Mechanics and Design 7th Edition by James K. Wight received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from Michigan State University in 1969 and 1970 too, respectively, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1973. He has been a professor of structural engineering in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department! at the University of Michigan since 1973. He teaches undergraduate and also the graduate classes on analysis and design of reinforced concrete structures.

He is well known for his work in earthquake-resistant design of concrete structures and also spent a one-year sabbatical leave in Japan where he was involved in the construction and simulated earthquake testing of a full-scale reinforced concrete building. Professor Wight has been an active member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) since 1973 and was named a Fellow of the Institute in 1984. As a Past-President of ACI and a past Chair of the ACI Building Code Committee 318.

He is also past Chair of the ACI Technical Activities Committee and also Committee 352 on Joints and Connections in Concrete Structures. He has received several awards from the American Concrete Institute including the Delmar Bloem Distinguished Service Award (1991), the Joe Kelly Award (1999), the Boise Award (2002), the C.P. Siess Structural Research Award (2003 and 2009), the Alfred Lindau Award (2008) the Wason Medal (2012) and also the Charles S. Whitney Medal (2015). Professor Wight has received numerous awards for his teaching and service at the University of Michigan including the ASCE Student

the Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments of the University of Illinois (2008) and Michigan State University (2009).