William Arthur Watts (26 May 1930 – 26 April 2010) 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.
[1] 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.
[2] He became a fellow of Trinity in 1960, a Reader in Botany in 1964, a Professor in 1966 and Provost from 1981 to 1991.
[3] He was President of the Royal Irish Academy from 1982 to 1986.