CV of David Cutting

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Summary

I am a passionate computer science geek and educator and have worked in a wide range of roles nationally and internationally. Having completed an MSc and PhD at the University of East Angila I am working as a Senior Lecturer (Education) at Queen's University in Belfast where I also act as Director of Education for Undergraduate Computer Science programmes.

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me using the details above.

07/2017 - Present: Reader (Education) / Associate Professor

School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom

Working as a Reader (Education) in EEECS teaching students in a number of subjects and undertaking scholarly activity and research to build more effective and inclusive teaching strategies, building on research-led teaching.

Academic Progression at Queen's University Belfast:
07/2017 - 08/2021: Lecturer (Education) / Assistant Professor
08/2021 - 08/2024: Senior Lecturer (Education) / Associate Professor
08/2024 - Present: Reader (Education) / Associate Professor

Teaching Interests

Software engineering, programming, system development, project management, testing, quality in software, development methodologies, risk management, interfaces and external system constraints, real world implementation of engineered software, cross-language design constraints, software platforms, software delivery and management

Teaching Experience

Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

Module organiser and lecturer for:

  • 2022/23 - present: CSC4010 Parallel and Distributed Computing (Fourth/Integrated Masters Year, c. 30 students)
  • 2018/19 - 2021/22: CSC3065 Cloud Computing (Third Year, c. 100 students)
  • 2020/21 - 2020/21: CSC2053 - Introduction to Enterprise Computing (Second Year, c. 90 students)
  • 2017/18 - 2019/20: CSC2046 Systems Administration and Maintainence (Second Year, c. 90 students)
  • 2017/18 - 2018/19: CSC1023 Databases (First Year, c. 400 students)

International experiencing lecturing at Guangdong University of Technology, China, on behalf of QUB in summer 2018 and summer 2019.

University of East Anglia (UEA)

Lecturing experience on the following modules:

  • 2012 - 2017: Systems Engineering (Level 3 and MSc)
  • 2013 - 2017: Advanced Programming Concepts and Techniques (MSc)
  • 2014 - 2017: Systems Development (Level 1 – new module in 14/15)
  • 2016 - 2017: Distributed Computing (MSc and Integrated Masters)

Associate tutor running seminar and lab sessions on the following modules at the University of East Anglia:

Research Techniques, Distributed Computing, Database Systems, Internet and Multimedia Techniques, Software Engineering (1 & 2), Systems Engineering, Programming (1 & 2).

Additional experience in creating module plans with learning outcomes from the ground up (Systems Development), as well as writing exam questions and various forms of formative and summative assessment/marking including presentations, written work, exams, code assignments, research reports, and essays. Student module assessment scores available on request.

Awards and Scholarly Memberships

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (from January 2021, previously Fellow).

Awards

  • Nominated, Staff Excellence Award (Leading bt Example), 2022.
  • Shortlisted Finalist, Staff Excellence Award (Innovation), 2021.
  • Nominated, Staff Excellence Award (Excellence), 2021.
  • Nominated, Teaching Award (Student Nominated), 2020.
  • Nominated, Staff Excellence Award (Innovation), 2020.
  • Winner, Rising Star Teaching Award, QUB, 2019.
  • Winner, Best Level 1 Lecturer of the Year, EEECS Awards, QUB, 2018.
  • Shortlisted, Most Inspirational Teacher, UEA Transforming Education Awards 2017.
  • Winner, Best Support Staff, UEA Transforming Teaching Awards 2016.
  • Commended nominee for the UEA Excellence in Teaching Award 2015.

Administrative Roles

At QUB:

  • 2021-2024: Director of Education for Undergraduate Computer Science
  • 2021-2024: Member of the EEECS School Leadership Team
  • 2020-2021 Chair of the Exceptional Circumstances Committee (Concessions Board)
  • 2017-2020 Course Director: BSc Software Engineering with Digital Technology Partnership (Higher Level Apprenticeship)
  • 2019-present: Member of the School Internationalisation Committee
  • 2017-2019 Stage Four (MEng final year) Coordinator
While at UEA:
  • Member of the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)
  • School Board (PGR representative)
  • Member of Union Council (CMP PGR representative)
  • Course Review Committee for Environmental Sciences (Student Member)
  • Program Committee member for 2016 European Conference of Object-Oriented Programming (ECOOP) Doctoral Symposium

Outreach and Engagement

Numerous school-based events such as:

  • "Meet the Scientists" – groups of STEM academics visit secondary (11-16 years) schools and run a number of interactive sessions with the students
  • Summer schools – school groups (often international) visiting the university and taking part in a number of pre-arranged technical activities including robotics and programming
  • SCRATCH-off competitions – local schools entering groups or individuals for judging on a pre-made game in the SCRATCH language and the results of a challenge set on the day

BelFOSS 2019 - presentation on "My Life in FOSS"

Northern Ireland Developers Conference (NIDevConf) - presentation on FOSS 2018.

