As you prepare for the 2017 Esri Ocean GIS Forum, enjoy the keynote from 2016 by Dr. Nick Hedley of SimOn Fraser University: an exploration of how GIS displays can increasingly serve as portals between worlds, by way of virtual 3D coastal atlases and the coupling gaming engines with GIS for augmented reality in support of a host of scientific applications (i.e., not just eye candy, but for rigorous science and decision support, especially for hazards).
Esri Ocean GIS Forum 2016: Keynote Address - YouTube