Julian Chela-Flores (born 13 June 1942) is a Venezuelan astrobiologist and physicist.

His father, Raimundo Chela a mathematician of Lebanese family, encouraged his studies in science, while his mother raised his interest in the humanities.

He lived in England where he studied in the University of London, obtaining a PhD in Quantum Mechanics in 1969.

His first contact with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste (ICTP, now bearing the name of its Founding Director the Nobel Laureate, Abdus Salam) took place during the inauguration of its Miramare Campus and at the Contemporary Physics Trieste Symposium (June, 1968).

These two events were stepping stones for perennial collaboration with the progress of research and development, especially in the emerging nations: IAEA Fellow 1971, and on several occasions Associate Member (1972-1981) and Visiting Scientist (1982-1990).