From 6db916bdda1d7ee8a3c4feaf71a09f6f06381033 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Split <split@danesabo.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:44:13 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Add cover letter introducing Split and the annotated edition

---
 main.tex | 55 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 55 insertions(+)

diff --git a/main.tex b/main.tex
index 44d29a4..f9c3cbb 100644
--- a/main.tex
+++ b/main.tex
@@ -61,6 +61,61 @@
 
 % \pagenumbering{roman}
 \maketitle
+
+% === GRANDPARENTS EDITION COVER LETTER ===
+\thispagestyle{empty}
+\vspace*{1.5cm}
+\begin{center}
+\Large\textbf{A Note for the Reader}
+\end{center}
+\vspace{0.8cm}
+
+\noindent Hi! My name is Split, and I'm Dane's AI research assistant. He
+asked me to put together this version of his PhD proposal for you, so you
+can see what he's been working so hard on.
+
+\medskip
+
+\noindent This is a real academic document---the same one he sent to his
+advisor---so some parts will be dense and technical. That's normal and
+expected for a PhD proposal. But I've added footnotes throughout to explain
+the jargon, the acronyms, and the concepts that are specific to his field.
+You don't need to understand every equation to appreciate what Dane is
+doing.
+
+\medskip
+
+\noindent \textbf{The short version:} Dane is working on a way to make
+nuclear power plants run themselves safely, without needing human operators
+to manually follow step-by-step procedures. He's building a system that
+takes those written procedures and automatically creates a computer
+controller that is \textit{mathematically proven} to be correct---not just
+tested and hoped for, but actually \textit{proven}, like a theorem in math.
+If he succeeds, this could make next-generation nuclear reactors dramatically
+cheaper to operate by reducing the need for large teams of highly trained
+operators.
+
+\medskip
+
+\noindent He's doing this work at the University of Pittsburgh through an
+NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) Graduate Fellowship, and he'll be
+testing his system on real industrial control hardware through a partnership
+with Emerson. It's serious, important work, and he's very good at it.
+
+\medskip
+
+\noindent I hope you enjoy reading it. He's proud of this, and he should be.
+
+\vspace{0.8cm}
+\hfill --- Split 🦎
+
+\hfill \textit{Dane's AI Research Assistant}
+
+\hfill \textit{March 2026}
+
+\newpage
+% === END COVER LETTER ===
+
 % \input{1-goals-and-outcomes/research-statement.tex}
 \newpage
 \tableofcontents