His research focus is applications of inorganic chemistry to medicinal chemistry, materials science and environmental chemistry. Specifically, he studies the potential of transition metal compounds to be used as proto-pharmaceutical agents in anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-diabetic chemotherapy; heavy metal and microplastic co-pollution; and the interface of natural product chemistry with materials science.

His primary teaching interests are Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Integrated Science-Chemistry. In his teaching, he explores the use of CUREs (course-based undergraduate research experiences) as vehicles to broaden access to research opportunities and thereby strengthen the undergraduate leaning experience.

Beckford holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Texas A&M University. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was the Van Daniel Endowed Chair in Chemistry at the University of Virginia’s College, Wise, and previously held faculty positions at Lyon College, Arkansas, and the University of Toledo, Ohio. He was a Fulbright-University of Turku (Finland) Scholar in 2018.