Washington, DC—On March 14, renowned author and animal behaviorist Dr. Temple Grandin will be awarded the 2024 Schweitzer Medal from the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) in recognition of her enduring advocacy for the humane treatment of farmed animals. For more than 60 years, the prestigious Schweitzer Medal has been a symbol of outstanding achievement in the advancement of animal welfare.
What: Schweitzer Medal ceremony honoring Dr. Temple Grandin
Who: Introductory remarks by Susan Millward, AWI’s executive director and chief executive officer. US Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) will present the medal to Dr. Grandin. Additional remarks by Sandra Eskin, the US Department of Agriculture’s deputy under secretary for food safety.
When: Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 4:45 p.m. (Doors open at 4 p.m., reception to follow)
Where: YOTEL (Grand Hub West), 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC
About Dr. Temple Grandin:
Dr. Temple Grandin is arguably the world’s preeminent proponent for the humane treatment of farmed animals on the farm, during transport and at slaughter. Her design innovations, including chutes, ramps and curved corrals, have benefited billions of animals worldwide by reducing stress and fear during handling. Raised in the Boston suburbs, Dr. Grandin launched her professional career in the beef cattle industry in the 1970s, working on feed yards in rural Arizona. She has credited autism for providing her with a unique perspective in relating to nonhuman animals. Her ability to partner with the meat industry, including fast-food restaurant chains, to create good management practices for animal handling and stunning has resulted in meaningful reforms. Dr. Grandin was among the first scientists to call for the phasing out of gestation crates for pregnant sows, and she is a strong proponent of transparency and auditing of animal agriculture practices. In 2010 — the same year that the award-winning biographical film Temple Grandin was released — TIME magazine named Dr. Grandin one of the world’s 100 most influential people in the “heroes” category. She has authored hundreds of scientific articles and textbooks, and has served as a professor of animal science at Colorado State University for more than 30 years.
About the Schweitzer Medal:
Dr. Albert Schweitzer was a famed scientist and humanitarian internationally known for his philosophy focused on the value of all living things. In 1951, he gave permission to AWI to strike a medal in his honor, to be awarded to individuals in recognition of their exemplary efforts to improve the lives of animals. In December 1953, a gold replica of the medal was presented to Dr. Schweitzer by Dr. Charles Joy in Oslo, Norway, where Dr. Schweitzer had gone to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.
About the Animal Welfare Institute:
The Animal Welfare Institute is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram for updates and other important animal protection news.
Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institute
[email protected], (202) 446-2128