The prominent scientist who contributed to the field of genetics through their work with pea plants is Gregor Mendel. His experiments in the mid-19th century laid the foundation for the principles of inheritance. Mendel's methodical approach to studying the traits of pea plants led him to discover the laws of segregation and independent assortment, which explain how traits are passed from one generation to the next. His work remained largely unrecognized until decades later, but it established Mendelian genetics as a cornerstone of modern biology.