Aired 01/03/10

TEMPLE GRANDIN, who believes her autism allowed her to see the world more as an animal might, and led her to design enormous improvements in how we treat livestock. Her latest book is ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN.

TEMPLE GRANDIN, Ph.D., now a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, Dr. Grandin didn't speak until she was three and a half years old. Labeled "autistic," her parents were told she should be institutionalized. Roughly 50% of the beef that shows up on your plate came through improvements that she has made to the process of livestock management. Grandin has become a prominent author, speaker and advocate on the issues of Autism and Asperger's Syndrome because she has made a career of overcoming obstacles that have been placed in her path. She tells her story in the book EMERGENCE: LABELED AUTISTIC, and is also the author of ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION, THINKING IN PICTURES AND OTHER REPORTS FROM MY LIFE WITH AUTISM, THE WAY I SEE IT, and her latest, ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN.

http://www.templegrandin.com/