William Arthur Watts

William Arthur Watts was an Irish academic who served as the 41st provost of [Trinity College Dublin] from 1981 to 1991. He was professor of Botany at Trinity College.
He was born in Dublin's docklands and studied Modern Languages at Trinity, where he was elected a scholar in 1950, graduating in 1952 and in Natural Sciences the following year. He became a fellow of Trinity in 1960, a reader in Botany in 1964, a professor in 1966 and provost from 1981 to 1991.
He was president of the Royal Irish Academy from 1982 to 1986.