Dr. Temple Grandin shares her insights with Bridgemont students
Bridgemont International School was treated to a remarkable online visit when Dr. Temple Grandin, world-renowned animal scientist, university professor, author, and neurodiversity advocate, joined students for a conversation that far exceeded expectations.
The invitation came from Emily Squadroni, Middle School Science teacher, whose class had been exploring ethics in science as part of a broader unit. Word spread quickly, and students and teachers from throughout the school tuned in — including students joining from Belgium, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and throughout the United States.
What began as a focused conversation on scientific ethics quickly expanded into something much larger. Dr. Grandin spoke passionately about the importance of observation in science, pushing back on what she sees as a troubling trend of overemphasizing math and algorithms at the expense of hands-on, sensory engagement with the world. “Observation is a very important part of science,” she told students. “That’s where it starts.” She pointed to the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes as examples of landmark science built entirely on observation, no control group required.
Dr. Grandin also dove deep into the value of visual thinking, connecting it to her own groundbreaking work in animal welfare research and her 2022 book, “Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures”. She described how getting down into cattle chutes to see what the animals actually saw led to transformative improvements in how livestock are handled. She expressed concern that schools are inadvertently “screening out” visual thinkers through rigid algebra requirements, and made a compelling case for bringing back shop classes, cooking classes, and hands-on learning starting in elementary school.
The conversation touched on scientific ethics in concrete terms, including the Challenger disaster, the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, and a cautionary tale from cancer research in which millions of dollars of work was compromised because researchers failed to record which type of cell-mixing device they used in their method sections. “Details matter,” Dr. Grandin said simply.
Students were also encouraged to get out and try things — shadow professionals, help professors with research, travel when they can, and spend less time on devices. “Get out there and do things,” she urged. “Find out what you like to do.”
The session wrapped up with a question from student Maha, who asked what mechanical skill Dr. Grandin most worries schools are missing. Her answer was direct: put shop class and other hands-on, experiential learning opportunities back into schools. “We’ve got kids today who don’t know how to measure,” she noted.
The impression she left on Bridgemont’s community was lasting. Her blend of scientific rigor, practical wisdom, and genuine care for young people made for exactly the kind of conversation that reminds everyone — students and teachers alike — why learning matters.