KEARNEY – Jia “Grace” Wei has been selected as the 2026 Dr. Donald E. Fox Distinguished Chemistry Alumna.
She’ll be honored 11:30 a.m. Oct. 2 during the 46th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards luncheon in the Gala Room at the Regional Engagement Center, 2204 University Drive. Tickets can be purchased at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.
Wei will give her lecture 2:30 p.m. Oct. 2 in Copeland Hall, Room 131. The lecture is open to the public.
“Grace Wei’s professional accomplishments demonstrate the value of a chemistry education combined with strong leadership and a commitment to excellence,” said professor Frank Kovacs, interim chair of the UNK Department of Chemistry. “Her work advancing product quality, regulatory compliance and animal health has had a meaningful impact on the industry. We are proud to recognize her achievements and celebrate the example she sets for current and future UNK students.”
Wei serves as vice president of quality and regulatory affairs at Nova-Tech in Grand Island, where she leads technical development and regulatory compliance for the manufacturing of animal health products. A native of Dalian, China, and a graduate of Cambridge High School, she has built a distinguished career spanning more than two decades in the pharmaceutical industry.
Since joining Nova-Tech in 2005, Wei has advanced through a series of leadership roles in quality control, quality assurance and regulatory affairs. As vice president of quality and regulatory affairs, she oversees quality assurance and quality control operations, directs regulatory compliance efforts and serves as a strategic liaison with regulatory agencies. Her leadership has contributed to multiple product approvals and successful inspections while helping ensure the safety and effectiveness of animal health products.
Wei’s expertise includes quality management systems, regulatory strategy, product development and manufacturing compliance. Throughout her career, she has helped translate complex regulatory requirements into practical solutions that support both innovation and patient and animal safety.
She has been recognized with Nova-Tech’s Science Cape Award and was a member of Leadership Tomorrow Class 24. She is also a volunteer for Heartland United Way and the Nebraska State Fair.
Wei earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with an emphasis in molecular biology from UNK in 2005. She later completed a Master of Business Management with a specialization in finance and a graduate certificate in business analytics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During her time at UNK, she was involved in international and multicultural student organizations and worked as a laboratory assistant in the chemistry department.