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CSU professor credits her autism for her ability to think in pictures and thereby notice things that most people overlook

Temple Grandin, a groundgreaking professor of animal science at Colorado State University whose work has led to the more humane treatment of livestock around the world, will speak at the �鶹��Ƶ Disability Symposium Oct. 8 and 14-18.

According to David Braz, a faculty affairs coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences, the symposium aims to bring attention to people who have traditionally flown under the radar.

“When we talk about diversity, equity and inclusion in public settings, and highlight a lot of groups that have been historically excluded, a group that does not seem to get as much attention are individuals with disabilities, whether apparent or not apparent,” he says.

One disability, or different ability, that often goes unseen is autism, something with which Grandin herself is intimately familiar.

Grandin has written several books about autism and her experiences living with it, including Thinking in Pictures, The Autistic Brain and Emergence: Labeled Autistic, which Oliver Sacks said was “unprecedented because there had never before been an inside narrative of autism.”

Though Grandin, who didn’t speak until she was three and a half years old, encountered teasing and bullying growing up, she nevertheless credits her autism with giving her the ability to think in pictures and thereby notice things that most people overlook.  

“The thing about the autistic mind is it attends to details,” Grandin said during a in 2010. “The normal brain ignores the details.”  

It’s this detail-oriented way of thinking that has enabled Grandin to transform the field of animal agriculture globally. Over the course of her decades-long career, she has written more than 400 articles for scientific journals and livestock periodicals and has designed livestock facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

Now perhaps one of the most recognizable and beloved scientists in the world, Grandin it is important for people to realize that not everyone thinks in the same way, and that’s a good thing. “The world needs all kinds of minds!”

Grandin's presentation will be in-person and on Zoom from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 8. Registration is required.

Grandin's presentation kicks off the weeklong symposium, whose aim is “centering the experiences of persons with disabilities on campus." It will focus on a range of topics, including navigating higher education systems while diagnosed with a disability; how disability and ableism are defined; barriers for disabled veterans in academic settings; medical advocacy; and more.

The symposium has been funded for a second year with support from  the College of Arts and Sciences  and the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The symposium has been made possible through the efforts of the College of Arts and Sciences Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, University Libraries, the Be Well program, CU Disability Services, the Office of People, Engagement and Culture and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The symposium aims to inform students, staff and faculty but is open to the general public.

Registration is required. Links to register are included with each presentation, and each registration page includes the option to request accommodation if needed for registering.

Please note that some symposium attendees and participants may be immunocompromised. All attendees are encouraged to wear a mask while in attendance. 

Each year, CU Boulder strives to create an experience that is accessible and accommodates the needs of those with disabilities. If you identify as having a disability, you will have an opportunity to indicate any accommodation requirements when you register using our online registration system. Please also feel free to e-mail us at asinfo@colorado.edu to let us know how we can better enhance your experience.