Researcher ID: 61255
ORCID

 

Pia Groleger is a designer, PhD student, and young researcher with a particular interest in the intersection of visual literacy, sustainable design, and water environments. She is actively involved in the research programme Visual Literacy (P5-0452), where she explores visual perception and attention through methods such as mobile eye tracking, contributing to a deeper understanding of how environmental information is communicated and perceived. Her work focuses on the role of design in addressing environmental challenges, especially those related to water systems, and examines how visual communication can foster more sustainable and responsible relationships with natural environments. She also engages with the integration of vernacular knowledge and emerging technologies to support context-sensitive design approaches. Although at an early stage of her academic career, she has received several awards for her design work, including the Distributed Design Award, the Prešeren Student Award, and the crQlr Award Japan. Alongside her design practice, she is developing her research and writing within the fields of design, sustainability, and visual communication.

Awards:
2025 Prešeren Student Award for Master’s Thesis (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2024 Designblok diploma selection shortlist (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2024 First Prize Glassberries Award 2024 (together with Žan Girandon)
2024 crQlr Award Japan (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2024 First Prize reDiscover (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2023 UL Ceremonial Certificate for the Best Academic Achievements
2023 Made in Slovenia Selection of Design Excellence (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2023 Winners of the First Round of the Young Balkan Designers Competition (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2023 New European Finalist of Bauhaus (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2023 Green Project Nomination (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2022 Prešeren Student Award for the T60 Project (together with Matic Čič, Žan Girandon, Vid Lebič, Luka Pleskovič and Jo Zornik)
2022 DOS Award (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2022 Zavod BIG Perspektivni Award (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2022 Zagreb Design Week 1st and 2nd Prizes in the Social Innovation Category (together with Maruša Dolinar, Žan Girandon, Luka Pleskovič, Tjaša Mužina and Simon Rozman)
2022 Distributed Design Award – Project Excellence (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2022 Honorable Mention Cumulus Green (together with Žan Girandon and Luka Pleskovič)
2022 National Award for the Best Wooden Product SPIRIT Slovenia
2021 3rd Prize Service Design Challenge 2021 Philips (together with Maruša Dolinar, Žan Girandon, Luka Pleskovič, Tjaša Mužina and Simon Rozman)
2021 1st prize space capsule of the Noordung Center (together with Jo Zornik)

Conferences:
2026 Cumulus Dunedin
2026 28th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education
2026 Cumulus Athens

 

Professional experience:

University of Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts and Design
2025–present: Young researcher at of the Visual Literacy research program
2025–present: Assistant at the Department of Industrial Design and Applied Arts
2026–present: Member of Sustainability Group at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana
2024–2025: Member of Sustainable Exhibition Research team (HUD funds) of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana
2023 Coordinator of the Sustainable Exhibition Research team of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana
2019–2022 Demonstrator at the Department of Industrial Design and Applied Arts

Trajna association
2025: Local Project Manager

Center for Creativity / Museum of Architecture and Design
2023–2024: Project Managemer

Floating university
2021–2023: Assistant at the festival (Re-)gaining ecological futures I-III

Pjorkkala association
2022–present: Cofounder of the design and research association

Freelancer
2020–2025: Product designer, Researcher, Interior designer