Dr. Temple Grandin to Speak on ‘Animals and Autism’ at NCC

Dr. Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, designer of livestock handling facilities and autism advocate, will be the keynote speaker for Northampton Community College’s (NCC) Annual Humanities Program next month. Her talk “Animals and Autism” will take place Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Campus’s Arthur L. Spartan Center, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem Township.

“Grandin is an expert in the field of humane livestock handling and has designed livestock facilities located in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and other countries,” a news release about the program said. “In North America, almost half of the cattle are handled in a center track restrainer system that she designed for meat plants.”

Grandin attributes her insight into animal behavior to the way she thinks, in pictures, and she has used this ability to contribute to improving the welfare of animals, according to the release.

“The interrelationship between animals and humans is currently the focus of the Annual Humanities Program at NCC,” it said. “Dr. Grandin’s lecture will be the culminating event in a year-long exploration of the theme ‘Humanity’s Best Friend: Dogs and the Human Saga,’ led by Dr. Charles Rinehimer, professor of biology at NCC.”

Grandin received her B.A. from Franklin Pierce College, her M.S. in animal science from Arizona State and a Ph.D in animal science from the University of Illinois.

She has authored more than 400 articles in both scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare and facility design. She is also the author of Thinking in Pictures, Livestock Handling and Transport, Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals, Guide to Working with Farm Animals and Humane Livestock Handling. Her books Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human were both New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book, Calling All Minds, was a New York Times bestseller for middle school students.

Grandin’s life story has also been made into the 2010 HBO movie Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes, which won seven Emmy awards and a Golden Globe. She has been featured in People Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Time and Discover magazine.

Admission to the talk is free, but reservations are required. Tickets can be reserved online.

The talk is made possible by an endowment for the humanities established through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and donors. Community Partners include the Bethlehem Area Public Library, Eastern Monroe Public Library, Bethlehem Area School District, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites and Monroe County Historical Association.