Associate Professor of Art History, Amanda Wangwright, Ph.D., has received the SECAC Award for Excellence in Scholarly Research and Publication for her groundbreaking monograph, The Golden Key: Modern Women Artists and Gender Negotiations in Republican China (1911-1949). The SECAC Award for Excellence in Scholarly Research and Publication is awarded annually to recognize outstanding research shown in a book, article, or series of articles published within the last two years.

Released in 2021, Wangwright's book draws upon a wealth of primary sources to demonstrate how six female artists wielded art as the "golden key" to professional advancement and gender inequality in Republican China. As the first monograph devoted to women artists of this period, The Golden Key  showcases the broad and vital scholarship and creative research of the SECAC community.