Theta and eta polynomials in geometry, Lie theory, and combinatorics

The classical Schur polynomials form a natural basis for the ring of symmetric polynomials, and have geometric significance since they represent the Schubert classes in the cohomology ring of Grassmannians. Moreover, these polynomials enjoy rich combinatorial properties. In the last decade, an exact analogue of this picture has emerged in the symplectic and orthogonal Lie types, with the Schur polynomials replaced by the theta and eta polynomials of Buch, Kresch, and the author. This expository paper gives an overview of what is known to date about this correspondence, with examples.