Farewell to Dame Sally Davies – but not goodbye

The Master Dame Sally Davies GCB DBE FRS FMedSci steps down this week after seven years in the role.

The 40th Master of Trinity and the first woman in the role, Dame Sally was installed in 2019, when she was also appointed the UK Government’s Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Previously Dame Sally was Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government, 2011-2019. She worked as a consultant haematologist for 30 years before joining the Civil Service.

As Master of Trinity, Dame Sally continued the traditions of the role, engaging with students and alumni around the world and supporting the College’s mission of excellence in teaching and research.

She also enabled transformative plans for new meeting, social and events spaces, as well as a new gym and student library at Trinity in future.

There have also been major challenges. Dame Sally led the College through the COVID pandemic and campaigned vigorously against ‘one of the defining global challenges of our time’ – antimicrobial resistance.

To that end she launched The Trinity Challenge, a global competition that funds data-driven solutions to mitigate the impact of antibiotic-resistant infections, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.

In 2024 Dame Sally attended the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance at the 79^th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Here, measures were agreed to help prevent the predicted 10 million additional deaths a year by 2050 if nothing is done to prevent antibiotic resistance.

In her farewell email to members of College, Dame Sally said she had been honoured to serve Trinity and ensure that academic excellence remained central to the College’s endeavours.

It has been one of my life’s great honours to have had a hand in that. Trinity and everyone who makes it exactly what it is have left an indelible mark on me.

Photos from left, clockwise:

Unveiled in 2025, a modern stained-glass window installed in Trinity’s Hall celebrates Dame Sally’s medical and public service career (David Rose). Trinity’s Wren Library illuminated during the pandemic in support of NHS staff and key workers (Graham CopeKoga).Celebrating the Coronation of alumnus King Charles III in May 2023 (David Rose). Portrait of Dame Sally in Trinity’s Hall by Alastair C Adams (David Johnson). Dame Sally enters Great Court before her installation as Master in October 2019 (Graham CopeKoga). Dame Sally and Trinity students shining a light on antimicrobial resistance as part of the World Health Organization awareness campaign (David Rose.)