Monoidal categories in, and linking, geometry and algebra (Q1932142)

This paper is a survey of some recent developments in the theory of monoidal categories with applications and connections to various topics, including knot theory, representation theory, 3-manifold invariants, and conformal field theories. In the first section, the author provides basic background information on monoidal categories, string diagrams, duals, braidings, and tangles. Section 2 introduces promonoidal structures, Day convolution, and Hecke algebroids, and gives applications to the representation theory of the finite general linear group and Hall algebras. Sections 3 and 4 are concerned with monoidal centres, Mackey functors, and duoidal categories, motivated in part by the Reshetikhin-Turaev and Turaev-Viro invariants. The paper also contains an extensive list of references.