by Alicia M Prater PhD

Created on: May 30, 2011   Last Updated: June 01, 2011

Albert Einstein is probably best known for his theory of relativity, but he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for something entirely different – his explanation of the photoelectric effect. At that time he had been a traveling lecturer for many years. Many picture Einstein as a recluse with crazy hair writing formulas on a chalkboard, but in the early to mid 20th century he shared his brilliance as a professor in several countries and among colleagues like Max Planck, Niels Bohr, and

Marie Curie.

The almost teacher

Einstein had a difficult time getting into academics. According to Biography.com, Einstein had personality conflicts with his university professors, leading to an inability to obtain an academic position after graduation. His first year after graduating from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich was spent tutoring students – and he was notably fired from these less than ideal positions. He spent the following several years working in the Swiss patent office. The years from 1901 to 1905 weren’t wasted though; Einstein published four academic papers in 1905 and earned his doctorate, all from daydreaming about light beams while working at the patent office. However, it still took three years for the scientific community to fully embrace him, which happened as he lectured at international meetings.

Teacher in Switzerland and Prague (1908-1914)

As outlined in his biography by the Nobel committee, Einstein was appointed Privatdozent (Private Lecturer) in Bern, Switzerland, in 1908. In the following years he was offered and accepted more prestigious positions: Professor Extraordinary (equivalent to Associate Professor according to the Center for History of Physics) at the University of Zurich in 1909, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Prague in the Czech Republic in 1911, and finally Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich in 1912. In 1914 he left Switzerland behind for his German roots.

Teacher from Germany (1914-1933)

In 1914, Einstein became the Director of the new Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics and Professor at the University of Berlin. He had no teaching duties, which some think was an attractive part of the job – he was free to work on his theories and among his colleagues with no classes to interrupt him. However, he did lecture on his theories at various meetings and institutions. In 1915, he lectured at the University of Gottingen on

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