BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Hannah Ballard received her B.S. in Neuroscience from Baylor University in 2017 and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Texas A&M University in 2022.

Dr. Ballard’s research program aims to identify the neurobiological underpinnings of sex differences in late-life outcomes, with a focus on cognitive aging. The ultimate objective of her work is to provide new insights that can be leveraged to combat declines in cognitive function with age, as well as improve the early detection and treatment of age-related disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease. She applies methods including neuroimaging, non-invasive brain stimulation, behavioral testing, and salivary assays to explore her research interests. For more information on her work, please visit https://hannahkballard.com.

During her graduate career, Dr. Ballard examined neural contributions to functional age-related declines and sex-specific aging trajectories through Dr. Jessica Bernard’s Lifespan Cognitive & Motor Neuroimaging Lab. Her dissertation research investigated the impact of hormone-sleep interactions on brain network connectivity and cognitive/motor behavior in aging females.

As a Rice Academy Fellow, Dr. Ballard will have the opportunity to extend her work on normative aging into age-related disease, gaining pivotal experience for a long-term career in aging research. In Dr. Stephanie Leal’s Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, & Aging Lab, she will probe the intersection between the mid-life transition to menopause and female risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease with respect to brain network dynamics and memory performance.

In her free time, Dr. Ballard enjoys doing yoga, playing piano, and exploring the Houston food scene.