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Daniel Pena

Associate Professor

University of North Texas

Department of English

Email: Daniel.Pena@unt.edu

Education

  • MFA, Cornell University, 2013
    Major: Creative Writing
    Specialization: Fiction
    Dissertation: BANG: A Novel
  • BA, Texas A&M University, 2010
    Major: English
    Specialization: Creative Writing

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • ENGL 3140 - Beginning Fiction Writing, 3 courses.
  • ENGL 4100 - Advanced Fiction Writing, 4 courses.
  • ENGL 4120 - Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing, 1 course.
  • ENGL 5820 - Creative Writing: Prose Fiction, 2 courses.
  • ENGL 6941 - Directed Research, 3 courses.
  • ENGL 6950 - Doctoral Dissertation, 3 courses.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • The University of North Texas, Fall 2022.
  • New York University (Low Residency MFA Program), Summer 2021.
  • Universität Leipzig, Fall 2017.
  • The University of Houston-Downtown, Fall 2016.
  • Louisiana State University, Fall 2015.
  • Cornell University, Fall 2011.

Directed Student Learning

  • Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader, "Untitled Novel-In-Progress/The Hawk," English. (November 28, 2023).
  • Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader, "Untitled Novel on Transhumanism," English. (April 15, 2023).
  • Dissertation Committee Chair, "Unt," English. (March 24, 2023).
  • Dissertation Committee Chair, "Untitled," English. (February 1, 2023).
  • Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader, "Into Memory," English. (September 30, 2022).
  • Dissertation Committee Chair, "Untitled," English. (February 1, 2023 - August 20, 2023).
  • Dissertation Committee Member, "Stories and Burning Man," English. (January 1, 2023 - April 28, 2023).

Awards and Honors

  • Notable Mention, Best American Essays 2023, Mariner Books. (October 17, 2023).
  • 30 Most Essential Books about Texas Selection: BANG: A Novel, The Houston Chronicle.
  • The best books on migration, chosen by writers: The Guardian News, The Guardian News.

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Book Review

  • Peña, D.I. (2020). Set After the Civil War, the ‘Sweetness of Water’ is Eerily Relevant. 4. Austin, TX, Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/sweetness-of-water-novel-review/

    • Magazine/Trade Publication

  • Peña, D.I. (2021). Letter of Recommendation: The Joys of Biking at Night. (3.28.21) 2. New York, NY, New York Times Magazine. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/magazine/the-joys-of-biking-at-night.html

    • Newspaper

  • Peña, D. (2022). COVID Killed Normal. But It Gave Us Keith-Wiess Park. The Houston Chronicle. 1. New York, NY, Hearst Newspapers. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Essay-COVID-killed-normal-But-it-left-us-Keith-17186683.php
  • Peña, D. (2020). In America’s oil country, men losing their jobs are suffering in silence. 15. New York, NY, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/20/unemployment-men-lose-job-self-esteem

    • Novel

  • Peña, D.I. (2018). Bang: A Novel. (First) 239. Houston, TX, Arte Publico Press.

    • Personal Essay

  • Peña, D.I. (2022). Snapshots of a Life in Flight: An Essay in Cardinal Directions. Ploughshares. How to Look Away: Essays. 1 (153) 129-151. Boston, MA, Ploughshares. https://www.pshares.org/issues/fall-2022
  • Peña, D.I., Johnson, L., Beckett, C. (2022). Climate Dignity: Reading Baldwin after Harvey and in the Near Northside. More City Than Water: A Houston Flood Atlas. (First) 4. Austin, TX, University of Texas Press. https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477325001/
  • Peña, D., Freeman, J., Smith, T.K. (2021). Let These Protests Bring Light to America. There's a Revolution Outside, My Love: Letters from a Crisis. (1) 80-89. New York, NY, Vintage.
  • Peña, D.I. (2020). Letter From Houston: Let These Protests Bring Light to America. How to Look Away: Essays. New York, NY, Literary Hub/Grove Atlantic. https://lithub.com/letter-from-houston-let-these-protests-bring-light-to-america/
  • Peña, D.I. (2020). Erection Before A Burial. Gulf Coast. 32 (1) 260-262. Houston, TX, Gulf Coast Journal.

Presentations Given

    Invited Talk

  • Pena, D. (Author & Presenter), Authors at School, Authors at School: Daniel Pena, Picador Guest Professorship for Literature/Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, Berlin, Germany, Germany. (2020).

    • Oral Presentation

  • Pena, D. (Presenter), Writers Lunch: How to Put Yourself On the Page with Daniel Peña, How to Put Yourself on the Page, Houston Independent Authors, Online, United States of America. (2020).

    • Other

  • Peña, D.I. (Moderator), Rosenblatt, R. (Discussant), Fulbright 75th Anniversary, Roger Rosenblatt: The Writing Life, U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Program, Online/New York, United States of America. (2021).

