As part of the Kosove endowment, Harri and Ruth designated funds to create a professorship to recognize USF professors whose careers have brought them national distinction in teaching and service.
In 2010, the Kosove society and the Kosove alumni began the initial stages of bringing this professorship to fruition. The alumni board spent many months drafting the award criteria and an application. Furthermore, the board decided to create two awards; one to recognize undergraduate teaching and one to recognize graduate teaching. Next, the board needed to find a permanent home for the two awards, a USF governing body who was capable of soliciting applications, screening nominees, and ultimately nominating a recipient to be approved by the USF Provost’s office on a permanent basis. A Kosove alumnus and board member, Heather Agazzi, serves as a USF Faculty Senator representing the College of Medicine. She introduced the idea of the Kosove Professorship to the Faculty Senate, Senate Executive Committee as a potential award for their Honors and Awards Council (HAC) to administer. In the spring of 2012, the HAC unanimously approved to award the Kosove Professorship alongside other prestigious professorships administered through this governing body. The HAC worked collaboratively with the Kosove Society to finalize the award criteria and application, and in May 2013 the first two professorships were named.
2026 Outstanding Professorship Awards
Dr. James Ivey, PhD
Sustainability Studies (USF St. Petersburg) & School of Geosciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. James (Jim) Ivey is a dedicated instructor of environmental science and sustainability studies in the interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies Program based on the USF St. Petersburg campus. He is also a member of the School of Geosciences. Dr. Ivey teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science, Earth science, field methods, wetland environments and remote sensing. Prior to joining USF’s St. Petersburg campus, he worked as a research associate for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Dr. Ivey exemplifies the ideals of the Kosove Society through sustained excellence in undergraduate teaching, transformative service carried out in his professional capacity, and leadership advancing social responsibility, sustainability, and community engagement. His career reflects a deep commitment to using education, technology, and applied science to promote societal change for the betterment of humanity. His teaching philosophy emphasizes experiential learning, data literacy, and environmental stewardship, preparing students to be scientifically informed and socially responsible citizens.
A hallmark of Dr. Ivey’s teaching innovation is the development of a virtual, interactive greenhouse application used in Introduction to Environmental Science courses. This cross-platform tool (Windows, Apple, and Linux) allows students to actively explore the greenhouse effect and global climate change through manipulation of atmospheric variables such as greenhouse gas concentrations, cloud cover, and historical climate scenarios including the Ice Age, pre-industrial era conditions, and present-day environments. The application integrates real-time NOAA data to visualize sea-level rise, enabling students to connect abstract climate concepts to observable, data-driven outcomes. By allowing students to test scenarios and analyze consequences, the app promotes scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and climate literacy. Dr. Ivey further strengthens its pedagogical value by pairing the application with structured assignments and guided inquiry activities.
Dr. Ivey’s excellence in teaching is reflected in consistently outstanding student evaluations. Students consistently cite his enthusiasm, accessibility, and ability to translate complex scientific number of students advancing to master’s and doctoral programs across STEM disciplines. In service and leadership, Dr. Ivey chairs the USF Geosciences Technology Committee and has served for nine years as Faculty Advisor for the Student Green Energy Fund, mentoring student leaders and guiding sustainability projects with measurable campus impact. He was instrumental in securing a $500,000 municipal grant with the City of St. Petersburg and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement an innovative food-waste diversion and composting program combining environmental responsibility, applied research, and community benefit.
Through his teaching innovations, professional service, and leadership, Dr. Ivey embodies the Kosove Society’s mission to promote social responsibility, academic engagement, and leadership development. His work has created lasting positive change within the university and the broader Tampa Bay community.
Kosove Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and Service Award
Kosove Distinguished Graduate Teaching and Service Award