health disparities.

His publication record reveals consistent focus on intersectional vulnerabilities, with recent work analyzing concentrated poverty's relationship to neighborhood violence, LGBTQ+ inmate health, and cultural barriers in HIV disclosure. These studies collectively inform evidence-based policy reforms targeting systemic discrimination.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Chancellor’s Scholar-in-Residence Fellowship (P3 Collaboratory)
• Rutgers Global Grant for International Immersion Programs
• IMRT Award for LGBTQ+ Inmates & Health research
• Council on Social Work Education Teaching Effectiveness Award

As an educator, Dr. Bird mentors future social workers through courses like Social Welfare Policy & Practice and Human Diversity & Social Justice, while securing over $75,000 in research funding for projects including the Teaching Empathy Project and LGBTQ+ Health Disparities Initiative. His grant work emphasizes translational research connecting academic findings to community practice.

He actively contributes to the Rutgers Center for Gender, Sexuality, Law, and Policy and co-directs the LGBTQ+ Health Disparities Research Team, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across public health, law, and social work domains to advance health equity.