Holly Woodward Ballard

Holly Woodward Ballard
Dr. Ballard in MOR
Born	North Carolina, U.S.
Alma mater	North Carolina State University (B.Sc.) Texas Tech University (M.Sc.) Montana State University (Ph.D.)
Known for	Paleohistology of T. rex
Scientific career
Fields	Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleohistology
Institutions	Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences
Thesis	Comparative population histovariability within the Archosauria  (2012)
Website	scholars.okstate.edu/en/persons/holly-ballard

Holly Woodward Ballard is an American paleontologist and paleohistologist.

Biography

Ballard is a paleohistologist known for her research in the field of paleontology, particularly in the study of fossil bone tissue microstructures to understand the growth and development of extinct animals. ^{[1] [2]}

Research

Ballard's research assesses ontogenetic growth and intra-specific variation in extinct tetrapods primarily through large-sample long-bone paleohistology, with a focus on non-avian dinosaurs. She also examines the intra-skeletal ontogenetic histology of extant tetrapods to improve understanding of bone tissue microstructures for use as a foundation in paleohistological interpretations. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Publications

Ballard's notable publications include:

• Growing up Tyrannosaurus rex: Osteohistology refutes the pygmy "Nanotyrannus" and supports ontogenetic niche partitioning in juvenile Tyrannosaurus. ^[3]
• Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology. ^[6]
• The earliest Pleistocene record of a large-bodied hominin from the Levant supports two out-of-Africa dispersal events. ^[7]
• Archosauromorpha: Avemetatarsalia – Dinosaurs and Their Relatives. ^[8]

References

1. "Holly Ballard". OSU Center for Health Sciences Research Profiles.
2. "Holly Woodward Ballard, Ph.D." Explorology Foundation.
3. Woodward, Holly N.; Tremaine, Katie; Williams, Scott A.; Zanno, Lindsay E.; Horner, John R.; Myhrvold, Nathan (3 January 2020). "Growing up Tyrannosaurus rex: Osteohistology refutes the pygmy " Nanotyrannus " and supports ontogenetic niche partitioning in juvenile Tyrannosaurus". Science Advances. 6 (1) eaax6250. Bibcode:2020SciA....6.6250W. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax6250. PMC   6938697 . PMID   31911944.
4. "Holes In Baby Dinosaur Bones Show How Football-Sized Hatchlings Grew To 3-Tonne Teens". Discover Magazine.
5. Seymour, Roger S. (3 October 2023). "Holes in baby dinosaur bones show how football-sized hatchlings grew to 3-tonne teens". The Conversation.
6. "Ruling Reptiles". Indiana University Press.
7. Barash, Alon; Belmaker, Miriam; Bastir, Markus; Soudack, Michalle; O'Brien, Haley D.; Woodward, Holly; Prendergast, Amy; Barzilai, Omry; Been, Ella (2 February 2022). "The earliest Pleistocene record of a large-bodied hominin from the Levant supports two out-of-Africa dispersal events". Scientific Reports. 12 (1): 1721. Bibcode:2022NatSR..12.1721B. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05712-y. hdl: 10261/265141 . ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   8810791 . PMID   35110601.
8. Vertebrate skeletal histology and paleohistology (Firstiton ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. 2021. ISBN   978-0-8153-9288-0.