Matrix Units in the Symmetric Group Algebra, and Unitary Integration

In this paper, we establish an explicit isomorphism between the symmetric group algebra and the path algebra of the Young graph. Specifically, we construct a family of matrix units in the group algebra. As a main application of this construction, we obtain new formulas, alternative to Weingarten calculus, for the integral of a polynomial over the unitary group with respect to the Haar measure. In particular, we obtain a closed formula for the law of moments of the first k rows of the unitary group.