GRAYSON PATRICK HUSTON

Ecology and Environmental Science Program, University of Maine, Orono, ME

Phone: 831.915.0521

Email: grayson.huston@maine.edu

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EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, Orono, ME

Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology and Environmental Science                                               August 2020 – present

Current GPA: 4.00

Thesis: Development and application of fish sedimentary DNA for ecosystem restoration

Advisors: Dr. Michael Kinnison and Dr. Jasmine Saros

Advisory Committee: Dr. Karen Wilson, Dr. Andy Rominger, Dr. Irene Gregory-Eaves

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, Berkeley, CA

Bachelor of Art in Marine Science                                                                                            Aug 2010 – Dec 2015

Major GPA: 3.4

Advisor: Dr. James Bishop

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PUBLICATIONS

M. Picard, J. Von Eggars, K.A. Brasell, Y. Dongna, J. Klaminder, I.G. Alsos, C. Barouillet, Y. Cheng, G.P. Huston, R. Dommain, K. Dulias, L. Duxbury, M.E. Edwards, S.G. Pastor, D. Harning, S. Hudson, S. Kanar, L. Kurte, M. Leunda, L. Lopez, B. Moguel, F. Olajos, A. Reveret, V. Perez, D. Rijal, J. Rydberg, C. Schwörer, K.R. Stoof-Leichsenring, Z.E. Taranu, G. Thomson-Laing, A. Thorpe, R. Tiedermann, L.V. Nogales, Y. Wang, S. Wood, and E. Capo. (2024). Using DNA archived in lake sediments to reconstruct past ecosystems. Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/B-978-0-323-99931-1.00171-9

 

G.P. Huston, M.L.D. Lopez, Y. Cheng, L. King, L.C. Duxbury, M. Picard, J. Thomson-Laing, E. Myler, C.C. Helbing, M.T. Kinnison, J.E. Saros, I. Gregory-Eaves, M.E. Monchamp, S.A. Wood, L. Armbrecht, G.F. Ficetola, L. Kurte, J. Von Eggers, J. Brahney, G.J. Parent, M.K. Sakata, H. Doi, and E. Capo. (2023). Detection of fish sedimentary DNA in aquatic systems: A review of methodological challenges and future opportunities. Environmental DNA, 5, 1449-1472. https://doi.org/10.1002/end3.467

 

L.M. Martin, M. Taylor, G.P. Huston, D.S. Goodwin, J.M. Schell, and A.N.S. Siuda. (2021). Pelagic Sargassum morphtypes support different epifauna communities. Marine Biology. 168(115). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-021-03910-2

 

L. Cooney, A. Govindarajan, L. Cooney, K. Whittaker, G.P. Huston, D. Bloch, R. Burdorf, S. Canning, C. Carter, S.M. Cellan, F.A. Eriksson, H.K. Freyer, S, Hutchinson, K. McKeegan, M. Malpani, A. Merkle-Raymond, K. Ouellette, R. Petersen-Rockney, M. Schultz, and A.N.S. Siuda. The distribution and mitochondrial genotype of the hydroid Aglaophenia latecarinata is correlated with its pelagic Sargassum substrate type in the tropical and substropical western Atlandic Ocean. PeerJ. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7814

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PUBLICATIONS, IN REVIEW

J.E. Saros, V. Hazukova, R.M. Northington, G.P. Huston, A.N. Lamb, A. Gavin, S. Birkel, R. Pereira and S. McGowan. Compound climate extremes in a shoulder season altered hydrologic connectivity and abruptly transformed Arctic lakes of West Greenland. Article submitted to Science Advances.

 

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PUBLICATIONS, IN PREP

G.P. Huston, J.E. Saros, K. Wilson, I. Gregory-Eaves, A. Rominger, and M.T. Kinnison. Within-lake spatial variation in fish sedimentary DNA concentrations. Article in preparation, to be submitted to Molecular Ecology.

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GRANT AND FUNDING EFFORTS

Pending

2024    University of Maine, Graduate Student Government Grant ($850)

 

Awarded

2024    Systems Approaches to Understanding and Navigating the New Arctic (SAUNNA) NRT Traineeship

2024    University of Maine, Graduate Student Government Grant ($595)

2023    University of Maine, Graduate Student Government Grant ($850)

2023    University of Maine, Graduate Student Government Grant ($850)

2022    University of Maine, Graduate Student Government Grant ($595)

2021    University of Maine, Graduate Student Government Grant ($850)

2020    University of Maine, Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) – Track II Fellowship

 

Not Awarded

2024    Maine Water Resources Sustainability Research Grant ($39,995)

2024    Eastern Maine Conservation Initiative ($3,000)

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HONORS & AWARDS

Awarded

2024    John Richard Moring Prize in Aquatic Sciences                                                          $250

2020    Department of the Interior, ‘Special Thanks for Achievement’ Award                        $500

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ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS

2024    J. E. Saros, V. Hazukova, R.M. Northington, G.P. Huston, A.N. Lamb, A. Gavin, S. Birkel, R. Pereira and S. McGowan. Compound climate extremes in a shoulder season altered hydrologic connectivity and abruptly transformed Arctic lakes of West Greenland. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), Madison, WI, oral presentation

 

