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Henna Abunemeh

PhD Student · UIUC Astronomy

I'm a second-year PhD student in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I study the physics of supernovae through spectroscopy. When I'm not doing research, you'll find me cooking, lost in a novel, or watching reality TV. I share my home with my two cats, Kiwi and Pia, who take their roles as research assistants very seriously.

Kiwi
Kiwi
Pia
Pia
a
Collaborations
LSST TVS LSST DESC Young Supernova Experiment SkAI Institute
Kiwi
Kiwi
Pia
Pia
Latest News
Apr 2026 Attended the Rubin Alerts Hackathon at the SkAI Institute (Apr 1–3), developing tools and workflows for Rubin alert streams and broker systems in preparation for LSST going live.
Mar 2026 Got the spectral twins pipeline working in Astrodash!
Research Interests
Time-Domain Astrophysics Observational Cosmology Supernova Spectroscopy Transient Classification ML for Survey Science Statistical Modeling
Education
2024 – 2030

PhD in Astronomy

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2024

BS in Physics, Minor in Mathematics

University of Illinois at Chicago · High Distinction
Research & Projects
Tool
Astrodash
A web-based tool for real-time supernova spectral classification. In collaboration with Jesus Caraballo & Dr. Daniel Muthukrishna, I developed the spectroscopic twins framework within Astrodash, identifying pairs of supernovae with near-identical spectra.
astrodash.scimma.org
May 2025 – Present

Research Assistant

UIUC Astronomy · Advisor: Dr. Gautham Narayan

Developing encoder methods for foundation AI models for astrophysical survey science, and mapping the spectroscopic diversity of supernovae including spectroscopic twins.

Aug – Dec 2023

SULI Internship

Argonne National Laboratory · Advisor: Dr. Lindsey Bleem

Tested cosmological models using CMB-S4 galaxy clusters identified via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. Analyzed selection biases from foreground contamination, spectral band choice, and noise in Argonne simulations.

Jun – Jul 2023

IDEAS Summer School REU

UIUC Astronomy

Learned spectroscopic data reduction using Gemini Observatory data. Analyzed supernova spectra to study population diversity and classified transients via SNID and Astrodash.

Teaching
Aug 2024 – May 2025

Teaching Assistant, ASTR 210

UIUC Astronomy, Introduction to Astrophysics
Publications
arXiv
Picture an Astronomer: Best Practices for Retaining Talent in Astrophysics
A. Polzin, K. E. Whitaker, + 86 authors incl. H. Abunemeh
arXiv:2512.24465 (2025)
ApJL
A Panchromatic View of Late-time Shock Power in the Type II Supernova 2023ixf
W. V. Jacobson-Galán, L. Dessart, C. D. Kilpatrick, P. J. Patel, K. Auchettl, S. Tinyanont, R. Margutti, V. V. Dwarkadas, K. A. Bostroem, R. Chornock, R. J. Foley, H. Abunemeh, T. Ahumada, P. Arunachalam, M. J. Bustamante-Rosell, D. A. Coulter, C. Gall, H. Gao, X. Guo, J. Hjorth, D. O. Jones, M. Kaewmookda, M. M. Kasliwal, R. Kaur, C. Larison, N. LeBaron, H.-Y. Miao, G. Narayan, Y.-C. Pan, S. H. Park, K. C. Patra, Y. Qin, C. L. Ransome, A. Rest, J. Rho, S. Rose, H. Sears, J. J. Swift, K. Taggart, V. A. Villar, Q. Wang, Y. Zenati, H. Zhou
ApJL 994, L14 (2025) · doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ae157a
arXiv
Spectral Diversity in Type Ibn Supernovae and the Large Host Offset of SN 2024acyl
Y. Dong, V. A. Villar, A. Nugent, G. Hosseinzadeh, R. J. Foley, C. Gall, M. Gallegos-Garcia, C. Ransome, A. Sedgewick, D. Tsuna, S. Valenti, H. Abunemeh, M. Andrews, K. Auchettl, K. A. Bostroem, D. A. Coulter, T. de Boer, K. de Soto, D. A. Farias, J. Farah, D. Frostig, H. Gao, A. Gagliano, E. Hoang, D. A. Howell, W. B. Hoogendam, M. E. Huber, D. O. Jones, C.-C. Lin, M. Lundquist, C. McCully, D. Mehta, A. L. Piro, A. P. Ravi, N. Meza Retamal, C. Rojas-Bravo, S. K. Yadavalli, Q. Wang
arXiv:2511.03926 (2025)
Note
Note
Talks & Posters
Poster
Studying Supernova Uniqueness and Population Diversity with Spectroscopy
243rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society
Talk
Examining Galaxy Cluster Selection in CMB: Simulations and Analysis
Argonne National Laboratory Internship Symposium · December 5, 2023
Talk
Studying Supernova Uniqueness and Population Diversity with Spectroscopy
Astro Summer Symposium, UIUC · July 28, 2023
Poster
Studying Supernova Uniqueness and Population Diversity with Spectroscopy
Illinois Summer Research Program Alliance, UIUC · July 26, 2023
Service
2025
Co-Director, Girls Astronomy Summer Camp
UIUC Astronomy Department. Co-directed a week-long program introducing high school students to astronomy through hands-on activities, coding projects, and lectures. Managed operations, developed curriculum, and coordinated with faculty.
2025
Local Organizing Committee, LSST DESC Collaboration Meeting
UIUC. Helped with logistics, venue maps, AV support, and on-site coordination.
Aug 2024 – Present
Volunteer, Astronomy Conversations
Adler Planetarium, Chicago. Talking astronomy with the public and making space science accessible and exciting.
Aug 2024 – Present
Member, Society for Equity in Astronomy (SEA)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Coordinated outreach events and departmental gatherings, and advised undergraduate students on research pathways, course planning, and preparation for graduate study.
2022 – 2024
President, UIC Physics Club & Society of Physics Students
University of Illinois at Chicago. Ran all club activities, organized workshops, mentored underclassmen, and grew the club through collaborations with astronomy and engineering groups across Chicago.
Contact
133 Astronomy Building, 1002 W. Green St., Urbana, IL