2025 Science Intern from Central Wyoming College looks high and low for inspiration.
Interview by Taylar Dawn Stagner, Community Engagement Director
September 3, 2025
Summeri Bass is interested in all things outdoors here at Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI). During her time as our 2025 Science Intern, she has studied the movements of big Buffalo and tiny caterpillars. All life is of interest to her. A Northern Cheyenne tribal member, she is also Crow, and now attends Central Wyoming College (CWC), where she majors in Outdoor Education and Indigenous Studies.
Bass spoke with WRTBI at the end of her Summer internship, where she talked about what it meant to her to study Buffalo, land rematriation, and what brought her to the Wind River Indian Reservation as a kid.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I moved to the Wind River Reservation when I was 14 with my mom, who moved here from Northern Cheyenne. We went to school at St. Stephens, and I went to Riverton High School after that. It was a huge change.
And then I went away for school. Like, I was running away from Wyoming, but my Mom was still here. So, I came back. I guess it kind of chose me, and I chose it now, and I feel more connected to here.
I’m currently majoring in Indigenous Studies and Outdoor Education, and I also do research in Geospatial Information System (GIS). I do a lot of mapping of the world and putting that into data. So, for most of this summer, I spent time out in the field just kind of observing the Buffalo’s movements. Looking over data that Albert already had. A goal he had for me was to create databases so that way we can actually display it on a map, and you can track the movements of the Buffalo. I’ve been able to differentiate between in-person observations, camera observations, fecal and soil samples, and basically put it all together.
So yeah, it’s a lot of hands-on work using my basic knowledge of coding and GIS to put everything together.
Why are you interested in this work? What motivates you?
Being able to understand Buffalo behaviors and how they are contributing back to the ecosystem, because it’s really interesting just to see the change and impact that they have.
It’s just really interesting to see the change and impact that they have positively.
From birds, the antelope, the deer, and the bugs that work through them. It’s like everything is working in its system together, and it’s very connected. I like the fact that we are actually putting an essential animal back into our environment. I don’t know. The water is drying up. We got to do something.
Do you have a favorite memory from this summer working with our Science Director, Albert Mason?
He breaks for rocks. When you break for rocks then you get out and you look at everything that’s around, like rocks and bugs. We’ve seen granite, agates, crystals, and a lot of bugs. We’ve seen some golden dragonflies that have been pretty cool. Albert saw me get stung by a velvet ant the other day. I couldn’t help myself. It’s a lot of looking at everything and learning about it.
Talk a little more about outdoor education? How does WRTBI fit into that part of your education?
The greatest example I have was, while I was here, we had a group from CWC and UW come through, and the students were talking with Albert about the nitty gritty scientific details. Then one of my classmates, Susy, brought her grandson, who was mad. I kept telling him to come and learn about Buffalo.
So, I did with him what Albert did with me. We go over and turn over a Buffalo patty. And you see all the bugs and the new grass growing underneath. You see an entire ecosystem taking place. You saw how the water had seeped back into the ground and completely dried up the patty, making the Buffalo chips that you can burn.
Being able to take him around to each part of the environment made me happy because that was why I chose outdoor education. There’s not a lot of Indigenous youth in that field or the science field. Everything is alive, if that makes sense. Everything is living around you, and so being able to show him that is why I chose outdoor education.
What do you hope people gain from their experiences here?
Buffalo are a keystone species to the environment. I hope you walk away with that. They contribute back to their environment more than anything else. I think in maps, I like to see them and how they affect the surrounding area, and all the little details.
Summeri Bass will return to WRTBI in the Fall with the support of CWC.