David Foord

Dr. Foord is an associate professor and dean of the faculty of management at the University of New Brunswick. He teaches courses on innovation, entrepreneurship and business history in the BBA and MBA programs. He previously taught in St. Thomas University’s Science and Technology Studies Programme (2010-2016) and the UNB Faculty of Engineering’s Technology Management and Entrepreneurship Program (2017-2019). In 2023 he was appointed the Wilson-McKenna Fellow in Digital Sustainability.

He is the recipient of the UNB Student Union Red Award for Teaching Excellence (2021), UNB Teaching Scholar Award (2022), UNB Merit Award (2022), Faculty of Management Excellence in Research Award, 2016-2022 (2023), MBA Graduate Student Society Professor Recognition Award (2024) and Faculty of Management Annual Research Award (2025).

He has authored histories of the upper limb powered prosthetics industry, US carbon black industry, Canadian telegraph, telephone and electric power industries and science, technology and innovation policy. He has published social studies of science, technology and innovation in the power generation, electric utility, biomedical engineering and carbon licensing industries.

He is currently supervising or co-supervising the research of one post-doctoral fellow, five doctoral students and one masters student. Postdoctoral fellows who wish to pursue studies on the aforementioned research topics may express interest by sending by email an introductory letter, writing sample and academic transcripts.

Dr. Foord’s professional service work has included university and private sector management, board and advisory board positions. He serves on a number of UNB Faculty of Management and Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies committees. He was a board member of Q1 Labs and currently serves on the board of Inversa Systems. He is an advisory board member of the Emera and NB Power Research Centre and the Energy Modelling Hub.

Dr. Foord has a doctorate in interdisciplinary studies from the University of New Brunswick, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Campion College at the University of Regina.

Recent peer reviewed publications

Foord, David (2026). Foord, David, A History of Knowledge and Production in Powered Prosthetic Arms, CRC Press.

Foord, David, Daniel Rosenbloom, Cameron Robert, (2026, Forthcoming) “From telegraphs to telephones: Tracing the socio-technical transition in Canadian telecommunications from 1846-1980.” Business History.

Tantawy, Maha, David Foord, Daniel Rosenbloom. (2026) “The interpretive flexibility of smart grids: transitions, policy mixes and technology innovation systems in the Canadian Maritimes (2009-2022).” Research Policy.

Foord, David (2026). “The historic turn.” Edward Elgar Encyclopedia of Historical Organization Studies.

Foord, David (2026). “Constructivism.” Edward Elgar Encyclopedia of Historical Organization Studies.

Foord, David. (2024) “Leisure Jobs: Recreating family and social life in utility marketing in Canada, 1920-1970.” Business History Review.

Tantawy, Maha, David Foord, Piperopoulos, Panos, McNally, Jeff. (2024). “Continuous improvement strategies towards energy transition: the importance of individual employees’ entrepreneurial orientations and learning processes.” Business Strategy & the Environment.

Foord, David. (2023) “Industrial Transitions in the Black: US government-business relations in the mobilization of carbon during World War II.” Enterprise & Society.