91茄子

Dr. Aihua Zhang Honored for Exceptional Productivity in Scholarship, Creative Discovery and Instruction

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擠r. Aihua Zhang, assistant professor in the 91茄子 Department of Social Sciences, has been recognized for her exceptional productivity in scholarship, creative discovery, and instruction. She is the recipient of the President鈥檚 Early Career Award for 2022.

Presented to qualified full-time assistant professors, the Early Career Award also honors Zhang鈥檚 outstanding performance in professional development and excellence in community service. The annual award includes an additional $1,000 in professional development funds for Zhang to use during the 2022-23 academic year.

鈥淚t is an honor to recognize and reward outstanding faculty, and I鈥檓 so pleased that this year we can highlight Dr. Zhang鈥檚 fast start at GWU,鈥� noted GWU President William Downs.  鈥淪tudents always benefit from professors with active research programs, and Dr. Zhang is bringing her passion for scholarship to the classroom.  She鈥檚 very much deserving of the President鈥檚 Early Career Award.鈥�

Zhang began her work at 91茄子 in 2019. 鈥淚 feel so privileged, honored, and grateful for this award,鈥� she asserted. 鈥淚t will definitely help me improve myself and do better in the future.鈥�

Last year, Zhang was recognized with the faculty scholarship award. She recently published a book, 鈥淭he Beijing Young Women鈥檚 Christian Association.鈥� In nominating Zhang for the award, Dr. Dianne Sykes, chair of the Department of Social Sciences quoted a peer reviewer who described Zhang鈥檚 work as 鈥渁n important contribution to scholarship on Chinese Christianity, transnational women鈥檚 organizations, and the wide range of movements which could be considered 鈥榝eminist鈥� in Republican China.鈥�

Zhang has also published several journal articles and encyclopedia entries. Her most recent article, 鈥淩einventing Tradition and Indigenizing Modernity: The Beijing New Women and their Creation of a New Feminine Leisure Culture 1911-1937,鈥� was published in the 鈥淲omen鈥檚 History Review Journal.鈥� Other scholarly works have appeared in 鈥淐hristianity and the Modern Women in East Asia,鈥� 鈥淛ournal for Liberal Arts and Sciences,鈥� 鈥淧ostscript: A Journal of Graduate Criticism and Theory 8,鈥� and 鈥淲orld Leisure Journal 52.鈥�

Zhang was also awarded the Madeleine L鈥橢ngle Travel Research Fellowship (2020-2021), which provides stipends to support travel by researchers to use the special collections at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. She consistently seeks out funding opportunities to pursue her research, and has presented papers at regional, national and international conferences. She helped to complete a collaborative project that resulted in a public database on women and social movements since 1820. She is also working with other scholars on a women鈥檚 oral history in which her job is to record Chinese women鈥檚 voices and experiences in Mao鈥檚 China.

Sykes praised Zhang鈥檚 work and noted, 鈥淗er purpose is to make women visible, restore their voices and expose their agency in the areas where they were dismissed, silenced, or marginalized. Her hope is to gain a more objective evaluation of women鈥檚 roles in history, creating a fuller understanding of the human experience. Dr. Zhang has used her research in creating innovative courses for our department. Our students are so fortunate to have her with us, and she has received great evaluations from them.鈥�

Zhang teaches Modern East Asia, Global Understanding, Modern China, Western Civilization I and II and Premodern China. She serves on the Professional Readiness Experience Committee and the Library Council. She has been a guest speaker in multiple classes and assisted the Dover Library staff in organizing a display for Chinese New Year.

91茄子 is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to six professional schools, 14 academic departments, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 91茄子 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at 91茄子.edu.