The building was made possible by a $40 million giftat the time, the largest ever presented to a public universityfrom UIUC alumnus Arnold O. Beckman, founder of Beckman Instruments, Inc., and his wife, Mabel M. Beckman. This gift was supplemented by $10 million from the state of Illinois, which also provides the ongoing operating support for the facility. The research programs in the building are supported mainly by external funding from the federal government and from corporations and foundations.

Research performed at the Beckman Institute focuses on three broadly defined main research themes: 

Biological Intelligence, 

Human-Computer Intelligent Interaction, and 

Molecular and Electronic Nanostructures. 

The general goal of the Biological Intelligence main research theme is to develop understanding of intelligent systems by studying the diverse ways in which neurally-based systems become capable of intelligent behavior and to use this knowledge, for example, to implement such processes in the design of intelligent devices. Within this research theme, programs extend from biochemical, molecular, and cellular level studies of how neurons work, through integrative and computational neuroscience, to cognitive science, which seeks to understand how humans process sensory information and represent knowledge. 

The general goal of the Human-Computer Intelligent Interaction main research theme is to improve the ways a human operator interacts with a computer by studying not only the input-output techniques but also the human factors. Within this research theme, programs range from artificial intelligence, robotics, computer vision, cognitive science, human perception, and performance to virtual reality environment experiments carried out in collaboration with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. 

The general goal of the Molecular and Electronic Nanostructures main research theme is to develop a fundamental understanding of chemical and physical processes in molecular nanostructures, mesoscopic semiconductor-based systems, and macromolecular assemblies, with emphasis on future electronic or optoelectronic applications. Within this research theme, programs range from computational electronics, scanning tunneling microscopy, including lithography and fabrication of semiconductor nanostructures, and photonics, to efforts to synthesize and characterize new materials including self-organized syntheses of inorganic, organic, and biochemical systems.

Seventeen Beckman Institute research groups, composed of faculty and students from nearly three dozen UIUC departments as far-ranging as psychology, computer science, and biochemistry, are investigating these and other areas. The building, with its more than 200 offices, specialized, state-of-the-art laboratories and other facilities, and meeting areas for conferences, workshops, and casual interactions, provides an ideal environment for fostering collaborative research.