Ruth Sophia Padel FRSL FZS is a British poet, novelist and non-fiction author, in whose work "the journey is the stepping stone to lyrical reflections on the human condition". She is known for her explorations through poetry of migration and refugees, science, and homelessness; for her involvement in wildlife conservation, Greece, and music; and for her belief that poetry "connects with every area of life" and "has a responsibility to look at the world". She is Trustee for conservation charity New Networks for Nature, has served on the board of the Zoological Society of London, and broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and 4 on poetry, wildlife and music. In 2013 she joined King's College London, where she is Professor of Poetry.