Early research interests at Purdue University focused on synthetic and analytical (HPLC, GC/MS, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR) aspects of durable press (DP) finishes. Those techniques were used to characterize the composition and behavior of these crosslinking agents for cellulose. A method for stripping DP agents from finished fabrics was developed and used to study the effects of DP catalysts on cellulose mol. weight.

At NCSU, research has emphasized dyebath monitoring, textile applications of near-infrared spectroscopy, and the use of liquid and supercritical CO₂ for textile cleaning, dyeing, and analysis. Two different real-time dyebath monitoring systems have been developed. A direct dyebath monitoring system determines bath pH, conductivity, temperature, and individual dye concentrations every 13 seconds in a laboratory dyeing machine. This research system has been used to study exhaustion of reactive, direct, basic and acid dyes. To monitor exhaustion of water-soluble dyes, disperse dyes and indigo, a flow injection analysis (FIA) system has been developed and used on several different laboratory dyeing machines. FIA has also been coupled with HPLC to allow real-time determination of both reactive dye exhaustion and hydrolysis. A portable version of this system has been assembled and used to monitor dyeings on a pilot-scale jet dyeing machine.

A large library of near-infrared spectra of fibers has been generated and used to identify fibers in less than one minute.

A supercritical fluid extraction method for determining the solvent-soluble materials on cotton fibers, yarns and fabrics was developed. This method gave results very similar to the standard Soxhlet extraction with 1,1,1-trichloroethane.

Current work is focused on improving the analysis of dyes by HPLC and Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for forensic purposes.

After teaching organic, advanced organic, and qualitative organic analysis at Elmhurst College for seven years, Dr. Beck accepted a position to teach and do research in textile chemistry at Purdue University. He and his family moved to North Carolina State University nine years later to continue teaching and research activities in textile chemistry. Dr. Beck has been married to Beverly, a substitute physical education teacher and volleyball referee, for 38 years. Together they enjoy their children, Brady (a wildlife biologist) and his wife Karen (a veterinarian), Kelli (a biochemist), and Kerri (a graduate in textile engineering at NCSU), and her husband Scott (an F-15 pilot in the Air Force), and their four grandsons Hayden and Weston (from Kelli) and Carter and Grant (from Kerri and Scott). For relaxation, Dr. Beck enjoys woodworking, growing roses, music, photography and reading.