Temple Grandin, PhD, is a professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University. In her lecture, “The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism,” on March 25, the author, scientist, and autism advocate shared insights from her life and offered her perspective on how to better educate and work with those with autism.
Dr. Grandin’s work has been covered by The New York Times, People, National Public Radio, and 20/20. In 2010, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of the year. That same year, Temple Grandin, an HBO movie based on her life, starred Claire Danes and received seven Emmy Awards. The author of more than a dozen books, Dr. Grandin engaged with Fairfield students and audience members at a reception and book signing after her lecture.
Life with Autism
Addressing a full house at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, Dr. Grandin spoke of her childhood, highlighting the role her mother played in ensuring she had access to education and opportunities to build social skills. She remembered selling candy for charity, working a sewing job at 13, cleaning horse stalls, helping on her aunt’s ranch, and starting a sign painting business at 17. These experiences, she said, were instrumental in developing both practical and social skills—things she believes are especially important for autistic youth.
Dr. Grandin also discussed the ongoing need for skilled labor, specifically in fields that involve building and fixing. She suggested expanding vocational education and hands-on training programs, because such pathways are especially well-suited for visual thinkers. “By putting trade schools back in the community colleges, we need to start kids a lot younger with [using] tools,” said Dr. Grandin.
