Annika Yates's research interests focus on the intersection of space, agency, and political power in the context of urban Hanoi, Vietnam. As a master's student, she researched Vietnamese contemporary artists' responses to government censorship. She completed her B.A. in philosophy at Mount Holyoke College in 2011 and her M.A. in Social Science at the University of Chicago in 2018. Since finishing her B.A., she spent three years living and working in Vietnam, as well as four years working for anti-poverty public policy organizations in Illinois. Annika is a Chicago native who spends her free time training for long-distance races and exploring art museums.