The University of Oklahoma is an exciting place to do research. For example, OU research funding nearly tripled from 1994 to 2008. OU is one of only 25 U.S. public universities with an endowment over $1.1 billion. OU has increased its number of endowed faculty positions from 100 in 1995 to 539 in 2008. A new research campus has sprung up just south of the OU main campus, focusing on life sciences research and weather research. The OU-Norman main campus includes one of the two largest natural history museums on a university campus, the Sam Noble Museum, and the largest History of Science Collection in the world, at the Bizzell Memorial Library.
Beyond science, the beautiful OU-Norman campus features the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, including the Weitzenhoffer Collection of French Impressionism, the single most important gift of art to a U.S. public university. OU has leading programs in musical theater and dance. OU cultural life is greatly enriched by numerous concerts, plays, and other performances at several OU venues, including the architecturally and acoustically stunning Catlett Music Center. Another kind of entertainment is provided by OU men's and women's athletic teams, which have won a combined 37 Division 1 team national championships.