[5] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hayes collaborated with colleague Alyssa Bakke to conduct a global survey in an attempt to quantify the prevalence of loss of sensory function related to the virus.
[7] As a result of this research, Hayes also collaborated with Cara Exten, an assistant nursing professor, to improve contact tracing and screening efforts.
[8] This eventually led to the distribution of coronavirus scent cards across Penn State's campus with QR codes to check and confirm smell loss.
In May 2024, he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council for the Borough of State College [12] He received the Pangborn Sensory Science Scholarship as a Doctoral Student at University of Connecticut.
In 2015, he also received the Food Quality & Preference Researcher of the Future [15] Award at the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium in Sweden.