B.S. E.E 1953; M.S. E.E. 1956
Assistant to the Director, Engineering Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center

Dr. Kenneth J. Cox earned both his bachelor’s degree in 1953 and his master’s degree in 1956 in electrical engineering from UT Austin. He also served as an instructor in the Department of Electrical Engineering from 1955 to 1958.
He began his professional career in aerospace at TEMCO in Dallas in 1958 developing control systems for missiles and airplanes. In 1960, he moved to the Martin Co. in Denver where he initiated and developed the first advanced digital avionics design for the Titan III.

Beginning in 1963, he joined NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston and became the technical manager for the Apollo digital control systems including the lunar module and the command service module. He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Rice University in 1966. He also served as Space Shuttle technical manager for integrated guidance, navigation, and control systems involving first generation digital design development in 1974. He was promoted to chief of the Avionics Systems Division in 1987.

He has been a national director and board member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) for the past six years. He received the AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award in 1971, the NASA Medal for Exceptional Engineering Achievement Award in 1981, and the AIAA Digital Avionics Award in 1986.
Dr. Cox was a member of the Electrical Engineering Visiting Committee at UT Austin from 1975 to 1981, and supported the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.