James R. Kearl (born May 27, 1947) is the Abraham O. Smoot Professor of Economics at Brigham Young University (BYU). From 1986-1989 Kearl served as the dean of general education and honors at BYU. In 2007-2008 Kearl was the director of the BYU Jerusalem Center.[1]
Kearl was born in Logan, Utah.
Kearl earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed a post-doctoral program in Law at Harvard Law School. He received his bachelors degree from Utah State University.
Kearl was a teaching fellow while studying at Harvard Law School. He joined the faculty of BYU in 1975. From 1983-1984 he served as a special assistant to the United States Secretary of Defense. After his time as dean of general education and honors, Kearl served as Associate Academic Vice President of BYU from 1989-1991. From 1991-1994 Kearl served as a member of the United States Census Bureau Advisory Board on Population Statistics. Since 2005 Kearl has served as chair of the Food and Care Coalition's Board.
Kearl is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and has served as a stake president at BYU. Reportedly, he was partially responsible for Kent Walton, a star baseball player at BYU, being kicked out of school for "not going to church enough" while a stake president.[2]
Kearl has done many studies in cooperation with Clayne L. Pope and Larry T. Wimmer. They have been some of the leading writers of 19th Century Mormon economic life.
Kearl also contributed several articles to Ben E. Johnson's Stirring Up Thinking published in 1998.