Effingham Girls in Science will be holding its third annual open house on Aug. 18 from 1-4 p.m. at the UGA Warnell Forest Education Center in Guyton. The event is free and open to all girls attending middle or high school in Effingham, or surrounding counties.

At the open house, students will interact with professional women scientists from a wide variety of disciplines through presentations and hands-on educational activities. The women scientists will answer questions about who they are, what they do, and most importantly how they were inspired to choose science as a career.

The open house serves as both a stand-alone educational event and a recruitment forum where participating students have the opportunity to join the Effingham Girls in Science program. Membership provides access to a series of monthly meetings and field trips held throughout the school year, and increased exposure to professional female scientists willing to mentor and provide guidance to aspiring female scientists.

The Effingham County Girls in Science Program started in the fall of 2004. Its mission is twofold: to encourage middle and high school girls in Effingham and surrounding counties to pursue science, engineering and mathematics in their future studies; and, to promote self-confidence and leadership among the girls by challenging their intellect, as well as their own ideas of “what science is.” The goal is to give girls exposure to women who can serve as professional role models.

For more information on the open house or the Effingham Girls in Science program, contact either Jenny Knoth (912) 661-2367 or Gail Lutowski at (912) 330-0531, or e-mail girlsinscience@comcast.net.