If I start in an area I don't feel too excited about, is it possible for me to eventually return to what I truly like?
Let's see if your department can get its act together to do right by you.  Here's what I would suggest:

Write up your specific efforts to start working with a professor on a research project in your area.  Keep it all very factual and neutral in tone, and keep it to one page maximum.  Then make a cheat sheet (outline) that will help you present your information in a conversation.  Make an appointment to speak with some department administrator, maybe you have a dean of graduate studies, for the purposes of asking for advice.  Explain your problem, glancing at your cheat sheet as needed, and then leave the long version with him or her to refer to after you leave.  Ask the dean when would be a good time to meet again for follow-up.
If s/he gives you specific suggestions, try not to let your frustrations show at the beginning, and even if you know the suggestions are a waste of time, do make a good faith attempt to follow them; then report back.


If, after this, your department doesn't solve the problem, then you'll need to take some initiative.

(a) Apply elsewhere.  Apply to at least one &quot;stretch&quot; school.  Even a school that is not top of the line should handle this better than your current program has been doing.  Make sure that the departments you apply to have at least three people who do the right kind of work.

(b) Look for a mentor to work with from a distance.  Here's how you find one: read some papers, write to an author with a question about a paper you read.  When you get a friendly, encouraging response from someone, then you can explain the quandary you are in and hopefully start getting some guidance.


I suggest you send some applications right away just in case.  In other words, it would be wise to start with 2a because we're already in January.  Then comes 1.  While you are waiting for things to percolate, you can start working on #2b.
I studied math programming at UW-Madison (a long time ago).  You should not have to switch streams just because your department can't get its act together.