Addressing Autism: Dr. Temple Grandin
By: Amy Montalvo
Updated: October 8, 2008
This week, Texas Tech is hosting Dr. Temple Grandin, the most accomplished adult with autism in the world. The Tech Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research invited Dr. Grandin to speak at a series of lectures for faculty, students, and the general public. Grandin was diagnosed with autism at a time when little was known about the disability, but she overcame the odds to become a gifted animal scientist. She has also designed one-third of all the livestock handling facilties in the United States. Grandin says just because a person is autistic -- dont count them out. "A lot of people thought I would just be retarded, and one of the things that really motivated me when I got in my 20s was I wanted to prove that I wasnt stupid and that really motivated me on my cattle handling designs. In fact half the cattle in this country are handled in equipment I designed."
