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OAC Welcomes Temple Grandin
Animal Welfare Scientist Among Honorary Degree Recipients at Winter Convocation
February 21, 2012
Temple Grandin, the renowned animal scientist, bestselling author and consultant to the livestock industry on animal welfare and behaviour, will receive an honorary doctorate of science at the winter convocation for the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) and the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) to be held February 22 at War Memorial Hall.
“As founding colleges of the University of Guelph, we are thrilled to jointly recognize Dr. Grandin with this honourary degree” says Rob Gordon, dean of OAC. "She is a welcome and frequent visitor and friend to our University and we have all benefitted from her insights and knowledge, particularly the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare. She has made immeasurable contributions to the health and welfare of farm animals and sustainable agricultural practices. This is what contemporary agriculture is all about."
Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, is a person with high-functioning autism and knows the anxiety of feeling threatened by her surroundings. Motivated by this, she has introduced and designed humane handling systems for livestock-processing facilities across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, and consults with the meat industry to develop animal welfare guidelines.
“Temple Grandin’s contributions are an inspiration to all veterinarians who are bound by a solemn oath to promote animal health and welfare and relieve animal suffering,” said Dr. Elizabeth A. Stone, OVC dean. “For 150 years, the OVC has been a world leader in veterinary health care, learning and research. Today, whether they’re caring for companion animals or working in the laboratory or helping farmers protect the health of their herds and flocks, our graduates are dedicated to providing a better quality of life for all animals.”
Grandin earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Franklin Pierce College, her master’s degree in animal science from Arizona State University, and her doctoral degree in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989. She has published over 400 articles in scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare, and facility design. She is also one of the world’s most accomplished and recognized people with autism. She invented a device used to treat people with hypersensitivity, was the subject of the Emmy Award-winning film "Temple Grandin", and in 2010 was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.
At the University of Guelph, the number of faculty specializing in animal welfare science and the breadth of research focused on animal welfare continue to grow. The Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, one of the first of its kind and the largest in Canada, is dedicated to improving the lives of companion, agricultural and laboratory animals and wildlife through research and education. Jointly administered by OVC and OAC, the Campbell Centre advances animal welfare and collaborative research with associated faculty drawn from the sciences, humanities and social sciences.
OAC congratulates all the graduands at winter convocation.
