Latest news with #SamuelTaylor
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mideast conflict is latest threat to global fertiliser supplies
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are raising concerns about potential disruptions to global urea supplies, a critical nitrogen-based fertilizer. With almost half of the world's urea shipments originating from the region, recent escalations have sparked fears of supply chain disruptions. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Recent tensions in the Middle East are the latest reminder of the risks to crucial fertiliser supplies from the embattled half of the world's shipments of urea, a nitrogen-based fertiliser relied on by farmers to grow grains and other key crops, come from the Mideast, Rabobank senior analyst Samuel Taylor said in a report this week. The latest escalation of violence between Israel and Iran had raised fears over a possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical export such a move isn't likely at this point, 'we can't take for granted just how concentrated some of these production and supply chains are,' Taylor said in an interview. 'We seem to be getting these reminders on a yearly basis.'The last big geopolitical shock to the price and availability of crop nutrients — the start of the Ukraine-Russia war in 2022 — was followed by runaway food inflation and a severe strain on farmers. Fertiliser markets over the last five years have undergone extreme price swings due to supply-chain shocks from the global pandemic and a surge in European prices of natural gas, a main input for most nitrogen agriculture producers Brazil and India are especially dependent on global markets for fertiliser. Brazil, which produces two corn harvests a year, imports more than 90% of its needed urea. Mideast tensions have sent prices of urea up this week in the South American nation, according to Bloomberg Intelligence the US, the current season's top fertiliser application times have passed, though growers in just a few months will be turning to fall fertiliser applications for the next season.'For US farmers, don't expect a reversion down in pricing,' Taylor said. 'You're going to face cost price inflation into next year.'
Bloomberg
11-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Mideast Conflict Is Latest Threat to Global Fertilizer Supplies
Recent tensions in the Middle East are the latest reminder of the risks to crucial fertilizer supplies from the embattled region. Almost half of the world's shipments of urea, a nitrogen-based fertilizer relied on by farmers to grow grains and other key crops, come from the Mideast, Rabobank senior analyst Samuel Taylor said in a report this week. The latest escalation of violence between Israel and Iran had raised fears over a possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical export channel.
Int'l Business Times
08-07-2025
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
Making the Complex Click: Samuel Taylor on Rethinking EHR Rollouts and Digital Health Transformation
Samuel Taylor The healthcare ecosystem continues to advance. Electronic health record (EHR) systems introduce promising propositions, such as seamless care coordination, real-time patient data, and reduced administrative overhead. Bringing these systems to life is another conversation, however. Organizations find out that deploying EHRs isn't another IT project. It entails a full-scale organizational shift. Samuel Taylor, a seasoned digital transformation professional, stands as a partner for those seeking to bridge the gap between data, cloud, and strategy. Taylor has over a decade of experience managing digital transformation initiatives across both the public and private sectors. He holds dual degrees in Computing Information Studies and History, a combination that informs his ability to decipher complex technical systems and contextualize their human impact. His professional journey has taken him through national health programs, energy sector modernization, and data architecture for government agencies. In each role, Taylor's approach has been consistent. Analyze the dysfunction, re-architect for clarity, and execute precisely. Whether leading cross-functional IT teams, mapping legacy database dependencies, or developing real-time dashboards that surface operational truths, his mission is to make systems make sense and deliver measurable results. It's about solving real problems with sustainable, user-centered solutions. The experienced professional's experience in working with federal agencies, regional health providers, and utility companies has enabled him to witness what breaks down during EHR implementations. Taylor states that in the current climate, those breakdowns are happening more frequently. Health systems scramble to modernize. Why? Due to the mounting pressure from policy shifts, consumer expectations, and cybersecurity risks. "EHR rollouts have become ground zero for the broader digital transformation struggle," Taylor says. According to a 2024 report by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 96% of non-federal acute care hospitals in the United States have adopted certified EHRs. However, only 37.5% report fully leveraging them for interoperable data exchange. The gap between adoption and effective utilization is glaring. Taylor believes that there are five challenges dominating the EHR rollout landscape. These include resistance from clinical staff, complications with legacy data migration, misaligned workflows, inadequate training, and integration failures. Such issues can derail launches, frustrate clinicians, and jeopardize patient safety. "It's not easy to adapt to change. Physicians and nurses are already burdened by heavy caseloads, so it's not surprising if they perceive new EHR systems as intrusive or poorly designed," Taylor explains. Without early involvement or ownership in system design, they might disengage. Similarly, migrating data from aging, siloed systems into a new digital infrastructure is rarely straightforward. Errors, inconsistencies, and lost patient histories can undermine trust before the system even goes live. Another problem? The frequent misalignment between technology workflows and real clinical processes. "What usually happens is that templated systems are dropped into complex environments without adequate customization. That naturally leads to workarounds, frustration, and decreased productivity. Taylor states that training is another issue. Many clinicians receive shallow, generic instructions, leaving them unprepared to navigate real scenarios under pressure. Last but not least, there are integration gaps, where the new EHR fails to effectively communicate with existing platforms like labs, billing, or pharmacy systems. Taylor proposes pragmatic strategies tailored to each challenge. To address clinical resistance, he advocates for the early inclusion of frontline users through clinical advisory boards, pilot testing, and the promotion of peer champions. Doing so can bridge the gap between users and developers, increasing buy-in and smoothing adoption. For the issue of data migration, Taylor highlights the need for rigorous trial runs and data quality audits led by a cross-functional governance team with expertise in system mapping. Meanwhile, to solve workflow misalignment, he recommends on-site observation of clinical routines followed by user story-driven system configuration. This can lead to fewer workarounds. When it comes to training, Taylor's solution is experiential. He emphasizes scenario-based simulations specific to roles, supplemented by short, targeted video content. However, training shouldn't stop at rollout. "On-call support during the go-live phase must be fast and responsive. Issue resolution must average under 15 minutes," Taylor states. Finally, for integration gaps, Taylor proposes developing an interface inventory early in the planning phase and deploying middleware solutions as needed. Only full-scale pre-launch testing across all critical systems can ensure seamless data flow and eliminate surprises on day one. Through these solutions, Taylor presents a new way of approaching digital healthcare transformation that respects complexity while insisting on usability, clarity, and results. For organizations preparing for EHR implementations or seeking to course-correct struggling rollouts, his insights offer a blueprint.
