Cross sections showing differences between green and gray infrastructure, and separate versus combined sewer systems. Green infrastructure such as bioswales or planter boxes absorb stormwater and reduce pollution. Separate sewer systems prevent overflow of wastewater into local waterbodies during extreme precipitation events. Published as interactive sliders in an NOAA Story Map titled Water Utilities and Climate: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e24e271a4e0744c1b9724d916ab9df2d
Fiona Martin is an award-winning graphic artist and science illustrator at The Seattle Times. She is a 2025 Pulitzer Finalist for Local Reporting for a project describing barriers to salmon migration in urban streams. In 2024 she won an Award of Excellence in the Society for News Design for an illustrated story celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Fiona specializes in digital and vector illustrations, infographics, data visualization, mapping and layout design, and also enjoys working with traditional media including graphite, pen-and-ink, watercolor, and acrylic.
Prior to the Times, Fiona served as Senior Illustration Editor at the nonprofit scientific review publisher, Annual Reviews (14 years), and freelanced from her studio Visualizing Science (20 years). Clients included government agencies (NOAA Climate Program Office, NPS), Monterey Bay Research Institute, Princeton University Press, and authors of scientific books and research papers.
Fiona was born with a rare genetic hearing loss in both ears, but she hasn't let her deafness hold her back. In public schools and in the workplace, she learned to adapt using a combination of speech reading and technology. Defying expectations, Fiona graduated as valedictorian of her high school class, obtained a B.S. in Marine Biology (summa cum laude) from the University of California in Santa Cruz, and then pursued a Graduate Certificate in Scientific Illustration. Upon graduation she completed dual internships with the Channel Islands National Park in California and Electronic Publishing Company in New York City.
Fiona resides in the Seattle area, Washington, with her husband and two girls, and enjoys swimming, kayaking, yoga, culinary gardening, and traveling as much as possible—whether it's local road trips in the beautiful Pacific Northwest or free diving in the Caribbean.
Portfolio: https://www.visualizingscience.com