MariaZerbola Portfolio
About me

Hi, I'm Maria

I'm a postgraduate student at Politecnico di Milano, pursuing a double master degree in Product Service System Design and Management Engineering. I am interested in exploring the interdiscipinarity between design and management through business innovation, service design, strategic design or organizational change.

Education

  • MSc in Management Engineering - Politecnico di Milano (MI Italy)

    From: 02/2025 To: 09/2027 expected
    Grade average: 28.2/30

    Main subjects covered:

    • Strategic Innovation

    • Agile, Lean and Sprint Methodologies

    • Design Thinking for Business and Participatory Methodologies

    • Planning and Control

    • Logistic and Supply Chain Processes and Innovation

    • Business Model Re-design and Innovation

  • MSc in Product Service System Design - Politecnico di Milano (MI Italy)

    From: 09/2025 To: 09/2027 expected
    Grade average: 28.2/30

    Main subjects covered:

    • Service Design

    • Public and Social Innovation

    • Innovation of Meaning

    • UX and User Research

    • Systemic Design

    • Team projects and teambuilding

  • BSc in Design and Communication - Politecnico di Torino (TO Italy)

    From: 09/2020 To: 07/2024
    Final grade: 109/110 - Recognition:Thesis Worthy of Merit
    Thesis: "Liberamente: A Well-Care Design practice to overcome bedtime procrastination."

    Main subjects covered:

    • Product Industrial Design

    • Material sciences and physics

    • Project requirements planning

    • Antropology and cognitive ergonomy


    • Innovation and product development

    • Exhibit design (light and sound)

    • Storytelling and communication

  • Exchange Student in Timber Creek High School (TX United States)

    From: 08/2017 To: 06/2018
    Academic recognition: AP Scholar with Honor Award

    Main subjects covered:

    • AP English Language and Literature

    • AP American History

    • AP Chemistry

    • AP Physics

    • Physiology and Health Research

    • Pre-Calculus

Work Experience

  • Freelance Communication Specialist for Italian non-profit

    From: 02/2026 To: - ongoing

    Hope Club ODV contacted me to guide them in improving the communication of their activities, particularly to reach new audiences in occasion of their Missione Popolare 2026. I introduced them to social media advertising, made their website visible (from not indexed to first page) and reached sold-out on their latest event.

  • Teaching Assistant in Data-Centric Service Design

    From: 02/2026 To: 06/2026

    I contributed to the smooth running of the course by managing attendance and groups formation, as well as monitoring and reporting ongoing students' feedbacks. I also had the opportunity to interact with guest lecturers on different related topics.

  • Social Media Specialist for Digital Transition in Parapharmacy

    From: 11/2023 To: 10/2024

    Within an ambitious digital transition (PNNR) I was the internal resource responsible for mediating between the organizational culture and an external communication agency. I also contributed to the design of the brand identity and to curating the digital presence of the brand on social media and the website.

Internships and Other Formative Experiences

  • Career Mentoring for Women with Startuppers

    From: 09/2025 To: 11/2025

    Selvaggia Fagioli shared her insider knowledge on best practices for successful venturing. After the final networking event I interacted with a few startups and joined one briefly, contributing mainly to sales and customer relations.

  • Student Service Design Challenge Finalist: SPONTANEA

    From: 01/2025 To: 06/2025

    A semester long formative journey, mentored by IBM strategy designer Maria Sanchez. Within an international team of experienced designers I brought my understanding of the italian systemic sociocultural context, translating our research into a clear problem statement. I integrated physical touchpoints into UX, and curated visual communication.

  • Product and Interior Designer - extracurricular internship

    From: 02/2024 To: 07/2024

    While writing my thesis I reached out to Cuperfrigor. I introduced them to rendering as a tool to interact with their customers, it proved an appreciated service. I followed different bespoke projects from concept to technical drawings.

  • Product and Interior Designer - curricular internship

    From: 05/2023 To: 07/2023

    I carried out different projects of luxury furniture from research and concept ideation to technical drawings and prototyping. I experimented with different materials and was introduced to sculptural sketching.

Languages
  • Italian: native speaker
  • English: C2 Proficiency (certified: IELTS 8.5)

Hard Skills

  • service design mapping (journey, offering, stakeholders, system, blueprint)
  • user research
  • 2D, 3D visuals
  • design thinking facilitation
  • storytelling and communication
  • innovation of meaning method
  • BM and value proposition canvas

Soft Skills

  • teamwork
  • proactivity
  • public speaking and relation, presenting
  • intutition
  • intercultural empathy
  • problem solving

Softwares

  • Microsoft Suite: Excel
  • Figma, Miro, Notion
  • Claude, Gemini
  • Adobe Suite
  • Rhino, Blender
Hobbies and Activities
  • Acrobatics and aerial acrobatics
  • Volounteering and community
  • Artistic training: theatre, singing, piano, dance