Dr. Curl has authored or co-authored three books dealing with the worldwide food and fiber industry and its various dimensions and written 95 research publications and scientific or technical articles primarily in the area of reproductive physiology in cattle and sheep. In his twenty-seven plus years at Texas Tech he has served in many different positions. He was a full time teacher of Animal Science, served as Assistant Associate and Interim Dean, and served as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. He has also chaired Search Committees at Texas Tech for the Dean of Engineering, Vice President for Development and Director of Athletics.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Curl served as the President of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, and during a leave of absence from Texas Tech, served as the Special Assistant to the President at Oklahoma State University. He has also been active in both professional and civic organizations. He is or has been a member of the following Board of Trustees, Consortium for International Development; Council of Administrative Heads of Agriculture; Texas Agricultural Resources Protection Authority; Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Council; Board of Directors,Agricultural Workers Mutual Auto Insurance Company; Board of Directors, Lubbock Chamber of Commerce; and Board of Directors and First Vice President, Rotary Club of Lubbock. He has also been the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Southwest Consortium on Plant Genetics and Past President of the Lubbock Economic Council. He is a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lubbock and completed service in the U. S. Army with the rank of Captain.

He is married to the former Mary Helen Behrends, Director of External Relations, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University. Their children are Jane Ellen Parker, Mattituck Long Island, New York; Julia Kathleen Curl, Dallas; Ryan Andrew Botkin, Austin; Shelly Lyn Botkin, St Louis, Missouri; and Karen Elizabeth Curl, Lubbock.