Gary Gensler Returns to MIT as Professor After Leaving SEC

The Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced the return of Gary Gensler as a professor.

Having resigned on January 20, the former chairman of the SEC will engage in teaching and research in the fields of artificial intelligence, financial technology, and public policy.

Gensler will also return to the FinTechAI@CSAIL initiative at the Computer Science and AI Laboratory as a co-director. He will lead this MIT project alongside Professor Andrew Lo.

The former official first joined MIT in 2018. Prior to that, he served as chairman of the CFTC during the Obama administration. Earlier in his career, he spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs, where he rose to the position of partner in the mergers and acquisitions department.

During Bill Clinton’s presidency, Gensler held positions as assistant and then deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury.

Gensler earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2014, he was awarded the Tamar Frankel Fiduciary Prize. 

“Gary was a fantastic member of the MIT faculty before he led the SEC. My colleagues and I are thrilled to welcome him back. We will be teaching an entirely new course together and look forward to engaging with as many students as possible,” commented Professor and 2024 Nobel laureate in economics Simon Johnson.

The crypto community has taken note of the career shift of the widely criticized former SEC head for his stringent regulations.

Gensler going back to teach after wrecking crypto markets?

What a bum ? pic.twitter.com/FKycYCBG4v

— Jack (@Cryptojack444) January 29, 2025

“After wrecking the crypto markets, Gensler returns to teaching? What a loser,” wrote trader Jack.

Ethereum co-founder and Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson sarcastically wondered if students should be paid to attend Gensler’s lectures. 

Should I pay someone to attend every lecture and just smile silently? https://t.co/SYPRx7RO2I

— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) January 29, 2025

“Imagine hiring an MIT graduate taught by Gary Gensler as an American innovator. LMFAO. It’s a failure,” noted The Block founder Mike Dudas.        

Users also recalled the professor’s blockchain and cryptocurrency course he taught in 2018. Bitcoin News wondered if Gensler would again assign the Bitcoin white paper as homework.

NEW: Gary Gensler is returning to MIT as a professor, focusing on AI, fintech, and public policy.

Will he assign the Bitcoin whitepaper for homework like he did in 2018?

pic.twitter.com/byJRViBKgM

— Bitcoin News (@BitcoinNewsCom) January 29, 2025

“So, class, let me tell you the story of how I spent years at the SEC making life difficult for cryptocurrencies,” imagined blockchain enthusiast Maxis D regarding the professor’s introduction to students.

Gary Gensler’s new gig at MIT: teaching students how to not love crypto. Imagine the lecture: ‘So, class, let me tell you the story of how I spent years making crypto’s life miserable at the SEC. pic.twitter.com/sojjKsISb5

— Maxis D. ? (@maxis_igh) January 29, 2025

Back in the Trump administration, President Donald Trump nominated crypto-friendly lawyer Paul Atkins as SEC chairman.

Commissioner Mark Uyeda became the interim head of the agency and among his first actions formed a cryptocurrency task force led by Hester Peirce.