Alumni Awards: Paul Boylan Award

2026 Recipient

Rob Bisel (BS ’14, sound engineering)

Rob Bisel is a Grammy Award–winning producer, songwriter, engineer, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He began his career at Green Day’s Studio 880 in Oakland, California, before moving to Los Angeles in 2014 to intern at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios. Over the next six years, he became the studio’s in-house engineer, working closely with Rubin on projects with the Smashing Pumpkins, Santana, the Strokes, Eminem, Lady Gaga, and many others.

In 2020, Bisel stepped away from Shangri-La to collaborate with SZA on what became the Billboard No. 1, multi-platinum album SOS. He played a central role in shaping the album – producing, engineering, mixing, and even contributing background vocals to standout tracks including “Kill Bill,” “I Hate U,” and “Ghost in the Machine.”

Since the album’s release, Bisel has continued building a diverse, genre-spanning body of work with artists such as Tems, Don Toliver, Doja Cat, Arlo Parks, and Glass Animals. His work has earned him two Grammy Awards (Best Progressive R&B Album, and Best R&B Song), BMI’s Hip Hop & R&B Producer of the Year, BMI Song of the Year, and iHeartRadio Song of the Year.