NZ Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Kiwi students at Harvard face uncertainty after Trump revokes university's foreign student enrolment rights
A Kiwi student at Harvard University says his future is being 'held hostage' in a battle between US President Donald Trump and the Ivy League institution. 'I'm angry, I'm upset and I'm scared,' undergraduate student Samuel Taylor said. Last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard's right to enrol international students.
The Spinoff
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Spinoff
‘We will not go quietly': The Māori Harvard student fighting for his future
Aotearoa-born Harvard student Samuel Taylor argues a US government crackdown threatens not just his visa, but the very ideals of academic freedom, global collaboration and free speech. The American government's decision last week to ban Harvard University from certifying visas for international students is a direct assault on academic freedom and integrity. It undermines the United States' standing as the centre of global academic collaboration and innovation, and holds the futures of some of the brightest, most passionate young people in the world hostage. This isn't just political – it's personal. I know, because I'm one of the international students whose future now hangs in the balance. When I was 11 or 12, on the opposite side of the world in Aotearoa New Zealand, I decided that I was going to go to Harvard. I'd heard that it was the best school in the world and I wanted to prove that I deserved to be there. From then on, I worked to turn my dream into a real goal – and I achieved it in 2019 when I was admitted to Harvard College to study political science and economics. Now, everything I worked for – everything thousands of international students have worked for – is at risk, through no fault of our own. Earning a place at Harvard is the dream for many young people around the world. It takes dedication and sacrifice, offering an opportunity to change lives in return. Harvard is unique among American universities for charging international students the same tuition as domestic students and offering them equally generous financial aid. In exchange for giving international students this extraordinary opportunity, Harvard gets a student body enriched by our unique perspectives and insights that no American-only university could replicate. All throughout Harvard, international students play a vital part in scientific and sociological discoveries that change the world. The government's decision means, effective immediately, one of the most important research institutions in the world will be critically damaged. To justify its actions, the Trump administration has accused Harvard of 'fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus' and 'employ[ing] racist diversity, equity, and inclusion policies'. On the basis of these accusations, the government has made sweeping demands – including access to private records and changes to university policies – that would effectively end free speech on campus. Complying would not only undermine Harvard's academic integrity and violate international students' constitutional and legal rights but also, given the government's treatment of immigrants and international students recently, put us in real danger. My peers aren't violent antisemites or Chinese Communist Party spies, nor has Harvard made them so. They're passionate, dedicated, gifted young people with the potential and the desire to change the world – and they're being punished for it. This conflict is bigger than Harvard, though. This administration is not only attacking our university, but every university in America. If the country's oldest and wealthiest school can be bullied into submission – for daring to defy the president, and on the thinnest of pretexts – then no institution in America will be safe from arbitrary, authoritarian crackdowns on free speech. As long as this decision stands, no international student will ever feel secure in their place in the United States. The door will slam shut on bright, talented people who came from across the world in search of a better future – and who would have given back in return. The spirit of discovery that has defined the last century of American life will find a new home. Harvard has challenged this decision in court, and while I'm hopeful that the courts will find in its favour, I'm not confident that we'll be safe. I'm angry, and I'm upset, and I'm scared for my future and for the futures of my friends, peers and classmates whose lives have been thrown into uncertainty. But this is about more than Harvard's international students. It's about the lives of every international student and scholar who comes to the United States in pursuit of a better life – and a better world. If this attack succeeds, it won't just end our dreams – it will trample on the very values that make Harvard, institutions like it and the United States great: free speech, academic integrity, global collaboration and the pursuit of knowledge. This is not just a fight for international students – it's a fight for the principles that underpin education in America. We will not go quietly.
