Earle completed his Ph.D. at the University of Florida in 1985, and joined the faculty in the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering in 1987.

He was appointed Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Florida College of Engineering in 1992.

He is perhaps best known, though, for his dedication to increasing the retention and graduation rates of minority students in engineering disciplines.

STEPUP provides an intensive 6-week residential program for selected students and includes peer mentoring, academic preparation in calculus and chemistry, as well as industry networking opportunities.

In 2000 - 2001, he was responsible for the implementation of EFTP (Engineering Freshman Transition Program), which provided a nonresidential experience open to all engineering freshman, as well as the Engineering GatorTrax Math Excellence Program, which was designed to provide hands-on applications of classroom mathematics concepts to middle and high school students in the state of Florida.