Dr. Ken Sakai

Academic Qualifications
   1987 B.S. Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University
   1989 M.S. Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University
   1993 Ph.D. in Science, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, “Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Catalytic Properties of Mixed-Valent Platinum Blues and the Related Complexes” (Supervised by Dr. Kazuko Matsumoto).

Professional Career
   1991 – 1999 Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Chemistry, Seikei University
   1999 – 2003 Lecturer, Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science
   2003 – 2004 Associate Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science
   2004 – Present Full Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University
   2011 – Present> Professor (concurrent), Center for Molecular Systems (CMS), Kyushu University
   2012 – 2020 Principal Investigator for the Hydrogen Production Division, International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University
   2018－2023 Elected Bureau of IUPAC (International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry)
   2014－Present Member of Science Council of Japan (SCJ)

Place of Birth and Historical Records
   Birth & Early Years: Born in Tokyo following a prenatal period in the U.S. during his father’s (Dr. Hitoshi Sakai, a renowned geochemist) tenure as a visiting scientist at Yale University in 1961.
   Reference: "Hitoshi Sakai (1930–2008)," Ken Sakai, Applied Geochemistry, 2012, 27, 1681–1687.
   Upbringing (1962–1981): Raised in Misasa, Tottori Prefecture, a renowned hot spring town where Dr. Hitoshi Sakai was professionally based.
   International Experience (1971–1972): Lived in Los Angeles and attended Richland Avenue Elementary School, gaining fluency in English during this period.

Residential History
   Tokyo Period (1982–2004): Resided in Tokyo for 22 years.
   Fukuoka Period (2004–Present): Currently residing and based in Fukuoka.

Visiting Professorship
   Visiting Professor Chemistry Laboratory Inorganic from the Institute of Molecular Chemistry and Materials of Orsay (ICMMO) of the University of Paris-Saclay, France, November, 2022.
   Visiting Professor Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo 2023-2025.

Membership and Contributions in Chemical Societies
   Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ) (1987 – Present)
   American Chemical Society (ACS) (1991 – Present)
   Japan Society of Coordination Chemistry (JSCC) (1998 – Present)
   Other Details on Domestic and International Tasks (see below)
   Council Member, JSCC (2005-2007)
   Associate Editor, Chemistry Letters (2007-2014)
   Chairman, JSCC Annual Domestic Conference Organization (2014-2019)
   IUPAC, Inorganic Chemistry Division, Associate Member (2008-2009)
   IUPAC, Inorganic Chemistry Division, Titular Member (2010-2013)
   IUPAC, Inorganic Chemistry Division, Associate Member (2014-2017)
   IUPAC, Inorganic Chemistry Division, National Representative (2018-2023)
   IUPAC, Bureau Member (2018-2023)
   Chairman, IYPT2019 Planning Committee, Science Council of Japan (2018-2020)
   Chairman, IUPAC Subcommittee, Science Council of Japan (2018-2022)

Visiting Lectureships in Other Graduate Schools
   1991-1993 Visiting Researcher, Waseda University
   1995 Visiting Lecturer, Tokyo University of Agriculture
   1999 Visiting Lecturer, Tokyo Polytechnic University
   2000 Visiting Lecturer, Tokyo Metropolitan University
   2002 Visiting Lecturer, Tokyo Metropolitan University
   2003 Visiting Lecturer, Aoyama Gakuin University
   2006 Visiting Lecturer, Tokyo Institute of Technology
   2007 Visiting Lecturer, Nagoya University
   2008 Visiting Lecturer, Hiroshima University
   2009 Visiting Lecturer, Osaka City University
   2010 Visiting Lecturer, Nara Women's University
   2011 Visiting Lecturer, The University of Tokyo (Lecture in English)
   2018 Visiting Lecturer, Niigata University
   2022 Visiting Lecturer, Waseda University
   2023 Visiting Lecturer, Waseda University
   2024 Visiting Lecturer, The University of Tokyo (Lecture in En   glish)
   2025 Visiting Lecturer, Waseda University

Teaching Competencies
   Inorganic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Photochemistry, X-ray Crystallography, Catalysis (including Photocatalysis and Electrocatalysis), Reactions Kinetics and Equilibria, Spectroscopic and Instrumental Techniques, Theoretical Calculations (DFT in Gaussian), Organic and Inorganic Syntheses, Glass Blowing (high level), etc.

