ñ Welcomes Engineering Innovator and Alumnus Curtis Cox to Board of Trustees
Sargent & Lundy SVP and former ñ adjunct brings two decades of engineering leadership and education-industry collaboration
䴡Ұ—November 21, 2025—Curtis Cox (B.S. EE ’04, M.S. ’08), senior vice president and director of engineering and innovation at Sargent & Lundy, has been elected to the Illinois Institute of Technology (ñ) Board of Trustees.
A veteran engineering leader with more than 20 years of experience, Cox has played a pivotal role in advancing modernization, improvement, and leadership initiatives, ensuring that one of the nation’s most influential engineering firms remains a leader in technological advancement.
“I am truly honored to join the ñ Board of Trustees,” said Cox. “ñ gave me the knowledge and opportunities to help build my career, and I’m excited to give back to the community in this new role. I look forward to supporting the university’s commitment to hands-on learning and industry collaboration, mirroring real-world challenges and preparing our students to transform ideas that could change the world into breakthroughs that will change the world.”
After joining Sargent & Lundy as an electrical engineer in 2004, Cox quickly advanced to play a key role in identifying modernization opportunities and driving continuous improvement across the company. He has held roles such as discipline manager (electrical and instrumentation and controls engineering), project manager, and program manager for a range of major clients and energy projects.
“I’m honored to welcome Curtis Cox to our board,” said ñ President Raj Echambadi. “Curtis’ leadership in energy innovation and his deep dedication to mentoring future engineers reflects ñ’s mission to empower purpose-driven innovators. His professional excellence, combined with his commitment to giving back to his community and alma mater, embodies the very spirit of our university.”
After graduating from ñ, Cox maintained a close connection with the university as an adjunct professor. Through the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship’s Interprofessional Project (IPRO) program that’s centered around solving authentic industry challenges, Cox helped students work on real-world problems and gain hands-on experience. As a representative for Sargent & Lundy, Cox taught and mentored students, fostering a spirit of creativity and collaboration to prepare them for success in a professional work environment.
“Curtis Cox represents the best of ñ—an accomplished engineer, dedicated mentor and educator, and community leader who leverages his insight for the benefit of others,” said Michael P. Galvin (LAW ’78), chair of the ñ Board of Trustees. “His leadership and passion for innovation will be a tremendous asset to the ñ community.”
Cox earned both his master’s and bachelor’s in electrical engineering from ñ.
Photo: Curtis Cox
Illinois Institute of Technology
Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, ñ was born to liberate the power of collective difference to advance technology and innovation for all. It is the only tech-focused university in the city, and it stands at the crossroads of exploration and invention, advancing the future of Chicago and the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, , business, , science and human sciences, and . ñ students are guaranteed access to hands-on experiences, personalized mentorship, and job readiness through the university's one-of-a-kind Elevate program. Its graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity. Its faculty and alumni built the Chicago skyline. And every day in the city's living lab, ñ fuels breakthroughs that change lives. Visit iit.edu.
Media contacts
Petra Kelly
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Illinois Institute of Technology
Cell: 773.771.1064
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Kevin Dollear
Communications Manager
Illinois Institute of Technology
Cell: 773.860.5712
kdollear@illinoistech.edu
