David Reeping

Dr. David Reeping is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering and Computing Education at the University of Cincinnati and Director of the CEAS Teaching Institute. He is a mixed methodologist with a particular interest in pairing qualitative methods with emerging advanced quantitative methods. His current research includes transfer student experiences, threshold concepts, measuring curricular complexity, and student interactions with generative AI. He earned his Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech and was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. He received his B.S. in Engineering Education from Ohio Northern University, where he was trained as a high school mathematics teacher.

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R packages: CurricularComplexity, CurricularComplexityData, nTARP

Ph.D. Engineering Education: Virginia Tech 2019

Cert. Higher Education Administration: Virginia Tech 2018

B.S. Engineering Education: Ohio Northern University 2016

Research Interests Overview
My research interests are broad, but I am especially interested in developing and applying quantitative and mixed-methods approaches that help us better understand the experiences of engineering students. 

My research has explored several areas within engineering education, including how the structure and complexity of engineering curricula affect students, the experiences of transfer students, the use of generative AI in teaching and research, and the key concepts students need to understand as they progress through engineering programs. I have also studied threshold concepts - ideas that can be difficult to grasp but fundamentally change how students understand a subject - particularly in electrical and computer engineering.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities
I am a strong proponent of undergraduate research and encourage students interested in engineering education research to enroll in my research course, ENED 5080. The course is taken for academic credit and can count toward your GPA. Because of mentoring constraints, volunteer positions are not available.

After successfully completing ENED 5080, undergraduate students may be eligible for paid hourly positions when funding is available for a specific project. When there is a significant need, students may also work full-time as research co-op students through programs such as UC’s Research Co-op Fellowship. These opportunities are formally posted on platforms such as Handshake, although students may also transition into paid roles after completing ENED 5080.

If you are interested in working with my research group, please indicate which project(s) interest you and why. Personalized emails are more likely to catch my attention than general inquiries. The following are examples of active projects:

• Developing a computational model for classifying teamwork behaviors to provide students with near-term feedback about their teamwork aptitude
• Using network analysis to quantify the complexity of engineering programs across the United States
• Integrating generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) into engineering classrooms (e.g., exploring how students engage with generative AI tools)
• Exploring the core concepts necessary for designing cyber-physical systems and generative AI in the workplace
• Student mental health/well-being and engineering stress culture
• Applying machine learning techniques to educational research problems

2019 -2020 Bradley Postdoctoral Associate, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

2020 -2021 Postdoc Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering / Engineering Education Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

2021 - Assistant Professor, Engineering and Computing Education, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

2025 - Director of CEAS Teaching Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

Grant: #EEC-2152441 Investigators:Reeping, David 04-01-2022 -03-31-2025 National Science Foundation Studying Undergraduate Curricular Complexity for Engineering Student Success (SUCCESS) Role:PI 349936.00 Awarded Level:Federal

Grant: #AERA-D Mini-Grant Investigators:Reeping, David 08-01-2022 -04-30-2023 American Educational Research Association Humanizing the "Weapons of Math Destruction" in Quantitative Educational Research Role:PI 4973.00 Hold Level:Non Profit

Grant: #DUE-2138184 Investigators:Imbrie, Peter; Reed, Teri; Reeping, David 01-15-2022 -12-31-2026 National Science Foundation Collaborative Research: S-STEM Organizational Partnerships Research Hub: Inter- and intra-institutional partnerships to support low-income engineering students Role:Collaborator 62661.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #IIS-2302788 Investigators:Reeping, David 09-01-2023 -08-31-2026 National Science Foundation Collaborative Research: RETTL: Sizing Up Physical Computing to Explore Threshold Concepts in Cyber-Physical Systems Role:PI 257779.00 Awarded Level:Federal

Grant: #202400012 Investigators:Reeping, David 08-01-2023 -07-31-2024 Spencer Foundation Charting Transfer Students' Information Search using Fully Integrated Mixed Methods Role:PI 49888.00 Hold Level:Non Profit

