Generative AI wrote the short version, and I wrote the long version. Choose one — or both!
TL;DR from ChatGPT, lightly edited by me
Whether decoding neuroscience or demystifying federal policy, freelance science writer Sheeva Azma is driven by curiosity, creativity, and a mission to make science more accessible and impactful. With a B.S. in Brain and Cognitive Science from MIT and an M.S. in Neuroscience from Georgetown University, she spent over a decade researching the brain at MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Georgetown. In 2020, she founded Fancy Comma, LLC, a science communications firm blending the analytical rigor of a think tank with the creative agility of a boutique agency. She has authored three books: How to Get into Freelance Science Writing, Amplifying Science Communication with Public Relations, and SCIENCE X MARKETING.
The longer version from my brain
As a science communicator and journalist, I am motivated by the need to reach nonscientist (including policymaker) audiences with informative and persuasive science content that aligns with audience values and needs.
Working at the intersections of science, marketing, policy, journalism, and academia, I have many job titles, including: freelance science writer, multimedia journalist, digital marketing professional, policy analyst, and communications strategist…and more. One of my great joys in life is learning new things outside of my comfort zone and combining them with my established skills to create something completely new. I wear as many hats as needed to get the job done. Check out services pages for more information on past projects I’ve done for clients.
I’ve been a national “award-winning” writer since high school…though I might have told you that I wanted to be a brain surgeon back then. I became an “award-winning” neuroscientist — hey, close enough for me!
I earned a B.S. in Brain and Cognitive Science from MIT and an M.S. in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. I have 10+ years of research experience from MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Georgetown, and have continued studying the brain since leaving academic science and, almost simultaneously, opting into the freelance writer’s life, in 2013.
Being a scientist gives you a unique view of the world, whether you continue to work in a research lab or not. My research skills and curiosity about the world have served me well after grad school, first as an intern in Congress, and then as a freelance science writer.
I like to say that my “lab” is the science communications company I founded, Fancy Comma, LLC. We’re what you get when you combine a think tank with a boutique communications firm. Learn more at fancycomma.com.
As a writer, I’ve written about all things science, health, technology, finance, business, and policy. I have specific expertise in health policy, high-tech chip development and manufacturing, supply chain, trade, artificial intelligence, and other topics. Feel free to reach out to pitch me a project that may (or may not) be in my wheelhouse. I love a good challenge! Right now I’m working on sharpening my long-form and short-form video content creation skills as a multimedia journalist, for instance — more about that in my portfolio.
By the way, as a scientist, I still independently research neuroscience that 1) examines under-examined impacts and novel methodologies that shed light on the neuroscience of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); 2) studies the role of stress, trauma, and addiction in shaping brain development, structure, and function, especially in “real world” settings; 3) looks at the potential for neuroscience to inform social, economic, policy, and other spheres. Pretty interesting stuff, right?
That’s the story of how you came to be reading this page! Thank you so much for visiting. Let’s keep in touch! You can find me on X and Instagram and Facebook. If you’re working on something you think I could help with, let’s chat!
“[Sheeva] has a strong background in basic research in neuroscience and in cognition, having published in peer-reviewed journals herself. She is an excellent position to judge the quality of the research that she reads in the scientific literature, and hence to convey its subtleties to readers, emphasizing what can and cannot be concluded.” — Sheeva’s grad school professor
Sheeva Azma 