Scott Burns
Scott Burns joined the Nebraska Statewide Workforce & Educational Reporting System (NSWERS) as a Database Developer and Administrator in August 2026.
Burns brings more than two decades of experience in education and data, including 17 years as a high school teacher before transitioning to data-focused work five years ago. His background combines mathematics, teaching and learning, and computer science education, providing a strong foundation for understanding how data and technology can support education and inform decision making.
Prior to joining NSWERS, Burns taught at high schools in and around Lincoln, including Pius X, Norris, and Waverly. He also serves as a part-time lecturer with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s mathematics department.
At NSWERS, Burns develops and administers databases that support the organization’s statewide education and workforce data system. His work helps maintain the infrastructure needed to securely manage, organize, and connect data so NSWERS can provide meaningful insights and support research and analysis.
Burns holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Mathematics and Teaching and Learning from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He also holds a Nebraska Department of Education PK–12 teaching license.
Originally from McCook, Nebraska, Burns lives in Lincoln with his wife, Jamie, who is a high school science teacher with Lincoln Public Schools.
Get to Know Scott
What author, researcher, or scientist is most influential to you in your work at NSWERS?
I have always been inspired by Claude Shannon and his work converting classic algebra and logic into the digital information that now fills our lives.
What behavior or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?
Most of the success I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve has come from listening to the people around me and embracing the joy of learning new things.
What gets you up in the morning?
One of our two cats, Bill or Ted. We also have a golden retriever, but she likes to sleep in most mornings!
What’s the biggest misconception people have about the work you do?
Because a lot of data is fed to us in real time by various machines, I think it’s easy to forget about the people who work in the background to collect and curate the results and narratives that we see.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
My dad was a railroad engineer, and I wanted to be just like him!
What is a fun or interesting fact about your hometown?
McCook was where George Norris resided for over 40 years. He was the father of the Unicameral and author of the 20th Amendment! It is also home to one of only two Nebraska restaurants to win a James Beard award.