Connecting Our Science with the World

Phil Bogdan brings non-traditional background to support the university's mission and strategic initiatives

Phil Bogdan first began working with the University of Idaho in 2009 — but not as an employee.

Bogdan was the business and communications manager at The American Phytopathological Society (APS), where he ran the Plant Management Network's business and editorial operations. He worked with extension agents from around the nation to produce high-quality webcasts and other online educational materials.

Through these projects, he worked closely with many crop scientists and extension agents and built a particularly strong connection with scientists in the potato industry, including those at the University of Idaho.

"I always looked forward to recording talks with U of I faculty and staff — and connecting with them at potato industry meetings. They're fun, professional and leaders in their field," Bogdan said. "They left such a strong impression on me that they were a factor in my decision to apply for work at the U of I."

Bogdan joined the staff at the University of Idaho in winter 2017, stepping into the role of marketing and communications manager for the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED).

At U of I, Bogdan works to promote the research, scholarship and creative activities of the university's hardworking faculty and staff both internally and externally. He also oversees the yearly Research Report and ORED's monthly newsletter, as well as supporting Vice President Janet E. Nelson's communications needs and initiatives.

Bogdan's experience with the Plant Management Network — providing national and international resources to growers, consultants and applied crop scientists — gave him a strong foundation of communication and organizational skills.

"Dealing with grants was a good experience for my position at the University of Idaho," said Bogdan. "It introduced me to the process, the lingo and the many acronyms associated with grants and their sponsoring agencies."

Bogdan also has experience promoting academic books as well as basic and applied academic science journals. His specialty is making science accessible to non-scientific audiences.

"Having an educational background in business and journalism is surprisingly useful when reporting science to the general public," said Bogdan, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Business Communication degree from the University of St. Thomas. "It teaches you to hone in on the benefits of the research and how it positively affects the public at large."