Grant: #EEC-2349580 Investigators:Bellur, Kishan; Payton, Eric; Reeping, David; Rowe, Annette; Steiner, Matthew; Sun, Ying; Watzman, Sarah; Webb, Amanda 04-01-2024 -03-31-2027 National Science Foundation REU Site: Research Experiences for American Leadership of Industry with Zero Emissions by 2050 (REALIZE-2050) Role:Collaborator 445485.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #DUE-2337003 Investigators:Bucks, Gregory; Kastner, Jeffrey; Murphy, TJ; Reeping, David; Sorby, Sheryl 04-15-2024 -03-31-2027 National Science Foundation Expanding Pathways for Preparing the Next Generation of Engineers: First-Year Engineering 2.0 (FYE2.0) Role:Collaborator 719915.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #EEC-2407294 Investigators:Calhoun, Christopher; Reeping, David 08-01-2024 -07-31-2026 National Science Foundation Research Initiation: Exploring Metacognitive Strategies with External Resources for Engineering Courses in the Age of Generative AI Role:Collaborator 199,954.00 Type:Grant

Investigators:Grote, Dustin; Reeping, David 04-01-2022 -05-31-2023 National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students Developing a Theory of Curricular Complexity for Transfer Students: Establishing Content and Construct Validity Role:Collaborator 2000 Type:Grant

Grant: #DUE-2518025-000 Investigators:Reeping, David; Wei, Siqing 10-01-2025 -09-30-2028 National Science Foundation Collaborative Research: Principles for Inclusive Design and Educational Theory in Generative AI Tool Creation. Role:PI 286917.00 Awarded Level:Federal

Grant: #2539903? Investigators:Bhatnagar, Raj; BRAHMA, SWASTIK; Reeping, David -12-31-2029 National Science Foundation CyberAI Innovation: AIoT-EdNaDS: An Educational Program on National Defense and Security-Centric Artificial Intelligence of Thing Role:Collaborator 0.00 Hold Level:Federal

Investigators:David Reeping 2026 -2028 University Research Council Faculty Scholars Forming a Feedback Loop of Cooperative Engineering Education with AI Literacy Role:PI 25000 Active Type:Grant

Peer Reviewed Publications

Reid K.; Hertenstein T.; Fennell G.; Spingola E.; Reeping D.  (09-24-2013). Development of a first-year engineering course classification scheme. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reid K.; Reeping D.; Hertenstein T.; Fennel G.; Spingola E.  (12-01-2013). Development of a classification scheme for "introduction to engineering" courses. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 1564-1570More Information

Reeping D.; Reid K.  (12-01-2013). Changing perceptions: Do engineering activities make a difference in K-12 environments?. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 1940-1944More Information

Reeping D.; Reid K.; Estell J.  (01-01-2014). Work in progress: Providing continuing education for teachers in the dominican republic using online. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reid K.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2014). A classification scheme for "introduction to engineering" courses: Defining first-year courses based. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Reid K.  (02-17-2015). 'STEM academies' and their effect on student perceptions of engineering. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2015-February (February) More Information

Reeping D.; Estell J.; Reid K.  (02-17-2015). Preliminary results of a freshmen capstone project to design educational modules for teachers in the. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2015-February (February) More Information

Estell J.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2015). Providing authentic experiences in the first year: Designing educational software in support of serv. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Makin (122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Makin)

Reeping D.; Reid K.  (01-01-2015). Application of and preliminary results from implementing the first-year introduction to engineering . ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Makin (122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Makin)

Reeping D.; Reid K.  (12-02-2015). Viewing K-12 mathematics and science standards through the lens of the first-year introduction to en. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2015More Information

Estell J.; Reeping D.; Sapp H.  (06-26-2016). Curiosity, connection, creating value: Improving service learning by applying the entrepreneurial mi. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2016-June

Estell J.; Sapp H.; Reeping D.  (06-26-2016). Work in progress: Developing single point rubrics for formative assessment. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2016-June

Reeping D.; McNair L.; Harrison S.; Knapp R.; Lester L.; Martin T.; Patrick A.; Wisnioski M.  (06-24-2017). How are threshold concepts applied? A review of the literature. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2017-June

Reid K.; Reeping D.; Spingola E.  (01-01-2018). A taxonomy for introduction to engineering courses. International Journal of Engineering Education, 34 (1) , 2-19

Reeping D.; McNair L.D.; Wisnioski M.; Patrick A.Y.; Martin T.L.; Lester L.; Knapp B.; Harrison S.  (12-12-2017). Using threshold concepts to restructure an electrical and computer engineering curriculum: Troubleso. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2017-October, 1-9More Information

