[TYPES] Grand Challenge Problems?

[Purush Iyer]

Colleagues

Now that the lek (er, POPL community)   has decided on vexing questions
about papers at POPL, I thought it best to consult this group on a harder
problem.  In my current job at a funding agency I am confronted by the
question, from Physicists and Control Theoreticians, "What are the main
*scientific* grand challenge problems in Programming Languages and
Systems?"   I have not too successful to date; hence this e-mail.

If y'all can come up with a list of five to ten challenges I would
appreciate it very much.  I don't take this question lightly; I had a long
chat with Jens Palsberg over the summer and I don't think we were able to
make much headway.

Sincerely
Purush Iyer