William E. “Bill” Cox, an internationally recognized water management expert and Virginia Tech professor emeritus who was among the founders of ASCE’s Environmental and Water Resources Institute, has died at 81.
Cox, Ph.D., M.ASCE, was educated at Virginia Tech, receiving his bachelor of science in 1966, a master’s in 1968, and a Ph.D. in 1976. He first taught at Virginia Commonwealth University before returning to Virginia Tech in 1972.
He worked for the Virginia Water Resources Research Center at the university before joining the Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. As a professor his research and teaching focused on water resources management, including ways to enhance water allocation and environmental quality protection. He studied and wrote multiple papers on water rights and systems maintenance, and was a mentor to many future engineers. As assistant department head, Cox led development of curriculum assessment procedures, earning honors from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
His devotion to water resources extended to an active ASCE membership, where he joined in developing a model-state water code, and helped found the Environmental and Water Resources Institute. Both ASCE and EWRI honored him with service and lifetime achievement awards. He also served on ASCE’s History and Heritage Committee.
Cox “was a tremendous human being. His wisdom and patient approach to furthering professional practice through ASCE was admired by all he worked with,” wrote Distinguished Member Kyle Schilling in a tribute. “He was also an accomplished fisherman whose company on the trout stream I enjoyed and will reminisce fondly about.”
He worked on global water issues as a member of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Program and wrote an IHP report on managing the relationship between water and development.
Virginia Tech named Cox a distinguished alumnus in 2010. He received the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service, and its Chi Epsilon chapter named him an honorary member.
As an avid fisherman, Cox invented a spinning lure that would not twist a fishing line. A published photographer, he received two awards from Kodak in an international competition.
Cox’s wife Clara considered him her “walking encyclopedia,” while his daughter liked to say there was “nothing my daddy doesn’t know.”
