After receiving his BS in Chemistry from Tarleton State University in 1972 and his PhD in Physical Chemistry from Baylor University in 1975, he worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Radian Corp., Weston, Inc., United Catalysts Inc, and Technical Minerals Inc before co-founding Nanocor Inc in 1992. He moved to academia in 1999 at Missouri Baptist College before accepting his current post at Texas State University in 2001.
In 2000, Dr. Beall contributed to and co-edited the first book on polymer/nanoclay composites, which is now in its third printing. Dr. Beall is on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Clay Science, Nanoexpress, and Nanotech Briefs.
He has published more than 90 papers and holds 42 U.S. patents, of which 24 deal with nanotechnology. He is a member of the American Chemical Society.