Maydianne Andrade

{{Infobox scientist | honorific_prefix = | name = Maydianne C.B. Andrade | honorific_suffix = | image =  | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | birth_place = Jamaica | death_cause = | home_town = | pronounce = | residence = | fields = Evolutionary Ecology | workplaces = University of Toronto Scarborough | education = | alma_mater = {{nowrap|Simon Fraser University (BSc) University of Toronto (MSc) Cornell University (PhD)}} | thesis_title =  | thesis_url =  | thesis_year =  | doctoral_advisor =  | academic_advisors = | doctoral_students = | notable_students = | known_for = | influences = | influenced = | awards = | author_abbrev_bot = | author_abbrev_zoo = | spouse = Andrew Mason | partner =  | children = | signature =  | signature_alt = | website =  | footnotes = }} '''Maydianne C.B. Andrade''' is a Jamaican-born Canadian evolutionary ecologist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adamopoulos |first=Tina |title=Black Research Network: ‘The UTSC community has given me a lot’: Maydianne Andrade reflects on 25 years of research, leadership and impact |url=https://brn.utoronto.ca/the-utsc-community-has-given-me-a-lot-maydianne-andrade-reflects-on-25-years-of-research-leadership-and-impact |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=brn.utoronto.ca |language=en-US}}</ref> She is known for her work on the mating habits of spiders, in particular spiders belonging to Black Widow spiders, the ''Latrodectus'' genus.<ref>{{cite news |last=Infantry |first=Ashante |date=2012-11-03 |title=Jamaica T.O.: Maydianne Andrade, biologist, studies spiders |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2012/11/03/jamaica_to_maydianne_andrade_biologist_studies_spiders.html |work=The Star |location=Toronto, Canada |access-date=2018-10-26}}</ref> In 2007, she was named a Canadian Research Chair in Integrative Behavioural Ecology.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gratton|first=Mary Ann|date=2007-10-30|title=Biology professor named Canada Research Chair|url=https://ose.utsc.utoronto.ca/ose/story.php?id=811|access-date=2018-10-26}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Andrade was born in Kingston, Jamaica and immigrated with her parents to Vancouver, Canada when she was three years old.<ref name="wow">{{cite web|title=Woman of the Week: Dr. Marydianne Andrade|url=https://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/11559/Dr-Maydianne-Andrade|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref>

Andrade earned her BSc in 1992 from Simon Fraser University before pursuing a MSc in zoology in 1995 from the University of Toronto Mississauga.<ref name="wow" /> Her MSc thesis was entitled "''Mating behavior and constraints on reproductive success in a spider with male sexual sacrifice"''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pages.nbb.cornell.edu/neurobio/emlen/Misc%20Info/students.html|title=Graduate Students|website=pages.nbb.cornell.edu|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> Andrade then gained her PhD from Cornell University in 2000 under the co-supervision of Stephen T. Emlen and Paul W. Sherman, investigating "''Sexual selection and male mating behavior in a cannibalistic spider."''<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/8033030|title=Sexual selection and male mating behavior in a cannibalistic spider|last=Andrade|first=Maydianne Christine|publisher=Cornell University|year=2000|isbn=9780599840560|location=|pages=}}</ref>

== Career == Dr. Maydianne Andrade has been appointed as Dean, Faculty of Science in York University of Toronto - Canada for a five-year term starting January 1, 2026 following a national and international search process. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Appointment of dean, Faculty of Science|url=https://www.yorku.ca/yfile/2025/06/25/appointment-of-dean-faculty-of-science/?lang=en|access-date=2025-06-27|website=yorku.ca}}</ref> === Research === Andrade is a professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough, whose research explores how the reproductive behaviours of males and females evolve through the interaction of sexual and natural selection in different ecological contexts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maydianne Andrade {{!}} Department of Biological Sciences|url=https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/biosci/maydianne-andrade|access-date=2022-02-11|website=www.utsc.utoronto.ca}}</ref> Her best known work is about the mating habits of Australian redback spiders where the most successful males often increase the amount of time they spend mating while being cannibalized by female redbacks.<ref name="Andrade2003">{{cite journal|author=Andrade, Maydianne C.B.|year=2003|title=Risky mate search and male self-sacrifice in redback spiders|journal=Behavioral Ecology|volume=14|issue=4|pages=531–38|doi=10.1093/beheco/arg015|doi-access=free|hdl=1807/1012|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

