Wesleyan Research Opportunities Propel Alana Woods to Present at International Aphasia Conference

MACON, GA — When Alana Woods arrived at Wesleyan College as a first-year student, she immediately found herself conducting independent scientific research - an opportunity many undergraduates at larger universities may not experience until much later in their academic careers, if at all. Three years later, Woods has been invited to present her research at the prestigious 2026 International Aphasia Rehabilitation Conference (IARC) in Athens, Greece.

Woods, a rising senior, triple-majoring in biology, neuroscience, and psychology with a minor in chemistry, will present alongside researchers from the University of Georgia and Indiana University Bloomington at one of the world's premier conferences focused on aphasia and speech rehabilitation research.

For Woods, the opportunity represents more than academic achievement; it's a direct reflection of the mentorship, access, and hands-on research experience she says she found uniquely at Wesleyan College.

"Wesleyan provides its students with a lot of opportunities," she said. "Being at a small college, you're not just a number. Starting my freshman year, I was already conducting independent research. At a large university, I feel like you're one of several hundred students in a class."

Woods credits Wesleyan faculty members Dr. Jim Ferrari and Dr. James Rowan with providing the foundational research experiences that prepared her for advanced collaborative work with researchers at the University of Georgia and Indiana University Bloomington.

Beginning in her first semester at Wesleyan, Woods conducted independent research in biological research methods under the guidance of Dr. Ferrari, studying respiration rates in fish species while learning how to write scientific manuscripts and present research findings. The experience introduced her to the rigor of scientific inquiry and professional research communication.

She later expanded her research experience by working with Dr. Rowan on a project examining learning and cognition in mosquito fish, gaining valuable experience in collaborative research and conference presentations.

Those early opportunities laid the foundation for Woods' selection to competitive research collaborations beyond Wesleyan and ultimately led to her invitation to present on an international stage.

Woods' current research focuses on aphasia rehabilitation and improving outcomes for patients recovering from strokes and brain injuries. A pre-med student with aspirations of becoming a neurosurgeon, Woods said the research has deepened her commitment to combining medicine with clinical research.

"If I operate on someone with a stroke or a brain tumor and they have to relearn their speech, my thought process is, 'What can I do to best support them? What opportunities and tools are there to help them recover, and how can we improve them?'" she said.

Her research responsibilities have included analyzing patient focus groups, editing research transcripts, contributing to peer-reviewed journal revisions, and helping prepare presentations and posters for international audiences.

Woods said Wesleyan's close-knit academic environment gave her the confidence and preparation needed to compete alongside graduate researchers and established scholars in her field.

"The mentors that I've had at Wesleyan are really supportive," Woods said. "They helped me realize that this was something I could do."

In addition to her demanding academic schedule, Woods is a member of the Wesleyan soccer team, works two jobs, and serves as a campus tutor.

As she prepares to travel to Greece this summer, Woods hopes her experience will inspire future students to recognize the opportunities available through Wesleyan's undergraduate research programs.

"The opportunities are there if you want to pursue them," Woods said. "Wesleyan gave me the foundation to build toward opportunities like this."

Woods' invitation to present in Athens reflects the transformative opportunities available to students at Wesleyan College, where undergraduate researchers are encouraged to pursue ambitious projects, collaborate with leading scholars, and make meaningful contributions to their fields long before graduation.