Joanna E. Haas joined the Carnegie Science Center in November 2003 as The Henry Buhl, Jr., Director. The traveling Robotics Exhibit, developed in 1996 by the Carnegie Science Center and Carnegie Mellon University, has introduced hundreds of thousands of children and families to the excitement and potential of robots. The official Robot Hall of Fame display at the Carnegie Science Center presents the stories of each of the robots honored in the Robot Hall of Fame. Ms. Haas is a passionate advocate of giving all children the opportunity to become lifelong learners and strongly supports this outreach in robotics education.

Prior to her move to Pittsburgh, Jo Haas served as director of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Haas began her career at Ohio's Center of Science & Industry (COSI), arguably one of the country's most innovative science centers. She held a number of management positions in COSI's education department before being named vice president of Operations. In that role, Haas led large teams and inspired a number of program and operations innovations.

She later joined Ford Motor Company as its Spirit of Ford Director, a position responsible for establishing and perpetuating the corporation's values and image in a family-centered, interactive environment. In 2001, she was named director of Henry Ford Museum, where her responsibilities included leadership of the institution's vast array of educational programs, as well as all museum, IMAX, and visitor service activities.

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