Professor Éva Bodzsár studied Biology and Chemistry between 1965 and 1970, followed by Clinical Psychology between 1975 and 1978 at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. She worked at the Department of Biological Anthropology, Eötvös Loránd University, throughout her academic life from 1972 until her retirement as full-time Professor in 2017 and was the Head of the Department between 2005 and 2013.
She obtained her doctoral degree for a dissertation on pubertal development in Hungarian girls (1973), her CSc degree for a dissertation on the relationship between somato-constitution and socioeconomic factors in children (1984) and her DSc degree for a dissertation on the variability of changes and complexity of puberty (2001) in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Her habilitation at Eötvös Loránd University in 2000 dealt with the complexity of puberty.
Prof. Bodzsár’s scientific activities and wide-ranging interests focussed mainly on Auxology. Her research career started with studies of sexual maturation in Hungarian adolescents. These studies were pioneering studies in Hungary and Europe and were widely read internationally. Her most important research dealt with each aspect of internal and external factors of human growth and development. She carried out national and regional growth studies in Hungary to explore the growth and maturity pattern of Hungarian children and adolescents to provide data and references for experts in the field of auxology and medical anthropology. Prof. Bodzsár supported international links and cooperation with colleagues in Europe and all over the world so as to provide wider insights into human growth and maturity processes. One of her most important contributions to Auxology was the 2nd Hungarian Growth Study (2003–2006), which provided invaluable information on body structural variables and their variability in relation to socioeconomic, lifestyle and health factors.
The success of her research activities was recognised by her numerous positions on editorial boards of scientific journals and books (e.g. Anthropologiai Közlemények, International Journal of Anthropology, Biennial Books of European Anthropological Association) and Presidency of international scientific associations (e.g. European Anthropological Association, International Association for Human Auxology, International Association of Human Biologists). One of her remarkable social activities was her service provided to the European Anthropological Association (EAA): she was the Vice-President as well as the Editor of EAA publications for several cycles, and she was the organiser of the 15th EAA Congress held in Budapest. The EAA honoured her services with the Honorary Membership of the Association in 2012. Further national and international awards (mentioning only the most important ones: 1986: Verzár Frigyes Award – Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1997: Széchenyi Professor grant – Republic of Hungary, 2001: Széchenyi Istvan Grant – Republic of Hungary, 2003: Memorial Medal of Aleš Hrdlička – Czech Anthropological Society, 2009: Memorial Medal of Gelei József – Anthropological Section, Hungarian Biological Society, 2012: ELTE Pro Universitate Award – Eötvös Loránd University, 2014: Apáczai Csere János Award – Ministry of Education, Hungary) were honoured to Prof. Bodzsár which reflected her important role and function in the scientific life of biological anthropology.
Her teaching activities helped and supported generations of biologists and biology teachers in Hungary in acquiring essential knowledge in Human Biology and related fields of Psychology, Sociology and Health Sciences. Her BSc, MSc, MA and PhD students remember her comprehensive knowledge, devoted teaching and warm support.
Source: A Zsakai, N Mascie-Taylor (2019) Obituary – Professor Eva B. Bodzsar (1947–2019). Ann Hum Biol 46(5), 434-435. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03014460.2019.1674510
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Photo: Júlia Török, ELTE -
Photo: Júlia Török, ELTE -
Photo: Júlia Török, ELTE