Sharon Fonn

Sharon Fonn (MBBCh, DOH, DEpi, FFCH, PhD, MASSAf, MDhc) is a full professor in the School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand and a visiting professor at the University of Gothenburg.   She is a medical doctor and a registered public health medicine specialist.  She has been the Head of the School of Public Health and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand.  She currently co-leads the Consortium of Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) which includes 8 African Universities and aims to build a vibrant African academy to lead world class research. She was the President of the Association of Schools of Public Health in Africa (ASPHA) from 2014 to March 2017. In 2015 she was awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa Medicine (MDhc) by Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

In 2011 she was awarded the University of the Witwatersrand Vice-Chancellor’s Academic Citizenship Team Award for “evidence of influencing academic citizenship beyond their core responsibilities to re-build and strengthen capacity of African universities and enhancing communities of practice across Africa”. In 2005 she was awarded a Distinguished Scientist Award – for contribution to the quality of life of women by the South Africa Government, Department of Science of Technology. She was a panel member of the Market Inquiry in to the private health care sector for the Competition Commission of South Africa from February 2014 – October 2019. She has published over 90 peer reviewed articles and book chapters, as well a number of training curriculums and a range of technical reports, policy documents and publication for non-technical audiences.  Her areas of expertise include: Policy development and implementation; Health systems research; Gender; Human rights; Reproductive health; Research training and curriculum development.