A descendant of Charles Darwin became the new professor of poetry at Oxford University this weekend, and the first woman to be elected to the role.

Ruth Padel was chosen on Saturday night to succeed Christopher Ricks in the prestigious position, which was created in 1708.

It came after the battle for the post was mired in controversy. Derek Walcott, the Nobel Laureate who was also nominated, withdrew after old accusations resurfaced that he sexually harassed a former student.

Anonymous letters detailing the allegations were sent to more than 100 Oxford professors.

Then a group of academics wrote a letter to The Times, suggesting that the contest should be suspended, and nominations reopened.

Padel, a former chairman of the Poetry Society, received 297 votes from Oxford graduates and academics, compared with 129 votes for Arvind Mehrotra, another nominee.

She said she felt honoured and humbled to be offered the position, adding: "My backers based their support for me on what they felt I could offer poetry and students. Now I shall do my best to fulfil their trust.”

Padel, who follows in the footsteps of WH Auden and Seamus Heaney, intends to forge links between poetry and science.

She said that she had recently read to “undergraduates from physics, zoology, Russian and anthropology, who were excited and passionate about poetry, especially poetry and science.

“That is what I should like to do: to explore what poems can give to students, college by college, department by department, in the humanities and sciences.

“To encourage, across the university, the reading, the writing and above all the enjoying of poetry, ancient and modern, in all its richness and variety.”

Padel has given seminars for the Euroscience Forum Barcelona, the Royal Society and Royal Society of Medicine.

Dr Sally Mapstone, chairman of the English Faculty Board at Oxford University, said: “It is tremendous that May 2009 has seen the election of the first woman Professor of Poetry at Oxford and the first woman Poet Laureate.

“Ruth Padel will be a dynamic and distinguished professor, and we are very pleased to welcome her.”

Times Recommends

• The 100 Best Books of the Decade
• The Times picks the 50 best paperbacks of 2009
• The conversation: James Ellroy