Dow Chemical is involved in a research partnership with one of its commercial competitors, DuPont, along with Northwestern University, at the Advanced Photon Source at the Argonne National Laboratory. The three partners have joined to form a Collaborative Access Team that will conduct research on materials such as catalysts, fibers, engineered polymers, plastic and metal finishes, and electronic materials. As explained by Dow's Vice President and Director for R&D, "The Advanced Photon Source will let us look at materials in ways never before possible. It will be like seeing in color what you've only seen before in black and white."