Born in Cornimont, Vosges in Lorraine, Curien enlisted in the French resistance during World War II.
Curien became the director general of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in 1969, and was one of the founders of the European Science Foundation and chairman from 1979 to 1984.
[3] As a tribute to Curien, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to rename its bilateral scientific exchange programmes, previously referred to as "Integrated Action Programmes" or "PAI" to "Hubert Curien Partnerships" or "PHC".
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has such "Hubert Curien Partnerships" with more than 60 countries of the world.
The 2004 Forum Engelberg also paid tribute to their President Curien for the occasion of his upcoming 80th birthday.