Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Santos named iSchool dean at Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Eunice Santos will become the dean of the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign effective Aug. 16, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Andreas C. Cangellaris, the vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, recommended the appointment to Chancellor Robert Jones after the conclusion of a yearlong national search.

Currently the Ron Hochsprung Endowed Chair and Professor of Computer Science and the chair of the department of computer science at the Chicago-based Illinois Institute of Technology, Santos is a renowned scholar in computational social systems including social networks analysis and socio-cultural modeling. She is the recipient of multiple research awards including the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Computer Society Technical Achievement award and the IEEE Big Data Security Woman of Achievement award.

A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Santos has served as the director and principal investigator of many federal research centers and programs. Her work has led to significant insights related to community resilience, disaster response, and belief and opinion change.

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity to further advance our global leadership in the information sciences and more fully realize our mission in the world,” said Allen Renear, the current iSchool dean who will return to a faculty role in August. “Professor Santos is an inventive, committed scholar and an exceptionally creative and entrepreneurial academic leader; there is no one better prepared to lead our rapidly growing school and ensure that we engage the challenges that face our society.”

Santos earned a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in both mathematics and computer science.

Santos joined IIT in 2015 and led a number of significant departmental advances, including creating or expanding new education programs in data science, cybersecurity, bioinformatics, human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, designtech and decision sciences; and expanding K-12 outreach and diversity programs. She also doubled the department’s physical space to allow for expansion, led the department strategic plan and secured support from the IIT administration to implement a faculty growth plan. Also under her leadership, the department raised roughly $10 million in philanthropic support for student scholarships, faculty chairs and research facility improvements.

“I am confident that professor Santos will strengthen, diversify and amplify our top-ranked iSchool’s excellence and leadership in this century of digital transformation,” Cangellaris said. “Her experience leading federally funded research initiatives in the use of computational social science to understand the behavior of social networks and communities will further advance the iSchool and university reputations as national leaders in information and data sciences.”

Editor’s note: For more information, contact Christopher Harris, senior director of strategic communications, 217-333-5010, csharris@illinois.edu

Read Next

Humanities Diptych image with book cover of "The New Internationals" and a headshot of English professor David Wright Faladé

English professor’s novel tells of love triangle in post-WWII Paris, based on his family history

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new novel by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign English professor David Wright Faladé tells the story of three people in a love triangle in post-World War II Paris. The characters in “The New Internationals” — a young French woman who has survived the Holocaust, a university student from West Africa and a […]

Life sciences Portrait of the research team posing together.

Minecraft players can now explore whole cells and their contents

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have translated nanoscale experimental and computational data into precise 3D representations of bacteria, yeast and human epithelial, breast and breast cancer cells in Minecraft, a video game that allows players to explore, build and manipulate structures in three dimensions. The innovation will allow researchers and students of all ages to navigate […]

Arts Photo of seven dancers onstage wearing blue tops and orange or yellow flowing skirts. The backdrop is a Persian design.

February Dance includes works experimenting with live music, technology and a ‘sneaker ballet’

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The dance department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will present February Dance 2025: Fast Forward this week at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. February Dance will be one of the first performances in the newly renovated Colwell Playhouse Theatre since its reopening. The performances are Jan. 30-Feb. 1. Dance professor […]

Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

507 E. Green St
MC-426
Champaign, IL 61820

Email: stratcom@illinois.edu

Phone (217) 333-5010