At the Epicenter Retreat, we asked faculty to share news about entrepreneurship, innovation and engineering activities at their home institutions. Paula Gangopadhyay shares how her work at The Henry Ford museums inspires innovation by nurturing curiosity and creativity in children.

Paula Gangopadhyay
Chief Learning Officer 
The Henry Ford

Paula Gangopadhyay is the Chief Learning Officer for The Henry Ford, which includes the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Benson Ford Research Center, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, IMAX and the Henry Ford Academy. President Barack Obama recently appointed Gangopadhyay to the National Museums and Libraries Services Board for a four-year term. She is also the recipient of the 2012 American Association of Museums (AAM) EdCom Award for Excellence in Practice. Gangopadhyay brings more than 17 years of experience in the cultural sector with education, policy and business leaders to her position. She has demonstrated exponential growth and success in attendance, resource development, grant procurement, community engagement and impact.

At The Henry Ford, she’s responsible for a vast array of onsite, online and offsite student, educator, youth, family, adult and leadership programs, products and experiences for The Henry Ford’s five sites, which in turn collectively attract over 1.5 million visitors a year, and boast of a mammoth collection of 26 million artifacts. Gangopadhyay led the visioning of a new education strategic plan as well as the conceptualization and development of more than 222 new paradigm-shifting educational products and programs in last two years. She has been deeply involved in the development of the Henry Ford’s 'innovation' platform and is the lead author of a compelling online curriculum, Innovation 101, http://www.oninnovation.com/education/innovation-101.aspx which is now being used by educators nationwide.

Prior to joining The Henry Ford, Gangopadhyay served as executive director for the Plymouth Community Arts Council, curator of education, public programs and visitor services at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, executive director of the Great Lakes Center for Education, Research and Practice and executive director of the Commission for Lansing Schools Success (CLASS). Gangopadhyay is heavily involved in several professional organizations. She serves as a reviewer on state and federal grant panels and as a thought-leader on several national forums. She has served as the Project Director of National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants.

Gangopadhyay has a master’s degree in history, certification in archival, museum and editing studies and a fellowship in education policy. She can be contacted at paulag@thehenryford.org.

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