She earned a B.S. in Biological Engineering from North Carolina State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Dr. Ballard's primary focus is bridging the gap between the Colleges of Engineering and Education by providing leadership in engineering education initiatives across both colleges. She teaches undergraduate courses in the First Year Engineering Program and in the Department of STEM Education. Dr. Ballard's research interests include self-efficacy, motivation and persistence of underrepresented populations in STEM and engineering design in K-12.