David Salvesen

David Salvesen is a retired Teaching Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He specialized in Land Use and Environmental Planning and served as Deputy Director for the Center for Sustainable Community Design for fourteen years. His work emphasized sustainable community design, climate resilience, and technical assistance for communities.

Dr. Salvesen held a PhD from UNC’s Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP). His research and teaching focused on sustainable cities, natural hazard resiliency, and renewable energy. He developed the Sustainable Triangle Field Site, taught courses on sustainable development, and created the Climate Stories NC film series documenting climate impacts across North Carolina.

Affiliations include the Institute for the Environment. His pedagogical contributions included a six-week summer study abroad program and capstone courses. Though retired in 2021, his legacy includes integrating practical planning education with community-driven sustainability initiatives.