Dr. Julian M. Earls (B.S. ’64)
Dr. Julian M. Earls broke barriers in the space industry, providing opportunities for aspiring science students to reach their dreams and serving as a role model for what was possible for minority scientists. He is the retired Director of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and former Executive in Residence at Cleveland State University. He holds 12 university degrees—four earned and eight honorary doctorates. Dr. Earls earned his Bachelor’s in Physics from Norfolk State University, a Master’s in Radiation Biology from the University of Rochester, and Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Radiation Physics from the University of Michigan. He also completed Harvard Business School’s Program for Management Development.
During his 40-year NASA career, Dr. Earls broke new ground as the first African American man to serve as section head, office chief, division chief, and deputy director. He authored NASA’s first health-physics guides and received medals for Outstanding Leadership, Exceptional Achievement, and Distinguished Service, as well as Presidential Rank Awards from Presidents Clinton and Bush. In 2016, he was inducted into the NASA Glenn Hall of Fame.
Dr. Earls established three STEM scholarships for African American undergraduates and was an inaugural inductee into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. He also serves on boards, including the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and has mentored countless students who now hold leadership roles in academia, medicine, and industry.
At Norfolk State University, Dr. Earls commanded the Army ROTC unit and award-winning drill team, served as president of Alpha Kappa Mu and Beta Kappa Chi honor societies, and was a charter member and first polemarch of the Epsilon Zeta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. In 2017, he received the fraternity’s prestigious Laurel Wreath Award.