She is the Canada Research Chair in Integrative Behavioural Ecology and is the vice-dean of faculty affairs and equity at the University of Toronto Scarborough.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The New Normal: A weekly podcast with U of T's Maydianne Andrade|url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/new-normal-weekly-podcast-u-t-s-maydianne-andrade|access-date=2022-02-11|website=University of Toronto News|language=en}}</ref> Andrade serves as special adviser to the Dean at the University of Toronto Scarborough.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=2021 Discovery Lecture: From Black Widows to Helping Young Academics|url=https://newsroom.carleton.ca/story/2021-discovery-lecture-andrade/|access-date=2022-02-11|website=Carleton Newsroom|language=en-US}}</ref> She has published over 75 academic publications, which have been cited over 4,000 times, resulting in a h-index and i10-index of 39 and 60 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maydianne C.B. Andrade |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-bM7PVgAAAAJ&hl=en |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=scholar.google.com}}</ref>

=== Public engagement === In 2005, Andrade was named one of the Brilliant 10 by ''Popular Science'' magazine.<ref name="PopSci">{{cite magazine|last=Harbison|first=Martha|date=2005-10-01|title=PopSci's Fourth Annual Brilliant 10|url=https://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2006-07/popscis-fourth-annual-brilliant-10|magazine=Popular Science|access-date=2018-10-27}}</ref> She appeared in the second episode of Season 4 of ''Nova ScienceNow''.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/hunt-for-alien-earths-art-authentication-maydianne|title=Profile: Marydianne Andrade|date=2009-07-07|people=Neil DeGrasse Tyson (host)|medium=television production|access-date=2018-10-26}}</ref> In 2020 Andrade was featured in and presented an episode of CBC's ''The Nature of Things with David Suzuki'' about recent discoveries at the Burgess Shale, called "First Animals",<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/m_episodes/first-animals|title=First Animals|date=2020-07-18|people=David Suzuki (host)|medium=television production|access-date=2020-10-03}}</ref> and was interviewed for Quirks & Quarks on her research and work towards racial equity in STEM.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Maydianne Andrade on black widow spiders and fighting for racial equity in science.|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/dec-12-spotting-steve-superbolts-and-megaflashes-hyperventilating-sober-and-more-1.5835976/maydianne-andrade-on-black-widow-spiders-and-fighting-for-racial-equity-in-science-1.5835987|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=CBC}}</ref> She was the 2021 Carleton University's Discovery Lecturer.<ref name=":1" /> Andrade also hosts the weekly podcast "The New Normal."<ref name=":0" />

Andrade is the co-founder and president of the Canadian Black Scientists Network, and recently led the group to host a virtual conference, called BE‑STEMM 2022, to highlight Black Canadians in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=3 February 2022|title=Virtual conference draws Black scientists, inspires university students|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/canadian-black-scientists-network-conference-1.6336523|access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=BE-STEMM: Conference highlighting Black excellence in sciences draws participants from across Canada|url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/be-stemm-conference-highlighting-black-excellence-sciences-draws-participants-across-canada|access-date=2022-02-11|website=University of Toronto News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=CityNews|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/02/03/stem-canadian-black-scientists-network/|access-date=2022-02-11|website=toronto.citynews.ca}}</ref> Over 1,500 individuals were in attendance.<ref name=":2" /> Andrade also co-chairs the Toronto Initiative for Diversity and Excellence, and serves on the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto's Black Research Network.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Lees|first=Max|date=2022-02-01|title=UofT launches Canada's first Black Research Network|url=https://thestrand.ca/uoft-launches-canadas-first-black-research-network/|access-date=2022-02-11|website=The Strand|language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Groundbreakers: U of T initiative brings together experts to address major societal issues|url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/groundbreakers-u-t-initiative-brings-together-experts-address-major-societal-issues|access-date=2022-02-11|website=University of Toronto News|language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life == She works in a lab adjacent to that of her husband, Andrew Mason.<ref name="PopSci" />

== Selected academic publications == {{Scholia}} * Maydianne C.B. Andrade. Sexual selection for male sacrifice in the Australian redback spider. Science. 1996. * Maydianne C.B. Andrade. Risky mate search and male self-sacrifice in redback spiders. Behavioral Ecology. 2003. * Damian O Elias, Michael M Kasumovic, David Punzalan, Maydianne CB Andrade, Andrew C Mason. Assessment during aggressive contests between male jumping spiders. Animal behaviour. 2008.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Google Scholar id}} * [https://blackscientists.ca/ Canadian Black Scientists Network]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrade, Maydianne}} Category:Living people Category:21st-century Canadian women scientists Category:Canadian women biologists Category:Canadian ecologists Category:Canadian women ecologists Category:Cornell University alumni Category:Simon Fraser University alumni Category:University of Toronto alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Academic staff of the University of Toronto Scarborough Category:Harry Jerome Award winners