Dr. Sara Tornabene

Sara completed her PhD in Geography with a concentration in Urban Planning in 2023. She holds a masters degree in Architectural-Engineering with a concentration in Urban Planning from Italy (her home country). Her master thesis titled “The Video as a Tool in Participatory Action-Research Processes in Planning. The Case of the Campaign ‘Improve Don’t Remove Foote Homes’” was developed in collaboration with the City and Regional Planning Department at the University of Memphis, within a long-term action-research project aimed at improving the quality of life of the last African-American public housing complex in Memphis (Tennessee). Before coming to UNC Charlotte, she was enrolled in a dual masters program in City and Regional Planning and Anthropology at the University of Memphis. Her research interest includes social justice, collaborative and participatory approaches to urban planning, community development, spatial inequalities, immigration, and immigrant businesses.