MEET ALBERT EINSTEIN

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

FAMOUS AS: Father of Modern Physics

NATIONALITY: German , American

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: Socialist

BORN ON: 14 March 1879 AD

BIRTHDAY: 14th March

DIED AT AGE: 76

BORN IN: Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire

GROUPING OF PEOPLE: Left Handed

FATHER: Hermann Einstein, MOTHER: Pauline Einstein

SIBLINGS: Maja Einstein

SPOUSES/PARTNERS: Mileva Marić (1903–1919), Elsa Löwenthal (1919–1936)

CHILDREN: Hans Albert Einstein Eduard Einstein, Lieserl Einstein, Margot Einstein, Ilse Einstein

EDUCATION: University of Zurich (1905), ETH Zurich (1901), Aargau Cantonal School (1895 – 1896), Luitpold Gymnasium

FOUNDER/CO-FOUNDER: Olympia Academy

DISCOVERIES / INVENTIONS: Law of the Photoelectric Effect, Einstein Refrigerator

People around the world honor their friends and acquaintance with the title of ‘Einstein’ for the person’s immaculate brilliance and genius mind. While there may be a lot of genius mind set at work to this date, only once in a century is Albert Einstein born. The 19th century not just witnessed the birth of Albert Einstein, but with it, the birth of modern physics. Rightly known as the Father of Modern Physics, Albert Einstein was, without a doubt, the most influential physicist of the 20th century. With his research and finding, Einstein created a revolution in the field of science.

Amongst his numerous works: (a) the general theory of relativity, which provided a unified description of gravity as a geometric property of space and time, and (b) photoelectric effect that established the quantum theory within physics are the most important ones. During his lifetime, Einstein published more than 300 scientific papers, apart from 150 non-scientific works. He was the proud recipient of numerous awards, such as Nobel Prize in Physics, Copley Medal, Matteucci Medal and Max Planck medal. Other than these, he has also been credited by the Times magazine as the Person of the Century. Such was his contribution to mankind that his name Einstein has been made synonymous to being "genius".

Albert’s first taste of education was at the Catholic Elementary School, when he was five. After acquiring three years of education, he was transferred to the Luitpold Gymnasium. Post completing advanced primary and secondary school education, he left Germany.

Right from the early childhood, Einstein showed signs of having an in-depth talent and skill for mathematics. During this time, he used to build models and mechanical devices, but those were for mere entertainment.

It was at the age of ten that Einstein’s fantasy for the mathematics grew, when he was handed over popular books on science, mathematical texts and philosophical writings by Max Talmund. These included Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, and Euclid's Elements.

Einstein, however, completed his studies at Luitpold Gymnasium. Though he did try to adhere to the wishes of his father who wanted Einstein to pursue electrical engineering, it wasn’t long before Einstein withdrew his name from the school roll list as his views clashed with the study regimen of the education center. While Einstein craved for creative learning, the institution focused on rote learning

In 1894, he started working on what was his first paper titled, ‘On the Investigation of the State of the Earth in a Magnetic Field’.

The following year, Einstein appeared for the examinations for the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich. Though he did not clear the test, his grades in physics and mathematics were exceptional.

Adhering to the advice of the Principal of Polytechnic, Einstein enrolled himself in the Aargau Cantonal School in Aarau, Switzerland, for the academic year 1895-96, to complete his secondary schooling.

Einstein was only seventeen years of age when he enrolled in the four-year mathematics and physics teaching diploma program at the ETH Zurich. He was awarded the Zurich Polytechnic teaching diploma degree in 1900.

Most of Einstein’s strikingly remarkable works came during the period when he worked as an assistant examiner at the Federal office of Intellectual properties where he utilized his free time by engaging himself in scientific research. In 1901, he published the paper ‘Folgerungen aus den Kapillaritat Erscheinungen’ (Conclusions from the Capillarity Phenomena) in the most prominent scientific journal, Annalen der Physik.

Four years thence, in 1905, he completed his thesis by presenting a dissertation which was entitled “A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions”. For the same, he was awarded a PhD by the University of Zurich. However, the degree was just the beginning of the many more things that were waiting to come up.

Excellence at Academics

Year 1905, fondly called the Annus Mirabilis or the miracle year in the life of Einstein, saw the birth of Einstein as innovator and creator, for it was during this year that he published his four ground-breaking papers.

As expected, post the publication of the papers, Einstein became instantly famous and was recognized as the leading scientist. In 1908, he was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Bern. However, Einstein quit this position as well as the one he was holding at the patent office to take up the profile of physics docent at the University of Zurich.

In 1911, he became a full-time professor at the Karl-Ferdinand University in Prague.

Two years thence in 1916, Einstein was appointed as the president of the German Physical Society, a position he held for two years. During this time, Einstein also attained membership of the Prussian Academy of Sciences.

Awards & Achievements

He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.

In 1929, Einstein was presented with the Max Planck medal of the German Physical Society in Berlin

In 1936, he was awarded the Franklin Institute's Franklin Medal for his extensive work on relativity and the photo-electric effect

International Union of Pure and Applied Physics named 2005 as the "World Year of Physics" commemorating the 100th anniversary of the publication of the ‘annus mirabilis’ papers.

Albert Einstein has to his name a science park, located on the hill, Telegrafenberg in Potsdam, Germany. The park has a tower by the name, Einstein Tower which is an astrophysical, built to perform checks of Einstein's theory of General Relativity

Washington DC houses the Albert Einstein Memorial. In it is a monumental bronze statue depicting Einstein seated with manuscript papers in hand.

Four months after his death, the chemical element 99 (einsteinium) was named for him

The Time magazine, in 1999, named Einstein as the Person of the Century.

The United States Postal Service honored Einstein with a Prominent Americans series 8 postage stamp.

In 2008, Einstein was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Some of His quotes:

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”

Source: http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/albert-einstein-539.php#MuhFJt0YjAd6Y7BA.99