Belfast Java User Group - research presentation 2017.

UEA in the City public engagement event 2015 – numerous researchers from many disciplines presenting their research to a public audience and local business leaders through posters or a Pecha Kucha presentations

Sync the City Norfolk Developers business start-up event 2014 – as part of a team build and launch a new business startup in two days using open public resources

Research Interests

Software engineering, software evolution, recovery of design information, source code analysis, development methodology effectiveness & implementation, system development & engineering


Publications

For a full up-to-date list please see my institutional PURE profile.

Garrity, J. and Cutting, D. (2025). A Common Language of Software Evolution in Repositories (CLOSER). MDPI Software. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Jones, S., Watson, M. and Barlaskar, E. (2025). Successfully delivering authentic projects in engineering education. Proceedings of the International Conference on Research in Science, Engineering and Technology. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., Lobo de Pina, E., Barlaskar, E., McDowell, A. and Anderson, N. (2025). A toolchain for the in-house education of cloud computing in a vendor agnostic and efficient manner. Proceedings of the IX IEEE World Engineering Education Conference. [PURE Link]

Cinar, O. E., Rafferty, K., Cutting, D. and Wang, H. (2024). AI-powered VR for enhanced learning compared to traditional methods. MDPI Electronics. [PURE Link]

Sortwell, O., Cutting, D. and McConnellogue, C. (2024). Analysing quality metrics and automated scoring of code reviews. MDPI Software. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. and Wilson, D. (2024). Slicing software for fun, profit, and insight. Proceedings of the NI-HPC User Conference. [PURE Link]

Ahmaderaghi, B., Barlaskar, E., Pishchukhina, O., Cutting, D. and Stewart, D. (2024). Enhancing students’ performance in computer science through tailored instruction based on their programming background. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. . [PURE Link]

Cinar, O., Rafferty, K., Cutting, D. and Wang, H. (2024). A comparative study: augmented and virtual reality applications for improving comprehension of abstract programming concepts. SciTePress . [PURE Link]

Cinar, O. E., Rafferty, K., Cutting, D. and Wang, H. (2024). A comparative study: augmented and virtual reality applications for improving comprehension of abstract programming concepts. Proceedings of the 19th International Joint Conference on Computer Vision, Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory and Applications. [PURE Link]

Anderson, N., McGowan, A., Hanna, P., Cutting, D., Galway, L. and Collins, M. (2024). Using ChatGPT in software development education. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. . [PURE Link]

Anderson, N., McGowan, A., Galway, L., Hanna, P., Collins, M. and Cutting, D. (2024). Implementing generative AI and large language models in education. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A. and Barlaskar, E. (2023). Co-design of modern technology modules with industry and students as partners. Springer . [PURE Link]

Cinar, O. E., Rafferty, K., Cutting, D. and Wang, H. (2023). Using augmented reality to enhance learning and understanding of abstract programming concepts. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. . [PURE Link]

Anderson, N., McGowan, A., Cutting, D., Galway, L. and Collins, M. (2023). Designing and implementing a framework to build effective learning-communities in distance learning programmes. IATED . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2023). Authentic learning: the real challenge of real projects. Queen's University Belfast Reflections. [PURE Link]

Anderson, N., McGowan, A., Adhikari, J., Cutting, D., Galway, L. and Collins, M. (2023). Does identifying and addressing academic difficulties early on contribute to enhanced student success and higher retention rates for a distance learning course?. inScience Press . [PURE Link]

Barlaskar, E., Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Anderson, N., Ahmaderaghi, B. and Collins, M. (2023). Early intervention for improving student performance by detecting non-engagement. inScience Press . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2023). Escape Room Control Hub and Clients. [PURE Link]

Anderson, N., McGowan, A., Galway, L., Adhikari, J. and Cutting, D. (2023). An early prediction of academic success using multi-source data mining and machine learning algorithms for students taught in online and hybrid modes after Covid-19. IATED . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A. and Barlaskar, E. (2023). Co-design of modern technology modules with industry and students as partners. Proceedings of the International Workshop on Frontiers in Software Engineering Education. [PURE Link]

