PULLMAN, Wash. — Internationally renowned author, inventor, and autism advocate Temple Grandin will present the inaugural Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean’s Distinguished Lecture, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the CUB Senior Ballroom on Washington State University’s Pullman campus.
Grandin’s talk, “The World Needs All Kinds of Minds,” will be followed by a Q&A session and book signing. This event is free and open to the public, and an RSVP is requested.
The first of a planned series of biannual talks, the program is presented by Raj Khosla, Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. This lecture series promotes excellence in academics, research, and philanthropy and is funded by the historic Cashup Davis Family Endowment, created by CAHNRS alumnus and award-winning educator, mentor, and entrepreneur Gordon Davis.
“I am honored to welcome Dr. Grandin to WSU and excited to hear her insightful, thought-provoking lecture,” said Khosla. “Our college is very grateful for the generosity of Gordon Davis, whose endowment to the Deanship makes this lecture series possible. Though we were in separate academic units, I was honored to be part of the same College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University for a period of over 20 years with Dr. Grandin.”
A prominent proponent of the humane treatment of livestock, Grandin’s experience with autism influenced her to promote neurodiversity awareness and create systems that help animals and people. She has written more than 15 books on autism, animal science and welfare, and the mind, as well as more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior.
As an animal sciences faculty member in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University, Grandin acts as an animal behavior consultant to the livestock industry. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her research, advocacy, and impact.
Grandin is also the subject of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning biographical film “Temple Grandin.” A showing of the 2010 film will be held 7 p.m. Monday, May 4, 2026, in the CUB Auditorium on WSU’s Pullman campus.
Gordon Davis established the Cashup Davis Family Endowment in 2018 to support academic and research endeavors that reflect the Davis family’s visionary, entrepreneurial spirit. Made possible by a $5 million gift from Gordon Davis, the program is the first endowed deanship at WSU, creating new opportunities to meet the needs of students and adapt innovative solutions for agriculture across our state and around the globe.
A Washington native who grew up in Deer Park, Gordon Davis earned bachelor’s degrees in agriculture science and education from WSU, where he took part in the university’s competitive livestock and meat judging teams. He received his master’s and PhD in meat science from Texas A&M University. Gordon Davis has inspired students and educators at WSU, in his adopted state of Texas, and nationwide to pursue paths of excellence.
The deanship is named for Gordon Davis’ great-grandfather James S. “Cashup” Davis, an enterprising English immigrant who homesteaded on the Palouse and built a now-vanished three-story hotel atop 3,612-foot Steptoe Butte in 1888. To this day, the “Cashup” legacy remains on the Palouse: a sense of opportunity, pride, and adventure that runs through its farms, businesses, classrooms, and research endeavors.
“My great-grandfather had an incredible sense of vision,” said Gordon Davis. “While I’ve never met him, he has been a mentor to me. I’ve found success in life because of that same vision: no matter how good you are, you can always do better. Never stop aspiring to excellence.”
More info:
To learn more about this event, contact the CAHNRS Dean’s Office at 509-335-4561 or cahnrs.deans@wsu.edu.