The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Deputy Director for Policy Tom Kalil outlined ambitious goals that are achieved by advancing science, technology and innovation on Thursday, according to the White House blog.

During his presentation at the Grand Innovation Challenges of the 21st Century event in Washington, DC., he made the case for an “all hands on deck” effort to set and meet Grand Challenges that involves government, the private sector, philanthropists, and research universities. In his remarks, he also spoke of plans for a July conference on Grand Challenges-ambitious goals on a national or global scale that capture the imagination and demand advances in innovation and breakthroughs in science and technology. Grand Challenges are an important element of President Obama’s Strategy for American Innovation.

Thursday’s event, hosted by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, also featured presentations about IBM’s quest to create Watson, the computer that outwitted Jeopardy champs, and how Qualcomm is challenging innovators to make the hand-held medical diagnoses Dr. McCoy routinely provided in Star Trek something the average consumer can do.