What type of scientist is in the field of genetic science

Or has the potential 'smarts' to make a 'breakthrough' in the field of genetics?

BQ (optional): How far along was our understanding of genetics in 1970-1994?

Geneticists

Here is genetic timeline:
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kahal…
http://biology.kenyon.edu/courses/biol11…