JOHN: EARLIER THIS MONTH FOR NEW PORTRAITS WENT ON VIEW AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THERE ARE THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENTS OF THE PORTRAIT OF AMERICA AWARD FOR THEIR TRANSFORM ACTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

ONE OF THEM IS TEMPLE GRANDIN, NOT ONLY TRANSFORMED ANIMAL WELFARE AROUND THE WORLD SHE'S ALSO CHANGING THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM.

THIS WEEKEND SPOTLIGHT IS PART OF OUR ONGOING COVERAGE OF THE INTERSECTION OF ARTS AND HEALTH, PART OF OUR CANVAS SERIES.

>> SHE'S A JOINT.

SHE'S A LEGEND.

>> ARTIST DAVID LENS PAINT LD THE PORTRAIT OF TEMPLE GRANDIN.

>> I WANTED PEOPLE TO SEE A BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT OF A PERSON WHO HAS DONE AMAZING WORK, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO HAVE AUTISM.

JOHN: IT DEPICTS GRANDIN WEARING HER TRADEMARK OUTFIT AN 'EM BROSSOITERED SHIRT AND BOLO TIE AND OF COURSE SHE'S ON A CATTLE FARM SURROUNDED BY LIVESTOCK.

>> THEY HAVE VERY BEAUTIFUL EYES.

IT'S EASY TO SEE THAT THESE ARE WARM BLOODED FEELING ANIMALS THAT ARE WORTHY OF OUR HUMANE STREET.

JOHN: THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF LIVESTOCK HAS BEEN GRANDIN'S LIFE WORK.

AS A CHILD, SHE DIDN'T SPEAK UNTIL SHE WAS NEARLY 4.

THE DOCTORS WHO DIAGNOSED HER WITH AUTISM RECOMMENDED PUTTING HER IN AN INSTITUTION.

HER MOTHER REFUSED.

NOW GRANDIN CONSIDERS HER UNIQUE MIND HER GREATEST STRENGTH.

HER PERSPECTIVE WAS KEY TO HER GROUND-BREAKING REDESIGN OF CATTLE HANDLING FACILITIES TO ELIMINATE THINGS THAT COULD FRIGHTEN OR UNNERVE LIVESTOCK.

TODAY, HER PRINCIPLES GUIDE THE WAY, NEARLY HALF OF CATTLE IN NORKT AMERICA ARE HANDLED.

SHE'S ALSO HELPED EASE ANXIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM.

AS A TEENAGER, SHE DESIGNED A SQUEEZE MACHINE TO GENTLY APPLY A COMMON PRESSURE, LIKE A GIANT HUG.

SHE BASED IT ON A DEVICE SHE SAW AT A CATTLE FARM TO TOLD LIVESTOCK IN PLACE FOR VACCINATIONS, HEALTH CHECKS AND THE LIKE.

>> WHEN YOU WALK BACK, YOU HAVE TO DO A QUICK MOTION.

JOHN: GRANDIN HAS A PH.D.

IN ANIMAL SCIENCE AND A PROFESSOR AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY.

>> WHO WANTS TO LET THIS ONE OUT?

JOHN: SHE WAS THE SUBJECT OF AN AWARD WITHIN HENIG H.B.O.

MOVIE.

>> I CAN SEE THE WORLD IN A NEW WAY.

I CAN SEE DETAILS THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE BLIND TO.

JOHN: AND WAS ON TIME'S LIST OF THE 100 PEOPLE WHO MOST AFFECT OUR WORLD AND SHE'S WRITTEN MORE THAN A DOZEN BOOKS.

HER TALKS AND BOOK SIGNINGS DRAW BIG CROWDS.

SHE SAYS HER STORY DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING DIFFERENT KINDS OF THIRST, A MESSAGE HIGHLIGHTED BY THE PRESENCE OF HER PORTRAIT IN THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY.

IT WILL BE ON VIEW THERE UNTIL NEXT NOVEMBER.

EARLIER, I SAT DOWN WITH TEMPLE GRAND.

N. I ASKED HER WHAT SHE THOUGHT OF HER PORTRAIT.

>> I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN I FIRST SAW IT.

THIS BEAUTIFUL, KIND OF -- THE MISTY RAINBOW.

AND REALLY LIKED THAT.

AND OUR EXPERIMENT STATION LOOKED JUST GREAT IN THAT.

JOHN: HOW DID IT FEEL WHEN THEY TOLD YOU YOU WERE GOING TO GO INTO THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY?

>> YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING.

I THINK IT'S LIKE THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS WHEN THEY GET THE CALL FROM SWEDEN THEY CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

I ALMOST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

GOING -- YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING.

JOHN: AND NOW EXPLAIN WHY THERE ARE CATTLE IN THIS PORTRAIT.

