| Authorised form of name | Einstein; Albert (1879 - 1955); theoretical physicist |
| Dates | 1879 - 1955 |
| Nationality | German |
| Place of birth | Ulm, Württemberg, German Empire, Germany, Europe |
| Date of birth | 14 March 1879 |
| Place of death | Princeton, New Jersey, USA |
| Date of death | 18 April 1955 |
| Occupation | theoretical physicist |
| Research field | Philosophy of science |
| Quantum theory |
| Quantum mechanics |
| Theoretical physics |
| Physics |
| Activity | Education: Luitpold Gymnasium, Munich; ETH Zurich (Dipl., 1900); University of Zurich (PhD, 1905)
Career:
Secured a permanent position at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern (1903); published four groundbreaking papers, outlining a theory of the photoelectric effect, explained the Brownian motion, introduced his special theory of relativity (1905); Professor Extraordinary at Zurich (1909); Professor of Theoretical Physics at Prague (1911); moved to Berlin and joined the Prussian Academy of Sciences as well as the Humboldt University of Berlin (1914); proposed a general theory of relativity that extended his system of mechanics to incorporate gravitation (1915); director of the Kaiser Wilhem Institute for Physics and became a German citizen again (1917); received the Nobel Prize for his work on the photoelectric effect (1921); renounced his citizenship for political reasons and emigrated to America, taking up the position of Professor of Theoretical Physics at Princeton (1933); urged US President F D Roosevelt to establish an atomic research project (1939); remained in the US obtaining American citizenship (1940).
Medals and prizes:
Nobel Prize (Physics) 1921
Franklin Medal 1935 |
| Membership category | Foreign Member |
| Date of election | 05/05/1921 |
| Age at election | 42 |
| Proposer | William Boog Leishman; Richard Dixon Oldham; Thomas Little Heath; John William Nicholson; Alfred Cort Haddon; Sidney Martin; Joseph Barcroft; John Graham Kerr |
| Charles Scott Sherrington; James Hopwood Jeans; John Bretland Farmer; Arthur William Crossley; William Palmer Wynne; Alfred Fowler; Robert Abbott Hadfield; William Henry Bragg; Horace Lamb |
| Royal Society activity | Medals and prizes:
Copley Medal 1925 |
| Relationships | Parents: Hermann Einstein and his wife, Pauline, née Koch.
Siblings: Maria Einstein.
Spouse: 1) Mileva Marić (1903-1919) 2) Elsa Löwenthal (1919) d. 1936
Children: Hans Albert (4 May 1904); Eduard (26 July 1910) |
| Published works | RCN 29354
RCN 38100
RCN 15787
RCN 38097
RCN 14167
RCN R80822
RCN 11190
RCN 17868
RCN R81631
RCN 38099
RCN 17405
RCN 17406
RCN 38102
RCN 14168
RCN 14521
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RCN 17403 |
| General context | Known for the special and general theory of relativity; photoelectric effect. |
| Royal Society Obituary or Memoir | Click to view (may be contained within a meeting notice, presidential address or list of death notices) |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Image | 
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| Sources | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DSB
Obituaries:
Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 1955 vol 1 pp 37-67, plate, by Edmund Whittaker
References:
John N Murrell, FRS, and Nicole Grobert, 'The centenary of Einstein's first scientific paper' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp 89-94
H C Bolton and Alan Roberts, 'On the Comparison of Literary and Scientific Styles: the Letters and Articles of Max Born, FRS' in NR 1995 vol 49 pp 295-302
Janos Plesch and Peter H Plesch, 'Some Reminiscences of Albert Einstein' in NR 1995 vol 49 pp 303-328, plate
Sir Hermann Bondi, 'Einstein Illuminated', review of Roger Highfield and Paul Carter, The Private Lives of Albert Einstein in NR 1994 vol 48 pp 313-316, plate
Michael Redhead, 'Unveiling the Atom', review of Abraham Pais, Niels Bohr's Times, in Physics, Philosophy and Polity in NR 1993 vol 47 pp 152-154
S Chandrasekhar, 'Verifying the Theory of Relativity' in NR 1975-6 vol 30 pp 249-260
G V R Born, FRS, 'The wide-ranging family history of Max Born' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp 219-262
A Warwick, 'Righting the history of electrodynamics. Electrodynamics from Ampere to Einstein, by O Darrigol' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 253-254
B Pippard, 'A paragon of physics. <i>The man who changed everything - the life of James Clerk Maxwell</i> by Basil Mahon' in NR 2004 vol 58 pp 103-104
J S Rowlinson, 'Einstein: the Classical Physicist' in NR 2005 vol 59 pp 255-272
Abraham Paris 'Subtle is the Lord': The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein' (OUP) 1982
R Highfield and P Carter 'The Private Lives of Albert Einstein ' 1994
