After a 12-and-a-half-year career as a radio journalist with KUER, a charter radio station for NPR, Dan Bammes, who has also taught as an associate instructor in the U’s Department of Communication, has decided to join the Utah Foundation.
The Utah Foundation is a public policy-researching group. Bammes is not a stranger to the Utah Foundation, which he said led to his excitement to get involved.
“They have great projects, and I’d like to see their work recognized by both policymakers and voters,” he said.
Joining the Utah Foundation was an opportunity Bammes felt could not be missed.
“I was excited about new opportunity,” he said. “It is hard to leave, but I still have many close friends there.”
For students looking at research, Bammes suggests a number of tips to be sure the research is accurate and thorough.
“Look at the footnotes; where are they getting this information? The Utah Foundation does an extraordinary job at looking for published information,” he said.
Bammes leaves behind a journalistic legacy full of awards, such as Best Radio Reporter in 2013. He was also recognized for his part in a series covering the impact of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
As much as Bammes will miss being a part of KUER, he said one of the hardest things for him to leave behind is his teaching career at the U. Bammes said he will miss the attitude that U students bring to the table the most.
“I taught for the U in the Communication Department, and I was reluctant to give that up,” he said. “I love being around young people and the passion that they have to learn new skills and their energy that they have for learning.”
@JulianneSkrivan