Charles R. Boardman graduated with a B.A. in Physics from Grinnell College. He undertook graduate studies in biblical literature from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and mechanical engineering from Colorado State University. He did research in natural convection heat transfer as part of his solar energy studies. Following those two master’s degrees he studied philosophy and applied ethics at both Colorado State and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1996 he joined Epic, providing technical support for healthcare IT and leading a support team as Epic grew its medical records business. In 2008 he returned to research at the Forest Products Laboratory to advance building science, publishing papers in both building and fire sciences.