Born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents, Summer grew up in multiple countries and was educated in American schools. They hold a PhD in English from the University of Ottawa, and have been teaching in various universities in Canada and Pakistan since 2002, including the University of the Fraser Valley, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and the Lahore School of Economics. They specialize in World Literature and Film, with a focus on South Asia, and have published a range of articles on literature, film, and music. They most recently taught screenwriting for film and television at the Vancouver Film School, and will soon be joining Forman Christian College University in Lahore as an Associate Professor. They are currently writing a monograph on contemporary Pakistani TV dramas. Along with research and teaching, they are also a working filmmaker (shorts, features, and docs).