Dr. Julian M. Earls

Dr. Julian M. Earls was Director of the NASA's Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio from 2003 to 2005. He was appointed to this position on October 1, 2003. Before he was Glenn’s Director, he served as Glenn's Deputy Director. As Director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Earls is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the activities needed to accomplish the missions assigned to Glenn’s Research Center. Glenn Research Center is involved in research, technology and systems development programs in aeronautical propulsion, space propulsion, space power, space communications, and microgravity sciences in combustion and fluid physics.

Dr. Earls discovered that learning was important from his first grade teacher, Miss Richardson. In fifth grade his teacher, Miss McKnight, helped him find his great interest in mathematics and encouraged him to learn more than required. He participated in math and science fairs from elementary school until high school. These science and math fairs were important because they helped him apply the knowledge he learned in the classroom. The teacher that impacted Dr. Earls the most was Dr. Ray Woods, a physics professor at Norfolk State University. Dr. Woods is like a second father to Dr. Earls, and he never makes an important decision without talking to Dr. Woods first.

It was at Norfolk State University that Dr. Earls earned his bachelor's degree in physics. He then went on to the University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, where he earned his master's degree in radiation biology. Then to the University of Michigan where he earned his doctorate degree in radiation physics. Dr. Earls then received many awards, including the Honorary Doctor of Science Degree by the College of Aeronautics in New York, the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Carolina A&T State University, and the Honorary Doctor of Pedagogy Degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Dr. Earls is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development.

"Since beginning his career with NASA in 1965 at the Lewis Research Center, renamed to the Glenn Research Center in 1999, Dr. Earls has written 28 publications for technical and educational journals." He wrote the first health physics guides used at NASA. "On two occasions, he has been awarded NASA medals for exceptional achievement and outstanding leadership. He has also been a Distinguished Honors Visiting Professor at numerous universities throughout the Nation." He also has received the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive.

Dr. Earls is also an avid runner who, in the past five years has run over 10,000 miles. He has completed 25 marathons, including the Boston Marathon. Dr. Earls was selected to be a Torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. On January 1, 2002 Dr. Earls carried the Olympic Flame for a segment of the Olympic Torch Run through Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Earls and his wife, Zenobia, now live in Beachwood, Ohio. They have two sons, Gregory and Julian, Jr., and one granddaughter, Madisyn Chandler.