Dr. Diwan received a B.A. in Political Science at the University of Bombay, India, before moving to Case Western Reserve University where she completed a B.A. in Psychology, M.S. in Social Administration and a Ph.D. in Social Welfare. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan funded by the National Institute on Aging. Her research focuses on understanding the use of home and community based services among older adults with dementia, depression, and chronic illnesses, and on understanding factors related to the physical and psychological well-being of immigrants. Her work in these areas has been funded by grants from the Hartford Foundation, the National Institute on Aging, the Janssen Pharmaceutica Research Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
Dr. Diwan is the project principal investigator of a $1,500,000 three-year grant (2007-2009) titled Increasing Gerontological Competencies in MSW Advanced Curriculum Areas,(MAC Project) awarded by the John A. Hartford Foundation to the Council on Social Work Education. The project is designed to help schools of social work better prepare advanced master's program students specializing in health, mental health, and substance abuse to care for older adults.
Prior to joining the SJSU faculty, Professor Diwan taught at the University of Chicago, Georgia State University and Case Western Reserve University. She has clinical experience in psychiatric and medical social work and has conducted numerous training sessions for social workers and case managers on issues related to assessment and care planning for older adults and their families.