She earned a B.A. in Chemistry from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in the field of RNA-protein interactions and RNA biochemistry. She completed postdoctoral research at MIT focused on the protein-protein interactions that regulate cellular responses to DNA damage. Her research on DNA damage tolerance and protein engineering has been recognized with a Cottrell Scholar Award, an NSF CAREER Award, and an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant. Prof. Beuning has been active in efforts to enhance the recruitment and retention of groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences. She is a leader in the Boston chapter of Graduate Women in Science, a Councilor for the American Chemical Society and is on the Scientific Advisory Committee of Research Corporation for Science Advancement.