I’m a problem-solving communications professional with deep expertise and content knowledge in communicating topics in science, technology, finance, policy, health, and business. Working at the intersections of science, marketing, journalism, and academia, I have many job titles, including: freelance science writer, journalist, digital marketing professional, and communications strategist.
I’m also a trained neuroscientist; I earned my BS from MIT in Brain and Cognitive Science and my MS in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. A freelance writer since 2013, I also have 10+ years of research experience from MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Georgetown. In 2020, I founded my own science communications company, Fancy Comma, LLC.
If you’d like to learn more about me, you can watch this intro video I made for Upwork, or keep scrolling for a longer bio.
Long bio:
I am a scientist with degrees from MIT and Georgetown applying my research and policy expertise to create impactful communications in complex fields. I’ve been freelancing since 2013, and I founded my own digital and strategic communications company, Fancy Comma, LLC, in 2020. You can read about my path to science writing here.
My unique skill set as a scientist, writer, and policy wonk reflects my multifaceted interests at the intersection of science, technology, finance, health, business, and policy. Whether it’s analyzing the complexities of a new biotech product, examining the intricacies of a new bill, or summarizing trends in the finance sector, I enjoy making complex subjects accessible to the everyday reader.
In graduate school at Georgetown, I was recognized both for my research expertise as an Honorable Mention recipient from the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, and for my policy advocacy as a Society for Neuroscience Early Career Policy Fellow. I advocated for science on Capitol Hill and worked for a DC-area think tank while pursuing my graduate research studies. After earning my MS in neuroscience, I interned on Capitol Hill, then analyzed US trade policy for another think tank.
Though I can’t imagine my life without science writing and policy, I will always be a scientist at heart. I have over ten years of scientific research experience from MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Georgetown University. I studied the brain’s structure and function in response to addiction, stress, and other adverse experiences. If you’re curious about the brain’s ability to remodel itself — called neuroplasticity — you might like this blog post I wrote. You can also check out my publications on Google Scholar.
“[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
If you’re looking for a talented writer and communications professional with sharp research skills and broad content knowledge across highly technical disciplines, let’s chat!
Sheeva Azma 