Kemp, B. J., Thompson, D. R., McGuigan, K., Watson, C. J., Heron, N., Woodside, J. V., Devaney, F. K., Harrison, N., Neill, D. T., Cutting, D. and Ski, C. F. (2022). Families' expectations of an eHealth family-based cardiovascular disease-risk reduction programme. Oxford University Press European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. [PURE Link]

Keenan, D., Greer, D. and Cutting, D. (2022). An investigation of entropy and refactoring in software evolution. Springer Cham . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Barlaskar, E., Anderson, N., Watson, M. and Collins, M. (2022). Educating for modern cloud technologies in a platform-agnostic fashion. inScience Press . [PURE Link]

Watson, E. M. and Cutting, D. (2022). Engagement contexts of software engineering education projects. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. . [PURE Link]

Garousi, V., Cutting, D. and Felderer, M. (2021). What do users think of COVID-19 contact-tracing apps? An analysis of eight European apps. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. IEEE Software. [PURE Link]

Garousi, V., Cutting, D. and Felderer, M. (2021). Mining user reviews of COVID contact-tracing apps: An exploratory analysis of nine European apps. Elsevier Inc. Journal of Systems and Software. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. and Garrity, J. (2023). A Common Language of Software Evolution in Repositories. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Cutting, D. and Stevens, N. (2022). The Maths Bridging Initiative: An Institutional transition Support Programme. Proceedings of the Teaching and Learning Conference 2022. [PURE Link]

Walsh, J., Cutting, D. and Lois, N. (2021). Developing a complications of retinal detachment surgery (CORDS) app with a score calculator. Proceedings of the British and Eire Vitreoretinal Surgeons Conference 2021. [PURE Link]

McConnell, M., Gault, R., Craig, S., Cutting, D., Rainer, A. and James, J. (2021). Automated Ki-67 proliferation scoring from histopathology images using Mobile and Cloud technology. Proceedings of the 23rd Irish Machine Vision and Image Processing Conference 2021. [PURE Link]

Garousi, V. and Cutting, D. (2021). What do users think of the UK’s three COVID-19 contact-tracing apps? A comparative analysis. BMJ Health and Care Informatics. [PURE Link]

McKinley, J. M., Cutting, D., Anderson, N., Graham, C., Johnston, B., Mueller, U., Atkinson, P. M., van Woerden, H., Bradley, D. T. and Kee, F. (2021). Association between community-based self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and social deprivation explored using symptom tracker apps: a repeated cross-sectional study in Northern Ireland. BMJ Publishing Group BMJ Open. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Weir, E. and Trombino, G. (2021). Beyond “Presenceism”: Monitoring student engagement in the new normal. Proceedings of the Irish Learning Technology Association Educational Technology Conference 2021. [PURE Link]

Heron, N., O'Connor, S. R., Kee, F., Thompson, D. R., Anderson, N., Cutting, D., Cupples, M. E. and Donnelly, M. (2021). Development of a Digital Lifestyle Modification Intervention for Use after Transient Ischaemic Attack or Minor Stroke: A Person-Based Approach. MDPI International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. [PURE Link]

McKinley, J., Cutting, D., Anderson, N., Graham, C., Johnston, B., Mueller, U., Atkinson, P. M., Kee, F., Bradley, D. T. and van Woerden, H. (2020). Community-based COVID-19 spatial analysis in Northern Ireland using smartphone, self-reported symptom data. Public Health Agency . [PURE Link]

Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Khristin, F., Barr, M., Berg, T., Cutting, D., Paterson, J., Young, T. and Zarb, M. (2020). Computing degree apprenticeships: An opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector?. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. and Anderson, N. (2020). NI COVID Casehood Prediction Reports 1 to 20. Queen's University Belfast . [PURE Link]

Anderson, N. and Cutting, D. (2020). Mobility Trends Reports 1 to 10. Queen's University Belfast . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A. and Sage, P. (2020). Automated Feedback for the Masses - A Case Study. Proceedings of the HEA STEM Conference 2020. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Anderson, N., Sage, P., Collins, M. and Allen, A. (2020). A cloud in a cupboard: how to teach modern technologies in a resource-constrained environment. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Bustard, J., Cutting, D., Sage, P. and Allen, A. (2020). Balancing the Quartiles: Enabling Individual Learners in Large Computing Cohorts by Promoting Self-Learning and Resilience.. Proceedings of the HEA STEM Conference 2020. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Bustard, J., Cutting, D., Sage, P. and Allen, A. (2020). Balancing the Quartiles: Enabling Individual Learners in Large Computing Cohorts through Multidisciplinary Projects.. Proceedings of the HEA STEM Conference 2020. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Anderson, N., Sage, P., Collins, M. and Allen, A. (2020). Creating an interactive tool for student communication: lessons learnt. [PURE Link]

