Elizabeth Shay

Dr. Elizabeth Shay is an Associate Professor and Planning Program Director in the Department of Geography and Planning at Appalachian State University. She also serves as Associate Director for the NCDOT Center of Excellence in Transportation Safety and Policy (TSAP), a multi-university consortium led by the Highway Safety Research Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Her current project focuses on CAV-ready infrastructure impacts on vulnerable road users in North Carolina.

Her research explores transportation equity, land use policy, automated vehicles, and resilient rural communities. Notable projects include studies on flood mitigation in Western NC and pandemic-era physical distancing strategies on greenways.

Teaching includes courses on transportation planning, sustainable development, and planning techniques. She leads the Sustainable Community Development graduate course and advises projects at the intersection of social work and urban planning.

Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to planning education, active travel promotion, and disaster resilience strategies. Current affiliations include the NCDOT TSAP Center and the Geography and Planning Department at Appalachian State.