Selma Smith Kvalvaag

Global Challenge: Sustainability and Urban

As I work toward becoming a global leader in this field, I believe co-production in engineering and planning is key: empowering voices across socioeconomic backgrounds, actively listening, and finding shared solutions to create cities that are both inclusive and resilient.

Bio:

I am a senior at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, majoring in Sustainable Urban Environments with minors in Integrated Design and Media and Urban Policy and Management. My academic work sits at the intersection of urban planning, policy, and design innovation — an approach that reflects my deep fascination with how cities function, evolve, and can be reimagined for a more sustainable future.

Having grown up between Oslo, Norway, and Cape Town, South Africa, and completing my last years of high school at Lester B. Pearson United World College on Vancouver Island, I have always been drawn to diverse cultures and perspectives. These experiences instilled in me a global outlook and a commitment to designing environments that respond to the needs of different communities.

My passion for the built environment has led me to immersive experiences beyond the classroom. I’ve studied abroad in Milan, where I explored regenerative urban design at Politecnico di Milano, and will continue my international studies in Paris in the fall of my senior year. My curiosity for how cities can better serve their inhabitants shaped my capstone project on urban street canyons, where I investigated how green infrastructure can mitigate air pollution and improve microclimates in dense urban areas.

Professionally, I’ve gained hands-on experience through internships with Møller Eiendom and OBOS Living Lab in Oslo, two of Norway’s leading urban development organizations. At Møller Eiendom, I worked on temporary park installations for the Regjeringsparken and attended development meetings with architects, policymakers, and private developers. At OBOS, I researched compact housing solutions, conducted interviews, and drew insights from international case studies — experiences that strengthened my understanding of how design and policy intersect to shape livable, sustainable communities.

Outside of academics, I am a passionate skier and dancer, and I find creative expression through sewing and drawing. I also work at Norrøna’s flagship store in SoHo, where I connect with my Norwegian roots while sharing expertise in mountaineering and skiing gear. Whether exploring a new neighborhood or sketching ideas for future cities, I’m constantly seeking ways to merge creativity, sustainability, and design to make meaningful contributions to the spaces we share.