Salvatore is a Professor of Environmental Economics. His research focuses on the intersection between environmental and development economics using econometric models. He has analyzed the contribution of natural resources such as biodiversity on agricultural productivity, food security, and weather risk in arid environments. His work also focuses on the role of institutional structures (common property forests) on natural resource conservation, rural development and poverty reduction. More recent work includes the impact of social capital and traditional sharing norms on consumption, saving accumulation, investment decisions and adaptation to climate change.