---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19118"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19118"
heading: "Ethical, legal, and societal considerations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19118"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — National Science Foundation for the Future"
  - "Part G — Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships"
---

# §19118. Ethical, legal, and societal considerations


The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall engage, as appropriate, experts in the social dimensions of science and technology and set up formal avenues for public input, as appropriate, to ensure that ethical, legal, and societal considerations are taken into account in the priorities and activities of the Directorate, including in the selection of the challenges and key technology focus areas under [section 19107 of this title](/usc/42/19107.md) and the award-making process, and throughout all stages of supported [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10398, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1597.)