Sage, P., Cutting, D. and McDowell, A. (2020). Enhancing Student Support through Close-Proximity Progress Monitoring. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments 2020. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2019). From the large to the small: an introduction to some of my teaching approaches for differently scaled cohorts. Queen's University Belfast Reflections. [PURE Link]

Sage, P., Cutting, D. and McDowell, A. (2019). Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) in Archaeology - a Help or Hindrance?. Bentham Science Publishers B.V. Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics. [PURE Link]

McGowan, A., Hanna, P., Greer, D., Busch, J., Anderson, N., Collins, M., Cutting, D., Stewart, D. and McDowell, A. (2019). Use of Wearable Technologies with Machine Learning to Understand University Student Learning Behaviours to Predict Students at Risk of Failing. Springer . [PURE Link]

Sage, P., Stewart, D., Hanna, P., Allen, A., McDowell, A. and Cutting, D. (2019). Early Intervention in Programming Education: Unlocking Potential through Peer-Mentoring and Reflective Practice. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Allen, A., Anderson, N., Collins, M., Sage, P. and McGowan, A. (2019). Early student access to automated summative marking tools for self learning. Proceedings of the Education and Information Systems,
Technologies and Applications. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Anderson, N., Allen, A. and Collins, M. (2019). Student access to automated marking tools as a way of improving their comprehension. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Cosgrove, T., Anderson, N., Collins, M. and Sage, P. (2019). Using artistic illustration to communicate abstract and invisible ideas in the software engineering domain. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Cutting, D., Allen, A. and Sage, P. (2019). Anonymous vs. Non-Anonymous Backchannels: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Proceedings of the Higher Education Academy STEM Conference. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A. and Anderson, N. (2019). Students soaring: An interdisciplinary approach to flying high. Proceedings of the Higher Education Academy STEM Conference. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Cutting, D., Sage, P., Allen, A. and McGowan, A. (2019). Backchannel in Large Learner Cohorts - Does Anonymity Matter? A Comparative Study.. Proceedings of the Education and Information Systems,
Technologies and Applications. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Cutting, D., Sage, P., Allen, A. and McGowan, A. (2019). Promoting learner engagement: measuring and characterising learner engagement using a collaborative online learning tool.. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments. [PURE Link]

Sage, P., Stewart, D., Hanna, P., Allen, A., McDowell, A. and Cutting, D. (2018). Early intervention in programming education: unlocking potential through peer-mentoring and reflective practice. International Institute of Informatics and Systemics, IIIS . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D., McDowell, A., Allen, A. and Anderson, N. (2018). Automated Marking for the Masses. Proceedings of the Irish Learning Technology Association Education Technology Conference 2018. [PURE Link]

McDowell, A., Allen, A., McGowan, A., Collins, M. and Cutting, D. (2018). Utilising Backchannel Software to Promote Student Engagement Inside and Outside the Lecture Space. Proceedings of the HEA STEM Conference 2018: Creativity in Teaching, Learning and Student Engagement. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2017). Why is software such a monster?. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2016). Enhancing legacy software system analysis by combining behavioural and semantic information sources. University of East Anglia (UEA) . [PURE Link]

Noppen, J., Cutting, D., Ziolkowski, A. and Jones, S. N. (2016). Coordinated Reuse and Deployment for Scientific Software Prototypes with D-UEA-ST. Proceedings of the European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming. [PURE Link]

Noppen, J., Ziolkowski, A., Cutting, D. and Jones, S. N. (2016). The D-UEA-ST Platform. University of East Anglia (UEA) . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. and Noppen, J. (2015). An extensible benchmark and tooling for comparing reverse engineering approaches. International Journal on Advances in Software. [PURE Link]

Le Quéré, C., Capstick, S., Corner, A., Cutting, D., Johnson, M., Minns, A., Schroeder, H., Walker-Springett, K., Whitmarsh, L. and Wood, R. (2015). Towards a culture of low-carbon research for the 21st Century. Tyndall Centre, University of East Anglia . [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2015). Evaluation of Long-Held HTTP Polling for PHP/MySQL Architecture. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. and Noppen, J. (2014). Working With Reverse Engineering Output for Benchmarking and Further Use. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. and Noppen, J. (2013). Benchmarking Reverse Engineering Tools and Using Tool Output for Further Analysis. Proceedings of the BENEVOL Software Evolution Research Seminar. [PURE Link]

Cutting, D. (2012). Free Open-Source Extensible Service Desk (FreeDESK). University of East Anglia . [PURE Link]


Other working papers and extended abstracts, white papers etc. may also be published – see Google Scholar profile or institutional PURE profile.