2023    G.P. Huston, J.E. Saros, and M.T. Kinnison. Within-lake spatial variation in fish sedimentary DNA concentrations. American Fisheries Society (AFS) Northeast Division (NED)/Southern New England Chapter (SNEC) Joint Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Meeting, Boston, MA, USA, poster presentation

 

2022    G.P. Huston, J.E. Saros, and M.T. Kinnison. Within-lake spatial variation in fish sedimentary DNA concentrations. International Association of Limnology (IAL)/ International Paleolimnological Association (IPA) Joint Meeting, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, oral presentation

 

2022    G.P. Huston, J.E. Saros, and M.T. Kinnison. Within-lake spatial variation in fish sedimentary DNA concentrations. Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) National Conference, Portland, ME, USA, poster presentation

 

2020    L.M. Martin, M. Taylor, G.P. Huston, D.S. Goodwin, J.M Schell, and A.N.S. Siuda. Diversity of mobile fauna associated with the three common holopelagic Sargassum morphotypes in the western North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Ocean Sciences Meeting, San Diego, CA, USA poster presentation

 

2020    A.F. Govindarajan, L. Cooney, K. Whittaker, G.P. Huston, D. Bloch, R.M. Burdorf, S. Canning, C. Carter, S.M. Cellan, F.A.A. Eriksson, H. Freyer, S. Hutchinson, K. McKeegan, M. Malpani, A. Merkle-Raymond, K. Ouellette, R. Petersen-Rockney, M. Schultz, and A.N.S. Siuda. Type-specific source regions for pelagic Sargassum indicated by mitochondrial genotype of the epiphytic hydroid Aglaophenia latecarinata. Ocean Science Meeting, San Diego, CA, USA, oral presentation

 

2015    G.P. Huston, C. Schultz, A. Daly, and M. Keefe. Exploring drivers of altered mitochondrial genotypes in the Slender Sargassum Shrimp across the Sargasso Sea. Sea Education Association Net Cabot Symposium, Woods Hole, MA, USA, poster presentation

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RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Graduate Research Assistant                                                                                         August 2020 – present

University of Maine, Orono, ME

Supervisors: Dr. Michael Kinnison and Dr. Jasmine Saros

Dissertation: Optimize and understand the dynamics of fish sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) to reconstruct historical fish community assemblages and trophic cascades linked to altered stream connectivity in Maine’s lakes

• Collects and analyzes surface sediment and sediment cores from Maine lakes with a different histories of stream connectivity

• Extracts and analyzes sedDNA by means of qPCR and metabarcoding

• Validate historic sedDNA reconstructions with established paleolimnological approaches

 

Field Technician, West Greenland                                                                                 August 2023

Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

Project: Investigated a suite of lakes that underwent an extreme ‘browning’ event associated with extreme precipitation event in September 2022                                                                                                                 

• Collected physical and biological data from a suite of lakes in West Greenland

• Analyzed zooplankton and metabarcoding data to understand biologic shifts following the extreme atmospheric event

 

Assistant Scientist                                                                                                           April 2017 – Feb 2019

Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA

Supervisor: Dr. Kerry Whittaker

Project: Oversaw and maintained the research labs and oceanographic deployments aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer and SSV Robert C. Seamans during regular 6- to 8-week research cruises.

• Regularly deployed and oversaw the processing of sampling nets, rosette samplers, CTDs, and sediment grabs

• Interpreted CTD data, operated acoustic transducers, and performed chemical and nutrient analyses

 

 

Aquatic Biological Sciences Technician                                                                        June 2015 – Aug 2020

Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, CA

Supervisor: Dr. Rachel Mazur and Rob Grasso

Project: Performed aquatic restoration, invasive species removal, and amphibian conservation in high elevation, alpine lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range

• Caught, handled, and relocated invasive and endangered amphibian species

• Performed visual encounter surveys

• Regularly checked gill nets and conducted electrofishing surveys in stream inlets/outlets

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA                                                               April 2018 – June 2019

• Teaching Assistant                                                                      

Project: Supervised undergraduates in molecular techniques such as tissue and environmental DNA extractions, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), DNA quantification, gels, and sequence analysis

 

Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA                                                               April 2017 – June 2019

• Assistant Scientist

Project – Mentored undergraduate student projects on topics ranging from understanding genetic diversity of species along research cruises to analyzing ADCP data for surface currents

 

Marine Science Institute, Redwood City, CA                                                               May 2014 – Feb 2015

• Marine Educator and Science Instructor

Project – Taught students in the San Francisco Bay Area about the marine science and biology of the San Francisco Bay

 

 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Hirundo, Earth Day, Meet a Scientist – Educational Outreach                                         April 2024

Maine State Science Festival – Educational Outreach                                                     March 2024

Journal Reviewer – Metabarcoding and Metagenomics (MBMG)                                  2023 – present

Maine State Science Festival – Educational Outreach                                                     April 2023

SedaDNA Scientific Society – Advisory Board Member                                                 2023 – present

American Fisheries Society – Session Moderator                                                            February 2023

University of Maine, Maine-eDNA Student Symposium – Organizer                             December 2022

Guest Researcher – Uppsala University                                                                           October 2021

University of Maine Student Symposium Judge                                                              April 2021

Sea Education Association, Ned Cabot Symposium – Organizer                                    June 2019

Sea Education Association, Ned Cabot Symposium – Organizer                                    June 2018