Noted animal behaviorist Temple Grandin to speak at disability symposium

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

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 麻豆视频 Disability Symposium听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.

鈥淲hen 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,鈥� 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 鈥渦nprecedented because there had never before been an inside narrative of autism.鈥�

Though Grandin, who didn鈥檛 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. 听

鈥淭he thing about the autistic mind is it attends to details,鈥� Grandin said during a in 2010. 鈥淭he normal brain ignores the details.鈥� 听

It鈥檚 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鈥檚 a good thing. 鈥淭he world needs all kinds of minds!鈥�

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 鈥渃entering 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 听the College of Arts and Sciences听 and the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.听The symposium has been made possible through the efforts of the College of Arts and Sciences听Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion,听University Libraries, the听Be Well听program,听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.听

Each year, CU Boulder strives to create an experience that is accessible and accommodates the needs of those with disabilities.听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听asinfo@colorado.edu听to let us know how we can better enhance your experience.

Disability Symposium 2024

尝辞肠补迟颈辞苍:听听Chancellor's Hall and Auditorium

Keynote Address by Dr. Temple Grandin听

Temple Grandin is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University.听Facilities for handling livestock that she designed are used by many companies around the world. She also has been instrumental in implementing animal welfare auditing programs that are used by McDonalds, Wendy鈥檚, Whole Foods听and other corporations. Grandin has appeared on numerous TV shows such as 20/20, Larry King Live听and Prime Time. Her books include听Thinking in Pictures, Livestock Handling and Transport and The Autistic Brain. Her book Animals in Translation has been on the New York Times Bestseller List. Temple was inducted into the National Women鈥檚 Hall of Fame in September 2017 and in 2022 was named a Colorado State University Distinguished Professor.

Learn more about Dr. Temple Grandin

Location: in-person and virtual via Zoom

9鈥�10 a.m.听听听听听听听听听听听听Disability, Inclusion and Belonging in the Classroom

This proposal outlines a comprehensive plan for promoting disability inclusion and belonging in the classroom. It is vital to create an environment where all students, including those with disabilities, feel valued, supported, and included in the learning process. By implementing inclusive practices, such as universal design learning, we can ensure that every student has equal access to education and feels a sense of belonging within the classroom community.

Presenter: Robin Ennis

Zoom registration:

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

10:20鈥�11:20 a.m.听听听听听 Experiences and Survival Techniques of Graduate Students with Disabilities

The higher up in university systems you are, the less likely you are to report disability. Graduate students have particular challenges. 听These arise, in part, from being both an employee and a student. For example, as a graduate student, you may need accommodations for work (whether research or teaching) and for classwork. This means that there are two separate systems for accommodations that you have to file through.听To combat the marginalization of these experiences, join a panel of disabled graduate students who will speak about their experiences at CU and provide insight into what has worked well for them and how they have managed to survive and thrive against the odds.

Presenters: Loren Hough听and Sonja Benton

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2:30鈥�3:20 p.m.听听听听听听 Redefining Productivity: Cultivating Inclusive Work Relationships in a Diverse Campus Culture

When building work-focused relationships, does productivity have to be at the center? Often, societal thinking around productivity, time, and work reveals biases that discount the experiences of disabled individuals. For those working with chronic illness or a long-term disability, the experience of work and the meaning of productivity may be very different. Through this presentation, we will give suggestions on how to create a more inclusive and positive campus culture. Through the lens of Relationship Theory and Crip Theory, we hope to challenge the 鈥渘ormative and normalizing expectations of pace and scheduling,鈥� (Abes & Wallace, 2020) in both our own views and the ways we build relationships. How can our relationships be built in meaningful ways to consider our biases and make our workspaces more inclusive for everyone? By attending this session, participants will have the opportunity to examine their personal biases, reflect on their workplace relationships, and learn new strategies to best support themselves and their peers.

听听听听 Presenters: Charles Eagan, Tabitha Lannom, Callan McNamara听and Megan Rogers

听听听听 Zoom registration:听

10:20-11:20 a.m. 听听听听听Accessibility in Language Teaching

This presentation will discuss the principles of accessibility for language teachers. It will include examples of changes in course and material design that language teachers can adopt to make their teaching more accessible to all students.

Presenter: Alla Savelieva听

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12:30鈥�1:30 p.m.听听听听听听听听听听听Education Equity for Neurodiverse Students

Join us for a panel discussion about intersecting identities in professional and academic settings. This presentation will be moderated by Liz Coan, PsyD, clinical psychologist at Children鈥檚 Hospital Colorado and director of the Pediatric Care Network Autism Program, and Leaf Shafer, autistic mentor and advocate. Panelists will include members of the Autistic Mentorship Group, established in the spring of 2024 through grant support in affiliation with Children鈥檚 Hospital Colorado and the Hayes Fund. Non-autistic teachers and academic professionals need guidance from members of the autistic community when considering the best strategies to support learners with neurodiverse profiles. This program will create an opportunity to share with, listen to听and learn from a community of individuals who are navigating the same terrain.

