The Director of the National Science Foundation (hereafter in sections
1862h to
1862j of this title referred to as the “Director”) shall award grants to associate-degree-granting colleges, and consortia thereof, to assist them in providing education in advanced-technology fields, and to improve the quality of their core education courses in science and mathematics. The grant program shall place emphasis on the needs of students who have been in the workforce (including work in the home), and shall be designed to strengthen and expand the scientific and technical education and training capabilities of associate-degree-granting colleges through such methods as—