§ 209. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meaning unless otherwise specified:

1. "Office" shall mean the New York state office of science, technology and academic research.

2. "Advisory council" shall mean the advisory council of the New York state office of science, technology, and academic research.

3. "Executive director" shall mean the executive director of the New York state office of science, technology, and academic research.

4. "Research development program" shall mean the program established by section two hundred nine-p of this article to encourage and enhance the economic development role of academic institutions in New York state. Such program shall include, but not be limited to, the faculty development program, the capital facilities program, the incentive program, and the centers for advanced technology development program.

5. "Primary host institution" shall mean, in a case where two or more institutions form a partnership or consortium of research entities, one institution must be designated the institution through which awards shall be administered.

6. "Life sciences" shall mean those science disciplines relating to the study of living organisms and vital processes.

7. "Enabling sciences" shall mean those science disciplines which may be directly applied to life science research, including but not limited to, engineering, material science, chemistry, computer science, electronics, physics, bioinfomatics, nanotechnologies and applications of microelectronics and micro-electromechanical devices.

8. "Project sponsor" shall mean any public, not-for-profit private or academic research institution or any subsidiary thereof located in the state of New York. A project sponsor may include a not-for-profit corporation created on behalf of a public, not-for-profit private or academic research institution.

9. "Construction" shall mean the erection, acquisition, alteration, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, equipping, enlargement or extension of a life sciences and/or enabling sciences facility, including land acquisition and the engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal and economic investigations, studies, surveys, designs, plans, drawings, specifications, procedures and other actions relating to a life science or enabling science facility.