Temple Grandin

by Anita Lesko

  Later that evening at the party, Teresa Corey asked me if I noticed the big bruise on Temple’s face by her nose. I said, “Oh, I’ll tell you what happened! We were walking out the front of the building earlier today, and she crashed into the glass!” I was motioning towards the front entrance wall of glass. Teresa continued, “Oh, dear! Was she okay?” I said, “I kept asking her the rest of the afternoon, plus I was watching her for any signs of a concussion.”

  “Temple, when Rosalie was telling me about your nose, I told her what happened.” Temple replied, “Walking into the glass was the stupidest thing. I wanted to see how these boat winches lifted up the roof of the tent. They assembled the roof of that tent on the ground, then cranked it up on the poles with a bunch of boat winches. I was intent on seeing how that worked. I’ve seen those tents before and I wanted to know how they got the roof up there, so I wasn’t paying attention where I was going.” I reassured her, “Well, it’s very easy to do because the glass goes from the ceiling to the floor, and it’s crystal clear. The next day Rosalie saw you, she said it was really bad.” Temple was her logical self, “I got some makeup and covered it all. I had to put some on the other side of my face and feather it out and make it look balanced.” I asked if it was still painful the next day. She replied, “Oh, no. Only when it first happened. That’s the third time I’ve broken my nose.” Hopefully, it’s the last time!

  Temple shared, “Rosalie does some really great photography, and she has a book out called Wild Birds of the American Wetlands.” I said, “Rosalie told me about that book and all her extensive travels to capture those beautiful images.” Temple added, “Did Rosalie tell you that she has a national traveling exhibition of that book, and huge photos?” “Yes, she did,” I responded.

  I’m very happy that Temple has so many long-time friends, like Rosalie. They’ve been friends for over thirty years. That’s pretty impressive for anyone, but all the more for someone with autism.

  CHAPTER 25

  Temple’s Graduate Students “In Their Own Words”

  During my visit to Fort Collins, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Temple’s current group of graduate students. At Temple’s seventieth birthday celebration, I also got to meet a few of her former students, who were already out in the work force with great careers in the meat industry.

  Temple told me to meet her at the Animal Sciences building at ten thirty in the morning to sit in on the class she would be teaching at that time. I left the hotel in plenty of time to get there, walked across the street, and was already on the campus of Colorado State University. The weather was beautiful, a cool fifty-six degrees, with a clear sky and warm sunshine on my shoulders. The evening before at dinner, Temple had given me explicit directions for my journey, of course, written on a napkin. She was sure to draw the specific landmarks I should look for as I went along. Sure enough, I found each one easily, and went on looking for the next. That walk took me back in time to my younger days on campus at the various universities I attended. There were thousands of students walking along the pathways: some alone, some in groups, some on bicycles, and some on skateboards. Flowers were everywhere, beautifully landscaped, and views of the Rocky Mountains peaked between buildings. I was savoring every moment, knowing that the day would unfold with one exciting event after another.

  Finally, I spotted the Animal Science building. I just stopped for a few moments to look at it, knowing that inside was one of the most famous people in the entire world. Rays of sun were peeking through the tall, majestic pine trees that flattered the building’s façade. Directly in front of the building was the “quad,” which consisted of the most thick, luxurious grass I’d ever seen, and trees dotted at the perimeter. There were workers scattered everywhere, busily assembling the huge tent which would later house Temple’s birthday bash. I checked my phone to see the time, both to be sure I was on time for Temple, and to see how many hours the workers had to complete their task. I was ahead of time, as I typically am for everything, but I wondered how the big tent would be up in time for the party.

  I proceeded up the steps and into the building. I’d never seen anything quite like it before. I was used to being in buildings such as hospitals and operating rooms. This housed offices and classrooms for students going into animal sciences and the meat industry. There were large photos of cattle, pigs, and chickens on the walls, and hoof prints painted on the floor. There were chairs with cow hide, fur included, as the upholstery. There were big screens with videos playing, flickering glimpses of Temple. Staff were walking around, some with cowboy boots, some with muck boots, and some with cowboy hats. I was correct in my assumption that if I asked anyone where to find Temple, they would know. A woman directed me downstairs to Temple’s office, but when I didn’t find Temple in it, I called her. She said she was up on the second floor in the glass room overlooking the quad. So up I went, and found Temple in the room with her students. Temple had them all introduce themselves after she introduced me to them. They had just completed their class, so it was perfect timing.

  Temple wanted all of us to go to lunch together, so off we all went: myself, Temple, and the six graduate students. As we all walked along, I made a little project of watching the faces of the oncoming students who saw Temple. It was obvious that the majority recognized her, but she wasn’t aware of them looking at her. When we all got in line to order our lunch, I got exactly what Temple ordered, which was two kinds of meat, vegetables, and some hummus. The students picked up the tab for Temple and me. We all then made our way over to a table in the huge dining area. I observed Temple interacting with her students as I talked with them. Temple loves to keep up on world news, and had picked up a newspaper on the way into the building. She opened it up, briefly scanning the front page for anything to share with us. There were no lulls in the conversation. Temple loves to talk, and was sitting there with her students who share her passion for the animal sciences. Ample conversation, laughter, and eating continued for the next half hour.

