Piero Lionello completed Magna cum laude his degree in Physics in 1984 and he has been involved in environmental research since 1987. During the first years of activity he worked at ISDGM (I), MIT (USA), MPI für Meteorologie (D), ECMWF (UK), KNMI (NL), and at Italian institutions. From 1992 to 1999 he has worked as researcher at the department of Physics of the University of Padua. Presently, he is associated professor of oceanography and atmospheric physics at the University of Salento.

He contributed to the WAM (Wave Model) project, took part as scientific responsible to the projects ECAWOM (European Coupled Atmosphere Wave Ocean Model, European MAST program), STOWASUS02100 (STOrms, Waves, Surges Scenarios for 2100) Environment and Climate EU Program), CIRCE (Climate Change and Impact Research: the Mediterranean Environment), Wassermed (Water Availability and Security in Southern EuRope and the Mediterranean).

He is chairman of the Med-CLIVAR project (Mediterranean CLImate VARiability and Predictability,  endorsed by the CLIVAR project of the WCRP and approved by the ESF), he has been chairman of the International Scientific Steering Committee of the HyMeX project (HYdrological cycle in the Mediterranean EXperiment), member of the executive committee and coordinator of the research line “extreme events” of the CIRCE EU-FP6 program.
He contributed to many Italian national projects, three times as coordinator. He is presently, coordinator of the PhD program in “science of climate change”, member of the Scientific Advisory Council of ECMWF and of the board of experts nominated by CORILA (Consortium for Research on the Venetian Lagoon) for the study of climate change effects on the lagoon environment, member of the executive board of CINFAI (Consortium for the study of Physics of Atmosphere and Hydrosphere) and director of its research unit at the University of Salento.

His activity includes the organization of international meetings within the Med-CLIVAR, EGU, EMS-ECA , IUGG organizations, schools, and participation as lecturer and invited speaker.

He produced as editor two books “Mediterranean Climate Variability” and “The Climate of the Mediterranean Region, From the past to the future” published by Elsevier. As guest editor he produced a special issue of GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE dedicated to Mediterranean Climate Variability, of Theoretical and Applied Climatology devoted to the Synoptic Climatology session at the ECAC/ EMS 2006, of  “Physics and Chemistry of the Earth”  on “Climate of the North Adriatic and Venetian region”.
Presently he is editing two special issues  “Understanding dynamics and current developments of climate extremes in the Mediterranean region” (Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences) and title “The climate of the Mediterranean region” (Regional Environmental Changes).

He acted as project reviewer for the European Science Foundation, the National Science Foundatioon (USA), NERC (UK), the USA-Israel Binational Science Foundation, as expert evaluator for the EU-fp6 program, and a reviewer for many scientific journals (NHESS, JGR, Clim.Dyn., GRL, Global Plan. Change, Regional Environmental Change, Int. Journal. Climatol., Clim. Research, Scientia Marina, J. Marine Systems, Climatic Change).