Autism Advocate Temple Grandin to join Steven Pinker at The Brain Forum

The Connecticut Forum Announces:
Temple Grandin to join Steven Pinker at
The Glorious, Mysterious Brain
Friday, February 25, 2011

"If I could snap my fingers and become nonautistic I would not do so. Autism is a part of who I am." - Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin's doctors confused her autism with brain damage when she was young, and she didn't speak a word until she was nearly four years old. Despite her early silence, these days her words carry weight. Grandin is an important autism advocate, helping raise awareness and understanding about the experience of autistic individuals. A recent HBO movie about her life, starring Claire Danes, has received 15 Emmy nominations. This year, Grandin was included on the Time Magazine list of 100 people who most affect our world. We're excited to welcome her to The Connecticut Forum for The Glorious, Mysterious Brain on November 11, to join Steven Pinker.

In addition to her work as an autism advocate, Grandin is also an accomplished doctor of Animal Science and a consultant on animal welfare issues. She has worked to improve standards in slaughterhouses and livestock; her ability to notice detail and understand the experience of cattle and other animals helps her to "see" the issues with the way livestock are treated and handled. She teaches Animal Science at Colorado State University.

Grandin brings a unique perspective to the panel, as she is able to explain the way she and other autistic individuals think "in pictures". You can watch her on TED, talking about how the world needs all kinds of minds to encourage all kinds of thinking.



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