1. M. Hirai page 1 of 2
MASATO HIRAI
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M 201A Richards Street PHONE (CELL): 210-415-5154
3255 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 College Station, TX 77840 E-MAIL: masato.hirai@mail.chem.tamu.edu
TECHNICAL SKILLS
 Proficient in organic and inorganic synthesis using Schlenk techniques and N2 atmosphere gloveboxes.
 Extensive knowledge of safety precautions of highly reactive materials including corrosive, toxic, and
pyrophoric chemicals.
 Expert in a variety of instrumentations such as multinuclear, multidimensional, and variable temperature
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy,
ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, time-resolved
photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray crystallography, ion chromatography (IC),
cyclic voltammetry (CV), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and computational analysis using
Gaussian 09 and ADF programs.
 A team leader and a lab manager with excellent personal communication and social skills.
 Native speaker of English and Japanese.
EDUCATION
Texas A&M University at College Station Inorganic Chemistry 08/10-present
Ph.D. candidate Overall GPA: 3.60/4.00 Expected Graduation: August 2015
Dissertation: Synthesis and Characterization of Heavy Main Group Lewis Acids for Anion Complexation
Texas A&M University at College Station Chemistry, Graduated Magna Cum Laude Graduated 05/10
Bachelor of Science Overall GPA: 3.88/4.00
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Graduate Research Assistant, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 05/10-present
Advisor: Prof. François P. Gabbaï
 Research in the field of inorganic chemistry; particularly focused on chemistry of main group Lewis acids
involving heavy elements such as antimony and tellurium.
 Synthesis and analysis of heavy main group Lewis acidic turn-on fluorescence sensors for small anions
such as fluoride, chloride, cyanide, and azide. Characterization of photophysical effects and electronic
structures by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies, and computational methods.
 Preparation and characterization of the first example of neutral polyfunctional main group Lewis acids for
fluoride recognition in aqueous media.
 Studies of air-stable, cationic organoantimony(V) salts in applications of organic transformations, catalysis
and unusual bond activations. Reactivity studies include olefin isomerization, hydrosilylation,
hydrodefluorination, heterolytic cleavage of halogens, and activation of P-H and B-H bonds.
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 01/09-06/09 and 01/10-05/10
Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Coran M. H. Watanabe
 Research in the field of chemical biology; Synthesis and analysis of reactive epoxides for applications in
DNA degredation and cytotoxicity towards Jurkat cells.
 Designed and Isolated three cytotoxic molecules with full characterization using multinuclear NMR, FT-IR,
and cell counting.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant for Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab Course, Texas A&M University, TX 01/15-05/15
Volunteer math tutor at Down Syndrome Association of the Brazos Valley 01/12-05/12
Teaching Assistant for Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab Course, Texas A&M University, TX 08/11-05/12
Teaching Assistant for Freshmen Chemistry Lab Course, Texas A&M University, TX 08/10-05/11

2. M. Hirai page 2 of 2
PUBLICATIONS
1. "Lewis acidic stiborafluorenes for the fluorescence turn-on sensing of fluoride in drinking water at ppm
concentrations” Hirai, H.; Gabbaï, F. P. Chem. Sci. 2014, 5, 1886-1893.
2. "Squeezing fluoride out of water with a neutral bidentate antimony(V) Lewis acid” Hirai, M.; Gabbaï, F. P.
Angew. Chem, Int. Ed. 2014, 54, 1205-1209.
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
1. Hirai, M., Gabbaï, F. P., “Fluoride anion chelation by bidentate organoantimony(V) Lewis acids”, oral
presentation at Student Research Week, College Station, TX 03/15
2. Hirai, M., Gabbaï, F. P., “Fluoride anion chelation by bidentate organoantimony(V) Lewis acids”, oral
presentation at the 248th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA 08/14
3. Hirai, M., Gabbaï, F. P., “Fluoride anion capture with organoantimony(V) Lewis acids”, poster presentation at
BASF-TAMU Symposium, College Station, TX 08/14
4. Hirai, M., Gabbaï, F. P., “Organoantimony(V) Lewis acids as colorimetric turn-on fluorescence fluoride
sensors”, oral presentation at 247th ACS National Meeting, Dallas, TX 03/14
5. Hirai, M., Gabbaï, F. P., “Antimony-based turn-on fluoride sensors in drinking water”, poster presentation at
TAMU Student Research Week, College Station, TX 03/14
SPECIALIZED TRAINING
1. TEM Training, Microscopy & Imaging Center, Texas A&M University, TX 05/11
2. Laboratory of Molecular Simulation: Linux Workshop, Quantum Mechanics, Molecular Modelling all 2012
PROFFESIONAL SERVICE/AFFILIATIONS
Organization for Cultural Diversity in Chemistry, officer 08/14-present
Phi Lambda Upsilon, Beta Beta Chapter, member and secretary 04/11-present
American Chemical Society (ACS), Division of Inorganic Chemistry, member 03/11-present
Chemistry Club, University of Texas at San Antonio, member and officer 08/07-08/08
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS
First place in Student Research Week at Texas A&M University (oral presentation) 03/15
Phi Lambda Upsilon Scholarship Award 08/14
Hypercube Scholar Award 05/10
The Connie G. and Otto F. (Pete) Schumm Endowed Scholarship in Chemistry 10/09
ACS Chemistry Award in Inorganic Chemistry 05/09
ACTIVITIES
Science Olympiad, volunteer 05/14
The Big Event at Texas A&M University, volunteer and group leader 03/11, 03/12, 03/13, 03/14 and 03/15
Chemistry Open House and Physics & Engineering Festival, volunteer 10/11, 10/12, 10/13, 10/14 and 03/14