Robert Santos

Robert Santos is Vice President & Chief Methodologist at the Urban Institute, Washington, DC. He is an expert in survey sampling, survey design and more generally in social science/policy research, with over 40 years of experience. His career includes: Director of Survey Operations, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan; VP Statistics and Methodology, NORC University of Chicago; and Senior Study Director at ISR Temple University. Santos is the 116th President of the American Statistical Association (ASA), serving in 2021. He is an elected ASA Fellow and a recipient of the ASA Founder’s Award, the association’s highest recognition for distinguished service and leadership. He is past President of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and an elected member of the International Statistical Institute. Santos has served on numerous National Academies’ panels, the Census Advisory Committee for Professional Organizations (2001-2006), and the CDC National Center for Health Statistics’ Board of Scientific Counselors (2017-2020). He is a long time member of Feeding America’s Technical Advisory Group (2004-2021). Santos was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, where he attended Little Flower School and graduated from Holy Cross High School. He received a BA in Mathematics from Trinity University in San Antonio and a MA in Statistics from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Adella, of 47 years. He is a proud father of two adult children, Emilio and Clarisa, and a doting grandfather to two granddaughters, Renee and Layla. Santos enjoys Texas coastal fishing, ranching and hunting in the hill country and photographing live music as a member of the SXSW Photocrew.