Physics
Mileva Marić
Physicist and mathematician
Born 1875 · Died 1948
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
Mileva Marić was one of the first women in Europe to study physics at university level, entering ETH in the same class as Albert Einstein, whom she later married. Historians still argue about how much she contributed to his early papers.
Key achievements
- Fifth woman admitted to ETH's physics and mathematics section
- One of the first women in Europe to study physics at university
Universities
Zurich
Entered in 1896 as the only woman in her physics and mathematics section, and the fifth woman admitted to it.
Facts
- She twice failed the final oral examination and left without the diploma, the second time while pregnant.
- Einstein's letters to her refer to our work on relative motion, which is the basis of the long-running debate about her role.
- When Einstein won the Nobel Prize he gave her the entire prize money, as agreed in their divorce settlement.
Photographs
Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are shown on each image.