Presenters: Liz Coan, PsyD, and Leaf Shafer

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1:50-2:50 p.m.听听听听听听听听Creating An Inclusive UCDenver Campus. Modeling a Network Approach for Change

This presentation outlines the work and the ongoing experiences of the Accessibility Operations Taskforce at the University of Colorado Denver. Composed of students, faculty and staff, this organization was created two years ago with the goal to compile information about problems, required actions and best practices, organize events, and develop accessibility programming鈥攁ll to move the campus from a medical compliance perspective to a social model of disability with the goal of greater inclusion of disabled students, faculty and staff. The presenters argue that a network approach to creating an inclusive campus can be successful because it creates shared responsibility for change, allows for adaptation at different levels and creates opportunities for sharing information about best practices between diverse actors.

Panelists: Dr. Colleen Donnelly and Dr. Thorsten Spehn

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9-10 a.m.听听 听听听听听听听听听听Breakfast and Coffee with the University Libraries

Please join听us for conversation, community听and a light breakfast sponsored by the University Libraries.

Location:听IBS 155A

Host:听Liz Novosel

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10:20-11:20 a.m.听听听听听听听听听听听Access+: Fostering Inclusion and Support for Students with Disabilities at CU Boulder

Embracing the diversity within our student population, the 麻豆视频 is dedicated to fostering a sense of community and belonging for all students. Disability Services is proud to introduce Access+, a newly transformed center designed to address the distinct challenges faced by students with disabilities on campus. Join this session to learn about the importance of belonging for students with disabilities in higher education and explore Disability Services鈥� approach and journey to building a supportive environment through tailored programming and initiatives in Access+.

Panelists: Ulises Mendoza and听Jack Elkins

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12:30-1:30 p.m.听听听听听听听听听听听Just Keep Walking: Understanding the challenges and supports needed for anxious, autistic young adults navigating life beyond high school

In this presentation, we will:

1. Provide background knowledge about the science of anxiety and anxiety disorders. We will present the most common types of anxiety disorders in the general population and those that occur more specifically among autistic people.

2. Explore characteristics of autism, including differences in thinking style and skills, that may contribute to higher rates of anxiety.

3. Preview evidence-based anxiety treatment approaches and adaptations that enhance outcomes and applications to the post-secondary setting.

4. We will offer examples of supports that patients and families have found to be useful in their efforts to move toward greater belonging, well-being, and academic outcomes.

Panelists: Lisa Hayutin, PhD, Lindsey DeVries, PhD, Caitlin Middleton, PhD, and Deepika Patel, PsyD

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1:50-2:50 p.m.听听听听听听听Empowering through Employment: Fostering Competency, Changing Perceptions, and Enhancing Community Belonging for Individuals with Disabilities

Join this dynamic presentation exploring the vital intersections of inclusion, disability, and community engagement. We'll review the concept of Social Role Valorization, highlighting the significance of community belonging and engagement in enhancing quality of life and how employment is a driving factor.

麻豆视频 how fostering competency and changing perceptions can promote social roles and empower individuals with disabilities to advocate for themselves, leading to more fulfilling lives. Engage in activities illustrating the impactful role of connections for community belonging.

This session will also explore the social determinants of health and the empowering journey towards self-determination, with a focus on intersectionality and disability to create pathways to employment and overall well-being.听听

Panelists: Brian Dean, MA, CRC, and Vikki Ortiz, MS, CESP

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9:40鈥�10:40 a.m.听听听 Understanding the Barriers to Academic and Social Success for Disabled Veterans

Exploring military culture and veteran experiences not only confronts the biases, stigmas, and stereotypes about the military and veterans that pervade academic spaces but also highlights the critical intersection of disabilities with veterans' identities. This intersectionality often exacerbates challenges in academic settings, where disabilities鈥攚hether visible or invisible鈥攁re not fully understood or accommodated, intersecting with and amplifying the existing misconceptions about veterans. Recognizing and addressing the nuanced needs of veterans who navigate both their identity as former military personnel and their experiences with disability is essential in creating genuinely inclusive educational environments. This approach allows for a more comprehensive support system that acknowledges the full spectrum of veterans' experiences, aiming to dismantle barriers and empower veterans to succeed academically.

听听听听听Presenter: LaChaune DuHart-Wood

Zoom registration:听

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11 a.m.-12 p.m.听听听听听Let the Herd Be Heard: The Perspective of People with Disabilities at CU Boulder As Provided by The Association for Students with Disabilities

Our presentation focuses on a detailed question and answer session hosted by our organization. We鈥檒l specifically focus on several topics of interest that will help attendees better understand the perspective of disabled students at CU Boulder. Topics of discussion will include听communication conundrum,听listen and learn,听addressing accessibility and intersecting identities.