    • Panel Presentation

  • Pena, D. (Panelist), Faizullah, T. (Panelist), Cure, L. (Panelist), Temblador, A. (Moderator), Lit Talk, Lit Talk: A DFW Author Panel Series, The Writer's Garret, Writing Workshops Dallas, and Whose Books, Dallas, Texas, United States of America. (2022).
  • Pena, D. (Panelist), Cure, L. (Panelist), Temblador, A. (Moderator), Lit Talk Series, Lit Talk: A DFW Author Panel Series, The Writer's Garrett, Writing Workshops Dallas, and Interabang Books, Dallas, Texas, United States of America. (2022).
  • Peña, D.I. (Panelist), Chang, L.S. (Panelist), Sharma, P. (Panelist), Laymon, K. (Panelist), Faisal, S.R. (Moderator), Going to Grad School for Creative Writing: A Free Panel for Writers of Color, A Free Panel for Writers of Color, Periplus Collective, Online, United States of America. (2022).
  • Peña, D. (Moderator), National Book Foundation Presents: An Evening With The National Book Awards, An Evening With The National Book Awards, The National Book Foundation, Huntsville, TX, United States of America. (2022).
  • Pena, D. (Panelist), Viramontes, H.M. (Panelist), Munoz, M. (Panelist), Silva, I.L. (Panelist), Castillo, M. (Panelist), Esquivel, K. (Panelist), Cornell Latino Alumni Association Reunion, LatinX Writers and Cornell, Cornell University,, Ithaca, NY and Online, United States of America. (2021).
  • Peña, D. (Panelist), Arnoldi, K. (Panelist), Gonzalez, E. (Panelist), Chopra, S. (Panelist), Nealand, E. (Panelist), Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference-San Antonio, Fulbright Information Session, Association of Writers & Writing Programs, San Antonio, TX, United States of America. (2020).
  • Peña, D.I. (Panelist), Luu, P. (Panelist), Cole, J. (Panelist), Mouton, D. (Panelist), Meriano, A. (Panelist), Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference-San Antonio, Sensitivity Snaggle: Why the Industry Still Can’t Get Race and Diversity Correct, AWP, San Antonio, TX, United States of America. (2020).

    • Reading of Creative Work/Performance

  • Pena, D. (Author & Presenter), Intro to Fiction, Instructor: Sidney Thompson, BANG: A Novel, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America. (2022).
  • Peña, D. (Author & Presenter), The Big Texas Read, The Big Texas Read featuring Daniel Peña, Gemini Ink and The Writing Workshops Dallas, Online, United States of America. (2022).
  • Peña, D.I. (Author & Presenter), New York University-Low Residency MFA Guest Lecture, A Reading With Daniel Peña, New York University, Paris, France, France. (2021).
  • Pena, D. (Author & Presenter), Book Launch: There’s A Revolution Outside, My Love (Vintage), THERE'S A REVOLUTION OUTSIDE, MY LOVE, Brazos Bookstore, Houston, TX, United States of America. (2021).
  • Pena, D. (Author & Presenter), Author Talk with Daniel Peña, Houston Public Library, BANG: A Novel, Houston Public Library, Houston, TX, United States of America. (2020).
  • Peña , D. (Author & Presenter), Virtual Brazos Book club Featuring BANG by Daniel Peña, BANG: A Novel, Brazos Bookstor, Houston, TX and Online, United States of America. (2020).
  • Peña, D. (Author & Presenter), INPRINT BOOK CLUB: DANIEL PEÑA’S BANG, BANG: A Novel, Inprint, Houston, TX and Online, United States of America. (2020).
  • Peña, D. (Author & Presenter), Gulf Coast Reading Series with Daniel Peña, Snapshots of a Life in Flight: An Essay in Cardinal Directions, Gulf Coast Journal, Houston, TX, United States of America. (2020).

    • Webinar

  • Peña, D.I. (Moderator), Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood, Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi in Conversation with Daniel Peña, Brazos Bookstore and the Houston Public Library, Online, United States of America. (2021).
  • Peña, D.I. (Moderator), Marafioti, O. (Discussant), Picador Guest Professor Readings, DIASPORA IN CHARACTER: HOW LITERARY ACTIVISM SHAPES CULTURAL IDENTITY, Veranstaltungsforum Holtzbrinck/Picador Guest Professorship for Literature at the University of Leipzig, Online and in Leipzig, Germany, Germany. (2020).

Artistic and Professional Performances and Exhibits

  • Other. Pena, D., "Unveiling ‘Devil Makes Three’: A Premier Conversation with Celebrated Author Ben Fountain in Dallas", Hay Festival-Dallas, Hay Festival, Dallas, Texas, United Kingdom. (September 10, 2023).
  • Other. Peña, D., Zamora, J., "2022/2023 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Javier Zamora in Conversation with Daniel Peña", Inprint, Houston, TX, United States of America. (October 3, 2022).
  • Other. Peña, D.I., Forche, C., Machado, C.M., "2019/2020 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Carolyn Forche & Carmen Maria Machado in Conversation with Daniel Peña", Inprint Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America. (January 27, 2020).

Service

University Service

  • Committee Member, Search Committee for Assistant Professor of Postcolonial, Decolonial and/or Indigenous Literary studies Studies. (September 15, 2022 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Search Committee for Assistant Professor of Poetry. (September 14, 2022 - March 30, 2023).
  • Committee Member, Creative Writing Job Search for Assistant Professor of Poetry. (August 30, 2022 - March 15, 2023).

Public Service

  • Mentor, Periplus Collective. Denton, Texas. (January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023).
  • Mentor, Periplus Collective. Denton, Texas. (January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022).
  • Mentor, Periplus Collective. Houston, Texas. (January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020).

Professional Service

  • Editor, Associate Editor, The Puschart Prize Anthology. Wainscott, New York. (January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2023).
  • Other (Selected Nominator), MacArthur Fellows Program. New York, New York. (October 18, 2021 - December 1, 2021).
  • Other (Selected Nominator), Whiting Foundation. New York, New York. (May 17, 2021 - May 31, 2021).
  • Other (Judge of a Contest), Cornell University, Department of Literatures in English. Ithaca, New York. (April 7, 2021 - May 12, 2021).
  • Other (Judge for a Contest), Gulf Coast Journal. Houston, Texas. (March 20, 2020 - May 10, 2020).