Fancy Comma, LLC

Fancy Comma, LLC — a science-informed communications and policy consulting firm — is five years old. What started as a science marketing company three weeks before the pandemic by Sheeva Azma has turned into a communications/policy agency + think tank. Fancy Comma's existence, which developed out of Sheeva Azma starting over again after leaving academic science, is proof that good things happen when you don't give up. To everyone out there currently in the midst of job upheaval, know that you can pick up the pieces and begin again, and carry your past experiences with you, to make something you never knew could exist — something that is more perfect for you than you ever dreamed. Of course, this takes work and it doesn't happen overnight, but it is only possible if you don't give up. We continue to carry forward the lessons we have learned over the past five years in the science #communications, marketing, and policy realms to help inform and empower other scientists. We're also getting ready to print hoodies soon, which was all Matthew Bow's idea. At a time when it feels like scientists are all but shut out from the political world, we hope to help educate scientists and provide resources that may not exist anymore in our government. (For more about that, visit https://lnkd.in/gkS4rWQU.) We have written neuroscience resources for Science Friday and communicated pandemic science when the world needed it most. We have been a brave voice for science amidst those politicizing science for personal gain, while refusing to put science on a pedestal. We have spoken out against toxic science culture in favor of making science better serve the taxpayers who pay for it, since sexism and racism are a waste of tax dollars. We have also chatted with young people at Science Museum Oklahoma about why science rules. We have blogged about why #lawyers and #scientists don't see eye to eye on scientific evidence. We've talked about how trauma disenfranchises those in our carceral system. Early in the pandemic, we even bartered our writing services for N95s we dropped off at our local hospital. The tireless work of Kelly Marie Tabbutt, Kevin Ho, Aimen A., Matthew Bow, and our friend Nidhi Parekh enabled Fancy Comma to persevere through the pandemic — not to mention our guest #freelance writers such as Philip Oyelola and Timileyin Apara (who himself works in policy now!). There are too many people to name in this post; thank you. I see small glimmers of our contributions to the science communications (#SciComm) and policy (#SciPol) spaces everywhere. It makes me so happy to see that we are making a difference, however small, in elevating discussions of toxic science culture and talking about ways to reconcile the scientific and political spheres. Thank you for following and supporting us over the past five years. We could not have made it this far without the support and kind friendship of each and every one of you.

This week on the blog, Sheeva Azma recaps her role organizing #OKC #StandUpForScience2025, and shares her opening speech for the event that she wrote herself. https://lnkd.in/gkaKiRxW #StandUpForScience #ScienceForAll #SciPol #SpeechWriting

This week on the blog, Sheeva Azma explains 5 ways to plug into political campaigns as a #scientist or #science communicator. https://lnkd.in/gRtPTZdb #SciComm #Politics #SciPol

>> Contributing post on Fancy Comma << Most of us have experienced that facts alone don't affect people's positions in hot questions. Our evidence-based facts bounce off their minds like bullets on Luke Cage's torso. This brazen rejection of reasonable, scientific facts may convince us that lack of knowledge is the actual perpetrator and that we should ignore these ignorant science skeptics (or at least overwhelm them with facts until they learn). But what if the issue has little to do with ignorance? In that case, it's partially our responsibility as scientists and science communicators to approach these groups differently, especially if we want to persuade them. Check out my contribution to Fancy Comma, LLC, which discusses how so-called science skepticism doesn't mean scientifically illiterate or ignorant. Our cultural values and group identities shape how we interpret risks, facts, and evidence on controversial topics. Thank you Sheeva Azma for another excellent collaboration!

This week on the blog, Santiago Gisler, PhD of Ivory Embassy talks about the challenges -- and paradox -- involved in communicating science to skeptics. https://lnkd.in/g5S4JHem #SciComm #ScienceCommunication #Science

This week on the blog, we celebrate Fancy Comma, LLC's 5th birthday by thanking the team who got us here. https://lnkd.in/gzC5zRt2 #SciComm #SciPol #Science

Sheeva Azma talked to Deborah D. Stine, founder of Science and Technology Policy Academy and former professor of the practice in the Engineering and Public Policy Department at Carnegie Mellon University. Stine has 30+ years of experience working in public service including in the Obama White House, Congressional Research Service, and The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. https://lnkd.in/gz-f7_qJ #Science #SciPol #SciComm

This week on the blog, Sheeva Azma reviews Peter Hotez MD PhD's new book, THE DEADLY RISE OF ANTI-SCIENCE, published by Hopkins Press. https://lnkd.in/gEcpDxrB #SciComm #SciPol #Science

This week on the blog, Sheeva Azma writes about franking, a taxpayer-funded type of communication in #Congress which she argues can help incumbents stay in power. In this blog, Sheeva recounts insights with her chat with Kristin Hook, PhD, who tried to unseat an incumbent in the US House, as well. https://lnkd.in/gZJhWbsS #Policy #SciencePolicy #CivicEngagement