Reaction theory and connections to weakly bound systems

Reactions continue to be one of the most common tools used to probe nuclei. They provide a variety of knobs to investigate nuclear structure and to extract information for astrophysics. However, developing reaction models for weakly bound systems pose specific difficulties. Over the last few decades, many studies have shown the impact of the extended tails in the wavefunction as well as the importance of coupling to breakup states on other reaction channels, from elastic scattering to transfer and fusion. In this talk, we will touch upon a selection of examples that contrast the differences in the mechanisms when using tightly bound nuclei versus loosely bound nuclei as projectiles. We will also discuss remaining challenges in the field.