Dennis Overbye 'Einstein in Love' 2000
Joanna McManus, 'Einstein in Britain: a Portrait' in NR 2014, vol 68, no3, pp 311-315
I Clarke 'How to manage a revolution: Isaac Newton in the early twentieth century' in NR 2014, vol 68, no 4, pp 323-338
Graydon, Samuel (2023) 'Einstein in time and space: a life in 99 particles' (John Murray) |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/75121530 Close Section Preferred Forms |
| Royal Society code | NA8213 |
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| EC/1921/03 | Einstein, Albert: certificate of election to the Royal Society | |
| IM/001269 | Einstein, Albert | nd |
| M/248 | Einstein, Albert | |
| MM/16/107 | "Zu Isaak Newtons 200 Todestage", by Albert Einstein | |
| IM/001273 | Einstein, Albert | 1999 |
| IM/001270 | Einstein, Albert | nd |
| IM/001271 | Einstein, Albert | nd |
| MM/24/10 | Letter from Albert Einstein to Esther Polianowsky [Salaman] | 11 December 1924 |
| MM/24/11 | Letter from Albert Einstein, Haberlandstrasse 5, Berlin, to Mr [Myer] and Mrs [Esther Polianowsky] Salaman | 10 May 1928 |
| NLB/57/489 | Copy letter from Robert William Frederick Harrison, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to HG Turner Esq | 14 November 1919 |
| NLB/60/652 | Copy letter from James Hopwood Jeans, Secretary of the Royal Society; to G. B. Jeffery Esquire; 365 Pinner Road, Harrow | 10 March 1921 |
| NLB/57/527 | Copy letter from Robert William Frederick Harrison, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Sir Joseph John Thomson, President of the Royal Society, OM | 25 November 1919 |
| NLB/57/657 | Copy letter from Sir James Hopwood Jeans, FRS, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Sir Frank [Watson] Dyson, FRS, Astronomer Royal | 7 January 1920 |
| NLB/57/717 | Copy letter from Sir James Hopwood Jeans, FRS, Secretary of the Royal Society; to the Editor of the Daily Telegraph | 28 January 1920 |
| NLB/57/658 | Copy letter from Sir James Hopwood Jeans, FRS, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Sir Joseph Larmor, FRS, MP | 7 January [1920] |
| NLB/57/733 | Copy letter from Sir James Hopwood Jeans, FRS, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Professor JW [John William] Nicholson, FRS | 30 January 1920 |
| M/270 | UNESCO Albert Einstein medal | 1979 |
| NLB/68/621 | Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Professor [Arthur Stanley] Eddington, FRS | 24 September 1925 |
| NLB/68/816 | Copy letter from James Hopwood Jeans, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Professor [Albert] Einstein, ForMemRS | 5 November 1925 |
| NLB/68/821 | Copy letter from James Hopwood Jeans, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Professor Albert Einstein, ForMemRS | 5 November 1925 |
| NLB/68/920 | Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to the First Secretary of the German Embassy; 9 Carlton House Terrace, S.W.1. | 1 December 1925 |
| IM/001268 | Einstein, Albert | nd |
| NLB/61/89 | Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Sir Arthur Schuster, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society | 7 May 1921 |
| NLB/57/659 | Copy letter from Sir James Hopwood Jeans, FRS, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Professor A [Alfred] Fowler, FRS | 7 January [1920] |
| NLB/57/538 | Copy letter from Sir Joseph John Thomson, President of the Royal Society; to His Excellency, Sr Administrator, Isle of Principe, West Africa [São Tomé] | 24 November 1919 |
| NLB/57/655 | Copy letter from Sir James Hopwood Jeans, FRS, Secretary of the Royal Society; to Professor HF [Hugh Frank] Newall, FRS | 7 January 1920 |
| IM/001267 | Einstein, Albert | nd |
| IM/001272 | Einstein, Albert | nd |
| NLB/57/475 | Copy letter from Robert William Frederick Harrison, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Sir Frank [Watson] Dyson, FRS | 13 November 1919 |
| NLB/57/541 | Copy letter from Sir Joseph John Thomson, President of the Royal Society; to his Excellency, the Brazilian Ambassador [Fontoura Xavier] | 29 November 1919 |
| NLB/68/812 | Copy letter from James Hopwood Jeans, Secretary of the Royal Society; to the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint | 5 November 1925 |
| NLB/57 | New Letter Book volume 57, copy letters sent from Royal Society administration | 27 June 1919-27 February 1920 |
| P/0176 | Portrait of Einstein, Albert | 1942 |
| P/0036 | Portrait of Einstein, Albert | |
| P/0243 | Portrait of Einstein, Albert | 1933 |
| MC/39 | Volume 39 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society | 1925 |
| MC/39/41 | Letter from First Secretary to the German Embassy, 9 Carlton House Terrace, London, to the Secretaries of the Royal Society, Burlington House, London | 7 December 1925 |