""The Grandin Papers is a compilation of some of my most important scientific papers with an emphasis on livestock facility design, the development of animal welfare auditing programs, and behavior of cattle and horses during handling. They are in chronological order. I chose the papers and book chapters that would most likely be of interest to the general public, policymakers, and people interested in farm animal welfare and behavior. This anthology will show how my thinking has evolved over a fifty-year career.”—Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is famous for her groundbreaking approach to decoding animal behavior. Her 40 + years of experience in observing animals shines through in The Grandin Papers. Dr. Grandin’s professional training as a scientist and her amazing life as a person with autism has given her a perspective like that of no other expert in the field of animal science.
A professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, Dr. Grandin is also a designer of livestock handling facilities. Curved chute and race systems she has designed for cattle are used worldwide, and her writings on the flight zone and other principles of grazing animal behavior have helped many people to reduce stress on their animals during handling.
She has also developed an objective scoring system for assessing the handling of cattle and pigs at meat plants. This scoring system is being used by many large corporations to improve animal welfare. Other areas of research are: cattle temperament, environmental enrichment for pigs, reducing dark cutters and bruises, bull fertility, training procedures, horse perception of novel objects, and effective stunning methods for cattle and pigs at meat plants. The Grandin Papers celebrate her storied career.
Her numerous awards include University Distinguished Professor, Colorado State University (2022); 2020, Named top 10 Best College Professors in the U.S., CEO Magazine; 2017, National Women's Hall of Fame; The Distinguished Alumni Medallion, National 4-H Council; 2012, Liberty Science Center Distinguished Humanitarian Award; 2011, American Humane Association - National Humanitarian Award - Pioneering Efforts that Reshaped Animal Welfare in the Livestock Industry; 2010, Inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Dallas, Texas; 2007, Dept. of Health and Humane Services, Secretary's Highest Award, Washington D.C.; 2002, British Society of Animal Science, Yorkshire England, Animal Welfare Award Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty in Animals; 1999, Founders Award, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Dr. Grandin is also a past member of the board of directors of the Autism Society of America. She lectures to parents and teachers throughout the U.S. on her experiences with autism, and her work has appeared in the New York Times, People, National Public Radio, and 20/20. Most recently she was one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of the year. The HBO movie based on her life, starring Claire Danes, received seven Emmy Awards.
