Professor Santos is the Associate Provost for Faculty Development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In this role, she assists with campus-level processes and policies related to faculty development and success, including faculty mentoring, support for pre-tenure and mid-career faculty, career paths for specialized faculty, and leadership development. Associate Provost Santos also oversees the new faculty orientation, mid-career faculty programming, and the dual-career academic couples program. Prior to her appointment as Associate Provost, she served as Interim Head of the Department of Special Education in the College of Education in 2016-17, and was a Provost Fellow for Faculty Development and Diversity in 2015-16.

Professor Santos' research focuses on young children with disabilities and their families within the context of early intervention and early childhood special education services. She is interested in developing an understanding of the ecologic influence of families and culture on parents and professionals in facilitating young children’s development and learning.  She is engaged in research activities in three interrelated areas

(1) building empirical knowledge on how parents and other family members facilitate children’s learning and development;

(2) developing a foundational understanding of the role that culture and language play in young children’s development; and

(3) translating research to practice for professionals in early childhood settings.

Through these research activities, her aim is to make a positive impact on the lives of children with disabilities and their families by enhancing the practices of professionals who work directly with these children and families.

CURRENT:

2018-2021: Co-Principal Investigator of the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois. Illinois Department of Human Services. ($1,428,310.00/year).

2015-2021: Co-Principal Investigator: Military Family Learning Network: Early Intervention. US Department of Defense and US Department of Agriculture. (~$150,000/year)

2015-2020: Co-Principal Investigator: Project Family IMPACT (H325D150036). - Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel, U.S. Department of Education. ($1,249,934.00)

1999-2014: List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students, University of Illinois 

2022: Distinguished Graduate Lecturer, Department of Special Education at San Diego State University-San Diego, CA.

2002-2003: Spitze-Mather Faculty Award for Excellence, College of Education, University of Illinois

2007-2008: Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award for Faculty, College of Education, University of Illinois

2008-2009: Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Office of the Provost, University of Illinois

2009-2013: Teaching Academy Faculty Fellow, Office of the Provost, University of Illinois

2011: Named as one of Inclusive Illinois’ Campus Women Leaders, Provost’s Gender Equity Council, University of Illinois

2012: Merle B. Karnes Service to the Division Award, The Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children

2013: CEC Leadership Award, The Council for Exceptional Children

2013: Alumni Achievement Award, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University

2013: Outstanding Faculty Award for Service, College of Education, University of Illinois

2016: Distinguished Graduate Lecturer, Department of Special Education at San Diego State University-San Diego, CA.

2016-2017: Fellow, Big Ten Academic Alliance Leadership Program for Department Executive Officers, University of Illinois

2018: Innovation in Programming Award - 3^rd Place Central Region Winner (Military Families Learning Network 2017 Team), National Extension Association for Family Consumer Sciences

2018: Innovation in Programming Award - 2018 State Award (Military Families Learning Network 2017 Team), National Extension Association of Family  Consumer Sciences -Minnesota Affiliate

2019 1^st Place National Winner and 1^st Place Central Region Winner - Mary W. Wells Memorial Diversity Award (Military Families Learning Network 2018 Virtual Conference - Cultural Competency Awareness, Action, and Advocacy Team), National Extension Association for Family Consumer Sciences