Daniel Pena
University of North Texas
English
Email:

Education

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

Teaching

Teaching Experience

University of North Texas
ENGL 3140, Beginning Fiction Writing, 2 courses.
ENGL 4100, Advanced Fiction Writing, 3 courses.
ENGL 5820, Creative Writing: Prose Fiction, 1 course.
ENGL 6941, Directed Research, 3 courses.
ENGL 6950, Doctoral Dissertation, 2 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 – Present).

Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader,"Untitled Novel on Transhumanism," English. (April 15, 2023 – Present).

Dissertation Committee Chair,"Unt," English. (March 24, 2023 – Present).

Dissertation Committee Chair,"Untitled," English. (February 1, 2023 – Present).

Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader,"Into Memory," English. (September 30, 2022 – Present).

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).

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).

Online Interview

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).

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).

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, , Dallas, Texas. (September 10, 2023 – Present).

Other. Peña, D., Zamora, J., "2022/2023 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Javier Zamora in Conversation with Daniel Peña," , 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," , Houston, TX, United States of America. (January 27, 2020).

Awards and Honors

Notable Mention, Best American Essays 2023, Mariner Books. (October 17, 2023 – Present).

30 Most Essential Books about Texas Selection: BANG: A Novel, The Houston Chronicle. (June 2, 2020).

The best books on migration, chosen by writers: The Guardian News, The Guardian News. (February 6, 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).

Professional Service

Editor, Associate Editor, The Puschart Prize Anthology, Wainscott, New York. (January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2023).

Other, MacArthur Fellows Program, New York, New York. (October 18, 2021 – December 1, 2021).

Other, Whiting Foundation, New York, New York. (May 17, 2021 – May 31, 2021).

Other, Cornell University, Department of Literatures in English, Ithaca, New York. (April 7, 2021 – May 12, 2021).

Other, Gulf Coast Journal, Houston, Texas. (March 20, 2020 – May 10, 2020).

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).