Mayes' first book, The Cybernetics of Kenyan Running (Carolina Academic Press 2005), investigates the biological, historical, cultural, and psychological components to Kenyan running success. He was the co-organizer and co-moderator of the Coming Age of the Uber-Athlete (2008) conference at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC. He co-authored the media guide for Reebok International for the 2000 Sydney Olympics which profiles the coaches and track athletes in the Reebok Enclave.
Prior to analyzing biotechnology issues, Mayes was a free-lance journalist covering science as it relates to business, politics, and culture. He has also worked in business development for the technology and solar energy industries. The Rocky Mountain Institute Newsletter featured his work on solar powered web hosting.
Mayes has a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University and guest lecturers on genomics and sports performance. In 2009, he served as a fellow at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.
Mayes' second book is on genomics and synthetic biology, titled Revolutions: Paving the Way for the Bioeconomy (Logos Press 2012). He is currently a senior fellow with STATS at George Mason University and resides in Durham, NC.
