Julian Earls

Earls was born on November 22, 1942, in Portsmouth, Virginia to Ida and James Deberry Earls.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/julian-manly-earls-40|title=Julian Manly Earls|last=|first=|date=|website=The History Makers|access-date=2020-02-19}}{{Cite book|last=Administration|first=United States National Aeronautics and Space|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tuFvVYWg5ocC&q=health+physics+julian+earls&pg=RA1-PA15|title=NASA Activities|date=1987|publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration|language=en}} His mother was a seamstress and his father worked on the railroads.{{Cite web|url=http://www.idvl.org/sciencemakers/Bio6.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110215114/http://www.idvl.org/sciencemakers/bio6.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=November 10, 2014|title=Biography Page for Julian Earls|website=www.idvl.org|access-date=2020-02-19}} His parents and first grade teacher encouraged him to work hard at school.{{Cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/life//2010/02/18/Let-s-Talk-About-Dr-Julian-M-Earls/stories/201002180256|title=Let's Talk About: Dr. Julian M. Earls|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19}}{{Cite web|url=http://myhero.com/Earls_enloe_HS_06_ul|title=Dr. Julian M. Earls|website=The MY HERO Project|access-date=2020-02-19}} He attended Crestwood High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. He took part in mathematics and science fairs whilst at high school, and was the first in his family to attend college. Earls studied physics at Norfolk State University, since the institution did not have an engineering study program available.{{Cite web |title=Julian M. Earls - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/people/julian-m-earls/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |language=en-US}} He earned a bachelor's degree in 1964.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cCYXNahOxZ8C&q=julian+Earls+norfolk+state+university&pg=PA34|title=US Black Engineer & IT|date=2003|publisher=Career Communications Group|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en}} He was initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi in 1963.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watchtheyard.com/kappas/julian-earls/|title=Former NASA Director Dr. Julian Earls Awarded Kappa Alpha Psi's Laurel Wreath|date=2017-07-22|website=Watch The Yard|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-19}} He was encouraged to attend graduate school and applied to the University of Rochester School of Medicine, and completed a master's degree in 1965. In the same year Earls began his career at NASA.{{Cite web |title=Julian M. Earls - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/people/julian-m-earls/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |language=en-US}}

File:Julian Manly Earls.jpg

After graduating he spent a summer at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/history/earls_feature.html|title=NASA - Dr. Earls Empowered People to Do Their Best|last=Zudell|first=Doreen|website=www.nasa.gov|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19}} He was appointed as a medical physicist at the Lewis Research Center, who supported Earls in earning a doctoral degree in radiation physics at the University of Michigan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20030808/REG/308080705/new-chief-set-at-nasa-glenn|title=New chief set at NASA Glenn|date=2003-08-08|website=Crain's Cleveland Business|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19}} He was made Head of the section on Health Physics and Licensing, and served as the Radiological Safety Officer.{{Cite web|url=https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/glenn-history/hall-of-fame/biographies/julian-earls/|title=Glenn Research Centre Hall of Fame|last=|first=|date=|website=Glenn Research Center|access-date=2020-02-19}} In 1983, Earls founded the Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology, an endowment that provides financial support to black students at historically black colleges and universities.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dfbsstscholarship.org/dfb_sch.html|title=Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology - Scholarships|website=www.dfbsstscholarship.org|access-date=2020-02-19}}

After earning his doctorate Earls returned to NASA, where he worked in Health Physics whilst simultaneously working toward a business degree at Harvard University. He was made Chief of the Health, Safety, and Security Division in 1983 and promoted to Director of the Office of Health and Services in 1988. He was made the Director of the Glenn Research Center in 2003, where he was responsible for technology, research and development, and systems development.{{Cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=12292|title=Julian Earls Selected to Lead NASA Glenn Research Center|website=www.spaceref.com|date=8 August 2003 |access-date=2020-02-19}} This role involved Earls managing a budget of over a billion dollars and a work force of 4,500. He was part of the launch team for Apollo 13 lunar program.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1aQOr5uX7RoC&q=health+physics+julian+earls&pg=PP8|title=African American Contributions to Science and Engineering|date=1992|publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lewis Research Center|language=en}}

During his career at NASA Earls held many 'firsts', which included being the first African-American man to be appointed section head, office chief, division chief and deputy director. Earls wrote the two first NASA health physics and environmental resource guides. He also taught mathematics, physics and radiation biology at Capital University.

