After studying physics at the University of Palermo, Antonino Di Piazza completed his doctorate in theoretical physics at the University of Trieste in 2004 on the topic of "Particle production in a strong, slowly-varying magnetic field with an application to astrophysics". He then moved to the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, where he became head of the "High-Energy Quantum Electrodynamics" group in the Department of Theoretical Quantum Dynamics and Quantum Electrodynamics under Honorarprof. Christoph Keitel in 2009. Here he made pioneering contributions to the physics of extremely strong laser fields such as laser-induced radiation reaction and pair production. In 2011, he successfully habilitated at Heidelberg University, followed by the Italian habilitation for a full professorship in Theoretical Physics of Fundamental Interactions in 2014. From 2012 to 2015, Antonino Di Piazza served as coordinator of the International Max Planck Research School Quantum Dynamics in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IMPRS-QD); he continues to contribute to IMPRS-QD as a lecturer.
