Skip to Content
Profiles in generosity

Mike Speciner ’68

Acton, Massachusetts
December 18, 2020
Speciner portrait
Rose Lincoln

“I got to play with computers at MIT at a time when that was a real privilege,” recalls Mike Speciner, a self-described generalist who double-majored in math and physics. His wide-ranging career includes stints developing software, hardware, imaging algorithms, teleconferencing techniques, and much more. He holds multiple patents, has coauthored a book on network security, and cofounded The Singing Torah. Speciner is also something of a generalist in his giving to MIT, supporting numerous initiatives that help provide opportunities for MIT students and researchers. 

Inflation-protected giving. Speciner has made multiple gifts through the MIT Office of Gift Planning, including a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT), which provides income to donors and their designated beneficiaries. When a CRUT terminates, the gift goes to a designated cause at MIT, the Department of Mathematics in Speciner’s case. “I think of the CRUT primarily as a gift,” Speciner says, “but also as a tax deduction that avoids capital gains taxes, and an investment that provides inflation-protected income. MIT investment management is superb.”

A positive difference. Speciner’s first major gift supported music at MIT, and he continues to support the arts as a member of the Council for the Arts at MIT. Over the years he has given gifts in multiple areas he views as important to making a better world. “Math is fundamental to pretty much everything,” he says. “Physics to understanding how the universe works. Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences to understanding and ultimately saving the Earth. Brain and cognitive sciences for understanding understanding. MIT continues to make a positive difference in the world, and I can be a small part of that.”

Help MIT build a better world.
For information, contact Amy Goldman
617.253.4082; goldmana@mit.edu
giving.mit.edu/planned-giving

Keep Reading

Most Popular

Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build

“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”

Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives

The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.

Learning to code isn’t enough

Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.

Deep learning pioneer Geoffrey Hinton has quit Google

Hinton will be speaking at EmTech Digital on Wednesday.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.