About Dr. Temple Grandin:
Dr. Grandin did not talk until she was three and a half years old. She was fortunate to get early speech therapy. Her teachers also taught her how to wait and take turns when playing board games. She was mainstreamed into a normal kindergarten at age five. Oliver Sacks wrote in the forward of Thinking in Pictures that her first book Emergence: Labeled Autistic was “unprecedented because there had never before been an inside narrative of autism.” Dr. Sacks profiled Dr. Grandin in his best-selling book Anthropologist on Mars.
Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. Today she is a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She also has a successful career consulting on both livestock handling equipment design and animal welfare. She has been featured on NPR (National Public Radio) and a BBC Special – "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow". She has also appeared on National TV shows such as Larry King Live, 20/20, Sixty Minutes, Fox and Friends, and she has a 2010 TED talk. Articles about Dr. Grandin have appeared in Time Magazine, New York Times, Discover Magazine, Forbes and USA Today. HBO made an Emmy Award winning movie about her life and she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.
When she was young, she was considered weird and teased and bullied in high school. The only place she had friends was activities where there was a shared interest such as horses, electronics, or model rockets. Mr. Carlock, her science teacher, was an important mentor who encouraged her interest in science. When she had a new goal of becoming a scientist, she had a reason for studying. Today half the cattle in the United States are handled in facilities she has designed.
A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit Landon’s Puzzle Pieces.
About Landon's Puzzle Pieces:
Landon’s Puzzle Pieces is a nonprofit organization (https://www.landonspuzzlepieces.org/) dedicated to collecting and sharing sensory supports for children with autism and their families, inspired by our son Landon’s belief that sensory tools are “super powers” that help kids thrive. What began as a grassroots effort to place meaningful supports directly into the hands of children has grown into broader community impact, including the development of Landon’s Project in Washington County, Maryland. Landon’s Project is a collaborative initiative bringing public and private healthcare, education, and business partners together to provide real time, innovative interventions for students with the most intensive needs across the district. Together, these efforts reflect our mission to meet families where they are, foster creative solutions for our most unique learners, and ensure that every child has access to the supports they need to discover their strengths and reach their full potential.
A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit Landon’s Puzzle Pieces.
