Dr Cox has been awarded the McKay Hammer by the Geological Society of New Zealand to mark the best contribution to geoscience by a New Zealand-based geologist published over the previous three years.
The hammer was once owned by early New Zealand geologist Alexander McKay.
For five years, from 1999 to 2004, Dr Cox and about 10 field assistants undertook extensive field work in "remote mountain ranges and valleys" many of them not previously been visited by a geologist, several scientists said in nominating him for the award.
The resulting map study of the Mount Cook region covered 24,000sq km of the Central South Island, between Arthurs Pass in the north and Lake Ohau in the south, and included both coasts.
Dr Cox said the award was "an absolute honour" which was also a credit to his co-authors, including David Barrell, a fellow geologist at the GNS Science office in Dunedin, as well as other workmates at the office, field assistants and many other people.
A University of Otago geology graduate, Dr Cox spent 217 days in the field during the mapping project.
The resulting comprehensive geological map was published in 2007, and was accompanied by a 71-page companion book, summarising the region's geology and tectonic development.
"It's fantastic to be able to work in the Southern Alps.
"It's an absolute privilege to go to these places and see them," he said.
He also greatly enjoyed the scenic beauties of such remote areas.
There were few roads in this highly rugged part of New Zealand, and he had made extensive use of four-wheel-drive vehicles and helicopters to gain access.
He also wore out four pairs of boots in the extensive tramping and mountaineering which the research entailed.
His research had generated more detailed information about the location of fault lines, many of them about 30km long, in the area, and had helped to piece together an overall jigsaw pattern of fault systems in the Southern Alps.
The findings were also being used for seismic hazard assessment.
He has also studied the effects of major earthquakes on rock falls in the alps, noting the huge amount of energy released and the extensive "localised destruction".
"It's just amazing. It makes you feel very insignificant."
