DANIEL GARDNER

GARDNER--Daniel, was a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics in the Neuroscience and Neurology departments at Weill Cornell School of Medicine, heading the Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, inspiring students, and advancing understanding of the role of neural networks in the brain. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Dr. Esther Gardner, to whom he was utterly devoted, and two children, Benjamin and Deborah. Dan attended the Bronx High School of Science ('62), and Columbia University ('66), where he was general manager of WKCR-FM. At the NYU School of Medicine, he earned his PhD studying neurons in Aplysia with Dr. Eric Kandel, and met Esther, a fellow PhD student. He and Esther were postdocs at the University of Washington, working with Dr. Charles (Chuck) Stevens, before returning to NYC, where they collaborated on neuroscience papers, textbook chapters, and even a facetious scientific poster about aardvarks. He is remembered for his love of science, dedication to his wife and children, strong moral compass, passion for teaching, wry sense of humor, left/progressive politics, encyclopedic knowledge, and love of classical music, as well as a fondness for ducks he shared with Esther.