Stephen Hugh Salter, (born 7 December 1938) is Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design at the University of Edinburgh and inventor of the eponymous Salter duck wave energy device.
Salter is also a proponent of geoengineering and is responsible for creating the concept of the mechanical enhancement of clouds to achieve cloud reflectivity enhancement.The wide tank at the University of Edinburgh—a novel design and invention by Salter, built in 1977—was the world's first multi-directional wave tank equipped with absorbing wavemakers.
Feedback control systems on the wavemaking flaps were used for the absorption of reflected waves, propagating along the water surface of the tank interior towards the 89 flaps.Salter is a Specialist Advisor at wave energy company Aquamarine Power advising on the development of the Oyster wave energy converter.Salter was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2004 Birthday Honours for services to engineering.
In 2012 he received the Royal Academy of Engineering Sustained Achievement Award.Salter "has been one of the leading voices" of the marine cloud brightening movement.