I am a visiting scholar in the Department of History at UCSB and a technical staff member at the Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo, where I am professionally known as Eri Kuwata.

My research focuses on early photographic techniques, the history of photography, and how photographs function as both visual images and material objects. I approach photography as a historical medium shaped by technological and cultural contexts, informed by my dual background in fine art and photographic conservation.

At UCSB, I am examining 19th-century photographic processes—such as albumen prints, carbon prints, and platinotypes—to develop methods for their identification and documentation.

My work aims to support the preservation of historical photographs and to deepen our understanding of the expressive and physical nature of early photographic media.