Ursula Bellugi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ursula Bellugi
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| Born | February 21, 1931 |
| Died | April 17, 2022 (aged 91) La Jolla, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University Antioch College |
| Known for | Research on the neurological bases of American Sign Language and language representation in people with Williams Syndrome |
| Spouse(s) | Piero Bellugi Edward Klima |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | National Academy of Sciences (2007) Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science(2007) Prize in Neuronal Plasticity from IPSEN Foundation Two MERIT awards from NICHD Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, American Psychological Association Jacob Javitz Neuroscience Investigator Award from NIDCD Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, American Psychological Association Woman of the Decade Award Member, Advisory Council to NIDCD |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Cognitive neuroscience Psycholinguistics |
| Institutions | Salk Institute University of California, San Diego San Diego State University |
Ursula Bellugi (February 21, 1931 – April 17, 2022) was an American cognitive neuroscientist. She was a Distinguished Professor Emerita and director of the Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California.
Education and career
Bellugi was born in Jena, Germany. She received a B.A. from Antioch College in 1952 and an Ed.D. from Harvard University in 1967. She then held positions as a tenure-track professor at the Salk Institute (beginning 1970) and as an adjunct professor at the University of California, San Diego (beginning 1977) and San Diego State University (beginning 1995). 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.
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
Bellugi was the daughter of mathematician and optical engineer Maximilian Herzberger. In 1954 she married the Italian conductor Piero Bellugi. Much of her research was conducted in collaboration with her second husband Edward Klima, a linguist who also specialized in the study of American Sign Language.
She died on April 17, 2022, in La Jolla, California.
