Hey Hey!

I’m Allanté, the creator and host of Blk + in Grad School. My friends call me LL. Two things to know about me: I am a proud Detroit native and HBCU grad.

I left my hometown in 2007 to attend North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, studying Biological Engineering. There, I discovered my love for research and chose to pursue a career in academia. I went on to earn an M.S. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I moved back home to Detroit and led the McNair Scholars Program at Wayne State University for 3 years. My students graduated and went on to fully funded doctoral programs at the University of Michigan, Princeton, and Purdue University.

I started my Ph.D. in 2017 at Carnegie Mellon University where I am earning a joint Ph.D. I Civil Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy. My research focuses on uncovering the environmental and social implications of autonomous vehicle(AV) technology, specifically looking at integrating public transit and shared AVs. I started recording the podcast the first day of my journey here at Carnegie Mellon.

When I’m not studying or podcasting you can find me traveling (pre-COVID), spending time with my family + friends, or obsessing over home decor or podcasts.

I am available to speak to your organization, at your conference, or with your group on the following topics:

• Getting to and through Graduate School

• Autonomous Vehicle Technology & Policy

• Establishing yourself as a Researcher

• Social & Creative Entrepreneurship

I am always happy to connect with folks for collaborations, speaking engagements, guest appearances on Blk + in Grad School, and if you’re a listener simply to say hi!

For all inquiries or friendly notes, please send me an email at allante@blkingradschool.com or click the button below :)