Panelists: Casey Boyd (moderator), Maya Ornstein (panelist), Atlas Zaina (panelist), Charli Zern (panelist) and听Cameron Mathis (panelist)

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12:30-1:30 p.m.听听听听听听听听听听听Bind It Together: Medical Self-Advocacy

Join us for a workshop where we will talk about the experience of being queer and disabled, finding community, and advocating for ourselves. You will come away with resources to build your own medical binder (including materials), as well as some knowledge about how we have used these sorts of binders for self-advocacy. This workshop will be particularly tailored for participants that identify as under the queer and/or trans umbrellas, as well as under the disabled umbrella. Some topics of discussion will include: using a binder to help in emergency situations, keep track of treatments you have tried, provide background on lesser-known medical conditions/realities (i.e. rare illnesses, intersex bodies, transgender bodily terminology), remind you of areas of concern or specific medical recommendations, log your emergency contacts/allergies/conditions, and ease anxiety before an appointment.

Panelists: Sonja Benton and听Ray Groshan

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1:50-2:50 p.m.听听听听听听 Sign Connections: Empowering Colorado Communities through ASL and Deaf Culture

This presentation is a review of our project that has been grant funded by a CU Community Impact Grant. At the time of the symposium, the class that we are sponsoring will have concluded. We'd like to review how the class/project went, along with an overview of the impacts of the project. As we describe our project: "At the heart of CU Boulder's longstanding commitment to community impact lies our project, Sign Connections: Empowering Colorado Communities through ASL and Deaf Culture. Our initiative, in collaboration with the Colorado Association of the Deaf, exemplifies CU Boulder's ethos of outreach and engagement. By creating and offering a free and comprehensive ASL crash course, we hope to empower rural and urban community members while fostering inclusive connections and advocating for the civil rights of Deaf individuals. Grounded in linguistic and cultural scholarship along with strategic partnerships, our project aligns with CU Boulder's mission to address public needs and strengthen relationships across Colorado."

Panelists: Mindy Elizabeth, Pamela Macias and听Audra McCorkle

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3:30-4:30 p.m.听听听听听听听What Would a Disability Serving Institution Look Like?

Panelists: John-Michael Rivera, dean of arts and humanities; Tony Price, director of Recreation Services, and Dr. Scott VanLoo

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9鈥�10 a.m.听听听听听听听Adjust your Teaching by Knowing your Students' Brains

In this presentation, we will interact with the Neurosequential Model and discuss how making adjustments to your instructional delivery can make a huge impact on student success. We will discuss the research related to student anxiety as well as what you can do to make your classroom a psychologically safe space.

听听听听听Presenter: Scott VanLoo

Zoom registration:听听

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10:20-11:20 a.m.听听听听听听听听听听听Inclusive Engagement: Insights from LDT Learning Agency's Digital Accessibility Practices for Belonging

Higher education institutions play a crucial role in cultivating an environment where every individual feels a sense of belonging. However, achieving this goal requires more than just rhetoric; it demands concrete actions to ensure accessibility for all members of the academic community. This presentation delves into the significance of developing accessibility initiatives within higher education settings to foster a culture of belonging. We will explore the various dimensions of accessibility, including physical, digital, and socio-cultural aspects, and how each contributes to creating an inclusive campus environment.

Panelists: Rosanna Miiler Salas, Laura Paciorek and Allison Yoo-Babbitt

Zoom registration:听

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12:30-1:30 p.m.听听听听听听听听听听听Student Testing Center: A Resource for Accommodated Students

As it appears to be a common question for both faculty and students alike, this presentation will highlight what the Student Testing Center is, how we operate, how students can get registered for usage of the Student Testing Center and how faculty/students can use the Student Testing Center as a campus resource.

Panelists: Tyler Grossman and听Kelly Throckmorton

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1:50-2:50 p.m.听听听听听听听Identifying Ableism

This presentation introduces people to the fact that many of those with disabilities on campus have hidden disabilities (learning, chronic conditions, etc.) and so being aware of our ableism practices becomes even more important. We will identify ableist practices and language and engage in a discuss on how to combat these practices in our university.听

Panelists: Dr. Colleen Donnelly and Jennifer Fox

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4-5:30 p.m.听 听听听听听听听听听A Conversation with Andrew Leland, author of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight

Andrew Leland is the author of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight (Penguin Press, 2023), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Memoir/Autobiography. It was named a best book of the year by The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and others. His writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, McSweeney鈥檚 Quarterly, and The San Francisco Chronicle, among other outlets. From 2013-2019, he hosted and produced The Organist, an arts and culture podcast, for KCRW; he has also produced pieces for Radiolab and 99 Percent Invisible.听

Andrew has been an editor at The Believer since 2003. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and son.

Leland will talk with Dr. Ryan Pollard of the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, followed by audience Q&A. His memoir will be available for sale at the event. The event will be in-person and on Zoom from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Friday Oct. 18. Registration is required.

Location:听Chancellor鈥檚 Hall, CASE

Zoom registration:听