Reeping D.; Estell J.  (06-23-2018). Partnering to develop educational software applications: A four-year retrospective study. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2018-June

Davis K.; Reeping D.; Taylor A.; Edwards C.; Murzi H.; Knight D.  (06-23-2018). Characterizing students' intercultural competence development paths through a global engineering pro. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2018-June

Reeping D.; Knight D.; Grohs J.; Case S.  (01-01-2018). Visualization and analysis of student enrollment patterns in foundational engineering courses. International Journal of Engineering Education, 35 (1) , 142-155

Reeping D.; McNair L.D.; Baum L.; Wisnioski M.; Patrick A.Y.; Martin T.L.; Lester L.; Knapp B.; Harrison S.  (03-04-2019). 'We've Always Done it that Way,' An Exploration of Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Curri. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2018-OctoberMore Information

Reeping D.; Taylor A.; Knight D.; Edwards C.  (04-01-2019). Mixed methods analysis strategies in program evaluation beyond “a little quant here, a little qual t. Journal of Engineering Education, 108 (2) , 178-196More Information

Reeping D.  (01-02-2020). Threshold concepts as ‘jewels of the curriculum’: rare as diamonds or plentiful as cubic zirconia?. International Journal for Academic Development, 25 (1) , 58-70More Information

Reeping D.; McNair L.; Martin T.L.; Ozkan D.  (10-01-2019). Modeling the Perception of Rigor in Large-Scale Curricular Change. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2019-OctoberMore Information

Ozkan D.S.; Reeping D.; McNair L.D.; Martin T.L.; Harrison S.; Lester L.; Knapp B.; Wisnioski M.; Patrick A.; Baum L.  (10-01-2019). Using Personas as Curricular Design Tools: Engaging the Boundaries of Engineering Culture. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2019-OctoberMore Information

Bairaktarova D.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2019). Development and psychometrics of a freely available mechanical aptitude test. International Journal of Engineering Education, 35 (6A) , 1839-1850

Hampton C.; Reeping D.  (06-15-2019). Positionality: The stories of self that impact others. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Estell J.  (06-15-2019). Partnering to develop educational software applications: A four-year retrospective study. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Grote D.M.; Knight D.B.  (05-01-2021). Effects of Large-Scale Programmatic Change on Electrical and Computer Engineering Transfer Student P. IEEE Transactions on Education, 64 (2) , 117-123More Information

Reeping D.; Mcnair L.  (06-01-2020). Thinking in systems to uncover faculty mental models situated in curricular change. Advances in Engineering Education, 8 (2) , 1-7

Reeping D.; Grote D.; McNair L.D.; Martin T.  (06-22-2020). Curricular complexity as a metric to forecast issues with transferring into a redesigned engineering. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2020-June

Reeping D.; Edwards C.D.  (06-22-2020). Exemplars of integration in engineering education's use of mixed methods research. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2020-June

Reeping D.; Ozkan D.; McNair L.; Martin T.  (10-21-2020). Stirring up a Special Sauce: Marrying Electrical and Computer Engineering with Threshold Concepts fo. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2020-OctoberMore Information

Reeping D.; Knight D.B.  (04-01-2021). Information asymmetries in web-based information for engineering transfer students. Journal of Engineering Education, 110 (2) , 318-342More Information

Lyles C.H.; McNair L.D.; Reeping D.  (07-26-2021). Sense of Belonging in Large Online Engineering Classes: A Scoping Review. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

van Tyne N.C.T.; McNair L.D.; Reeping D.  (07-26-2021). Meaning to Succeed: Learning Strategies of First-Year Engineering Transfer Students. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Grote D.  (07-26-2021). Rethinking the Curricular Complexity Framework for Transfer Students. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Ozkan D.; McNair L.; Martin T.  (01-01-2021). Stirring up a Special Sauce, A Second Course: Marrying Electrical and Computer Engineering with Thre. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2021-OctoberMore Information

Reeping D.; Edwards C.  (01-01-2021). Integrating Using a Crossover Analysis With Formative Joint Displays in Mixed Methods Research. Journal of Mixed Methods ResearchMore Information

