QT3, if you are strongly drawn to research, then education would be the path to get there. Presuming you want to be focused and not just have a hobby in that area (and presuming that income is a relevant consideration.)

In post-graduate work you can begin to engage, bump heads, refine, argue your concepts with others with similar or tangential interests. Even undergraduate, the potential exists; request to take graduate seminars and bring your geist to each class over and beyond the requirements and material as presented. Passion paves paths.