Grandin, a distinguished professor of animal science at Colorado State University, presented “Great Minds Are Not All the Same.” Grandin began her talk with the statement, “We need the skills of people who think differently.” There are three different kinds of speakers she noted, including object visualizers, spatial visualizers, and verbal thinkers. Grandin’s mind fits into the object visualizer category, making her prone to envisioning risks and solutions.

In her early childhood, Grandin was not very social and didn’t speak until she was four years old. As with many other famous scientists and inventors including Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs, this delayed start of speech can be an early indicator of autism. Most people with autism also fit the object visualizer traits. This type of thinker views imagery as thoughts, making them able to see the outcomes of situations more clearly. Grandin recognized an issue with cattle chutes and their design due to this type of thinking. Her solution was a curved design so that cattle didn’t know that they were approaching a holding chute. Not only did this create an easier process for farmers, but it also made the process more humane for the cattle.

In order to design and construct these plants, Grandin needed a spatial thinker who was able to calculate the risk and think technically about its operation. She explained that even though it is easier to understand people who have the same type of mind as you when solving a problem, different kinds of minds complement each other best. Now, over half of cattle processed in the United States has been through a plant designed by Grandin.

Grandin’s talk concluded with an open forum Q&A where students were able to ask questions about her thoughts on autism awareness, animal cruelty, and animals' emotions.