Employee Spotlight
Raj Singh, Research Technician – Cannon Lab
How long have you been working at UAMS? I’ve been a part of the UAMS family for roughly three years now, but weirdly enough, it still feels like I just started working here yesterday.
Where is your hometown? I actually have many “hometowns” because I moved and traveled a lot as a kid. Like a young Columbus…but without the violence and brutality. However, I typically tell people my main hometown is Jalandhar, Punjab, India.
Any fun or interesting facts about your hometown? Punjab is famously known as “The land of five rivers.” The word Punjab is a combination of the words panj (five) and āb (water); therefore it is called the land of five rivers. You’d think having all this body of water around me would’ve made me a great swimmer, but it didn’t… I still need floaties to swim…
What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is Interstellar. I guess you can say it’s out of this world. *Only the real ones will get that joke.*
Where is the best place you have traveled to and why? The best place I have traveled to so far would be Dallas, TX. Before going there, I just pictured it to be a place where everyone wore cowboy boots and hats and rode horses to commute. I obviously was horribly mistaken, and it was such an eye-opening experience. It’s a fantastic city that houses a diverse population of people and scenery. The clubs were nice too. I’ve been there three more times after my first trip.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you be? I’d like to be the superhero Flash. Most of the time, I have trouble being on time, but being fast as lightning may help me out with that.
What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work? The two main hobbies and interests that I am especially drawn to would be microbiology and immunology… just kidding. Although I do love those subjects, I would have to say ping-pong and chess interest me the most outside of work. I like ping-pong because of its fast-paced playstyle and chess because of its slow-paced playstyle.
What is your biggest pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve is when someone talks during a movie, especially if that movie is Interstellar.
What has been the most important innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime? I think the most important innovation I have witnessed so far is phones having the ability to take high quality pictures. This innovation saved me from the hassle of carrying a phone and camera separately – giving me more pocket space, if you will.
If you could meet anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and why? I would like to meet Abraham Lincoln. I believe he was one greatest leaders that ever lived. I think it would be neat to experience the vibes he resonated and to get a feel for the way he carried himself.