The Middle Tennessee State University School of Agriculture next week will host Temple Grandin, renowned autism advocate and animal welfare pioneer.

In a collaboration with the Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences, Grandin will visit campus Wednesday, March 13, for a series of afternoon and evening events.

Grandin will appear for a book signing and meet and greet from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Science Building Atrium, 460 Friendship St. 

Off-campus visitors planning to attend the meet and greet should obtain a special one-day permit from MTSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation at www.mtsu.edu/parking/. Free parking is available in the Rutherford Boulevard parking lots, with free Raider Xpress shuttle service running periodically to the interior of campus.

At 7 p.m. in Tucker Theatre, 615 Champion Way, there will be a private screening of “An Open Door,” a documentary about Grandin produced by Colorado State. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and tickets, which are free, are required at https://bit.ly/3Tr09yg.

A question-and-answer session with Director John Barnhardt, Executive Producer John Festervand and Grandin will follow the documentary at 8 p.m.

Grandin appeared at MTSU in 2019, attracting an audience of 900 people for a research-oriented talk, personal opinions on autism and animal welfare and then a question-and-answer session.

School of Agriculture Director Jessica Carter said she, her students and faculty are quite excited about Grandin’s return visit to campus.

The MTSU School of Agriculture is one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)