Ursula Bellugi
American psychologist (1931–2022)
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Bellugi was born in Jena, Germany. Her father was Maximilian Herzberger, a physicist and mathematician at the University of Jena. He was Jewish and lost his job during the Third Reich. Albert Einstein helped him to emigrate to Rochester, NY, where he became head of the Kodak company's optical research laboratories. She studied psychology and received a B.A. from Antioch College in 1952 and an Ed.D. from Harvard University in 1967.
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Career
In 1968 she moved to California, working at the Salk Institute. Beginning 1970 she was Director of its Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience. beginning 1977 she was an adjunct professor at the University of California, San Diego and after 1995 at San Diego State University. She was an associate with the Sloan Center for Theoretical Neurobiology at the Salk Institute.
Research
Broadly stated, she conducted research on the biological bases of language. More specifically, she studied the neurological bases of American Sign Language extensively, and her work led to the discovery that the left hemisphere of the human brain becomes specialized for language, whether spoken or signed, a striking demonstration of neuronal plasticity.
She also investigated the language abilities of individuals with Williams Syndrome, a puzzling genetically based disorder that leaves language, facial recognition and social skills remarkably well-preserved in contrast to severe inadequacy in other cognitive aptitudes. The search for the underlying biological basis for this disorder is providing new opportunities for understanding how brain structure and function relate to cognitive capabilities. Her work with both communities caused her to receive love and admiration for her work and efforts. Bellugi was even given a special sign in ASL by those she worked with, and was affectionately referred to as "Dr.B" by those within the Williams Syndrome Association.
Honors and distinctions
Bellugi was recognized with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association (1992). In 2007 she was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and in 2008 she was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She was also on the advisory council of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
Personal life
In 1954 Bellugi married the Italian conductor Piero Bellugi., whom she divorced while in Cambridge. She conducted much of her research in collaboration with her second husband Edward Klima, a linguist who also specialized in the study of American Sign Language at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). She had two sons, David and Rob.
She died on April 17, 2022, in La Jolla, California.