Robert L. Santos, the 26th director of the U.S. Census Bureau, took office on January 5, 2022, bringing with him more than four decades of experience in statistical research and executive management. Prior to joining the bureau, Santos held leadership positions at several renowned institutions, including the Urban Institute, where he was vice president and chief methodologist, and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, where he served as vice president for statistics and methodology. He also directed research operations at institutes at Michigan and Temple universities.

An expert in quantitative and qualitative research design, Santos has extensive experience in program evaluation, research methodology, and equity issues in statistics. His career includes presidencies at the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), as well as several awards, such as the ASA Founder's Award and the Ohtli award, granted by the Mexican government for his contributions to the Mexican community abroad.

In addition to his impact on the statistical field, Santos has served on the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Center for Health Statistics and contributed to the editorial board of Public Opinion Quarterly. A native of San Antonio, Texas, he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Trinity University and a master's degree in statistics from the University of Michigan. In recognition of his career, he received honorary doctorates from institutions such as North Carolina State University and San Antonio College.

Source: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/bios/robert-santos.html