Albert Einstein

Born in Ulm, Germany, in 1879, Albert Einstein altered the way we view the physical world with his scientific theories. He wasn't the best student in school. He preferred to learn about subjects that interested him, such as mathematics and science. When he graduated from the Polytechnic Institute in 1900, Einstein struggled to find a job. He ended up working for the patent office in Bern, Switzerland. During this time, he wrote several theories, including the theory of relativity. His theories made him an important international figure and he traveled extensively to give lectures on his ideas. He won the Nobel Prize for physics in 1921 for his work. In 1933, Einstein moved to the United States to work at Princeton University and avoid persecution by the Nazis in Germany for speaking out against the government. He died in 1955, leaving our understanding of gravity, energy, matter, light, and time forever changed.