Adam Cox

Visiting Fellow

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Dr. Adam Cox is a visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) working on Homeland Security and technology related issues. Prior to his assignment at CSIS, Dr. Cox served as the Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) within the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). Created at the same time as DHS, HSARPA strengthens America's security and resiliency by providing knowledge products 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. He was responsible for ensuring programs were positioned to provide new capabilities and operational efficiencies across a portfolio spanning Explosives Detection, Border and Maritime Security, Cyber Security, Chemical and Biological Security, and Infrastructure Protection and Resiliency.

Dr. Cox has served DHS S&T as a federal employee and contractor since 2003. From 2006 – 2010, he served as the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Director for the Strategy, Policy and Budget Division. In this role, he acted as a principal liaison with congressional staff, the DHS Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and OMB and worked to align DHS S&T programs with the priorities and goals of the Administration, Congress, and the Department. Prior to his work at S&T, 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 his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.

Event Participation