Dear Professor Gorham,

Thank you for considering me as a candidate for the KamLAND position.

For the past two years, I have been one of Super-Kamiokande's foremost
energy calibration experts for the solar neutrino measurement.  Using
Nitrogen-16 produced by the deuterium-tritium neutron generator (DTG)
and Michel electrons from cosmic ray muons, I have developed
techniques that have allowed us to probe systematic structures in the
energy scale down to the 0.1% level.  My techniques have enabled us to
see that the water quality (and hence energy scale) has clear depth
dependence, and that the depth profile of the water quality changes
significantly with time.  These structures were sobering reminders of
the great complexity of even a beautifully simple detector like
Super-Kamiokande.  More importantly, this detailed understanding gave
us confidence that Super-Kamiokande's energy scale is reliable to well
within +/-1%.

SNO's charged current flux measurement, in combination with SK's
elastic scattering flux measurement, has solidified the position of
the fully-active large mixing angle solution as the most likely
solution of the solar neutrino problem.  In light of this exciting
development, it is easy to forget that, well before SNO's result, the
lack of distortion in Super-Kamiokande's Boron-8 energy spectrum
measurement was inconsistent with the small mixing angle solution,
which, historically, was favored by many experts in the field.  SK's
exclusion of the small mixing angle solution at the 95% confidence
level was firmly supported by the confidence we had in our energy
scale.  I am proud to to say that my work at SK is one of the
important pillars supporting this confidence.

Looking back at recent developments in solar neutrino physics, it is
tempting to say that SK pointed toward LMA, SNO put a noose around it,
and all KamLAND has to do is to tighten it.  I believe, however, that
this is exactly the moment when KamLANDers must be most cautious.  It
is when the answer seems almost written in stone that scientists are
most likely to fool themselves.  I believe my experience at SK will be
valuable to KamLAND right now.  My work with extremely detailed
calibration has given me great respect for the complexities of a
detector.  My first-hand experience with the solar neutrino
measurement process at SK will provide a fresh, alternative
perspective to a similar process that, I'm sure, is now actively being
developed in KamLAND for reactor neutrinos.  This kind of perspective
will be valuable for the healthy development of a physics measurement
process at KamLAND.

In addition, I have many years' experience in high energy physics and
particle astrophysics.  I bring with me many bread-and-butter skills
that are necessary in building the hardware and software
infrastructure at KamLAND.  Some other skills/peculiarities/knowledge
that may be useful:

  o Fluency in C/C++, FORTRAN, and perl.
  o Use of perl for rapid prototyping of analysis software.
  o Fluency in Japanese (reading, writing, speaking), and many years'
    experience with the culture.
  o Several years' experience living and working in Toyama/Mozumi and
    loving it.

I thank you for spending time examining my letter of interest.

Sincerely yours,

Gene Guillian