Einstein at ETH Zurich
Albert Einstein is best known for the theory of relativity. Zurich shaped his education and, later, his academic career. This site follows his link with ETH Zurich.
Who was Albert Einstein?
Einstein was born on 14 March 1879 in Ulm, Germany, and died on 18 April 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States. He is famous for the special theory of relativity (1905), the general theory of relativity (1915) and the equation E = mc². He received the Nobel Prize in Physics for 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
What is ETH Zurich?
ETH Zurich is a public technical university in Switzerland, founded in 1855. In Einstein's student days it was called the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School (the "Polytechnikum"). Today it is one of the best known universities for science and engineering.
Why the connection matters
- Student: Einstein trained as a teacher of mathematics and physics at the Polytechnic, where he studied from 1896 to 1900.
- Professor: he returned as a professor at ETH from 1912 to 1914, after a path through the patent office in Bern and the University of Zurich.
- Ideas and friends: in Zurich he worked with his friend and former fellow student Marcel Grossmann on the mathematics needed for general relativity.
See the dates in order on the timeline.
Quick check
In which year did Einstein enter the Polytechnic in Zurich?