Peter Martinez is the Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation. He has extensive experience in space diplomacy, policy formulation, and the regulation of space activities. He also has experience in capacity building in space science, technology, and workforce development for scientific and technical fields. Before joining SWF, Dr. Martinez was Professor of Space Studies at the University of Cape Town. For 15 years before that, he served at the South African National Research Foundation. Dr. Martinez was also the Chairman of the South African Council for Space Affairs.
From February 2011 to June 2018, he served as the Chairman of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee’s Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. From 2012-2013, he was South Africa’s representative to the UN Group of Government Experts on transparency and confidence-building measures for space activities. He is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Institute of Space Law, and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He has authored or co-authored over 200 publications on astronomy, space research, space law, and space policy.