>> WELL, CATTLE IS WHAT I HAVE WORKED WITH.

I'VE WORKED ON DESIGNING FACILITIES FOR CATTLE.

I'VE WORKED ON DEVELOPING ANIMAL WELFARE GUIDELINES, TEACHING PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY HOW TO USE THEM.

I STARTED OUT IN THE FEED YARDS IN ARIZONA.

BACK IN THE EARLY 1970'S, HANDLING OF CATTLE WAS DREADFUL.

AND I WORKED ON DESIGNING BETTER FACILITIES.

I ALSO WROTE A LOT OF ARTICLES JUST ON HOW TO AND CATTLE BEHAVIOR, HOW TO DESIGN THINGS.

I SAW THE CATTLE HANDLING IS SOMETHING YOU COULD FIX.

NOW, TODAY, CATTLE HANDLING IS GREATLY, GREATLY, GREATLY IMPROVED.

THE LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATIONS HAVE TRAINING MATERIALS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE GOOD EQUIPMENT AND THE MANAGEMENT.

GOOD EQUIPMENT MAKES GOOD HANDLING EASIER AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE TOP MANAGEMENT IN A PLACE THAT INSISTS ON HANDLING CATTLE AND OTHER ANIMALS RIGHT.

LARGE CUSTOMERS LIKE MCDONALD'S AND OTHER LARGE CUSTOMERS ARE AUDITING ANIMAL WELFARE.

HANDLING HAS REALLY IMPROVED.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD OF.

THE IMPROVEMENTS I'VE SEEN IN THAT.

JOHN: I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO BE KNOWN SPECIFICALLY OR MOSTLY FOR BEING SOMEONE WITH AUTISM.

BUT I'VE ALSO HEARD YOU SAY THAT IT HELPED YOU IN YOUR WORK WITH CATTLE AND LIVESTOCK.

>> I'M AN EXTREME OBJECT VISUALIZING.

EVERYTHING I THINK ABOUT IS A PICTURE.

SO THE VERY FIRST WORK I DID WITH CATTLE IS I GOT DOWN IN THE CHUTE TO SEE WHAT CATTLE WERE SEEING.

THEY WOULD STOP AT A SHADOW OR A REFLECTION.

THEY WOULD STOP AT A PICKUP PARKED NEXT TO THE FACILITY.

AND VISUAL DISTRACTIONS AFFECTED THE BEHAVIOR.

NOW, AT THE TIME THAT I DID THIS, IN MY 20'S I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS A VISUAL THINKER AND SHOCKED ME WHEN I FOUND OUT THEY WEREN'T AND MY LATEST BOOK VISUAL THINKING I DISCUSSED THE RESEARCH ON OBJECT VISUALIZERS LIKE ME AND YOU HAVE MORE MATHEMATICAL PATTERN THINKERS AND THEN YOU HAVE WORD THINKERS.

PROBLEM WITH US OBJECT VISUALIZERS IS WE CAN'T DO HIGHER MATH.

BUT I WORKED WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE UNDIAGNOSED AUTISTIC THAT BIG MACHINE AND WELDING SHOPS.

AND THEY WERE INVENTING AND BUILDING AND PATENTING MECHANICAL DEVICES.

AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE GETTING SCREENED OUT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

JOHN: IN THIS CASE, DIFFERENT IS A STRENGTH.

>> YES.

JOHN: HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO HOW YOU TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM AND HOW YOU TALK TO FAMILIES WHO MAY HAVE CHILDREN WITH AUTISM?

>> AUTISM GOES ALL THE WAY TO EINSTEIN AND WOMEN GATES TO SOMEONE WHO NEVER LEARNS TO SPEAK.

I LEARNED TO SPEAK BY AGE 4.

WAS GOOD AT ART.

MY ABILITY IN ART WAS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED.

GOOD AT ART, MECHANICAL, ANIMALS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY.

SO THINGS THAT OBJECT VISUALIZERS ARE GOOD AT, TERRIBLE AT-BAT AT ABSTRACT MATH AND CAN'T REMEMBER IT.

BUT I WORKED WITH ALL THESE SHOP PEOPLE THAT -- THAT BUILT AND INSTALLED EQUIPMENT FOR ME.

THEY COULDN'T DO ALGEBRA.

AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING REPLACED.

WHO DO YOU WANT PARTICULARSING -- FIXING THE HYDRAULICS OF YOUR AIRPLANE?

I WANT THAT OBJECT VISUALIZER AND DON'T CARE ABOUT THE ALGEBRA AND WANT THE STEERING TO WORK ON THAT PLANE.

JOHN: DO YOU THINK THE FACT THERE IS SO MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT AUTISM, IS THAT A GOOD THING?

>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOOD.

I'M A BIG PROPONENT IN DEVELOPING STRENGTHS.