Books

Housecroft Inorganic Chemistry : Part 1 & 2

Translated Version: Catherine E Housecroft, Alan G Sharpe, Kazuyuki Tatsumi, Hiroshi Nishihara, Munetaka Akita, Ken Sakai (Tokyo Kagaku Dojin) (2012).

Bioinorganic Chemistry (Lippard & Berg)

Translated Version: Ed. Kazuko Matsumoto, Taro Tsubomura, Tomoaki Tanase, and Ken Sakai (Tokyo Kagaku Dojin) (1997).

"Development of Molecular Devices for Artificial Photosynthesis"

Ken Sakai
"Chemical Engineering, 2014, March issue, [feature topic] Studies of Artificial Photosynthesis and Recent Technology" (Kagakukogyo-sha), 2014, 65(3), 38-43. (written in Japanese)

"Oxygen Production from Water using Metal Complexes"

Takashi Nakazono, and Ken Sakai
"Artificial Photosynthesis -Perspective and Trends of Recent Technology for System Construction-" (CMC books), 2013, 80-97. (written in Japanese)

"Hydrogen Production from Water promoted by Platinum(II) Complexes"

Ken Sakai
Artificial Photosynthesis -Perspective and Trends of Recent Technology for System Construction-" (CMC books), 2013, 53-69. (written in Japanese)

"Hydrogen Production from Water using Platinum(II) Complexes as Homogeneous Catalysts"

Kosei Yamauchi, and Ken Sakai
Function & Materials (CMC books), 2012, 32(1), 38-46. (written in Japanese)

"Oxygen Evolution from Water Catalyzed by Mononuclear Aquaruthenium Complexes"

Masaki Yoshida, Shigeyuki Masaoka, and Ken Sakai
J. Synth. Org. Chem., Jpn., 2011, 69, 370-378. (written in Japanese)

"Development of Photo-Hydrogen-Evolving Molecular Devices Driving Visible-Light-Induced Reduction of Water into Molecular Hydrogen"

Hironobu Ozawa and Ken Sakai
Artifical Photosynthesis and Organic Solar Cell; Ed. Chemical Society of Japan (Kagaku Dojin), 88-95 (2010).

"Chemistry of Photo-Hydrogen-Evolving Molecular Devices"

Shigeyuki Masaoka, Masayuki Kobayashi, and Ken Sakai
Photochemistry, 2009, 40, 118-121. (written in Japanese)

"Multinuclear Metal Complexes toward Solar Energy Conversion"

Shigeyuki Masaoka and Ken Sakai
Kagaku (Kyoto, Japan), 2007, 62(10), 70-71. (written in Japanese)

"Transition Metal Complexes of Cd and Hg"

Ken Sakai, Fifth Edition of Jikken Kagaku Koza No. 22, "Metal Complexes, Transition Metal Clusters"; Ed. Chemical Society of Japan (Maruzen), 158-165 (2004).

"The solution properties of platinum blues and the related complexes, and their functions as catalysts for the hydrogen evolusion from water"

Ken Sakai and Kazuko Matsumoto, The Chemical Times, 1991, 141, 18-24. (written in Japanese)

"The quantitative analysis of a phosphate ion by the Molybdenum blue method"

Kazuko Matsumoto and Ken Sakai, Chemistry Today, 1990, 234, 55-57. (written in Japanese)

"Molybdenum Blues and Their Application to the Quantitative Analysis of Phosphate"

Kazuko Matsumoto and Ken Sakai, Chemistry and Education, 1987, 5, 36-39. (written in Japanese)

» Ken's Group Website