Speaker: Tslil Clingman, GWU

Title: A gentle introduction to monoidal categories

Abstract: While general categories provide a rich and deep theory, more focused inquiry may be achieved by requiring of the categories a certain additional structure. Perhaps one of simplest starting points is requiring the objects of the category to form a monoid in an appropriate sense. We shall work our way up from elementary definitions in the general theory to such “monoidal categories”, examine their natural manifestations, explore what “generalised elements” of such categories may be and, time allowing, further directions and motivations. No prior understanding of category theory will be assumed.