Scientific exploration of consciousness-Is it possible?

Recently I heard a neuroscientist said it is worth finding answer for question "who am I?".  It was hard for me to imagine a scientist asking this question.Till this date, whenever I heard any religious or spiritual leader say something like this, I would roll my eyes. Here was that scientist’s explanation the way I understood. He said you can take any part of your identity away and you will be still you. How so? e.g.I am a physical therapist. If I take this identity away from me, will I be still me. Yes, I guess so. Then who am I? I am human being made with bones, muscles and organs. OK... what if I take away my heart..I got a heart transplant?.. will I be still me. hmm .. I guess so. What about my mind? Well that I loose  a lot .. with kids and husband and at job,,,ha ha .. sorry.. focus.Yes if I end up with demetia and loose all my cognitive functions still I will be me. So how about my spirit " atma" ?  But what is spirit. I don't know....some energy.. I hope its not ghost.  But whatever it is,  doesn't sound much scientific. So what is this consciousness? Does it travel from one life to another... I don't know.. maybe... Has anyone seen it?  Don't worry about next life..What about in this life ,Can we feel /see this energy? As per this neuro scientist "yes". Boom .. really..Yes. Apparently, according to him, what people have felt are experiences.  Experience of "oneness"  / "nothingness".. anyway you want to word it. There is stage that you can induce with psychedelic medications or with meditation where you feel you are in blissful state and you are one with universe. The " ego" has melted and one feels this overflow of love and compassion towards everyone.. something like Nirvana. Sounds too sugary still interesting. Psychedelics are illegal and can have some very bad effect on some people and therefore unsafe.So that option is out.  So that brings to the second option "Meditation". WOW. That means we all  have option of enlightenment. I want to feel it. Just like I want to loose 30 lbs in one week. Sorry.. that's not happening girl. People go to  silent retreat, become monks and still fail to feel it. If they feel it then also for very short time. Well that's too bad. I have family. I have job. I totally love my "muggle" life. I am not going anywhere. So now what? Thinking back, I guess that's how religions came into being. When people became religious and started devoting there time and energy to God.. they felt blissful. It was an outlet for every human being to find their own Nirvana. That is great. But I  still need some scientific explanation. Meditation doesn't have to be about any particular God. I can just focus on my breath, my mind, my body. I know all of these things exist. I don't have to assume anything that I haven't seen. Besides, may be I won’t find enlightenment but can still explore my mind. I think we all have capability to study our mind. Need to explore this further.- praj101