the second of four children, bullock was born may 16, 1915 in nanking, china. his parents, amasa and ruth bullock (née beckwith), were presbyterian missionaries and had arrived in china in 1909. in 1928, when bullock was thirteen, the family returned to the united states, and settled in southern california. bullock’s life as a neuroscientist began with histological studies of brain degeneration that he performed while still in high school. during this time he also studied marine biology and other courses at the pomona college marine biological laboratory. he received an associate of arts degree from pasadena junior college in 1934, and a ba from university of california, berkeley in 1936, where he studied zoology. in 1937 bullock married martha runquist, to whom he would be with until the end of his life, 68 years later. they would have two children, christine and steve.