In 2005, after a career spanning forty years, Earls retired from NASA.{{Cite book|last=Congress|first=United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIrCVJHjEE8C&q=Vaughn+College+of+Aeronautics+julian+earls&pg=PA4419|title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress|date=2009|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}} After his retirement Earls joined Cleveland State University as Executive in Residence.{{Cite web|url=http://www.umes.edu/PR/News-Articles/NASA-physicist-is-UMES-guest-speaker/|title=NASA physicist is UMES guest speaker|last=Shore|first=University of Maryland Eastern|website=University of Maryland Eastern Shore|access-date=2020-02-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://business.csuohio.edu/about/julian-earls-executive-in-residence|title=Julian Earls - Executive in Residence {{!}} Cleveland State University|website=business.csuohio.edu|access-date=2020-02-19}} The Alabama A&M University appointed Earls to the Board of Trustees in 2005.{{Cite web|url=http://www.spaceracef.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=17825|title=A&M Board Selects Julian Earls as 10th President|last=|first=|date=2005-09-16|website=Space Ref|access-date=2020-02-19}} He also serves on the Board of Directors of ANSER.

His awards and honours include:

• 1988 National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Inductee{{Cite web|url=https://nbcahof.org/inductees/|title=Inductees|website=National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc.|access-date=2020-02-19}}
• 1999 Inducted into the Senior Executive Service by Bill Clinton{{Cite web|url=http://www.howard.edu/secretary/convocations/commencement/2007/recipients.htm|title=Commencement 2007 Honorary Degree Recipients - Howard University|website=www.howard.edu|access-date=2020-02-19}}
• 2004 1999 Inducted into the Senior Executive Service by George W. Bush
• 2005 NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/news/newsreleases/2005/STS-05-106-caption.html|title=NASA - Dutreix Awarded NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal|website=www.nasa.gov|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19}}
• 2007 Howard University Honorary Degree
• 2015 Cleveland State University Honorary Doctorate{{Cite web|url=https://clevelandstate.tumblr.com/post/87621590282/dr-julian-earls-discusses-csus-50th-anniversary|title=Cleveland State University • Dr. Julian Earls discusses CSU's 50th anniversary...|website=Cleveland State University|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19}}
• 2017 Kappa Alpha Psi Laurel Wreath

Earls holds several honorary degrees, including a doctorate of science from the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, a degree in pedagogy from Nova Southeastern University and an honorary degree in humane letters from North Carolina A&T State University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/earlsbio_new.html|title=NASA - Biography of Julian Earls|last=Wittry|first=Jan|website=www.nasa.gov|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19}} The Dr. Julian M. Earls College Scholarship is awarded annually by the National Technical Association.{{Cite web|url=https://business.csuohio.edu/pointsofpride/dr-julian-earls|title=Dr. Julian Earls {{!}} Cleveland State University|website=business.csuohio.edu|access-date=2020-02-19}}

Earls is married to Zenobia, a Cleveland public school teacher, with whom he has two sons. Julian Earls Jr., who is a neurologist, and Gregory Earls, a filmmaker who lives in Inglewood, California. Dr. Earls has two granddaughters. Earls is an athlete who has completed 27 marathons. In 2002, he was a torch bearer for the Salt Lake City Olympic Games.

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Category:1942 births

Category:Living people

Category:Norfolk State University alumni

Category:NASA people

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Category:African-American engineers

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Category:People from Portsmouth, Virginia

Category:21st-century African-American scientists

Category:20th-century African-American people

Category:University of Rochester alumni