---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18981"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18981"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18981"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — National Science Foundation for the Future"
  - "Part A — Preliminary Matters"
---

# §18981. Definitions


In this subchapter:

- (1) **Board—** The term “Board” means the National Science Board.
- (2) **Director—** The term “[Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1)” means the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11).
- (3) **NSF INCLUDES—** The term “NSF INCLUDES” means the initiative carried out under [section 19012 of this title](/usc/42/19012.md).
- (4) **STEM ecosystem—** The term “STEM ecosystem” means a local, regional, or statewide network, [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4), or multi-sector partnership, which may be led or co-led by a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizational entity, that is operating in the United States with the goal of supporting participation in [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) study, activities, and career pathways as defined in the CoSTEM Annual Progress Report of 2020 with a broad range of non-Federal partners.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10302, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1506.)