Reeping D.; Lee W.; London J.  (07-01-2023). Person-centered analyses in quantitative studies about broadening participation for Black engineerin. Journal of Engineering Education, 112 (3) , 769-795More Information

Reeping D.; Grote D.  (08-23-2022). Characterizing the Curricular Complexity Faced by Transfer Students: 2+2, Vertical Transfers, and Cu. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Van Den Bogaard M.E.D.; Reeping D.; Finelli C.  (08-23-2022). Student experiences with the online learning environment during COVID. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.  (08-23-2022). Work in Progress: Using Ego Network Analysis to Analyze How Engineering Education Researchers Constr. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Ozkan D.S.; Reeping D.P.; Hampton C.; Edwards C.  (01-01-2021). A Critique of Quantitative Methodologies to yield Critical Quantitative Methods in Engineering Educa. 9th Research in Engineering Education Symposium and 32nd Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference, REES AAEE 2021: Engineering Education Research Capability Development, 2, 772-781More Information

Creamer E.G.; Reeping D.  (12-01-2020). Advancing mixed methods in psychological research. Methods in Psychology, 3More Information

Nazhandali L.; Ozkan D.S.; Reeping D.P.; Baum L.; McNair L.D.  (10-21-2020). Skip the clicker: A narrative inquiry of a professor's 'Teaching Toolbox' for large class sizes. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE, 2020-OctoberMore Information

Padhye S.M.; Reeping D.; Rashedi N.  (06-23-2024). Analyzing Trends in Curricular Complexity and Extracting Common Curricular Design Patterns. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Reid K.; Ohland M.W.; Rashedi N.  (06-23-2024). Board 438: Year Two of Developing a New Dataset for Analyzing Engineering Curricula. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Zarandi F.M.; Reeping D.  (06-23-2024). Work In Progress: Influences of Team-Based Activities on Engineering Students' Identities and Career. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Shah A.  (06-23-2024). (Board 50/Work in Progress) A Systematic Review of Embedding Large Language Models in Engineering an. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Villalva R.; Bellur K.; Cuppoletti D.; Khare P.  (01-01-2024). LESSONS LEARNED FROM PANDEMIC-DRIVEN REMOTE LEARNING AND SUSTAINING BEST PRACTICES IN TURBOMACHINERY. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, 6More Information

Reeping D.; Finelli C.; Millunchick J.; Zarandi F.M.  (01-01-2024). A comparative study on undergraduate engineering student socialisation before and during the COVID-1. European Journal of Engineering Education, 49 (5) , 992-1013More Information

Carroll L.J.; Reeping D.; Finelli C.J.; Prince M.J.; Husman J.; Graham M.; Borrego M.J.  (10-01-2023). Barriers instructors experience in adopting active learning: Instrument development. Journal of Engineering Education, 112 (4) , 1079-1108More Information

Niu J.; Reeping D.  (06-25-2023). Work in Progress: A Systematic Literature Review of Person-Centered Approaches and Data-Driven Metho. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Ohland M.W.; Reid K.; EbrahimiNejad H.; Rashedi N.  (06-25-2023). Board 201: A New Public Dataset for Exploring Engineering Longitudinal Development by Leveraging Cur. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Padhye S.M.; Rashedi N.  (06-25-2023). A Process for Systematically Collecting Plan of Study Data for Curricular Analytics. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Reeping D.; Rashedi N.  (01-01-2023). Work in Progess: A Decade-Spanning Longitudinal Study on the Curricular Complexity of Engineering Pr. Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIEMore Information

Patrick A.Y.; Wisnioski M.H.; McNair L.; Ozkan D.S.; Reeping D.; Martin T.L.; Lester L.; Dunning S.; Knapp B.; Walker L.B.; Haines C.E.  (01-01-2023). In it for the Long Haul: The Groundwork of Interdisciplinary Culture Change in Engineering Education. Engineering Studies, 15 (2) , 144-167More Information

Reeping D.  (01-01-2025). Creating Procedural Diagrams in Mixed Methods Research Beyond Boxes and Arrows. Journal of Mixed Methods ResearchMore Information

Reeping D.; Hampton C.; Özkan D.  (01-01-2025). Interrogating the Use of Large Language Models in Qualitative Research Using the Qualifying Qualitat. Studies in Engineering Education, 6 (2) , 1-23More Information