Seminar and Conference Presentations


  • 2023 Queen's University Belfast: Workshop on Shared Memory Parallelism

  • 2022 International Workshop on Technology-Enhanced Learning: Digital Pedagogies, Student Engagement, Assessment and Feedback: Engagement Data and Targeted Interventions Using VLE Data (invited talk)

  • 2021 ILTA EdTech 2021: Beyond Presenceism: Monitoring student engagement in the new normal

  • 2020 QUB Festival of Social Science: Social Media Dashboards in Response to COVID (invited talk)

  • 2020 MISTRAL Summer School 2020: Using Twitter data in social acceptance research (lightning talk)

  • 2020 BT Workshop on Software Productivity: Panel Member

  • 2020 4-Nations Behavioural Science for Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Group: Social media trend analysis of anti-vax and other public health topics (invited talk)

  • 2020 Software Sustainability Institute Collaborations Workshop 2020: Sustainability of Scientific Software: Experience from Several Projects

  • 2020 HEA STEM Conference 2020: Balancing the Quartiles (lightning talk)

  • 2020 HEA STEM Conference 2020: Balancing the Quartiles (full talk)

  • 2020 HEA STEM Conference 2020: Automated Feedback for the Masses

  • 2020 QUB EPS: Introduction to Programming Webinar

  • 2020 FLARE Conference: An idiot's guide to amateur rocketry

  • 2019 Education and Information Systems, Technologies and Applications (EISTA): Flying our own dog food - extra-curricular approaches to building interdisciplinary engagement and awareness in students (invited plenary keynote)

  • 2019 BelFOSS 2019: A Life in FOSS

  • 2019 IAM at QUB: Self driving cows and self driving cars

  • 2019 QUB Maths and Physics Research: Coding Practices for Research Software

  • 2018 BCS Special Interest Group on AI Conference (SGAI Conference): Mining People from Repositories

  • 2018 EEECS Evening with Tech: Megabytes not Mega Bucks

  • 2018 QUB: Toys and Tech Expert Buyer's Guide

  • 2018 Ulster University Research Seminar: Finding Humanity in Software Evolution

  • 2018 Northern Ireland Developers Conference (NIDevConf): Oh FOSS It

  • 2018 Irish Learning Technology Association ILTA EdTech: Automated Marking for the Masses

  • 2017 Belfast Java User Group: Semantic Analysis through Traceability Forensics

  • 2015 UEA School of Computing Science School Seminar: The problem with software

  • 2015 UEA in the City, a festival of research: Staring into the Matrix (winner)

  • 2014 International Conference on Software Engineering Advances: Benchmarking Reverse Engineering and Using Tool Output for Further Analysis

  • 2014 UEA School of Computing Science School Seminar: Traceability Forensics

  • 2013 Belgian-Netherlands Software Evolution Seminar (BENEVOL): Reverse Engineering Analysis and Benchmarking

  • 2012 UEA School of Computing Sciences Maching Learning Group Seminar: Traceability



Service Roles: Peer Reviewer


At various points peer reviewer for the following journals and conferences:
  • International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction (IJHCI)
  • Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing Journal
  • Nature Scientific Reports (Journal)
  • Frontiers in Public Health (Journal)
  • Journal of Systems and Software
  • Higher Education Pedagagies (Journal)


Service Roles: External Examiner


  • University of Hertfordshire (2022 - present)
  • University of Bradford (2021 - present)

Employment History

Key Expertise

  • Project Management
  • Software Engineering
  • Programming
  • Consultancy
  • Teaching/Education
  • Communication Skills

Education

Qualification Graduation Year Detail
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice (HEP) 2017
PhD in Computing Sciences (Software Engineering) 2016
M.Sc. Advanced Computer Science 2013 Distinction
HND Computing 2001 Merit

Language and Platform Skills

© Copyright 2016-2025 David Cutting, all rights reserved.

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