From Smithtown, New York, Walter graduated Summa Cum Laude from the State University of New York Brockport in 2022 with a BS in History and concentration in Secondary Social Studies Education. Before starting his undergraduate education Walter attended a language school in Tokyo, Japan for 3 months. During this period Walter developed strong interests in modern East Asian history, historical memory, and international relations. In the course of Walter’s undergraduate studies, he focused on modern Japanese history, researching the impact of war victimization and the memory of the Second World War in Japanese museums. Specifically investigating the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum opened in 1955, the Tokyo located Yūshūkan Museum opened in 1986, the Osaka International Peace Center opened in 1991, the Kyoto Museum for World Peace opened in 1992, the Tokyo located National Showa Memorial Museum opened in 1999, and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum opened in 2003.
Walter’s current research interests are East Asia since 1900, modern Japanese history, and the intersection of historical memory and politics in East Asia. At Columbia and the LSE, Walter plans to sharpen his historiographical and language skills while continuing his research.
