Friday, February 21, 2020 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
Dr. Adam Cox serves as the Director of the Science and Technology Directorate’s Office of Strategy and Policy where he oversees a portfolio ranging from strategic program reviews to policy development. Dr. Cox has worked at DHS S&T as a federal employee and contractor since 2003.
Previously, Dr. Cox served as the Deputy, and then Acting Director, of the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) within S&T. Created at the same time as DHS, HSARPA worked to strengthen America’s security and resiliency by providing knowledge and innovative technology solutions for the Homeland Security Enterprise which includes the DHS operational components, such as Customs and Border Protection and The Transportation Security Administration; the state and local first responder community; private sector infrastructure owners; as well as other Federal agencies. In this role, he oversaw cutting edge research in the areas of border and maritime security, chemical and biological defense, cyber security, explosives detection, and resilient systems.
Dr. Cox also served as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Director for the Strategy, Policy and Budget division before taking a leadership role in HSARPA. In this role, he acted as a principal liaison with congressional staff, DHS CFO, and OMB and worked to align DHS S&T programs with the priorities and goals of the Administration, Congress and the Department. Dr. Cox also served as a visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Prior to joining DHS, Dr. Cox contributed to research projects at Vanderbilt University on electromechanical systems for micro and meso-scale robotics. His work in bio-mimetic robotics and micro-aerial vehicles was conducted for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency (Office of Research and Development). In 2003, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, and a dissertation on piezo-electrically driven, flapping flight for micro-aerial vehicles. Dr. Cox also received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.