Reeping D.; Villalva R.; Bellur K.; Cuppoletti D.; Khare P.  (01-01-2025). Lessons Learned from Pandemic-Driven Remote Learning and Sustaining Best Practices in Turbomachinery. Journal of Turbomachinery, 147 (1) More Information

Reeping D.  (01-01-2024). Intersecting the Identification Problem and Mixed Methods Designs in Threshold Concept Research. Educational Futures, 77, 43-57More Information

Reeping D.; Shah A.  (01-01-2024). Work-in-Progress: Students' Prompting Strategies When Solving an Engineering Design Task. Proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference FieMore Information

Han Y.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2024). Work-in-Progress: A Systematic Literature Review of Exploring Threshold Concepts in Cyber-Physical S. Proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference FieMore Information

Niu J.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2024). Humanizing Data-Driven Methods in Engineering Education Research: A Systematic Literature Review of . Studies in Engineering Education, 5 (2) , 150-174More Information

Reeping D.; Ebrahiminejad H.; Ohland M.W.; Reid K.J.; Rashedi N.  (04-01-2026). Analyzing the Curricular Complexity of Engineering Programs Across Disciplines and Time. IEEE Transactions on Education, 69 (2) , 131-140More Information

Reeping D.; Han Y.  (01-01-2025). BOARD # 439: RETTL: Year One of Sizing Up Physical Computing to Explore Threshold Concepts in Cyber-. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Asghar M.; Reeping D.; Sorby S.  (01-01-2025). Examining Shifts in Sense of Belonging, Engineering Identity, Intent to Persist and Stress Levels: A. Proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference FieMore Information

Reeping D.; Han Y.; Rashedi N.  (01-01-2025). WIP: Uncovering Student Course-Taking Patterns Using a High-Dimensional Clustering Technique. Proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference FieMore Information

Wei S.; Struck Jannini A.V.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2025). WIP: Characterizing Personal Cultural Orientations of First-Year Engineering Students by Latent Prof. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Han Y.; Reeping D.; Wei S.  (01-01-2025). Exploring Threshold Concepts in Interdisciplinary Engineering Education: A Delphi Study in Cyber-Phy. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Calhoun C.A.; Reeping D.; Wei S.; Shah A.  (01-01-2025). WIP: Developing an Instrument to Understand Engineering Student usage of Digital External Resources . ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Zarandi F.M.; Martin M.; Wei S.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2025). WIP: Professional development experiences from participation in an engineering cooperative education. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Zarandi F.M.; Martin M.; Wei S.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2025). A Scoping Review on AI Integration in Engineering Education and its Impact on Students' Critical Thi. Proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference FieMore Information

Asghar M.; Reeping D.; Bucks G.W.; Kastner J.; Murphy T.J.; Sorby S.A.  (01-01-2025). Analyzing Self-Reported Sense of Belonging, Engineering Identity, Intent to Persist, and Stress Leve. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Reeping D.; Ohland M.W.; Reid K.; Ebrahimnejad H.; Rashedi N.; Han Y.  (01-01-2025). BOARD # 328: BPE: Year Three of Developing a New Dataset for Analyzing Engineering Curricula. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Rodriguez S.L.; Chaback B.; Work A.; Richardson A.J.; Reeping D.; Knight D.B.  (01-01-2025). WIP: What Does Mutuality Look Like? Comparing How MSIs and Non-MSIs Engage in S-STEM Partnerships to. Proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference FieMore Information

Sorby S.A.; Muhammadasghar P.E.; Bucks G.W.; Hill J.M.O.; Kastner J.; Murphy T.J.; Reeping D.  (01-01-2025). BOARD#221: A Re-imagined First-Year Engineering Program—FYE2.0. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Kastner J.; Bucks G.W.; Hill J.M.O.; Asghar M.; Murphy T.J.; Reeping D.; Sorby S.A.  (01-01-2025). FYE 2.0: Re-envisioning the First-Year Engineering Curriculum. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Conference ProceedingsMore Information

Foundations of Engineering Design Thinking I

Applications of Pedagogy and Assessment

Foundations of Engineering Design Thinking II

Engineering Education Research Design

Introduction to Engineering Education and Research