BECAUSE YOU CAN GET AN AUTISTIC OBJECT VISUALIZER LIKE ME, NONMATHEMATICIAN OR GET A MATHEMATICIAN, AN EXTREME MATHEMATICIAN.

AND THOSE KIDS ARE NOT BEING DEVELOPED.

I'M -- I'VE BEEN GETTING FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS THAT THEY MAKE THEM DO THE SAME BORING LITTLE MATH IN FOURTH GRADE.

THEY GET BORED AND THEY TURN INTO BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS.

WHEN THEY NEED TO BE CHALLENGED WITH MORE ADVANCED MATH.

AND YOU WANT TO TAKE THE STRENGTH AND BUILD ON IT.

YOU KNOW, IF THE AUTISTIC PERSON IS AN EXTREME MATHEMATICIAN LET'S DEVELOP THAT AND AN EXTREME OBJECT VISUALIZER I'LL PUSH TOWARD THE MECHANICAL.

JOHN: FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM THEY MAY THINK IT'S A HORRIBLE THING BUT WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM?

>> WELL, WHEN THE CHILD IS LIKE UNDER AGE 5, I LOOKED VERY SEVERE WHEN I WAS 2.5.

I WAS VERY LUCKY TO GET INTO VERY GOOD EARLY EDUCATION.

THIS IS ESSENTIAL.

I WAS TAUGHT LANGUAGE AND THE ABILITY TO WAIT AND TAKE TURNS AT GAMES.

AND TAUGHT BASIC SKILLS.

LIKE GETTING DRESSED AND BRUSHING MY TEETH AND BASIC SKILLS.

THIS EARLY EDUCATION IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

I'M SEEING TOO MANY KIDS PUT ON TWO-YEAR WAIT LIST WHEN IS THEY ARE 3 AND THAT'S REALLY BAD.

THE OTHER THING MOTHER HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS THAT WERE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS.

WHEN I WAS 5 I RAILROAD GOING ON A FERRY BOAT AND FLINGING MYSELF ON THE FLOOR SCREAMING WHEN THE HORN BLEW BUT WE'RE GOING ON THAT FERRY BUT YOU CAN RIDE IN THE CASH-IN UNDERNEATH.

AWAY FROM THE HORN.

THE COME DAIKS WAS MADE.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO GO ON THAT FERRY.

THAT'S THE HIGH EXPECTATION.

JOHN: HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT -- HOW YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED, WHAT YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE?

>> RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF OBJECT VISUALIZERS.

AND I'M QUOARD ABOUT THEM GETTING SCREENED OUT.

OK.

I WENT UP TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND DOING A TWO-YEAR FACTORY MAINTENANCE DEGREE AND REQUIRING CALCULUS AND ALGEBRA.

WHAT -- YOU'RE GOING TO SCREEN OUT THE BEST MECHANIC FOR KEEPING A FACTORY RUNNING.

JOHN: SO IS BEING A VISUAL THINKER YOUR SUPERPOWER?

>> YES.

BEING A VANQUISH THINKER.

AND THE EXTREME VISUAL THIRST AND I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHS, TOO, CAN'T DO HIGHER MATH.

GO ON TO PHOTOGRAPHY.

THEY CAN EXCEL IN THAT.

VERY GOOD WITH ANIMALS.

SENSORY BASED THINKERS BUT ALSO VERY GOOD WITH MECHANICAL THINGS.

AND I TELL BUSINESS PEOPLE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE WE NEED THE SKILLS.

AND THE ONE THING WHERE -- A.I.

IS NOT GOING TO REPLACE IS WHO WILL FIX AN ELEVATOR?

OR MAKE SURE THE WATER WORKS WORK OR MAKE SURE THE HYDRAULICS WORKS ON A PLANE.

I TALKED TO A SCIENCE TEACHER AND HER DAD COULDN'T -- AIRPLANE MECHANIC COULDN'T DO ANY, ANY HIGHER MATH.

HE FIXED SOME HYDRAULIC PROBLEM ON A BOEING AIRPLANE AND BOEING PUT IT IN EVERY ONE OF THEIR AIRPLANES.

BECAUSE HE COULD JUST SEE HOW THE HYDRAULICS WORKS.

WE NEED THESE THINKERS.

WHERE WE NEED OUR MATHEMATICAL ENGINEERS LIKE A SPACESHIP, THEY -- MATHEMATICIAN TELLS THE THRUSTER WHEN TO THRUST.

THE VISUAL THINKER HAS TO MAKE SURE IT'S PUT TOGETHER PROPERLY.

YOU SEE THERE ARE TWO PARTS OF ENGINEERING HERE.

THE MATHEMATICAL PART AND WHAT I CALL THE CLEVER ENGINEERS.

OFTEN DON'T GET ENOUGH CREDIT.

JOHN: TEMPLE GRANDIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.