The Juno Ludovisi caught my attention immediately on the first day of classes, as I am sure it has for many Bryn Mawr students. Its large scale makes it nearly impossible to miss, while also making its observer feel unusually small by comparison and, in my personal experience, it can be viewed as a sort of physical representation of all of the incredible things Bryn Mawr has to offer- a giant marble bust serving as merely a surface presentation.
When initially viewing the Juno Ludovisi in passing, I assumed it was a bust of Athena given its large size and Bryn Mawr's connection to the goddess, so speculation of the subject being a goddess did not surprise me. Having now read Wood's article, I do believe that the subject is a mortal woman, namely Livia. I believe this explanation makes the most sense due to Livia's reputation, status, and other depictions. Wood mentions in her article that Livia was an incredibly generous "First Lady" which made her widely loved by most citizens. Her reputation makes it plausible for her to be portrayed at a scale typically reserved for deities or other highly revered figures. Her status as a priestess of her husband's cult explains why she would be depicted wearing the infula, and her numerous other depictions in portraits and sculptures that bear similarities to the Juno Ludovisi make her a more believable option for the subject than others like Antonia Minor, in my opinion.