The papers are arranged in five series: education files, correspondence, teaching files, research and consulting files, and publications. Biographical files include vitae, bibliographies, certificates, clippings, etc. The education files contain lecture and reading notes documenting a portion of Beam's doctoral coursework, correspondence and related materials, and two drafts of his doctoral thesis, "The Theory and Application of Tensor Analysis." The correspondence relates to his consulting and research work, professional societies, and sundry engineering matters, and his work with the Northwestern University Technological Institute. The teaching files include lecture notes, syllabi, examinations, and grade books. Publication files contain drafts, notes, speeches, and reprints. There is no material present from the textbook, "Theory and Application of Microwaves," which he co-authored with A. D. Bronwell.