David Steinwender is a scientivist in the field of environmental systems sciences. He works and researches on participatory transformation processes.

He is co-founder of the Forum Urbanes Gärtnern and is committed to a democratic food system. He is also active in the Transition movement and initiated Transition Graz, for which he is active today. In the university context, he was involved in the Department for Human Rights, Social Policy and Ecology at the Union of Students at the university of Graz, and was part of forum n as well as with of Ökovernetzungsförderverein to support sustainability-minded young adults as well as students in developing and implementing student sustainability initiatives.

He got involved with the DorfUni, with the aim of making education available to everyone everywhere. In addition to his civic engagement, he is currently researching food justice at the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Technology, Work and Culture, working on climate-neutral universities at Graz University of Technology and teaching at the University of Graz. In his private life, he is trying to inspire the residents of Hart near Graz for a regenerative development.