- Mineralogy
- Physical Geology
- Physical Geology Lab
- Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
- Inner Solar System Geology
- Solar System Geology Lab
Since receiving his Ph.D. in Geology, Dr. Andrew Beck has worked for the Smithsonian Institution, was a team member for NASA’s Dawn mission, was part of the Antarctic Search for Meteorites Program, and in his off-time served as an Adjunct Professor of Geology at Johns Hopkins University, Howard Community College, Albion College, and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
Beck was most recently a Senior Staff Scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he conducted planetary science research and was a team member on several NASA missions and mission proposals. He remains actively involved with planetary research and exploration, currently serving as a team member for the JAXA/NASA Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) mission, set to launch in 2024. Beck also founded his own geology consulting firm and serves as a consultant for several Fortune 500 Companies, advising them on mineralogy/petrology-related litigation.
Beck has 30 peer-reviewed publications and more than 50 conference abstracts. His work has received 1,582 citations, averages 98.2 citations per year, and he has an h-index of 16. Beck’s research efforts have been awarded the prestigious Geological Society of America Pellas-Ryder Award, the Meteoritical Society Nininger Meteorite Award, and the Albion College Young Alumni Award. His most recent peer-reviewed publication appears below — for a full list please visit his Google Scholar page.
- Beck A., Peplowski P., and Yokely Z. (2020). A Miniaturized XRF Instrument for in situ Planetary Exploration: The Active X-Ray Spectrometer (AXRS). Planetary and Space Science, Vol. 190, 104990. Doi:10.1016/j.pss.2020.104990
Dr. Beck developed a Planetary Science major at Marietta College, which aims to equip students with the geology and physics coursework needed for a successful career in planetary science. He teaches introductory planetary science and geology courses, as well as advanced courses in mineralogy, petrology, and field geology. Though he loves all his courses equally, if he had to pick his favorite, it would be the 5-week geology field mapping course he co-teaches with Albion College every other summer in Yellowstone National Park.