CRA Conference on "Grand Research Challenges"
in Computer Science and Engineering

June 23-26, 2002 
Airlie House, Warrenton, Virginia

The purpose of the conference was to provoke "out-of-the-box" thinking. Because the scope of computer science and engineering is broad, the organizing committee selected systems as an overall theme for the focus of the first conference. The conference was a prototype for a series of conferences on grand research challenges.

Many trends suggest the opportunity for dramatic advancements: miniaturization, micro-electro-mechanical devices, nano-technology, and wireless communications are some building blocks. New research agendas and paradigms need to be clarified-- and this was the main thrust of the conference.

Attendance was limited and was by invitation only. This was not a conference for systems specialists. We sought to convene a diverse group of researchers from a variety of sub-fields and at all career stages. The organizing committee solicited one-page position papers, each expressing one or more challenging problems. The committee then invited about 70 participants.

>> Attendees' Grand Challenge Proposals

The conference was held in the executive retreat environment of Airlie House in Warrenton, Virginia. It was structured like "Gordon" conferences. In addition to the formal sessions, two afternoons were set aside for free time so that participants could continue discussion in small, informal groups.

>> Schedule and Presentation Slides

>> Conference Photos: page 1, page 2

The participants selected five Grand Challenges for special consideration:

1. Systems you can count on (137 KB PDF)
2. A teacher for every learner (24 KB PDF)
3. 911.net (ubiquitous information systems) (21 KB PDF)
4. Augmented cognition (166 KB PDF)
5. Conquering complexity (81 KB PDF)