Request for Information on "Grand Challenges"

When the Obama Innovation Strategy came out last September, I noted the inclusion of a list of possible "Grand Challenges" at the end as setting some major priorities. Today's Federal Register has a the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Request for Information on the Grand Challenges:

This Request for Information (RFI) is designed to collect input from the public regarding (1) The grand challenges that were identified in the strategy document; (2) other grand challenges that the Administration should consider, such as those identified by the National Academy of Engineering; (3) partners (e.g., companies, investors, foundations, social enterprises, non-profit organizations, philanthropists, research universities, consortia, etc.) that are interested in collaborating with each other and the Administration to achieve one or more of these goals, and (4) models for creating an ``architecture of participation'' that allows many individuals and organizations to contribute to these grand challenges.

Tom Kalil's posting on the OSTP blog today gives some further information, including links on the National Academy of Engineering's summits on their Grand Challenges for Engineering, university-based Grand Challenge Scholars Program and Expert Labs, a non-profit independent lab affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

It will be interesting to see what people come up with in response to the RFI -- and if the solutions to the grand challenges move beyond just technological innovations.