MCKGaston

     Howdy, Hello & Aloha! My name is Matthew Gaston, and I am a botanist, educator, and consultant based in Austin, Texas. My interests are summarized by stating that I love plants and helping others learn more about them. More specifically some of the categories interests fall into include plant physiology, plant-stress responses, plant production, plant-human interactions, urban agriculture, sustainability, science education, and outreach.

      In a lawn chair in Zilker Botanical Garden overlooking the City of Austin. Photo by Roger Ho

     Originally from San Antonio, Texas, I grew up enjoying superb Tex-Mex food, hot summers, brisk winters, and a good amount of pleasant chaparral plants. I have always liked plants: their growth, their diversity, their uses, and their interactions with other plants and animals. Plants were a key part of my childhood from birthday parties at the San Antonio Botanical Garden to growing plants in my backyard. My interest sparked from my grandparents in Houston, whose lush, subtropical garden captivated my youthful mind. My passion and love of plants flourished when I attended a summer camp at the SABG in 3rd grade. On the final day of this week long summer camp, we were all gifted a small cactus grown from seed. The cactus (of the genus Ferocactus) has long fish-hook spines, and I like to tell people that this plant is the one that got me hooked. <pun>

Sitting outside after school. From Left to Right: Matthew Gaston, Katherine Gaston, Meaghan Flanagan, TJ Flanagan.

   I attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Selma, Texas from pre-k4 to 8th grade.

Two teachers were very influencial and dear to my heart, Mrs. Tackett and Mrs. Sharp. Not only were they excellent math and science teachers, but they allowed curiosity to guide learning.

Eager to begin growing plants in my backyard in San Antonio, Texas (2000s)

   While at OLPH, My friends and I created a club called SPSGTMRC, being Sergeant Pepper's Super Groovy Technically Mechanical Robotics Club, in which we built things and learned the basics of electronics.

TJ Flanagan and I after building an amphibious remote control vehicle for OLPH's SPSGTMRC (Sergeant Pepper's Super Groovy Technically Mechanical Robotics Club) (2010)

   I attended Central Catholic High School in downtown SA. A good time with many great influences including an Ecology Class on Central Texas ecosystems. I was involved in JROTC, Student Council, and sports including track and football. These were tremendously fun, but occupied time that could very well have been used looking at plants. I did have enough time to go to school early to learn about amateur radio (a new interest of mine) from Brother Burkholder. I had wanted to establish a radio station at Central. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission has rules against such activities. 

I am the person in blue diving. This photo was used by the local news as the cover photo of how we lost to our rival. Victory was just out of reach. (early 2014)

   Wanting to learn about the great unseen aspect of plants, genetics, I attended the University of California, Berkeley to study genetics and plant biology. My first year was sensational. Not because I enjoyed base level calculus, but because of my suitemates in the dorm. We called ourselves the Berkeley Intelligence Agency (BIA). 

Every Saturday, I would put the Jepson Manual (CA Flora) in my backpack and run up a hill to the 37-inch cyclotron and enjoy of the smell of Eucalyptus. (late 2014)

The Berkeley Intelligence Agency annual photo: Year 1. (The local Eucalyptus were recently cut, so naturally we carried the logs up five floors into our suite. (2015)

   BIA decided to live together the remaining three years. BIAHQ, as our apartment was known, resided inconspicuously above a printing company hosting eight of its nine members. Adorned with cameras, speakers, random photos, plants, an app-driven smart door, and seemingly misplaced accouterments, BIAHQ was never boring.

