He is also principal investigator of the federal CCAMPIS grant. His specialty areas are environments and designs for learning and teaching, equity and culture in early education, documenting young children's learning, and facilitating narratives.

Dr. Parnell currently serves on the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Education's board as Vice President, is the Chair of the Critical Perspectives SIG of AERA, is a board member for A Renaissance school of Arts and Sciences, is on the Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education program committee and he is president of the Inventing Remida Portland Project.