Temple Grandin has made contributions to the humane treatment of animals and the acceptance of those with autism and neurodiversity.
Image Credit: Rosalie Winard
October 14, 2020 - 7:00 PM
Dr. Temple Grandin is a living testament to what someone with autism can achieve, and now she will be honoured for her many achievements.
Thompson Rivers University has granted the Colorado State University professor an honorary doctorate for her contributions to the humane treatment of animals and the acceptance of those with autism and neurodiversity.
“Dr Temple Grandin embodies so much of what TRU stands for. Her work to understand animals speaks to us and our region, particularly situated as we are in ranch country,” TRU president and vice-Chancellor Brett Fairbairn said in a TRU media release.
"Dr. Grandin inspires us in our commitment to inclusion, to being a place where all people belong and contribute according to their unique talents. Her example has changed the lives of countless others.”
Grandin had no speech and showed all the signs of severe autism at age two, and doctors advised that she be institutionalized. However, Grandin's mother advocated for intensive speech therapy and educational guidance, which led to Grandin learning to speak and begin school.
She pursued her passion for animal sciences, earning a Master's and PhD in the subject.
Grandin is renowned as the world’s foremost authority on animal welfare and livestock handling. She was the subject of the documentary The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow and a semi-biographical HBO film titled Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes.
In 2010, she gave a TED talk on the importance of fostering different kinds of minds and thought processes among young people, especially those on the autism spectrum. That same year, she was named in the Heroes category in the TIME 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
She is a prolific author with many accolades, and holds a spot in the National Women's Hall of Fame.
Grandin will receive her honorary doctorate from TRU during the virtual Fall Convocation at 10 a.m., Oct. 16.
For more information, click here.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brie Welton or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2020