"For a brief 1 minute and 56 seconds, deep into the Oregon Cascade Range, we witnessed perhaps the most spectacular phenomenon known in the cosmos—a total solar eclipse creating an indescribable daytime darkness, with the moon covering all but the sun's surrounding corona." Excerpt from Nicholas Persky, BIA Member
From left to right: Hunter Noble, Yash Shah, Erik Ortega, Matthew Liu, Tyler Sano, Nicholas Persky, Matthew Gaston, Bradley Afzali. (2017)

   I realized I am passionate about sharing the wonders of plants (and all science in fact) with others. Naturally, this passion translated into an interest in teaching. The CalTeach program (a science and math education program for undergraduates) intrigued me. After student teaching in one course in the program, I was hooked and continued through the program. Helping others think critically and understand the natural world is something I wish to continue.

Teaching ecology at high school in Oakland, CA. (2017)

   Wanting to further study plants in a tropical region (because I despise cold weather), I applied to the University of Hawaii, Manoa. My friend's father (Matthew Liu's dad) said "I am a fish in water here." Below are snippets of fun and work in Hawaii:

Shave Ice time! (Left to Right: Matthew Liu, Tyler Sano, Nicholas Persky, Matthew Gaston, Brad Afzali) (2019)

Completed construction of our weather station at the Tropical Landscape & Human Interaction Lab's Tropical Green Roof and Living Wall Research Center. (Left to Right: Noah Burr, Matthew Gaston, Justin Wong) (2019)

Research on tree root infrastructure damage mitigation with Dr. Andy Kaufman at UH Manoa (2019) This video was created to promote the project and to remind us of the protocol when we return to excavate more trees.

After completing my doctoral written and oral exams, all I had left was the years of finishing my research. This was unappealing to me as I had loved teaching so much, so I decided to head back to my home country and help folks learn to appreciate the natural world! In January 2022, I was fortunate to be invited into the Zilker Botanical Garden family to organize educational activities, events, and programs. 

Leading a fern propagation activity

In June 2023, I was recognized by the City of Austin as a "Net-Zero Hero" for my efforts in educating folks about the importance of plants and sustainable landscaping. I am delighted to have received this honor as telling folks the "City of Austin calls me a Hero" is crazy. 

In September 2024, I began my consultation service supporting individuals and businesses in their botanical needs. A month later, I became a full time independent educator teaching classes locally and online while working on other educational projects! While I was at Zilker Botanical Garden, I was educating about 7,000 people a year. With online education and digital content, I can help excite and inspire many more folks! I receive messages from folks who were inspired by one of my videos or by me and that is frankly very hard for me to full process. But I know that what I am doing is helping bring a smile to someone's face or enrich their way of life. What a wonderful world it is to learn and grow together one step at a time. 

Walking in the Taniguchi Japanese Garden. Photo by Roger Ho.

Plant Consultation & Education                
 
My CV

With the advent of ChatGPT, we can see what it writes for me: 

    Matthew Gaston is a botanical educator and consultant based in Austin, Texas, renowned for his engaging approach to plant education. His passion for plants was ignited during a third-grade summer camp at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, leading him to pursue studies in Genetics, Plant Biology, and Science & Math Education at the University of California, Berkeley. He furthered his academic journey at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. 

    In January 2022, Gaston became the Education Director at Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, where he developed educational programs and led school groups to foster a love for plants among the community. 

    Beyond his role at Zilker, he has gained popularity on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where he shares humorous and informative content about plants, aiming to make botany accessible and enjoyable for a broad audience. 

    Gaston is also recognized for his contributions to sustainability. In June 2023, he was featured as a "Net-Zero Hero" by the City of Austin for his efforts in educating the community about the importance of plants and sustainable landscapes. 

His work emphasizes the benefits of native plants and sustainable gardening practices, aiming to inspire others to adopt environmentally friendly habits.

    As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Gaston has spoken about the personal significance of nature, describing it as a source of solace and acceptance during his youth. He highlights the inherent diversity in the plant world, noting that botanical terminology often reflects concepts of fluidity and duality, which resonate with his own experiences. 

    Through his educational initiatives and vibrant online presence, Matthew Gaston continues to inspire a deeper appreciation for the botanical world, encouraging sustainable practices and fostering a connection between people and nature.