TOLEDO, Ohio — Temple Grandin, a prominent animal behaviorist and autism advocate, is set to speak at the University of Toledo for the 2025 Edward Shapiro Distinguished Lecture Series.

The lecture, hosted by the College of Arts and Letters at Nitschke Auditorium, is free and open to the public on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. The university said seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and parking is free in Area 20.

Grandin is known for her work in the fields of animal behavior, specifically the humane treatment of livestock, and autism spectrum disorder.

The university said Grandin experienced severe symptoms of autism as a child, but the condition was “poorly understood” at the time. Grandin published her first book in 1986, becoming one of the first highest-profile adults to share personal insights into the condition.

Grandin, a current professor of animal science at Colorado State University, was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016 and the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017. A movie about her life was released by HBO in 2010, the same year TIME magazine named her one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.”

“Through her trail-blazing work in autism education and advocacy, Dr. Temple Grandin has helped the world better understand what we now know is universal to being human,” Dr. Kim Nielsen, a distinguished university professor and chair of the Disability Studies Program said. “It’s exciting to host such an influential figure in Toledo.”

UToledo said Grandin will be available to sign copies of her books following the lecture. A limited number of books will also be available for purchase onsite on a first-come, first-served basis.

The university said the Disability Studies Program faculty will lead a discussion on Grandin’s “Visual Thinking” at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library on Monday, Jan. 27, ahead of the lecture. The discussion is free and open to the public beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Meeting Room 2.

“The Edward Shapiro Distinguished Lecture Series is named in honor of the late Dr. Edward Shapiro, an alumnus and professor emeritus of economics who endowed funds to support an annual lecture series that brings world-renowned speakers to Toledo. Past Shapiro Lecture speakers have included the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, Tony Kushner, Rhiannon Giddens, Audra McDonald, Toni Morrison and Elie Wiesel,” UToledo said in a press release.