By Samantha Holm | Arts & Culture Editor

“I need to know why fish were sent to space.”

Journalist Taylor Maggiacomo told this to a room of Whitworth students and faculty while displaying one of her proudest projects to date: a graphic depicting every animal that had been sent to space.

During her four years as a graphic editor for National Geographic, Maggiacomo had never taken on a project so extensive and time-consuming. “Every project has its own unique challenges and problem-solving,” she said.

With the help of a research assistant, a series of prototypes and a handful of colleagues offering their pets as muses, she created a final product that was published both in print and website versions of National Geographic.

On Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m., Maggiacomo gave a lecture titled “Telling a Story with Infographics” in the Hixson Union Building’s Crows Nest as this year’s Flora Distinguished Journalist.

Along with showing her previous projects, Maggiacomo shared her creative process and recommendations for those considering a career in journalism, such as learning to code and asking for feedback on pieces.

Maggiacomo studied biology and art at Carnegie Mellon University, then later received a graduate certificate in Natural Science Illustration from California State University, Monterey Bay.

Though she never had intentions of being a journalist, this career path allowed her to blend her love of science and illustration. “Nothing is ever a vacuum, everything is interdisciplinary,” she said.

Recently, Maggiacomo took on a position as a graphics editor for the Opinions section of The New York Times. She currently lives in Washington D.C. with her cat Oreo.

Flora Distinguished Journalist visits are made possible by the 1997 Lou Flora Memorial Fund, which recognizes excellence among students in communication studies.