  I got to talk to the students during the walk over to the dining building, during the meal, and then later at the farm when Temple took me out there after lunch. That experience, seeing Temple working with the cattle, was a real highlight. I got to see her as well as her students herding the cattle through the cattle squeeze chute, then releasing them one-by-one. I was right there in the thick of it, getting to see it all before my very eyes. It was very surreal, like the Temple Grandin movie coming to life, only this was the real thing! I had to pinch myself to be sure I was really there. I was taking in every detail: the smells, the sound of the cattle walking, everything.

  The farm, owned by Colorado State University, was about twenty minutes away. I got to ride with Temple in her vehicle, which I thought was yet another highlight of the day. How many people get to cruise around town with Temple Grandin at the wheel? She was a great driver, following all the rules of the road just like I do. I savored each moment, even when I simply walked with Temple from the Animal Sciences building to her vehicle.

  I will share this, as I feel it to be amusing; I admit to having the inside of my vehicle exactly like Temple’s! Here I thought I was the only one whose front passenger’s floor area had books, magazines, and journals all over it. When I opened the door to get in and saw it all, I asked her if she’d like me to pick them up and put in the back seat. She shook her head and said “No, you can just step on them. Don’t worry about it.” She’s my kind of friend! Without missing a beat, I climbed in, scanning everything on the floor and smiling to myself. It was all scientific journals, cattle magazines, and some autism publications, too. I thought it was grand. I hooked up my seatbelt and glanced over at Temple. She buckled in, then reached over and put on the radio to a news station. She stated she wanted to catch up on the latest events. I didn’t know if it was alright for me to talk while she drove, as I didn’t want to distract her, so I remained relatively quiet. My mind, however, was racing. It was extremely surreal to me, being in that SU
V with Temple. She simply seemed bigger than life. I’ve been in her presence before, so that was nothing new, but for whatever reason it was a really big deal to me. The thought crossed my mind of taking a photo of her at the wheel, then I thought she’d think that was too cheesy. I took the photos in my mind, which I’ll always remember and treasure forever.

  I know this book is all about the stories that Temple has shared with me about her life. After meeting her students and hearing their stories of how their lives were changed by Temple, I decided that you need to hear these stories, too. I’m sure many people wonder if Temple continues to teach, how her students like her, and what exactly is going on regarding her academic career. Well, wonder no more! I asked each of them to write something I could include in this book for everyone to see Temple as a university professor. It was very apparent that Temple’s students love her, and they clearly indicated that she greatly impacted their lives. Many of their responses brought tears to my eyes. Following are their stories, in their own words.

  Kurt Vogel, PhD graduated from Temple’s program about six years ago. I met him at Temple’s birthday celebration. He’s strikingly tall, and he instantly reminded me of the famous singer, Nick Lachey. I asked Temple about her memories of Kurt, and here’s what she had to say: “Kurt was a really hard worker. He got a lot done. He was very hands-on, and he was one of the few students I’ve had who could build all kinds of things. He had been working at a meat packing plant up in Wisconsin. He was just a really hard worker, he was like me, just got in there and got things done. He was good with animals, but he was really good at getting things done. He’s a super nice person, always looking to see who he could help.” Temple hadn’t seen Kurt in years, and when she saw him, she threw her arms around him and gave him a big, squeeze-machine hug! She was quite beside herself to see him. It was a huge display of her feelings for him, and was very striking. I was happy to have shared in that moment.

  Following are Kurt’s own words:

  Kurt D. Vogel, PhD

  Associate Professor- Animal Welfare and Behavior

  Department of Animal and Food Science

  University of Wisconsin–River Falls

  I met Temple in 2005 through an introduction by Jerry Karczewski, a long-time friend of Temple’s who was the new general manager at Cargill Regional Beef in Milwaukee, WI at the time. I was in my undergrad at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and worked at that plant during the summers and whenever I had time available during the school year. At the time that Jerry arrived in Milwaukee, I was working in the cattle procurement office and spending a lot of time in the barn helping to handle cattle, train handlers, and troubleshoot facility issues. I learned who Temple was in my animal science classes, but never expected to meet her face-to-face. I hoped to get the chance to attend one of her many presentations at some point in my career.

  Jerry told Temple about me when he met with her at a conference. He called me to his office after he returned from the conference. I was about twenty years old at the time and I can still remember how nervous I was as I walked to his office, because up to that point in my life, being called to the boss’ office meant that I had done something wrong. Jerry sat down at the conference table in his large office with me and said he had a friend who could offer some guidance on some of the facility troubleshooting I was doing in the plant. Then he handed me a copy of Temple’s DVD, titled Cattle Handling for Meat Plants. Her business card was taped to the front and her home phone number was circled. My life changed when Jerry said, “She really wants to talk to you.” That business card is in the frame on my office wall with my PhD diploma. It is a reminder for me of how one moment can change the course of your life.

