معرفی
Wenwen Mao serves as an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Baruch College, City University of New York, within the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. Her dual role as an acclaimed author and educator positions her at the forefront of contemporary literary studies, particularly in Asian American creative writing. Additionally, she holds the position of Poetry Editor for The Believer Magazine, extending her influence across academic and literary spheres.
Her academic credentials include:
- M.F.A. in Creative Writing - Poetry from Cornell University
- B.A. in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University
Mao's creative and scholarly work centers on Asian American Studies, with emphases on poetry and fiction. Her research explores identity, history, and myth through innovative literary forms, blending speculative elements with historical narratives as seen in her short story collection Ninetails and poetry collections like Oculus and The Kingdom of Surfaces. This body of work consistently challenges genre boundaries while amplifying underrepresented perspectives in American literature, with recurring themes of diaspora, cultural memory, and feminist reinterpretations of folklore.
Her publications reveal an evolution from poetry exploring visual culture toward speculative fiction and historical narratives. The 2024 collection Ninetails reimagines East Asian folklore through science fiction lenses, while non-fiction works like her New York Times piece on Shanghai demonstrate engagement with diasporic literary landscapes. This trajectory shows increasing sophistication in merging academic rigor with creative experimentation across multiple genres.
Mao's contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors including:
- National Endowment for the Arts fellowship (2021)
- Two Pushcart Prizes
- Cullman Fellowship at the New York Public Library (2016)
- Finalist for the 2023 Maya Angelou Book Prize
- Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
- Winner of the 2012 Kinereth Gensler Award
She has secured significant grant support including the NEA fellowship and competitive residencies at the New York Public Library, George Washington University, and the Black Mountain Institute. While specific graduate student mentorship details aren't provided in available sources, her extensive teaching at NYU, Cornell, and Sarah Lawrence College demonstrates deep commitment to nurturing emerging writers through undergraduate instruction and editorial guidance at The Believer Magazine. Her service includes shaping literary discourse through editorial decisions and public intellectual contributions.
Professional development has been supported through affiliations with major literary institutions including the New York Public Library's Cullman Center and the Black Mountain Institute. These fellowships provided collaborative environments for her creative work, though she does not currently lead a formal research lab. Her ongoing projects continue to bridge academic scholarship with public-facing literary production through editorial work and cross-institutional collaborations.
