Earning all three of his degrees in civil engineering (CEE) at Virginia Tech, William E. Cox currently teaches and conducts research in water resources management at his alma mater.



He began his teaching career in 1968 as an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. While working on his Ph.D., he held a position at the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. He joined the CEE department at Virginia Tech as an assistant professor in 1977, and became an associate professor in 1980, and a professor in 1986. In  addition to teaching and research activities, he has served on many committees at the department, college, and university levels and has been the assistant department head of CEE since 1996. Dr. Cox received the College of Engineering Dean’s “Award for Excellence in Service” in 2003.



Research and teaching have been interdisciplinary in nature, focusing on water policy and decision-making processes that operate at the boundary between engineering and the social sciences. Teaching has included courses on water planning and the legal framework for water management. A major research concentration has been public water supply, including analysis of water rights and water transfer issues, safe yield determination, demand projection and management, and compliance with regulatory measures adopted to preserve natural water environments.



Research in the area of water management institutions has resulted in diverse advisory activities and other interactions with local and regional governmental organizations, state agencies and legislative committees, interstate committees, congressional hearings, and various national organizations. At the international level, activities have included programs of the International Water Resources Association; several projects of the International Hydrological Programme of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; and the programs of the World Water Council.



Dr. Cox has published extensively in state, national, and international journals and other periodicals, conference proceedings, books, and reports.



He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) / Environmental and Water Resources Institute,  Universities Council on Water Resources, Chi Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi. He has served in several organizations, including chair of the executive committee of the former Division of Water Resources Planning and Management in ASCE. This position resulted in participation in the creation of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute that now encompasses several of ASCE’s former divisions active in the water and environmental areas. ASCE presented Dr. Cox its “Service to the Profession Award” in 2003 for contributions to the environmental and water resources professions.



His wife, Clara, is director of University Publications and was a charter member of the Virginia Tech Department of English Distinguished Alumni Board. They have a daughter, Wendy Cox Royston, who, along with her husband, Keith, has a graduate degree from Virginia Tech’s CEE department. Wendy and Keith have a daughter, Reagan.