  The first time I called Temple, we talked for at least forty-five minutes. I didn’t realize that she and I shared many common interests until that phone call. That was the beginning of one of the most substantial and impactful professional relationships I have had. Temple was a part of my master’s committee at Wisconsin, and invited me to work on my PhD under her mentorship at Colorado State University. In 2008, My wife, Laura, and I moved to Colorado so I could work with Temple. Without Laura’s support and Temple’s mentorship, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

  The Cargill plant, where I met Temple and learned about cattle welfare at slaughter, closed in 2014. While I was working there, they gave me a supervisor-level hard hat with my name on it to wear. I keep it on a shelf in my office—it’s another reminder of the events that have shaped my life. Temple came to visit me at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, where I work now as a livestock behavior and welfare professor, after the plant closed. We were standing in my office when she looked up and saw the hard hat sitting on my shelf. Her eyes welled with tears and she said, “That was your doorway.” Temple uses doorways as an analogy for taking advantage of opportunities and transitions in life. I completely agree. That plant was one of my doorways. I never imagined who would be on the other side of that door when I started!

  Dana Wagner is one of Temple’s current graduate students, who I met while at Colorado State University.

  Dana R. Wagner, MS

  Graduate Research Assistant

  Animal Welfare Judging Coach

  Livestock Welfare and Behavior

  Department of Animal Science

  Colorado State University

  Dr. Grandin has made a vast impact on me as a student, researcher, and person. While there are a multitude of ways she has positively changed my life, I will try to explain the most significant. When I was a sophomore pursuing my undergraduate degree, I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian. But I was having a hard time reconciling the dissonance of animal care on an individual basis versus animal care on a large scale. I had some mentorship through that period that helped to shape my ideology, but I remained teetering on the brink of uncertainty. By some luck, Dr. Grandin was coming to speak for a meat sciences class I was taking. Her talk was aimed at animal welfare in slaughter plants, and she was emphatically waving her arms about proper handling and that we need to “knock prods out of people’s hands!”

  She continued, passion burning brightly, speaking about proper handling and animal emotions. This was the first time I had heard someone in academia clearly stating things about animals that made intrinsic sense to me, but that no one had been willing to state outright. Animal welfare was a big picture focus, to use her words, and one that I immediately took to. I remember thinking, “Yes! This what I want to do,” and first the first time in a year, feeling that my path forward was clear. That was the first time I met Dr. Grandin.

  The second time I met Dr. Grandin, I was picking her up from the airport. I was finishing up my master’s degree. Unbeknownst to me, her plane had been delayed on the runway, meaning that she was going to be twenty to thirty minutes late for pick up. I had looped around the airport about a dozen times, with panic beginning to rise in my throat that I had somehow missed Dr. Grandin. How one would lose one of the most important and influential figures in the world is beyond me, and I was certain I was going to go down in history as the student that lost Dr. Grandin, never able to show my face in animal science again. Alas, I had her phone number, and she answered on the first ring when I called to inquire where she was. She briskly stated the plane had be delayed when being taxied and that she was walking out. “I’m wearing a bright pink and red shirt with black cows on it,” she said. I was barely coherent, still numb that I had her phone number. I finally found her, tucked her safely in my car, and drove back to campus with relief spreading across my chest. During the drive she asked about my project and my future plans. I told her about my research and that I wanted to pursue a PhD. She first told me that my research was, “important, and needs to be published.” I remember feeling like a helium balloon had be filled in my diaphragm; Dr. Grandin said my welfare research was important! She then told me she had an opening for a student and that I should apply for the following semester. Me? Study under Temple? I had been
secretly dreaming of such an offer since I had first learned of her and her work. Long story short, she offered me a PhD position later that night. I accepted it: a choice that has had a massive impact on my professional development.

  Now that I work closely with Dr. Grandin, I’ve lost count of the number of interactions I’ve had with her. But a few things remain constant. I have never lost the wonder or inspiration in talking with her that I had the first time I heard her speak in person. Every meeting, every phone call, every weekly lunch, she inspires me to be a better researcher; she never fails to have an insightful comment on my research project. I have never lost the support she showed me in our second encounter; she told me my work was important then, and she still believes in me to conduct and produce important work. Dr. Grandin can be direct, but the core of her motivation is to help one improve. She has shown me more support and kindness as a mentor than many, and one of her key qualities is her ability to understand without judgment. I will always try to emulate this with my future students.

  Dr. Grandin is more than my major professor. I consider her a friend and mother figure; she cares deeply about her students and how they impact the world. She has invested time and effort in my development, both as a student and a person, and I can never fully repay her. I know I have the skills needed to help animals across the world, and even beyond that, she has helped me see how I can also help people around the world. I will always honor her grand legacy by doing my best to help animals, mentor students, and give back to my community. Dr. Grandin, thank you. Without you, many of us would remain in the dark, uncertain and confused. You have cast a great light on the world.