Scott Firsing

Scott Firsing, PhD, is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Global Dialogue, associated with the University of South Africa (UNISA), where his work focuses on global space diplomacy, international cooperation, and the evolving geopolitics of space.

Dr Firsing has worked in, written about, and lectured on the global space and aerospace sectors since 2011. He is currently Director of Business Development at CesiumAstro, a U.S. defense and space technology company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Previously, he founded and led Scott Sky Advisors, a global aerospace consultancy that helped international aviation, space, and technology companies enter and expand in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

He holds a doctorate in International Politics from UNISA, where his research focused on U.S.-South Africa relations, and is a graduate of Rutgers University and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His academic career has included teaching at The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina, the University of North Carolina system, Coastal Carolina University, and Monash University, where he served as a senior lecturer and Head of International Studies.

Dr Firsing spent a decade living in South Africa and has worked extensively across Africa and internationally. He completed fellowships at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and LSE and has worked with organizations across the defense, intelligence, aviation, and space sectors, as well as the United Nations.

A prolific writer and media commentator, Dr Firsing has authored more than 100 publications and regularly writes and speaks on space diplomacy, the global space economy, U.S. space leadership, Africa's growing role in space, and the intersection of commercial space and international affairs. His work brings him into regular engagement with space agency leaders, government officials, industry executives, and policymakers around the world, including participation in events involving the U.S. Department of State's Office of Space Affairs.

He currently serves on the boards of the World Affairs Council of Austin and the National Flight Training Alliance in Washington, D.C. He previously served on the board of the University Aviation Association, where he chaired its flight education committee.