Jay Dawes, PhD, is an associate professor of applied exercise science in the department of kinesiology, health, and recreation at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and is the codirector of the OSU Tactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab. Dr. Dawes has worked as a university athletic performance coordinator, strength and performance coach, personal trainer, and educator for over 25 years. His primary research interests are exercise and sport science as well as the improvement of health, fitness, and human performance for tactical athletes and first responders.

Dawes is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT), and Tactical Strength and Conditioning-Facilitator (TSAC-F). He is also certified as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP) by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Dawes is the editor of the NSCA's Developing Agility and Quickness, Second Edition (Human Kinetics, 2019) and coauthor of Maximum Interval Training (Human Kinetics, 2015). He has written numerous book chapters and has over 200 peer-reviewed publications in the area of human performance. His primary research interests are improving performance for sports and improving tactical performance among law enforcement officers. He currently lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma.